Winter Outdoor Retailer 2008

As you might expect, a winter trade show is not all that important to a “Never a Ski Shop” bike shop. But, I went down to Salt Lake City to help out my wife with her womenspecific.com Scavenger Hunt promotion. I can’t say there was a lot of gear that’s worth mentioning in a bike shop blog, but one thing that immediately caught my eye was the human powered Mion shoes booth. The crafty folks at Mion figured that since the outdoor industry is going in the direction of sustainability they would step up too and help cut their energy usage with the help of show goers. They hooked a couple of bikes up to trainers provided by Windstream Power and hoped to generate up to 3000 watts daily. Nice work Mion! I wonder if we can hook that up to our Computrainers?
Taking up the task of powering our buzz was the Cloudveil crew with some help of Jon “JK” Klaczkiewicz. JK is putting the finishing touches on his new documentary about the Jackson Hole Airforce called Swift Silent Deep. He stoked up the crowd at the Cloudveil booth with a short teaser of the movie before the real fun began… Galande Quaffing! Apparently there is a long lost Jackson Hole Apres tradition that started with bartenders sliding mugs of beer toward a thirsty patrons. One day a mug missed its mark and flew off the end of the bar. Before the beer was lost forever on the floor, a swift handed skier waiting in the wings caught the mug in mid air and pounded the beer. As one might imagine happened in Athens when someone got pissed and threw his neighbors hammer across the street, a competition sooned formed… and JK is here to revive it! 4 person teams had a minute to rotate sliding mugs of beer to waiting team mates who slammed them and ran to the other end of the bar to take their turn as bartender. Yeah, pretty awesome! Jk handed out 1 point for a catch and chug, and 2 points for a catch by the mug’s handle and chug. After the foam settled I think the guys from Smith won, but I can’t really say and don’t really care since they wouldn’t let the Fitzgerald’s team compete. Something about us being sand-baggers or something. We are now in training for the Feb 27th Galande Quaffing World Championships at the V.C.!

The very best thing about OR this year, however, was the appearance by Michael Franti of Spearhead and impromptu accoustic set he played in the middle of the trade show! If you didn’t know that Michael is the man, I’m here to tell you. Spearhead is our generation’s Wailers and Franti our Marley. Check out his music and do not miss a chance to see them live when they are rumored to come this Spring to the Village. We went on to see Spearhead live at the Depot Saturday night at the Avalaunch Festival and it was one of the absolute best concerts I have ever seen! It’s the equivalent of a Southern Baptist revival for those of us whose religion is peace, love, and respect for our planet!

Wyoming Range Drilling in Hoback Basin

The following call to action is from the group Citizens Protecting the Wyoming Range http://www.wyomingrange.org/take_action/index.php

The proposal: Plains Exploration and Production Company (“Plains”), a Houston-based company with no experience drilling on national forest land, is seeking permission to drill 136 wells from 17 well pads and construct or upgrade 29 miles of roads.

Where: The Hoback Basin is in the northern reaches of the Wyoming Range, 7 miles south of Bondurant. The project would occur entirely on the Bridger-Teton NF in one of its largest roadless areas. This remote refuge provides crucial habitat for sensitive species like lynx, and summer range, birthing areas and migration corridors for big game animals.

Timeline: Development could begin as early as spring of 2009. Scoping comments are due Feb. 7, 2008.

The first round of public meetings on the new expanded Plains Exploration and Production Company (“Plains”) proposal is coming up.
January 28 in Jackson at the Virginian
January 29 at the Library in Pinedale
Hours 4-8

Officially the Forest Service considers the official comments period on the Scope of Work for the new Draft Environmental Impact Statement to commence at 6PM at these meetings. Please go and get on the record. Let them know in no uncertain terms that it was bad enough with 3 wells proposed but the additional 130 means air, water, wildlife and recreational impacts that are by any measure unacceptable. Industrialization of the Hoback Basin is not what people want. Make sure the FS knows that we want “Lease retirement’ and “no approval” to be among the alternatives they evaluate. Tell them that this is simply the wrong place to drill. Tell Plains we do not appreciate their comments that they will not fold up their tent and go home. Tell them that we want the company to retire the leases. Conservation groups will be there with handouts that can help you focus your comments.

A good turn out is very important. Encourage, and bring with you as many people as you can.

Overall, this is the last push. Industry will generally try to get everything they can before the National elections when a different administration will not likely be as sympathetic to the oil and gas companies.

The meeting is on January 28 from 4-6 pm at the Virginian.

If people can’t attend, they can submit comments to the Forest Service by February 7, 2008 via email at
comments-intermtn-bridger-teton@fs.fed.us

or in writing to Greg Clark, District Ranger, Big Piney Ranger District, Box 218, Big Piney, WY 83113.

Learn more about the proposal here.

1st Annual Togwotee Winter Classic a Success!

The best run mountain bike race I have ever been to!

I know a lot of you don’t make it past the first few sentences in these blogs so I want to make sure I get that point across. Dave Byers put more heart and soul into this event than I have ever seen in my thirteen years of traveling to cycling events. Not only was Dave bursting with positive energy as the snow piled up on race day, but every rider received a sweet swag bag, there was a fleet of support snowmobiles, an aid station that was better stocked than my Mom’s house (which is saying a lot), and a kick ass awards party with enough prizes to make any NORBA promoter ashamed. But before the party we had to suffer… just a little.

Dave was able to keep every detail of the race under his control except Mother Nature. What can you do? Complain about a really snowy winter? If you read my last blog you know the answer to that! So needless to say the conditions were not ideal. I’d say we got 4-6″ over night before race day. Which really is not a big deal for the old Surly Endomorph tire. The problem is the snowmobiles. Have you ever bribed your way onto a snowy late night groomer ride with a bottle of whiskey only to find out skiing on a freshly groomed run is kind of mushy? No, well you should, those groomers are bored and thirsty. That’s what the conditions were like. Kinda mushy. Most of the 25 miles was spent searching for the magical un-snowmobiled edges like a hopeless breakaway who thinks riding in the gutter on the Champs Elysees will keep Thor away. Let’s just say sometimes the gutter was out friend and sometimes it wasn’t. For the most part though the course was ridable with a certain degree of Zen like focus. It’s funny, usually if I go ride for over 6 hours my under seat bag of thoughts is stuffed full. But all I can pull out of my mental archives from yesterday is, “hold your line, hold your line, don’t lean to the right, shit I looked to the right, go left, go left, easy, a little more weight on the left butt cheek, watch out for the ‘bile track coming up, pedal smooth, don’t cross the track too quickly, damn I slid out.”

So you might be thinking now that I had a long frustrating day. Definitely not! I truly had a blast. Like snowboarding on a powder day and choking on face shots kind of blast? No. But a good time non the less. Sometimes we hauled ass at 14 mph and sometimes we picked through churned up snowmobile slop at 2mph. But, that type of riding does it for me and I know that it’s not for everyone. But, if you like to spend an afternoon focusing on your balance and the smoothness of your pedal stroke only to be rewarded with a Togwotee Grizzly Burger and pitchers of beer with good friends you too would have had a good time.

Looking forward to the 2nd Annual Dave!
Race Results

Know what you’re saying when talking about Snowbikes!

I seem to be having the same conversation over and over again. It starts somewhat like this, “Cool, is that one of those snowbikes?”. All right, I think, this guy gets it. But then after I answer all his questions, you know the typical, “How much, how heavy, how fast” list, I get the bomb dropped. “Huh, well I ski in the winter” I hear come out of a face that mixes a look of superiority with more than a hint of pity for the poor cyclist who chose to live in the Rocky Mountains and suffer through the long powder cycles not possibly understanding why every one else is so excited to go skiing when all he wants to do is turn the cranks on his Frankenstein answer to snowy roads and trails. This is where the potential to fall into the category of oh how should I put it, close minded idiot, comes into play.

Here’s the truth of the situation. I moved here to ski. I could care less if I don’t bike one wheel length from November to April. Yeah that’s right, since I was a kid skiing called to me more than its summer “time killing ’til winter comes again” counterpart. So why in the hell do I think snowbiking is cool when it could easily fall into the snow blading category of pass times? Because it is. And I had no idea either until I tried it. In fact, I was right at the front of the “biking is for the summer, skiing is for the winter” class until my good friend Chris E uttered the words that changed my attitude for good, “When the high pressure hits I go Skate Skiing, what do you do?” OH, BUSTED. Ok, I love skiing… but mainly in the backcountry.

So, therefore, sometimes the skiing sucks. Inevitably we get trapped in the high and dry cycle that leaves us with the options of ice, sun crust, or really tracked north facing Styrofoam. Of course when I even start down this road of logic with skeptical guy from above I get slapped with more of the same holier than though attitude that goes something like, “I always have my little spots to get freshies. I never have to ski bad snow.” Sure, I know, this guy has obviously been here longer, skied more lines, found more stashes, never waits in line at the coffee shop, always gets the green light when he’s late, and oh yeah, apparently always has a full day to go hit his “secret stash” that requires skiing four ridge lines back through what… shitty snow.

My reality is, I often only have an hour or two to get some outside time. Sure, my first choice is to ski the Pass, but that’s sometimes just not that sweet. So instead of putting on a funny little beanie and ripping around the track wondering how I could possibly look at my heart rate monitor while skate skiing, I grab the snow bike and bang out a Hagen - Putt Putt like I was on a summer time lunch ride.

And that’s just one example of why snow bikes rule. They are a sweet back country approach vehicle, winter commuter rig, and the best errand running townie I’ve ever had.

Sure we all want to feel like we’re getting the “goods” when we’re in the “cycle”, but sometimes, just maybe, it’s ok to have another winter sport to carry you from cycle to cycle.

Fixies take over Skateboarding

OK, We know bikes are trend setting and here is the latest proof! Just push baby! warning: this video uses some adult language. If you can’t handle it - grow up and start acting like an adult.

Politicians aren’t all Bad

Wednesday January 9th - the big day! The day I take office as a City Councilman in Victor, ID. Hopefully I can help dilute some of the toxic feelings our country has about politicians these days. Our current National leaders have removed morals and intelligence from US government like they were simply changing a cookie recipe. “Yeah, I know it calls for cinnamon and congressional approval, but I’m just not going to put that in this time. How bout a little coriander and warmongering instead?” It’s like taking the synth track out of Rio and throwing an 80′s party hoping the guy dressed like Simon LeBon won’t notcie. Yeah he’s going to notice, and he’s pissed. Better grab your Rubik’s cube and hit the bricks cause he’s going to beat you with it.

OK, anyway, I decided to take office instead of throwing Rubik’s cubes around. Even though that’s the best use for them! And wouldn’t you know that the day before I take office I receive a reply to an email I sent to Senator Barasso of Wyoming. I thanked him for his help with the funding of a pathway project in Jackson that will connect town with Teton Park. Here’s his response:

Dear Scott,

Thank you for contacting me about the Jackson Pathway Project. It is good to hear from you.

I am pleased to see that the Jackson Pathway Project received $1 million for the construction of the multi-use pathway along U.S. Highway 89. After visiting the area and seeing the communities support, I took the issue up with Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne to convey my desire to provide funding for this project.

You may also be interested to know that I was successful in securing an additional $1.75 million for the Grand Teton National Park pathways system. Please know, I will continue to fight for Wyoming transportation projects to enhance the quality of life and provide healthy options for public land access.

Thank you again for taking the time write to me. I appreciate hearing your thoughts on these issues.

United States Senator John Barrasso, M.D.

OK, that’s cool. So what if it’s a form letter. For one maybe it’s not and that would rule. And for another isn’t it great that a Senator actually has a form letter about thanking him for his pathway projects and not just one that denies he frequents stall number 3 at the world’s largest truck stop. Get my drift?

I really didn’t intend to rant this much but I got fired up, or warmed up. So what’s my point? Who knows, come buy a bike from us.

Never a Ski Shop

Yeah that’s our Winter slogan all right. But that doesn’t mean we don’t want you to be warm when you’re doing whatever you do in the Winter outdoors. So, we’ve stocked the shop with all the best winter clothing from IBEX. If you’re unfamiliar, IBEX is a great little wool company out of Vermont. They make great clothing and keep in line with our mission statement. So, if you’re looking for baselayers from lightweight to heavy, winter hats, balaclavas, glove liners, and Jackets we have a great selection. Take a tour if you like:

Women’s Woolie Zip T-Neck

Men’s Woolie Zip T-Neck

Women’s Skyline Jersey

Men’s Pico Zip-T

Women’s Zepher T-Neck

Dash Hybrid Jacket

Top Knot Hat

Skimmer Skull Cap

Ute Hat

If you know you know. If you don’t, find out.