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| From dirt & dogs |
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| From dirt & dogs |
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| From dirt & dogs |
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
This Time Last Year (March)
...we were camping in Escalante Canyon after having gone to see the sand hill cranes at their local winter/spring stopover, the Fruitgrower's Reservoir on the flanks of the Mesa. There was much less snow this time last year, but we did enjoy a brief, beautiful, gentle little snowstorm while we wandered up the Escalante Creek between breakfast and lunch.
Poked in the Eye by the Sharp Edge of Spring
DIRT:
The local trails were drying out and improving daily. Up until Sunday, when it snowed and rained and rained. It's been raining some since, and expected to even more through tomorrow. While Trina is out working in it, I want to ride. However...
Current trail conditions: Smush.
Or so I'd guess, judging by the mud in my dirt-driveway-o-meter. When the going gets tough (and muddy) the tough (besides whimpering) go road riding. Which ain't so bad.
My "road" bike is a cobbled together piece of work that started with an old-but-nice frame my dad threw my way. As many cast-off parts as possible, semi-knobby cross tires. Perfect for pavement when there's no need to keep up with anyone.
The ride took me through the bare-branch orchards and vineyards of the valley where there are few signs of spring other than the snow being nearly gone. And since it's not "really" spring, how long will that last? Storms and sunshine chased around the valley. I somehow managed to dodge the rain and hail.
I prefer the challenge of trail riding, where I have to fully engage with bike, dirt, obstacles. But I still find satisfaction in spinning down the road. Not sure if it's from the reeling in of miles, or if it's the unreeling of my thoughts.
DOGS:
Zeek is on injured reserve. PRTs are bred to be tough, which is all good, I guess. Still it wouldn't seem to make sense to mix it up with three dogs bigger than oneself. But that's what Zeek did last week. He ended up with stitches in his left leg. Nothing but skin was damaged, so that's good.
For Zeek, the worst is that he has to wear the Cone Of Shame. For us, it's that we feel like bad owners for not understanding him enough to keep him out of trouble. We're working on that. And it may be a big project.
Trina: While I called upon the powers of Isis when I was little, standing out in the yard, arms raised to the heavens chanting, "Ice, Ice, Ice..." (Does anyone else remember her???) I'm now trying to invoke the powers and abilities of the Dog Whisperer: "Cesar, Cesar, Cesar..."
Don't click this first pic bigger if you're squeamish:
The local trails were drying out and improving daily. Up until Sunday, when it snowed and rained and rained. It's been raining some since, and expected to even more through tomorrow. While Trina is out working in it, I want to ride. However...
Current trail conditions: Smush.
Or so I'd guess, judging by the mud in my dirt-driveway-o-meter. When the going gets tough (and muddy) the tough (besides whimpering) go road riding. Which ain't so bad.
My "road" bike is a cobbled together piece of work that started with an old-but-nice frame my dad threw my way. As many cast-off parts as possible, semi-knobby cross tires. Perfect for pavement when there's no need to keep up with anyone.
The ride took me through the bare-branch orchards and vineyards of the valley where there are few signs of spring other than the snow being nearly gone. And since it's not "really" spring, how long will that last? Storms and sunshine chased around the valley. I somehow managed to dodge the rain and hail.
I prefer the challenge of trail riding, where I have to fully engage with bike, dirt, obstacles. But I still find satisfaction in spinning down the road. Not sure if it's from the reeling in of miles, or if it's the unreeling of my thoughts.
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| From 2010 Spring |
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| From 2010 Spring |
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| From 2010 Spring |
DOGS:
Zeek is on injured reserve. PRTs are bred to be tough, which is all good, I guess. Still it wouldn't seem to make sense to mix it up with three dogs bigger than oneself. But that's what Zeek did last week. He ended up with stitches in his left leg. Nothing but skin was damaged, so that's good.
For Zeek, the worst is that he has to wear the Cone Of Shame. For us, it's that we feel like bad owners for not understanding him enough to keep him out of trouble. We're working on that. And it may be a big project.
Trina: While I called upon the powers of Isis when I was little, standing out in the yard, arms raised to the heavens chanting, "Ice, Ice, Ice..." (Does anyone else remember her???) I'm now trying to invoke the powers and abilities of the Dog Whisperer: "Cesar, Cesar, Cesar..."
Don't click this first pic bigger if you're squeamish:
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| From 2010 Spring |
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| From 2010 Spring |
Monday, March 8, 2010
Top 7 Dog Shots
Rabies shots and distemper shots are probably the actual Top Dog Shots, but these photos have a little something going for them, too. Or at least we think so. But hey, they're our dogs. And we think we spoil them with pretty durn good dog-lifestyles. Here's a re-cap of the past few pre-blog months.
Dueling tongues.
Just about the happiest dog-face imaginable.
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| From Bikeabout |
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| From Bikeabout |
Dueling tongues.
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| From Bikeabout |
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| From Bikeabout |
Just about the happiest dog-face imaginable.
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| From Bikeabout |
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| From Bikeabout |
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| From Bikeabout |
Top 7 Dirt Shots
By Dirt, I mean the soil, gravel, rocks, roots, leaves and snow we've been riding over for the past few months. These are some memorable moments captured while out on the trails.
Gold-strewn trail under autumn aspen trees.
A couple hours into Landon's Centurion - a 100 mile loop of Moab's most famous trails.
Scott tries a rough line UP one of the tough descents on Phoenix's South Mountain.
Snow sketches on slickrock on Moab's Amasa Back Trail. Landon rides the unusual conditions.
Mike shoots a gap move. The camera shoots through some of the "consequences" of flubbing it.
Landon cuts a cool path through Olathe's Eagle Valley.
Golden glow, saguaro. Alan burns down South Mountain.
Gold-strewn trail under autumn aspen trees.
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| From Bikeabout |
A couple hours into Landon's Centurion - a 100 mile loop of Moab's most famous trails.
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| From Bikeabout |
Scott tries a rough line UP one of the tough descents on Phoenix's South Mountain.
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| From Bikeabout |
Snow sketches on slickrock on Moab's Amasa Back Trail. Landon rides the unusual conditions.
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| From Bikeabout |
Mike shoots a gap move. The camera shoots through some of the "consequences" of flubbing it.
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| From Bikeabout |
Landon cuts a cool path through Olathe's Eagle Valley.
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| From Bikeabout |
Golden glow, saguaro. Alan burns down South Mountain.
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| From Bikeabout |
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