Stardate 2016.899

Celebration IPA
Two months late is better than never. The snow gods finally painted us white. If you whack-off the end of the ruler right where the scale begins, it would actually read closer to 5 inches of fluff. Yes, I'm kind of picky.




This time of year, the craft breweries begin brewing their seasonal bears for the fast approaching holidays. My favorite beer to enjoy during winter solstice season is from the Sierra Nevada Brewery out of Chico, California. Their Celebration IPA is awesome. Perhaps you should give it a shot. Celebration often sells out well before New Year's.




Wow, look who rolled, or shall I say, glissaded into town. It's Dieter and Wolfgang. Or, is it Wolfgang and Dieter? Does it really matter? They're here for beer, cycling and skiing – pure and simple. I have to admit it was nice to see them again.



The wild and wooly Bavarians return. Stay tuned because who knows what will happen.




Adios

Stardate 2016.090

So far, this little guy/gal survived the winter, predation and injury; he/she will be a yearling this spring.

Groundhog Day! What's It Going To Be?

While warm sword-bearing Fahrenheits danced all around, battling cabin fever like good little sword-bearing Fahrenheits do, the Black Pearl whispered the need for a mountain bike ride before the next media over-sensationalized storm hits. The Pearl reminded me the world may end in two days because even the National Weather Service predicted a biggie on the horizon. There may be some truth to that. The storm's ferocity will depend on how the low sets up to our south. We may possibly get a classic upslope, which in common English means: SNOW! We shall see. The Pearl didn't have to twist my arm too much. At the same time, I also planned a 54-mile road ride with Snowcatcher for the eve of the storm. But that's another story.

Dieter and Wolfgang got in on the Pearl action.




I'm not sure what happened, but down they went – brrrrrrrr...



Up they came, reminding me they not only are in aerobic training, but also toughness training. They are planning to ride several of the Spring Classics in northern Europe this April. They are tough indeed. Remember Mr. Bill from the old 1970s and 80s on Saturday Night Live? Well, these two tried out for that slot and almost landed the gig. Seriously, I kid you not!




The rest of the ride was typical Waterton...




...well, almost!




At this point the docket is up for grabs; stay tuned...

Adios

Stardate 2016.088

Das Wetter War Großartig!

According to the National Weather Service, my tiny lair on planet Earth has a chance of receiving snow totaling 12 to 15 inches Sunday (today) through mid-day Tuesday. Finally, some snow!! Hmmmm... I can hear Copper Mountain's siren. Perhaps some downhill fun is in the future. This storm has been forecast for a few days and I've taken advantage of the early spring type warmth our community has been savoring. Nevertheless, winter is winter, and snow is inevitable for several more months.



Yes, this is Waterton Canyon. I heavily blog Waterton; so, I'll cut down on the blab this round. Enjoy!




The "narrows" give way to the warmth of the sun.




This is probably a good idea.




Icy green water released from the depths of Strontia Springs Reservoir.




This melt will soon be like glass.




I had two more days of ridable weather. Dieter and Wolfgang joined me as well; check back in a day or two.

Adios

Stardate 2016.033

Secret Cache

Hi folks, here's a short blog of things to come. Snowcatcher and I recently traveled to a favorite cache of snow for some exquisite cross-country skiing. I'm posting several teaser shots from our late-afternoon glissade.


I'm not sure I want to reveal the location of the cache because I'm stingy. But, here's a hint: It's due east 1-hour and about 6,050 feet higher in elevation than the largest city/town in western Colorado. Another hint for readers of this blog; my home town sits due west of the snowy horde of snow.


The Nordic area can receive copious amounts of snow, especially in late winter and early spring. The current snow depth is over 50 inches. It's a veritable winter wonderland. If you've read this far, note that I'll dismiss the secret with the next batch of photos from our second day of skinny-skiing.



Check back in several days...

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

Stardate 2015.230

Lassen Sie Es Schneien, Lass Es Schneien, Lass Es Schneien...Nicht!

No ride today. Albeit, Wolfgang and Dieter enjoyed the spring fluff. Hopefully, tonight's temperature drop won't be too hard of a freeze.





Wolfgang and Dieter undergoing a little resistance training. The Bavarian bombers are strict "earn your turns" kind of guys.






D and W get'n after it!




Watch those flower wells!

Later Gator!

Adios