8 inches

of new at loveland this morning.
so far a good start to the season.

A Day in Photos

Left School yesterday with OMV to arrive in the Ned High parking lot, waited a bit for the Pluto Pilot to be freed from the machine, and commenced on a whirlwind overnight backpack. Booked it up and over, to set up camp and eat dinner before dark, spent the night under the pyramid, and woke up the next morning for a summit and a haroing drive to catch the 1:27 bus (which is like 1:32 on the dam stop). Arrived down in Boulder about 24 hours after leaving, with a day and a half of the weekend left.

here are some photos:

24 Hours of Moab

is in the books officially. I would say that the over riding theme of this year was the WIND. not unlike the RAIN of a few years back, this years race was wind whipped and sand blasted for pretty much all of saturday. this wind increased the grit factor (amount in pounds, of red desert sand imbedded into your gear/person after the trip) by about 8, or maybe 9 times. a consistent 20 mph gusting much higher at times for a solid 20 hours or so, maybe more, i don't really know.


anyways the race was no less crazy than usual, i got the second lap, then sunset, then one in the morning, then sunrise. for as much as it sucks to be woken up at 4 in the morning, after 3 hours of sleep all night and two laps, when its 20 degrees out and windy, and there is sand in your eyelids, and under your fingernails and between your teeth and on your toes, and filling your sleeping bag and you chamois, and in the luke warm ramen you're trying vainly to choke down, and in your shoes, only to go out and ride in another circle of sand; when you're climbing up from behind the butte, and the sun is coming up over the La Sals faintly lighting up the sage brush and the sandstone as the flashing lights of other riders meander through the desert, that is what makes moab wonderful.


cleaning out tents and doing laundry right now, thats about it. still dazed and confused, i think the weekend has severely reduced my synapse count, everything is taking two or three times longer than it should. other than that, it is just settling down with the lifetime supply of (not)custom blended drink mix (stupid prize considering second place got freakin camelbacks) and looking forward to winter.

apologies as to the lack of race shots. between the WIND before the race, the race its self, and the post race depression, i had trouble finding cause or energy to take the magic picture box out of its case.



the circle legs are going onto the shelf for a bit, and ski season is getting closer. there was snow on the ground today! way too cool.

vamanos

bags. packed
lights. charged
forecast. 40% rain
rubber. new and super
cables and housing. new and super and white
mandatory late night running around like a headless chicken. check
trying to explain why you're driving into the middle of the desert to ride around in circles for 24 hours straight. also check

It's moab time. Bring It On!

tarde

apologies for the lack of recent posts, there has been a large quantity of feces that has recently come into contact with a bladed air propellant. college apps and plans for 09, while still trying to remain sane and not too buried by the growing stacks of homework. not to mention attempting to stay in a marginal state of fitness for the coming of moab, cyclocross and skiing.


In news of things more exciting, I got a new light (niterider minewt) and have done so far one ride on the new picture rock trail. the top half is entirely a piece, much like the entire rest of heil, whereas the bottom is very smooth and flowy. also got a 2.2 nevegal and a 2.1 karma for riding in the desert sand and for training.

other than that, fall is very much upon us, and it was snowing up at loveland yesterday while we were up there for a oec refresher. old man winter is just down the block, he's past the corner i say, and on the home stretch.