Got out on my first bike ride of the year today! And the blue sky and mild temp of 51f made for perfect riding. Since the snowpack is only about 50% of average, i had to stay pretty low on the mountains to be able to find clear, ridable trail. But the trails i did find without any snow were in awesome shape. Fast, tacky, and firm. I even rode a trail i've never rode today. How awesome is that?

Also, i saw probably 30 other mountain bikers out and about all smiles and stuff. I think a lot of people go their first ride of the year in. Happy trails everybody!

Schweet!!!!!

floating weightless in the womb, bouncing gently on ma vroom
freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee heeeeeeeeeeeeeee

sweet sunday: south slopes of table mountain
sagebrush and ponderosa pines
weaving waffle tracks in the mud; suck and splatter
up to the snow
smash through loaves of winter's fat, still thick in the shade
basalt slams hard through the handlebars

and many more days coming like this

nice, Covalent Jello.

gonna use my brakes
when I go downhill
gonna climb back on
when I take a spill
gonna peel my sirt off
gonna feel it burn
gonna keep my eyes closed
gonna miss my turn

when i get that feeling
i need sexual healing

i can't believe this thread just got Let Me Lie'd. But good general phish knowledge everyone.

Got out on my second ride of the year yesterday. Beautiful, beautiful day to be out. 50 degrees and sunny. And because it was St. Paddy's Day, everyone was at the bar and the trails were empty!!!

yep 1st official spring day here, 65 or so, crazy.
so much better than that hideous winter biking which takes so much effort for such little speed!
phish and grateful dead are perfect for these kind of early spring buds of the bike season! weeeeee

Lunchtime ride down to the Hike & Bike trail with a detour into downtown to check out the SXSW action...pretty rockin'. Out on the trail, a little ways from town, I'm pretty sure I passed Avril Lavigne walkin' along...all in her short skirt and tennis shoes.

got my 4th ride in this weekend. on some newly dried out trail!!!!

Sounds fun. I know exactly what you mean by finding/riding a new trail that you did not know exist. Totally takes a not so exciting bike ride from an OK bike ride to a GREAT bike ride. I love finding new trails. I have been riding in the same area for yrs. now and new trails are hard to come by without traveling somewhere to find them! I just had my first bike ride of any duration this past weekend. It was great weather, kinda chilly if you were just sitting around, but not too hot once you got to pedaling!

So much mud on my MTB from last weekend I couldn't brush it off or wipe it off in the snow. Now it's hanging with the bike on my garage wall. I need to ride where there's less clay in the mud!

got my 11th ride in yesterday, gonna make it 12 today.

I bought new tires for my bike too! 2.00 speci fast track on the back and a 2.2 speci captain up front. talk about fast rolling fun!

life update: i interviewed last friday for an unpaid internship making maps of patagonia. if all goes well, i will be in Punta Arenas, Chile for six months starting this september. More awesome news, i got my tax return today! So if i don't get the job, i am going to get a new bike instead! Honestly, it's a win win situation.

I hope everyone can get out on a ride today!

Little bit harder, just a little bit more
Little bit farther than you than you've gone before

Good luck on the internship, Ben. Will you at least get room and board I hope?

Thanks Doug!

Room and board is covered. And you know, it's really more about the opportunity than making money. I already dirtbag it pretty well here, and imagine i could dirtbag it really well in south america. Get by on three or four hundred a month and i figure if i find out if i get the internship soon, i will be able to get a fair amount of savings set aside in time. Also, the air fare isn't really too exspensive either. I am just trying to be really positive about it all.

Since i am young, educated, and have absolutley nothing tying me down i figure this is kinda a once in a lifetime opportunity. It is my opionion that it is better to regret the things you do, rather than the things you don't. So.... why not? See the world, gain job experience, build my resume, meet beautiful Chilean women. Sign me up!

I have a feeling that if i get this internship it will open other doors to more desirable work here in the states. Also, i would be working with software i like a lot more than what i am using now. And i would be in Chile. So that would be awesome. I mean, i haven't even been to mexico before!!!

also, i really want to start a career with adventure cycling, based right here in missoula mt, and think this could possibly be somethign that helps my resume stand out some.

I'm sure it will be a great experience for a lifetime. I have neighbors who were Peace Corps in Guatemala way back when and it shaped their future careers and world views profoundly. I envy you your youth and wide-open possibilities.

mexico is nothing too special, but i made it to brasil for a few weeks and costa rica on two different occasions and it's a whole other world down there. I don't know anyone who didn't love it. I hope you get it because south america is INCREDIBLE! and you can ski/snowboard in the summer months down there!

well, hell. I just got offered the opportunity to be the head cartographer in charge of all map production and GIS needs for the Wegner Patagonian Expedition Race 2011.

I will be leaving the country to live in Punta Arenas, Chile for 6 to 8 months this september. When i applied, i never really thought this would happen.

As i have been in somewhat of a rut for the past 8 months or so, i really am looking forward to this experience. i have never been outside of north america and have done very little traveling outside of the US. To say i am ecstatic right now would be an understatement. I am still kind of in shock. Kinda nervous. Certainly over joyed.

I will celebrate by taking my 17th ride of the year to the top of a mountain and ripping single track all the way to the bottom, grinning the whole way. Just unreal. I don't even believe it.

you should try swapping your tires front to rear.

21st trail ride of the year yesterday. something like 18 miles. it was the first time i went OTB in as long as i can remember. Battered, bruised, but in good spirits.

Conditions for riding were awesome. It was about 60 f with partly overcast skies. And it rained the night before so the dirt was super tacky and fast. Really glad i made it out!