Stardate 2015.937

California I

Hi all, gobble, gobble, gobble... I just returned from 10 days out west. Every other year or so, Snowcatcher and I try to visit her parents for Thanksgiving, as well as spend a day or two on the beach.

Thanksgiving Day found us leaving the Denver area on shear ice. As we proceeded higher into the mountains, conditions turned from ice to easier-to-pilot snow. From the Vail Ski Area to our first stop for family and food, dry conditions prevailed.

The next day, following an early morning communion with a mountain biking velociraptor in Fruita, Colorado, we found ourselves traversing central Utah in somewhat slick conditions again.





By the time we reached Cedar City, Utah, 8 inches of fresh snow had accumulated.







The storm was short-lived, and the 4,245-foot loss of elevation (over the course of 90 miles) down onto the Mojave Desert between Cedar City and Mesquite, Nevada, went quickly. Give or take 454 miles and 6.75 hours later, we found ourselves rolling into Bakersfield, California, at the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley, our primary destination. We managed to sneak away for two days to the coast. Starting at Morro Bay, we worked our way north to Cambria.




Stay tuned.

Adios

Stardate 2015.885

A little Asphalt... A Little Gravel... A Little Sunshine!

This past Saturday Snowcatcher and I journeyed out to Chatfield Reservoir for a warm autumn road ride. Temps were in the 50s and low 60s. It was a perfect fall day. As I write this blog, however, I'm enjoying a hot beverage after shoveling close to 9.5 inches of snow that fell overnight. It appears cycling season is winding down. Following are some pics.

Chatfield Reservoir




Lonely picnic area




Riparian area heavy in motionless quiet




Occasionally, the ubiquitous bovine happens to be a Texas longhorn.




Wide-open prairie from atop lightly graveled dirt road base




Prairie and pasture




After a final zig and zag, we turned around to head back to town.




A harbinger of things to come is 9.5 inches of fresh snow on November 17th.




Dieter and Wolfgang like to race to the snow stake.




Dieter won the sprint; Wolfgang buys the beer for the weekend.




The final snow tally for the storm was a little over 9 inches.




I think we may be months away from a similar day. Thanks for reading...

Adios

Stardate 2015.879

Winter Is Slowly Arriving

I think winter has finally arrived. We received about 4.5 inches a week ago with more snow on the way. Nonetheless, I've put in some good autumn rides. Better yet, I'm still in shorts, but probably not for long. Following are some pics from an afternoon ride up Waterton Canyon. Enjoy!

The narrows of Waterton Canyon only sees several minutes of sun this time of year.




Waterton Canyon is deep and narrow; even with warmish temps the snow sticks around.




The Colorado Trail is the end of the line for the day.




I wasn't dressed for riding in the snow.




It was time to chase some sun.



The road looks harmless enough. I'm looking down a steep incline just below the Colorado Trail that becomes icier with the season. A number of people have not had good days here. I'm aware of several broken bones, including a broken hip – ouch!




Wolfgang and Dieter showing how to climb in true mountaineering fashion.




This pic puts Dieter and Wolfgang's first ascent into context.




That's it for now. On the docket is a gravely road kind of ride.

Adios