Moab bike pack expedition Day 2 - "Invisible zombies"

On the second day we tackled what would turn out to be the Queen Stage of our route with over 3600' of climbing under a HOT sun as we worked our way around Cow Head Butte, across Hideout Canyon and up, up, up to a sweet campsite under the pines on Fisher Mesa at over 8400'. We'd started the day before along the Colorado River at about 4000' so the change in scenery was drastic. Now we were up on the rim, high above Fisher Valley and closing in on the skirts of the La Sals themselves, none of which helped make it any cooler. Fortunately we were able to filter some fresh water out of Fisher Creek to refill our bottles and bladders and then it was head down suffering up seemingly endless white gravel roads near Polar Mesa and Bull Canyon. At points we were riding 200-300m at a time, seeking shelter from the sun in every roadside patch of shade, counting to 10 and then leapfrogging ahead to the next shady spot. Trout was a real trooper through this section and spirits were kept relatively high by the amazing scenery but we all breathed a big sigh of relief when we finally topped out alongside some dinosaur tracks and were able to roll downhill the last mile to our secluded camp spot at Bull Draw. Trout somehow found the energy to build us a perfect "log cabin" campfire, while singlehandedly protecting our site from all sorts of marauding zombies, and he enjoyed a well-earned dehydrated chocolate cheesecake to wrap up Day 2!

Moab bikepack adventure Day 1 - aka "Flattyups"

Our 4 day Moab bikepacking expedition started early at 6:45a.m. with heavy doses of breakfast burritos and coffee from Moab's Muffintop Cafe and a smooth ride 20 miles upriver along the Colorado on Hwy 128. Blue skies, green waters and soaring red cliffs soon gave way to the vast expanses of Castle Valley and the snow covered, and very distant La Sal Mtns to our south as we first hit dirt on Onion Creek Rd. Ascending steadily into "the Narrows" under the Fisher Towers climbing area we methodically crossed Onion Creek a claimed 27 times through beautiful narrow canyons under free standing rock pillars like the "Totem Pole" eventually working up into the copper tinged foothills and steep climbs up onto the Fisher Valley. Scott Wither and Trout's buddy Owen met us at the top of the climb and enjoyed the last few miles of scenic red dirt roads with us en route to our 1st camp at Hideout campground under the watchful walls of "Cow Head Butte" or as I like to say, "Cow head-butt". The Withers brought a cooler full of beer and Cokes so we built a big campfire, de-chamoised and popped on the .98 cent flip flops before crawling in the sleeping bags and hitting the hay at 75 mph. 30 miles (20 paved/10 dirt) and about 2700' of climbing on awesome roads that Trout coined as mostly "flatty-ups".

Save the Date- Swift Campout on the solstice

If you haven't yet and wanna try it bIKE cLUB will be hosting an easy bikepacking overnighter on the Summer solstice weekend, June 23rd riding out of Clark, CO and camping along the scenic S. Fork of the Elk River. Come on up to the Ranch Fri night or even Sat morning and we'll roll out around 12 noon for about a 15mi. ride to the riverbank. Route will run about 50% dirt roads and 50% single track, with a stream crossing and the camp spot in mind offers some sweet fishing, swimming, wildflowers, stargazing, etc. so bring your desired play gear (swimsuit, fishing rod, star chart, etc.) along with sleeping bag, pad, tent or tarp, bug spray and some grub. We'll take care of cookware, stove, water filter. You don't need too much specialized gear, a handlebar strapped stuff sack can usually handle the sleeping bag/tent roll up, your larger Camelback can handle some grub, cool weather change of clothes and your ground pad. Slingshots, harmonicas, bongs and whatnot you should be able to slip in somewhere... Ride out reverses course, or has easier and more adventurous options all of which end at the Clark Store for ginormous ice cream cones. Join us won't you?

Brown Phat V

FU-Glade Park-GJ-FU was the plan for ride # Uno of the Brown Phat V training camp and loaded up on #HotTomato pizza Dash, Chad, Brad, Torin, Sean and I commenced out from under the CO River bridge abutments, as all quality rides do, up, up, up into the Colorado National Monument and eventually to Snickers in Glade Park. Sunny, breezy, not-hailing buckets...all the good things basically and we quickly made work of the drop back down to Rimrock Dr. before a minor amount of suffering back over to the W. Entrance and down, down, down to more pizza and beers in FU. The climb up from the W entrance was a cakewalk this year for some reason...some reason NOT having to do with actually being any fitter, as the next day's ride would demonstrate. #2 was planned to be an up, up, up to the top of the Grand Mesa - Cedaredge and then back and by the outskirts of Mesa, CO I could tell this was not going to be my day. 8 miles of cold headwind climbing, to get to the BASE of the climb at Powderhorn ensued during which I scraped the very bottom of the barrel looking for any energy whatsoever, yet none was to be found. Kept climbing up through the snow with beautiful views back down and flocks of Sandhill Cranes dropping in from the south but my chi resisted being forced into the shape of a diamond, and in fact I couldn't get out of my own head so finally had to watch my last marker, Dash, disappear around a switch back and call it a day. 50mph descent for most of the next 12 miles without a single pedal turned in anger found me eating cheesesteaks in Mesa, and there was much rejoicing. Day Three redemption ride: FU-FU via Highline and the flat, fast grid of farming roads N of Fruita with pace lines, echelons, attacks, regroupings, pack chatter and all the social ride shenanigans I'd missed from the previous day's solo suffer-fest. Perfect end to Brown Phat V with carbo-loading at Fiesta Guadalajara (Feliz Cumpleanos Cabrones!)to wrap up all those miles with a thin sheen of fresh brown fat. Don't want to get TOO fit TOO early! Thanks Torin, Chad, Dash, Brad and Sean for the good times, bourbon, breakfasts and bullshittin', see y'all again soon!

bIKE cLUB 2.0 Operatives gettin' crossy on Mt. Carbon

After throwing down at his first soccer game of the season, and scoring the first goal of the year for his team, T-money was ready to slay some single-tracks. And so we did! We ran the droppers around Bear Creek Lake Valley Mountain Park sporting full on cross-knobs, G-Ones and even balloon 40c fat roadies and they all worked just fine on the smoothesque sunny single track. If anyone is up to the task Chainsaw is looking to put some painful roadie miles in on Sat up here in the rarified air of Routt County, maybe 60 round the "Coal Mine" loop of yore including the "Three Bitches". We got a sleeper couch if you wanna come on up and ride with the Bride! Drop a line. HR out.

Run what ya brung!

5 riders, 5 different tires from full on cyclocross knobbies to balloon 40c fat roads...and they all worked just fine on some Boulder County hardpack under a nice sunny Spring Colorado sky. Thanks to Doug for the Lagerman Rez gravel suggestion and to Trout for rallying from post-soccer game hangover! #bIKEcLUB #secrettraining #timetotaper

Corn Snow season is a comin'!

Wanna skin Farwell, Sand Mtn or Hahn's Peak in the a.m. then ride some dirt roads in the afternoon? Time to book your N. Routt weekend retreat now! Weather is a warming' and we've got a guest room on the Ranch. Here's Chainsaw sliding up 279 with the imposing East face of Sand Mtn looming on the horizon. This is the peak staring at you from the west while at Steamboat Lake SP.

"Safety second!"

Just out here teaching Trout how to ski trees...fast as possible, no helmet, free heel faux alpine survival turns. Or just no turns at all. On the Spring corn hit-list up here in N. Routt are Sand Mtn., Farwell Peak, Hahn's Peak and Mt. Zirkel all of which are visible from our yard. Who's in, May-ish...? Highroller out.

Brown Phat V - probably, funner than this!

Hola amigos, Hope you are secretly not-training like I am not in preparation for Camp Brown Phat V Mar 23-25th. SPAM won't fry itself, or something like that. HR out.

Camp Brown Phat V Mar 23-25th, GJ

Oh Hey there! We're getting the band back together, man. House is booked, rides are (poorly) planned and we've got some early commitments from such talented riders as; Thumper Valentine, Thorin, the Albino Sasquatch, Chad! and Dash. As always the trip'll run you about $100, your best bottle of whiskey, your dustiest can 'o Spam and healthy level of suspension of disbelief. Will Dash be able to uplink to E3 Harlebeke and Ghent-Wevelgem coverage? Who will be first to throw in the towel while climbing into a snowstorm up the Grand Mesa? Does Get Air know what they're getting into allowing us entry to the trampoline-dodgeball tourney? Just how old are these Snickers at the Glade Park store? Bring your tights, booties and flannel skirts, we will ride some gravel should the weather permit, head/tail lights needed for the Monument, basketball skills, fried Spam and wheel-sucking are optional. Contact your representative with any queries. Highroller out.