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...