Monday, January 25, 2016

Snowpocalypseamageddonatastrophe

Snow fell in the mountains this week. Time to put on the yuppie down jacket, expensive hiking boots that only get used three times a year, GoreTex shell and head out into the full wrath and fury of Momma Nature...

The Bear came along and as usual, she was having a hell of a time.


 





First Tracks

Fatbike tracks fatting it up the BRP.

I really like getting out into "the shit" and walking around for a few hours. Weather has always been fascinating to me especially when it turns rowdy. I decided to hike up the MST via a few short BRP sections. Hardly saw anyone except 3 fat bikers poaching the MST. Almost made we want a fatbike... Almost. I met a dude from Colorado at the overlook who was attempting to snowboard back down. Not happening on that grade but I applaud him for trying. Ran into a trio of sixty-somethings cross country skiing up the road. Looked more fun than fat biking by far.

The wind was really kicking ass on the ridge line and a few times The Bear and I walked the parkway to take a break. Ended up doing 6 miles instead of the planned 3. No big other than the only food I brought along was a 16oz. Torpedo. My legs were sore from post holing up the MST so I stopped at Haw Creek overlook and drank the beer while talking to the CO snowboarder. The beer made the long walk back on tired legs much nicer.


Saturday we got back out in it and K.A.W. wanted to head up to the overlook to see what it was all about. It was a bit more busy than the day before but the wind and cold were unchanged.








Sunday we went strongly against the advice of the local authorities and drove out to a local spot to walk in a different snowscape. Swannanoa Luke and his crew (wife and dogs) joined us for a short but fun hike through some really nice forest.










Fitness goals for "The Season" are starting to come together. Ended up getting a decent ride in Thursday evening on the 'Lugi before the heavens dumped this frozen gift all over our faces. Mostly gravel roads but a bit of singletrack tossed in to keep it weird. Freezing temperatures and dark solitude. Just breathe, pedal, breathe, pedal... Too most that sounds horrible. To me its supremely therapeutic. Its nice to have an alternative when the mountain sled is broken or if the same old gets hard to handle. I still say ripping 45mph down a gravel road on skinny tires is the shit... Especially at night with some Eddie Money jamming in your headphones. FTW





All I need to do is keep away from biscuits, pimento cheese, and pie. That shouldn't be too hard, right?


In other news the local sports-ball team has made it to the sports championship. I used to be much more interested in football, and other sports watching for that matter, but life without cable TV and sunny Sunday afternoons keep me in the woods most of the time. Although I still consider myself a fan and I'm pulling for the Panthers all the way. I'm just not enough of a fan to sit on my ass watching TV if the trails are dry or the trout are rising.

I'm happy for all the die hards out there who have suffered through so much terrible Panther ball before this season. Hell, I still remember watching the Delhomme interception-a-thon during the NFC championship back in 2009. Even though I'm not as big of a "fan" as I once was it will be great watching the home team in the Superbowels.


Doubt I'll be getting any decent rides in between now and next weekend. This snow is going to take its sweet time melting and that means lots of mud and muck on the trail. Gonna have to hook up "The Machine" to keep this fitness train rolling.

Leave me a slice of pie though...

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