It's been one hell of a month..

Kirt's Specialized AllRide Tour; AllRight by me.

  

                                                               Photo by: Patrick Kell

Wednesday was a beautiful day to get out and ride.  What I love about getting out and  riding is the people you run into or meet along the way.  It's not every day that you get to run into someone that is like Kirt Voreis, though. It was great to see Kirt and his lovely wife Lindsey out riding here in Vermont.

I remember Kirt from way back when my high school friends and I would make our yearly pilgrimage to Mt. Snow to race mountain bikes with the likes of Kirt, a new pro rider who was ripping  up the mountain bike scene.  This is where I got see people I only got to read about in Mountain Bike Action or hear about through the local race circuit.  But it was never all about the racing.  It was about being with like-minded people and riding our bikes, plain and simple.  This is where the heart of Kirt's message lies with his new Allride Tour: getting out and riding bikes anywhere with anyone, especially kids. Who would have guessed that as I stood watching the naked crit at Mt. Snow back in '95, screaming and yelling, that it would all come full circle years later with good people, on bikes, in the great state of Vermont? So here's to Kirt, Lindsey and the Allride Tour and all the great work they're doing, all while having a lot of fun and doing what they love, spreading the singletrack word and their love of mountain biking and, hey, who could argue that?

Thanks guys for a great few days!

Now go get outside and ride your bike.

T.

Millstone Hill; get there.

With terrain like this it still amazes me at how many people either don't know about Mill Stone Hill or simply over look it but what is for sure is that they have a friend and supporter in me. In just the last few years things have taken off and the trails seem alive due to one groups tireless efforts in this particular area of single track that Sarah and I chose to explore today and are very fond of. If you haven't checked out Millstone Hill do yourself a favor and get there. I will admit it took me a year to find my way around and discover my favorite trails and link them together, but Mill Stone Hill is sure to please. People are always friendly and sure to help show you around. Stop by the visitor center in Websterville where Pierre Couture can recommend a trail or loop and share some of the local history where one feels like a ride back in time as you tour the many historic Granite quarries that make this area famous. But make no mistake I can foresee its not to long before Mill Stone Hill becomes a bit more famous for their single track rather than their long lost Granite quarries as one need not ride far to discover just what kind of ripping single track is alive and well at... Mill Stone Hill Touring and recreation Center

Oh and don't forget the Mill Stone Grind which gains more and more popularity every year. Andrew Wellman does a phenomenal job organizing and getting this race together. Check it out here.... The Mill Stone Grind

Now get out there and see it for yourself, and keep up the good work guys I'll see you soon enough.

T.

Easter; one of our favorite times to ride.

Easter Sunday is becoming a traditional first ride of the season for us, getting together with good friends and getting outside - on bikes! The last two years the Onion River Sports crew has made the trip to Pine Hill Park, a network of trails for walking, mountain biking, running, or taking the dog out. It's a destination that always has us chomping at the bit to ride our first singletrack of the year. With over 16 miles of trails and 300 acres there is more than enough riding in a day for any rider. If you haven't been there yet, you're missing out on some of central Vermont's best singletrack. The folks at PHP put an amazing amount of hard work into these trails which is evident the second you start riding; and thankfully they've been noticed: park creator Michael Smith was recently given an award for his work in Rutland.

From the smooth flowiness of Svelte tiger to the rough techiness of Stegosaurus, PHP is worth your attention. A lot of people think trails like this just pop up or materialize out of nowhere. But PHP's trails are a testament to many hours of hard work by volunteers and one man's vision and guidance, Michael Smith and the Pine Hill Partnership. If it were not for this partnership PHP would not be what it is today. So what are you waiting for? check PHP out at
http://www.pinehillpark.org/php/Pine_Hill_Park_Welcome.html ; their website gives you more than enough info to find your way down to where hours of single track await you. And there are maps at the trailhead!

Chris sharing his Easter candy!

Jason ripping it up.

Sarah with her new bike and a great smile!

A great example of how Snack got his nickname that fateful day in Stowe.

The Kipper

PHP has made some great improvements even since we were there last year, and we were impressed by the workmanship. The next time you find yourself on great singletrack on a beautiful day with good friends, think about that trail after you ride. Ask yourself about volunteering one day this year to help maintain and give back to a place that brings you so much, so that maybe someone else can feel that same way. Plus, we can all help Vermont maintain its reputation as having some of the best single track here in New England! Or...maybe we should keep that a secret.

Oh and be sure to find Aaron's Air during your ride for a little air time!!

Happy spring everyone, now go get outside. - T.

Happy Trails! - S.

Evening Ski to Hill #8542

Gotta Love It

You've got to love this time of year: you can bike and ski, all in the same day.

A Bluebird Day

T, Odin, and I headed off into the forest near our house to do some exploring, and stumbled across this gem. It was a long enough run to practice 5 or 6 turns, and we lapped it about 85 times. While I had the stomach flu! (I was tired...) You know, that's just how we do.

It was a gorgeous day, as evidenced here...

I also got to try T's ski, which is mounted with a three-pin hardwire binding. That is definitely the best binding for the Rossi BC 125. I have mine mounted with a three-pin cable, and I rarely use the cable because it feels like it makes no difference, anyways. But I am promptly switching to the three-pin hardwire.

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood, a bea- ...

Okay, I'll stop singing Mr. Rogers tunes. But, hey, check out some pictures from a recent ski we took up VAST (Vermont Association of Snow Travelers; read: snowmobile trail) in our neighborhood! It feels a little like trespassing or sneaking around forbidden land, but I am assured by Tristan, the authority on VAST, that we are in fact allowed to be there. Muscles not motors, right?! Er, motors not muscles? Anyways, it turns out there is an expansive view from the hill we found, almost 360 degrees. We fall a little more in love with our home every day. And our skis. Hope you're finding a scrap of snow somewhere to ski on, too!
















And a video!

Is It Time to Ride My Bike Yet?

As I await the drying of our trails...and the melting of the snow that will need to happen first - I thought I would share some of my favorite gear for mountain bike season. Here's three pieces I tried last year that I am now quite sure I cannot live without. And my favorite trail foods!

Ibex Indie Jersey
I freaking love this thing! I have never felt more pretty while riding my bike. I went with the purple from last season, which is gorgeous, and the light wool is heavenly against the skin. And, if you think summer and wool don't mix, as I did, I can tell you that they do. They mix wonderfully, in fact. My only complaint about this jersey is the road-style pocket (elastics) which are unreliable for holding stuff on rugged, bouncy trails, and pretty uncomfortable under a camelbak. I've actually had sore vertebrae after longer rides. Ibex does also make a mountain jersey, with a more comfortable and more reliable zippered pocket, but I like the cut and styling of the indie jersey better.

Osprey Raptor 10 Pack
I was immediately drawn to this pack for the bright yellow color (I love bright colors, and yellow in particular), but stayed for a longer look because of the many features. Nothing is inherently girly about this pack, and I know many men that ride with one, but it suits women well because it has lots of pockets, rings, and divided storage spaces to keep us organized. And, my most important feature: it's large enough to hold a sandwich. Or a light layer. And all of your tools. Which is certainly not girly.

The two best features of this pack: the Lidlock system snugly holds your helmet on your pack when you're packing your car, or throwing your gear in your friends car (read: no misplaced helmets!). And the hydration system is the best one I've ever used, including an easy on-off lid and a magnet to hold your mouthpiece at the ready on your shoulder.

Night Rider MiNewt 250 Cordless Light
This light is the most awesome thing I own, and riding at night is probably the most awesome thing I have ever done! Its maiden voyage was on the infamous Joe's Trail in Waterbury, Vt, and I only fell once! I wore it this time lashed to the top of my helmet (it comes with attachments), and actually found my neck was sore from focusing so much on directing my light beam. The next time I rode with it went much more smoothly, and I tried it on my handlebar this time. That was okay, but I found I like to be able to re-direct the beam in the direction I was looking. So, the light now lives on my helmet. And lived there for the entire fall riding season. We had some great night rides! My personal recommendation would be to strap this light onto your helmet, and then double up with a smaller version on the handlebar. With this two-light system, you can focus a steady stream out ahead on the trail, and be free to also re-direct your lighting to where you are looking. This purchase will extend your riding season well into the fall, and the darkness! It might be the most important piece of gear I own.

Food In My Pack
I am a proponent of real food, and will rarely be seen sucking down a gu (though I do like clif blocks for electrolytes). My top favorite foods, guaranteed to be in my pack are:

• Halleljuah Yes! bar by Red Door Bakery in Marshfield, Vermont. It's a cookie crumb base, layered with chocolate chips, walnuts, and coconut. Fat contains something like 9x more energy than carbohydrates, and these bars are loaded with fat I'm sure, plus the sugar in these bars hits your system fast, while the nuts offer sustained energy. It's the perfect one-two combo: A fast pick me up combined with longer-term energy stores. Don't live in Vermont? You can make your own: Google recipes for the Magic Cookie Bar or Seven Layer Cookie Bar, and feel free to substitute with healthier ingredients. I'm sure they freeze well, too, so you can make a batch and then store bars individually.
  
• EmergenC - you can put this in your water bottle or Camelbak during or after the ride. Look for the varieties with electrolytes included. Also, the wrapper can patch a blown sidewall just long enough to get you out of the woods.
  

Illum-inate your self.

So Teva finally did it!  That's right a sandal that will light your way to where ever you happen to be getting to in the dark.  I was surprised at the fact that no one had done this yet and so here it is!  The new Illum by Teva offers an amazingly efficient amount of light packed into this sandal-light hybrid.  With the slip of a foot and a push of a button one can light their path to the beach, trail, downtown for a drink, or to the privy.

It comes in two models: one a modest $40 nylon version and the other a $60  smooth, comfortable suede.  I found myself slipping on this sandal more than often, leaving my other sandals in the closet because these ones are so darn comfortable!  Not only will you be able to see your way downtown or to the beach at the crack of dawn, but so will everyone else with you.  So as you find your way around don't be surprised to hear  " What the heck does that person have on their feet?"  Hey, that's pretty cool!

Walk good!