Merry Christmas!

I hope everyone had a great Christmas Day!!

This was a very different Christmas. This was the first Christmas since my Grandma passed. And my folks almost have the house sold, and stayed the night with friends. So Christmas got a late start and there was nowhere to be after. I spent the day in my PJ's. Lazy, yes. (oh, and in case any of my competition is reading, this is just the calm before the storm, baby!)

But all in all it was a good day. I got a lot of great stuff, including this...

So now I'm itchin' to build up the Bianchi. But I have some freestylin' yet to do down at Ray's this winter. I also got a taste of some hang time this weekend while ridin' the jump bike around a park in RO. I likey. So the XC bike will wait just a little while longer.

Now I have to hit the sack. I have to work tomorrow. It's a travesty I tells ya!

So the plan was to try to get out to the Knob this week after work to shadow a couple lessons so I could start taking my own. I headed out Wednesday after work, though the prospects weren't good as they had just re-opened after losing more snow to 50 deg. temps and rain. I walk into the lodge, don't even have my boots on, and Pat asks if I want to take a Black Patch lesson w/ two kids.

"Sure!" I say.

Well. I think it would have been much easier trying to teach beginners. These kids were 11 and 12, a girl and a boy. They could rip pretty good. But to get your black patch you have to be able to carve turns. In my teens it took quite a while to learn to carve turns. These kids wanted there black patch to have all "mountain" access. They were more than competent to ride the whole hill, but didn't quite have carving down on both edges. In fact, the girl was quite a bit better than the dude. In the end I gave them both their black patch. WTH.. it ain't brain surgery.. ;) (This is made especially apparent by the whopping $6 I made for that hour... :P )

So I'm glad I got some turns in that night, cuz today they're closed again!! WTF. Just in time for the first day of winter... Blah... I want SNOW!!

All this warm weather is causing quite the dilemma for me and some of my friends. We feel we SHOULD be out training, starting to get our base miles in. But we don't WANNA! If it would just snow and cover the roads with ice it would be some much easier to be lazy and stay indoors where it's nice and warm (at least when we're not snowboarding)... But alas.

And to add to my troubles. I still don't have a XC bike built up. The Bianchi is just sitting there stairing at me. I got the loaner headset in, and now it's a frame and fork, but that's it. Don't have the parts to build out two bikes, and I think I'm finally coming to my senses that I have to stop buying bike stuff for a while.


Well, on that note. I'm off to do some Christmas shopping!

Think Snow!

I survived...

...another LUV2MTB Christmas bash!

Turnout was a little lower than in the past, but that was no reflection on the fun! Once again libations were provided by our host, a 1/2 barrel of the Mill's awesome IPA.










This year Al brought his self proclaimed "boob luge".. Not sure where the boob came in (perhaps the creator?? ;) ) but it sure beat gettin' yer lip cut on the bare jagged edge of a block of ice..

Hot legs 2006 didn't disappoint either (unless you're me.. =( ) Once again I was snubbed, not even making the second round. That's ok... Like Michalangelo's David, these finely sculpted beauties probably won't be truly appreciated until I'm gone..


But all in all, another great time!

It's a timing thing..

It figures...

New job at the local ski hill... Temps in the 40s... =(

Pine Knob had to shut down this week. The boyne trip planned for friday is all but called off. Why can't this state just make up it's mind when it comes to weather??? WTF. Get cold already, Day-um!!

How to make yourself feel old..

Not sure how they got this picture of me, but......



So, this weekend was the hiring clinic for the Pine Knob Ski and Snowboard school. I'm not sure I can remember the last time I snowboarded two days in a row. It was great. Not too tiring as we spent a lot of time sitting and talking, but I got some good riding in too!

I expected that I would be on the older side of most of the folks going out for this kind of job, but holy CRAP!! My snowboard pants are older than some of the kids out there. I've been riding longer than most of the kids in my group have been ALIVE! I saw enough pimples out there to convice me to buy stock in Clearacil!

In the end, everyone who attended was 'hired'. Basically, they know that some will just drop off b/c it turns out to be more of a commitment than they thought. More still will be let go due to issues showing up on time, etc...

And who knows, I may find it too difficult to work 7 days a week. But if it were summer, I'd be riding for hours both days, and this isn't much different, except I'll be gettin' PAID! :D

Christmas Wishlist

Ok, everyone else is doing it.....

White Industries ENO Eccentric Hub (non disc)
White Industries ENO Disc Hub
Thomson Elite non-setpback seatpost (27.2x330 black)
Thomson Elite Stem (black 1 1/8"x5 deg. x 90mm x 25.4")
Easton MonkeyLite XC (High rise 25.4mm)
Velocity USA VXC Rims (Black 26" 32hole)
2006 Kona Unit 29er (Large (19"))

To be continued, I'm sure...

It's the most crazy time of year

So I find myself bikeless (no xc bike anyway) and I'm not sure I'm all that ready to get out in the cold and the dark anyway. And I'm just chompin' at the bit to get out on the snowboard. This is a rather tenuous time of year. I'm trying to take my lack of activity into account as I ponder that second donut, or that 5th beer.. :D

Don't get me wrong.. I'm not really worried about my weight.. but I did notice a little extra pudge around the waste last year over the winter, and I'd like to avoid that again this year. I'm not looking to lose weight, but I don't wanna put any extra pounds in that I'll have to lose to get faster next year..

This weekend I'll be going through a hiring clinic to become a snowboard instructor at Pine Knob.. I'm thinking it won't be too hard to get the job. I'm good on a board, like teaching, and can be counted on. Bring on the snotty 10 year olds... ;)

Looks like I'll be missing the Hodaddy Holidy Hines Hump. I was looking forward to this ride after hearing about last year's adventures, but between the cold and ice and the distance to get down there, I think I'll be staying home.. Besides, I gotta catch up with some non-biking friends.. they count too... ;)

So that about brings us up to date. Robert's Winter Riding Challenge Series starts soon.. I'm hoping to get a bunch more of those rides in this year. Stay tuned to find out ;)....

Practice makes perfect

Hippity Hop