Snowbiking is Super Sweet and yes… you are cool enough.

Introducing the Fitzgerald’s Bike To School Ambassador

Go By Bike - School Challenge: Final Results

We have a winner! Friends of Pathways congratulates Elijah Weenig, 2nd-grader at Jackson Elementary School, and the first “Fitzgerald’s Bike to School Ambassador” who earns the title for the rest of this school year and coming summer. In winning the Go By Bike – School Challenge Grand Prize, Elijah earns a new bike ($500 credit), one year of free tune ups, and a $200 gear credit all from Fitzgerald’s Bicycles!

We would like to thank all of the students, staff, and faculty who participated this fall, and all of the parents who supported the tremendous commitment of these incredible kids. Through their efforts, 50 participants logged more than $3,500 miles by walking, riding, rolling, or skiing to 7 different Teton County schools and other activities and events over the fall. Here are the top finishers for the first semester of the School Challenge:

Most Miles

1st place: Elijah Weenig, 2nd grade Grand Prize Winner
2nd place: Cole Prevost, 7th grade $100 Gift Certificate to Fitzgerald’s Bicycles
3rd place: Hailey Patno, 7th grade $50 Gift Certificate to Hoback Sports
Most Trips

1st place: Cole Prevost, 7th grade $100 Gift Certificate to Fitzgerald’s Bicycles
2nd place: Grant Hagen, Kindergarten $75 Gift Certificate to Hoback Sports
3rd place: Emma Kai Springett, 5th grade $50 Gift Certificate to Wilson Backcountry Sports
Top Staff / Faculty Scores

Walt Berling 654 miles, and 41 trips logged
Andy Weenig 647 miles, and 120 trips logged

One More…

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Thanksgiving day memories…

Sorry the small bit of vulgar language… but it’s worth it!

Don’t worry about the skiing - Darby Canyon is riding awesome!

Jannine and I went out for an hour and a half ride today up Darby Canyon just south of Driggs, ID.

Turn right before the Spud drive - in and head toward the Tetons. Darby Canyon is the Southern entrance to the Aspen Trail. We parked at the bottom of the Canyon and rode almost 5 miles to the Wilderness trail head for the Wind Cave hike.

J9 - So hot right now. The 16″ Surly Pugsley rental bike is not too bad either…

How were the conditions? Does perfect sum it up for you? Since the snow depths are still pretty shallow, trucks are still driving up the canyon along with snowmobiles so the pack is incredible! Add some cold/warm cycles to the equation and you get the primo conditions we rode today. Probably beyond a regular Mt Bike’s abilities, but our Pugsley ruled it! We didn’t even need to run super low pressure to cruise like it was dirt.

If you snowbike, this photo gets you stoked:

Mesa Falls Road is ready for the Fat Bikes

On December 6th I rode from the Warm Springs Camp Ground (just East of Ashton, ID) with Dave, Michelle, Jay, and Tracey. The snow was just deep enough on the rail trail leaving the parking lot to justify having the snow bikes (3 Surly Pugsley’s, 1 Fat Back, 1 9:Zero:7). It was fun to work the horse hoof potholes and keep the forward momentum with some Zen like focus. By the time we got to the Mesa Falls road I was glad to feel some smooth snowmobile trail under the 4″ wide Endomorph tires. The riding all the way to Mesa Falls was buff, and fast! Dave and Jay rode all the way to Harriman State Park on 47 while me and the girls headed back from the falls. The 8 mile round trip from car to Falls was plenty for me as I had not pedaled a bike since floating the Grand Canyon for 3 weeks (getting smoked at the Rexburg Cross race doesn’t count).

The 4 inches of Fat Bike suspension was earning its keep!

What would be a rail trail without a sweet Tunnel!

Jay Petervary was breaking in his new Titanium 9:Zero 7 from Chain Reaction Cycles in Anchorage, AK.

The Falls are cool in the Summer and EPIC in the Winter. I hear they even offer free hot chocolate in the Visitors Center on Saturdays once the “season” really kicks in. This is a great place to get in a quick ride to a beautiful overlook, or to grab an all day epic if you want.

Snow Biking up Cache Creek is on!

In the past few weeks I’ve ridden Cache Sidewalk, Putt - Putt, and Hagen on my Surly Pugsley Snowbike. The walkers, skiers, and bikers have kept the trails well packed down and the lack of heavy snow means that you can even drift off trail and not immediately eat it. I would have to say that the snow biking conditions in Cache Creek are almost as good as it gets. Of course a specific Snowbike like the Pugsley is ideal, but I hear that people are still riding their regular Mt Bikes with studded tires and doing pretty ok. I went out with Chris E last week for a Sidewalk / Hagen loop and he shot a bunch of video. Hopefully he can figure out the wonders of video editing and get me some footage soon!

posted 12/19/09