Good week...

Vanity is the enemy of funny. ~ Rach

Where were we? Oh yeah... back in business.

This week has been pretty solid on the activity side of things. After Sunday's ski with Luke and Pete, I went for a run on Monday. Just a short one, 5 miles in the woods near my house. I didn't feel awesome but did feel a lot better than I have in months. Great news. I followed up with a 6-miler yesterday (Thursday) and logged the best time ever on that particular route. My average pace was just over 10-minute miles and I was able to really put the hammer down for the last couple of miles. Just what I needed. I am not breaking any speed records but I am not really a speed record kind of runner. In case you hadn't noticed.

Luke and I went out this morning for a ski up Niwot Ridge. We left the trail head about 6:15 and were back at the cars by 10:15. Both the up and out were a bit of a slog (just the nature of the Isabelle drainage) but the ski was really a lot of fun. We were a bit concerned up top as the snow was quite firm but as soon as we dropped in, it softened up and was a blast. Big walls on either side; undulating terrain; nice, steep sections; and a sketchy mandatory over some rocks in a tight pinch at the bottom (you had to kindof scootch into the bottom of it and then leap over the rocks and straight-line through a 3-foot chute with a big wall on the right and a huge boulder on the left). Exciting and fun for sure.

Other than that, I have just been working a lot, watching some movies (Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story is hilarious, incidentally, and inspired Rach's quote above) and reading a ton (finished a second reading of the Potter series, Long Way Round, Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith, etc. etc.).

More later.

~stubert.

Great day on Audubon...

Tearing it up on Audubon (thanks to Luke for the shot)

The best of all medicines is resting and fasting. ~ Benjamin Franklin

Happy day. After three weeks of rest, I got back out there Sunday with Luke and Pete. Check out the shots: Stu's photos, Luke's photos, Pete's photos.

During the past three weeks, I have tried to just give my body (and mind) a much needed rest. Not sure I accomplished that completely but I did tinker with my new motorcycle a lot, read, watched some movies, played a little golf with my pops. That kind of fun and/or games.

So I have never been the world's most adept mechanic but really wanted to start wrenching myself on this bike. In the past, the thought of rebuilding a carburetor was daunting, to say the least. With my new bike, however, I have just jumped in there and gotten my hands dirty (both figuratively and literally).

I started out with a bone-stock 2008 DR650 and then went to town on some of the pieces that needed some improvement. I started small, essentially updating bolt-ons. Easy for sheezy. Then I moved on to more complex projects: Updating the front and rear suspension, changing tires, doing a crazy airbox mod, rejetting and modifying the carb, etc. Now it runs like a champ. And I definitely got a big feeling of satisfaction having done all the work myself. Good stuff.

So back to skiing... Pete, Luke and I met at the Brainard Lake gate at 6 yesterday morning and jumped on the bikes for to ride in as far as possible before starting the hike up Audubon. Pretty much immediately, I was attacked by my bike but my ass is fine, thanks for asking. We rode in as far as we could (just shy of the Mitchell Lake road) and then started the hike up Audubon.

Luke, Pete, then me on Audubon

It was a chilly, windy morning but that is pretty typical for this time of year and we made good time up the flank of Audubon. Much easier going than this time last year as there are still some large snowfields one can walk up and not too much trudging through sloppy willow patches. I was feeling strong all the way up and we paused to look into the Elevator Shaft on the way up. Well, Luke looked, Pete and I hung out, ate some food (chocolate covered cranberries are yummy) and relaxed in the sun at 11000+ feet.

We quickly reached our ski destination: A nice fun snowfield which we hit at the ultimate hour for perfect snow conditions. This particular field wasn't too steep or exposed so one could pretty much ski without worrying too much about consequences. I felt pretty solid on the ski as well which, after not skiing for 3 weeks, was much appreciated.

We then moved over to the notch, booted up (thanks to Luke for leading the way, once again), monkeyed around up top trying to figure out a way to summit, then opted to just ski the Notch Line. This is a bit steeper and more confined than our first line but the snow was still quite good and it was a blast to ski. We then dropped back down to Mitchell Lake and worked our way back out to the bikes.

Pete got a flat on the way out but otherwise, it was a pretty problem-free day. I was fairly tired by the end but felt MUCH better than the last several times out and about. Not sure about the Leadville 50 (I think I have til the end of the month to decide on that) but this was encouraging, to say the least.

Today I am a little sore and fatigued but the weather is crap anyway so no real loss. I am hoping to head back up with Luke on Wednesday morning to ski the center chute on the flank or Elevator Shaft. I'll keep you posted on that.

In the meantime, don't do anything I wouldn't do first.

~stubert.

Exhausted...

Ben in the backcountry above Brainard. Badass.

And I'm spent. ~ Austin Powers

Post L.A. things didn't really improve for me fitness-wise. I did those two 9-mile runs and felt pretty crappy then followed up a week later with a fun (but somewhat frustrating) run on the 3rd. Bob and I started from his place in Boulder, ran up Flagstaff and back down to Boulder Canyon (down the back side of Flag). I really enjoy this run most of the time. The section from the top of Flag down to the canyon is frequently filled with interesting fauna and this time was no exception. Bob and I saw 9 turkey (turkeys?) in a group on the side of the trail. We stopped to watch them for a bit and then continued down the hill. We did spot what appeared to be big kitty tracks and then were pleased to be able to confirm that yes, bears do in fact shit in the woods.

While heading back down Boulder Canyon, I started to fade a bit and really started to suffer going back up and over the shoulder of Flagstaff. Just feeling really weak, somewhat nauseated, etc. We made it back to Bob's in under 3 hours (~14 miles) and I started feeling worse and worse. Just pretty much limped home (drive) and called it a day.

On the following Monday, Ben and I went out to ski Mt. Toll. More of the same, really. It was quite warm but I was really, really slow. I didn't even make it up to the top. By the time we actually were skiing, I felt like hammered crap and was again nauseated and just spent. Oh well. It was a gorgeous day, in any event, so that was nice. Ben and I were a bit late and the snow had turned to mush by the time we were skiing but it was a lot of fun. Feeling like ass aside.

So post that adventure, I made the decision to take a couple of weeks completely off. I will allow myself to hike a little, maybe play some golf. That's it. One week down now and another to go (at least). I think I am just mega fatigued from this Spring's events. Whatchagonnnado?

New ride.

In other news, I bought a new motorcycle. So far, I really like it a lot. It is a DR650 and is geared for dual-sport riding. I am going to set it up for dirt adventures and have found thus far for the bike to be quiet, smooth and light. Certainly compared to the Beemer I sold in April.

I also have watched a few good flicks of late. Iron Man was quite good as was American Gangster. We watched Long Way Round again which is really entertaining. I recommend all three. Go see Iron Man in the theater. It has incredible special effects and Robert Downey Jr. is great (as usual).

Other than that, just laying low, getting some work done, and resting. Good times.

~stubert.