I'm pleased to tell you all that a congratulations is in order for Edward. He has graduated! Great job man! No more school. After a long battle with flight courses that wouldn't die, it's time to share your 100% wool cycling shorts and mountaineering jacket attitude with the rest of the world! Congrats Edward!  

Not Norse ENough

So I tried to cross country ski yesterday after not taking part in the sport since about high school. I don't know if I had fun or not. It seemed like a whole lot of work to not get very far. I think I'm much more efficient on foot or bike. Didn't seem to get my heart rate up either, but that's just cuz I'm not skilled enough on skis to get a good grove going. Yes, I'm afraid to say the old men around town were passing me. Slightly embarrassing, but I know I can take them to singlespeed school. Anyhow, it was a decent way to pass a northern Sunday. Moab is making me Mr. Anxious!

Shelter or Tomb....

So I haven't updated on the finish of my backyard snowcave as promised. Yeah, it might be dead. We had a couple days of warm weather, one including some pretty decent rainfall, and the cave has done a bit of slouching. So, it is now more of a dilapitated ice pile with a living space inside, and I don't know if I dare sleep in it. At least it gives the neighbors something to look over the fence and sneer at. They wish they were cool.

Functional.....maybe......no.

Yeah, so we've all seen the cruiser kids about town with their giant spoilers mounted on their frontwheel drive Hondas and have to laugh a spell. But I laughed a bigger spell Wednesday, when I saw my first spoiler equipped school bus. Yes, school bus. How I wish I'd have had a camera handy. Not quite sure what the dude who installed that was thinkin', but it does turn heads.

Envy?

Last night I ran some errands by bike, something I do regularly, unless of course it is cold to a ridiculous level, which it has been quite often this past month, so it felt great to get out again. And just like many other town commute rides, I was yelled at by a motorist. It was the classic "get off the road!", backed up with their favorite finger. Common. My favorite rendition of this situation was a "Off the road, Lance!", shouted at my good friend Andrew last year, since the only famous bike name that the majority of this country's citizens are aware of is none other than Mr. Lance Armstrong. Lance Armstrong probably doesn't do a whole lot of commuting on a 30 pound single speed with full fenders in the snow. Nonetheless, it provides something for angry people to yell. In a strange way I've almost come to enjoy the displays of often times reason-less irritation from those in cars during my commutes. It's part of the ride. Spices things up. And sometimes I think it's people's strange way of showing respect to the guy who digs adventure and does things differently. It used to make me upset, but now when I see some college kid hanging out the window yelling at me just because I'm on a bicycle and they consider this an obvious target for harrassment, I just smile and pedal on.

Shouldawouldacoulda

We've all been there. On the couch when we were planning on excersising. It's a difficult dilema to overcome. Next tv show pops on and it's funny. Too tired to stick to the plan. I'll just do it tommorow. Or "dinner has turned to a brick in my stomach and I just can't move." Somehow I've actually been able to beat those little monsters in the back of my head and have been getting ready for Moab quite diligently, and let me tell you, it feels good. As simple and boring as working out inside vs. the outdoors and be, it always leaves you feeling about 300% better than when you were trapped on the sofa by all the internal forces of lazytown. So next time you're thinkin' "I should really (insert whatever form of movin' about you prefer)," get up and go.

Ladies and Gentleman- the esteemed Beardy McBeardington. Although it appears he is sporting a fashionable mullet in addition to his namesake facial hair, I do think it may just be shadow. Nonetheless... 

UTAH Bound

I am again getting excited today for the upcoming trek to Utah. I posted a couple shots from last year's trip to demonstrate the sweetness of the Moab area. I think I better get down there.

Riding the descent off Porcupine Rim, near Moab, UT.  

Incredible Handcrack (5.10c), Indian Creek, UT 

Muppet fun

So I was just looking at the picture I posted on 1-19-05 of the snowcave in my backyard, and I noticed a face looking at me from over the fence. You can get a decent look if you click on the picture of what my roommates and I are convinced is Ralph the piano playing dog from the Muppets.
After several lazy/sick days, Edward and I returned to working on the snowcave today (longest production of a simple shelter ever), and it can sleep a couple people comfortably. It should sleep three once we finish (hopefully tonight after workin'.) Then we'll do some long awaited winter camping in the rugged outskirts of the backyard. It'll do for now. I think a Badlands trip is in order again soon, Tom! I'll bring the horse repellant!

sickness

Boy did I get sick this week. And I mean going to the doctor sick! Apparently I got some virus that's like mono or influenza, and then some nasty bacterial infection on top of it all. Feever, chills, sweats, dilusions, soup, and orange juice; that was my week. Watched a few good movies though, and started a good book. There's something to that. I am looking forward to heading back to work though, as somehow nobody informed my bill collectors that I was under the weather.