On The Road With Planet Ultra

Summer in Park City, UT

2011-08-08T11:18:00.003-06:00

Because we're busy building up our Race Day Timing business, we didn't take our usual all-summer-long RV trip. Instead, we made our base at the Park City RV Resort, and traveled to timing events from there. Better than dealing with the sweltering heat of St. George all summer...

In our free time we enjoyed the incredible cycling in around the Park City area, both on and off road. Here are some of my favorite pics:

Mid-Mountain Trail overlooking Park City. This trail is about 25 miles of singletrack starting in Deer Valley and ending near The Canyons.
Part of the bike path that starts at the bottom of Provo Canyon. We rode this on the way back to Deer Creek Reservoir after riding the Alpine Loop.
Waiting for the bus in Park City to take us to Silver Lake Lodge in Deer Valley.
The moose we saw at the top of Big Cottonwood Canyon (a 15 mile climb from Salt Lake area to Brighton ski resort.
Funky lawn art in Snyderville, UT off a little dirt path on the way back from the Mid-Mountain trail.
Our friend, Brook, from St. George, joined us for some fun on the Mid-Mountain Trail. Yep, it's definitely our favorite trail - and we've ridden it a LOT this summer!
Brian and our friend, Martin, from So Cal, riding the Mid-Mountain Trail.
The top of the Alpine Loop, which we rode from the Sundance Side. Over 3,000' of climbing in just under 9 miles.
Bridal Veil Falls. A view from the bike path in Provo Canyon. Awesome!
One of the many, uh... interesting, sites along the Mirror Lake Scenic Byway which runs between Kamas, UT and Evanstan, WY. We didn't ride all the way to Evanston, but we had a great day anyway!

On The Job - Summer 2011

2011-08-06T11:52:00.002-06:00

Here are some shots from a few of our Race Day Timing events this summer:

Sun Valley Half Marathon, Sun Valley, ID
Utah Valley Marathon, Provo, UT
Typical hotel room the night before a race...
Freedom Half Marathon, Salt Lake City, UT
Star Valley Half Marathon, Star Valley, WY
Crusher in the Tushar, Beaver, UT - This is legendary mountain bike racer, Tinker Juarez, crossing the finish line!
Crankworx Enduro, Whistler, BC
Legendary mountain bike racer, Brian Lopes, just before the start of the Crankworx Enduro race.
Awesome media room at the Kokanee Crankworx in Whistler, BC, Canada.

The Few Extra Pounds I Got For Christmas!

2011-01-05T08:50:00.004-07:00

In spite of the miles and miles we train on our bikes; and the centuries and double centuries we tackle every year - many of us struggle with the five, or ten, or more, extra pounds that seem to hang on despite all efforts, or slowly accumulate over the years because we're not paying attention. Two pounds here, two pounds there... and all of a sudden we can't fit into our skinny jeans anymore. If you're in the same boat as I am, then you might be entertained by my other blog, Fighting the Fluff - which is my honest and sometimes silly rant about my often lack of self control when it comes to food, and my ever present battle with the bulge. It might be a small bulge, but it's a huge challenge nonetheless...

Join me in the battle!

Snowshoeing Fun!

2011-01-02T16:35:00.004-07:00

New Year's Day: Zion National Park! Awesome! What a way to start the year!

As if yesterday wasn't exhausting enough (for those of you who've never hiked in snowshoes, it feels like twice the work as regular hiking), we trekked out to Pine Valley, UT (about an hour from our house) to enjoy the snow and make some new friends!

Thunder Mountain - Red Canyon, UT

2010-08-09T16:50:00.004-06:00

We heard great things about this trail, which is in Red Canyon, just outside of Bryce. There's no mountain biking in the National Park - so we heard this was the next best thing.

The views were spectacular - but the trail was very poorly maintained. Lots of ruts and washouts. Lots of hike-a-bike. Very challenging. 15.7 miles with about 2,000' of climbing.

Alpine Loop Scenic Byway, UT

2010-08-05T07:52:00.005-06:00

Definitely the best cycling adventure of the summer. Not only a great workout at 64 miles with 5720' of climbing; but incredible scenery, an unexpected moose encounter, and wacky weather.

We started late to avoid the morning thunderstorms. The afternoon forecast was "sunny and clear - chance of precipitation, 10%." Uh... these certainly aren't sunny skies; but we'd only gotten sprinkled on a tiny bit so far. Our luck would run out soon...
At least I was off the mountain when the skies opened up and poured down rain and pea-sized hail...
Soaking wet, I took shelter in this car port for 1/2 an hour or so. While I was there, Brian called me from a ranger station on the mountain. (He'd done some bonus miles and wound up behind me.) The nice rangers gave him towels to dry off and blankets to stay warm.
When the sun came out, I hit the road. I had a monstrous headwind and could only manage 7 to 8 in the flats. It was pretty scary once I hit Provo Canyon; and once again rain threatened. I pulled off the main highway to look for shelter, and came upon the beautiful Bridal Veil Falls.
Brian called to say he made it down the hill but that it was pouring again. He took shelter in the Harmon's grocery store; where ultimately I picked him up after riding the last 9 or so miles soaking wet in the rain with thunder and lightning all around me. EPIC. EPIC. EPIC. But boy was I happy to get to the van at Deer Creek State Park! What a day!

Big Cottonwood Canyon to Guardsman Pass

2010-08-01T21:24:00.001-06:00

The climb up to Guardsman Pass is considered one of the toughest rides in Utah; so of course we had to conquer it! We started down in Holliday, about 5 miles from the turn onto Big Cottonwood Canyon. Start to summit was 23.5 miles with 4820' of climbing. YOWZA!
We stopped in Brighton for water and a short break before making the final push to Guardsman Pass - an additional 2 miles and 1000+ feet.
No fancy summit sign... But the view was great! Just under 10,000'.
No rewarding descent for me. A mile down from the summit I flatted, and found my rear tire shredded. Fortunately it was Sunday, and there was quite a bit of traffic; so it was easy to hitch a ride down. Nice views even from the back of a pickup truck.
Here's where I waited for Brian to come get me.

Wasatch Crest Trail, UT

2010-07-30T19:35:00.002-06:00

Some of you may have expected to see posts from Colorado... But, alas - we didn't get there. Who-da-thunk we needed to make RV park reservations more than 6 months in advance... Which we didn't. So we couldn't get a single place to take us for more than a day or two. So here we are in Park City, Utah.

We've been here before - so we knew the mountain biking was EPIC. Today we did a trail we'd never done, which is one of those MUST DO trails: The Wasatch Crest Trail. Here are some pics from our 29 mile, 3100+ feet of climbing, primarily singletrack, most excellent day!

A Bit Of Nostalgia

2010-07-24T19:03:00.003-06:00

As we journeyed back towards the west, we made a brief stop to visit a close friend that lives in Kansas, not too far from where Brian spent his formative years...
Brian's childhood home: I wanted to knock on the door and ask if we could look inside and also check out the backyard; but Brian was too shy.

Brian said the house looked smaller, and the trees on the block were way bigger.
Ahh... High School. Brian said it looked exactly the same except for the new swimming pool. Also, the ball fields used to back up to farmland and endless greenery; and now there are just endless strip malls. Well, they say you can't go home again...

St. Louis, MO

2010-07-18T13:41:00.006-06:00

We're here in the St. Louis area for four nights. It's HOT and muggy... but we're making the best of it.

We rode 50+ miles of the Katy Trail- America's largest rails-to-trails path. It's 225 miles stretching from just outside Kansas City to St. Charles (20 miles from St. Louis). Over half of the trail follows Louis & Clark's path up the Missouri River.

Who could resist Grandma's cookies in St. Charles? Not us! Honestly, three of the BEST cookies we've ever had. Delicious, soft and YUM!
Brian feeling small next to the greatness of Lewis & Clark, who started their journey right here in St. Charles, MO.
Riding along the Missouri River.
Can't come to St. Louis without experiencing the Anheuser-Busch Brewery Tour. One of many of the Budweiser Clydesdales. They're HUGE!
One of Lance's yellow jerseys on display in the Anheuser-Busch tour museum.
Brian is smiling because there's FREE BEER at the end of the tour!
The Arch. We didn't go to the top because it was insanely busy and the wait was over 2 hours! Oh well! It was cool to see from the outside.
We next visited the City Museum, which is sort of a museum, sort of a crazy playground for kids. The gist of the museum is to display artifacts, statues, signs and other quirky things from St. Louis and other cities in the U.S. It was wacky!
Artifacts from historic buildings demolished because they didn't meet ADA requirements. Sad. Very sad.
Brian on the wheel. He didn't last long. He said it was a barf machine.
Brian's probably too young to remember Bob's Big Boy - but I got a kick out of this shot.
The City Museum has all sorts of crazy slides, ladders and things to climb on; most of which would make personal injury lawyers drool.
Brian at the end of the 10 story slide... A spiral from the top of the museum that made both of us a little dizzy.
For dinner we went to the Iron Barley, which was featured on BOTH "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" and "Man vs Food." Thanks to the Travel Channel for this great find! The food was excellent and unique and the service was friendly!

Nashville

2010-07-17T14:10:00.003-06:00

Here's a quick summary of what we did and saw in Nashville:

The Hermitage: Home of our 7th President of the United States, Andrew Jackson.
The Parthenon: A replica build in 1897 - and the centerpiece of Centennial Park.
We ate at Jacks Barbecue. Yum!
Country Music Hall of Fame.
Belle Meade Plantation: The birthplace of American thoroughbred breeding and racing.
Riding the Natchez Trace Parkway: A 444-mile road with awesome scenery and 10,000 years of North American history. Virtually traffic free!
Cheekwood Mansion - Museum & Botanical Gardens: Home of the Maxwell House family.

Grand Ole Opry!

2010-07-15T20:43:00.006-06:00

Because the newer Grand Ole Opry House was heavily damaged in the May 2010 flood, the radio show has been temporarily moved to the Ryman Auditorium, home of the Opry from 1943 to 1974. It's a beautiful historic building and also where Johnny & June performed!

What a great experience to be in the audience of the live radio show! And what spectacular entertainment!

The Tuesday Night lineup was: Riders In The SkyChris Young
Jimmy C. Newman
Mark Chestnut
During the intermission, we explored the Ryman Auditorium. There's some great memorabilia from Johnny & June. An extra treat!

Jeannie Seely
Montgomery Gentry

Charlie Daniels was incredible. A great performer and a true patriot.
Charlie Daniel brought down the house jamming on the fiddle in The Devil Went Down To Georgia.

Tourist Trap

2010-07-12T07:35:00.005-06:00

Once upon a time, Pigeon Forge and Gatlingburg were quaint country towns - the "Gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains." Not so anymore. We spent over 1.5 hours driving the 11 miles from Sevierville into Pigeon Forge just getting to the RV Park (and as many leaving town yesterday). Traffic is bumper to bumper getting to the National Park. It's absolute insanity. While we're glad we saw the Smoky Mountains, we honestly couldn't recommend a visit to this area, especially during the summer. Check out the touristy ruin that's now the town of Pigeon Forge:
Pigeon Forge is the Miniature Golf Capital of the World, with more than a dozen options on the main drag.
There's no end to the choices of dollar sucking junk "entertainment."
Choose from at least 5 cart tracks.
Another Mini Golf.
Kiddie rides galore! What parent could say NO to little Johnny?
Chotchskies galore. (For those who aren't familiar with that word, it means "a small piece of worthless crap, a decoratve knick knack with little or no purpose.")
Good to know you can be saved at the Three Bears General Store!

I guess all of this was a great job creator for local folks who lived near these mountains in poverty. But UGH, the blight....

Hiking & Cycling in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

2010-07-10T17:47:00.005-06:00

Our first hike in the Smokies was actually on the North Carolina side of the park. Here's the view from the base of Clingman's Dome. From here we did a 4-mile hike out to "Andrew's Bald."

The lookout tower on Clingman's Dome. 20+ years ago, when the air was still sort of clean, you could see for 100 miles. Now the visibility is down to about 50-60.

We rode from Townsend, TN into the park and up to Cades Cove. The scenic loop is closed to cars until 10am (and otherwise has bumper to bumper traffic in the summer). There were so many cyclists on the 11-mile loop! It was awesome!

Our last hike was a 5-miler to Alum Caves Bluff. We followed along the creek and then turned into the forest. Glad we started early, because it was HOT!

We really enjoyed the Smokies; but if we ever come again, it will be in the cooler months of Autumn. We'd love to see the fall colors!

Dollywood! Pigeon Forge, TN

2010-07-09T18:53:00.006-06:00

We came to Tennessee to see the Great Smoky Mountains National Park... But what's a trip to the Smokies without a visit to Dollywood??? Since we so rarely do touristy things, we were surprised that the Tennessee Moon Guide listed Dollywood as a must-do. Honestly? It was a BLAST! Way more fun and a much better value than the Disney parks we visited last month in Florida. So if you're ever down this way, be sure and visit, y'all!

A very unique and challenging attraction:

Very interesting food selections...
Super fun rides!
Lots of wonderful crafts shops, including candles (below), woodworking, leather, candies and blown glass.
Brian relives his youth...

Road Trip to kick off Summer Vacation 2010

2010-06-29T17:36:00.006-06:00

We had to take a road trip to start our road trip... To Middlebury, Indiana to pick up our RV which was back in its birthplace for repairs. (Thanks to Showhauler for the awesome customer service.)

We left Utah on Thursday, and took the 15 to the I-70, then headed east. The I-70 is amazing from Utah to Denver; then BAM! Nothing but farms all the way across Nebraska, Iowa and Illinois.

It took us four full days of driving, plus a teeny bit on Monday to get to Indiana where at last, we got to sleep in our own bed! Yippee! Here's a bit of what we saw on the road:

Endless beautiful rest areas/scenic overlooks on the 70.
A bike path followed this part of the 70 for a really long way.
This is just wrong.
Chicago skyline.
The Bean. Chicago.
Cycling the quiet country roads around Middlebury, Indiana.
Amish Country traffic.
Next stop: Floyds Knob, Indiana (across the river from Louisville, KY) to spend the 4th of July weekend with Brian's family, including his folks who are driving down from New Jersey.

Snowshoeing to Obsidian Dome

2010-02-15T21:30:00.003-07:00

We enjoyed a day off the ski slopes by donning our snowshoes and heading off into the Eastern Sierras... A true winter wonderland!

Winter means SKI TIME!

2010-01-24T14:16:00.003-07:00

When the snow falls it's time to put the bikes in the garage and do a little cross training of the winter variety...

We've been skiing together in Mammoth since 2004. This year is no exception. We're lucky to be able to ski mid-week and avoid the crazy crowds that come up from Southern California on the weekends. We learned yesterday that Mammoth's sister resort, June Mountain, is the place to be on Saturdays! NO lines, fun terrain, and incredible scenery! Wow!

Brian's BG Fit

2009-12-18T17:44:00.003-07:00

Based on Deb's improvements, Brian decided he needed to get a good bike fitting too. Here are some shots from Brian's fit.

If you ride a bike, you need a BG Fit. Call Steve at (310) 377-7441 - and tell him that Deb & Brian sent you.

Brian tests his balance - which is apparently related more to his feet than his leg strength...
Steve tests flexibility and checks for leg length discrepancy (which Brian has from a past hip injury).
Check out how Brian's feet hang. This problem was remedied with new insoles and shims in both shoes.
Steve checks knee tracking and moves cleats to make adjustments.

Steve moved Brian's seat down and back to get the proper angles.
Seriously... If you ride - get a fit.

Specialized BG Fit Session

2009-12-07T20:13:00.006-07:00

Last week I spent the better part of a day in the studio of Master Specialized BG Fit Technician (and good friend) Steve Bowen, owner of PV Bicycle Center in Palos Verdes, CA.
The BG Fit is a "dynamic fitting" - with the cyclist on a computrainer with video cameras and software that freezes the video so that measurements are taken with the rider in motion under load (as opposed to having the rider stop mid pedal stroke and hope the rider is really in the position he/she would be in if pedaling).

Steve has a blog which includes videos designed to give you a look at every aspect of the BG Fit: http://pvbicyclingcenter.blogspot.com/
DO watch them!

To sum up my day: After the off-the-bike interview and physical assessment, I got on the bike and started pedaling for a power/spin analysis. The computrainer gives immediate feedback and shows how much power each leg is putting out, and finds weaknesses in the pedal stroke. I was surprised to see that my right leg was 16% stronger than my left.

The first thing he did was change my saddle. It turns out that the saddle I was using, while seemingly comfortable, was much too wide. It was getting in the way. With just the saddle change, and no other adjustments, my right and left legs were within 2% of each other. Wow.

Based on the video capture, we also lowered the saddled and moved it slightly forward. I also got a new, shorter stem, and tilted my bars up a bit. Steve made some major adjustments to my cleat position, changed my insoles and added shims in my shoes. Voila! I'm a new cyclist!

Here are some still images from the video capture:

I'm riding better and stronger and faster than ever before. My love of cycling and desire to train is renewed!

If you're interested, call Steve at (310) 377-7441 - and tell him that Deb & Brian sent you.

North Rim Grand Canyon

2009-09-20T14:58:00.002-06:00

Our last little trip of the summer...
Between the Tour of Southern Utah and the Hoodoo 500, we took three days to enjoy the North Rim of the Grand Canyon with our great friends Alan & Yvonne. It was beautiful, quiet and uncrowded.

This will likely be the last of our not-work-related travels for awhile. We had a fabulous Summer 2009! Thanks for checking in!

Smith Rock State Park, OR

2009-08-14T11:07:00.000-06:00

Once the cast went on Brian felt well enough to venture out for a little hike.

We headed out to Smith Rock State Park, about 1/2 hour north of Bend. This place is like Disneyland for rock climbers - with more than 1,000 climbs, many of which are bolted. We enjoyed watching some of the climbers; and got a 3+ mile hike in as well.

Greetings from Bend, OR

2009-08-13T11:27:00.002-06:00

No pictures today. Just a report about why there are no pictures.

Well... It seems we've started a streak of bad endings to an otherwise wonderful summer holiday. Remember last year: We got towed 150 miles from Ketchum to Boise and were stuck there for three days - blah, blah, blah. That was actually funny, when we look back on it.

This story certainly isn't funny. Anyway, Brian was mountain biking, doing reconnaissance for racing the High Cascade 100. He was climbing a steep and very loose section when his rear wheel washed out and he toppled over to his left. He reached out to break the fall and put his hand down on an uneven rock... and snap! Wrist broken.

The good news is that no surgery is required. The bad news is he's in a cast for at 6-8 weeks.

He was in a lot of pain and had to lay low for a couple of days. But since he got the cast, he's feeling much better. We're planning to go for a little hike today and see how that goes. If it goes well, you'll see more pictures.
;-)

Mount Rainier National Park - Sunrise Hike

2009-08-04T11:56:00.006-06:00

You’re probably wondering how we always seem to find the most epic hikes. Most of the places we visit have hundreds of miles of trails (Mount Rainier has over 240). It would be nice if we had some special powers, some magical intuition… But (heavy sigh), no. We read trail guidebooks. We like the ones that either have trail ratings, or flat out say, hey, this is the must-see thing to do while you’re in this place.

Our Mount Rainier book rates trails from 1 to 5 hikers – one being a “hike worth taking, even with your in-laws” and five being one that the “aesthetic and physical rewards are so great that hikes given this rating are forbidden by most conservative religions.” DUH! We pick the 5-hiker trails; and are never disappointed.

This particular 5-hiker trail included a warning about a stretch of trail that crosses a steep, extremely hazardous snowfield that shouldn’t be crossed without an ice ax or other means to self-arrest because “a tiny slip here can be- and has been- deadly.” Hmmm. Second thoughts about the 5-hiker trail.

So we stopped at the Ranger Station to inquire. Not only did the ranger ease our fears by reporting that the snow was mostly gone, but he told us about an unmarked, unofficial, steep trail extension to the hike which he said, “has the best views of all.” Super! Let’s go!

So here it is: Definitely the best day of hiking this summer!

On our way back to the RV Park, we stopped to walk through the Grove of the Patriarchs featuring the oldest trees in Mount Rainier National Park (some are over 1,000 years old!).

RV Parks

2009-08-03T19:03:00.000-06:00

Over the past several years, we've stayed at lots of RV parks. We've traveled in California, Nevada, Arizona, Oregon, Washington, Utah, Idaho, Montana, British Columbia and Alberta, Canada.

We imagine that the majority of you who read this blog have absolutely no idea what RV parks are like. So we're going to post photos and show you; and we'll update this from time to time with the best and the worst of the places we "live" while we're on the road. Starting where we are now, July 2, 2009, in Westfir, Oregon.

This is Casey's Riverside RV Park. It's super clean with big pull-through spaces.
Casey's has a nice club house. Generally speaking, we don't use such amenities; but lots of RVers really like them.

We have a riverfront spot - on the middle fork of the Willamette.
This is Mounthaven RV Park in Ashford, Washington. We're less than 2 miles from the entrance to Mount Rainier National Park; so here we pay for location rather than amenities. It's forested and quiet, and there are a couple of "pet" deer who've been fed through the winter, and now hang out like family friends. There are cabins, RV spots, and tent spots here. So it's more like a campground than an RV park.

Mount Rainier National Park - Paradise Hike

2009-07-31T20:51:00.002-06:00

"Of all the fire-mountains, which, like beacons, once blazed along the Pacific coast, Mount Rainier is the noblest in form." - John Muir, 1906

We hiked an epic, unforgettable, beautiful (but exhausting) 8+ miles from Paradise, up along the slopes of this incredible mountain. Words just can't describe it. We hope these pictures tell a story...

Hiking Hurricane Ridge

2009-07-29T20:29:00.004-06:00

We drove from Sequim to Port Angeles and hung a left to head into Olympic National Park at Hurricane Ridge. Olympic has three main sections: The Pacific Beaches, the rain forest valleys and the incredible glacier-capped peaks above the old growth wilderness. We hiked 7+ miles into the wilderness, enjoying every beautiful step (some of which were on very, very steep climbs and descents). Here's just some of what we saw along the way...

Sand Castles...

2009-07-26T12:45:00.003-06:00

We got lucky and stumbled upon the Port Angeles "Arts in Action" Festival, and the North American Masters International Sand Sculptures Contest. Unbelievable!

Crescent Lake, Maryann Falls and Sol Duc Falls

2009-07-20T22:03:00.004-06:00

Saturday we enjoyed Olympic National Park by bike and on foot. We started out on the Spruce Trail - which is pretty much the only trail in the Park where mountain biking is permitted. It's a beautiful 24 miles round trip along the shore of Crescent Lake.
After the ride we drove to the Storm King Ranger Station and did a 3 mile hike to Maryann Falls.
Oh Deer!
Today we hiked a 6-mile loop along the Sol Duc River, through the forest...
to the Sol Duc Falls.
Tomorrow is our last day in Forks. Our next stop is just 60 or so miles away, on the other side of Olympic National Park. We plan to do lots of riding and hiking from our base in Sequim, WA. Stay tuned!

The Wild Coast of Olympic National Park

2009-07-17T22:47:00.004-06:00

For the next two weeks, we're on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington. Our first stop is a little town called Forks. Having not read the books or seen the movie, before we arrived we had no idea that this little town was put on the map as the hometown of vampires from the Twilight series. They're absolutely Twilight crazy here! Every hotel room is sold out - and giggling high school girls are everywhere. Wow. Who knew?

We hit the beach today - and explored the beautiful and rugged coastline of Olympic National Park.

Cascade Cream Puff

2009-07-13T09:55:00.009-06:00

It's not quite 5am at the start line of the Cascade Cream Puff where 200 riders are lining up to race 100+ miles with over 18,000+ feet of climbing. Brian is ready to roll!

The forecast today was mostly cloudy with 40% chance of scattered thunderstorms. WRONG! It rained all day, with temperatures in the upper 40s. The trails got wet and muddy (although you can't tell from the photos), and the racers were soaking wet and freezing cold all day.
Here's how some of the Cream Puff staff stayed warm.
This is part of the "Jedi Trail" - the last bit of singletrack on the top loop, leading back to the mid-mountain aid station.
Mid-mountain aid station. Brian didn't have to use this since he brought personal SAG...
Brian's personal SAG. There were lots of vehicles mid-mountain; making it very tempting for shivering racers to bail. Many did.
Every turn, and every obstacle was marked with orange arrows or ribbon. Three arrows pointing down means, "caution - you could DIE here!"
Brian rolls in after his second 35+ mile lap. The first time he came through, Deb was concerned that it was the end of the day... Brian was shivering uncontrollably, and suffering terrible butt pain from the new saddle. His tried and true saddle had completely broken down a week before; so he was forced to buy a new, slightly different model. The new saddle worked fine on a 20-mile training ride; but on race day Brian's butt did not dig the change. Fortunately, we had Brian's road bike in the van. He took the time to swap saddles - and pushed on. He definitely looked, and felt, better the second time around.
The covered bridge at the finish line! A welcome sight!

Yes! After a long, long day, soaking wet, freezing cold, caked with mud, numb hands and feet - it's over! Bravo, Brian!!!

The race director personally greats and congratulates each finisher...
and awards the coveted Cascade Cream Puff cap!

Actual ride stats for the day: 108 miles - 18,031 feet of climbing.
Congratulations Brian!

"Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever.”
- Lance Armstrong

Scenes from the Aufderheide Memorial Highway

2009-07-11T20:38:00.003-06:00

While Brian rested up for tomorrow's Cascade Creampuff mountain bike race, Deb did a 60+ mile road ride up the Aufderheide Memorial Highway - which is part of the West Cascades National Scenic Byway.

It's one of the most beautiful, quiet forest roads. Deb saw three cyclists, 5 cars and a handful of friendly motorcyclists the entire day.

Independence Day Celebration!

2009-07-04T23:59:00.000-06:00

"You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness. You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism." ~Erma Bombeck

We celebrated our Freedom by enjoying 24 miles of beautiful single track on the Waldo Lake Trail. The mosquitoes were digging their freedom too... But all in all, it was a great ride!

For the first time on our many Summer getaways, we actually ventured out past dark to partake of public 4th of July festivities. The city of Oakridge, population 3320, put on quite a show for such a small town! Bravo!

"Any people that would give up liberty for a little temporary safety deserves neither liberty nor safety." ~ Benjamin Franklin

Westfir, Oregon

2009-07-02T18:55:00.003-06:00

We arrived in Westfir on June 30 - and will be here two weeks. We plan to ride as many trails as possible and and preview the route of the "Cascade Creampuff." Brian is racing the Creampuff on July 12: 100 miles with about 18,000' of climbing.

Here's some of the route that we've already had a chance to preview. Our first ride was 36 miles with over 5,000' of climbing. About 2/3 of that was amazing singletrack through lush forest.

Will post more photos soon!

Crater Lake National Park, Oregon

2009-06-29T21:11:00.003-06:00

Our second stop this summer is for four nights at the Diamond Lake RV Park. We're about 6 miles from Crater Lake National Park - and surrounded on all sides by the Rogue and Umqua National Forests.

Our first full day here we rode 55 miles on the road, stopping at various scenic lookouts to check out the many waterfalls. We didn't take a lot of pictures because the mosquitoes were vicious; and every time we stopped we felt we were being eaten alive. We hate mosquitoes - and wish that those responsible for the prohibition against DDT spraying would be locked in a room with thousands of swarming west-nile-virus and malaria infected mosquitoes and bitten mercilessly. ;-)

Yesterday, Deb's sister, Leslie, and nephew, Jamie, drove up from Ashland to see Crater Lake for the first time.
Today, after applying copious amounts of "Bite Blocker" with the latest and greatest bug repellent "BioUd" (which smells like barf, but seems to work), we hit the road for a 70 mile loop including the climb up to the lake. We went downhill for the first 25 miles, then climbed over 5000' to the Crater Lake Rim Road.

Here's Brian on a bridge over the Rogue River.
Crater Lake is truly spectacular!

It's beautiful here at the RV park too. We're right across the road from Diamond Lake, surrounded by a wonderful pine forest. Life is good.

Mountain Biking In Ketchum

2009-06-24T20:23:00.000-06:00

We returned to Ketchum this summer because the mountain biking is so great; and also, it's sort of on the way to where we're going the rest of the summer.

Muffy Ritz has been a wonderful tour guide for rides both on and off road. Yesterday we went over Galena Summit down to Stanley to ride the famous Fisher Creek Trail. The climb is mostly on a fire road. The descent was heavenly single track. The views were incredible.

Today we rode "Adams Gulch" which was especially challenging, including lots of stream crossings. The views at the summit were worth the suffering... and the wildflowers were incredible!

Our Summer Begins!

2009-06-20T22:25:00.000-06:00

Getting out of town was a little stressful... We'd been home for only 3 days of the last 12; so things like housework, bills, mail, and Planet Ultra office stuff got piled up. We were up early and went to bed late trying to get organized enough to leave for 8 weeks. It was exhausting. We'd hoped to leave Wednesday evening - but it was quarter to 10 before the RV was loaded and ready to roll. So we went to bed at home and got up early Thursday to hit the road.

It was an all-day drive from St. George to Ketchum, Idaho. We were rewarded with a delicious home-cooked meal by our dear friends Muffy & John. We did a great off-road ride on Friday. Then it started raining. And raining. And, well, raining. So we got to hybernate for two full days. We read, watched too much tv, and definitely caught up on sleeping. When it's quiet and dark in the RV, we can sleep a long, long time. And so it was.

And then the sun came out and all was beautiful!!! We've been riding and enjoying the incredible outdoors of Ketchum - and will post more photos as soon as we get to a place with decent wifi (definitely not here).

Here's Deb & Muffy just sitting around in town...
So welcome to our summer! We're already loving it!

Brian's First Kart Racing Class!

2008-10-31T13:00:00.000-06:00

We like to give each other "experiences" for birthday gifts... So Brian got a gift certificate for the intro lesson at Jim Hall Kart Racing School. It took him nearly a year to use it - but here he is getting ready to roll out for the first time: The track features banked curves, high- and low-speed sections and is about half-mile in length. They can re-arrange the lay-out for variety and challenge. Karts at top speed can pull up to 1.4 G's in the corners (but Brian didn't go that fast).
Brian had a smile on his face all day!!! So for his next birthday, he's getting a certificate for the day-two class!

Hiking The Virgin River Narrows In Zion

2008-09-12T07:06:00.000-06:00

Here we are - Alan, Yvonne, Deb & Brian, at the trailhead of "The Narrows." Our friendly shuttle van driver took the photo. The Narrows is a one-way, 16-or-so mile hike down the Virgin River of Zion National Park through the famous slot canyons.
And we're off in seach of the famous slot canyons.
Brian dons his neoprene booties and special river hiking boots. It's time to start wading!
Marveling at the scenery...

Our home-sweet-home for the night!
Yvonne and Alan packed in french toast! It was cold, but delicious!Brian and Alan filtered our water for the day.

On the Zion Shuttle heading back to Springdale. Alan speaks for all us...

Adding Insult To Injury...

2008-08-10T15:00:00.001-06:00

So... we get up super early and head up to Bogus Mountain for a wonderful 2 hour mountain bike ride. Being stuck in Boise isn't so bad! The mountain biking is wonderful! Smooth singletrack, beautiful wildflowers, great views! We'd have explored more trails (and Brian will, in the next day or two), but we had to get back to the hotel in time to shower, eat and get me to the airport for my 2pm flight home...
We arrive at the airport at 1pm, print the boarding pass at the self-service kiosk which reminds me to be at the gate 15-minutes before flight time, and sit at the only cafe in the terminal for a bit of lunch (and the food was actually quite good). Twenty minutes before flight time, we kissed goodbye and I head to security. With boarding pass and driver's license dutifully in hand, I waited less than a minute to hand my info to the friendly man who takes his job very, very seriously, making sure no terrorists get through...

He looks at my license, and then at the boarding pass, and then eyes me suspiciously and says, "Delta flagged you for 'special security.' Take this red card and go to the line all the way to the right." I ask him what's this about-- could it be because I bought my ticket the day before the flight??? Is that what terrorists do???

No problem. The line to the right is shorter! I put my purse and backpack and shoes through the security machine, walk through the metal detector and hand the little red card to the very serious-looking lady standing there waiting. "Step over there," she says. And then she gets on the radio and calls for "special security," which turns out to be an extremely slow-moving little old lady who asks me which stuff is mine and then directs me into a cordoned off area and tells me to lift my arms and spread my legs. She then talks me through every part of my body she pats down to check for implements of mass destruction. Then she pulls everything out of my purse and backpack and inspects it all with great care. At least fifteen minutes later, I'm free to go.

So I take my stuff and, literally, RUN towards the gate! S@#*T!!! My plane is at gate B20 - the last one down a very, very long hallway!!! By the time I get there the door is closed, the ticket counter vacated, and I'm SOL.

I call Brian's cell. It rings and rings and finally I leave a message, thinking he's still in the process of walking to the car. As I'm walking back to the terminal towards Ticketing, I ring Brian's phone at least 10 times hoping he'll hear it and pick up (or at least LOOK at it and see I've called 10 times). No luck. After changing the ticket for the next morning, I figure Brian must've left his phone in the hotel room, so I start walking back, the entire time calling Brian's cell phone, but hanging up before the voicemail picks up. I think I called at least 50 times; the last of which I actually heard his phone ringing as I opened the hotel door. The phone is on the desk. Brian is heaven-knows-where, most likely sight-seeing in Boise. Imagine his surprise when he gets back to find me here... (I've been back nearly 2 hours and he still hasn't shown up. Hmmmm....)

Here's the view from the hotel towards the airport. Good thing it wasn't a very long walk...
Here's what you get in Boise for $90 per night (including tax, breakfast, and milk & cookies between 8:30 and 10pm). Tonight I'm going to eat MORE than my share of cookies...

S*#@T Happens!

2008-08-09T19:15:00.001-06:00

We spent the last days of our summer vacation back in Ketchum, Idaho, road and mountain biking, and again enjoying the company of Muffy Ritz (who just days ago won the National 24-hour Mountain Biking Championships with 4-woman team "Ketchum If You Can" - pictured below in their winner's jerseys).

All was well with the world until 7:30 this morning when Brian turned the key and, well, nothing happened. Well, something -- but definitely NOT the engine starting. After lots of time on the phone with the nice man from Volvo Roadside Assistance, it was finally determined that whatever was wrong couldn't be fixed in Ketchum, so Skip from Boise had to drive the 150+ miles to fetch us and tow us back to Boise, where we're now watching the Olympic Games at the Best Western Vista Inn.

As un-luck would have it, Volvo mechanics in Boise don't work on Sundays; so we're stuck here at least through Monday, and more likely Tuesday (since parts will most likely have to be ordered). That means, traveling Wednesday and Thursday instead of getting home Monday, as planned. Actually, only Brian is stuck here. Deb is taking an overpriced flight home Sunday as there is much Planet Ultra work piled up, and preparations to be made for the upcoming Tour of Southern Utah and Hoodoo 500.

Whew... What a way to end our trip... Memorable!

We were in a super tight spot at the RV Park. Too bad I didn't get a picture of Skip, the tow guy's, face when he saw what he was up against. But he was really, really good!

More Images From Glacier!

2008-08-01T23:10:00.000-06:00

Here are some more wonderful images of our many hikes in Glacier National Park. It really lives up to its nickname - The Crown of the Continent!

St. Mary Falls (a 1.6 mile hike).
Hiking up on Logan Pass.
Hidden Lake Overlook, Logan Pass (3 mile hike).
Ptarmigan Lake, Many Glacier (taken on our 11 mile hike).Looking down on Ptarmigan Lake as we hiked up to the Tunnel.
Ptarmigan Tunnel - the only man made hike-through tunnel in the park. They'd never allow construction of a tunnel again - so this one has historical significance, and is also kind of cool!
On the summit, just on the other side of the Tunnel.
Paddling on Swiftcurrent Lake in Many Glacier. No hiking required (and thank heavens! Our feet have had enough!!!).

Glacier National Park - Highline Trail

2008-07-31T22:40:00.000-06:00

We're back in the Good Ol' US of A - and winding down our incredible summer vacation. We'll spend another week exploring Glacier, then most likely backtrack to Ketchum for a few days and then finally head for home. We expect to be back in Southern California on August 11th. Until then, though, we plan to make the best of our meander south...

So here's a bit more of Glacier - the Highline Trail - which starts at Logan Pass on the Continental Divide - and meanders through forest and meadows on a one-way hike for 12 miles. The views were spectacular - and we were treated to close encounters with mountain goats, deer and bighorn sheep. The last four miles of the hike were a death march descent... super steep and knee grinding. But well worth the effort!

We ended up many miles down the Going to the Sun Road and picked up one of the new shuttle buses back to Logan Pass. In 2007, Glacier added a free shuttle bus system which is wonderful! It allows point-to-point hiking, but also makes for less traffic in the park. Gotta love it!

Glacier suffered a devastating fire in 2003... but has quickly recovered and is green and beautiful amongst the blackened trees.

Waterton National Park - Crypt Lake

2008-07-25T18:08:00.000-06:00

The second of the two premier day hikes in Waterton National Park is to Crypt Lake. It's 11 miles out and back with over 2,500' of climbing- and you have to take a shuttle across the lake to the trailhead.
About 2 miles into the hike we saw a grizzly bear; but of course, our camera doesn't have a big enough lens to get a decent picture - so we'll just tell you that we saw it and not bother to post the picture of the woods with the brown spot in the middle... It was actually the second grizzly bear we've seen in Waterton. But darn! Those elusive bears just don't want to be photographed. So here's a great scenery shot, with the moon, instead.
The waterfall that flows down from Crypt Lake.
Brian climbs the metal ladder up to the tunnel.
The flash really lit this up! It was pitch dark in the tunnel; and super, super narrow. Brian had to take his pack off to get through. And this was the wide/tall part!
We exited the tunnel onto a narrow ledge that dropped several hundred feet down to the canyon floor. Then we had to scurry up the mountainside to the trail that ultimately led to the lake.
Ah! The lake! Time for a brief rest and some snacks!
The 2 of us enjoying Crypt Lake!
The trip down over the loose shale was sometimes a challenge!
After 11+ miles, we re-boarded the shuttle for the short trip back to town. Another incredible day!

Waterton National Park: Carthew-Alderson Hike

2008-07-23T18:47:00.000-06:00

The first of two premier day hikes in Waterton is the Carthew-Alderson hike. It's 12+ miles one way, with about 2,200' of gain (most of which is in the first 5 miles). We drove the van to the trailhead at Cameron Lake. Here we are, ready to go! Our first photo stop at Summit Lake. It wasn't even close to the summit! It was straight UP from here!!!
Looking down on Cameron Lake. We've come up a long way... And there's way more climbing to go!
Views from the summit follow. Unfortunately, it was raining when we made it to the top; and it was too cold to sit around waiting until it passed. So we started down, trying to get out of the wind. The sun eventually came out - and it was a perfect day for hiking!Ah...! Waterton Townsite down below! Less than a mile or so to go!!!
Oh yeah... We had to ride our bikes to get the van... It was only 10 miles -- but with over 1,300' of climbing! Not so easy after hiking 12.5 miles! No doubt we're going to get a GREAT night's sleep!

Banff: Lake Morraine - Paradise Valley & Giant's Steps

2008-07-20T21:23:00.000-06:00

The highlight of our time in Banff National Park was this 12.6 mile hike in Paradise Valley out to the Giant's Steps. It was Deb's longest hike ever; but well worth every exhausting step!!!
Beautiful Lake Annette:
The Giant's Steps!
Here's what they look like from the top!

Banff: Lake Louise - Plain of Six Glaciers Hike

2008-07-16T21:24:00.000-06:00

Starting at beautiful Lake Louise, we hiked an incredible 10 miles on the Plain of Six Glaciers Trail, with a little extra to Mirror Lake on the return.
About 3.5 miles into the hike we came upon the Plain of Six Glaciers Tea House. They serve sandwiches, hot beverages and home made chocolate cake - all prepared without electricity or refrigeration. They have propane ovens and stoves- and that's it. The folks who work there, live there five days at a time. They bring all the food up on pack horses.
Here we are at Mirror Lake. The sun wasn't really in the right place for the lake to be a mirror - but it was pretty anyway...

Columbia Icefields

2008-07-14T21:34:00.000-06:00

The Columbia Icefield is located on the boundary of Banff and Jasper National Parks. One of the largest accumulations of ice and snow south of the Arctic Circle, it covers an area of nearly 325 square kilometres. The continuous accumulation of snow feeds eight major glaciers, all visible from the Icefields Parkway (the scenic road from Banff to Jasper). The Columbia Icefield is a true "hydrological apex," - meaning its meltwater feeds streams and rivers that pour into the Arctic, Atlantic, and Pacific oceans. We got up close and personal with the ice via the Ice Explorer!
Sort of like Disneyland, on ice...

Wildlife Sightings in Jasper

2008-07-13T13:23:00.000-06:00

We've had such great luck in our wildlife encounters! We've seen black bears nearly every day - but, alas, couldn't get a decent photo (but we're still hopeful, as bears are plentiful in Banff we hear). These are just some of the great shots we took:

Cavell Meadows & Angel Glacier

2008-07-12T20:41:00.000-06:00

Our last two days in Jasper we did two hikes at Mt. Edith Cavell: First on the Angel Glacier trail, and then the long hike up to the Cavell Meadows (about five miles out and back - with 1500' of gain to the top).

More Incredible Mountain Biking in Jasper

2008-07-11T17:23:00.000-06:00

Another wonderful day of mountain biking. We did a loop on "Trail 7" (sorry, no fancy name for this one) with an added out-and-back on the Overlander Trail. It was an amazing 30 miles. Most likely this will be our last off-road ride in Jasper, as there are still some long hikes we want to do.

Our connection at the RV park is HORRIBLE - which is why you're having to wait to see what we've been up to. Hopefully Banff will be better as far as internet goes. We'll try to post one more time before we leave Jasper, though. Enjoy these!

Jasper Mountain Biking

2008-07-07T19:05:00.000-06:00

Canadian National Parks, unlike our own, allow mountain biking on nearly all trails. The scenery is outstanding - the trails are challenging and sometimes very technical - with pitches so steep, NOONE could ride! The only downside is the unbelievable mosquito population. They laugh at the DEET! Check it out:

Portions of the trails, for long stretches, are full of roots. These are the small ones.

Maligne Lake - Jasper National Park

2008-07-06T13:18:00.000-06:00

Jasper National Park is one of the most beautiful places we've ever seen. We've been exploring the park on bikes, on foot and by car; and we also gave in and did the "must-do" touristy thing - the Lake Maligne Cruise. We thought it might be cheesy... but it turned out to be quite incredible! We totally lucked out on the weather for our cruise, as it had been raining all day. The sun came out for us and we were treated to these spectacular sights (and more, of course)!
This is "Spirit Island" - a very popular postcard sight - and the only stop on the cruise.

Brag Creek - Elbow River Ride

2008-07-03T20:20:00.000-06:00

About half an hour west of Calgary is the cute little town of Brag Creek, where we started a 50 mile out-and-back along the Elbow River in Kananaskis Country, in the foothills of the Rockies. It's cowboy country... Texas Gate? Uh...
There's Brian, far off on the lookout to Elbow Falls.
We dodged the rain and had a beautiful day. We had a delicious hot chocolate at the Cinnamon Spoon and then headed back to Cochrane to pack up. Tomorrow is a travel day -- the long drive to Jasper National Park. We can't wait!

Canadian Badlands

2008-07-02T19:53:00.000-06:00

We took a road trip out to Drumheller, gateway to the Canadian Badlands, and home to the largest dinosaur in the world.
We hit the road on our iron donkeys, and before embarking on the North Dinosaur Trail, we stopped for some spiritual guidance at the Little Church, which serves 10,000 people, 6 at a time!
The Canadian "Grand Canyon" - Horsethief Canyon - rumoured to be a place the horses wandered into and disappeared... only to return many moons later with a different brand.
We crossed the wild river on the Bleriot Ferry. It was FREE!

We took a side trip to the Canadian Hoodoos. NO comparison to the hoodoos in Utah. Puny. Really puny.
A photographic optical illusion on it's grand size!

Oh, Canada!

2008-06-30T23:30:00.000-06:00

We've arrived in Canada! We'll spend 4 nights in Cochrane (just outside of Calgary), then head to Jasper for 10 nights, Banff for 8 nights and Waterton for 5. Stay tuned for lots of great posts, eh!
Here's the only picture we plan to post from Calgary... The BIGGEST darn jack rabbit we've ever seen!

Montana Multi-Sport

2008-06-29T23:13:00.000-06:00

We made the most of our last day in Montana! We started out with an epic 28 mile mountain bike ride up Desert Mountain and down through the "Ewok Forest" with a little out-and-back to this breath-taking overlook.
No - we didn't have company on the ride... We brought a tripod!
We emerged from the forest onto a dirt road and saw this sign... What to do???
After a quick change and a bite to eat, we headed back into Glacier for an easy-ish 4 mile hike to John's Lake, MacDonald Falls (more of a rapid, really) and along the river.
To top off the great day, we launched our kayak into Lake MacDonald and paddled around for a couple of hours. A perfect, but exhausting day!
We leave first thing tomorrow for Canada!

Big Mountain Downhill

2008-06-28T19:05:00.001-06:00

It's kind of odd to ride a chair lift up the mountain in summertime... but it's sure a ton of fun to spend the day hammering downhill - especially when the trail includes the incredible views surrounding Whitefish, Montana!
Deb & Brian rode the first chair up together - and enjoyed the view before the first descent.Whitefish Lake down below. A few minutes after this picture was taken, a little further down the trail, a mama and baby deer leaped across the trail and disappeared into the forest.
Brian caught up to Deb on the last lap of the day. Check out the banked ladder! What a stud!
After the ride we enjoyed an early dinner at our favorite Montana restaurant - The MacKenzie River Pizza Company. The waitress couldn't explain why it's called that, since the MacKenzie River is actually in Oregon...

Our Maiden Voyage - Bowman Lake, Glacier

2008-06-26T22:40:00.000-06:00

Before our trip, Brian went to CostCo to pick up some necessities, and came back with A BOAT. A tandem, kayak, actually... So we strapped her to the roof- and there she waited patiently for her maiden voyage. We traveled far off the beaten path to launch her on the beautiful and remote Bowman Lake. Here she is on the edge of the water, ready to go!
It seemed as if we had the lake all to ourselves.

TA DA! We made it! Virgin no more!
We really were off the beaten path... On the map, which obviously wasn't to scale, it didn't look so far. But it was 30 miles of mostly unpaved roads, the last 6 of which were on a one lane, twisty road heading up into the forest. Here are some shots from the drive:

Avalanche Lake, Glacier National Park, Montana

2008-06-24T20:55:00.001-06:00

After 8+ hours on the scenic highways of northern Idaho and southern Montana, we made it to Hungry Horse, Montana - gateway to Glacier National Park - which will be our home for the next 7 days/nights.

We'd planned to ride the Going To The Sun Highway - but the road isn't fully open yet; so we opted for a hike on the Trail of the Cedars and up to Avalanche Lake. 5+ miles along a beautiful trail though the forest, along the roaring Avalanche Creek, and up to Avalanche Lake. On the way back down the trail, we saw a brown bear in the woods (but it wasn't close enough to get a picture)!

Hanging with Muffy

2008-06-23T21:14:00.000-06:00

Our friend, and ultra-athlete, Muffy Ritz, helped make our time in Ketchum extra special. She guided us on a 50-mile road ride around Ketchum, Hailey and Bellvue, mostly on bike paths, gave us lots of tips on where to ride off-road, and loaned Brian her super athletic husband, John, as a tour guide Saturday. She'd have taken us mountain biking herself, but the evening after this photo was taken she took a spill during a mountain bike race and broke a rib or two.
Muffy & John joined us for a delicious meal Friday night, and we met again Monday before we hit the road for Montana. Muffy came by for the ten cent tour of our rolling home. Here we are before we said goodbye for now...

Dirt Series Womens 2-Day Mountain Bike Camp

2008-06-22T20:33:00.000-06:00

As luck would have it, earlier in the week we read in a local What-To-Do-While-You're-In-Sun-Valley Magazine that there was a women's 2-day mountain bike camp in town while we were...and as further luck would have it, there were spots left, so Deb signed up. It was awesome!

It's was wonderful, non-threatening, nurturing and motivating environment. All female coaches too. Here are some of the coaches:
The day started with skills/technique sessions.
After a delicious picnic lunch, we hit the trails to put the skills to use! We cheered each other on while we attempted the tougher, tight switchbacks.
Deb's group at the top of the climb!
Day two started with stretching -
And more skills work-Deb was having so much fun riding, she forgot to take pictures during the afternoon trail ride... But it was wonderful!

Brian rode Saturday with our friend John; and Sunday on his own. He had two great days as well!

Mountain Biking in Ketchum, Idaho

2008-06-19T22:18:00.000-06:00

EPIC! The trails are super buff, and ALL single track! Paradise for mountain biking! So far we've done 3 rides: 18.8 miles-2,020'; 30.5 miles-3,895'; 18.2 miles-2,325'. Loved every minute! Here's a sampling of pics from all 3 rides:

We're On The Road Again!

2008-06-15T20:13:00.000-06:00

We left Agoura on Friday the 13th... and had nothing but good luck, especially traffic-wise. After a stop in Barstow to fuel up at the Flying J and grab some lunch at Baja Fresh, we made it to Vegas to pick up our rolling home. We drove into the night, and when Brian got tired we stopped to sleep at a little truck stop in Summit, Utah.

Saturday we hit the road fairly early and made it all the way to Twin Falls, Idaho. With only 75 miles to our first real destination, Ketchum, and two full days until they expected us there, we stopped for the night at the only place in town, a pretty dumpy KOA. Deb went to the local Super WalMart to stock up on groceries while Brian worked on stuff around the "house."

Sunday we called and changed our reservations in Ketchum because we couldn't bear to pay for another night at the KOA (which was across from a very smelly feed lot). After a brief stop at CostCo, we drove into the Sawtooth Mountains to Ketchum. The drive was beautiful - and our home for the next 8 nights, The Meadows, is about 2 miles from town. Perfect.

Kolob Terrace, Zion

2008-05-11T20:46:00.000-06:00

We rode from Springdale to Virgin and hung a right -
and enjoyed the "road less traveled" up to Kolob Terrace. What we thought would be a short climb up to a gentle plateau was more of a quad buster... Pretty much all uphill for 22 miles, with pitches in the double digits - up to a summit over 8,000'. Another incredible ride in Utah! 68 miles with 5,750 feet of climbing!

A Family Trip to Zion and Bryce

2008-05-07T22:26:00.000-06:00

Our Christmas gift to Deb's folks was tickets to the Cirque du Soleil show in Vegas, LOVE. We figured if we got them to Vegas we could lure them to Southern Utah... because it's just plain wrong to go through life without seeing the incredible sights of Zion and Bryce.

We so rarely get to spend time with our folks... and this trip was a wonderful, meaningful experience for each of us. It meant a lot for us to share the beauty of Utah with them.

We stayed in our RV so they could get a taste of what our life is like on the road. "Home" was at the Zion Campground in Springdale. Here are Howard and Anne down by the Virgin River.

We did a short hike on the Canyon Overlook Trail. It had been a long, long time since the folks went "off road."

This is why it's called the Canyon Overlook.

Stopping to see Checkerboard Mesa in Zion.

Here we are in Bryce as we started our short hike on the Navajo trail.
Bryce is one of the most unique and most beautiful places on the planet. The folks loved it! Who wouldn't???

Cycling Around Paso Robles

2008-04-26T10:11:00.000-06:00

There are endless beautiful and quiet roads around Paso Robles - and we did three epic rides during our 4-night stay.
At the edge of Lake Nacimiento:

Hearst Castle

2008-04-22T22:05:00.000-06:00

To celebrate our 3rd wedding anniversary, we took a trip to the Central Coast - first to Monterey and then to Paso Robles. On a day-off from cycling, we enjoyed visiting the Hearst Castle in San Simeon.

Spring Skiing

2008-04-05T10:18:00.000-06:00

The snow was incredible for our last Mammoth trip of the season. We had a blast on the slopes! Here's Brian with his cycling club-mate Mike Joyce.

It's time to ride now ... but we're definitely hoping for tons of snow in winter 2008-2009!

Hiking in Zion National Park

2008-03-09T20:30:00.000-06:00

On our way South, we stopped for the weekend to enjoy the great outdoors (and finally some warm weather) in Zion National park.

Saturday we did three hikes - for a total of about 6 miles. First, the Overlook Trail:

Then we hiked down to a slot canyon - but we didn't know the name of the trail. We had to stop when it got icey and slippery.

The last hike of the day was Emerald Pools. We did the entire loop to all three pools.

Sunday we hiked the Watchman Trail. About 3.2 miles round trip. Every hike in Zion is amazing!

The Canyons Ski Resort, Park City, Utah

2008-03-06T17:56:00.000-07:00

We actually thought skiing The Canyons was much better than Park City. The terrain was more diverse, better steeps, better powder, better lifts, way fewer flats! We'd definitely go back!

Park City, Utah

2008-03-05T20:18:00.000-07:00

After spending the better part of five days traveling across I-80 through Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska and Wyoming, it was time for a break and to have some fun!

How perfect that Park City is on the way home! Here we are! Our first RV Park in the new rig:

We hooked up at the Park City RV Resort on Friday afternoon. Since we've become spoiled mid-week skiers, and we don't want to break our tradition... over the weekend, we organized the new home: Lined cabinets, figured out what goes where, who gets which drawers and closets, spent money at Camping World, Costco and Walmart. By Sunday night we felt pretty much settled in.

Now it's time for some fun!

It snowed Sunday - so Monday skiing was EPIC! We took Tuesday off to explore the town; then enjoyed great powder conditions on Wednesday. Two days of Park City skiing was just right! Tomorrow, we'll ski The Canyons.

Life is good...

Our New Rolling Home!

2008-02-25T17:44:00.000-07:00

Brian drove, and Deb followed via air, to Middlebury, Indiana, to pick up our new ShowHauler MotorCoach. We're so looking forward to a lifetime of adventures on the road with her!

Here's the living area:

Our huge bedroom with awesome closets! Now we don't have to think about what to pack when we travel! Bring it all!

Deb & Brian with the awesome ShowHauler Crew:

February in Mammoth - Our Last Trip With Lazy Daze

2008-02-08T13:34:00.000-07:00

Can you tell we love skiing? Here are pics from our Feb 1-6 trip, which was also our last adventure with our beautiful Lazy Daze. She has been a GREAT traveling home these past few years - and we'll miss her!

After a night of snow, Brian had to shovel!

The view from above "Scotty's."

The view from the bottom of Scotty's!

Ski Time!

2008-01-05T17:54:00.000-07:00

We love winter! And we love Mammoth Mountain! We spent the New Years holidays hitting the slopes - and plan on being up here a lot in this winter. Since we're not training for any particular cycling event, we decided that this will be a BIG skiing season for us!

East Coast Christmas

2007-12-26T18:00:00.001-07:00

We went to New Jersey for the Christmas holidays. Luck would have it that both Deb & Brian have relatives there - so we got to spend time with everyone!

Here we are at Brian's folks house. We were joined on Christmas Eve by Deb's sister Diana and her husband Sean. We ate a meal that was simply delicious, and gluttonous!

Christmas morning it was just us Bowlings!

We wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Chiricahua National Monument, AZ

2007-11-22T19:38:00.000-07:00

On Thanksgiving morning we headed out to Chiricahua National Monument (created in 1924), also known as "A Wonderland Of Rocks."

The forest of rock spires was eroded from layers of ash deposited from the Turkey Creek Volcano eruption 27 million years ago.

The Chiricahua Mountains are in the far southeastern corner of Arizona, one of several "sky island" mountain ranges surrounded by expansive desert grasslands. The Apaches called this place "The Land of Standing Up Rocks."

We parked about 15 miles from the park entrance and rode in. Inside the Monument is an 8 mile scenic road (with perfect pavement), climbing up to over 7,000'.

We definitely plan to return and spend some time hiking the 18 miles of designated trails.

What a beautiful way to spend the Thanksgiving holiday!

Titan Missile Museum, Sahuarita, AZ

2007-11-19T18:38:00.000-07:00

The Titan Missile Museum is the only publicly accessible Titan II missile site in the nation. Officially known as complex 571-7, the site was completed and turned over to the U.S. Air Force in 1963. Until 1987, when the last Titan II was deactivated, 54 Titan II missile complexes across the United States stood "on alert" 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

What was once one of America's most top secret places is now a National Historic Landmark. Nowhere else in the world can visitors get up close and personal with an ICBM in its operational environment.

Here's Brian standing next to the engine!

The Titan II Intercontinental Ballistic Missile was the first liquid propellant missile that could be launched from underground. Equipped with a nine-megaton thermonuclear warhead, the Titan II was capable of reaching its target, more than half the world away, in less than thirty minutes. This shot was taken from ground level, looking down into the silo.
Here's the control room, where airmen awaited launch orders, 24/7.

OOPS, I forgot to flip this shot...
But I took this from inside the silo. We really enjoyed this tour -- a bit of history of keeping the peace

25th El Tour de Tucson

2007-11-17T17:55:00.001-07:00

The last ride of the Rally was the 25th Annual El Tour de Tucson! We opted for the 109-mile route, of course; but we chose NOT to line up at o'dark-thirty to try to get a better starting position. We planned to "tour" the course anyway, so we didn't even wear the timing chips.

We rolled up just in time to watch the racers start right at 7am.

We went all the way to the back of the 9,000 rider field. Here's the view of the start line when you're dead last:
The beginning of the ride is really crazy, with riders all over the road. There were lots of crashes, and we had to go pretty slow for the first 20 or so miles. Here's the first of two very long washes that everyone had to walk across. At the end of each we had to take our shoes off to dump out all the dirt/sand.
Here's a shot of one of two checkpoints where we stopped for water. Food options were bananas, oranges, grapes, pretzels and animal cracker cookies strewn all over the table. It was pretty gross to take food off a table where endless rider's dirty hands had been.... but we grabbed a handful of cookies anyway. Good thing we carry our own food (mostly Clif Shot Bloks and Gu. Brian also likes Jelly Belly Sport Beans.).
The finish line! Yippee! Brian and I rode the first 75 together; but then the last two days of riding kicked in and he dropped me on a climb. He finished in 6 hours; and I finished in 6:17. Not bad considering we started dead last, spent the first 20+ miles working our way through the masses, spent another 1/2 hour or so walking the washes, and both had Mt. Lemmon in our legs!
El Tour de Tucson is 109 miles with 3,200' of climbing. Far and away the easiest century we've ever done. We're glad we came, but, truth be told, this is likely our first and last El Tour. Been there, done that!
:-)

Tucson's World Class Pima Air and Space Museum

2007-11-16T18:30:00.000-07:00

Friday we opted for the 30-mile ride out to the Pima Air and Space Museum. Most of the route was on Tucson's famous bike paths. About 15 other LAB Rally participants joined the ride. On the way, we rode by the "airplane graveyard," which had thousands of decommisioned planes, many of which served in Viet Nam. It was very impressive to see.

The Pima Air and Space Museum is the largest privately funded air museum in the world.

The Museum maintains a collection of more than 275 aircraft and spacecraft from around the globe, including many rare and one-of-a-kind, and more than 125,000 artifacts. We were privileged to walk among the giants of our aviation heritage, including military, commercial, and civil aviation.

We actually got to go on board President John F. Kennedy's Airforce One! This plane was also used by President Johnson.

We could've spent the entire day here - but, alas, we had to leave with the group because we'd never have found our way home without the Ride Leader!

;-)

Mt. Lemmon - Tucson's Premier Climbing Ride

2007-11-15T16:15:00.000-07:00

We're here in Tucson, Arizona for the 2007 League of American Bicyclists National Bike Rally. The rally includes three days of riding: Thursday and Friday we choose from several route options; and Saturday is the 25th Annual El Tour de Tucson!

Thursday we chose the infamous "Mt. Lemmon Challenge" - a 31 mile climb with 7,000' of climbing! The ride was spectacular! A super challenging climb, followed by a very rewarding (but freezing cold) descent. Here are a few shots from the day:

Death Valley

2007-10-07T14:52:00.000-06:00

After spending several days visiting with Brian's east-coast parents in Las Vegas, we were really craving something other than city lights and smoke-filled casinos... so we headed to Death Valley to get away from it all...

We rode up to Dante's Peak - but didn't have the camera there. Here we are at Zabriski Point, just a few miles from Furnace Creek.

The next day we rode the Artist's Drive. The turn-off is about 7 miles before Badwater. The views are spectacular, and the road on the descent has been newly paved!

Here's our rolling home away from home:

Red Rock Canyon, Las Vegas

2007-09-26T14:40:00.000-06:00

We always enjoy seeing what's new and exciting at Interbike - but what we like most is our annual Red Rock Canyon ride. This year we were joined by Mike Joyce and Martin Ward (both teammates of Brian on Veloce Santiago and great friends).

Home Again

2007-08-21T13:12:00.000-06:00

Our summer adventure has come to an end for now... We're back to work and enjoying life in Southern California.

Next month is the first annual Hoodoo 500 and we're super excited about that! We have a record number of participants for an inaugural race of this distance - which makes us very proud, and grateful for the support and enthusiasm for Planet Ultra events.

After the race we're staying in Utah for a few days and planning a hike down the slot canyon of the Virgin River trail in Zion. We plan to do the entire 22 miles in one day; and will definitely post photos and a report about that.

:-)

Tumalo Falls

2007-08-09T21:00:00.000-06:00

About ten minutes from the center of Bend is one of the nicest mountain bike trails we've ever ridden. 18 miles of unbelievable single track (or more, if you have the energy, which we didn't) and breathtaking scenery. We followed the stream up to Tumalo Falls, and then meandered into the forest where we were treated to several more falls, and then out along the ridges with incredible views of the valley below. Awesome!

(The photos are posted in reverse of how I took them)

McKenzie River Trail

2007-08-07T22:27:00.000-06:00

The McKenzie River Trail is considered a "must-do" mountain bike ride if you're visiting Central Oregon. Typically, riders shuttle to do this epic ride - but since we only had one car... We parked at the trails end, and pedaled 22 miles up the road to the trailhead. the road ride was beautiful. And when we finally hit the trail - Wow! We enjoyed 26 miles of incredibly scenic, and challenging, single track. Here are just a few shots from this very long day of riding.

Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway

2007-08-06T22:40:00.000-06:00

Oregon is home to many National Scenic Byways. The National Scenic Byways Program is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration. It's a grass-roots collaborative effort established to help recognize, preserve and enhance selected roads throughout the United States. Since 1992, the National Scenic Byways Program has funded 2,181 projects for state and nationally designated byway routes in 50 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. The U.S. Secretary of Transportation recognizes certain roads as All-American Roads or National Scenic Byways based on one or more archeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational and scenic qualities.

We spent the day exploring the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway, by car and on foot. Although the brochure we found indicated you could enjoy the entire byway in a day - we covered about a third. Truth be told, most folks never get out of their cars; and if they do, they walk about 100 yards to whatever scenic thing is closest, take a peak, then leave. In our travels we find that once we venture beyond the first 1/4 mile, we pretty much never see a soul.

We hiked the mile trail along Devils Lake:

We strolled along Sparks Lake, where we really wished we had a tandem kayak or canoe!
Todd Lake was super close to the parking area, so we saw the most people here!
The highlight of the day was our 3 mile hike at Dutchman Flats - straight up to the amazing views of Mt. Bachelor.

Beautiful Bend, Oregon

2007-08-05T21:44:00.000-06:00

Bend is one of our favorite spots in Oregon. It's recreation heaven - incredible road and off-road riding, endless trails to hike, lakes to swim, rivers to kayak. So much to do, so little time...

Thursday we rode the Deschutes River Trail, 35 miles out-and-back, of smoothe single track. The Deschutes River has sections of rapids and falls, as well as meandering river where you always see locals floating on every kind of raft imaginable...

Friday we went to Newberry National Volcanic Monument. Brian took his mountain bike, and I took my road bike. Brian's camera battery died before he could use it - so here are a few shots from the road:

Paulina Falls:

Sunday we rode from Tumolo through Sisters up McKenzie Pass to the summit and back, on the route of "Tour de Chutes," a super popular century that happens every July. The wonderful folks at Bend's Sunnyside Sports gave us a copy of their event route - and we loved every mile. If you're ever in the area in July, this is a must-do century!

Heading out of Sisters up McKenzie Highway

Lava Fields at the edge of Sisters Wilderness

The forest turned to barren lava flows just below the summit

A short stop at the top after a 14-mile climb

Proof that we made it to the top.

The roads back - farms and ranches galore!

Tonasket-Loomis-Oroville Loop

2007-07-31T21:49:00.000-06:00

After enjoying a wonderful ride in the little town of Pemberton, we spent our last day in Canada driving the scenic roads of British Columbia, which included climbing super steep, curvy mountain passes, meandering along the beautiful Lake Okanogan, and enjoying the quiet roads lined with endless orchards of apples, pears, peaches and cherries.

We crossed the border over Hwy 97 and stopped in the second town in the good ol' USA, Tonasket, Washington.

The map on the wall of the "visitor center" showed two perfect loop routes, and we picked the one most likely to be paved. One of many really great things about our travels is that we just look at maps, pick a route, and go for it. Sometimes its a bust - but lots of times we find wonderful rides; and this one was a true gem. 62 miles, 2300' of climbing with just two stop signs. We saw only a handful of cars along the way, as we rolled past five lakes and a river, and endless farmland and fruit orchards. Awesome.

One last comment about our travels in Canada: Clif Bars were $3!!! We'll NEVER again complain about the price of groceries in the USA! Eh?

CRANKWORX Live From Whistler BC

2007-07-29T21:50:00.000-06:00

YOWZA!!! Whistler was ROCKIN' with tons of partying people, live bands, and the most INSANE mountain biking imaginable! Sheer good luck put us in Whistler just in time for Crankworx - a festival of all things down-hill, including the awesome Slopestyle freeriding. Check it out:

Dual Slalom: We saw Brian Lopes race the prelims - but he choked the finals!

This is Ryan Leach - the KING of Trials doing some incredible balancing tricks.

The Slopestyle was far and away the biggest crowd pleaser: Here's a "little" jump - only 15-20 feet maybe...

Everyone in the final round had to come off the jumbo-tron... a mere 25-30 feet...

and this is what happens when you biff the landing...

We did a lot of riding ourselves on the incredible trails around Whistler. Brian spent a day taking the lift/gondola up and enjoying the downhill bike park (and even saw a bear - yeah, a real one, just off the trail); and we also did some more epic cross-country trails. Here are some local shots:

We're on the road again, pointed towards home - but planning lots of stops along the way - including several days in the Bend/Sisters, Oregon area where the road and mountain biking just can't be beat. Stay tuned for more!

Oh! Canada!

2007-07-25T21:19:00.000-06:00

Finally the sun came out -- and we've had two incredible days of mountain biking in beautiful Squamish, British Columbia. We're just South of Whistler (where we're headed tomorrow) in what the locals call the best mountain biking in BC.

EPIC (and endless) single track trails wind in and out of the woods, alongside rivers, around lakes, and meander across hillsides with incredible views of the surrounding mountains and amazing, colorful wildflowers! NOT for the feint-hearted, however... The local riders are in a whole other league! While the trails are listed as green for easy, blue for intermediate, black diamond for expert, and double black diamond for insanity - we found the blues really challenging and did quite a bit of hike a bike. The greens were a ton of fun though! Check it out:

Hello From Canada

2007-07-22T19:04:00.000-06:00

It has been raining for six days straight and we're going a little stir crazy here... Especially since we're surrounded by world class mountain biking (which is why we came here, of course). The sun is supposed to come out tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed for us! We're really ready to ride!

San Juan Island

2007-07-18T22:00:00.000-06:00

In search of orcas, we took the ferry from Anacortes to San Juan Island. If you're lucky, you can stand on the shoreline and see the awesome animals just yards offshore. But (heavy sigh), they eluded us; as we managed to arrive exactly at the spot where they just WERE a few short minutes before we arrived ... and we never did see a single orca. Oh well. The ride around San Juan Island was a blast. Another great day on the road!

Tour de Seattle

2007-07-11T21:56:00.000-06:00

Today we were treated to an awesome 95 mile Tour of Seattle by local rider, Jeff Tanka, who we met in March when he joined us for the Solvang Spring Tour.

Jeff knows all the ins and outs of this beautiful, bicycle-friendly City. We rode miles and miles of bike paths, raced around the local velodrome, crossed a lake on a floating bridge, pedaled through the tourist center of Seattle, enjoyed the beautiful Puget Sound, and more.

Here we are at Gasworks Park - a very popular ride start location.

Brian and Jeff above the floating bridge.

Thanks for a GREAT day, Jeff!

Brian Kicks Butt At The Creampuff

2007-07-08T22:51:00.000-06:00

Congratulations to Brian, who finished in the top third at the Cascade Cream Puff, a 100-mile mountain bike race with over 16,000' of climbing, mostly on single track. Brian's time was a very impressive 12 hours! Many of the guys who finished in front were Pros!

The race is held in the Westfir / Oakridge area, which we just LOVED. The mountain biking is epic, and the road riding is absolutely world-class. We're definitely coming back here to ride soon - and also to scout potential routes for a week-long Tour. Oregon is one of our favorite places to ride! Here are some shots from Brian's race (I'd have taken more but I was super busy filling water bottles to hand off to the racers):

On the road again...

2007-07-02T20:29:00.000-06:00

Greetings Friends! Welcome to our Blog!

We're off again - on our third annual Summer Vacation...
and so we decided to share our adventures via this Blog.

We left home on June 29th, and headed North, with our first stop in Weed, CA, just a few short miles north of Mt. Shasta. We did two super fun days of riding, on quiet roads with lots of climbing.

Now we're in Ashland, Oregon for a couple of days to visit family and, of course, ride. Ashland is home to the Mountain Lakes Challenge - one of the best centuries we've ever done. Although we missed it this year, we always enjoy riding here - both on and off road.

We'll next head to Westfir / Oakridge for about a week. Brian is getting ready to do an epic mountain bike race called the Cascade Creampuff!