Sourdough...

Winter is coming; creeping slowly but surely into the mountains and my new home - Estes Park, Colorado. The beauty of Colorado winter is the sunshine. It is almost always sunny here, even when it's snowing. Weird, I know, but a blessing to say the least. As the high peaks are getting covered in white, we here at 7,500+/- feet are getting random dustings  followed by freezing temps, then sunshine and warm temps with the snow then melting away. The soil is very rocky/sandy so the trails are almost always dry and ride-able. A big change from the Kansas City winters which are Hell on the trails and the riding scene.

Over the weekend I had the pleasure of riding with a few Estes Park locals; Mark, Dean and Randy. We headed over to ride Sourdough - a 24+ mile out-and-back technical and rock strewn single-track that was totally amazing. We had limited time and did not do the whole trail (yet), but did get a good taste of whats to come. So far my 'new riding friends' have all been really cool and accepting of my bizarre nature and undying motivation to get folks outside to have a hella-good-time. I'm really loving living in the mountains and riding at altitude. Nothing like getting your a$$ handed to you on every single ride - technical or not. These experiences can only make us stronger.

So, as I get more comfy here at the new lair, and get the trail systems dialed, I invite all my old KC crew out here, anytime, open invitation - to ride bikes, climb rocks, chill, pound booze, enjoy a campfire, hot tub, etc. And of course - take part in some form of shenanigans. I love shenanigans!

Neverland...

Though the floods have raped and totally screwed most of the trails in the area, and the roads - which makes travel anywhere a real pain in the a$$, I did get out FINALLY with the Redstone Cyclery crew for the weekly Tuesday Night Ride. These folks really know how to pick some good trail and go on an adventure ride - totally my style. Not only did the trails totally kick me in the balls *28 times, but we just kept riding and riding into Neverland (or rather Nederland). We hit up the East Mag trails which were in 110% better shape than anything else on the front range that I've seen. Instead of the typical Rocky Mountain straight-up then straight-down scenario, this trail system was fast and flowy and technical and down-right awesome. Thanks to Dave and the F.U.C.K.ers for the invitation to ride with 'my peeps'. Also thanks to Yann for taking some great photos of the crew. I'm looking forward to every TNR from here on out.

Bon Voyage...

Click this link, sit back, and enjoy what happens in the dark on bikes in KC:

PUREAWESOMEGALORE

Brought to you by;

Pirate cXc, 8 lumens, ACCPBG

Big Fat...

Tell your pals, make a plan, go ride bikes.

The Vortex...

My ship atop one of many meadows during a ride @ one of the local trails, Crosier Mt.

The past few months have housed more hardship and change than I could wish upon anyone. Starting the week or so before I went to New York to learn the art of bicycle frame building with Carl "Metal Guru" of Vicious Cycles, and still yet to end, I've been eye-balls deep in life. Me and the family have relocated to Colorado. We live in the mountain town of Estes Park - gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park and home of some really great back-country. This is the fulfillment a a dream I've had for more than two decades.

The mountain biking scene is sparse to non-existent here in this small little tourist town - but that is soon to change. Almost every single trail system within 3 hours drive has been wiped-out by last months flash floods. Half the town is still in a "no-flush zone"; imagine walking down the block everyday from your home to stand in line a a porta-potty. Classic mountain living here folks!

I have ideas, lots of ideas. I vow to convert this little mountain town into a thriving mountain bike destination. There is so much potential here for bike-specific trail and a community of healthy folks to follow. The Pirate crew is going to put 1120% of it's efforts into this transformation, and we invite each and every dirt-loving soul on two wheels to come out and join us for the ride. Things are hard is this area right now - devastation and winter is knocking on our doorstep. We are Mountain Strong and we will prevail.

My apologize for the past few weeks of nothingness here at SingleSpeedPirate  headquarters. Things are looking up, WAY up and I am back in the game. My first ride at elevation (8,000 feet ish) was this week with my new riding pal Dean (who will soon be known by some random nickname). I got my ass handed to me on some long and unforgiving climbs as well on some long and even more unforgiving, rutted-pout and rock-strewn downhills. There's plenty of technical climbs and rock gardens out here to keep me psyched, and though the few folks I've found who are die-hard cyclists ride enduro style bikes - I was able to hold my own and represent my KC Crew with pride.  I've never heard "Wow, you ride a single speed"? so many time in one three hour ride as I did this week. "And Fully Frigid"!, I got that one several times too. I for-sure had to bring my big-girl pants out here is I were to start a movement. And so it begins...