tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29341245586148265932012-02-02T09:53:31.656-07:00Cacoethes scribendi and other photographic wanderings on dirt, snow and jam....maadjurguerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05590011130177500077noreply@blogger.comBlogger1781100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-60345200332997113492012-01-20T12:34:00.000-07:002012-01-20T12:44:18.090-07:00

Her presence long past guarded over a stash. The bottle we once left, sat hidden amongst the best. But yesterday I retrieved, the last of her gift; a contribution of gold which passed between her lips. I left in place, a necklace paired; beads, brass and feathers, floating free in the air. The feathers belonged, to a bird of prey, which I found lying still as I pedaled along my

maadjurguerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05590011130177500077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-13592548749333130282012-01-10T21:29:00.001-07:002012-01-13T09:32:13.707-07:00

Around October, the breeze dies down and lays still until March...or so most years go.  This personal weather change of mine, of wholesale fabrication by design, heralds the long awaited ski season.  I downgrade my bike for shorter rides, eschewing the long days of summer and tire for the grippy cold skintrack in powder.  This year, the breeze has started up very early....all because Father

maadjurguerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05590011130177500077noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-17007294401966306712011-12-24T11:23:00.002-07:002011-12-30T22:29:28.118-07:00

On the 1st day after the Winter Solstice, I sought a final release....a release which has been long overdue.  This plan started with a vision I had during my last bikepacking trip of the summer season....a vision which I shared in an email to a few friends and family immediately following that trip.  Yesterday, that vision came true....what I wrote back in September is quoted in italics.

maadjurguerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05590011130177500077noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-90720106782903533962011-12-18T22:16:00.004-07:002011-12-19T10:24:40.661-07:00

A trip across the expanses of time....geography....is a thing to behold. A road trip is a brilliant event marked by experience, expectation and newfound experience.  As in all seasons there must be a marker thrown down on the ground to identify the change......a change in seasons marked by the falling leaf of fall.  Our season is now marked by the fallow bike gear in the garage in place of the

maadjurguerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05590011130177500077noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-63512630474240450962011-12-11T19:37:00.001-07:002011-12-12T00:34:32.851-07:00

If you've never ridden the AZT singletrack from Pistol Hill to the Cienega and back.....you've not lived.  Here is your chance to do so....AZT Jamboree.   I set out to ride this section on my day off....what I found on this day took my breath away.  It's a land defined by contrast....an equilibrium held by gossamer threads....a place where seasons hold tight within topographic anomalies....a

maadjurguerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05590011130177500077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-7342143867615892292011-12-04T22:20:00.001-07:002011-12-05T08:11:00.880-07:00

The words of a thousand poets could never describe the beauty of a winters rain in the Sonoran desert....we set to ride into a winters storm....such a rare treat upon two wheels.... Closer inspection brings perspective to the sepia world reflected back on a rusted plate of iron covered in the thin collection of a winters rain.  The predictable bend of light along the edge of matter....

maadjurguerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05590011130177500077noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-8798439060620838952011-11-27T20:09:00.001-07:002011-11-28T07:54:22.715-07:00

This past Thanksgiving weekend, I'm giving thanks to my friends to whom I owe my sanity.  They fuel the stoke on all things 2-wheeled and drive the catharsis within my 2-wheeled life.  Pondering this, I started wondering just what it means to be a "friend" in this crazy 2-wheeled existence.......... What is the nature of this word, Friend?  Is it someone who pushes you out of bed, early on

maadjurguerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05590011130177500077noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-32900623228750390892011-11-20T08:25:00.000-07:002011-11-20T09:33:20.401-07:00

The little places where fears still reside on a ride have now been overtaken by a heavy dose of humility, sense of humor and irreverence in the fact that I'm still a jackass on two-wheels, trying to be serious about getting better at riding a bike.....ohh, the folly!  I suppose I should either start wearing a clown suit, or nut-up and shut-up and get on a training regime.....but that would take

maadjurguerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05590011130177500077noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-52242145527553635752011-11-16T22:35:00.001-07:002011-11-17T00:14:20.269-07:00

Do The Needful; A mantra driven into me by the situation vs. my desires.  At times, I've felt the neeful tugging at me, tearing at me; forcing me from space to needful space.  It requires my presence, but not my mind. It's forced my being into the canyons and dark corridors of modern human procedure....but I've always managed a part of me soaring above it all for all but the briefest of

maadjurguerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05590011130177500077noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-4682644193707815522011-10-23T22:11:00.001-07:002011-10-24T07:11:11.442-07:00

In the beauty of morning, the red cliffs dance; the coming daybreak silence broken by birds calling for the wind.  Shadows move slowly across the clefts left by erosion and time....torturous the progress yet inevetible the outcome, another day begins anew. A twisted path steers me towards the canyon far to my east; calling, pulling and drawing me closer.  The canyon is all that matters this

maadjurguerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05590011130177500077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-85874227128473100762011-09-30T17:19:00.002-07:002011-11-26T07:54:30.403-07:00

It's that time of year again folks....the annual gear guides have been out for a month and the pages of these magazines adorning my home are now as ragged and chapped as last seasons skins; wrapped in their bag all summer, eagerly waiting for that first snowy encounter of the season.  With temps still in the absurd range....we can all still live vicariously and watch from our comfy chairs, beer

maadjurguerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05590011130177500077noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-91562409972230994152011-09-26T18:37:00.000-07:002011-09-26T19:16:36.998-07:00

A friend of a friend has a tradition every fall called Rancho Relaxo....beer, bikes and tequila.  The first day we planned on doing some Sedona riding on the way up to the Rancho....so we fixed our sights on riding Highline. In the waning 92 degree heat of summer, we left the Bike and Bean and started climbing....blurry shots of switchback riding were absorbed along with copious amounts of

maadjurguerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05590011130177500077noreply@blogger.com2Interstate 17 & Interstate 40, Flagstaff, AZ 86001, USA35.17324704631253 -111.6609191894531235.12134854631253 -111.73988318945312 35.22514554631253 -111.58195518945313tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-22341374084679206032011-09-19T20:37:00.002-07:002011-09-19T22:38:24.751-07:00

Last week I took some time off from work with the plan to set out on a bikepack from Flagstaff to the Canyon and back.  Unfortunately, my plan never survived the first engagement....leaving home with all my crap.  I left my backpack with camera, gps, iPod, rain jacket, tools and tubes at home.  Determined to forge on with my ride in spite of these modern conveniences, I bummed some tools and a

maadjurguerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05590011130177500077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-11353089005208082332011-09-11T21:16:00.004-07:002011-09-11T22:19:09.285-07:00

Details are everything when the seasons start to change....a note of "different" comes wafting through the air....a coolness just south of normal, catches your mind in the morning as you go about your morning ride.  At first, you doubt it's existence after a summer of certainty....and yet it eats at you until you search for it's roots and you find what you've sought......a change in season is

maadjurguerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05590011130177500077noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-77880130927858323252011-08-30T22:40:00.006-07:002011-10-22T07:33:07.482-07:00

Is it enough to say I lurve my bike.....No.....so I threw some bike pictures at a great song by Trey Anastasio.......Personally, I don't think he could have written a better soundtrack to my life......

maadjurguerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05590011130177500077noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-15657436534993931102011-08-22T13:33:00.003-07:002011-08-23T20:36:03.036-07:00

Last week offered me more time than not to go paddling twice with Sam, and camping/hiking/canyoning with Dara and Troy, Jason and Beckie.  Having a weekend without a bike adventure feels weird at first, but has left my energy and passion renewed for other experiences beyond the 2-wheeled sphere I roll around in.  Since I'm new to white water kayaking, I was too busy keeping upright on day one of

maadjurguerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05590011130177500077noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-16445577528529185502011-08-16T21:50:00.011-07:002011-08-21T14:04:08.496-07:00

It starts with an idea....."lets get this guy out of a funk", we say....or so I think it goes.....and so goes a pro-racer, a perfectionist business-man and a bro-extraordinire.  "Let's make pretty for the guy with the glass and long lens"......"He clearly, needs a catharsis here"....and snap.....my wishes for less talk and more ride have begun....one passive-aggressive ringy-dingy bell at a time.

maadjurguerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05590011130177500077noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-4012912415315672462011-08-01T23:05:00.002-07:002011-08-01T23:08:09.398-07:00

My man from Amsterdam, HandlebarSandwich is off to a great start on the Colorado Trail Race.  Track him here:  http://trackleaders.com/ctri.php?name=Nathan_Friedman

maadjurguerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05590011130177500077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-32512543836879241422011-07-23T11:53:00.000-07:002011-11-03T07:27:36.141-07:00

You can tell a lot about a person by the kind of folks that show up to their wake.  I don't need any assurances that my wife was a wonderful person and those that knew her don't need it either.  But I know now, that a lot of folks who just knew her though me or others, feel the same way.  I won't bother writing much more about the send-off we gave Lindsey since I'm already out of words; and

maadjurguerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05590011130177500077noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-82327716751862409162011-07-09T09:31:00.000-07:002011-10-22T07:22:04.828-07:00

Lindsey was many things to many people.  She was not a simple person by any stretch of the imagination, yet the complexity that this may imply should not extend to perceptions that she was anything less than genuine as is sometimes the case these days.  In every way, the Lindsey we all know and love was like many things in our lives that make our lives beautiful and enriched.  These things

maadjurguerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05590011130177500077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-28094307416720484552011-06-28T19:15:00.002-07:002011-06-28T21:38:58.736-07:00

I've been gone the last week on a convoluted road trip to follow Widespread Panic for 4 shows on a run that took me to Taos and ended up at Red Rocks. I'd be picking up a friend in Alburquerque from a flight from DC, another friend in Denver on a flight from Memphis, and a third friend who was in Denver with family.  In the end, we'd all endure hardship; no one would be disappointed. I've since

maadjurguerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05590011130177500077noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-52585346211142696272011-06-21T07:23:00.002-07:002011-08-21T12:59:30.739-07:00

It's fitting that I used up the last of my airline miles to receive some new glass right before the weekened.  Charging the battery up and reading the 200+ page manual, I head north in search of good times and subject matter. Troy and Dara were good of us to lend their home for the weekend as long as I fed the dog and watered the garden....Fresh buds of lettuce never looked so good in the morning

maadjurguerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05590011130177500077noreply@blogger.com1Coconino, AZ, USA35.364539952413736 -111.7210409320679234.394487452413735 -112.41255743206793 36.33459245241374 -111.02952443206792tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-28057651184448140302011-06-13T07:23:00.005-07:002011-06-13T08:08:35.864-07:00

Continuing on a course of deliberate socialization, my rides this past weekend took me into the realm of folks with busy schedules.  In a twist of fate, I found a slower pace of life from my harried efforts to pack in the miles. Troy's birthday gift to Dara in the form of a new Pivot 5.7 in pink certainly caught my eye....but so did the virgin brake levers sans damage.... Waiting for folks to

maadjurguerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05590011130177500077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-66883387230694149272011-06-06T09:10:00.008-07:002011-06-06T10:55:47.087-07:00

The long rides of spring have given way to short rides of summer on the Coconino.  They're the kind of rides which are not marked by the long march towards solitude; you and your mind ranging over the landscape.  They are the rides punctuated by conversations concerning life and the shared experience. I rather enjoy these rides within the Coconino.  These are the rides when everything you have

maadjurguerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05590011130177500077noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-74027098216661203772011-05-30T10:31:00.005-07:002011-05-30T12:16:50.044-07:00

I was climbing the walls last week, stuck in the heat of the desert and short base mile rides on Hawes.  Boring, uninspiring solo rides on singletrack I've ridden every way possible were taking their toll on my sanity.  I needed a change of scenery otherwise my joie de vivre on two wheels was in serious jeopardy.   When I saw DurtGurl was driving north, I invited my self along so I could find

maadjurguerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05590011130177500077noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-54395365923864511112011-05-13T14:20:00.009-07:002011-05-18T09:44:04.826-07:00

I missed the AZT300 on purpose, having exhausted any mental capacity to do much beyond drinking beer and wallowing in short, obligatory rides to maintain a base. Given the conditions which lead to the worst attrition rate this year (congrats to Lynda....you killed it!), I had no chance; yet the lack of experience has been eating at me since March. Enter, the Coconino 250: A beautiful ride of best

maadjurguerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05590011130177500077noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-66820787799738349372011-05-06T09:22:00.006-07:002011-05-06T09:24:57.978-07:00

I'm packing in a rush having just seen a weather update....my caffeine infusement from the morning is now compounding my efforts to grab all the things I need to have before loading the car, the dogs and the bike to head north. Tomorrow morning, Saturday May 7th, I'm going to attempt the Coconino 250 as a solo. My SPOT unit will be on and you can track me through this link, or by hitting the

maadjurguerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05590011130177500077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-74888761980556954902011-05-02T00:10:00.012-07:002011-08-21T13:02:03.853-07:00

I've had writers block of late.....and less inclination to photograph things of beauty; content just to put my miles in on the day's I'm not riding something major.  I have my excuses.....the drying season in the desert leaves me without color....the early season of spring leaves me without color farther north....blah, blah, blah.  They're just excuses......I'm back in a rut....I need a good long

maadjurguerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05590011130177500077noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-39999900388897706792011-04-28T18:40:00.002-07:002011-04-28T18:42:44.098-07:00

I don't ever repost....but this is just tragic sad...... http://www.powdermag.com/mantle/kip-garre-1973-2011/ http://www.tetonat.com/2011/04/28/kip-garre-dies-in-split-mountian-avalanche/

maadjurguerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05590011130177500077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-42560217526703658712011-04-23T10:20:00.014-07:002011-04-25T21:08:23.817-07:00

I've never ridden on Mt. Lemmon before....{insert facepalm gesture here}.  So when Chad extended an invite for a tour up top, I jumped at the opportunity.  With dogs fed, bags packed and two new tires on the bike, I pointed the vagabond-mobile south.  The plan was to ride up from town in the afternoon, make bivy somewhere up top in the dark and spend the next day riding.....the dude abides.

maadjurguerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05590011130177500077noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-42466450855631338662011-04-19T15:33:00.003-07:002011-04-19T22:33:42.312-07:00

Last weekend saw me put together a pretty decent effort in Arizona Endurance Series, Prescott Monstercross.  No camera, minimal stops, no mind games, no looking at my mileage and tripping out on how many more to go.  Just soft wind at my back, conifer and oak in green, streams of blue and cool, tacky singletrack.....and solitude in nothingness for 8 hours and 38 minutes.  I shared the singletrack

maadjurguerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05590011130177500077noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-40870398147962841912011-04-12T09:34:00.003-07:002011-04-12T09:42:20.251-07:00

Slowing down in life is a hard thing, even when you plan it.  With all apologies to Edward Abbey, getting drunk in the afternoon is one way to slow things down.  After my obligatory ride which turned into a "I'm going to ride every trail on Hawes in one try" ride, I rode the townie to the bar to have some fish taco's and a few beers.  With nothing much to watch in my own corner of the bar, I

maadjurguerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05590011130177500077noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-20252570436666903662011-04-05T16:24:00.008-07:002011-04-08T09:22:02.330-07:00

As I wrenched on my bike this afternoon, I started thinking about the sheer amount of wear on my equipment which I've accumulated in the last year.  I keep my gear generally clean and operational...but even the most cared for items get worn and require a complete overhaul every once in a while. Looking at my skis leaning in the corner of the garage, offered me further proof of the subtle damage

maadjurguerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05590011130177500077noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-81357844381451527222011-03-30T11:58:00.002-07:002011-03-30T12:00:44.697-07:00

I was in need a mellow day.....weekly epicness, on and off the snow, was getting to me....even splitchip took a week off, which says a lot.  Gnome has been itchin' to get out, so we finally hooked up with the aim for some northern facing slopes over in Lew Canyon in the Maybe Not avy paths. It was great touring with someone new and chatting about life, bikes and avoiding train collisions at

maadjurguerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05590011130177500077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-50708037488171425322011-03-24T15:18:00.017-07:002011-03-24T19:21:17.873-07:00

After the recent snowfall, I joined Troy and Ben for a long, 12.5hr tour covering more than 11 miles, 5000ft in climbing, more than 6000ft in descent.  The general plan was to ski Snowslide Canyon, Jay's Slide and Determination chutes with an egress skin/slog out Freidlein Prairie Road to a stashed vehicle.....with Jay's Slide and Determination chutes being new to us. The day dawned with

maadjurguerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05590011130177500077noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-57871637650623676862011-03-21T17:55:00.000-07:002011-03-21T17:55:08.995-07:00

This is a shout out to all in the Flagstaff area......KPAC is having a fundraiser generously provided for by Uncle Buzz Chocolate's.  If you have the chance, please check this out.  In all seriousness....the best food I've ever eaten in the backcountry, was provided by Uncle Buzz....all at 12,000ft...the freshly smoked salmon with capers and pasta was epic.  Beyond the food....it supports a good

maadjurguerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05590011130177500077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-22901149539497158912011-03-17T13:53:00.006-07:002011-03-20T21:42:30.167-07:00

Setting out at 8pm Tuesday; splitboarder, Miguel and I skinned up through the darkness of night to a sheltered bivy spot and crawled into our bags at 1am Wednesday.  Our intention, to ski a new line to us called Liberator; a NE facing avy path, draining into Bear Jaw canyon.  The skin up became a calming experience in a sea of mental uncertainty....me in a zone, counting each step out in my mind.

maadjurguerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05590011130177500077noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-26180512238272982712011-03-11T10:30:00.007-07:002011-03-12T09:15:44.963-07:00

I've learned that you can't ride away from your problems.  At best, a ride gives you an opportunity to sort through feelings and issues.  Upon the conclusion of your ride, if you're lucky; you've found catharsis and epiphany.  Lately, my rides have not given me either and have just been more time to spend inside my head....a place I had a serious need to get outside of, a place I've been living

maadjurguerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05590011130177500077noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-83046904556003000152011-03-04T20:55:00.003-07:002011-03-04T20:57:10.128-07:00

A beautiful lie is a beautiful ride. Wind in hair through slotted helmet vents give feeling to warm, naked scalp; breathing out a sweaty ooze of effort and concentration deep within the shallow skull of bone and thought. Contemplation born of angst and trial evaporate away with every hill climbed, racing against demons not seen, but felt in the depths of heart and the ugly psyche of disease. The

maadjurguerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05590011130177500077noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-79025748421614537892011-02-24T11:14:00.002-07:002011-02-24T17:21:52.159-07:00

2 Splitboarders and an AT skier on funky gear set out on Tuesday for some turns to celebrate a birthday.  The recent storms gave us all renewed hope for winters return after a long month of high and dry conditions.  For all we knew, we were skiing mid-late December snowpack...in February.  No one complained though..... Bluebird conditions and a light SW wind ruled the day with warmer than

maadjurguerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05590011130177500077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-11942025706444822802011-02-16T23:05:00.006-07:002011-02-17T09:46:13.498-07:00

Living my life this past year, I’ve learned one thing:  The only thing I can control is my willingness to push through mental discomfort and go further than I feel like going sometimes.  Feeling the need for this, I set out to ride to the base of 4-Peaks from my house giving me 56 miles under cooling skies with 5200ft of climbing.  This trip paid dividends in sights unexpected, surprising sounds

maadjurguerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05590011130177500077noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-8167951929745707542011-02-13T16:03:00.002-07:002011-02-13T19:26:24.813-07:00

Drawing inspiration from my riding brethren down south, I decided my local shred needed it's own Tequila Tree.   Directions to the tree are as follows: On a Twisted Path, A rocky sight;gaze through it's aim,a red delight. On a reciprocal heading,you climb some more;some 200 steps,up a sandy shore. Off to your left,will be a tree;beneath it's branchesyou're soon to see. A rocky house,contains

maadjurguerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05590011130177500077noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-51071650403288681642011-02-01T23:56:00.006-07:002011-02-07T16:33:22.428-07:00

The stillness bears down on us like a suspenseful moment in a crowded movie theater.  With it’s patrons too afraid to move or make a sound, one can hear a pin drop.  Frozen in time, it’s our thoughts which seem loudest.  The sound of the ravens soaring above our corniced perch are our companions this calm afternoon.  We peer up at the sky to hear the squawk of the bird, echoing down on us and out

maadjurguerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05590011130177500077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-36835301659172141392011-01-24T11:43:00.000-07:002011-01-24T11:43:55.535-07:00

2 days in the sun, 2 ways to play.  One day in white, the other in red.  Packing the truck with skis and mountain bike is always a special feeling....the anticipation for adventure can be overwhelming...best to let it wash over you and try to remember, 2 ways, 2 days....White and Red. Day 1:  Beard Canyon Traverse with North Cleaver Group as the objective....... Day 2:  Sedona...... Mike and

maadjurguerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05590011130177500077noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-25265417716477312952011-01-18T17:23:00.004-07:002011-01-18T17:44:37.471-07:00

Despite the horrible filth in the air these days, leaving my waking lungs feeling like a used up catalytic converter, I had to get outside.....bluebird skies and 75 beckoned me into the desert.  Keeping it short today was important since I'm ramping up right now for future rides....so Bulldog Canyon became the route. Spinning out at a tour pace with a tortilla, chocolate bar and a live show of

maadjurguerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05590011130177500077noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-31594671278153516382011-01-16T10:19:00.008-07:002011-01-16T15:52:44.713-07:00

The minutia encompassing a snow day goes unnoticed in all but a few accounts.  Things unworthy of mention get 86'd to the cutting room floor found deep within our long-term memory.  Yet when the enterprise as a whole is considered, the details that we choose not to recount form the majority of the trip.  Somehow, we choose to only remember the ski shot that left smiles on our faces....a shot that

maadjurguerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05590011130177500077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-40709966645212858952011-01-14T10:06:00.011-07:002011-01-14T10:14:33.167-07:00

It was just another Weekly Tech ride on National Trail out at SoMo with friends. With new camera in hand and a good 8 days off the bike, I was looking to just ride along and view the action through the new glass. What I found was mixed light filtered through winter smog, warm glow on  rocks, and lots of emotion. With an impending interview, the beard is disappearing.  I'm serving up Pork Chops

maadjurguerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05590011130177500077noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-71319205044496443862011-01-03T08:46:00.002-07:002011-01-04T11:02:43.896-07:00

With my recent transportation situation being constrained, I'm riding more than skiing these days.  Still, my activities from the past week read like a best hit list:  Powder with friends in Wolf Creek, Pass Mountain with friends (where I got the tail end of the slickrock for the first time.....W00t!), and followed by a ride with friends at SoMo on National.  Only, this was an eccentric ride:  

maadJurguernoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-33372119223064384382010-12-09T12:11:00.003-07:002011-02-02T19:06:44.306-07:00

Like fallen pineconesDreams lay buried under snowHopefull new season 

maadJurguernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-1179215425447182222010-12-03T12:45:00.008-07:002011-01-04T09:55:26.997-07:00

On a regularly scheduled break from thoughtful, artistic pursuits...I bring you a gripe about your eternal salvation.....Hell.  I've always considered the images of those wonderfully crafted advertisements by Park City Ski Co to be the very image of hell.  They're marketed to folks in Dallas, Oklahoma City, Little Rock and....what the hell....anything east of the front range.  It looks inviting,

maadJurguernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-29374060012210218922010-11-24T08:52:00.005-07:002011-02-02T19:18:36.481-07:00

When the first bead of sweat cascaded down the amber lenses of my sunglasses, I smiled.  Despite the crisp November air washing over me as I floated over the damp landscape of morning, the effort to do so still warmed me considerably.  After an hour of pedaling, my legs were finally getting into a rhythm with my heart and lungs; they pumped blood and oxygen to produce an easy movement through

maadJurguernoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-81947730783908215862010-11-12T09:07:00.006-07:002011-06-08T20:53:00.789-07:00

Early rays of November made their mark on Cholla and I on our weekly SoMo morning ride.  Blessed with cool temps in the lower 50's, I took advantage of the cool air and warm light to play on the camera and trail.  Waiting for Cholla to pad up, I spied interesting shadows on rock and rubber alike. Peering at the glow of morning on the texture of blue anodization was intoxicating...even after

maadJurguernoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-51252967183927822302010-11-05T15:59:00.005-07:002011-01-04T10:30:01.507-07:00

Deep in the forest there is a tree.  I ride by it from time to time and stop beneath its branches which reach out across the forest and grow towards the light of the sun.  Nestled deep within the center of the tree is a hole where a limb once fell off.  This hole is now occupied by a hive of bees which buzz away, night and day.  Bringing pollen from the beauty upon the fields, the bees produce

maadJurguernoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-37211772974531893102010-10-27T12:21:00.002-07:002011-01-04T10:32:40.536-07:00

I’m not sure.  I’m unsure of being sure.  Of this, I’m sure.  Yesterday while riding my bike because it’s what I did yesterday, and the day before; I started wondering, why?  Why me?  Why this or why that? I’m not pondering why the sky is blue….which everyone knows is because Santa wants it that way….and I’m not pondering why I’m here, which I’ve always assumed has something to do with college

maadJurguernoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-53869741740291335632010-10-23T14:36:00.005-07:002011-08-22T11:29:04.272-07:00

OK......life has been very busy.....I have no time to blog about my radness...since the only rad thing I've done is work out a strategic capture plan for KPAC....and no one likes powerpoint....so I'll spare you the play-by-play and give you the synopsis:  I'm gonna get them money.  In lieu of any worthwhile activity to shoot or write about, I present to you the only rad thing going on which just

maadJurguernoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-77483096701996394972010-10-03T10:29:00.005-07:002011-04-02T12:24:24.477-07:00

Waking the next day, the briskie was rubbed with some coarse grained spices and then placed onto the smoker....26 hours later, it would be done..... With an even mix of mesquite and hickory, the smoke begins to rise with the excitement of the day....the game is still a day away but the smell of the wood reminds me of my first OU game so very long ago.... Closing the lid on the meat....my only

maadJurguernoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-19312900348125586992010-09-30T20:13:00.005-07:002011-01-04T11:07:34.300-07:00

Simple words....simple food....complex logistics.....that's TUK FXS.  The 8th annual celebration has begun.....some pics from today's events. 16lb packer....cleaned and ready....as a point of reference.....that's a 12" blade folks......  The Briskie is all rubbed up.......this is going into the cooler for a rest until tomorrow when it gets another dose of seasoning before its 24 hr sit in the

maadJurguernoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-49295643010698949152010-09-27T10:53:00.005-07:002011-02-02T20:46:19.169-07:00

Chollaball and I made bivy under a full moon and a sparkling Jupiter at the Phils World Trailhead outside of Cortez, CO.  As I drifted to sleep, I believe the last thought to cross my mind was...it won't rain tonight......"WAKE UP....IT'S RAINING!!"....these words jostled me from REM as we scrambled in the dark of the morning to cover with tarps....too late...the squall came down fast and windy.

maadJurguernoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-6793376826812478122010-09-10T08:10:00.002-07:002010-09-10T08:18:57.299-07:00

No.....I'm not doing the Vapor Trail, but wanted to throw it out there since my SPOT link on this page will show that I'm doing it.....rather, Mr. Handlebarsandwich is, and he will be using my SPOT unit.  So starting 10pm on Saturday night, you can check him out on Trackleaders along with the other sufferers.....use that link instead of my SPOT link....it's way better.

maadJurguernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-49914005457129286862010-09-06T16:21:00.002-07:002011-01-03T12:20:17.783-07:00

This Labor Day Weekend, I hosted an old work mate and his brother for a few days camping and riding.  These guys have only ridden Fantasy Island in Tucson....so I knew they were in for quite "the ride".  Given they are taken to triathalons and such....I knew I could throw them a challenge and they would not complain....especially when they saw what was blowing up at the base of Schultz.....  

maadJurguernoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-58771318355420232342010-08-15T20:41:00.012-07:002011-01-04T13:52:17.990-07:00

So my last post may have been cryptic, so here it is....my first stop on my ramble was the White Mountains Bluegrass Music Festival to see these guys. Before heading out at 11pm on Friday to camp in the forest at 3am....I threw a ton of chlorine in the pool knowing full well what was pooping in it while I was gone. Waking up at 6 in a forest surrounding I'd only seen in the dark 3 hours prior; 

maadJurguernoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-41362143977494647492010-07-16T12:29:00.005-07:002011-01-05T10:26:34.735-07:00

When the call came to circumnavigate the Kaibab Plateau for a muli-day bikepacking trip with Chad, I threw my desire for rest aside and jumped in.....I would not be disappointed. Leaving our car outside of Jacob Lake and descending out of the Ponderosa and Aspen forest, we contoured around to the west and then south...... Many lessons were learned by me on this first bikepacking trip.....the

maadJurguernoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-90305310012315705322010-07-11T11:42:00.006-07:002011-01-05T10:36:28.280-07:00

Despite dark and bitter forecasts of my July biking demise, I've managed to still stop and relax along the way.  While 4th of July weekend had some strong, redline/threshold rides with no desire to stop and take pictures each morning as I climbed the Arizona Trail, I managed to stop and smell the roses. Choosing a base of operations off the Arizona Trail, in an aspen grove, surrounded by ferns;

maadJurguernoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-56743559943730135572010-07-08T20:54:00.002-07:002010-07-08T20:56:45.740-07:00

It's been two weeks from my last post....and I feel a bit bad about it.  It's not that I expect to produce material on a constant basis, nor do I expect my readership to get too disappointed when I don't ramble on about flowers, or canyons or bike rides (or radness).  I do however, expect myself to make full use of my unemployed time doing soul-rewarding things....things that make my heart sing

maadJurguernoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-45893819350889208702010-06-24T22:48:00.025-07:002011-01-05T10:51:20.977-07:00

....or so goes the clarion cry from Jimmy the Split-chimp as he turned the corner on yet another bend in the trail. 3 days in a hole sounded good to me, despite my inner knee raising the alarm; the chimp assured me there would be plenty of bail options should my knee decide to rain on my birthday party week....so I acquiesced, albeit; in a drunken stupor on my birthday. Our planned route was

maadJurguernoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-70454395952010380832010-06-22T08:15:00.003-07:002011-01-05T10:56:33.539-07:00

Just a quick photo dump of last weekends activities before I head back up north for a end to end traverse of the West Fork of Oak Creek with Jimmy the Chimp and his crazy dog Sazi.....morale is high....summer sausage and hard tack the food for the trip. I'll have a full trip report for last weekend and this weeks canyon sojourn when I get back, however there is a nice post on U2Metoo's site, as

maadJurguernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-5632917286985927742010-06-06T10:58:00.006-07:002011-01-05T11:01:07.755-07:00

I've always found parallels between life and the activities I enjoy.  There's a striking example that comes to mind when I think of skiing:  When skiing through trees, focus on the spaces between; not the trees themselves.  In life, as in skiing through trees, it's best to focus on the spaces in between, lest you are stopped cold by something much larger than you. I've not talked about negative

maadJurguernoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-11961897259056106592010-05-31T15:19:00.065-07:002011-01-05T11:21:54.118-07:00

To steal a phrase from Maude Lebowski, riding can be a "zesty enterprise", just as much as skiing in my opinion.  But using a bike to make an approach to a ski shot.....on a bluebird day.....on memorial day weekend....in AZ....with the finale being a short bomb back down to the car on said bike is just about as much fun as one should legally have in one day.  Add in good friends, beer and music..

maadJurguernoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-84342776494060886052010-05-24T08:58:00.003-07:002011-01-17T12:27:52.580-07:00

I did 102 miles on the MTB the previous week with 8,000vf of climbing.  This week I did 105 miles on the MTB with 11,500vf of climbing.....and this last one was supposed to be my rest week.  It's hard to turn down a good ride, even harder so with good friends on trails you've never ridden...luckily, I only had to do this yesterday by texting tRoy early in the morning and letting him know I was

maadJurguernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-81748619494025853462010-05-19T19:52:00.001-07:002011-01-17T12:37:49.754-07:00

I'm no longer sure how much I climbed today......my pre-route digitization in Topofusion says ~5k, my after route on my Garmin says 5561vf gained.....and the custom algorithm in Topofusion says ~7k.  I'm inclined to believe that 5500 is about right.....but I will say that investigating how Topofusion computes the various elevations is something I need to do, since sandbagging is never cool....

maadJurguernoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-59509375769563467702010-05-16T14:57:00.007-07:002011-01-17T12:53:28.328-07:00

The Casner Mountain Dirty Century for me, was never to be a Century.  As part of my IT band rehab, I'm ramping up the miles in graduated increments....this weekend called for 50 miles.  In parallel, the offer went out from Chad for folks to do half of the Casner ride as part of the AES......perfect chance to do the miles and see a part of AZ I have not ridden much....I would not be disappointed.

maadJurguernoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-37576514887479326982010-05-12T19:02:00.005-07:002011-01-17T12:57:53.395-07:00

Ry-daddy already rode 18 miles this morning....and wanted more.  I wanted to go big today, but my lungs left me wanting more air.  I compromised by just doing Pass Mountain... I never felt right....but how right can you feel when ones lungs are in an asmathatic fire storm?  Apparently, a lot worse than you think.  On the climb up the west side, my legs felt dead....springless....uncommanding....

maadJurguernoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-38219052449317825702010-05-06T19:38:00.006-07:002011-01-17T13:05:19.347-07:00

I was going to do the north side of Mt. Ord today....but the 5,000vf gained in 7.3 miles made me worry about my badly bruised left quad.....the excuses started early last night.  Upon waking.....I instantly felt guilty and set about planning how I would make up for this lapse in judgment.  "Hrmmmmmmm.......I've yet to do Toms Thumb......13.5 miles with ~4,000vf gained....95 degree temps.....10am

maadJurguernoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-81033669790819008022010-05-01T10:07:00.004-07:002011-03-30T15:14:04.916-07:00

U2metoo called me up the other day, asking if I was up for a kayak trip on the Colorado River through Black Canyon with an overnight somewhere up river.....I told him I'd look into my demanding schedule and get back to him.  3 seconds later, I told him that I was certain I could fit this in....then I proceeded to tell him how I lack any experience in a kayak....he told me I'd be a pro in 30

maadJurguernoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-44773403702474107052010-04-24T19:50:00.004-07:002010-05-04T08:46:51.118-07:00

Leaving the mid-80's behind on Friday, I drove north until I could see the frosted peaks on the horizon.  Meeting JMoney up at PnT for happy hour, I proceeded to have a few beers....and then some of the best Pizza to be found in all of Flagstaff.  Waking the next morning at a respectable hour, we ate our breakfast burritos in anticipation of the 4-8 inches we expected.....rumors of knee deep in

maadJurguernoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-34630952974009088262010-04-16T14:28:00.004-07:002010-04-16T14:38:00.850-07:00

Yesterday was dreadful; with colors of black and grey painting the inside of the office belonging to the HR representative.  After 13 years with the company, I was no longer....with the company.  Waking today, I felt a sense of renewal I have not felt in a long time....the path before me was barren, the horizon was open and the course to plot was mine and mine alone to choose.  This is the

maadJurguernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-1754996799422650082010-04-08T19:42:00.001-07:002010-04-08T19:42:59.342-07:00

I've been staring at the following picture of me (how vain), taken by Chollaball after the squealer last sunday.   Disturbing.....huh?!  I'm not sure what to make of it...I'm aghast, yet intrigued....some of the words and terms that come to mind are: vainfuglyfreak flagarrogant (blame the jersey)prouddisturbingconfusedlostconfidentdehydratedintoxicated (on stoke)in pain ....in otherwords.....

maadJurguernoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-51593772313711176212010-04-06T16:50:00.002-07:002010-04-06T16:51:26.666-07:00

I'm not going to bother with an artsy post, a thoughtful post or a smarmy one.....just a few photo updates with comments from the scene which is my life: The desert these days is insanely beautiful....this was taken during a flower-sniffer hike with Mrs. Maadjurguer about a week ago....riding through this scene has been awesome with hip high flowers and green bushes in many spots rendering the

maadJurguernoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-83464261085852558852010-03-27T17:15:00.004-07:002010-03-27T17:21:13.775-07:00

Just when I thought that modern music could not get any worse.....I started scrounging the back lots of musica (have you ever seen a silver Delorean driven by a white-haired man before?).....in any event....my hope for artistic bad-azzness to reemerge in the midst of formulaic crap has been refreshed by this gem. How I got through my high-school years in deep study of 70's rock without being

maadJurguernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-60817076042642163592010-03-23T14:32:00.006-07:002010-03-23T16:32:14.303-07:00

To all my Tele friends....an oldie, but a goodie: A/T Anonymous: A Tale of a Telemarker Turned A/T Skier from Jason Mitchell on Vimeo.

maadJurguernoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-40700044013463694102010-03-19T17:54:00.004-07:002010-04-20T16:55:57.568-07:00

What can one say about frogs humping....much less in an ephemeral pool of ooze at the base of a spring found in the middle reaches of a metamorphic core complex standing sentinal along the western reaches of a festering sea of neon......climb higher son....climb higher....and so I did. Colors of El Nino were profound; splashed everywhere the eye could find.  Lichens once dormant have

maadJurguernoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-92164742559433267662010-03-16T19:22:00.005-07:002010-03-18T07:03:42.317-07:00

It's all fun and games until someone pokes their eye out....but after that....it's still kinda funny...but not really.  tRoy and I set out for the San Juan's for our AIARE Level II Avy course this weekend. Leaving Flagstaff was a bit sketchy, with white out conditions on I-40 between Winslow and Gallup rendering me flush with spatial disorientation and nausea from the constant stream of

maadJurguernoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-39036983640459753622010-03-01T15:42:00.012-07:002010-03-02T10:34:18.489-07:00

2 flat tires on a Sunday in Salt Lake City with sidewall punctures in the same day is what you could call an Epic Fail v2.0.  After last friday's Epic Fail (forgetting my bike shoes for a Sedona ride)...I thought these things were out of my system for a while....I was wrong. JMoneyMillionaire, Handlebarsandwich and myself headed up to SLC to The Big LePowSki put on by Black Diamond and Arc’Teryx

maadJurguernoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-26680095140810096082010-02-24T19:45:00.017-07:002010-02-24T21:22:30.305-07:00

I took a quick spin out at Hawes after work today and noticed that the single poppy I had observed on my Saturday, helmet condom ride, had turned into 50 poppies.  I suspect that tomorrow there will be 500, and the next day 5000, and the next day 50,000.  The season is upon us, the desert is awash in green and soon to be sprinkled with yellow's, then red's and finally blue....before fading into

maadJurguernoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-92017224281662988172010-02-14T17:40:00.008-07:002010-02-14T18:09:52.716-07:00

Be forewarned....there is no gnar in this post.  In fact....let me lead off by sharing a picture of Usnea....commonly known as Old Mans Beard. This I took while waiting for Mrs. Maadjurguer to catch up to me on the skin track.  She agreed to give snowshoeing a try and was curious as to what I actully do on a weekly basis when the snow is down....so I jumped at the chance to take her out for a

maadJurguernoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-78586156605991685302010-02-03T21:23:00.004-07:002010-02-15T18:45:11.469-07:00

To say that we found some good snow to play with on our 11 mile, 9,000k of vert overnight tour would be an understatement. Even if it had been all bad, we still would have lucked into some tree powder; yet since we committed ourselves to the northside where most folks don't go, we had set ourselves up for.....The Dankness. On Saturday; myself, JoeM, JMoney-Millionaire, Splitchimp and Dean set

MaadJurguernoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-12336708121319780892010-01-21T18:32:00.006-07:002010-01-25T19:00:29.486-07:00

maadjurger is pissed off because his physical therapist wanted to see just how far he could go before his knee cracked after 5 weeks of improvement during physical therapy which resulted in maadjurguer picking the gauntlet up and throwing it back in said PT's face resulting in maadjurguers body and mind being so tired after the ride last night that he talked chollaball out of driving through the

MaadJurguernoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-50666641601425694942010-01-19T01:16:00.000-07:002010-01-19T11:39:53.122-07:00

Me, U2metoo and Dean did a recon on Allison Clay and her little sister yesterday to get a sense of things before the incoming Snow-pocalypse. I really wanted to get a good profile of whatever was about to be buried, so we set out a lollygaggin up the hill under toasty conditions and bluebird sky.We were surprised when we got to the base of dutchmans to find a crevasse rescue in process....so we

MaadJurguernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-36051329700984355362010-01-15T07:03:00.006-07:002010-01-15T07:20:46.453-07:00

I am! Check out the latest on El Nino for next week:ALONG THE WEST COAST THERE ARE AT LEAST 3 TO 4 SURGES COMING INTO THE WEST COAST IN THE FAST PACIFIC FLOW THIS PERIOD EACH WITH ROUNDS OF HEAVY PRECIPITATION. AT THIS TIME THERE IS REASONABLE AGREEMENT ON THE SHORTWAVES EMBEDDED IN THE FLOW TO COME IN AROUND AT-SUN..MON..TUES AND ANOTHER THURS-FRI WITH MORE TO FOLLOW. MONDAYS SURGE HITS THE

MaadJurguernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-64220193629594426742010-01-10T20:38:00.016-07:002010-01-10T21:14:11.623-07:00

Myself, morgaj4, gearjunkie, Claire, Bobby, Matt & Curtis did an IB traverse under bluebird and no wind on Saturday....Topping out with extremely clear visibility all around us, we made our way to the ridgeline above Snowslide.As the rest of the party joined, we started digging a pit just below ridgelineOther than the normal depth hoar surrounding the boulders at base level, we were hard pressed

MaadJurguernoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-62652281636431219812009-12-23T19:39:00.010-07:002009-12-23T20:40:40.318-07:00

Well folks, I went back on a promise I made last year. Last year I promised to NOT hold back on driving 3 hours north on the scant promise of powder....because it rarely saved me disappointment. Yet once again, I've been skunked. I made a call last night to not ski today based on early reports of total snowfalls being less than expected.....only to have that snowfall rate accelerate after I

MaadJurguernoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-56575229394522822052009-12-18T21:58:00.013-07:002009-12-24T12:09:29.841-07:00

The Good: Day 2 on snow; beers, burgers, laughs, bluebird, good company....The BadAndTheUgly: Chollaball on Day 1, drinkin' sport drink, rockin out with no shirt, showing his flair...This won't be the last of it....check cholla's site as well as U2metoo's site for more info and a video of.....ahem.....whatever that was, which is shown above....

MaadJurguernoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-89914497640237738182009-12-12T09:11:00.019-07:002009-12-12T12:37:15.765-07:00

Mines pretty worked because of yesterdays recon trip with splitchimp......On the profile....it's not much of a tour, only 4,375 ft of climbing. Over breakfast at the Place to Be....the only place to be at 5am in Flagstaff....Mike and Rhonda's...we figured we'd be at our destination by 9am. Yeah....whatever.Dawn patrol gave way to copper and smokey-azure hues showcasing the coming system. More

MaadJurguernoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-76714096928708013632009-12-09T19:19:00.006-07:002009-12-09T19:40:11.107-07:00

legs once tuned to turnnow shuffle upwards through snowjoyful bliss now here

MaadJurguernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-20055963382864325502009-12-01T07:40:00.028-07:002009-12-02T09:30:50.582-07:00

Flight of the Pigs started early for me. A 40 minute drive with a check in at 6:15 left me with an alarm set at 5:30....somehow I managed to wake naturally at 4:30 and toss and turn the last hour. C'est le vie. Upon arrival, I saw the rumors were correct....weigh in with bike and full gear.....197lbs.....Oink, Oink.The rollout was a bit chilly, but as I warmed up quickly with my legs coming to

MaadJurguernoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-63558365102905385602009-11-25T14:04:00.022-07:002009-11-27T20:32:01.446-07:00

I decided to start logging my body changes as my "prep" begins for FOTP on Friday morning........I'll be updating my weight changes on this post as the "pre-Turkey", "post-Turkey", "pre-ride" and "post-ride" progresses. It will be funny to see how a total disregard for ride and pre-ride nutrition schedule will affect things. I took the 88 seriously back in August, and managed to not lose any

MaadJurguernoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-11054978230640014822009-11-21T20:03:00.012-07:002009-11-23T16:55:45.763-07:00

My selective lack of commitment is disturbing. I feel this as sharply as feldspathic phenocrysts cut into my painfully softened fingertips......having been off rock for the past 5 years; I curse as I find myself in another zone of lameness of which I'd allowed myself to back-slide into vis-a-vis the lack of callus on my fingertips and tendon strength in my hands. Hanging like dead meat in the

MaadJurguernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-70363103373737280672009-11-16T19:14:00.009-07:002009-11-16T19:42:32.692-07:00

Just a light post here....I headed out to do a Coast-to-Coast-to-Coast ride on National trail out at SoMo this weekend as a warm up for FOTP. I made the hour cut off to the Buena Vista parking lot with no problem, so that concern was wiped from my brain having never done the FOTP before....I'll post more on that after the ride which is to go off, the day after Turkey Day.I can't say that it was

MaadJurguernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-65369475011960521172009-10-31T09:07:00.018-07:002009-10-31T20:18:56.760-07:00

This Friday was my "every-other Friday off" which means I try to get out on a "new-to-me" trail for a little exploring. I've been eying Picketpost all summer long, which is segment 17 of the Arizona Trail that winds through Alamo and Telegraph Canyons. Waiting patiently for a cool day after months of night rides and pine rides.....Friday presented itself with high's in the mid 60's.Riding away

MaadJurguernoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2934124558614826593.post-1680339704620062902009-10-29T10:40:00.016-07:002009-10-31T08:37:06.208-07:00

This post is belated, mostly due to the time it took for me to get out of my self-pitty pool....but I've decided that everyone wins, regardless of the games outcome...as long as you have Pecan Pie, Beef and Beer.Mrs. Maad and I started off early in the week by getting the baking out of the way, so this meant applying the finishing touches to my Pecan Pie....And a new addition for this year....

MaadJurguernoreply@blogger.com3