Four days of mountain biking....

On Wednesday, I was going to go biking with Chris Jaussi and Durke after our day of our jobs but I didn't get off work until 6:00 but they went ahead but I still went by myself up the Canyon Road until the A-frame house. It was great, temperature wise, about 65 degrees and it was nice to be climbing. On Thursday, Chris wanted to try again and go riding with Durke and I because I was going to be able to ride with them, I even got off work a little earlier but Chris had to baby sit so Durke and I went anyway and we went up to Black Hill and found an awesome trail the motor bikers made in the last three years. Now, this trail is really the coolest trail I have ridden on, you can ride up a singletrack trail from the bottom of Black Hill along the west face and it goes all the way to the top and then it continues on down the east face very steeply, then it goes very fast along the meadow on the east side of Black Hill. When you loop around at the end of the downhill, then it'll shoot straight right back up the east face which was way too steep for a mountain biker. So we stopped there and cut through and got on a road back to town. The trail was long, it's got to be at least 5 miles and it even kept going. So awesome.

Then on Friday, I got off work early, at 1:00, ate lunch, then went up the Race Loop by myself this time, the day was a lot warmer which was at an unseasonably 78 degrees(checked the thermometer, in the shade too). It was really nice to ride in the more of a heat again, it felt so good. My legs were achy from the last 2 days of riding though but I went anyways and it was a total blast. I was the second tracks on that trail, I guess another mountain biker rode on it before I did. The muddy spots from the snow was barely, barely dried off. This trail is on private land but it is ok'ed for mountain bikers and hikers in the land but no atvs or trucks were allowed which is good because I don't want any of that stuff on that trail, just mountain bikes or shoes on it. The trail used to be doubletrack but now it's singletrack since they closed it for atvs. It is an awesome bike trail now!

Finally on Saturday, was pure fun riding. It was a nice day but not as good as Friday because it was a little windy but still perfect. I did exactly same ride I did on Thursday which is Black Hill again but my legs felt a little better so I rode great. It was great fun! Those four straight days of pure hard riding was really worthwhile.

St. George Red Rock Desert Rampage Bike Race

Missed the snowstorm, clouds, and the cold. That's because I was in St. George racing on my lovely red mountain bike in the sun and dust. I didn't do good but I finished it at least and I am happy about it. It was a very tough course with lot's of climbs. I raced in the sport class and they did 2 laps, after one lap, I was about to give up, I was actually thinking about stopping. I actually got in the car and sat and thought about it. Then I just stuck up and said, "at least finish it". So I got on my bike again and did the last lap. I finished it in 1:33:21. It was very hard and I think I actually died at the top of the mountain. The trails were great and LOT'S of people! It was bumper to bumper during the whole race. Durke Gordon and his wife and kids were there. Also Ladd Bradley and his wife so I parked by them and had a good time with them. We were expecting Chris Juassi(my boss) to be there too, but he was at a home show for his company where I am working. He said he should be at the Hurricane race in April. I am going to go down a class next race(beginner). I have a lot of training to do!

Park City Ski Trip

Deer Valley Resort(rated #1 ski resort in North America like 5 years in a row)

Jordanelle Gondola

View of Jordanelle Resevoir from the gondola

There it is, the $350 a night motel room

Heated pool and hot tubs with snow surrounding it, yes it was warm in it.

Park City trip was given to us from Karen as part of her time share. Thanks Karen, it was a lot of fun. We had the motel room at Marriot Summit Watch for a week but I stayed there for 4 days and dad is still there for the whole week. I skied at Deer Valley one of the days and it was a very good resort. It was the first time I skied it and I could see why it was #1 resort in North America. Great runs, lifts, good snow, and good service. There weren't any lines either! I had a lot of fun skiing and it wasn't cold at all. I'd go there again.

First big ride of the year!

2 hours. 13 minutes, and 34 seconds(2:13:34), that's how long the ride was. Pretty good during February in the Utah mountainlands. It was at a decent temperature, barely, to go out for a long ride today which was at 55 degrees in the afternoon. I started from 5 mile Junction(Pigeon Hollow), went through Spring City, Mt. Pleasant, to Fairview on the backroads and back to the junction. It was 35 miles long and I just gunned it. I went so hard and was having so much fun. Did some climbs and threw in a couple of sprints(watching the Tour of California in the past week motivated me). I hope it'll do for the mountain bike race in St. George in two weeks, I think. I got a lot more rides to do to get ready for the race, I just don't know how I am going to do, I haven't raced in 8 years so I am just going to do the best I can and see how I do and work from there.

New release from Gripped Films

Every April since 1896 the world's best road racers embark on the 260k's of the most grueling roads of Northern France, many made of centuries' old cobblestones. This is a film that celebrates one of the most historically relevant races in the world. Another film by Gripped Films(Off Road to Athens, 24 Solo), Road to Roubaix. Showing it in Washington DC next Thursday and later on in the Banff Film Festival.

Elementary School, the good old days...

I want to go back to elementary school. Not high school, not middle school, or college, but if I had a choice to go back to school, I would go back to elementary school. Recess three times a day, playing kickball, basketball, soccer, or playing on the playground. You get to be with your friends all day long and finger paint and listen to storytime. Get a hot meal for lunch and come home after school, eat a snack and play with your friends some more then eat a good meal made by mom. Then play or watch tv afterwards. You don't have to worry about work, paying bills, taking care of yourself, drive, or going to the store. That would be nice.
I remember in my elementary school there were a lot of fun stuff going on. So much stuff. Like Readasaurus's birthday party, Halloween Carnival, Christmas parties(no learning all day long, just eat candy and watch movies all day...with your friends), star show in Mrs. Madsen's dome tent in the library, Gold Notes, recess, recess, and recess. I remember seeing a cow on the school grounds, that was a big deal for us, maybe the grown ups too. He was standing there eating the grass. I remember Junior Genius, that took a lot effort. Also the Pioneer thingy thing in 4th and 5th grade, I won a quilt made by all the kids in those grades, each kid sewed a square cloth to make a quilt, I still have that quilt, it's out in the cabin and I shouldn't be using it anymore and put it somewhere where no one can touch it because that is something neat to treasure.
All the teachers were really fun, good old Miss Erickson, she died a while ago, then Mr. Barthlomew, he is still teaching there, Mrs. Stoddard was a very friendly teacher, also died. They actually cared about you. If I chose anywhere I want to go right now and there are no laws, I would go to elementary school and ride my bike every day. Talk about fun, fun, fun!

Possible Trip...Bootleg Canyon near Las Vegas...

Click on picture to see better view.

Bootleg Canyon is exactly near Boulder City, Nevada about 40 minutes from Las Vegas. I never been to Las Vegas or anywhere in that area before so I am looking forward to it. The farthest I have gone down south was St. George, UT, well, been to Grand Canyon and Phoenix but not in Las Vegas. I googled "bike trails near Las Vegas, NV" then it came out a few trails and the most funner and popular trails I looked at was the Bootleg Canyon trail system. It is famous for both cross country and downhill mountain biking. They have a downhill trails for downhill bikes only area and a lot of cross country trails surrounding it. For downhill bikes, they have shuttles to take them to the top. For me, there are plenty of cross country trails to ride on. It is very warm down there this time of the year so I am guessing by April, it will be 80-85 degrees. My family wants to go down during spring break in April and see Las Vegas. If we go down I will be biking in Bootleg Canyon while they see the Boulder City Dam and other stuff. So, it's possible. I will be racing in St. George, UT in March and in Hurricane, UT in April so it will be fun to go down south a lot while it's warm.