powder for lunch

Friday was by far the best ski day I have had all year. A foot of powder makes me not even think about bike racing. The snow kept coming all day and was nearly refilling my shred marks. I had to be dragged of the hill for lunch. Wanted to go back for more today.

Check the old school BRIKO goggles





I was hoping to get a little intensity on the mountain bike today but I was pretty worked from the skiing so I just rode home from Provo over Suncrest on the MTB. I was sore but it felt good to get some steady miles in on the Scalpel. Maybe I can get a little intensity in a few days when my adductors aren't all balled up.



Got some fresh carpet in one of the up stairs bedrooms today, just got to hang some window coverings and that baby is complete.

welcome

Yea! Welcome to the world Katie Anne Gillespie. Congrats little climber and family!
See the pics Here!
later

ramblings

With the 6 inches of new snow this morning today seemed like a great day to get some work done on the upstairs bedroom. I picked up $400 worth of knotty alder casing and baseboard and started finishing it, should have enough for the other 2 rooms as well. Just a few more pieces to put up and then carpet comes latter this week. This winter project is coming to close.

On the biking front I have been taking easy for a couple days after doing the "guard house tour" with Sager on Saturday. For anyone looking to view the premier gated entries of summit county all of which have guard house's that anyone would love to call home this is a good route: Emigration-parley's-jeremy ranch-red hawk-the preserve-trail side-I80-promontory (tollgate entrance)-hwy40- deer crest- deer valley- park city-parley's-SLC. Yesterday was windy and I rode my MTB on the road to Rosie's mom's house, the wrong direction for an easy ride. Today I am starting to feel recovered but just rode around the neighborhood loop.

The computer on my road bike died for the 3rd time on Saturday and I am tired of reviving it, I hate to get rid of it as it is a sports instruments that the late Bill Corillis gave me and it reminds me to enjoy every ride. Anyway, I am looking for a new one and possibly will get one with wireless cadence and/or altimeter. Anyone know a good one? Anyone used the ibike computer?

Have not been skate skiing in a week in half, once mtn dell and east canyon die I have a harder time getting out. Maybe I will hit up millcreek this week.

Now I just have to decide if I am skiing at sundance tomorrow.

shoveling the driveway again

Back in the real world where the 1 track is covered in snow. The weekend south was great but I am having a difficult time transitioning back to winter. So yesterday we jumped in with both feet and Rosie and I enjoyed a surprise afternoon of skiing up at sundance. Despite the weak snow pack we had a great time and completed the celebration of love with chocolate dipped berries among candles. I am now eyeing the weekend forecast of sun, anyone have any ride plans? I am looking for something good, road or mountain, but with the recent snow road is more realistic. If I don't get any good offers I may just head out and climb up some canyons or ride up into PC. I guess if it keeps snowing I'll just have to go skiing!

south day 3

Enjoyed a nice family day with a ride out to littlefield to visit with my aunt kay and fred at the compound. Fred showed of his cool new car and Eva had a good time chasing their pet peacock named petey. I rode back and took a detour on a new road up to scenic, AZ and through agony acres, NV and back to mesquite. The wind picked up when I hit the washboard dirt road by the water tanks and I found myself in a full on dust storm. By the time I made it back I was pretty tired despite riding easy, I am just not used to this kind of time on the bike and am feeling it. Frank took us to the buffet at Casa Blanca and we enjoyed some deserts, otherwise we just hung out.

check out rosies hollywood shades





Hope to get a little more trail action tomorrow before driving home
good night

south day 2

looking across the virgin towards zions

Rog and I meet up with fox, sara, bob and crew, and sager in hurricane for some 1 track action on Gould's-jem-virgin rim loop. I forgot my shoes in mesquite, sager generously offered me his crocs surely trying to slow me down but I opted to use Rosie's, only 1 size to small. If you did not already know the scalpel rips, I think I am getting it dialed in but have to stop every few hundred feet and change the position. Rog, Sager, and I rode back to st george and Mr big bike treated me to a fast break bar, a great mix of pretzel, peanut butter, and chocolate. You should try one.

Rog took a tumble trying to clip in on a sketchy section and left a chunk of forearm in the rocks. He got bandaged up for the remainder of the ride by some champ who had some bandages with him. Back in our mesquite condo kitchen surgical suite I got him scrubbed, shaved, and sutured. 5 stitches in 5 minutes. Good thing I had a suture kit in my toiletry bag.

before

after

will see what tomorrow brings!

south day 1

This bike rips, first ride of 2007 in skin!

Home base out of the condo in mesquite. Up early with Eva and then tinkering on the new road bike. 5hr ride with rog, mesquite-bevear dam-old utah hill-shivwits reservation-gunlock-veyo-snow canyon-santa clara-st george. My white skin even got a touch of sun. The moonpie from the veyo store was oh so good. After putting Eva to bed Rosie and I enjoyed some hot tub time with a little contrast bath in the cold pool, good for the legs.

pies from the veyo store, fox mashes one up in his water bottle to take on the road!

solo

I consider myself a religious person by most standards. Church attendance definitely bolsters my faith but often times it is solo outdoor experiences that really give me the opportunity to clear my mind and ponder existence and the purpose of life. Yesterday following church I snuck away for a solo ski to the top of the big mountain and found myself engulfed in the joys of living. The snow was warm and slow so I settled into a steady v1 pace for the climb to the top. My thoughts were vivid and clear and continually tickling the idea of gratitude and its importance in a happy and productive existence. I have a lot to be thankful for and my family and friends are at the top of the list. The views from the top were amazing and thankfully I forgot my camera so the images as I experienced them can remain burned into my memory.
That short ski has come and gone but as I started the work week today I found my faith and peace of mind once again reinforced by a beautiful experience alone with mother nature.
Enjoy!

Big Mtn elevation

Getting the itch to break in the new bikes and plan on heading south on Wed night for some road and mtn shredding. I guess you could call it a training camp with the family. Word is fox and others may be heading down, hope he is not to tired from his all day canyon riding today.
Should be great for working the bugs out of the new bikes and getting in some long ride.

Fried the frozen ham

I have not been up to posting during the week, maybe I live a boring life or maybe I just spend my free time playing with Eva, I don't know. You are not missing anything, I either rode my bike to work or skate skied most days of the week and seemed to have some good energy. Even busted out a good game of pool volleyball at lunch on Friday at the VA SPA. The highlight of the week was a f/u injection in the neatherlands, the cyst is almost eradicated if you were wondering.

Today was the frozen hog MTB and you could not have asked for better conditions with temps in the high teens and frozen 1 track. The course is a blast with lots of twisty stuff in the trees, not much climbing but enough to get warm. I took of from the start and rode by myself except for the hundred or so lapers, an exercise in patience. I felt pretty good despite sounding like a frog. The turn out was great but if this race continues to grow they will need a longer loop. Rosie was stoked about another 2 night moab stay. A good 40 min race to ease into the MTB season.

After the race we checked out some carpet samples for the guest room up stairs we have been finishing but did not pull the trigger. Also got a stem for the scalpel and rode it home to dial in the position. I was bonking at the end as my 6" marinara chicken subway was not cutting it.The choclate chips at home did the trick.

Now for the jazz-suns game