Merry Christmas

I just want to wish everyone a wonderful Holiday from Eldora, Colorado.

Snow Bombing

I am not sure what the really name for it is, but Kimo and I call it snow bombing. It comes out of nowhere, scares him to death and gives you an instant brain freeze. It turns out to be another one of those hidden winter time dangers after a really heavy snow fall. You walk along a path and as the sun warms the pine boughs, they drop their loads of snow on unsuspecting victims. After hearing a few go off and having some drop on his head, Kimo decided he did not want to venture away from the road where he could see the clearing.

New Snow

Well, the front range of Colorado got what they call dumped on, with as much as two feet of fresh snow yesterday. I could not get the old Honda out of the Goulet driveway so I had to borrow their Subaru to try and get some fresh tracks. Luckily the main roads were plowed so I could still get to the slopes. Too bad all that snow just came to mess up traffic since up in the mountains where the ski areas are there was only four or five inches. Still a blast to break in the new skis.

Making Friends

I am not sure Kimo knew what to expect when I told him he was gonna make some new friends this week. He walked in the door of my friend in Boulders home and saw Sid with his back arched and hissing. Later he met little sister Sadie, who was really curious about the slightly larger "kitty", it being the same color and all. Kimo is still not sure what to do since the cats are used to an older dog that slept with them so they are trying to rub and cuddle with him. It makes him really nervous but he loves to play chase when they run from one room to another.

Day in the Woods

Got a tip from a local in Nederland, Colorado yesterday. Seems there is a hut at the top of a hike that heads up the backside of the Eldora Ski area. Since the snow in the area is a little light and I did not want to fight the crowds before the holidays, it made a perfect adventure for the day. It is part of the Eldora Nordic Center trail system and is less than 5 miles in the trees above the resorts eastern flank. Threw on the skins, left the dog since he is not allowed on the trail and hoofed it up to a gorgeous overlook of the Colorado Front Range north into Rocky Mountain National Park. The cabin sleeps 14 in true bunkhouse fashion, but since I was only out for the day it was perfect for my lunch break. The trail is very well marked, just follow the snowshoe orange blazes till you get to the sign. A little more snow in the trees and the decent could be perfect.

Sled Dog Training

Took Kimo the wonder dog out to get in shape for his tryout as a led sled dog today. He had to break a little trail of his own since he can not always follow me. The snow around Nederland, Colorado was a little deeper that lower on the front range. He finished the day with a white beard of his own to match mine.

A Walk in the Woods

I took a nice, long walk along a frozen creek today above Boulder, Colorado with my dog. Gorgeous views and very relaxing getting away from the hustle and bustle, except for the look I kept getting from my Kimo. He would march ahead a little ways and look over his shoulder with one of those impatient little kid looks. As if he was saying "Come on you slowpoke old fool. Can't you keep up". All I could muster was a "Hey, the altitude is getting to me."

Woman Speedster

American skiing speed demon Lindsey Vonn does it again as the FIS Women got a chance to race on the Birds Of Prey race course in Beaver Creek . With the women usually racing in Val d'sere this week but there is no snow in Europe, the races got moved to Colorado and Lindsey got a chance to race on her home turf. Looks like the home course advantage helped as she won the Super-G race on Wednesday.

Best Thanksgiving Wishes

Watching the sun rise over a grove of pecan trees and beaming thru the early morning fog, just wanted to wish everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving Day. Take a moment to appreciate all the things that we have and the friends and family we hold dear.

A Foreign Celebrity

Just met one of those celebrity types that I am actually impressed with, Richard Hammond of the BBC's Top Gear television show was in the garage interviewing NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Jimmie Johnson. No idea when the piece will air but can not wait to see how gorgeous that crew of videographers will make NASCAR racing look especially with the color palate available.

World Series 2011

The circus was back in town for a few days. This is the World Series of Baseball circus, but a circus none the less. Three glorious days of post season baseball with the St. Louis Cardinals and the Texas Rangers. The weather was perfect, the crowds were excited and there was even some really good baseball to boot.

Hamilton Crash

I am still amazed at the wild abandon that Josh Hamilton plays the game of baseball. In a series clinching game that the Texas Rangers defeated the Detroit Tigers 15 to 5, he still leaped up at full speed and made a great catch of a pop fly against the left field wall. After making a solid hit on the wall and falling onto the grass still clutching the ball, he ran back to the dugout laughing about the escapade with Craig Gentry.

Publish Post

Texas Rangers win the Pennant

After a long season, a hot summer and lots of home runs, the Texas Rangers win their second American League West Pennant in consecutive years. Congratulations to Ron Washington and the entire team on another great season for 2011.

Not the Big City

While driving back from California got to watch the big lights, not the big city though. A line of thunder showers rolled thru Eastern Arizona just as the sun was setting making beautiful colors in a late summer sky. Lightning stroked down all around and the scene was so beautiful that the fear that comes with most lightning storms did not exist. Just as the sun fell behind the horizon the fireworks really started giving a gorgeous scene of the prairie and clouds with the lightning.

California Dreaming

   After a long, hot Texas summer I just had to get a little time on the water with a surf board. Threw the toys and the crew in the reliable old Honda and drove west, all the way to the California coast. 

   Looking for some surf with the ulterior motive of finding some cooler weather. Boy did we luck out there. I have not seen high temperatures over 80 degrees since I have been here, traveling from Ventura and a few sessions at Ema Wood and C Street all the way up the coast to Big Sur and San Simeon.

   Spent the past few days kite surfing just below the Hearst Castle and freezing in the 58 degree water. Kind of glad that I have not been surfing since sitting in that cold water would just about kill me. 

   The locals tell me that during the winters the water is in the low 50's. Takes some hardy souls to play along the Central California Coast for sure.

Waves of Summer

It has been way too long since I have been surfing. The strain in the arms as you give that final pull. You feel a push under you that seems so primordial and suddenly you are up and racing down the line trying to get to the lip before it completely dumps and cuts you off, but not too fast. You want to get a little cover up, that view from down the rabbit hole with the whole world exposed.

Every where I look I see those waves. Bends in the concrete of a storm culvert, a roll in a piece of paper. We duplicate them everywhere. Yesterday I saw the foot high stern wake of a passing boat create these perfect rollers along the beach at Lake Grapevine. Perfect curves, long lines, and all less than a foot high but plenty big for mind surfing. If only I was the size of chihuahua I could have a blast.

A Little Baseball

The Texas Rangers made up a rained out game against the Oakland Athletics on Thursday evening. The talk turned from the game at hand to the fan that fell trying to retrieve a foul ball but I am just gonna post pictures of the reason everyone went in the first place and Derek Holland pitched a shut out.