Crested Butte

Deer Trail hoe-down for Chainsaw and crew during yet another excellent jaunt to Crested Butte for the 4th of July. Happy Birthday America!

Off to Hawai'i

Vinny P studying up for the Hawai'i trip.  He's pretty excited about it.
Vinny P's reaction when he learned he wasn't going.  Well, we'll miss him, too.

Apache Couloir - July First!

Continuing an unintended streak of skiing every month this year, it was time to venture into the Indian Peaks.  From Lake Isabelle, looking west.
Apache Couloir is the Y-shaped one in the center with its right hand reaching up to touch the upper snowfield.  It looks doable, no?
Starting the ascent of the couloir...
...and at the summit of the snowfield (13,000 feet) and too tired to bother with the summit of Apache.
Despite downclimbing a hundred feet or so between the snowfield and the couloir proper, the skiing was excellent.  August should be even better.

Seriously

It's June baby, where are all the adventure and race reports? Team Alford got out to the 1st Steamboat Town Challenge race last night in the enclave of the uber-rich, Marabou. Really, really nice setting and lotsa rolling singletrack for Chainsaw as she dove right into the deep end in Women's Expert. We figure the last time she was in a race she ended up standing on the podium at the Beaver Creek 100 (hence the jersey), almost 2 YEARS ago...ouch! As you can see she is still smoking fast (and smoking hot) but she'll need a brief period to readjust to the pain cave of mtb racing. She was hacking out silt from the course for hours afterwards ;) The Big Fish and Highroller hiked the sweet singletrack and cheered for Mama who ended up doing pretty well on a course that didn't really suit her strengths. Nice job Chainsaw! Highroller is up next round!

Where is everybody?

Lost Creek, Durango, CO

Mill Creek-Jud Wiebe, Telluride

Chainsaw & Dub hit Spring Creek!

Sure it was cold and wet (we got snowed on in Steamboat Wed morning) but there's no stopping these two...Chainsaw and Dub off to the races!

It could be greener in Ireland, maybe

15 bridges over the roaring Spring Creek on the climb turn into 15 kickers and ramps on the descent. The 1st half of the ride is singlespeedable but then the steep climbing hits as the trail approaches Buffalo Pass Rd and the canyon narrows with steep rock escarpments above on each side. Aspen stands everywhere so this ride must be even more beautiful in the fall

Someone got wet, and frozen

Nice white feet ladies!

Check out my hickey

Whew! What week! Yesterday I finally took the plunge and treated myself to LASIK surgery, custom Allegretto/Intralase laser surgery to both eyes! It's a miracle! No more contacts! No more glasses! Thanks to InSight LASIK and my Tough Girl Cycling sponsorship! Here's a look at my eye today, with a little blood shot hickey from the suction cup they had on my eye to hold it in place while the laser cut a flap in my cornea. Then Kdub drove me home and tucked me in to bed with my goovy protection goggles. I'll still need a couple days to heal, but things are looking great so far. Which is especially good, since last Friday was my last day of employment with Sopris West. That's right, I unexpectedly lost my MarComm job. But, you'll agree, with summer here there couldn't be a better time for tremendous change in life! I intend to be out riding, hiking, running, and sitting by my pool on a regular basis now---please join me! And think of me if you know of anyone that needs a hand with graphic design. It's summer! Let's get after it!

Step right this way

Chainsaw bones up on the Hot Springs trail on a splendid Sunday morning outing. Wildflowers galore and some truly sweet singletrack in every direction from town right now

Upsy daisy!

Hot Springs Trail as it approaches Mad Creek

Highroller's beat down "Dirty Hippy" taking a break on Emerald Mtn before a rip roaring descent. Well your Partyapalooza guides are starting to put together some dream rides and we'll taste test some of them on Dub tomorrow. As an added attraction the Rodeo should be in town during Partyapalooza as well...yee ha!

TGIF

Man, was that a long week or what? Chainsaw and Highroller are gearing up for some quality mtb miles while TSA is power napping before a good hike this weekend, what're y'all up to?

Notchtop Couloir

Starting June off with a bang, Lee and I made the hump up Notchtop Couloir and proceeded to ski it in fine (if slushy) style.  It has come to my attention that our ski mountaineering litany goes something like this: "If only we'd left an hour earlier...."  I.e., This photo should have been taken in the dark.  Next time, 2 am!

Summit of Emerald Mtn

Humped the singlespeed up Emerald over the weekend and ripped up what has to be one of the best 'in city limits' trail systems in Colorado. Seriously there are some ridiculously fun trails, super swoopy, tacky, bermed and smooth...right there practically across the street from the Love Shack. So much fun! Chainsaw meanwhile got out on the other super fun trail blocks from the house, Spring Creek, which she rode for 6 miles up to Buffalo Pass Rd, climbing thru aspen stands and crossing a dozen bridges over the rushing snow melt. Did she then descend the road or did she turn around and rip back down the singletrack she'd just ridden up? What do you think?! Fun!