McLoughlin - Splitting the Tips with Pat and Devlin

 Had a great ski with Pat and Devlin.  Tried a new route (for us), starting on the SW corner of the mountain off the road.  We skinned up the road a ways (big monster trucks could've saved us a few miles, but it was easy skinning).  Then the bushwhacking began.  The winds picked up on the ridge and there were times when we weren't sure if we should skin or boot.  On the way down we hit the most glorious pow field... and all was well again.  

Bandon with the Bridges - post Xmas Oregon Coast Adventure

I love the Oregon Coast in the winter.  So dramatic.  The waves crash all around, the weather is unpredictable, it all makes you feel so alive.  Good thing we found an AirBnB to crash at post X-mas break.  And the Bridges got a hotel room in town for the first few days.  

I'll let my strava tell the story. 

After skiing in the morning, we drove out to Bandon and met up with the Bridges at Bullard's Beach.

Next morning, I went on a run - https://www.strava.com/activities/4530299045.  Really fun run where we ran though some sea tunnels... Shasta got wet.  Quite soaked actually... 

Then we checked out Whisky Run - https://www.strava.com/activities/4531249460 where I chased the boys on foot. Kim loved riding the xc trails.  Ashland needs some XC trails!

Then we walked around Coquille Point, Face Rock area at sunset.  There were horses, it was low tide, tide pooling, oh my!

The following day, I got out for a quick solo Whiskey Run (https://www.strava.com/activities/4535463918), then we went up to Cape Arago where we checked out the coves and sunbathed with a elephant seal.  https://www.strava.com/activities/4536390809.  

We said bye to the Bridges here, and we went a bit up the road and checked out Lighthouse Beach where we had the beach to ourselves.  https://www.strava.com/activities/4536767614 The other end had a few surfers.  Really cool spot.  

On Wed, I went on another run (it was windy) - https://www.strava.com/activities/4539987243

Then after the storm had somewhat passed we timed it at low tide and took the mtn bikes on the beach.  https://www.strava.com/activities/4541844199 Make sure to wash your bikes if you do this as our bikes got a bit rusty.  Only took a few hours.  I'd love to take my fat bike next time.

On NYE, I did another run.  This time on Bullard's beach. https://www.strava.com/activities/4545246103 After packing up, we made it home at 2 pm.  So I decided to go skiing.  And got to Mt A with 1 hr to ski.  I got in 5 laps down the bowl and was one of the better days yet.  

McLoughlin with Tim!

 

I skied McLoughlin last year solo in pretty bad conditions, but it opened my eyes to the decent terrain up there.  You need to be careful as there's definitely some terrain traps and above treeline in a storm or flat light the skiing could get tricky, but there is plenty of potential there.  I vowed to go back multiple times. This was Tim's first big backcountry outing, and I hope to drag him along on a few other local adventures.  

Low down in the early season there's a lot of navigating through fallen trees, little lava fields, so this can be a tricky peak on a splitboard.  On this outing, we dropped the East Bowl, which looked like the best snow, and caught the PCT, which luckily had some ski tracks on it (from XC skiers?) and was clear.  

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Halloween in Bend '20

With all the festivities in Ashland cancelled (Ashland is a great place to be for Halloween... in most years), we decided to head up to Bend again and visit the Mooreheads.  We got in a day hike at Smith Rock, some mountain biking, squeezed in a few trail runs, a few family rides, and paraded around their neighborhood for a mini-Halloween.  At night we had the kids watching movies while the adults live streamed Phish from a garage across the street.  Amaze-balls.  

Smith Rock!  Haven't been here for ever!

    Our monkey in front of Monkey's Face

Family bike ride!

We watched Brynn play her last soccer game of the season.

Nikko!

on out last day we went to Sun River... which is la la land outside of la la land.  Fun bike paths, nice brewery.  And tons of things for the kids to play and discover.  Perfect last day.  

cheers!

EBM '20

 Having finished last year's EBM, I had to return for this year's event.  Especially with Sam joining me.  

But the repeat didn't happen.  This year's route seemed "easy" on paper, but as folks started dropping out I knew I would have to dig deep for this one.  My main mistake was when I started bonking up Sawtallian and veering too far right.  Should've studied this bit more and started further left.  Alas.  No excuses... I could hardly keep up with Scott and Loren as they passed me after I turned around on the last hill.  I was donzo... Next year... next year... 

https://www.strava.com/activities/4183800900/overview

Ashland Enduro!

Leading up to this race, I was a bit worried as my clavicle wasn't healed 100% yet, but was really excited to ride these trails again.  It hadn't rained for 100+ days so needless to say, the trails were dry.  I dropped down to Sport (was signed up for Expert) and so Metres, John, Andy and I were all riding sport 40-49.  Jack (the young un) was riding Sport 30-39.  John killed it and came up first, Andy 3rd, and I came in 4th.  Results here.  

The week leading up to the race, the FriDaddy crew did a practice ride on Tues.  Jack, John, Andy and I caught the AMA shuttle up and rode the course.  Then Metres came up on Thurs to pre-ride the course on Fri with Alex Do, who came down to meet us from Eugene.  On Sunday, I had to finish up the 100 miles for the virtual Pine to Palm run and logged 24 miles and watched Dr. Adams ride on his way to 3rd place.  Good weekend!

Getting ready at the start of stage 1

Jack had some issues and flatted on stage 1.  He would've won otherwise...

Check out this crew with a husband towing his 7 mo pregnant wife!  Mad respect.

Sunrise next mornig

 

Shasta in Shasta! Selling Seashells in Smokey September

That's the sun... 

Late Aug to mid September was rough in S. Oregon.  Well, most of the west coast actually this year.  So much smoke from record breaking wildfires.  We had finally had it and decided to join the Balesteris for a weekend camping trip in Shasta over Labor Day.  Sand Flat area has tons of open camping enough for a 1000 folks to camp socially distanced.  But it's quite dusty.  Anyway, we had a blast playing games (can jam, poker, bags, etc...)

Shasta at Shasta.  He always looks like he's in trouble when I try to take a pic of him in front of something...

Mama! Gimmie mo' ramen!  Nikko, why are you in a can jam?

There are some fun trails here, but many parts of the trails need some more TLC.  Also, the dirt here is sooo dusty... 

Can Jam!

we rode from Ski Bowl down to our camp... there were lots of hike a bike sections... but the kids fared well.  

A bit dusty...

Let the games begin!

a dip at Lake Siskiyou was essential after this trip.