Canadians/Comedians ...

Living in an almost-border town, Canadians consistently double our population on the weekends. They come here to avoid the commie Canadian taxes, buy electronics at the Best Buy in Kalis-hell, and drink their faces off. They come in tuques -- not wool caps or knit hats. Locally chided as "Comedians," Canadians are despised by everyone but the business-owners. I'm often reminded how I "wouldn't be here" if it wasn't for the Canadians supporting our economy. I live in Whitefish, but I'm a teacher -- I'm in it, but I'm not a part of it. I can't come up with a valid reason why I'm as reactionary as the rest, though. It's bullshit, really. This summer a Canadian in a Hummer (license plate "HUMMMER"), probably drunk, ran a stop sign in the middle of town. I yelled at her, "Stop at stop signs!" She yelled back, "Fuck you!" When I told this story, the frequent reaction was to lump the Canadian nation together, all five Providences Hummer-driving-drunk-drivers. Sort of stupid, ay?

We've been walking in the woods a lot lately ...

Cody and I at Skiumah Lake, Great Bear Wilderness Area. Hugs for puppies ...


Chris, Anna, and I enjoy the view from our bush-whacked, almost-summit of Link Mountain, Whitefish Range. We could not make the summit before dark ...


A long drive to the Finger Lake trail head, Tally Lake Region, a short walk to Finger Lake. Cody and Althea getting at it ...

Looking back: Bike racing, 2011 ...

Last March, like at the start of Rolling Thunder, I began my racing season so optimistically ...


... Now, eight months later, like 10 minutes into Rolling Thunder, bleeding knees and an uninterested look on my face are now metaphors for my 2011 season.

Season highs: Racing Tour of Walla Walla (and not crashing), winning the Big Mountain time trial at the Great Northern Stage Race (by 45 seconds), and winning Rocky Mountain Roubaix (right on)
Season lows: Breaking a spoke 30 seconds into Last Chance Cross (then face-planting two minutes later), Cow Country Classic (Headline: Montana Road Race State Championship draws twenty people ... in all classes), and getting tacked at the Clinton Road Race (damn kids)

Goals for 2012: Get my Cat. 1 touring upgrade. Race mountain bikes one or two more times. Crash less.

See you in 2012 bikes/bike racing; bring on the snow, La Nina ...

Hijinks, Idaho

U-lock sandwich, Sandpoint, this past July.

Ousel Peak, Bob Marshall

Me, Cody, and Anna, our new buddy from Oakland, California, climbed Ousel Peak in the northern Bob on Friday. 4,000 feet of vert. in about 3.5 miles.


Welcome to 8,000 feet, sea level dweller!


Champions.


Like a shark out of water.

Jesus for the dogs ...

Me and Lewis and the beasts atop Whitefish Mountain.

I'm back to school. My kids are ... really good. I won't elaborate; I don't want to jinx it. My little crew of ESL/ELL kids remind me why I do this ...

Slim Cessna's Auto Club came to the Flathead. It was, well, the best thing to ever happen in the Valley ... musically. Sorry Russ Nasset and The Revelators ...

Cyclocross is happening, but not so much to me. The Helena race was officially my worst, and shortest, race ever. I'll do my best at the Kalispell races and Rolling Thunder. Then the bikes collect dust until February ...

The Big Mountain season ski pass has been purchased. Now I just need to get skis. I'm planning on taking avalanche awareness courses in November. Winter is coming ...

Labor Day weekend

My Labor Day weekend: scenic hikes, whiskey drinks, shotguns, and dogs.

Lewis and I and the four dogs spent the night at Rainbow Lake in the Ten Lakes Region along the border. Twenty-eight miles of dirt road 'til the trailhead ...


After a pretty easy hike in, we made it, awesome ... now we just need to figure out how to get down there.


We figured it out ... after one sketchy false start ... Cody nearly got clocked in the head by a softball-sized tumbling rock ...


We're a half-mile hike to Canada. We made chili mixed with macaroni and cheese for dinner. We brought a lot of beer. It was good.


Cody's psyched about life.

We hiked back out.

We drove 28 miles back down the road and then to Olney to meet up with pals at the Burk Family Cabin on the Stillwater. (Take note, local idiots: The Burk family owns 350 acres, 349 undeveloped. They've refused all offers to develop even one acre of the property, and even turned down one offer of more than a million dollars. It's good to know that "in this economy," it's not all for sale. Primitive areas > condos/toy ranches/multi-million dollar bullshit summer get-away mansions/buying this feeling called "West," etc.)

We shot guns ... shotguns. I'd never shot a gun before. I've always played the word association game: "I say 'gun,' you say the first word that comes to mind." While most say deer, food, fun, I've always said convenience store robbery, gang violence, death.


Terra's a total badass, I'm incredibly awkward firing the firearm.


Dale says, "Mind the gap." I did not mind the gap.


Cody and I then indulged in more quiet pursuits. Canoe over carbon bike next summer ...



Spent the cold night in my hammock and woke up to breakfast burritos on the wood-fire grill. Went home to recover with a long ride.

Good three-day weekend. Interesting ...

One week until I'm back to school.