Two Week Recap

What an amazing two weeks we have had. The reports from the road have some major holes in what has actually taken place. So, before I start forgetting the events of the past two weeks I am going to take a moment to give a big shout out to some of the great people who have kicked this trip off is such an amazing way. Sitting in Durango reflecting back on the past two weeks as we get ready to head to Moab all I can do is smile. It all started with Winter Park watching the best freeriders in North America throw it down. Then it was on to Ft Collins via the Rocky Mountain National Park where we hit high altitudes as we sipped the finest of brews. Ft Collins was too cool as we reunited with our North Carolina brothers High Windy Band and were treated to some great music and very good times. These boys have been tearing it up on the Front Range for the past week turning people on to some sweet NC Bluegrass. Ty has been planning this trip since early spring to tie in with our trip and it could not have worked out better. They played 6 or 7 gigs and I am sure on their next visit they will arrive to big crowds and hopefully play a festival or two. I vote for Telluride Blues and Brews if the guys are checking in on this here blog. A big thanks to Brad at the Swing Station for letting Bruce and I crash at the band house with the crew and a special thanks to Patrick for taking it in stride when I passed out in his bed after a very good night of throwing back a few too many brews with the band sending him to the couch. High Windy will certainly return to this area and I would be happy to be their roadie if they will let me. I wish we could have made it back for the big show in Ft Collins but we didn't know Boulder was as far from Ft Collins and it was not in the cards to go North when there was so much south waiting for us. The music was great the they blew away listeners from Colorado Springs to Nederland. It's such a good feeling to hook up with familiar faces so far from home especially when the familiar faces are rocking it out and bringing the party. 

We did a great ride in Ft. Collins that has gone unmentioned thus far. It had a great bike park at the trail head with a wide range of jumps for every skill level, skinnies and a seriously cool pumptrack. Almost every trailhead we have been to has a jump park and pump track. The bike scene is amazing out here and the trails have been in perfect shape at every stop. 

The brewery tour with the VP of New Belgium was one brewery tour that I will never forget. Great people making great beer and I don't know what else I can say but thanks Phil and thanks to Mark in High Windy for spilling your beer on Phil the night before at the Swing Station making the whole thing possible. 

Jake in Boulder, if you check this out let say thanks once again for the hospitality and showing me how to ride a single speed at elevation. Jake's rock climbing abilities have shown me I still have long way to go, but I think instead I will blame in on sucking wind at 9,000 ft. Come to NC sometime and I will give you the VIP tour and I look forward to some more good times when I see you in Napa.

Thanks to the two mountain bike darlins that pointed Bruce and I to the trails at Heartland Rocks in Gunnision and for the weather update that kept us from getting soaked in Crested Butte and off the muddy trails. 

A major shout out goes to our wonderful host of the past four days here in Durango. CJ, Rachael and Peri have been a delight and with a the help of a shuttle or two have saved our legs so that we can knock out 30 miles rides and wake up and do it all again. Amazing home cooked meals, Doctor Pepper ice cream floats, free soaks at the hot springs, and free trips in funyaks down the river make me wonder if life could be any better. Guess I will have to find out...

If you are in the Durango Area make sure to look up Durango Cyclery as these guys rock. Not only are four of them heading to Napa to rock out with the best of them but they bought 13 Pisgah Works Shirts and some socks to sell in their bad ass shop. Jon was the coolest and invited us to hook up with them on the Extraterrestrial Highway in Nevada by the Windmill set off the dirt road. We have what looks like a pirate map in hand and are looking forward to the bike polo match on the salt flats in the middle of nowhere by the bike alter on Tuesday as we head west. Thanks to these guys we have another exciting destination along the western route and we ate good last night throwing back carne tacos and 1.50 tecates. 

We wrapped up our Durango experience last night with a soak in the Hot Springs with CJ and Rachel and witnessed the most intense shooting star I have ever seen. This ball of fire and ice went across the sky with such color and distance that I didn't even think it was a shooting star until in finally burnt out after making it halfway across the big western sky. 

I also want to thank some peps back home who are keeping things afloat and who are in our minds and our hearts. Big thanks to Beth for running the show at Pisgah Works, holding down the fort at the Crow's Nest and giving Judah some love and keeping his belly fat. Big thanks once again to Ty and all the boys in High Windy. I love you all and thanks for making our trip rock right from the start. I want to give a special, what up!, to Matt Johnson and the boys at Biowheels for pulling together a quick build on the most badass full sus bike on the planet, my beautiful Maverick. I can't wait to ride our home trails with you guys and I think you are going to be amazed at where this bike is taking my riding level. It is truly my dream squishy bike and the trip would not have been the same with out it. I want to send Sharpie some love and thank him for making the most amazing socks ever. The Swiftwicks feel as good in 40 degree mountain steams as they do in hot sandy open desert. It is all I have packed and my feet feel great even after 8 straight days of hard rides. To the Yazoo Crew, I love you all and I look forward to seeing a few of you in Cali. To Bennett, Rob, Matt J and all the boys and girls back in Asheville area keep riding as Bruce and I will be home before you know it in time to rip your legs off. Thanks for everything everybody keep sending us the love, we can feel it.

Word.

Jut

I have so many cool pics that I will post up soon as my laptop didn't want to connect to CJ's wireless hub. For now enjoy the words some great visuals are on the way.