Singletrack Summer

Rossland BC

2010-08-19T15:26:00.010-06:00

I'd always wanted to ride the Seven Summits Trail in Rossland BC. I first read about this trail in Bike Magazine a couple years ago as they gave it their Trail of the Year award. My birthday was coming up and it was a no brainer....we needed to ride that on my birthday. Its over 3000' of climbing and 20+ miles of singletrack.

We loaded up and said good bye to the coast that had been our companion the last six weeks. We made a stop in Vancouver and found some really pretty country on the drive over to Rossland.

Rossland has billed itself as the Mountain Bike Capital of BC since 1993. It has a fantastic campground right downtown. You can ride right from the campsite and enjoy tons of singletrack along with two city owned mountain bike skills parks. The downtown has everything you need from burgers to bike shops to a brewery. The town is pretty quite though at night but I figured everyone is tired from riding anyway. Talk to the city campground host if you want a cheap shuttle for seven summits. He is definitely a character and nice guy. There are also tons of other trails to ride here other than the Seven Summits. Stop in at the bike shop and grab a map.

Rossland found itself in need of a boost after the old economy of the town (mining, forestry) slowed. With a grant Rossland started building and improving trails including the Seven Summits. The town even has a full time crew building and maintaining trails. The local economy has turned farther into tourism and now they are getting herds of bikers in town from Calgary, Vancouver, Spokane and beyond. Its amazing to see how much mountain biking has done to this town. BC definitely "gets" it in terms of what people value in a community. Trails clearly being a top priority here.

We met a few people here who would become riding partners later on down the road all over BC. People from all walks of life who share a love of singletrack, beer, and adventure. You know who you are and thanks for the good times!

Whistler 2010

2010-08-16T15:56:00.002-06:00

Whistler proved to be one of the best weeks of our trip. The weather was perfect, Crankworx was going on, tons of riding in all directions, and we found a killer campsite along a roaring glacier river. Life was very, very good.

We arrived just before the final weekend of Crankworx and the village was insane to walk around. It was like a party I have never experienced and everyone was ALL about bikes. The vibe was definitely electric....you could just feel the excitement in the air.

All my favorite pros from all the videos were everywhere. In the evenings we would hang out in the village and watch all of them destroy the new slopestyle course (and film for their new video segments). Much of the new 2011 stuff was out and many of next years bikes were available to ride as well. For us this was heaven.

We would wake up, roll into town, hang out in the village and get a good "stoke" going on and grab a bagel. Then we would just go ride. There was great riding for free all around us. You don't even need to ride the lifts to enjoy what they have to offer. Most of our favorite rides ended with us riding down to a gorgeous lake and swimming with our dog at the dog beach. Then after playing at the lake all afternoon we would head back into the village for dinner, beers and more people watching.

Post ride lunch.

The week in Whistler probably stepped up my riding more than anything. I've been lucky enough to ride in places and on trials that are considered highly technical.......and I can ride most of it. I'm talking about stuff like Holy Cross in GJ for example. Let me tell you that the stuff in Whistler blew me out of the water. The level of skill that is common on many of the trails is way more complex and challenging than anything in the USA.

Many of the technical features here come from the fact that they build much of the trail out of wood. Think of trails covered in teeter-totters and 10" wide planks (or less) some over 6' above the ground. And these are rated blue to single black here. The double black diamonds are simply way above my riding.....but.......I worked on it and have since grown a spot in my heart for the "North Shore" style riding. I'd end up spending the next month riding it all over Canada.

Canadian trail builders simply have a way more "burly" style of trail building. And there is way more people building trails here. More on that later. Though.

After the hype of Crankworx faded we started venturing up the lifts. The Whistler Mountain Bike Park is well and above the best bike park in the world. Its not hard to see why either. The sheer amount of effort and money spent on building and maintaining it is into the millions. It is like nothing I have ever ridden in my life. I came here fully aware of how hyped it was and it still blew me away. I can't wait to come back next year. I'm sure its that mentality that keeps so many coming back every summer. It also explains why the best bikers in the world call Whistler home in the summer.

Life's short. Every Mountain biker needs to ride this place at least once.

**Due to user error I accidentally deleted the majority of our pictures from Whistler. Bummer....I know.

Vancouver Canada

2010-08-12T13:20:00.003-06:00

We left Washington on a gorgeous bluebird day. After having been rained on the last week it was nice to see blue sky's. This would be our weather for the next three weeks. Sunshine and warm temps. We needed to get up to Whistler for the 2010 Kokanee Crankworx Festival. But we wanted to spend a day exploring the city.

I had never had the chance to visit Vancouver before, but the city is impressive to say the least. Vancouver is a great mix of highrises and ocean. I couldn't believe all the glass and steel in the sky around me. It seems that everything was new and after the recent Olympics it made sense.

We hit up a few different areas including the beach. We ran into a group of guys that wanted Claire to take their picture. I had to take one myself of this interesting group.

The drive from Vancouver to Whistler is along BC Highway 99, or better know as the Sea to Sky Highway, is simply the most amazing drive I have ever done. It has amazing views as you work your way from the ocean to the mountains. Being a fan of heavy civil construction makes it even more impressive when looking at the terrain they had to tackle to complete this monumental task.

We stopped in Squamish BC on the way (and also another day to play some more) which bills itself the "Outdoor Recreation Capital of Canada". On all my travels I found Squamish to be one of the coolest cities anywhere. I'm not going to go off on the town, but if you like the outdoors, this is your spot.

Seattle and Bellingham

2010-08-11T12:46:00.002-06:00

We rolled into Seattle on a rainy day in early August. Claire's mothers good friend keeps a gorgeous apartment in the city over looking the bay. She was kind enough to allow us a few days to use the apartment and explore downtown Seattle. We shopped, ate and had a merry time. It was great seeing old friends and just being in the city again. If your ever in the Ballard district make sure to stop in to The Dray and grab a pint of their greenflash IPA.....fantastic! We also took in a Seattle Sounders soccer match. It was amazing seeing Americans getting so into soccer. They play in the same stadium as the NFL team and believe me it was much louder than any Seahawks game I have every been too.

After a few days we decided to start thinking about Canada. There is a huge bike festival in Whistler called Crankworx that we wanted to see. We did want to make sure and ride in Bellingham, WA just a couple hours north of Seattle on the way though. Our friends have all told us we must ride there so it was a no brainer. We rolled into town and grabbed a trail map of the area. We decided to explore the Galbraith area. This was an amazing place and our first real experience of "North Shore" style mountain biking. This means lots of wooden features and stunts really. We were a little nervous at first but soon we were riding it like it was nothing. It was also a great warm-up to our life in Canada. Post ride we hit up the Boundary Bay Brewery. They had some cheap appetizers during happy hour and a fantastic IPA that shouldn't be missed.

Next up is Crankworx and almost a month of solid riding throughout BC and even a little Alberta. Even the weather was perfect for our stay in Canada. Stay tuned for lots more biking....this is a bike trip right?

Washington Coast

2010-08-04T12:15:00.001-06:00

We left Hood River with our legs sore and our mind thinking back to the coast again. We decided to take the whole coastline of Washington right into Seattle where we were meeting Claire's mother and some friends.

We again remembered why we love the coast so much. Not much biking here but it was a great taking a few days break from biking. Exploring the coast and rainforest's was spectacular and some of the coolest weather I have ever seen.

Some people have asked for a picture of our setup. You can see the storage system I built along with the ARB fridge (amazing!) and our battery that we use for powering our life (we charge it when driving) and a glimpse of the 12volt power washer that we use to clean our bikes and ourselves.

Hood River, OR

2010-08-03T15:38:00.000-06:00

Some places just have it all........amazing biking of all types, killer kayaking, deep pow in the winter, epic wind and kite surfing, and most importantly......very good beer (among a million other things)..... I hate you Hood River! Plus if you want to bail to a "bigish" city Portland is right there and the coast is within weekend striking distance. Not a bad place we thought. Not sure how gloomy it gets in the winter as it was gorgeous the week we were there.

We had been enjoying our time on the coast but we began craving some time on the bike so we went a bit crazy here. I'm not going to go into detail on the rides in Hood but if you get a chance pick up a copy of Kissing The Trail. This guidebook has everything you need to know for this area and many other areas in Oregon. Be certain to hit the high country classics like Surveyor's Ridge, but make sure to hit up the Post Canyon area. I'm not going to ruin it for you, but this place is out of control fun. There is a great trail map at many of the trailheads......go nuts and explore.....trust me....perfect for a early evening ride after a morning in the high country.

The town is very cool and worth a stroll. Be sure to hit up Discover Bicycles downtown. This is one of the nicest bike shops I have ever been into and the staff is wonderful. Full Sail beer is brewed here, but don't wast your time. Head directly to Double Mountain Brewery just a block or two away for all your post ride needs. The Hop Lava is easily one of my top five beers I have ever had. I still dream of that brew. Also be sure to drive over the bridge to White Salmon, WA. The bridge is very cool (look down) and the Everybody's Brewery is right downtown......very good as well. I heard the brew master there was a head brewer for Full Sail.

We had a blast watching all the kite boarding going on here in the afternoons. People from all over the world come riding here. We met a ton of them at the brewery......lots of pro's that do nothing but travel around and kite board......needless to say lost of fun people around here.

Oregon Coast Part II

2010-08-01T11:31:00.007-06:00

Bend was a bit too hot and dry for our taste and what can I say....we love the Oregon coast. So we packed up and headed back to the coast to finish what we started. We both love lazy days exploring the coastline and flying kites. Just pulling over on a Tuesday afternoon and making lunch on the beach by oursleves was simply a fantastic way to live......Kona agrees.

I'll just shut up now and let the pictures do the talking.....not a lot of biking going on here.

Plus we got to drink at the Rouge Brewery in Newport, OR. Its right in the harbor and they had 42 beers on tap.....fantastic place!!!

Bend, OR

2010-07-28T11:30:00.000-06:00

We spent a few days exploring Bend, OR during the week of Claire's birthday. Bend is a rapidly growing city of over 82k city and a metro population of 200k in central Oregon. It is located where the high desert meets the hills. The gem of the city though is its downtown area. The river flows through here with numerous parks laid out along it. The neighborhoods here are spectacular with a perfect blend of residential and commercial that makes this area very livable. There was no shortage of farmers markets, concerts, art walks, etc. while we were there.

We spent much of our time here just walking around the city. There are numerous breweries here and we had fun sampling many fine IPA's. I've been a fan of Deschutes Breweries Mirror Pond for some time now and it was fun sampling all their small batch stuff at the brewery. I would suggest 10 Barrel also for a great brewery.....maybe even better?

If your in the area stop by Chow for breakfast. This is simply one of the best breakfast's I have ever had in my life and they are 100% committed to using all extremely local and organic food. Really one of the best places to eat....simply fantastic!!! The sous chef is a new friend of ours and was kind enough to make Claire a spectacular birthday dinner at their home along the banks of the river right in town.....thanks again.

Bend was very hot during our stay so we didn't ride too much on the trails around town. We did get out to west Bend and rode around Phil's a couple days though. The network of trails out there were fantastic. Lots of flow and you could tell it was built by bikers. Bend actually reminded me a bit of Helena, MT in terms of their trails....mellow and flowy.

McKenzie River Trail (MRT)

2010-07-26T09:44:00.001-06:00

We left Oakridge, OR and headed north to the famous McKenzie River Trail. This ride has been rated the best ride in the country by the likes of Bike Magazine and others so it was a no brainer when we found ourselves this close to it. Its a 26 mile point to point (AKA shuttle) that runs along the beautiful McKenzie river. This trail did not disappoint at all. The water falls, old growth forests, log bridges and beautiful blue pools were simply spectacular.

The shuttle was a bit pricey, but was well worth it. I also wouldn't call it the best trail in America, but it is definitely up there. The trail can be ridden by just about anyone that can mountain bike. The more experienced rider will love the flow of the trail, not boring at all. This should definitely be ridden when close to Bend, OR or Eugene, OR as it sits about in the middle of both.

There are a couple very nice state campgrounds close to the trail. One is right at the end of the trail which is nice if you want to roll into camp and crack a beer right at the end. Bring your own food also as there really is nothing in town other than a gas station. The trail maps are free also so no worries about that.

Oakridge, OR...Loggers, More Hippes, Beer and Mountain Bikers.

2010-07-24T17:22:00.008-06:00

Oakridge, OR is a logging town in central Oregon turned mountain bike mecca. The mill closed down and they decided to embrace mountain bikers rather than slowly decay. The closed business downtown have started being filled with things we bikers need......bike shop....check......brewery...check......shuttle and guide services....check.......live music and pizza....check.....

....chicks on downhill bikes in bikini's...... double check!!!

We spent a long week here and biked our brains out. We found a great camping spot along the river just north of town. We had a nice trail that lead from camp along the river right to the brewery. There is a mind blowing 400+ miles of singletrack that can be ridden right from town.....yes insane.

Ride in the morning, play in the river in the afternoon, then bike into town for a beer and some live music after dinner. These are the lazy days of summer my friends. The days we dream of when a long Montana winter sets in. These were the times that I'll forever remember.....the times spent here were priceless.

We had the pleasure of riding a nice section of the North Umpqua Trail (better than the famous Mackenzie but that's for later) the day before before we arrived in Oakridge. We also stopped at Oregon's only National Park (Crater Lake) which was something that I wasn't expecting. The lake on that blue bird day was insane....I have never seen water like that in my life. The color is incredible....I spent a half hour just staring at it in disbelief.

Next up is Bend, OR bitches!!!

*Post written from a killer brewery in White Salmon, WA....just across from Hood River, OR....Everybody's Brewing (That's their name). Get a Big Brother Imperial IPA if you dare!

Hippies, Beaches, and Fog.....AKA The Lower Oregon Coast and Northern Cali Coast

2010-07-23T19:43:00.000-06:00

We both forgot how much we love the Oregon coast and the northern California. The jaw dropping coastline, the lush old growth forests, and the amazingly clean smells blended together so well with 20something burnout hippie's begging for weed and/or lottery money......what's not to love?

In all seriousness we love exploring the coast line and finding secret beaches through holes in rock (seriously) and flying kites on the beach after lunch. We haven't driven the coast since Claire graduated college and we quickly remembered why we loved the trip so much. Anyway, here are a few pics from our couple days driving the coast. We went inland to bike, but we definitely will be coming back for a few more days of exploring like little kids.

More biking to come.

San Francisco (not to be comfused with Frisco)

2010-07-21T11:08:00.002-06:00

We left the Downieville Classic and headed back to Tahoe for some riding with a terrible view. We actually played around Tahoe for a while and then headed back to Downieville area for some more riding and to ride the popular trails without the crowds.....it proved to be fun. Lots of other trails in Downieville than the classics.

We then decided to head into civilization and so that we could find myself a new phone that was launching that week and get in some culture. It was a fun trip in the city and great to forget about biking for a few days.

We drove over to San Francisco to see the city by the sea and visit old friends. Claire went to school a couple hours from SF and we have always had a soft spot for the city. To me its the most beautiful large city in the US and it proved itself this time. The food was amazing as was the people.

We made some new friends along the way. Thanks again to everyone.....you know who you are!!!!

We played, laughed, drank and ate in this great city. It was incredibly fun and a nice break from biking and camping. Thanks again for everything Ali.

Next up is Northern California and Oregon for a few weeks....

Downieville Classic 2010 (aka The All Mountain World Championship)

2010-07-13T11:19:00.001-06:00

We blew through Utah and Nevada enroute to the Sierra Mountains. While we were in Tahoe we found out that the Downieville Classic was going on. One of my friends rode here and loved it so I figured we would check out the town anyway.

We rolled into Downieville Saturday and found a cool little town along a river. We have spent lots of time in the area as Claire went to school in Chico, but had never stopped in this specific town. Its very small is all we will say and the town was FULL. We found a parking spot in front of the police/rescue/fire/whatever station and they let us stay there so we popped the top and grabbed a beer and headed to the river to watch the river jump.

This is Greg Minnaar from South Africa flipping the famous "Shit Bike" from Bike Magazine. He's one of the top DH racers in the world. Lots of pros gave it a shot and it was amazing to swim in the river while watching the event. Kirt Voreis was in town and I have a video of his jump I'll post later.

The downtown area had been blocked off and was full of tents and vendors. We had a blast that evening. Camelbak made us a free dinner of tacos and we danced all night to the live music downtown.

We even woke up early Sunday and had Chris King make us breakfast. It was fun mingling with the pros and company insiders. Claire got to meet the owner and his wife of her bike, Turner Bikes. We made plans to meet in Canada for the Crankworx's Festival. Super nice people and they both raced.

Sunday was the final DH race. Here's the deal......Saturday you race a cross country race and then Sunday you race a downhill race.....all have to be done on the same bike and then you are crowned the "All Mountain" King......congrats to Mark Weir on his DH victory....super nice guy and a killer rider!!!!

More Tahoe riding to come....

Colorado....good bye and a note on this trip**

2010-07-10T11:36:00.003-06:00

We left Colorado and are in Tahoe right now after a brief stop in Utah again to ride Park City.....we have both ridden there so I did just a day of riding. We also rode Aspen, Salida, Monarch, Pagosa Springs, and other places in Colorado I can't remember right now. Western Colorado is a great place and has endless riding options of all types.

**Its impossible to put everything and everyplace we ride and go on this trip online. Its hard to find fast internet and I just have too much fun stuff going on to play on the computer. I'll try and come back and update this when the trip is over. This is a big trip and I hope whoever is reading this understands that.

-Josh

Gunnison, CO (Hartman Rocks)

2010-07-05T11:22:00.000-06:00

If your driving or flying to Crested Butte your going to have to go through Gunny. Make sure and stop by Hartman Rocks just outside of town. Spend a few hours exploring this amazing area. Lots of free camping and tons of fun rides around here. There are free maps at the trailhead so don't worry about getting lost....just pedal and rip up this amazing place.

Crested Butte, CO

2010-07-04T11:09:00.000-06:00

We spent over a week here including the 4th of July. The town has hundreds of miles of singletrack you can ride and it would take a summer to ride everything. This is simply put one of the best places to ride anywhere. Lots of free camping, a great downtown full of places to get a beer and some grub, and some of the most killer biking anywhere.....heaven I tell ya!

The town is gorgeous with small old Victorian structures painted in lots of fun colors.

There are lots of guides on where to ride here. I will say what ever you ride, ride Reno/Flag/Bear/Deadman's....this is easily one of the best rides anywhere. Its over 20 miles with the most amazing flowing decents anywhere. Check this site for some ride best...."click me".

The 4th of July was one of the best I have ever done. Great parade with lots of food vendors and a farmers market going on. The mountain village put on a great free concert with a huge firework show, after that the town of Crested Butte put on their own firework show.....not bad.

I had a hard time pulling away from the cross country riding, but the ski hill has 5 out of 7 days of downhill riding for $35....not bad. Lots of cool wooden features and definitely worth the money.

Not sure what else to put here other than whatever you do, come to CB in early July and go crazy. I had the time of my life here. This is a perfect place and a long week I won't forget.

Crested Butte, CO and the World Famous 401 Trail

2010-06-29T14:44:00.000-06:00

Crested Butte, CO 401 Trail from Josh on Vimeo.

A quick video I made of our first ride in Crested Butte, CO in late June. There are better trails even in CB, but this is still a great ride and nuts when the flowers are blooming. It is also one of the most famous rides anywhere.

We rode it from the trailhead just past the town of Gothic, up the road to the pass, then took it back down to the trailhead just past the town of Gothic......we wanted to get this ride out of the way so we didn't need to hear about how good it was from everyone.

Lots more on the 'butte coming up. We spent over a week here, it was one of my favorite places so far. We met a new friend in Moab, UT in May that lives and rides in town (and is a good bartender)......lots of fun is all I will say so far....stay tuned.

Telluride, CO and the simple life...

2010-06-27T22:40:00.003-06:00

Sometimes life just finds a rhythm that just feels perfect. We rolled into Telluride, CO on a beautiful Tuesday afternoon in late June. After spending six weeks in the desert it was great to find lush green mountain sides, swollen mountain streams, and cooler weather.

The town of Telluride seems to have been made out of our dreams. We found great camping right in town at the city campground along a beautiful mountain stream. Telluride is a gorgeous Victorian influenced town of around 2000 full time residence year round. Its an old mining town that is just under 9000' in elevation. The town is surrounded on three sides by steep mountain with lots of waterfalls rushing around, including the tallest waterfall in Colorado I believe. The town has a great vibe to it. One thing I thought was funny is that I kept inhailing this smell that I couldn't quite get my finger on. Then I was reading a local paper and I figured it out.....the town has more "pot" bars than either real alcohol bars or coffee shops.....crazy huh? The locals seem to like it better than booze.

We have been here just a week, but have found no use for our vehicle. We have amazing biking right from our camp. We can ride singletrack to over 12,000' or jump on the gondola system (the only public transportation system of gondolas in the US) and ride the mountain bike park for some downhill bike action or easier access to the alpine singletrack. Kona has become an old pro at the gondola system. She has ridden them before in Idaho, but its been a couple years and I was surprised how much she loved it.

The biking around here is steep and sometimes brutal, but offers some rewarding views.

We also use the gondola system for getting groceries and to access our new favorite post bike sport.....disk golf. Its free and found in lots of towns or we just make our own course with trees around camp.

Our timing seems to have been great. Since we have been here we have had free concerts in the park every night. Also the Telluride Wine Festival going on all week all over town and the mountain village. We love spending the evening listening to great music while enjoying our own beers.

Its going to be tough to leave this place. Next up is Crested Butte, CO for the 4th of July week. We have some great stops along the way though...

Cortez, CO (and Dolores, CO I guess but mainly Phil's World)

2010-06-21T18:21:00.004-06:00

So much good biking around these places. If you ever get a chance and are in the Durango, CO area do yourself a favor and stop in at Phil's World just east of Cotez, CO. I don't think I have ever ridden a ride with a bigger grin....the link has all the directions you need. This is easily one of the top 5 rides I have ever done. It isn't a hard ride at all, but it just flows so well. Stay left and your all good. Great map at the trailhead.....seriously this is a killer ride...do it before you die!

I would suggest camping just north of Cortez a few miles in Dolores, CO at another great trailhead for Boggy Draw. Click the links for directions, it is higher in elevation and in the tress so its much cooler. Great camping right at the Boggy trailhead. Ride Phil's World first though...amazing......Boggy is good, but Phil's World is sooooo good.

I didn't take many pictures as I was having way too much fun to stop. If you need any more beta stop in at Kokopelli Bike & Board in downtown Cortez, CO. They have great maps of all the areas above and have a great selection of all sorts of stuff. Great mechanics and tons of free info if you ask the guys in back.

Next stop Telluride, CO and some cooler temps and high altitude riding.

Flagstaff, AZ

2010-06-20T11:18:00.007-06:00

We both really like this town. It reminds us very much of our home in Bozeman, MT. It has great biking, a really fun and alive downtown, great beer, skiing, and a college to keep the vibe young and alive. There is lots of great riding and tons of free camping just north of town at Mt. Elden. There are also a bunch of free disc golf courses for after biking.

We planned on staying a week or so riding around, but a series of fires changed all that. First there was a fire just south west of town that caused an evacuation of our truck stop we were trying to shower at.

There was a free concert all weekend long downtown that we watched after that. Great music and a fun vibe. You know the deal....beer tent, food vendors, and art for sale. The planes dropping fire retardant also were flying right over the music venue which was crazy and cool.

Then the next day or so something crazy happened that I won't forget.....

It was Sunday morning on Father's Day when we decided to go into town and wash our clothes and try again at a shower. I rode down a trail (Shultz Creek) from our campsite and Claire picked me up at the bottom and we went to take a shower, which we did. Then we hit up a laundromat and enjoyed a beer next door at a bar. We went back into the laundromat to check on some stuff and the nice lady working there showed me a fire that just started out the back door. I asked what direction that was and she then told me what I had feared.

Mount Elden was burning up and we left two bikes chained to a tree at camp and other camping stuff. We dropped everything and raced up to camp. We both knew that the road was closed and all was lost in our guts. We then saw an amazing site....our neighbors from camp honking at us. After we followed them to a parking lot they told us the amazing story.

A fire had broken out about a 1/4 to a 1/2 mile away from our camp. The fire personnel had first told them that it was ok and contained.....then that all changed. The fire was out of control and the wind was blowing it right towards our/their camp. They packed up their stuff and then found a fireman to cut the lock holding our bikes and packed up our camping gear. 2 out of 3 of our bikes would have been lost without their generosity. That's not all.....

There was also a group of four or five RV campers full of bike riders and their family's close to our camp. Most of the parents were out biking with the older children while the younger kids stayed in camp. These amazing people helped them pack up before leaving the fire themselves at the last second. They then drove around town looking for us as they knew what we were doing in town and wanted to give us our bikes.

These are those people. Thanks again for everything and it warms my heart to see such acts of kindness in today's world. You are all amazing people!!!! Pleas hit us up on facebook and stay in touch.....our doors are always open.

Adios Arizona!!!

We left Flagstaff en route to Cortez, CO (with another stop in Gallup, NM). The desert is getting hotter and we need to find some green lush trails to ride in Colorado. I heard a rumor that the high country is dry now.

Sedona, AZ 2010

2010-06-16T10:54:00.000-06:00

We have ridden Sedona, AZ before on a previous 10 day trip so we didn't spend more than a couple days riding there. This place is gorgeous and has some killer biking though and should not be missed. There is a reason why this place is always mentioned in the best places to bike anywhere.

The town is a bit touristy though and has a bit of a retierment home feel if you know what I mean. Nothing wrong with that as once you step out on the trails everything changes....

The town isn't too bad either I guess...

Gallup, NM

2010-06-15T10:53:00.001-06:00

We really didn't know what to expect when we rolled into Gallup, NM after leaving Albuquerque. The town was a bit rough around the edges as it was a old Indian trading post. The Indian jewelry trade and a casino ruled this place. Lots of cheap bars and even cheaper hotels. If your a biker looking for a cheap hotel to crash in this town is full up $25-$30 dollar hotels. We didn't stay at any, but this is a place to ride, eat, and sleep on a budget. If you want to stay in a cool hotel try the El Rancho. This is where all the movie stars stayed in back in the day when they were shooting westerns around here....it was good enough for John Wayne.

Much like a book you don't want to judge this town by its cover. This sleepy little town has spent over a million dollars building trails here. Were talking full time (paid) crews building trails and they even have a (paid) person who's job it is to make sure the trails are in good condition. We met Chris and he was a cool kid. A while back a project was started to turn this town into a recreation destination as well. This project culminated in 2010 and the results can be seen at www.galluptrails2010.com.

There is three main riding areas. The High Desert Trail network just north of town and easily ridden from town. I'd suggest hitting up the visitor center in town and grabbing a map to this trailhead. Ride it from the western trailhead and keep right going up and take the left/north trail going back down. This is a gem of a trail and shouldn't be missed. All intersections have clear maps and there is even art spread along the trail...I can feel the love that went into building this trail network. Good stuff!!!

Here is a map of the HDT system....it also says all hikers are welcome, but everyone must yield to bikers (no joke). Click any picture to enlarge as always.

Albuquerque, NM

2010-06-14T14:29:00.001-06:00

We were getting dog tired.....the legs were sore and the body ached from a month on the road biking.....perfect time to let the body recharge. We stopped in Albuquerque, NM for some pampering at Claire's family's house and pampering we received (Thanks so much Patrick and Tina for your generosity, you guys are the best!).

I rode the bike one day, but we mostly relaxed by the pool and ate fabulous food. The weather was great and the house was amazing.....overlooking the city in the hills right next the the ski tram.

Breakfast and dinner outside on the back deck was definitely a treasure I will always remember. Thanks again for opening your home up you guys. It was definitely beautiful....

Roof top golf anyone?

We left Albuquerque on Monday the 14th heading towards Gallup, NM. I read a Bike Magazine article on this place a couple years ago and have always wanted to ride there (even brought the magazine along). The city choose a mountain biker in 2003 to be mayor. They initiated a plan for lots of outdoor recreation by 2010. They spent over a million dollars building trails....they wanted a economy of recreation not just selling Indian jewelry.

Did they succeed? Stay tuned for more....

Santa Fe, NM

2010-06-09T18:04:00.000-06:00

Santa Fe.....this place has some amazing biking around it. We spent four days here biking and didn't even scratch the surface. We found amazing camping up at 10,400' near the ski area. We had it all to ourselves at night!! We had a roaring stream right through camp that put us to sleep every night.....plus there is killer biking right from camp....paradise I tell ya!

It can be 90F+ in town and in a short 20 min drive you can be in the cool mountains that are 68F. The town has a picturesque downtown full of restaurants and a great tasting room for beer. I loved the Marble Brewing IPA.....the 8% ABV helps ease the pain out of the legs!!!!

Some random downtown shots.....

We did some monster rides around here and I had a hard time stopping to take pictures (seriously). So far this is my favorite place for riding in New Mexico. Grab yourself this map (you want NM04) and go ride. Lots of bike shops to get advise from. Hit me up if you would like any GPS files as I did GPS most of our rides here.....I want to remember them when I come back.

The ecamper seemed more popular here also. We get our fair share of interest in this, but lots of people stopping to check out the "submarine". I'll always remember reading in bed after a great meal, beers, and a fire here...curling up in bed falling asleep tired and happy to the creek. I've found that the simple pleasures in life are the best. Waking up with a permanent smile everyday is hard to beat....life is grand.

Angel Fire, NM Chile Challenge 2010

2010-06-08T17:20:00.000-06:00

While we were in Taos we headed over on a Sunday to cheer on a friend in her first pro mountain bike race. The vibe at Angel Fire was amazing......it was the second largest mountain bike race in the US I heard (don't quote me) after the Sea Otter Classic. Lots of the top bike companies were there with full support for the racers.

Ana killing it on here Airborne Taka (same DH bike I have). She was screaming downhill.....this girl can ride.

Here are a few more randoms.....

Super D Finals....I might try this out this summer. Its a blend of cross country and downhill. Its very similar to how we ride normally. Click Me for more info.

Great weekend for racing. They did cancel the 4X race after a 17 year old kid died in practice on Friday.....very sad indeed. Rest in peace Craig Lange.....waaaay too young.

Taos, NM

2010-06-07T16:44:00.000-06:00

We left Durango for a dip down into New Mexico. Neither of us have had the pleasure of biking there and were intrigued by the state.

We passed through Pagosa Springs, CO on our way to Taos from Durango. We didn't stay long, but the town seemed very cool. We drove through on a Friday late afternoon and there was a free concert in the park downtown along the river as there is a bluegrass festival all weekend. There was even beer tents with microbrew's from the surrounding areas. The town has a hot springs right along the river. The river was choked full of kayak's running the rapids right through town. We found a great camping spot just outside of town up a F.S. road....all in all it was a great time.

The next day we left for Taos, NM and some killer high altitude biking. I'll let the pictures do the talking as we had some things stolen while we were there.....I have a bit of mixed feelings about Taos. It did get the lungs burning though. We were riding over 10,000' while we were there. The aspens are amazing around Taos.....

.....as is the town. I've fallen in love with the adobe look of everything here. We found a nice downtown cantina and the waitress even knew some of Claire family from Hawaii....small world! The evening light in New Mexico is amazing.

We've been biking almost everyday at least once per day. The legs are feeling good and I'm surprised by how normal we both feel at this altitude. We spent a few days riding around Taos before heading to Santa Fe, NM. We did some side trips also that I'll leave out for now. Its impossible to capture everything we've been up to on the website. I'll try and be better with more stories and pictures....life is definitely sweet right now.

We couldn't ask for better weather this trip.....blue bird (almost) everyday so far. The tans looking good, that's for sure.

Durango, CO

2010-06-04T15:32:00.000-06:00

I first came to this town a couple years ago this Spring. I thought to myself...."look at this town its full of mellow, ultra in-shape, tan dirtbags that spend too much time playing outside"......where do I sign up?

Durango has it all....killer rafting and kayaking, incredible singletrack, and good skiing...plus more sunny days than even Bozeman. The downtown is awesome, it has six breweries and only about 14,000 residence. There is no sea of generic housing developments and strip malls anywhere to be seen. A few miles north of town and you have amazing mountains over 14,000ft and just south its all desert. You can ski or bike year round. This might be my new town....seriously....this is heaven.

We have been in Durango all week. We got in on Monday (Memorial Day). Its been in the upper 80's lower 90's all week and SUNNY!!! We found some great free camping finally. Our days consist of waking up in the mountains and riding from our camping spot in the morning. We then play in the river all afternoon too beat the heat. Then usually a evening ride followed by cocktails and dinner. The weather couldn't have been more perfect all week.

Some must rides include Hermosa Creek, Colorado Trail (Random Loops) off Junction Creek, and everything around town.....Horse Gulch and the Race Tracks. This place has tons of options and we barley scratched the surface of all the biking here....waaay to much for just a week.

Life is definitely grand. We are trying to figure out if we should go to Taos/Angel Fire, New Mexico area this weekend and watch a friend race and do some biking of our own or head to Pagosa Springs, CO for a bluegrass festival and Brewfest. They have good biking around Pagosa too I hear.....decisions...decisions....

Escaping Zion.....

2010-06-02T16:47:00.003-06:00

After spending 2+ weeks in Utah we decided to head someplace that has a bit better beer. It has been a killer couple weeks riding Utah, but we need to find some better beer......seriously......better beer soon.....

We drove the Burr Trail south of Boulder, UT....it was nothing short of amazing. It you ever get a chance....DO IT! One of the coolest drives anywhere.

We took a ferry across Lake Powell. Kona and the ecamper were definitely stars on that ship. We met some "hardcore" Harley bikers from Kansas that proved to be super nice when you met them...they were all farmers!!! I wish I had pictures of their bikes....they should have been in a museum.....waaay nice. Farming must be going good.

Durango....here we come.

*yes I know we are already in Durango. We can't get Verizon internet till the phone we want comes out.(OC you know the "incredible" phone I'm talking about!!!) So pretend this was posted earlier this week.

Gooseberry Mesa

2010-05-28T10:34:00.002-06:00

We spent Thursday night out at Gooseberry Mesa camping along a cliff. We awoke to sunshine and 80's. We made a nice breakfast and took a ride around the "Goose". Both Claire and I have had the pleasure of riding Gooseberry a few times before.

This is one of the best rides anywhere. Its just outside of Zion National Park.....not to be missed.

If you look close you can see Claire in the next one.

The weather is perfect down here. Bluebird today with highs in the mid 80's. Heading to Hurricane, UT to Over the Edge Sports for a BBQ tonight. Turner bikes is in town....shuttles and fun tomorrow with the Turner crew.

p.s. Claire rides a Turner

More Thunder Mountain....

2010-05-27T10:07:00.000-06:00

A few more for such a cool place.

Thunder Mountain Utah

2010-05-26T17:15:00.000-06:00

A quick video of yesterdays evening ride on Thunder Mountain in Utah. I edited this around the fire. Starting to get the hang of the macbook pro.

Thunder Mountain from Josh on Vimeo.

More to come soon. I've been bad with posting.

Vernal, UT

2010-05-22T11:07:00.008-06:00

We decided to leave Moab and head to Vernal, UT. I had the opportunity to visit this place last year at the same time and fell in love with it. While the town isn't that cool, it does have amazing biking and some of the nicest people around. The camping is great and Troy the owner of the Altitude Bikes, and builder of most of the trails here, has done a great job building an up and coming bike mecca.

We had the opportunity to ride Jass-Chrome Molly yesterday afternoon. I didn't have the chance to ride this last year, but this is one of the best trails anywhere.....I'm serious. It starts out with a killer decent (I'll post the helmet cam video later) and also has some fun pump track style sections. There is a mix of climbing and decending into a cool ridge towards the end of the ride that is amazing. If you ride this remember to keep left....seven lefts in all. I don't think I've grinned this much in my life. Great camping right at the trailhead and there is a lake close by for afternoon swimming.

We woke up today and shot into town to grab a free breakfast thanks to the local fire department. Great breakfast and nice community spirit. We had an amazing night that was very warm and one of the most beautiful sunsets I've seen in a while. We enjoyed a great cocktail and stretched our legs.

Surprisingly after last night the weather turned windy today so we're not sure if the riding everyday streak will continue (everyday since we left). The legs are definitely saying take a day off though. They are coming back to me after a long winter of no biking. I definitely want to be in animal shape when the high country dries out.

Maybe a stroll in Dinosaur National Monument or a soak in a hotsprings is in order....we have all summer right?

Cheers to chillin' today!!!

Moab, UT

2010-05-19T13:23:00.001-06:00

Its funny how much life is like a train. It can take a bit of time to slow either down. I think we finally have life nice and slow.....exactly where we want it. When your biggest concern is where to ride and what to make for dinner....you know its easy.

Cell phones have gone away along with checking email everyday. Life is much nicer without either we are finding out. Its amazing waking up in a beautiful location and doing what ever you feel like. No clocks....no worries.

We're in Moab right now enjoying the mighty fine weather. We had a bit of rain yesterday afternoon, but it sorted itself out today. We had a nice breakfast at the Bartlett Wash trailhead where we camped alone, and then enjoyed a fine sunny ride to burn off the breakfast....also alone. The weekdays are much nicer here than the weekends. It gets a bit hectic on the weekends this time of year to say the least. We both have spent a bit of time here and are just doing some of our old favorites.

From this morning:

Kona has discovered that she loves climbing slickrock cliffs, chasing lizards, and swimming in the middle of the day. She was a bit nervous climbing steep sections and getting close to the edge of vertical 1000'+ foot cliffs, but shes an old hat now.

She even blends in with the locals....

Where too next? Hmmm......

Grand Junction, CO

2010-05-16T16:36:00.012-06:00

Rode the Ribbon Trail in Grand Junction today and played on the lunch loops. It was an amazing day...sunny with high's in the low 80's with a nice breeze.

We also walked around downtown for some pictures.

Heading to 18 road tonight for some Fruita goodness. Changed the rack configuration around a bit and went with a hitch rack.

It begins....

2010-05-13T16:03:00.000-06:00

We decided to begin our trip out at the Ranch in Sedan, MT just a few miles past Bridger Bowl. This is one of our favorite places and a fitting start to our trip. We are on our way to Vernal, UT to start, followed my an old favorite....Grand Junction, CO and its neigboor Fruita, CO.

Follow Me

2010-04-25T23:15:00.005-06:00

I had the opportunity to see the world premiere of Follow Me, by Anthill Films. Amazing...check out the trailer.

ECAMPER

2010-04-25T22:01:00.001-06:00

Just got my Honda Element back from San Diego. It was there for a week to get converted into a pop-top camper. This is going to be our "house" for 4 months starting May 10th.

I have lots more to come. I built a sweet internal storage system and I have an ARB Fridge/Freezer going in it. I'll post up more later.

Teaser shots for now.

2010 Sea Otter Classic

2010-04-25T21:16:00.011-06:00

I had the opportunity to take a few days off from school and head down to Monterey, CA with Airborne Bicycles as a member of their Flight Crew. My job was to ride bikes and tell them what I think...no sugar coated B.S. I can respect a company like that. These guys are all about getting people on bikes and out riding trails. They have some great bikes that won't break the bank. Plus they sponsor IMBA.

Here's a couple of my favorites....

2010 Zeppelin

The 2010 Airborne Zeppelin Elite. This is a great bike at an amazing price. Being a bit of a bike snob I was amazed at how well this bike performed given its sub $1000 price. Its got a fun geometry along with a solid parts spec. Its a great all around 5" travel bike that would be at home anywhere.

2010 Taka

Airborne gave me the opportunity to keep any bike they make. I don't have a downhill bike so this was an easy choice. The 2010 Airborne Taka is a smokin' deal for a downhill rig. Its got 200mm (8") both front and rear with a Marzocchi fork and shock. The drive train is a mix of SRAM and FSA. It has Avid Juicy's with 8" rotors upfront and in back as well. I haven't had a chance to ride it on anything too fun yet. I'm still waiting on my bike to get back home...can't wait.

I had a chance to see some really cool products at Sea Otter and meet some "famous" people in the bike world. Its was great.

Steve Peat riding a tandem.

Gary Fisher and myself

Sram 2X10 Launch Party for XO and X9...Flight Crew style.

I got a chance to check out the Kali booth. They have some amazingly light helmet. The Amara Cam XC one has a built in helmet cam mount. Nice!!!

The new Airborne sport drink.....

Sorry for the long good bye.

2010-04-25T20:22:00.003-06:00

It was a great winter, but I'm glad to see it end. I did have 4.5 days a week to board....not bad.

Were leaving for a four month mountain bike trip in less than two weeks.

Can't wait...lots more to come....school for now.

Weatherman's Draw Mountain Biking

2009-11-11T14:25:00.026-07:00

Spent another weekend in Billings biking. This time we decided to ride Weatherman's Draw. This was a very cool and interesting trail. It didn't feel like Montana at all.....it felt more like Vernal, UT or Fruita, CO to be honest. Its close to Bridger, MT with lots of camping and solitude.

This trail had lots to offer including fun singletrack....

(Claire decided to walk this section. Its hard to tell but the trail narrows to less than a foot with a long fall on her left.)

...great views at the top....

...some fun "chunk" to play on....

...and a great pub close by. We found the beer to be cold and the free ribs (on football Sunday's) to be delicious.

There is also lots of old Indian paintings out on the trail on random rock walls. This is really an amazing place and one of my new favorites in Montana. Mix it up with Zimmerman Trail (I, II) in Billings for a perfect weekend.

Lewis and Clark Caverns Halloween 2009

2009-11-07T19:41:00.010-07:00

The Caverns have been riding great. A few from Saturday of last week. We had it all to ourselves though we did run into an old friend in the parking lot gearing up. Fun Halloween day.

Biking Zimmerman Trail Billings, MT (Part Deux)

2009-10-29T21:20:00.027-06:00

Lewis and Clark Caverns has been packed lately, so we decided to blow town and head on over to Billings. This turned out to be a fantastic idea. We haven't been here since Spring.

We rode Zimmerman Trail Saturday for quite a few hours in between short rain storms. I love this trail....simple as that. I can bike here for hours and never get tired. It has so much fun terrain and you can jump back and forth between single track, chunky rock, and slickrock anytime you want. The place has trails everywhere and you can just rip it as there is almost no climbing. This is one of the most fun trails in Montana period.

We found a cheap hotel within walking distance of downtown last time we were here and stayed again. Its close to the trailhead and allows bikes and dogs in the room. They're also clean, super friendly, and have a great biking breakfast included.

While some say the night life in Billings leaves allot to be desired....I beg to differ. They have a ton of microbreweries all within a few blocks of each other. Carters, Angry Hanks, Yellowstone Valley Brewing, and one or two more. All were full of cool, down to earth people and some even had live music......yea nice.

We really wanted to try out the riding at Weatherman's Draw this time, but I'll be damned if Zimmerman is just too much fun. We did it again Sunday and enjoyed amazing weather.

The road home.....

Mountain Biking Lionshead (Sheep Creek Trail 218)

2009-09-28T20:06:00.007-06:00

Last Saturday we headed off to do a nice fall ride up trail 218 in Lionshead just SW of Hebgen Lake. It was a beautiful fall day and the ride turned out to be one of the best I've done in a while.

Its a nice climb...not too bad. Mostly middle ring with some granny spots here and there. The view of Sheep Lake is great and the decent is perfect. It reminds me a bit of Emerald Lake minus any people.

We only ran into a small group of horse riders and a old guy hiking alone (remember this is a beautiful Saturday).

We had a great short conversation with both users and found them to be great company. Its a shame that my favorite form of recreation is getting "kicked" out of this area soon due to wilderness designation.

Cheers to Sheep Creek.....ride it while you can!!!!

Shafthouse Trail 540

2009-09-28T18:38:00.001-06:00

We've been riding trail 540 (shafthouse) a bit more this season.

Its a great trail with gorgeous views, fun gnarly rocky sections, and some smooth single track for good measure. You can either shuttle it from just before Fairy Lake making it a mile climb with a 4+ mile decent or do what we usually do and ride it as an in and out from the Ranch which happens to be right at the trailhead.

Its pretty nice to be able to crack a beer, fire-up the BBQ and get a bonfire going at the end of a ride....plus all that driving to the trailhead goes out the door. The Bangtail Divide is just a couple miles away too.

Sorta like heaven really......

Post ride Mexican Train anyone?

Sun Valley Mountain Biking 2009 (and Stanley)

2009-08-27T18:29:00.028-06:00

Claire and I spent five days biking in Ketchum, ID and Stanley, ID last week. This was my second time there (last trip) in the summer and Claire's first time in the summer.

Blah...blah...blah....it was a killer trip with perfect weather, great company, good food, and lovely biking.

Mmmm.....liquid ibuprofen.

Redfish Lake is one my favorite spots on earth. We rode around the lake then finished with burgers and beer....killer!!!!

Nothing says Idaho local like a speedo and a mullet.

Spanish Peak's Backpacking

2009-08-18T18:51:00.029-06:00

This wasn't no sissy ass backpacking trip.

We ran into bears on the trail, had people sleep in 100% soaked gear from hiking in rain all day, got snowed on, climbed mountain passes, bagged peaks, drank whiskey, laughed, listened, feasted, and gulped from the cup of life.

Yogi was just walking down the trail when we met each other around a corner. Yogi climbed this tree so fast it was nuts. Sorry buddy!!!

"Two roads diverged in a yellow wood..." R. Frost

The A-Team on the summit of Beacon at 10,224 ft. That's Gallatin Peak(11,015 ft) behind us and Thompson Lake our second nights camping spot at the valley floor.

Way too many flowers for August. Wet summer indeed.

Sedan Ranch & Curly Lake Highline Mountain Biking

2009-08-17T15:08:00.019-06:00

The weekend before last we decided to blow town on Friday and head up to the Sedan Springs Ranch that we've been ignoring. We had a wonderful evening watching a storm roll through that provided a great evening show for us....it even hailed a bit! An evening of cards, cocktails, and steaks was just what the doctor ordered.

We woke to a beautiful morning Saturday and had a nice breakfast of french toast with bacon. We had planned on riding some of the Bangtail Divide Trail just down the road for an afternoon ride and a warm up for Sunday. Sorry no pictures of the ride as I forgot the camera in the car.

We spent Sunday doing my favorite ride period.......Curly Lake Highline. We met up with a biking friend who also drove there so we could shuttle the road. We have ridden this trail quite a few times but have never shuttled the road.....what a good idea. It saved miles of road riding and dropped over 2000 vertical feet from our ride.

It was a good day!!!

Zoo Town.......and misadventures of mountain biking around Missoula.

2009-08-04T18:17:00.037-06:00

Life's tough sometimes.......

So we were trying to think of someplace we haven't been lately that is semi-close to Bozeman has good camping, food, and of coarse mountain biking.

Then it hit us.....Missoula. We haven't biked there in a few years so we took off Friday a bit early and headed out.

We found a nice secluded spot in Warm Springs Campground near Sula, MT. We both went to sleep right after setting up camp. We slept great with the creek roaring in the near distance.

We awoke early and drove a couple miles to the Sula Country Store. Part gas station, part local breakfast place it was definitely the center of the universe here. The food was very inexpensive and fantastic. May I suggest the full order of biscuits and gravy....superber and great bike fuel.

We did a 16.5 mile loop called Fire Creek. We started near our camp up warm springs road. It was a nice ride that reminded me of Ketchum, ID. It had a long dirt road ride that goes by fast, plus its a nice warm up. Then you have a few miles of switchbacks that follow with a great ridge line decent. It got super hot towards the end of the ride and really the whole weekend was crazy hot in the 90's. Missoula hasn't been getting the nice afternoon rains we have and it showed.......really brown and burned.

We brought Kona's water bottle, bowel, and most importantly her Swamp Cooler Vest. This thing is amazing for hot days! It keeps her skin cool for an hour and a half plus in the 95 degree heat. We recharge it with what she doesn't drink from the water bowel. This is our second season running it and its the best buy ever.

We then headed north to Missoula where we stayed for the night. I always enjoyed downtown Missoula with the river and the great architecture. Here's some random shots.

Claire knows the owner of the James Bar and is quite fond of it so we stopped in for a drink. It reminds me of Plonk which is just a few blocks from my house. It was very hip and cool on the inside almost too much for me, but they make a killer cocktail. They also have a great quote from H.S.T. on the front. I'd like to give it a shot this fall.

It was just too damn hot out for their menu so we went to Sushi Hana. It was OK and honestly Dave's Sushi here blows its doors off. It wasn't bad though, we had a good time and a reasonably prices dinner. Anyway, it was a great warm summer night in Missoula. We walked more downtown and along the river........'twas grand.

We ended up riding the next day at the Rattlesnake Recreation Area just north of town which I have never ridden. The ride we did was only around 10 miles but it was fun, smooth, and waaaaay to mellow. Still a nice area, but not really worth the drive. It would be a great after work ride to Missoula Locals though.

We hung around a bit and watched the Zoo Town Throwdown criterium bike race from a great table outside. They shut down downtown and race road bikes through it. Nachos and bike racing right in front of you....not a bad way to end the day.

Cheers!

Summertime and the livin's easy....

2009-07-26T19:45:00.020-06:00

Bradley's on the microphone with Ras-MG...

all the people in the dance will agree that...

we're well qualified to...

represent...

the LBC. -Sublime

Its been an amazing summer so far. Had dinner at our favorite place Saturday night in Big Sky (Rainbow Ranch). This place burnt down this fall and was rebuilt almost exactly how it looked. The food and service was just how we remembered it...perfect in every way.

The flowers have been amazing this year. What a great time to be alive in Montana.

Slide Creek Mountain Bike and Big Sky Brewfest

2009-07-12T20:48:00.016-06:00

Spent yesterday around the Big Sky area. We rode an old favorite up Taylor Fork just south of Big Sky. This ride, Little Wapiti to Sage Creek Loop (map) aka Slide Creek, has a few miles of flat road riding along the river towards the Wapiti Trailhead. Then it climbs some double track (oil can?) to the top of the ridge. The single track decent is most definitely excellent, as was the beer and food post ride.

The last few miles get heavy horse use. While they do turn the trail into a freeway here, they also expose lots of rocks that make for a fun decent. This is steeper than it looks.

After the ride Kona helped sniff out some local brews and live music at the Big Sky Beerfest. We ran into some friends and enjoyed another spectacular Summer evening drinking localish beer and listening to the jams. It was a nice break from the normal stop at Half Moon Saloon or The Corral which are down along the river and highway 191.

Me getting getting a foursome. Cheers!!!

Jackson Hole Mountain Biking (4th of July)

2009-07-08T17:02:00.019-06:00

Man I've been slacking.....but its been an amazing summer so far. Been riding a ton around Bozeman during the week and road tripping on the weekends. Not too shabby when you can get on the local trails at 2:00 and be done before the hoards show.

Anyway, spent last weekend in Jackson biking and camping. I did an internship here last year and spent 12 weeks riding almost everyday. It was a blast to run into old friends and get to hit up my favorite food spots.....we hit them all and here they are........D.O.G. for a breakfast burrito before riding, Billy's for THE BEST post ride burger and beer. We also ate at Nikai for sushi which is the best sushi in town and I got to give it up to Teton Thai.....its B.O.B. and they had a DJ spinning outside Friday night...they throw down the best Thai around. We also did Sunday breakfast at Shades. They have great outdoor seating, good coffee and killer eggs benny. I also love a beer and some fish tacos from Pica's at the Wilson bar, but it didn't happen this trip. They are in town too, but the feel of the pass location is tough to beat (bottom of pass).

We rode the old classic of Town-Hagen-Game- West Game- Wilson-Snow King (good view bring quarters for the glasses and a cold pop)-back down to Ferrins-back to town. This was a post work classic for me. We also did Black Canyon on the pass and an in and out on the new stuff the 1,000+ Boy Scouts built last year. Got a great camping spot close to town with a pretty amazing view and no one around on 4th of July weekend. Claire also got to try out her new 08 Turner Spot I built for her. 2010 Fox Float RLC 15QR, Thompson post and stem, the 2010 Sram XO drivetrain in pink, blah, blah, blah.....its nuts and stiff as hell.

Ain't life grand!!???!!

Kona lovin' the 4th parade. We also watched the fireworks this year @ the brewery again. She loved the fireworks and didn't get scared in the least. She was mesmerized like us!!!!

Claire coming down Game Creek. We got hailed on later that Saturday.

Me.

Claire's new bike....."Tina" Turner.

Mountain Biking Helena and Bozeman

2009-06-14T17:48:00.014-06:00

Spent last weekend in Helena again. Claire ran the Governors Cup and I drank beer because of the rain and snow. Sunday was decent weather, so all wasn't lost. We even went up to the ranch and got to see a rainbow that Sunday night. We stuck around Bozeman the weekend before that and rode around here.

Anyway, so far the summer has been great. I get off work around 1-2 everyday so I've been riding all over Bozeman a ton. Lots of trails have been drying out. I can't believe its finally here!!! These are some random pics from the last couple weeks.

Helena, MT Memorial Weekend 2009

2009-05-30T22:45:00.005-06:00

Spent last weekend in Helena again riding. Nice change from the desert....I love Montana.

Utah Mountain Biking Adventure (Part 2) Vernal, UT

2009-05-30T22:44:00.011-06:00

Vernal was a blast by the way. The whole trip was great and I was very tired when I got back. It was a good trip and I got to ride some old favorites and some new. Anyway, here are some random shots from around Utah.

Mountain Biker heaven is a Roach Coach close to a trail...mmmmmm.....

Utah Mountain Biking Adventure (Part 1) Thunder Mountain

2009-05-19T22:48:00.009-06:00

I'm sitting in a hotel in Vernal, UT. Spent the last week all over Utah.....Hurricane, Red Canyon (Outside Bryce), Moab, and some other places mountain biking. Its been just what the doctor ordered.

I'll throw up a few from Thunder Mountain now. Probably my favorite trail ever. Can't wait to see what Vernal has to offer.

Mountain Biking Helena Solo

2009-05-12T11:49:00.006-06:00

Spent the last few days in Helena, MT biking with just Kailua Kona and myself. Great times! Camping on the lake, riding perfectly packed singletrack, and eating like a king at the York Bar and drinking at the Blackfoot Brewery. I did forget my camera's battery so all I had was my cell phone...sorry about the crappy pictures, but it was great weather.

Had to come back today for a job interview (I got it). Now I have two weeks before I start. I'm feeling desertish......but where? Moab and Fruita have been popular with me, but I need someplace new. I'm thinking of heading to St. George, UT area......its been about four years since I biked there. Maybe some Vernal, UT or Thunder Mountain on the way. Who knows.....stay tuned.

School's out for Summer....

2009-05-09T16:32:00.002-06:00

and I got lots of time on my hands. I think a road trip is in order. Hmmm...where to? The picture above is from the Caverns today.

Mountain Biking Lewis and Clark Caverns Early Spring

2009-04-27T23:04:00.007-06:00

Got a window with some decent weather last Saturday. What's a guy to do? Grab the dog and lady friend and go hit some dirt is what I said.

Great riding and even ran into some friends. What a nice break from the snow this past week. While I'm ready for some sunshine and warmer weather, spending 14+ hour days on campus is allot easier with 8"+ of fresh sloppy snow outside....two more weeks.

Can't wait for the 2009 season to get into full swing.

Zimmerman Trail (The Rims) Billings, MT

2009-04-22T10:42:00.012-06:00

With the snow around Bozeman last week we decided to escape it. We went up to the ranch Friday night for an evening of fire and cocktails. Then left early for a couple days in Billings.

We rode Zimmerman trail Saturday and it was so fun that we did it again the next day instead of Weatherman Draw. This trail is just too much fun. It has it all.....slickrock, flowy singletrack, and a fun view. It even has some long wooden ladders (skinnies) to play on. The whole trail is along the rims over looking town. Billings might have to start replacing Lewis & Clark Caverns and Helena for new spring and fall riding.

Part II Here

Season Switch (Lewis and Clark Caverns)

2009-04-12T20:46:00.010-06:00

Goodbye snowboarding, hello summer. How I've missed you....

A few from Lewis and Clark Caverns on Easter Sunday. Perfect day!!!

Spring Break 2009..........the video

2009-04-08T18:34:00.002-06:00

Moab Fruita Spring Break 2009 from Josh on Vimeo.

Bridger and the Ranch

2009-04-07T15:47:00.008-06:00

Spent the last couple weekends at the Ranch snowboarding and playing. The people that used to rent out a house there moved into town so we now have an amazing ranch to use that's 10 miles from Bridger Bowl in the northern Bridgers. Can't wait to stay out there for biking this summer. Anyway, here's some random pics from this past weekend. Great snow Saturday and bluebird Sunday.

You can see the house and barn below. Not a bad spot eh?

Hiking to D-Route

Moab Fruita...its over.

2009-03-31T11:31:00.007-06:00

Its a sad day when Spring Break comes to an end. We did have amazing weather and good times. Man what a great trip. Here's some more randoms.

Spring Break Moab/Fruita/Grand Junction

2009-03-18T18:14:00.013-06:00

Spent a few days in Moab, now we're done with day too few in Fruita and Grand Junction. Man does it feel good to be back on the bike and back to Fruita/GJ. Here's some quick pictures...more to come.

Heading back to Moab to meet some friends soon.

Bridger Weekend/Boodles Blowing Up

2009-03-09T20:17:00.008-06:00

Spent last weekend out at Bridger and the Ranch. Great snow and good times. The last picture is one of my favorite bars, Boodles, after it blew up last Thursday morning. Insane to say the least.

Boiling River, Yellowstone

2009-02-24T20:34:00.012-07:00

Ahhh....decided to spend Saturday in Paradise Valley. Complete with a soak at the Boiling River in Yellowstone. What a beautiful day.

"You got your Tony Lama's on, your jeans pressed tight,
You take a few tokes, make you fell all right,
Rockin' and a rollin' on a Livingston Saturday Night."

-Jimmy Buffet

Dry Trails in Mid February?

2009-02-24T19:14:00.000-07:00

It was reality this weekend at Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park. What a crazy year...I was in a t-shirt Sunday!

Got some snow last weekend.....

2009-02-08T20:27:00.007-07:00

Some shots from Saturday. We got 6" and it was busy. Great to ride powder again.....its been awhile. The bottom was the scene at the Grizzly at the end of the day. Good drinking on the deck and catching up with old friends.

Green Mountain Cabin

2009-02-02T14:31:00.010-07:00

When Claire's parents were our age they helped their friends build a cabin up on Green Mountain. Its on the way to Bridger not too far from town really, but a world away. Its isolated (half mile snowshoe in) with no neighbors and amazing views. Its a simple one room structure with no running water or electricity but loads of cozy comfort and board games. Its probably one of my favorite places and I love that Janet and Terry share this place with friends.

This time Claire and I decided to escape Bozeman and take a little road trip Saturday capped off with a night at the cabin. It was a fun filled night of stiff cocktails and perfectly grilled Steaks. We played games well into the night around the fire.

Renova Hotsprings and Snowboarding

2009-01-25T18:33:00.010-07:00

Another great weekend. Skipped snowboarding on the ice Sat. and went to Renova hotsprings. I haven't been here in probably six or seven years. Seems like the little hard to find tub has been found. We still had it to ourselves for an hour or so...until the weird family from Butte with six little kids decided to show-up. Great day soaking in freezing temps and wind.

The next two pics are from riding Sunday in the sub zero weather. The last is out at the ranch after boarding.

Yeti 575 Rebuild

2009-01-22T21:26:00.017-07:00

Its that time of year again. I put an insane amount of miles on my new 575 last season. Two weeks in Idaho, almost a month in Moab and Fruita (two trips), Durango, Sedona, plus riding everyday in Jackson, eight weekends in Helena, tons at the caverns, and lots of other places including back home in Bozeman. Its safe to say my bike got worked.

I'm in the process of tearing the whole bike apart and rebuilding, lubing, servicing, and re-torquing everything. This includes rebuilding the pedals, new suspension bearings, new seals for the air shock (RP23), servicing the hubs, truing the wheels, new cables and housing, new chainrings, new bling cassette (Sram 990), chain, relubing the bottombracket, flushing and relubing the headset bearings, and lots more that I can't think of right now.

I'm also doing it all myself.....except for my Fox Float RLC which I'm sending off to Push Industries. They are going to service the fork and install a high volume kit to get full travel out of the fork along with a more linear feel. I can't seem to get full travel out of the fork even after removing all the air, but this is the ticket I guess.

I love cracking a beer and working on the bike. She's going to be better than new soon.

Almost Moab time...

Spring in January

2009-01-19T16:27:00.007-07:00

Nice and sunny lately, but no snow since the last post really. Man do we need some new snow.

It really felt like late Spring today....good day though. Sat on the deck at Roundhouse later and had a couple Tecate's with a buddy and his Boxers tanning in the sun. Even the hardcore ride till 4 o'clock crew was coming down for beers.

Perfect Day

2009-01-09T14:48:00.008-07:00

Best day so far this season, even better than Tuesday!!!! Total sleeper day, with great snow and no one skiing it.

Three ridge hikes, high speed untouched tracks, amazing! Hike north in the morning and after having the Apron untouched on the skiers left, I did it again, then did Motor room....perfect. Took a snack break at the D.P. Chalet then hit Pierre's. When I get to the top of the lift it says that Schlasman's is opening in ten. Shoot over there and get fourth or so chair.

Perfect untouched turns off Bundy's bowl. Did a few laps then called it.

What a good day!!!!!!!

Warm Snow

2009-01-08T21:16:00.003-07:00

It got warmer after that last dump. Decent snow, but it was raining a bit later in the day. Got some good turns. Decent week so far.

Not a bad line to be looking at....

Good Snow Today

2009-01-06T19:59:00.007-07:00

Lots of snow today, no openings...........I hope its as dead tomorrow as today......14" at 1:15 on Bridger......Mmmm....

Its going to be sick!!!

Lots of Turns

2009-01-04T20:47:00.010-07:00

Got to ride the last 8 out of 9 days....took Friday off cause of wind. Lots of turns and lots of fun. Here are some random pics over the last week or so. Hopefully we get even more snow this week.

Leaving Claire's folks ranch in Sedan, just past Bridger.

Cheers to a mighty fine week!!!

New Schlasman's Chair

2008-12-28T21:18:00.006-07:00

What a fantastic chair. Cheers to Bridger for this fine gift. I've only had a few days on it, but I love being able to do more laps on the Ridge. Lots of steep fun terrain and lots to learn after getting cliffed out today. Here's a link to a short video on it......CLICK ME

Anyway, these are from 12/28.

Big Sky Weekend

2008-12-15T18:13:00.008-07:00

Spent the weekend before last up at Big Sky with some friends. Got an "almost" slope side condo for 100 bucks each night. Not bad.

Blah blah blah, hot tubs, blah blah blah, shitty snow, blah blah blah, booze.....

Should have know better than to ride Explorer...ouch! Got to love rock boards.

Spent last weekend studying for finals, though I did get a couple runs in at Bridger. It was so cold I didn't mind missing most of it. T-Minus two day and I got allot of riding time coming my way. Just need to survive finals.

No Mo' Biking

2008-12-03T19:21:00.007-07:00

Sad to see it go for a few months. But lets not drown our sorrows in beer.

Time to go play in the snow....

And drink in the snow.......ahhh.........what what?

Bikes, Hotsprings, and Mountain Ranches

2008-11-19T15:44:00.010-07:00

Decent weather last weekend, though not sunny.

We were invited to stay Saturday night with our friends on their families ranch. The Diamond J ranch is easily the most beautiful ranch I've been to and is just beyond (my) words.

We rode our bikes this weekend, did some hot tubing out at Norris and got to see our friends and their new baby. We also had the opportunity stay in a guest "cabin" that afforded Claire and I a stunning sunrise view from our bed Sunday morning.....whiiiiiiiiiich we have no pictures of because the camera battery died. Gotta use your imagination.

Good times...

Slim Pickin'

2008-11-09T17:37:00.010-07:00

Kind of an ugly weekend around here.

We decided it would be a good idea to run up to the top of Sacajawea Saturday. Anyway, really cold with lots of snow. Not the best run ever.....

Sunday we drove over to Lewis and Clark Caverns for more biking. Still great riding around there while most everything is cover around Bozeman. Lots of bikers their this weekend.

We rode up both sides of a new trail "they" are building in the Cavern system. Looks like its going to be a sweet trail. I hope they make more.

Lewis and Clark Caverns Weekend

2008-11-02T18:49:00.007-07:00

Claire and I rented our favorite cabin(B-4) at Lewis and Clark Caverns Saturday night. Great location close to the trails. Got to love warm weather and biking in November. Plus we had the place to ourselves.

After biking we went to Norris to soak. I miss the old Norris. We then went back and made a fire and ate dinner under clear skies and no wind.

The weather was decent Sunday AM too.

Sedona Video

2008-11-02T18:10:00.000-07:00

Sedona 2008 from Josh on Vimeo.

Mountain Biking Helena and Lewis and Clark Caverns

2008-10-28T18:21:00.005-06:00

Nice and easy last weekend. Got to show Bryan some of my favorite trails in Helena Saturday, went to the most amazing Halloween party that night, and then rode the caverns with Claire Sunday. Found a new trail there, but didn't check it out.

Couple more Sedona Pictures

2008-10-28T18:01:00.005-06:00

A few more shots of Sedona. Truly wonderful biking.

I bet this was much more amazing twenty or even ten years ago!!!

Prescott, AZ

2008-10-17T09:41:00.010-06:00

I think the aliens were getting to us in Sedona and we needed to blow town and take off the tin foil hats. So we headed to Prescott after we heard they had some decent riding.

Wow...is all I can say. We rode a few different areas here in Prescott. This place is a cool town with three colleges if you can believe that. Really good brewery too.

This is a cool house in the town of Jerome, AZ. Its an old town built into the cliffs and on the way to Prescott.

Claire railin' it on the 396 trail in Prescott. Its a new very flowy trail just competed by the IMBA and local bicycle advocacy groups. I thought it was fun but mello, Claire loved it.

We also found the new Dell Slickrock trail built in town. Some of the most technical riding I've done. Slow, but super technical.

More Sedona

2008-10-17T09:40:00.010-06:00

Well we wanted some more Sedona and desert after the cooler riding around Flagstaff. We biked some really good trails a couple days ago. We rode quite a few, but Huckaby was my favorite. Here's some random shots.....

Smiling for the camera.

Super gnarly decent.

Yes I made it and yes that's a big drop off on the right side.

Claire smiling for the camera.

On our way to dinner that night.

Cool "old Sedona" feel....

I'll post up yesterdays Prescott trip later.

Flagstaff

2008-10-15T16:28:00.011-06:00

So we did a very cool drive up Oak Creek Canyon to Flagstaff. Half hour drive but a whole 'nother world.
We pulled into town and found a bike shop to get a map, some beta, and some more tubes. Really beautiful downtown. Fall was definitely in the air as it was quite a bit colder. I think the high was 60 for the day...brrrrrr.......

We ended up meeting a local in the parking lot and he gave us his favorite ride. It was fun riding through the fall colored aspens. The riding was very similar to Helena, MT I thought.

Anyway, we found a good brewpub that had a great menu. We had a beer sampler along with some sausage and sauerkraut with some boiled potatoes. Heaven I tell ya!

Back to the warmth of Sedona for us. Too cold in them hills. I'll post up today's ride later. Very nice ride I must say.

Sedona Arrival

2008-10-15T11:17:00.008-06:00

We arrived!

We flew in Friday from Pheonix and drove up Sat. We shipped our bikes via shipbikes.com and they were waiting for us at the bike shop in Sedona. FedEx delivered them perfectly. Delta wanted $700.00 or more if we go over weight to fly with them.

Sedona is home to Vortex's and Aliens....YES!!!!

Sedona is also home to some of the most beautiful terrain and best biking around. They have over 200 miles of single track. We've been riding here for three days, doing two rides a day covering 20-30 miles and we can't keep up.

Downtown
We're leaving for Flagstaff tomorrow and Prescott later this week so keep tuned! Lots more Sedona too.

Helena..........part deux.

2008-09-22T19:15:00.011-06:00

The fun in the sun doesn't always last long. Back to winter was the saying round 'here...

But we did get two days of biking in and loved the luke warm air temps on Saturday and even more so on the 10 degree cooler weather Sunday.

But even Kona could see summer giving way to the cool days and short nights ahead.

How 'bout we rewind back to Saturday for one more.

Helena Biking

2008-09-18T18:51:00.016-06:00

Another great weekend in Helena complete with the coolest downtown in Montana.

Plus they have friendly wildlife...

Helena also has some of the best biking just off of downtown. Its hard to beat a life where you can park at a brewery or two and ride miles of perfect "Sun Valley"ish single track. You can find us there most weekends in the spring and fall.

(Who says Montana has weird weather. The above pictures was taken about an hour before the sky opened up and turned perfectly bluebird as shown in all the other pics)

Helena also is next to a really fun lake. Who is inhabited by semi redneck people who I tend to enjoy more than fake Bozeman status chasers. They remind me of what Bozeman used to be more like. I'd say cross Bozeman with Great Falls and you get Helena.

But enough bitching, this us about a great weekend.

Lake side Sunday breakfast. One of the most memorable and it only cost five dolla!

This ones for you Daphne. She sat here for an hour just watching. Sometimes I wonder what she's thinking.

Curly Lake Weekend 2008

2008-09-07T15:53:00.014-06:00

Some times you just have to listen to your gut and know when to fold 'em.

But this isn't about that..........

I'm not sure if it was the snow or the group of three dudes bailing out of the mountains blabbing about their fingers and toes that lead me to question our motives. Sure they were idiots that left two hours too early and got nailed with weather, while I watched the weather like a hawk and found our window.

But we were here and this ride is just too god dammed good to pass up!

Plus all I see is smiles.....

On the way up to 10,000'

Top of the world ma!

Nothing says "What a Day!" like a stiff cocktail to ease the pain and a perfectly cooked steak topped with grilled onions. It tastes that much better after 25 miles and over 5,000' of brutal climbing.

All served creek side with the sound of water rushing alongside of you. And the smell of fall in the air.

Idaho 2008 Mountain Bike Trip...done.

2008-08-29T17:55:00.012-06:00

Just got home after almost two weeks of biking around Idaho. I rode most of the trails from Ketchum (Sun Valley) to Stanley, ID and some other places. I rode my bike, ate, rode it again, ate, drank beer, then slept. Lots of riding......lots.

I even found paradise in Idaho.

Cool mountains to ride in around Stanley. This is on the edge of the Sawtooths. I wonder where they ever came up with that name at.

I think this was closer to Ketchum....errr or nothing.

Nothing to see here...

Good bye Idaho!

Sun Valley Style

2008-08-22T18:49:00.009-06:00

Some random shots around Sun Valley. Really a lovely place to be.

Warm Springs and Cold Springs

2008-08-22T18:39:00.005-06:00

Super buff perfect single track. I'll let the pictures do the talking. Great day.

Sun Valley....Why hello my dear....

2008-08-20T11:32:00.005-06:00

Ahh... Sun Valley the home of the rich and famous is almost complete. Buy your chunk today! No I actually like downtown Sun Valley. It pays to be the first "resort" in history. I'll take some better pictures tomorrow and show off some of the best of whats being built.

Sun Valley even has something other than contruction and real estate.....it has arguably the best single track on the planet. Yesterday was the big 29 and I rode arguable the best example of it....Fisher Creek.

Unfortunately it burned last summer at this same time. I think it looks pretty cool though.
More too come...lots more.

-Josh

Armstrong gets second...

2008-08-16T10:38:00.003-06:00

I'll try and dig up the video but the man himself...Mr. Tour De France who hasn't raced in four years took second in the Leadville 100. He stayed with seven time winner Dave Wiens through the whole thing pushing him to a course record. I'll try and dig up the video later. I've got to run and get a D.O.G. breakfast burrito now.

Lance has seen the light................

2008-08-08T21:14:00.002-06:00

Armstrong to race in Leadville 100

By ARNIE STAPLETON – 2 days ago

Lance Armstrong is set to race in the Leadville Trail 100 on Saturday, a grueling 100-mile race in the Rockies of 1,000 mountain bike riders that left Floyd Landis battered and bleeding last year.

Armstrong's appearance in the 15th annual Race Across the Sky is the "'hugest' thing that's happened to Leadville since we discovered gold," proclaimed Ken Chlouber, the race's co-founder. "The whole town is buzzing and we are way beyond excited."

But Armstrong, who has turned his competitive juices to running marathons since his retirement from competitive cycling three years ago, cautioned that nobody should expect him to cross the finish line first.

The favorite, he said, has to be Dave Wiens, who beat Landis by two minutes last year to win his fifth straight title in a record time of 6 hours, 58 minutes, 47 seconds.

"A race like this takes a lot of experience and endurance. He has that. So, I guess he's the odds-on favorite," Armstrong said Wednesday. "I would reiterate that I'll be happy if I'm top-5. I don't think I'm in it to win it, as they say."

Armstrong hasn't finished a competitive bike race since winning his seventh straight Tour de France in 2005. Earlier this year, he dropped out of the "Miles of DisComfort" mountain bike race in the Texas hill country after 43 miles, nine miles shy of the finish.

Wiens suggested Armstrong was either setting him up or selling himself short.

"I don't think Lance does anything on a lark. I think he'll be prepared," Wiens told The Associated Press. "I don't know how prepared Floyd was last year. What I'm saying is, if we were equally prepared, I just can't see where those guys wouldn't pummel me."

Chlouber said it's Wiens who was the one being modest.

"Dave Wiens is super human. He's just as fantastic on mountain bikes as Lance Armstrong is on road bikes," Chlouber said.

"Everyone's talking about Lance and me," Wiens said. "But there's a dozen other guys capable of winning."

That's because Landis' presence last year raised the race's profile, attracting other elite athletes such as Armstrong, he said.

The race begins at the old mining town of Leadville with 1,000 riders making the 50-mile out-and-back trek in one of the country's toughest single-day races. It starts at 10,500 feet and climbs to more than 14,000 feet.

"I fully expect to get beat up," Armstrong said.

Armstrong's longtime personal cycling coach, Chris Carmichael, is signed up for Saturday's race again and hopes to beat his personal best time of just over nine hours.

"I don't know if I can beat Wiens, but I'm 100 percent sure I can beat Carmichael," Armstrong said. "I will be home, showered and probably three beers in by the time Carmichael gets back."

Armstrong said he doesn't have any plans for any more bike races down the road.

A survivor of testicular cancer that spread to his lungs and brain, Armstrong spends much of his time tending to his Livestrong foundation dedicated to healthy living and fighting cancer.