The ss trio headed up to my old home town of Nederland for some riding this weekend.
I have still not adjusted to work and getting up earlier than my body wants to, I guess it's only been a few weeks. Just can't seem to get to bed early to wake early, too much to do.
We got a super late start on Saturday and road up some trails covered with elk poop and down to a town called Marysville. Sunday we put in some miles, about 54, and elevation, quien sabe, but wish my wheels were 3" larger for that ride. Next weekend we hope to get up early and ride places named after
extinct animals.
Open Studios is just around the corner, I just dropped of my piece at the library for the opening show. Riding my bike seems to be getting in the way with making art, as well as, fly fishing.
Can't believe it has been over a year since I last casted a fly into a stream. I do struggle with the whole catch and release notion. It seems so traumatizing to the fish you yank out of the water by a hook (preferably barbless), causing it pain, as it gasps wondering what the hell just happened. I recall catch and release fly fishing in Mongolia for greyling, taimen, and lennox (a trout species). The Mongols thought we were absolutely insane, why would you fish if you were not going to keep the fish to eat, what's the point. What is the point? I suppose for me it is being outside, in a stream, figuring out what the fish are eating, and trying to find that big one to take a photo of it and return it to the water. Perhaps I could call myself a fish educator, teaching the fish I catch to look out and be more selective about what they choose to eat. Sort of like eating organic over conventional? I digress. William and I headed out last week to fish with the one weight and 6 weight rods, yes quite a discrepancy there, but it worked. The ideal rod would be a 3 or 4 weight for that stream. A cool rod to have would be the
7 piece which you could stuff in your camelback to do a mt. bike/ fishing day trip. It had been a while since Bill fished too, we were both enjoying this new activity off the 2 wheels. Caught some browns and a rainbow, think we'll need to head up to RMNP to go for that grand slam. Or better yet Nicaragua for some bone fishing coupled with a journey to the pacific for some surfing in Costa Rica. Uh, yea, I am all over the place in my head: teaching ideas, bikes I want to buy and ride, places to ride, surfing, fishing, art to make for Open Studios. Hmmm, maybe I should get a rigid fork and put a 29" front wheel on my bike or there is always 650B?
Change is happening on our lands and it feels good, so I guess we won't need to be rushing to Nicaragua to escape McCain and that lady pit bull, to build a life down in the tropics, although who knows, the ocean and surf sounds so good. soon very soon it will be.
Last week might have been my last high alpine MTB ride.
The hikes have been good. The fishing needs to become more, perhaps a little get away in a couple weeks will provide opportunity for that. The plants and animals treated me right although solo and very solo as the folks who know were not there that day. The fantastic lookout, the mountain air is fresh, wet leaves under the wheels. Soon two planks will be under the feet with (hopefully) glorious powder shots to the face, the blinding kind. Travel might need to happen to get it. Aspen, JH, maybe a venture to Wolf Creek, Taos (now that they allow the likes of Will and his kind, those knuckle draggers).
Recently I feel like this rabbit is chasing me around during the weekdays. So much to do and I manage to find other things. I am such a great procrastinator. I have been running a lot more now that the days are so short, it's hard to get a ride in after work. Have been trying to get up early early to run run run, but I want to sleep sleep sleep. Art needs happen, just difficult to get in that creative space after any long period of neglect. The to do list maybe I will include getting this blog written it's been so long.
