What is it that drives man to explore uncharted territories, take on incredible burdens and risk life and limb just for adventure? Is there an equal and opposite reaction for everyone of these people who yearn to get out and explore there is someone content to sit on the couch and turn off their brain and become a part of the scenery?
Is it the American Dream? Is that what each one of us is purseing in our own devious way? Does the man on the couch have the same shot at the dream as the one out on the road? Who's to say.
It may still be out there, or it may have died along with Hunter Thompson, the last great true American...
Friday, February 13, 2009
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Less than a month...
...until the XTERRA Winter World Chamionships...
The bike is finally together, the snowshoes are ready, the skins still need to be re-glued and I should probably get some new running shoes. I've been doing lots of biking and not nearly enough running. I know this yet I still find excuses to get on the bike instead of run, oh well I guess I will be suffering in the race and maybe then I will learn to train right to meet my goals.
10k Mtn bike, no prob I am set. 5k snowshoe, will be interesting as I haven't gotten to do too much snowshoe training due to lack of snow in Boulder. 5k run, no problem. 10k Ski mountaineering, the downhill will be fine its the up thats gonna get me...
The bike is finally together, the snowshoes are ready, the skins still need to be re-glued and I should probably get some new running shoes. I've been doing lots of biking and not nearly enough running. I know this yet I still find excuses to get on the bike instead of run, oh well I guess I will be suffering in the race and maybe then I will learn to train right to meet my goals.
10k Mtn bike, no prob I am set. 5k snowshoe, will be interesting as I haven't gotten to do too much snowshoe training due to lack of snow in Boulder. 5k run, no problem. 10k Ski mountaineering, the downhill will be fine its the up thats gonna get me...
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Surrounded by Madmen
The trip to the Eisman hut was interesting. Tiring, smile inducing, whiskey sluggin, powder sloughing and interesting. The hut was perched at 11,180ft above sea level and 9.5mi from the Redsandstone Creek trailhead. Now with snowmobiles we were able to get within 1/2mi of the hut and the hike was short but intense, hiking through powder with a loaded pack is less than fun.
The weather was amazing, bright blue skies and snow capped peaks as far as the eye can see. But with Temps hovering above the 40's the area was primed for avalanches. We could already see a few natural slides had broken off by the time we got to the hut just after 10 in the am. We decided to stick to the Northeast facing faces to avoid any slides, natural or skier triggered. Got some great turns in and built a few jumps just playing around in our winterwonderland.
When we got back to the hut we met a few other skiers and boards touring in the BC, we also met 3 guys who got caught in an avy that day, all 3 guys were buried or partially buried and one guy was 9ft deep in a tree well. I am glad they survived but man were they in the wrong area. I am not the most experienced but even I know better than to go near where they were. I understand the desire to get out and schralp the untracked pow pow but its not worth risking life and limb when there is pow in much safer areas...
http://avalanche.state.co.us/pub/accidents_co.php?accident=20090116
The weather was amazing, bright blue skies and snow capped peaks as far as the eye can see. But with Temps hovering above the 40's the area was primed for avalanches. We could already see a few natural slides had broken off by the time we got to the hut just after 10 in the am. We decided to stick to the Northeast facing faces to avoid any slides, natural or skier triggered. Got some great turns in and built a few jumps just playing around in our winterwonderland.
When we got back to the hut we met a few other skiers and boards touring in the BC, we also met 3 guys who got caught in an avy that day, all 3 guys were buried or partially buried and one guy was 9ft deep in a tree well. I am glad they survived but man were they in the wrong area. I am not the most experienced but even I know better than to go near where they were. I understand the desire to get out and schralp the untracked pow pow but its not worth risking life and limb when there is pow in much safer areas...
http://avalanche.state.co.us/pub/accidents_co.php?accident=20090116
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