cx race
chuck ripping springer
me hitting the cornice
road ride?

any ride in p-county is good
horses

My goal is not to fall asleep while writing this. I am completely exhausted and it's not even 8pm. Why am I so tired? I'll start out today and work backwards.
Today was the bruceton cx race at don parks house. The course rolled around his yard, some fields, and back up his driveway for a lap. The expert race was a little over 1 hour long. A couple warmup laps to check out the course and bird-boys course modifications. Lined up for the start. There were like 3 mtbs and all the rest were cx bikes. Never seen so many cx bikes at a wv cx race before. I felt great for the first 100 yards of the race then slowly faded over the next few laps to 12th out of 13. Even though i was suffering the whole race, i still had a blast. It was good to see so many familiar faces that i hadn't seen in a long time.
Saturday Chuck and i went down to whitegrass. Conditions were good for skiing, great compared to last year and excellent for november conditions. Started out with my skinny xc skis, and headed out to springer orchid. Chuck skied the whole day on some sweet fat karhu guide xc skis. They looked like some skis that will float good in the powder, so i knew i'd have to work hard to keep up. Started over to springer but then started hiting the cornice snow by the lodge. I don't think i have ever been to wg and not sessioned the cornice snow before heading out. headed over to springer and found some great powder skiing. sessioned springer at least a half dozen times before heading up to roundtop and baldy. Tried to crisscross many of the trails instead of heading straight up to baldy. Bot up there took in the view and decided to ski back down the main trails toward wg to get back down. down to round top over to upper springer, all the way down springer and back to the truck. I was itching to try out my new skins. I got them last year for my birthday and had not gotten to use them. Traded out boots, slapped on the tele skis and skinned back over to springer. What a difference in skis. I was completely exhausted heading back over but once we got there it was well worth it. A couple more sessions then back to the truck and off to siriannis to refuel. 11 miles of skiing for the day according to chuck's gps.
Friday night i went with chuck and jonny to accident md to xc ski some of the trails. It is pretty awesome to ski at night with a group. Left the truck and about 10 minutes later my headlight died and jonny didn't bring one. Wound around the trails for about 3 hours. It was 8* when we got back to the truck.
The weekend before went on a couple of road rides. Did the gladesville loop and a road/cross ride with chuck. Gladesville was like 50 miles and the road/cross ride was another 30some.
This is my last week in petersburg, then back to fairmont for the month of december. Hopefully the snow keeps falling and can get more skiing in next month.
gravy

A weekend off?

Last week consisted of working in petersburg until wednesday night. I had planned on staying till thursday morning and driving home but then in a last minute decision i decided to go on wednesday night after work. Trying to get home i was going a little fast and came around a turn in the small town of thronton. Instantly the blue lights come on in front of me. Effff. I got nailed good 65 in a 40 zone. He gave me a smaller ticket and then proceeded to write me a warning for having an obstructed license plate b/c of my bike rack. I almost laughed, but didn't and went on home. Did some work around home on thursday, then went for a 20 mile road ride. Friday was teh similar thing-work around home in the morning then went out for a 25 mile mtb ride at valley falls. I felt ok, for not riding for 4 weeks and my shoulder didn't bother me. Saturday i went down to timberline to ride downhill. It was supposed to be their last weekend and i really wanted to get some runs in before the snow flies and they close down the trails. It was a great day ended up with about 17 runs total. I just rode non-stop and packed my lunch and ate on the lift. It was also super cold-temp started at 38* at the top and by the end of the day had dropped to 34*. Afterwards i met up with chris, andy and matt and we went for dinner at hellbenders. It was my first time there. It was so weird to go to davis and not eat at siriannis but i survived and hellbenders was great. Sunday i went for a 25 mile road ride then packed up to head back to petersburg.
Not sure what the weekend plans bring this weekend. I have to head back thursday morning to get to the dentist. The filling in my front tooth broke loose on friday out on my ride. It didn't fall out but rattles around in my mouth. So lately everything i eat has to be bite size. really sucks.
probably ride friday, work sat, ride sunday, and back to petersburg.
Sorry ain't got any pictures. Had the camera with me at tline but didn't stop to dig it out.
Ride on
Gravy

A little of everything

Early morning frost:Tunnel:
Top o the climb out of valley falls
Chuck:
Haunted cabin along the river
Chuck riding at mini moab:
more mini-moab:
By the river:

Ok i think i am jinxed, i wanted to update early last week but never got to. So here it goes...
Last sunday consisted of a ride out on the backside of valley falls or the area on the other side of the river from the park. Its mostly 4wheeler trails but some good riding. Met up with chuck at his house and we headed out. Got a variety of riding-6 major climbs, mini-moab slick rock, valley falls. I felt great thorugh the ride and my shoulder didn't bother me. Just tried to take it easy and not wreck on it. It will take awhile to really open it up on the downhills again. Monday i went to the dentist for a root canal. then did some homework the rest of the day. Tuesday, wednesday, thursday, friday and saturday i worked. I snuck out early friday morning and rode around town a bit before work. Sunday morning i went out by myself to valley falls. Rode out from my house around the park once and back home. Felt really good, i had my camel bak on my shoulders and it didn't bother me. Had a little bit more confidence on the downhills, but my shoulder did hurt one time on a quick flinch. Spent sunday afternoon packing and headed down to petersburg on sunday night.
Started work at judy's drugs in petersburg on monday. I am in the education department, alot of counseling and classes. Gotta work mon-wed this week. Not sure on weekend plans yet. May stay here on wed night then go on a road ride thursday since i got my road bike with me. Work lasts till 7 so really can't ride at night here. I really want to go to timberline this weekend. Its their last downhill weekend of the season and i haven't got to ride dh for awhile and its along time till april or may.
Really trying not to watch tv tonight because of the election results. I voted early last week so i am not in a hurry to find out what happens. I hate turning on the tv and there are these biased analysts giving their own opinion for their candidate. So glad it will be over tonight. I am glad to hear of the big turnouts today. It is great because so many people realize that their voice matters in our country. I have looked at this election many times as the south park episode where stan had to choose between the giant douche and the turd sandwich and wouldn't vote. I felt the same way about both candidates, but finally choose one.
That's all for now.
Gravy