Another Johnson Win

  Spent another night at Texas Motor Speedway, this time for the Duck Commander 500 Nascar Sprint Cup race. An evening sitting on the roof of a big building getting the view that most people get of a NASCAR race on TV. Kind of cool to see the whole race from above, and I get to turn the camera where I want and not wait for the replay to swing that way. Had a bunch of friends to hang with since the lights are so bright every bug within a days flight seems to be swirling around them. They were trying to get their own view of Jimmie Johnson winning his 5th race at the Texas venue. Not a bad evening at all on a comfortable spring evening, but all the action really made me long for a cold beer.

That is the view, cars going round and round.

Rain held off but made for a really nice evening.

LAte race cautions bring frantic pitstops.

A late restart and Johnson is still leading.

A few of my friends on the roof.

Johnson sparks the fireworks.

The obligatory donuts.

Tiny BMW

     Here in the big state of Texas, everyone loves big luxury sedans. When you look on the streets in the Dallas/Ft. Worth metroplex, by the count BMW sedans are considered some of the best since there are so many around with the big 5 and 7 series out sizing even some of the traditional american luxury boats. Most of those owners don't know that the firm used to build one of the most unusual and tiniest of the subcompacts around. The Little Isetta 300 which was so small it only had one door and it opened forward.
   Dick Coup has restored one and gets a laugh wherever he goes with it. When he climbs out past the steering wheel it is completely understandable. It makes the ultimate clown car, but I doubt that you could fit more than the suggested number of occupants regardless how unusual their costumes are.

The 13 hp one cylinder BMW Isetta 300.

A turnkey to amuse kids, and a number 3 for the adult race fans. 

Dick Coup gets a chuckle from the unusual entry.

Kitesurf Video

  Spending time outside and burning a little energy is always a favorite pass time for me. Usually I am way too impatient to document any of it though, so there is not much in the way in proof of the foolish escapades I seem to get into. Last week, with the first really warm day of spring and just a light breeze on the lake I decided to try out a new extension grip I made for my gopro camera. It still needs a little work on the angels and I need a way to attach it to me while I am not shooting (one handed kite steering is a bit difficult) but overall it works pretty well and gives a neat angle of view. https://vimeo.com/124149000?utm_source=email&utm_medium=clip-transcode_complete-finished-20120100&utm_campaign=7701&email_id=Y2xpcF90cmFuc2NvZGVkfDRkMDE2ZDI5NjFiN2UxZjI2ZmNjNmI4MjVkZjA0YWU3NzAxfDIwNjg0NTl8MTQyODI0OTQ4M3w3NzAx

Fairy Meadows in Canada

 

Tom Lehnt dropping over a wind cornice.

The group hiking across Granite Glacier.

The Heli dropping off supplies.

Climbing past the "Claw".

The Fairy Meadows hut on a moonlit night.

After many years of adventuring into the mountains of the Western United States, I had the feeling I knew about the grandeur of the Rockies. I wanted to get a different perspective and thought that seeing them from a Canadian viewpoint might give me a new appreciation. Oh how wrong I could be. The Canadians see the mountains differently because they are. The mass and sheer size of them breaks horizon like rows of jagged teeth that overlap endlessly for as far as the eye can see. The snow comes in layers and quantities that cover any roughness with pillows that sprout like mushrooms in folds of white.
   After spending a week in a remote winter ski hut in the Selkirks of British Columbia called Fairy Meadows and climbing for every turn I was able to make, I have a completely new appreciation of mountains and what they can mean to the soul. How humans connect with their environment and it changes them. Oh how it changes them.

Return of Winter

Sunset mountain bike ride.

  After a full day of "suffering" thru Snowmage
don in Texas, it really makes me want to jump back a week to a nice evening mountain bike ride at Marion Sansom Park in Ft. Worth. Warm enough for shorts and a gorgeous sunset to boot. I really thought at the time that winter was over. A real surprise to see it come back with such a roar.

Ugg prints in the sleet.

The monkey grass is getting monkeyed with.

Mavs Roundball

It is all about the hair.

  With the football season over, the Dallas area is finally on to cheering for the round ball sports like basketball. The Dallas Mavericks are well into their season, just struggling with injuries as they played the Minnesota Timberwolves, defeating them 100 to 94. Lots of action and all the show that happens between with the Dallas Mavericks Dancers keeps all the fans entertained.

Mavericks Mascot Chance

The dancers start the show

Minnesota's Thaddeus Young fights with Dallas' Richard Jefferson

Dancing in the limelight

Dancing Loud

Dirk Nowitzki gets mugged.

Smiles and cheers

Mavericks Richard Jefferson defends against 'Wolves Andrew Wiggins

Rushing the court

Little Ski Gem

   Gems come in all sorts of colors and styles, even if you are not referring to stones. They can be harder to find but sometimes that is what makes them valuable. Finding the type of destination that fits the criteria, especially for an adventure holiday makes the feeling ever so much more special. Ski Cooper, a tiny ski area virtually on the back side of the mega resorts of Vail, Keystone and Breckenridge is the jewel on the crown of those in the know. A mix of terrain in the shadow of the Chicago Ridge and without a snow cannon in sight. It is located just down the road from Leadville, Colorado, the highest town in the United States. The wooden structures bring back an era of wooden chalets in the mountains without a mega-mansion or resort hotel in sight.  With the friendliest rental crews and lift operators that will carry on conversations with you over multiple laps, you feel like a local on the first visit. Catch it on a day of fresh snow and the grin on your face at the bottom Nightmare may never come off again. And isn't fun the name of the ski game anyway.

Looking for lines on your next lap.

The classic wooden lodge.

Ripping fresh lines under the 10th Mountain Chair.

Watching the hardy get ready for another assault.

End of Another Year

   As another year blends into darkness, I thought I would post a picture of a recent sunset. They make a great closer for a story, photo sequence or any good tale but for me they are openers as well. After I see one, especially a really memorable one, I can not wait to see the next one in hopes of it surpassing anything that went before. I saw this one on the way back from the mountains recently and the timing was perfect as I saw a windmill next to the road. Best memories of the year that is drawing to a close and I wait with poorly concealed excitement for what the new one has in store.

Lone Windmill and tree in the Texas Panhandle.

Late Season

  Living in Texas you soon realize that the seasons that are equated with certain months of the year do not always coincide with what you experience in this state. Spring comes really early, like January, and summer can last well into October, when other states have a few feet of snow. Yesterday I found the last few brightly colored leaves that were just changing from green to red, on the 15th of December no less. Just in time to beat the first day of winter. I bet they are still hanging on the tree when the really cold days of winter get here. Just have to hope the change over to spring happens early this year though.

The last colors of Fall.

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Ligety Does it Again

  An absolutely beautiful day for ski racing at Beaver Creek and the Birds of Prey race course. The final  race of the 2014 FIS week in Colorado is the Ted Ligety specialty of Giant Slalom. After the first run he was fourth fastest but with a blistering second run he overtook the rest of the field for another dominating victory at the most prestigious ski races on the North American continent. That guy sure can turn a pair of skis.

Ted Ligety during his first of two runs. 

Rubie Brennan of the United States on course.

Manual Pleisch of Switzerland cuts it close on a gate.

Super Austrian

For the Super-G races on the Birds of Prey course the Norwegian Kjetil Jansarud was fast again but Austrian Hannes Reichelt was faster. With an extremely difficult course set, lots of DNF's, a few hard crashes, the podium finishers were glad to survive. Wonder if this is what they have to look forward to at the World Championships on the same course in February?

Hannes Reichelt of Austria celebrates.

Kjetil Jansrud on course.

Didier Defago of Switzerland is disappointed in his final "Bird" race.

American ski fans were in full force.

Russian skier Alexander Glebov celebrates finishing in the points.

Kjetil Kills It

Travis Ganong crosses the finish line.

 Norwegians are at the top of the Birds of Prey Downhill again, but this time it is Kjetil Jansrud, not Aksel Lund Swindal who is out for the season with a knee injury. Those scandinavians just seem to have a knack for the speed on skis.

The Beaver Creek area reflected in a fan's goggles.

Kjetil Jansrud with the bouquet.

Manuel OSborne-Paradis airs over the Redtail jump.

Birds Of Prey

  It is December and the FIS World Cup Sk Racers are back in Beaver Creek, and this year it is advance of the World Championships to be held in February at the same course. Course is changed just slightly for this year, in an attempt to make the crazy lads go even faster with four fewer gates. With unusually warm weather it makes for a wonderful day on the slopes.

Guillermo Fayed of France flies over the Redtail Jump.

Kjetil Jansrud of Norway makes his way down the course.

Christof Innerhoffer of Italy clears the gate at Redtail.

Marcel Hirscher of Austria comes in for a landing.