junk

The month of the sloth continues.  I'm getting out to get outside, but not much else.  A few miles via foot and bike as the end-of-the-year goal numbers are due soon.

But, as usual, the annual "the incline club will start this week" e-mail has reminded me that I cannot be a drunk, fat slob all year long.  So I'll probably start getting back on a regular workout schedule from now until the winter solstice, and then I'll increase the mileage as daylight slowly sticks around longer.

Colorado Springs went to some bizarre new level on our COVID color dial on Friday.  I spent Thanksgiving night at the Royal Tavern, and they are now closed until our Gov decides to turn the dial to some other color.  Benny's is closed as well.  Breweries are currently able to serve you if you drink outside, somewhat challenging in Colorado this time of year, or get your beer to go.  Made a quick ride over to Cerberus on Sunday to pick up some crowlers, and they have a big tent set up.  Which is apparently different than being inside as tent was pretty crowded.

On Saturday afternoon we grabbed Moose and took the dogs down to the Shelf Road camping area in Canon City.  Just a quick overnight to get out.  Good hike on Sunday morning before returning back.

I am in for the '21 Chicago Marathon if it happens.  So right now the race schedule is:

March - Salida

June - Garden Ten Miler

July - Barr Trail Mountain Race

Aug - Pikes

Sept - The Rut

Will probably keep it at that as there are some local bike/hike/run routes I want to do in '21, as well as a few more 14ers.  The big van trip will be based around The Rut.

Kindergarten Rock

A while ago I made a silent goal of leaving my house, getting to the summit of Kindergarten Rock, and hiking back home.  Most of the routes up that rock are technical climbing routes, but there was an exposed scramble.  I didn't want to try it myself, but on Sunday I got an opportunity to join some more advanced climbers on a route.  

And it was fantastic!  It's definitely a scramble, not a climb, but there's some exposure and a fall at certain places wouldn't be very good.  Incredible scramble with some great view of the Garden and Pikes.  Posted some stuff on my Pikes blog, and here are some others (a few of which were stolen from my climber buddy Mike):

 

the major announcement...

 ...is nothing.

We drove out to the Ark Valley Humane Society in Buena Vista on Saturday to meet an Australian Cattle Dog mix.  It did not go well and it was decided that he needs to be an only dog.  He seems like a great dog if anyone is looking, he just needs a home to himself.

We are now 0-4 in our search for a second dog.  We've decided to remain a one dog family for now.  Holly is cool with that.

detraining

Monday - evening run up Red Mountain.  Took forever to get down as Marc lost his key and we had to find it.  Manitou Brewing after the run.

Tues - 5.6 mile run in Red Rock Canyon in the AM, followed by bike commute 80.  6.7 miles to work through Sondermann, eleven miles back via the COVID loop.  

Wed - run commute 65.  Four there, 3.5 back.  Guitar lesson in the evening, I'm currently learning a very watered down version of Blackbird.  Weekly PRB at Benny's after the lesson.

Thurs - bike commute 81.  Four miles there, 3.5 back.  We all dodged a bullet here on the Westside as a fire broke out over near the Bear Creek Dog Park.  Could have been disastrous to the Cheyenne Canon and Red Rock Canyon areas.  Luckily the CSFD was able to get it under control pretty quickly.

Fri - bike commute 82.  

Right now I'm just getting out to get out.  Easy efforts all around, and I'll probably keep it that way until the end of the year.  Did get an e-mail about Chicago and $100 and I are gonna sign up to run that in October '21.

Could possibly be a major announcement about the family in the next day or two...

Air Power!

This thing flew right over my house on Monday afternoon.  First time I've ever seen one (insert joke about how you're not supposed to see a stealth jet here).

Phantom Canyon

Another quick van trip down to Fremont County.  

Left Friday after work and went straight to Oil Well Flats.  Already dark when we parked, so it was a quick hike with the dog followed by some beers in the van before turning in early.  Windy AF, which would be a theme for the weekend.

Up early Saturday for a good 90 minute dog hike, then I went for an hour run.  It was already pretty warm and sunny for 8AM when $100 and I tagged off on dog duty and she took off on her bike.  I made some coffee and got out the guitar.  Not sure how long I had been playing, but I looked out the window and it was snowing.

$100 had planned on getting in some fishing on the Arkansas, but the wind made that difficult so we just went to The Owl for lunch.  So damn good.

Hung out in Canon City for a bit before heading over to Florence Brewing to waste some time.  Canon seemed dead, I guess everyone had gone to the million MAGA march.

Fremont County really nailed my current opinion on the whole mask thing:

We decided to head straight up the road to Phantom Canyon to spend the night.  We've both biked that road but never slept there.  Great place with lots of campsites.  Some more dog hiking, some more beers, and retreated to the van pretty early as the wind was still nuts.  

Up early on Sunday, drove up Phantom Canyon to Victor and returned through Woodland Park, stopping for a healthy breakfast at The Donut Mill.  Hard to see in this pic, but on the way up the Canyon we saw a bobcat.  He seemed just as curious about us as we were towards him.

Another quick weekender trip in the books.  Lots more of these shorter trips coming up.

21!

Wed - run commute 64.  Four miles there, 3.5 miles back.  Our cadet turned 21 on this veterans day.  USAFA kids are currently not allowed off base, but they are letting folks onto base.  So we took her dinner and, for her first legal alcohol ever, a Wild Weasel IPA from Red Leg.

Thurs - it's been cold as balls in the morning.  19F to walk the dog and still that cold to bike to work.  Bike commute 79.  Four miles to the office, eleven back home.

The commutes will fall off the rest of the year, as my office has had a COVID issue and I will be mostly working from home until at least January 1.  The dog is stoked.

ramble on

2020 just rolling right along.

The period between the time change (November 1st) and the shortest day of the year (December 23rd) is by far my least favorite time of the year.  The lack of darkness and the introduction of cold weather always saps the motivation.  Then, starting around Wednesday, I came down with some crazy non-COVID sickness that left me physically weak.  And we had to watch Moose for four days.  And the election and ongoing debacle afterwards.  And some issues at work that have left us short staffed.  And Fossil and Benny's having to close down for a few days.  And the Pueblo Half going to a virtual only format this year.

OK life isn't that bad if this is the worst it gets for me this year.  I'm sure there are others out there who have it much worse.  But I have allowed all that shit to basically put an end to the workouts.  Which is weak as fuck, but I guess if there's ever gonna be a good time to sit on my duff and drink beer and get fat it's now.

Did get out to Red Mountain on Monday night.  Forgot how great a run/hike that route is.  I hadn't been to Manitou in a LONG time - I've had no reason to go there ever since Manitou and COS started punishing incline climbers in their pissing match.  But after being reminded how delicious the High Ground IPA from Manitou Brewing is, I'll probably start returning on Monday evenings for the Red climb.

COVID seems to be blowing up here in the Springs.  I thought it was super weird the last time the thing exploded, maybe March through late October, I didn't know a single person personally who tested positive.  This time seems a lot different.  In the past week a whole bunch of peeps I know have officially come down with the 'VID.  

Bike commute 78 this morning on the fattie.  Four miles straight to work as it was pretty cold out.  It's been warming up all day so hopefully I can take the longer route home.

still here

Haven't been doing a whole lot since Cheyenne Mountain, besides drinking a lot of beer.  During the week after the race I ran once and made a few very short trips via bike.  The following weekend we took the van down to Canon City after work on Friday and hung out there until Saturday afternoon.  Great time hanging out at Oil Well Flats.  We came back on Saturday due to Fall Series III on Sunday AM, which we ended up missing because I completely spaced the new starting location.

As of today I do have the Rock Canyon half down in Pueblo coming up in a month and I'll start training for that.  Thinking 1:35 would be good.  Enough to make me sweat, but not enough to have to completely commit to painful training.  Of course, these parts are seeing some major COVID issues, so who knows if there'll even be a race.

2020 has been quite the shit show, but at least the election BS gets put behind us after today(ish).