pow!

my ride streak ended at 10 or 11, but was replaced w/an unbelievable 4 day powder streak. we've gotten 6' of snow in the last 4-5 days; in unfrequently traveled glades it is bottomless, elsewhere just epic. where are we again!? talked daren into driving over from the north conway area to enjoy today's pow-pow feast only to have both mtns shut-down for wind. we rose above, strapped on packs and got-in some amazing tracks. unfortunately, life calls and my powder streak will end at 4 days... might as well start-up that riding streak again, battenkill will be here before i'm ready...

9 days in a row!

no complaints today!
it was the 5th consecutive day i rode outside and the 9th day i'd ridden in a row!
warm temps melted-off a lot of our valley snowpack, but left us with amazing dirt road and snowmobile trail riding (below 1500 feet).
feeling like a bike racer again, at least a mtnbike racer, not sure what it takes to feel like a roadie.
but, talking 'bout being a roadie, just got into the Battenkill masters 30+.
that should thoroughly kick my ass.

my road bike (lemond carbon/steel) group is shot, drivetrain shot, 5+yrs of hard use. can't decide between shimano and sram... any inputs from cyberspace?

i leave my office driveway, head west and within a mile am climbing roxbury gap:

riding at dusk can get a bit brisk, but great views help the chill.
these days, 20 degrees feels balmy.

compressed

regular trainer time at 8,9,10p is never fun.
it's desperation.
must stay in shape.
must wind down.

as usual, been multi-tasking on the indoor,
lots of studying, some work,
too much to do right now,
gotta make sure i really enjoy those down days,
sometimes it can be hard to let go, to relax.
when's spring!?

but not complaining, at least not trying to.
there are a few, if not a dozen powder days left,
then tuckerman's.
can't wait for that one.
old school crew. new school. who the f knows what school. crazy mother effers mixed all in.

and the rescue heli at the ready for the boneheads.

time

it's crazy.
the older i get, the better it gets.
time can be tight,
but so much more is accomplished.
the problem is, time is rarely not present...

among other things, bike riding removes time - once the route is known.
set paths deliver us in a timely fashion to our destination, the mind is left to wander and graze.
this morning's ride was a reminder of how much i miss losing time;
losing myself, and in so doing, being refreshed.

winter is the toughest season.
time shrinks with the sun,
rides are buried under drifts of snow.
stresses build like faults.

amazing off-piste ski/snowboard runs certainly help, last wknd's run was incredible.
it's only tuesday and i'm already daydreaming of the next journey into the steep basin that lies on the eastern flanks of our ridge...
but, the outdoor rides must increase - and a commitment to xc skiing fully explored.
gliding across fields, churning-up hills, and holding-on for life on descents could be just the ticket for losing some time...