Running the White Rim-Day 1...Mineral Bottom to Potato Bottom...

Ah the joys of being fresh and rested at the start of an adventure! 
Our White Rim run was made possible, and more fun, by the loving help and support of Mom and Dad and our dear friends, Marc and Judi.
We left Moab, not so bright and early, on Wednesday morning, all piled into Judi's Jeep and Dad's trusty old truck, and headed out to Mineral Bottom to start our trip.

In the back seat of Judi's Jeep!

Hal and I have both mountain biked the White Rim multiple times, going the opposite direction, but this was our first time running it, and doing it counter-clockwise.
Our goal for the first day was Potato Bottom, where our first campsite was. It was 14 miles away, with about 1,800 ft. of elevation gain. Dad made our run start 'official' by waving an orange trash bag that we found in the parking lot!

Official start!

Our run began by descending the Mineral Bottom switchbacks, which was a nice easy way to begin. The route was mostly flat and rolling, with a big climb up Hardscrabble Hill about 2 miles from
camp.

Stopping to admire all the desert wildflowers!

We took a lunch break at Fort Bottom and added in a 4 mile side hike with Mom and Dad and Marc just to make sure we were getting enough miles in-ha!

A much needed lunch break!



Oh, did I mention the wind?! Dear god, it was as if someone had set the world's most powerful fan on high, and then pointed it directly at us, all day...

 

Everyone hiding from the wind!



We arrived at camp roughly 5 hours and 17.8 miles after we started (including the side hike), in good spirits and feeling strong! Too bad we ran the downhills so fast, as we knew we'd be paying for our indiscretions the next day...

 

Hal looking strong...

 

We had such a fun first day, minus the gale-force winds, and it was great to get to camp and be greeted by everyone and enjoy the evening together. The wind died down at about 8pm and we were able to sit out under the desert sky and relish in the completion of our first leg of the White Rim!

 

Food supplies!



 

 P.S. All of the good pictures are courtesy of Marc Thomas, any others that are blurry and not in focus can be attributed to me and my aspiring photography skills :)

 







 

Which camper is best for you?

 

A reader asked us why we chose a truck camper. This is not an easy question to answer. To fully understand what worked best for us we had to go through some crazy research and changed our minds several times. In the end we think the research and time spent going through every different RV made helped us make a well informed choice. 

Our wants list looked like this;

Affordable, shower, toilet, a bed that was always made, one that we did not need to turn into our table, four season, meaning we would be comfortable in freezing temps, Safety= hard-sided, removable so we could sell it or use the vehicle for other things. We could leave the camper and drive the truck to other destinations. We also wanted to be able to travel with the comforts of 4 wheel for snow or off road. Clearance on the vehicle. We wanted to get decent mileage, Ha! Maneuverability was huge on the list. Our camper needed to fit in a regular parking spot which is typically about 19 feet.  

That list narrowed our choices to a truck camper or a small class b or c which means a van conversion or a van or truck chassis with an rv put on the back. The vans rarely come in a four wheel version that are affordable. The rv types are usually not built very well or are in the hundreds of thousands for a quality rig. If we chose the later we would be stuck with a vehicle that had a single purpose. 

There is more to it than this but I had to finish this post in a reasonable time. We have a deep understanding of rv systems and capabilities after our research. If you have more in depth questions we would love to discuss. Just add a comment. 

Thanks for reading!

                                                        See you out there!

To Cali and Back, or 2,600+ miles!

We just returned from a delightful workation (work + vacation) in California! We were able to attend Sea Otter, one of the bike industry's biggest trade shows, and work with my previous cycling sponsor, Primal Wear.  And just as we did for Mexico, we drove our aging Suzuki there and back. Sitting inside our 12 year old car, I started fantasizing about a new Subaru...

On our way out to the Laguna Seca Raceway, outside of Monterey, we were able to squeeze in some quality family time and visit relatives on both sides of our families.
While we were staying with my Gramma in Santa Barbara, we checked out their local zoo. Little known fact about me-I could live at a zoo! Which means while I could stay all day, Hal and Gramma were done after about an hour.

Gramma and I and a macaw!

And of course we did our typical biking, running, and hiking gig. My wonderful aunt took us on a super steep trail, in preparation for her own Grand Canyon adventure! So grateful to have relatives who appreciate the outdoors...





After our short but sweet time in Santa Barbara we decided to drive up the coast, on Hwy 1, on our way to Sea Otter.
We stopped in Morro Bay, where childhood memories of sea otters and seals resurfaced.  One thing I had forgotten about the California coast, it's almost never bright and sunny-always foggy and overcast.

On the waterfront in Morro Bay

Once we arrived at our hotel in Carmel, we went to work at the venue the very next day. And by work, I mean hanging out with great people, riding bikes, and 'modeling' in different cycling kits (outfits).  A huge thank you to the folks at Primal Wear for inviting us along and making it so easy and fun! I doubt we would ever have attended Sea Otter as regular consumers, so it was great to have an excuse to go and play, I mean 'work'!

"Working" hard in the hotel lobby...!

Some people have asked me whether or not I missed the racing at Sea Otter (I raced at the event professionally in 2011 and 2012) and my answer is "NO".  I thoroughly enjoyed my racing while I was immersed in it, but now that I'm on the other side, I'm much more relaxed and able to experience the whole event. Not to mention Hal was with me, and Delta Rose! I'm ever thankful for the opportunities and experiences that my racing afforded, after all, I wouldn't have even known about Sea Otter if not for competing, but now I am very happy and content with working on the retail, coaching, and development side.

And it is always nice to come home after being gone for two weeks, yet another perk of a small condo. No yard maintenance and minimal cleaning!
Thanks for reading and stay tuned for our next adventure-running Moab's White Rim Trail!

Maiden Voyage

Welcome to Hamkin's first outing. Some things we have learned along the way: Read all directions first.  Don't just start taking apart the refer to try to get it to run on propane. Turns out just a simple push of a button would be enough. I will never get those three hours back. 

                                           The new rack for our trusty steeds

We have spent untold hours prepping HAM for travel. It has been fun but now we travel! We are almost self-sufficient boon-docking for a couple of weeks. A solar panel will be all we need to top us off each day.

                               Pushkin with the weight of the world on his back!

A 2001 Dodge will deliver us to the hills of freedom! The side entry was why we like this camper so much. Our condo will be lonely this summer, if we don't decide to rent it out. 

                                     Rabbit Valley campground out of Fruita.

Running and riding are endless out here. The Western Rim trail was nice. Always hear about it and now we finally rode it. Worth the drive! McDonald Creek trail to Jouflas for a little run. And then sitting around in the sol. 

         This photo helped me decide that I should never go out in public with those tights or any tights for that matter...

McDonald Creek Trail was Awesome! Beauty and the Beast. 

Delta-sized arch on the disappointing Trail Through Time. Dinosaur bones fossilized in rock....If you say so!

                   Kasey taking a break on the Western Rim.

Great first time out. The point was to iron out some problems so we could spend quality time outside not messin' around with Hamkin. 

We hope to see you out on the trails. On bikes, feet, anything just get outside. If you're going out some place neat and want to adventure, send us a message!

 

Introducing...HAM

 

HAM stands for Highly Adventurous Mobile.

KC and I have pulled the trigger, phase 1+1=2. We are starting a new chapter of adventure and we would like you all to come along for the ride, literally or just vicariously through my poorly chosen and often out of place words.

A while back we thought about living small, how small? Fairly small, HAM small is all. Last week we purchased a HAM to put in the bed of Pushkin. To those who don't know, Pushkin is phase 1 and HAM is phase 2. Pushkin is a 2001 Dodge Ram. Together they will be a home base for summer fun and potentially a home. Follow us as we explore the potential of living in a small HAM.

We bounce the idea around quite a bit. The scenario plays out this way:
Rent out our condo and live in Hamkin. You got it, I think. HAM + Pushkin. Yeah. Anyway, sounds easy but it takes a little courage it turns out. So, for now we prepare Hamkin and ease into camper life. Remember we still work full time and party in the dirt the rest of the time. We also need a little down time to stay organized and rest, lots of rest.

We will see what shakes out after the first few trips. We will hopefully enjoy the company of you on a run, ride, climb or just sitting around camp.

Knowing when to Go, and when to say No...

Hal and I were all set for a quick mini-vacation down to Nathrop, CO, to stay at the Mt. Princeton Hot Springs Resort next week. We were planning on summitting Mt. Princeton, and possibly a few other 14ers.
However, given the massive amounts of recent snowfall in the high country and all the tragic avalanche deaths associated with such unstable snow-pack, we decided to cancel our trip.
Fortunately there is a fantastic website in Colorado that highlights current avalanche danger and rates each area: Colorado Avalanche Information Center.
We checked this site daily, and finally made the call to bail on the trip this evening.
Are we bummed? Yes. Sad to not get in a fun trip, plus a summit and hot springs? Of course.
But is it better to be safe than sorry? In this instance, absolutely.

It is important to know when to "go" and when to say "no" to an adventure or outing. Especially when dealing with avalanches, the backcountry, and mountains in particular.
Sometimes we get so caught up with our 'goals' and our epic adventure ideas that we can become blind to the all-too-real and present dangers associated with each trip.
We know we are facing potentially hazardous conditions each time we venture out into the wilderness, but knowing how to mitigate that risk makes the difference between someone who goes all-out all the time, and someone who is wise enough to know when to bag it and stay home.
I think it is also selfish to go out in a high risk area, placing not only yourself but your potential rescuers in danger.

Fortunately Hal and I have each other to keep ourselves checked and in line. And of course there's always that sound of relief in Mom's voice when I call home and tell her we've decided not to attempt a winter 14er summit in highly dangerous avalanche conditions!

Each time you go out, know the conditions you are likely to encounter and make sure you are prepared for any scenario.  And always always always let at least one person know where you are going and when you should be expected back.

Just because we love to seek new thrills and adventures doesn't mean we throw all caution to the wind. Staying behind this weekend may save our lives, and it will definitely allow us to do something else equally as fun!
Thanks for reading my soapbox backcountry safety post!

What to do when it's Four Degrees Farenheit out...

We've lived in the Front Range of Colorado for over five years now, and never can I remember such cold days...We didn't even top ten degrees yesterday! Ten!!!  And right now it's a balmy eight degrees out.
As athletes and active individuals, weather like this tends to drive us batty. We simply can't get outside, and if we can, it's too cold to do any hard aerobic workouts.
So we put together this little list of alternate activities to do when it's well below freezing out.
We hope you enjoy!

-Movie marathon. I know this is every athletes' guilty pleasure, and we probably never succumb to spending a day watching movies unless we are very sick, or unless it's been very cold out for a very long time. Head over to your local library and check out the maximum number of DVDs that you can. This way you aren't spending any money, which will make you feel better about kicking back and enjoying a movie day.  Also, the cold weather provides us a unique opportunity to rest our bodies and let them fully recover from whatever rigors we've been putting them through. Try to adjust your mindset and think of the cold-spell as a much needed and welcome break!

-Clean up your clutter. Go through each room in the house and sort through unused/unnecessary items. Create two piles: one to donate, and one to sell at a summer garage sale. If this is too daunting, start small, like cleaning out your bathroom vanity and throwing away all expired medication. Or tackle that dreaded cabinet under the kitchen sink and sort through all your cleaning products.

-Plan your next adventure-yay! This is something we like to do in the cold winter months, because it not only occupies our time, but it gets us excited about future trips! Pull out your maps and decide where you'd like to explore. Then go online and figure out logistics. Once you've got an idea of what you want to do and where you want to go, you can begin nailing down a specific date. For us, our salvation from this arctic blast is looking forward to summitting a few more 14ers down by Buena Vista in the next few weeks. Not exactly a break from cold weather, but at least a chance to get out and play in it!

-The list goes on and on with common indoor activities, such as: knitting, cooking, organizing all the pictures on your computer, finishing all the magazines laying on your coffee table, and maybe just laying down for a nap, and not resurfacing until the weather promises to break 32 degrees!!!

-As for getting out for some exercise, try heading to your local yoga studio and signing up for an unlimited week of classes. Of course, the best place in the Louisville/Lafayette/Superior area is Yoga Junction! Right now they are offering a first-time student/resident of Colorado deal where you can go to a week of unlimited yoga for only $18-such a good deal!

-For those who are just dying to get in a run, ride, swim, or hard cardio workout, check out your local recreation center. Most rec centers also offer fitness classes, which are helpful if you need a little extra motivation to get on that spin bike!

-And if you just must, must, must go outside, please exercise with caution when it is below freezing out. Plan a hike or walk, instead of a run, and save your lungs from full exertion in the icy air.

Add your own cold weather ideas in the comment section below. We'd like to see what others are doing during this frigid month!
As always, thanks for reading.

Baja y Familia!

Baja is a looooong way away! That is, if you're driving the entire way, with two 29er mountain bikes, wetsuits and snorkel gear, backpacks and hiking boots, plus a small Chihuahua, all in our Suzuki station wagon. Clearly comfort was not our goal!
But we made it to San Felipe, where Hal's dad (also named Hal/Baja Paco) and his lovely wife Robin live.
It took us about two 12 hour days in the car, no problems going through the border or driving down through Mexicali.
Hal Sr. and Robin have a lovely house with a picture-perfect ocean view, and we had our own separate apartment-great way to start a vacation!
The first full day that we were there Hal and I left Delta in the good hands of family, see photo below, and took off on a seven hour exploration hike, as is our norm.



Hal Sr. (Pops) with Delta and their own dogs!
 

We hiked about 12 miles, up and down the beach, where we found dead sharks and sting rays (sad) and then up to a rocky point jutting out into the sea.

 

Windy view from the top of the rocky point
 

Turns out the best way to see a new place is to walk/hike around and explore! We saw so much more than we ever could have through a car window.
San Felipe is a friendly, quiet fishing town. All the locals waved to us and said hello, forcing us to engage our rusty Spanish!
The time passed quickly, with wonderful family dinners and stories, time playing with dogs, hiking and biking.
One of the best days was when Hal and I mountain biked out to the Valley of the Giants, where Pops and Robin met us in the car. See below just why these cactus are called Giants, or Gigantes!

We headed from the Valley to a secluded beach where we had lunch and flew kites. But the best part was that we got to motor pace, on our mtn bikes, off Pop's Suburban! Nothing like the rush of doing 26+ mph behind a big car, on pot-holed, bumpy Mexican roads! Oh, and did I mention it was windy?! So windy that I could fly my kite about three feet in front of me! Hence the need to motor pace...

With our obsession with 14ers, mountains, and anything outdoors, we decided to have Pops drop us off in the desert so that we could attempt to summit the highest point in the near foothills to the west of San Felipe. Here's what the terrain looked like...

  

 



Needless to say, we didn't make the summit. The whole way to the base of the mountains was one big, dry riverbed full of crazy boulders, scree, and spiky things out to get you. This was one of the most rugged hikes we have ever done! Not to mention, no trail to follow. But, we had fun by jumping from boulder to boulder (this is why we need health insurance!)...

 



 

Another fun thing to do in remote desert beach towns is to chase seagulls. See how this looks in practice below...Ah, the small joys in life!

 

 

Amidst all this crazy fun, we had plenty of down-time in the evenings to visit with Pops and Robin and listen to never-before-told family tales, play with dogs, and ride in the sand rail.

 





 

And what better way to commemorate your trip to Baja than by getting permanent tattoos?! Of course nobody believes that we (mostly me) would get inked in Mexico, so here's the visual proof...

 

 

Muchas muchas gracias to Pops and Robin for being the best hosts and sharing their home with us!

Thanks for reading, and let us know if you want to drive down there, we can give you route tips and cheap hotel info.

Adios!

 

To Live Within Our Means

I touched on some financial matters in the previous post. To expand on the subject of the "mortgage nightmare" or what should be a nightmare I will encourage you NOT to have one. This is the best way. However some of us need one to fit into "normal society" to feel good. If the latter is you, listen up.

Let me start by saying that KC and I have a mortgage, albeit a very reasonable and comfortable payment. We had to adopt a lifestyle that at first can be intimidating to grasp. I can assure you that if you're reading and wondering then perhaps you can use at least a portion of this information to build a sweet pile of money or even better-use the time off to do cool shit. 

The solution is... to spend as little money as possible while saving as much as you can. 

1. Live as simple as possible. You will find fun and challenging times that increase daily happiness. 

Usually, the biggest expense incurred is a home. By downsizing your piles of crap around the house to the few things you use the most would be a great starting point. Take your time, read some articles and rise to the challenge. I have never heard anyone on their deathbed complain of not having enough stuff. But I have heard people mention a few things they wish they would have done. Like traveling places, visiting friends and relatives more often, spending time with children, working on hobbies. Insert your wish list here.

When you pile all the stuff you have not used in the last year in the middle of a big room you barely go in the answer becomes clear. Small house, less stuff, way less. Keep the items you use frequently, everything else is sold or donated. Now we have space in our heads and home to focus on the stuff we use the most. In our house these things are mostly kept in the garage. Bikes, running shoes, backpacks, yep, they are consumer items but they bring us happiness and most importantly we use them, lots. 

Now that you are on your way and your house is mostly empty you can get rid of it and get something small. A small home will cost less to buy, operate, maintain, repair, clean, and not suck up your two days off on the weekends vacuuming, buying groceries, and mowing a big ass yard that you rarely enjoy. If you choose a condo that may be even better because now you can leave it for weeks at a time with little concern. You will appreciate that in the near future when you start working less. Shoot maybe even an RV to live in. Maybe??? These moves take time and thought, but probably not as much as you'd think. It can be difficult to wrap your head around a huge move like this. We have done it and it has been wonderful beyond expectation from every standpoint. That is why we spend time sharing information. 

I could write endless ideas to help. There are not very many situations that we couldn't figure out an answer to. Let's keep in mind that we do this because we like to travel, we enjoy adventure in the outdoors, we like to sit and read without feeling guilty about not doing chores or earning more money to pay bills for stuff that doesn't bring us happiness. The further along we get, the more freedom we have. Every year this grows exponentially. For example: we save about 50% of our income. In a couple of years that number will increase to 75%. Our income is not high by any means. The numbers are relative, debt vs. income. The more money you make the better. Just make good choices! 

I would like to help and answer any questions as well as hear your thoughts. I will continue to elaborate on a simple lifestyle in regular posts. Thanks for reading. 

The Benefits of Yoga, and more specifically, the greatness of Louisville's Yoga Junction!!

There are many articles in circulation now about the benefits of yoga for athletes and non-athletes alike. I'd just like to share my personal yoga experience, made possible by the generous sponsorship of Yoga Junction...

When I first started racing professionally three years ago, yoga was not part of my training. It was something I did when I worked out in the gym during winter, when it fit into my schedule. Which meant that I did about 3-5 classes a year. Not enough for someone training in a static position on the bike for 15 hours a week.
I then discovered a fantastic yoga studio, right in downtown Louisville. Now yoga was more convenient and had a more natural feel than the gym classes.

As I started attending more classes, I became aware of just how badly I needed yoga! Forget reaching your fingertips to the floor, I was lucky if I could touch my knees!
I approached the owners, Carey and Melissa,  and asked if they'd be willing to sponsor me with yoga classes while I was racing. They were so fantastic, agreeing right away and giving me more classes per week than I could ever hope to attend!

Through their generosity, I came to incorporate a weekly yoga class into my training schedule. I began noticing how it not only helped my flexibility and core, but it helped calm and clear my mind as well. Of course I received the oft-touted benefits of balance, core strength, and increased flexibility, but I also started craving the mental peace my practice afforded me.
Athletes are constantly training and striving toward the next goal, competing against themselves and others. Yoga is the one safe place where we can let go and be present. This focus and body awareness helped me become a more balanced cyclist and competitor.

Now that I am taking a break from bike racing and moving onto endurance events of great lengths, I'm going to rely ever more on the mental strength and clarity I gained during yoga.
I believe that yoga is still an under-valued element of most athlete's training regimens. I highly recommend trying a class, if you never have, and to make it routine, if you currently practice.

Yoga Junction is a safe, welcoming, community-based studio that I'm proud to call home! I am so thankful to Carey and Melissa for taking a chance on me and my overworked body :)