Posts Tagged ‘Randomness’

First Whites Ride of the Season..

Tuesday, November 3rd, 2015

I love the White Mountains, and I have been looking forward to riding there ever since the temperatures started dropping, and snow starting falling.

Monday, the I had my first ride out there, and had a blast.

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I think the dogs did too.  Even Remus, who is now >12 years old.  Though he was a bit sort when we finished.
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Alas, it was frozen..
DSC02140 The ride was super slow – softish snow.  7 hours to go 33 miles..  wow. A few miles before we got back to the parking lot I dog team went by, and I enjoyed the fast riding in their tracks.   

DSC02151DSC02153S Sorry for the low word to picture ratio, I hope everyone is enjoying winter! 

Winter..

Thursday, February 6th, 2014

We have been having a strange winter this year, complete with rain and ice storms, and many January days near freezing. It hasn’t been good for skiers, but the warm snaps have made for fantastic trails.

I have been attempting to put as many miles on the snow bike as I can in preparation for the ITI, but I have probibly not been getting as much time in as I need. Such is life.. but it is hard to complain with the fantastic weather we have been having, and the wonderful trails.

I managed to escape for day to put in a 75 mile day ride in the Whites, which was fantastic.

Near freezing on the hills, and near zero in the valleys – not much to complain about.

One of the better rides I have enjoyed this winter, and I wished it never ended. If I would had a way to let folks know I would be out longer I would have probably extended the ride to the whole loop. Alas.. but it was still a fantastic day!

I hope everything is enjoying their winter!

First snowbike ride of the season in the Whites..

Monday, December 2nd, 2013

I love the White Mountains in winter. The area sees lots of use, and has a fantastic winter trail system, with great scenery and views. With a Monday free Remus the Dog and I headed for a bike ride in the Whites.

There was a 4 to 5 inches of fresh snow over a nice packed trail. It was mostly rideable..

Though occasionally not..

There was a strong temperature inversion, and the valleys were really cold…

so I stuck to the trail that stays high, and powered on through the soft snow.

Remus had a blast, and enjoyed my slow biking. Snow biking is a bit hard on him, with his short little legs. He prefers I go slowly, and the fresh snow gave him his wish.

On the bike tech note, I am trying a Fatback Sterling tire in the back, setup tubeless. So far I am pretty happy with it, though it is a bit smaller than I would have liked, and it packs up quite a bit in new snow.

I am also running a Bud in the front, and that thing really makes a huge difference is soft snow.

It is going to be a fun winter!

Sorry for the low words to picture count, more coming soon.

Snow!

Tuesday, October 15th, 2013

Every fall I eagerly await the arrival of snow as I look forward to the huge winter trail system that I have right out my backdoor. On a overcast Monday, Tom and I decided to go check out the Summit Trail in the White Mountains NRA and see if winter has arrived yet.

And it had.

It was wonderful to spend a couple of hours wandering around in the snow..

And it got me thinking about winter adventures..

I love all the seasons, but in particular I love winter, and always look forward to the first snow.

We hiked for about 3 hours, then turned around and headed back.

.. But not before enjoying some hi-jinks.

Ouch!

Yay Winter!

Neverending spring..

Monday, May 6th, 2013

We have been having an very late spring. Its early May now, and the trails are still rideable and skiable around my house, though they are getting a bit soft in the late afternoon. With a Monday free, Remus and I set off to see if the trails in the White Mountains are still in good biking shape.

The biking was in a word – fantastic!

Our long days have been balanced by moderately cold nights, keeping the snowpack intact, and the trails firm. A wonderful combination..

Remus and I headed out to Colorado Creek cabin at a mellow pace, stopping to take pictures, enjoying the sunlight, the views, and in Remus’s case, roll around in the snow to cool off. Life is tough..

The trails had a dusting of fresh snow on them, but still fast going and almost no pushing.

Other trail users were out as well..

We turned around after reaching the cabin, and headed a short ways towards Beaver Creek, but turned around, hoping to make it back before the twins bed time.

This spring has been fantastic and while I have been enjoying it, I know that breakup is just around the corner, with summer fun following soon after. Every season has its own fun, and while I am looking foreword to summer.. meanwhile I am really digging what I have now – yay!

“Almost” winter..

Tuesday, November 13th, 2012

My local trails have been slowly working themselves into shape, and in the last week or so have become packed enough to doing longer rides from my house on the snow bike. My “default loop” these days is about 30 miles, mostly on trails, with a short section on a dirt road. On fast days last spring it would take me under 4 hours to complete the loop. Since the trails seem to becoming passible, I decided to head out and check things out. Alas, this time it took almost twice that, with a fair bit of pushing.

Sections of the trails are really nice, mostly in places were the local mushers are grooming the trails to a white asphalt like hardness.

In other places there has been little traffic, probably because we only have 6″ or so of snow on the ground, making travel a bit hard on snow-machines. The ruts made by ATVs in the summer are barely covered in some places..

It was a nice ride though, and it was wonderful to be out on the snow bike right out of the house. Darkness is arriving pretty early these days, which is not a bad things – you can’t have winters in Alaska without darkness, and I was happy to spend some time riding in the dark. It might seem strange to some, but I love traveling after sunset in winter…

I was somewhat surprised I had the trails completely to my self, and only encountered one other person, a fat biker, just a few miles before I was back at my house.

Things are definitely looking up, but we need a bit more snow before our winter trail system really opens up. With another 5″ of snow the trails would be fantastic – here’s to more snow!