Pedallin' (my mtn bike, tandem, & coker)

Was sore from last weekend's cycling adventures.  Night Mtn Biking on Fri, Tandem Ride on Sat, and MUNI ride on Sun.  Phew!

Did a fun night ride on Mt. Tam last Friday with Sigman, Booth, and Man Chicken... don't have any pics from that ride... but it was really fun.  Booth is really fast.  20 miles with about 4000 ft vert.

Saturday, met up with Ko for a ride in wine country.  We had to pick up some bottles from Vincent Arroyo anyway... so we started in St. Helena and rode 10 miles to Calistoga and did another 10 back.

\

Sunday... Stefan came by the house at 6 am for an early departure to S. Lake with Funk.  While Funk dropped off Kokanee (his sister's dog) Stefan and I hopped on Bear's Reach, and another route on Hogsback.  Then Funk and I simul-climbed another route on Hogsback and then it was time to MUNI in tahoe.  So we drove up to echo summit and hopped on the Pony Express Trail.  An easy mtn bike ride... but quite a challenging MUNI ride.  And it started snowing on us. That was awesome.  The crazy guy that lives at the bottom of Sierra Ski Resort telling us to get off his property... that guy is NOT so awesome. 

Snow!

The Valley!

@North Pines campground with James, Courtney, Kalani, Jillian, Chelsea, Brynn, & Aaron

first a short timelapse of the fog in the valley when we arrived.

On Sat, we all took a short ride around the valley.  Bikes in Yosemite is the way to go.  Such a fun place to cruise around!

Stopped at a beach on the Merced River... across from the swinging bridge.

Future rock climbing partners practicing their slab climbing skilz.

Back at camp... these two played so well together the whole weekend...

Set up the slackline, and we are ready to rock!

The kids liked it too..

MonKai sighting...

And he's out...

trying out Kai's down sleeping sack with legs... not really sure why it has legs...

Jam sesh...

serenading Kai to sleep...

Next mornin' Aaron and I hopped on Super Slide near Royal Arches.

Summit shot!

meanwhile back at camp... somebody was having a no pants party!

awesome teardrop trailer... would be a fun DIY project...

We did a short bike ride after we packed up camp... and rode to the Mountain Room at the Yosemite Lodge to watch some football and imbibe.

Rob's Ride on my new Coker!

Finally scored a used coker!  Woot woot... got a great deal on it... with brakes, a new off road tire, and handles (although my legs are too short, so I don't have room for the handle).

Kai told me he's ready...

a collage of the ride by Stefan...

Here's a small map of the ride...

geared up! Ready to ride...

Kimbo thinks I have too many unis.  I only have 5. Nathan... he's got 18!!!

Stefan, Geoff, and Nathan with Grace on the recumbent ahead of them and Michelle on her hot pink coker.

Michelle's awesome pink coker

Stefan cruising down Hwy 1 on our way back to the start...

Montana: the best of the rest...

Spent a few nights in Missoula hangin' out with Leslie, Matt.

we got to spend some time in the kitchen cookin' some fine meals...

the finished product

Kai = pink cowboy

At Rainbow Ranch, outside of Bozeman for Mendelson's wedding

At Yellowstone NP posing with the Wash U Crew.

Yellowstone!

more pics here...
http://telek.smugmug.com/Vacation/Best-of-Montana/26016958_HCHKRN#!i=2159700331&k=Sr6bzkq

Weekly Pano: Bear's Hump

A short hike from the Waterton Lakes NP Visitor Center brings you up to Bear's Hump.  Although it's a short hike, it's quite a strenuous climb to a rewarding, though usually windy view.  One of the few places in the park to climb, as most of the rock in the park is old and chossy.  

TR: Mt Aeneas in Jewel Basin, MT

After our short jaunt in Glacier/Waterton National Parks, we were still hungry to hike.  So after consulting with a few guidebooks and rangers we settled on hiking Mt. Aeneas.  Located in the Jewel Basin, Mt. Aeneas is an ideal peak.  Not too long (6 mi?) and it's a loop.  There aren't very many peaks you can hike on a loop hike, and pretty much the entire trail was beautiful.  From the wildflowers, the ridges, the lakes, and to Kai bear's bum.  OK, I'll let the pics do the talking from here.  

Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium), flowers, young leaves, shoots are all edible... in fact, I'd love to try some fireweed ice cream next time I'm in AK.    

Elderberries - Elderberries contain more vitamin C than any other fruit except for rosehips and black currants and are an excellent source of phosphorus and potassium, anthocyanins, vitamin A and a fine source of calcium

beautiful colors on the well maintained trail...

Kai is out...

once you reach the ridge, you reach a microwave tower...

And a beautiful view of the lakes in Jewel Basin below.  In our counter clockwise loop, we stayed on the ridge up to the summit then dropped back down past these lakes on our way back to the car.  

big horn sheep poo... we saw some, but they were really far away.  Need a zoom lens.  

Looks like a fun destination in winter too.  

Summit snack for Kai.  

Summit shot!

down at Birch Lake

forgot what this is called... anyone?  

our post hike celebration beverage...

And soon, we were following some arrows pointing to the Mahaffey's.