At the Heart of Singletrack

Trail Crew

With wet weather in VT, a MTB'er must look inwards at times and face a brutal truth: It's just too wet to ride. With that realization comes a couple of choices: clean bike, drink beer, watch a bike movie, pig out on some Ben & Jerry's, or..... get out anyways and give that favorite local trail some much-needed love. With that, our Wednesday ORS MTB ride set out to do some local trail work.

The Wednesday ride is some folks only chance to ride during the week. Every Wednesday people excitedly call the shop throughout the day to inquire if the ride is still on, and where we're riding. On this particular Wednesday, folks called with an already less-than-excited tone asking, "So, are we still riding?.....[long hopeful pause]." My reply: "Sorry, no group ride today. But we're gonna grab some tools and head up to do some trail maintenance after a couple of intense storms that came through."

With a little encouragement, stoke and some promised hydration (read: beer), a couple of folks rose to the occasion. This is where the "heart" of singletrack  lies. I often think to myself, "Where would we ride if it weren't for all the volunteers?" These local clubs and VMBA (Vermont Mountain Bike Association) and their blood, sweat, and tears go into building all the great places we get to ride here in VT. We are fortunate to have all these things at hand to make VT a true destination for MTB'ing. It is the people that constantly give their time even when they would rather be riding that keep singletrack alive and well.

So the next time it's raining instead, of digging into a pint of B&J's or watching a bike video, grab your pack, tools and some good friends and head for that favorite trail. Chances are it needs a little love and this way you can be sure that trail will be able to keep on giving back.

Worcester Range at Sunset

Here's to the trail builders and to all that give their time.

T.

Singletrack Summer

Riders- Brett Leeper, Sarah Galbraith, Justin Tyme

Rider Ryan Madison

Sometimes you have to ride some of VT's beautiful dirt roads to get to the good stuff.  Here some good friends of mine have a little fun in between a flat tire, re-creating those early MTB years out West. I think Gary Fischer would be proud...

Riders Ryan Madison, Phil Parrish and Burt Marsh

 Rest those legs as the rain soaks in....

T.

Till next year........

A great time was had by all cheering on the cyclists and runners at this years Onion River Sports Cliff street hill climb. A huge thanks to the Cliff st. neighborhood and surrounding community's for supporting this fun and enthusiastic event.  We couldn't do it with out you! or the brutal yet beautiful Cliff st.

See you this Fall?

or till next year!

El Diablo.

Powderwhore's "Breaking Trail" Trailer 2011

Yeah yeah! Going to watch this lovely film tonight at the Savoy in Montpelier! It looks like these guys have put together another exceptional film, and it appears they are expanding from their telemark roots to include others: I see a snowboard or two, some AT-ers perhaps? It doesn't matter what you're on - just that you get out there!  

It's been one hell of a month..

It's a labor of love.

As many of you know, I work at Onion River Sports with a lot of good folks and we love to hang out in our free time and get outside. Everyday, I get to work and there happens to be this great wall of photos of people getting outside and enjoying themselves, whether its on a bike, skis, hiking or snowshoeing . Some of the people are customers, past co-workers, even Olympic athletes that have passed through the doors at Onion River Sports, heck I even know a couple! There are two pictures that often catch my eye; the two people in the photos, embody exactly what I deeply feel about in life, " do what you love, work hard and the rest will follow." I get to work with both these individuals and can't say enough wonderful things about them. To this day, both do exactly what they're doing in these pictures from years past. Why? Simply because they love it.

     I was drawn to ORS because of people like this, to have the opportunity to work with people who do what they love and feel passionately about the outdoors. Their passion helps get other people to understand that feeling of riding a bike, sliding on snow, or maybe hiking a long distance trail for the first time. I can honestly say that ORS is a place where come five o' clock, we want to get your skis mounted and your bike tuned, but we're also chomping at the bit to get in some fresh powder turns or get that single track mountain bike ride in, because- "we love what we do and we do it often." When you come in to the shop and need a new BC ski setup or that new road bike, chances are, one of us or all of us just got back from skiing or riding.  It's just a matter of, we love what we do.
The two, young guys in the photos are our very own Jamie Huntsman; telemark skier extraordinaire- bike mechanic/nicest guy you will ever meet, and the one and only; ORS owner, Andrew Brewer.  Ask any of these guys a question, and I'm sure they have a good story or two to share.  I'm positive Andrew taught Lance a thing or two about bike racing, and Jamie, from what I hear, is the best telemark skier you will ever ski with down the slopes.  Don't take my word for it, come on down and ask them yourself.

Now get outside.

T.

Pizza and the ring of fire.

The place; The Mad Taco

If you haven't been to the Mad Taco, well then the next thing that should cross your mind is why haven't I been yet? and when am I going? The food here is - simply put - amazing, produced by our good friends at the Three Penny Taproom. These guys don't do anything unless it's done phenomenally! They brought us fine crafted beers in Montpelier VT, now they have outdone themselves with their Mexican inspired cuisine by Chef Joey Nagy, a true artist in his own right! These guys even smoke their own meats right outside as you walk in and smell the absolutely delicious aromas made within. They even make their own sauces served up with a hot factor scale scrawled on a chalk board for one's pondering. I believe my friend "Shaggy", after a day of turns at the Bush, opted for creepers revenge, which on the scale of 1-10 was an eleven. I think we can figure out what Shaggy was saying after that... So if you happen to find yourself in the Waitsfield valley or hell even if you aren't, make the trip, check this place out you won't be disappointed, I promise you that.

The Frozen Onion; be there.

Looking through the glass on Langdon st.

Walking around down town Montpelier is not like your average city or town.  It's funny when I refer to Montpelier as a city people laugh!  This is when I feel the need to inform them that we are indeed the smallest capital "city" in the United states!  I should like to think were quite fond of this idea as well.  Who really believes its all about size anyways theses days?  If there is one thing we do have in Montpelier that is a sense of who we are. We can walk the streets at any given point during the day and see the people we elect every year, the owner of our favorite local coffee shop, a friend or too, our mayor and any well known postal service people all who would gladly give you the time of day.  This is why Sarah, Odin and I live here.  Now those of you who know us well, know that we will soon be leaving and making an exciting change to country living!  But don't forget we love our community here and that's what we truly believe in.  If you don't have community then we all lose something that makes us human.  Were all here because we want to be.   I think its funny when we get seasonal birds in the area and they say "your mountains are so small and your all on big fat skis! Where do you think your skiing?"  This is where I turn inwards and remind my self and the bird and say "Big isn't always better you know!"  Then I say " Your right there isn't any good skiing in Vermont, you should fly back home where things are big my friend!"  Size and location are all a matter of perspective and we love it here because it's small and because it takes you years to find out where the best stashes are in the mountains as you explore them and make new friends. 

This is what makes Vermont, Vermont and we love it all the same.  So till next time, when the snow falls you'll probably know where to find us.

Oh and by the way I was lying, theres a little good skiing here in the Green mountains and I would encourage anyone with a little sense of adventure, local or seasonal bird to explore and find it for yourself~!

Cheers!  

Three Penny Taproom;You guys rule the day!

The Three Penny Taproom, the one and only place to get a beer and where I asked my beautiful girlfriend Sarah to marry me! Check em out on Were here for the beer!

Cheers!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNtqdMHnUUM

My favorite Olympic athelete.

This is Liz, for all of you that don't know her she's having the time of her life right now in Vancouver skiing in the 2010 Olympics on the U.S. Ski team. Liz is someone I clearly identify with as she loves what she does and she lives life to its fullest and does it well. I'm lucky to have met Liz as she stops in at the local shop I work at in downtown Montpelier when she has time to say hi and hang out. Just ask Liz and she'll be the first to tell you she has the best job in the world which is what makes her my kind of person. May we all find that zeal and courage to follow our dreams and find happiness I'm sure its a little different for all of us but may you find it well.

So here's to Liz who I'm sure has a smile on her face as I type this because that's just the kind of person she is. May you ski like the wind and have the time of your life.

Cheers

Heres to you cowboy Dan.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgbNymZ7vqY

I think this just about says it all; here's to you Cowboy Dan.

BC skiing in Hubbard...Shhhh dont tell the snowshoers...

Typical evening in Montpelier, ski town?Mmmmm maybe....

Our fifth of day skiing with good snow for almost a week! Winter was finally here and mother nature was more than making up for her late arrival. Were fortunate enought to live where the mountains, the people and the snow are all embeded here in central Vermont.
I live in a town where good friends can boot it through downtown with their skiis past their favorite bar to find their favorite lines in Hubbard park as the snow just keeps coming and coming. Then afterwards stop at their favorite bar Three Penny that is and share a beer together.
This is where I live and I try not to take it for granted, that is Im lucky to have friends and lots of good snow that remind me just how lucky I truly am.

Heres to those......