Patagonia, coming soon ...

Torres Del Paine N.P. near Puerto Natales, Chile.

Moab White Rim Moto Adventure

It's been a super long time since I've posted here, but that doesn't mean the adventures have ended. About a month ago, October 20th, I rode out to Moab on my GS to sample the red sand on my big 1200.
I rode out from Denver with friend Tom Gordon, through questionable weather. Vail Pass was chilly, but the roads were free of snow, so we cruised without incident. As we crossed into Utah, and turned south through Cisco, past Dewey Bridge along the Colorado River, we witnessed a blazing sunset on Fisher Towers.

We rolled through Moab just after dusk, stopping into the City Market for a few provisions, before heading out to the campsite to hook up with friends. We had a great site at the Gold Bar campground, right on the river. The fire was hot and the beer cold, when we arrived.

My new PIAA 520 lights threw out UFO quality brightness, which made me much more comfortable riding at night. I'm always looking out for a stray animal that wants to throw itself in front my bike.

The Potash road into Moab winds gently along the Colorado, between Tamarac bushes and some of the best sandstone slab in the country. Since our camp was about 10 miles outside of town, we got to ride the stretch of road several times during our stay. It never gets boring, although the scenery is distracting enough that you have to focus on keep your eyes on the road.

I'd ridden the White Rim in the spring of 2006 on a smaller, F650 Dakar, and found the terrain manageable overall. However, I was a little anxious to see how the 1200GS would handle this 90-mile stretch of backcountry dirt and rock. The 1200 is heavier, and would be much more expensive to repair if I had a high speed dismount. There are only a few spots on the White Rim that are concerning on a motorbike, and we all took everything in stride with no major crashes in our nine hour day. As we made our final ascent from canyon, we did run directly into a monster wind and rain storm which could've stopped us in our tracks if it had arrived 20 minutes earlier. We were lucky.

Relaxing for a few minutes between Rally sessions. We took breaks about every 10 miles of riding to enjoy the scenery and talk about near crashes!

This is a photo of "Crazy Matt," who is the first person I've met who rides a Nitrous injected BMW.

Bighorn and Cody fly fishing

Annie and I went north last weekend to fish near Cody, Wyoming and in the Bighorn mountains. Epic of course--that is the only way we roll. I won't bore myself (my only reader) with another long fishing story about gargantuan cutthroats and rainbows. Nor will I mention a slightly unnerving encounter with a 2,000-pound, pissed off, bull moose. I'll also not discuss the secret stretch of magical water known as the North Tongue, that's so stuffed with 20" trout, that you could just reach in and pull out a sushi roll .... I'll just post a few photos instead!

Annie and our talented guide, Scott Sweebe of Eastgate Anglers, are stalking monsters in Newton lake near Cody. The local rivers were blown out with mud, thanks to some recent rainfall, so we were limited to lake fishing in Cody.

This is a friendly bull moose we found munching on some willows in the Bighorns. He was pretty mellow, even though I think I intimidated him a bit.





Here I am holding one the many fish I plucked from this stream, using a secret weapon of a fly, which I'm unable to disclose. Anyhow, this guy was tucked up next to a small pour over and chased my fly 10 feet into the creek before gobbling it up like an idiot. Just kidding, he seemed kind of smart ... I was just smarter. I guess that's not much to brag about.






And, finally, here's Annie with her first fish ever. Three firsts: first time ever catching a fish, first time ever catching a fish on a fly rod (much more difficult than catching fish with dynamite) and first time ever refusing to hold a fish for a photograph.

A Dose of Medicine ... Bow

Yet another installation in the Hell's Anglers saga, Steve "Tater" Tatarchuk and I rolled fast on a Friday night a few weeks ago for a weekend backpacking trip in the Medicine Bow Range near Centennial, Wyo. These mountains are pristine, untraveled and majestic like the national anthem ... or a bald eagle.

Anyhow, after a quick two hour throttle-fest from the office over a few passes and hairpins, we arrived at the trailhead where we were greeted by a flock of mosquitoes. After a quick Deet bath and organizing the alcohol and guns, we set out for three hour hike shouldering 50 pounds each of ammunition, fishing supplies, bratwurst and beer (yes, we forgot the tents and sleeping bags).

Here's a photo of me at some watering hole/greasy burger joint in Centennial. Nothin' like a cheerburger, fries and beer after you've been stuck in the wilderness with nothing to eat but bratwurst and beer for a few days ... makes sense, right?

Steve is in the photo above, wondering if that noise behind us is a bear.

Outdoor Retailer Moto journey

There is no better way for business travel than via motorbike. I recently rode from Fort Collins to Salt Lake City for the summer Outdoor Retailer tradeshow, taking the scenic route both ways.

Combining business with pleasure is only way to go. That's why I've chosen a career in the outdoor industry. You've got to enjoy life ... stop and smell the sunflowers!

Our trip out followed Hwy. 14 Poudre Canyon to over Cameron Pass to Walden, through Steamboat Springs on 40 through Dinosaur, Vernal, Heber, Park City and to SLC. A great ride, but nothing compared to our route home.

We put in back to back 9 hour days riding from SLC through Provo Canyon south to Moab and finally Cortez and Durango Colorado--a great day. Day 2 was an epic, Durango over Molas Pass to Silverton, over Red Mountain Pass to Ouray, Gunnison, Blue Mesa reservoir over Monarch Pass, then Red Hill Pass and into Denver. This was about 350 miles straight of bitchen, high-speed twisties, abusing our bikes the whole way. Wow.

We took a few minutes near Moab to get our bikes dirty in the red sand. No spills, but my clutch was not happy!

Cheers!

Moto fishing: the next big thing?

I think I'm on the bleeding edge of a new sport--call me an innovator, if you'd like. By combining the thrill of high speed adventure motorcycling with the rush of hooking a scrappy brook trout, I have successfully fused to fantastic passtimes into one. It's a biathlon of sorts, except without the guns ... or the skiing part ...

For the past two Sundays a fellow moto-angler, Steve Tatarchuk, and I have braved twisty mountain roads and early mornings making runs up the Big Thompson canyon to Rocky Mountain National Park for dawn patrol angling. The fish haven't exactly been huge, or plentiful, but the scenery is amazing and there's nothing like freezing your feet off while chasing tiny trout in fresh Rocky Mountain runoff. So ... we've been willing to make the sacrifice.

We're considering starting up a motorcycle-fishing gang--you know, to spread the word. We're considering a few different patch designs incorporating fishing flies and an embroidered skull. We still need a name though ... Hell's Anglers?

First blood

My mountain bike season is off to a great start this year. As you may have noticed in previous posts, I bought a new ride in April. So, I have been riding as much as possible on the dirt, while my roadie hangs lonely in the garage.

On Saturday, while descending the Wathen Trail in Horsetooth Mountain Park, I missed a move and somehow hammered my knee directly into a large boulder. I'll spare you the details, but it was a pretty sexy fall, I must say.

Luckily, I was riding with my friend Trace Whitcomb, who sacrificed his jersey to stop the bleeding. Ill equipped for accidents, we used a bike inner tube to tie the jersey on, and I pedaled and pushed about 5 miles of single track back to the car in Lory State Park. Good times.

The hole in my knee was pretty sweet, as you could see all the way to the bone and tendon. The photo shows my stitches, so you can't actually see any bone. I know you're dissapointed.

Anyhow, here's my list of take aways:
1. ALWAYS carry some first aid equipment, even when you're on home turf.
2. Riding a new bike does require you to break any downhil records.
3. It's nice to have a friend along, when you crash and burn
4. If you have a more severe accident, i.e. broken patella or femur... you are screwed even when you're just a few miles from the car.
5. Maybe knee/shin guards are not a horrible idea?

Santa Cruz Blur LT, aka the BLT

Got the bike a few days ago and I've spent about 6 hours on the trail with it since. It's definitely a different machine than my Cannondale Jekyll. Wicked fast with plenty of travel to smooth out any scree field.

Gear as Inspiration--the Maximalist philosophy

I just ordered a new mountain bike a few days ago ... and I'm counting the minutes until it arrives. I am soooo stoked to ride it; I've got visions of serpentine singletrack, quaking aspen and alpine meadows. With my new Santa Cruz Blur under me, I am officially dedicating this summer to dirt and trail.

I've been hooked on mountain biking since about 1991, when I bought my first mountain bike, a purple Specialized Stumpjumper, to explore the urban mountain trails of Tantalus, near Honolulu, HI. I honed my skills on the slick roots of banyans and tunneled through the thick, swaying bamboo--the air was sweet with the scent of guava and pineapple. Good memories, great times. I have a mental catalog of great images associated with mountain biking; the memories will last a life time. Unfortunately, my bikes don't survive that long, hence the aforementioned new bike.

I own a garage full of gear: skis for alpine touring, skis for resort skiing, skis for light touring, bikes for road, bikes for cruising to the coffee shop on Sunday afternoon, a large BMW motorcycle and all associated accessories. I have three kayaks, two paddles, three or four tents, a dozen backpacks, four pairs of snowshoes and the list just goes on.

Yet, when I look in the mirror, I want to see a "minimalist" staring back at me--it's funny. I have tried and tried to pare down on the gear, but it seems that I just go through cycles--one year it's a new boat, the next a new road bike, then a motorcycle, now a new mountain bike. I don't want to own so much stuff.

Historically, I've viewed this excess of gear as an addicition of sorts, but now, today, it came into focus for me in a more positive light. GEAR is my inspiration, it's what makes me go. A new bike pushes me to ride more, a new pair of hiking shoes will motivate me to hit the trail more often. This is true. So, I'm officially abandoning the minimalist philosophy and replacing it with maximalist. MORE gear means MORE GOOD TIMES .... I can live with that, for this summer at least :) See you out there.

Why is North always up?

I recently discovered the joy of world exploration through Google Earth! How incredibly freakin' kewl is this software? So I've been planning numerous motorcycle trips, exploring Patagonia, Chile, Buenos Aires -- South America basically. And in this process of spinning the digital globe, scoping different geographical features from new aspects, I became curious--why are maps always viewed with north up?

This doesn't make much sense to me, so I did a little research (5 minutes of Googling), and discovered .... there is no good reason, only that many years ago, some Egyptian cartographer decided that's the way it should be ... and that's the way it is. Apparently, in Australia you can find the occasional South up map or globe. I'd like to get my hands on an South up globe; seems like it would a good conversation piece for cocktail parties.

How about a REAL Survivor show? Elephant Island?

I'm no fan of reality television. But I am familiar with the Survivor series, which I thought was pretty cool idea many years ago, when they started the whole thing. I'm not even certain the show is still being produced by CBS, and I'm not willing to spend more than 5 minutes Googling to find out. As far as I can see, the last version was set in the Cook Islands with teams divided by ethnicity, and the ratings were on a steady decline.

I'm proposing a more challenging, updated version of the Survivor show based in history.... how about Survivor: Elephant Island? Elephant Island is home to one of the most amazing, true survivor stories in the history of mankind.

Briefly, in 1915 British explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton left Great Britain to negotiate the first ever land crossing of Antarctica--the 27-member crew wasn't heard from again for nearly two years. Early in the voyage, their ship was trapped in pack and eventually crushed, forcing everyone to live on the float ice for months before sailing lifeboats to the remote Antarctic beaches of Elephant Island. Despite hostile conditions beyond comprehension, attacks by elephant seals, lack of shelter, and even a heart attack, the entire crew survived the ordeal. This is a true Survivor situation, and I believe it would be a compelling tale to retell to reality show fans of today.

No bikinis, coalitions, infighting, lush tropical fruit trees or coral reefs abundant in sealife. Elephant Island Survivor would attract the strongest participants, versed in real survival tactics and they would face a real survival situation. Any volunteers?

Read the Book yourself: Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage

Going, going, gone ...

Have you ever been deep in a conversation on your cell phone, ranting about something for a few minutes, then you come up for air to discover the call was dropped a few minutes earlier. That's what this blogging thing has been like so far ... however, I'm going to continue under the "build it, and they will come" philosophy...

Today, I'd like to highlight the Mountainsmith Mod Hauler. If you're planning a road trip of any sort this summer, you will appreciate this simple gear organizer. 5500 cubic inches contained in three zippered modular cubes will help keep your muddy shorts from your clean T-shirts or perhaps separate your bagels from your climbing rack ... whatever. Because Sierra Trading Post is practically GIVING these away at $49, (reg. $70, ouch!) they are selling fast.

Happy Friday, have a great weekend and good luck with all the eggs ...

Rifugios and Via Ferrata in the Dolomites

Via ferrata, the iron way, perhaps some of the most fun you can have in Italy between courses of vino and pizza. I was lucky enough to eplore the Dolomites and some of the legendary rifugios near Cortina D'Ampezzo recently. You can walk or ride a tram to many of these beautiful alpine "huts" during the summer months, or you can choose the more exciting route via ferrata. These famous cable routes enable hikers/climbers to quickly pass through the jagged and exposed Dolomite, with the safety of a fixed line. Originally developed for speedy troop movements during the first World War, they have grown in popularity and offer a unique way to enjoy this spectacular range. Travelers can move swiftly and travel light, with very little climbing experience. Leave the heavy pack at home; no tent necessary. When coupled with the support of alpine huts, which can provide a sit down meal, beer, wine and lodging, it's easy to have a great time, with no shortage of adventure.

While staying at a campground near Cortina, we climbed two amazing routes, Fiames and Lagazoui tunnel. Fiames was a straight forward cable route that towers high above the valley, enabling a bird's eye view of Cortina. You can finish this route with a several hour hike through the Dolomite natural park--complete with suspension footbridges, tunnels and lush forest--or you can descend a simple gulley back into the valley. Lagazoui is a unique via ferrata, as it takes you up (or down) Mt. Lagazoui through a man made tunnel. It's an amazing experience, and offers rich insight into the history of the area. The tunnels were constructed during WWI as a means for Austrian and Italian troops to mount offenses. A small headlamp is useful for this route.

Berghutten en Europe: beta on every alpine hut in Europe, by country and region.
Via Ferratas of the Italian Dolomites: seems to be a good book to get you started planning

It does snow in Mexico ... and other lessons learned on a recent moto trip

A few images from my December motorcycle trip to Copper Canyon, Mexico. I was thinking tropical temps and cool beer ... instead, there was rain, snow, mud, ice and warm cerveza. Good adventures almost always begin with bad weather ...

Eventually, we spun our tires in some jungle dirt, deep in the canyon, near Batopilas. Underestimating the distance, three of us rode into the canyon in the dark, spending 4 hours slowly picking our way through Tarahumara country, dodging herds of goats, Chupacabras and burros. We were separated from our group, which ended up camping on the canyon rim that night and were fortunately "rescued" by a friendly Unimog in the morning.

Take aways
Lesson 1: Yes, it does snow in Mexico. I'd heard that it "could snow," but now, I have conclusive evidence. Like many of you, my previous experiences in Mexico were more of the beach, beer and surf flavor... live and learn, I suppose.

Lesson 2: I DO NOT recommend knobbies in the snow.

Lesson 3: Not all of the Mormons live in Salt Lake. We spent two, wet days in the small, dry Mormon community Colonia LeBaron a few hundred miles south of the border. Interesting ...

Lesson 4: When you sign on to a "guided" trip, ask a lot of questions before sending your deposit.

Lesson 5: In some cases, goats WILL chase motorcycles.

Dirt or pavement--choose your poison

New to cycling, not sure where to start, your father never taught you to ride a bike -- ouch. No sweat, we can steer you in the right direction. Check out our Cycling Gear Guide on the STP website.

And while we're on the subject, send me some pics of your best bike battle scars, and if I post them, I'll send you STP gift card for $25.

Paper, plastic, wool or synthetic?

Save the forests, save the landfill, save the sheep or save the .... coke bottles. Does it really make a difference? Anyone, anyone? No one has claimed that $25 gift card yet.

Free gift card -- $25 -- Just for saying hi

I'm offering a free Sierra Trading Post $25 gift card to the first person who posts a comment on this blog. Happy Monday!

Top gear picks from the Spring AE catalog

Awlright. I know sometimes it can be a real chore paging through all of the great mail order catalogs that stuff your box everyday. I'm going to make AE simple, with the abbreviated, "Best Of" picks for the most recent Adventure Edge catalog, spring 2007 ... just in case your copy found its way to the recycling bin before you read it.

1. DeMarchi wool jerseys: Avid cyclists know know the value of sweet wool jersey. We recently stumbled upon a limited inventory of De Marchi wool and wool blend jerseys straight from Italy. These are bellisimo--so Italian you'll want to head straight to Verona for a fine Chianti the moment you slip one on.
2. Reef Fanning sandals: These things are sweet, bottle opener in sole ... and a great all around flip. We're practically giving them away for $24. These are a best seller, get 'em now.


Yeah, bright green isn't my favorite color either, but think of all the shouts you'll get next St. Paddy's Day. Cheers!