RIDE LONG AND SMILE

I think the valley that Gothic lies in is one of the prettiest in Colorado ... at least when the leaves are changing. On a nice crisp morning the aspen leaves sounded as though they were shivering in the gentle breeze. It was rather ironic that the sun appeared to be setting them on fire.

A teammate enjoying the Aspen. The misses ripping it down hill towards treeline. Me catching a solid 2 inches of air.

The moon cast a nice glow on the mountains and with a long exposure you can see a bit of a star path. the really bright one on the right is actually Jupiter.

We had a great trip to Crested Butte over the weekend. The leaves were almost at their prime and there wasn't a cloud in the sky the entire time. It was beautiful! These are 4 of my favorite scenic shots from the trip.

I often see people talking on cell phones when walking their dogs. They are basically ignoring their dog and missing a great opportunity to bond and witness the joy that dogs find in simple things like running. Dogs have an ability to jump into life with all fours and fully experience their surroundings. We should all be so carefree!

I had a great ride yesterday for the inaugural Colorado Crooked Roubaix. Most people did ride with traditional road bikes, but I opted for the comfort of the Fargo. The stability and traction on the decents made it worth carrying the extra weight of the big tires. I think I sold a couple people on the versatility, comfort, and all-around greatness of the Fargo. The ride started in chilly 25 degree weather at 7:00 in Winter Park. It eventually warmed to a rather pleasant 60. If you are up for a long day in the saddle with a lot of gravel then I would definitely recommend this ride. It is very scenic and it is nice to get off the beaten path. The colors were just beginning to turn. I think next weekend in Crested Butte is going to be spectacular! There were 150 riders on the loop, but I was actually rarely riding with anyone. It provided for few distractions from the scenery.

Well, it won't really be that much of an adventure. I'm taking the Fargo out on it's first organized ride ... a 92-mile Roubaix-style ride up in the mountains. It will be a mix of pavement and mostly gravel roads. I put a new chain on in preparation. There are a couple of reasons I enjoy putting a new chain on a bike. First, it means I have been riding, and that is always a rewarding feeling. Second, it makes the shifting so smooth a and quiet.

This is a black and white version of one of the pictures from our recent trip to Rocky. It has a bit of a Ansel Adams feel, but I still have a ways to before really comparing myself to one of The Greats. I mostly just like the lighting and shadows on the mountains.

I got out for a very pleasant ride yesterday to explore some gravel roads along the front range. I find old, dead vehicles and farms very interesting. The Fargo was very glad to take a bit of a break as stopped for some photos.

Well, we bought a house. The closing went really smooth and in the matter of short period of time my wife and I went from just being renters to being renters, homeowners, and landlords ... for a month anyways. We found a great house that I'm sure will be a great home . It was hard to sleep last night with all of the excitement. It was a surprisingly long day, but it was a beautiful day.