Catch Me If You Can

It has been a long time……over 2 years since I posted. Why come back to this platform? I’ve been wanting to write, podcast, youtube…….you know….all the things. I need to get things documented just to keep memories straight in my busy little brain.

To keep it brief….my son and I had an awesome summer ’20 adventure, and in the middle of it I matched up online with an amazing woman who, after living with her Fall ’20 and teaching remotely from her front room, gave me the impetus to quit my teaching career, sell my house, and relocate to Moab. I’m now full(ish) time with Nuke Sunrise and it’s growing at a rate I’m comfortable with. I also started guiding for Rim Tours as my girlfriend has been the queen bee there for over 30 years. Guiding was an easy choice as teaching is a form of customer service, I’ve got gobs of years of mountain bike experience, and my military years make the logistics of everything quite easy. Things like packing a truck for 15 people, shopping with a giant shopping list, constantly doing something that needs to be done without asking and not really worrying about whether or not you’re doing it with proper timing or position or whatever, isn’t a tough move for me. Just getting whatever going…..moving things forward so the work is easier later. I really enjoy it. Being outdoors is as much refreshing as it is challenging. Clients are always interesting….even the ones who are reserved and seem boring at first. There’s always a story in there somewhere.

After finalizing my move to Moab June of ’21, I worked a North Rim Grand Canyon trip out of a van and trailer. The work was ridiculously hard for me as I had been fairly sedentary for a couple of months (relatively speaking) due to packing, moving, and travel. Getting water jugs, the large Camp Chef stove, gargantuan griddle, and over-stuffed luggage out of a trailer is a pain in the ass. I tweaked my back so many times I lost count. I was pretty much crippled for about a week after that. Into the fall I started some day guiding. Small groups where bikes can be loaded on a Velocirax, I enjoyed. Large groups where bikes were loaded onto a roof, and again, my back had difficulties managing the loads. I did a family-ish trip into the Maze with a support truck and that seemed more appealing. Everything right there on the truck, easier to access. I didn’t really have to work that trip, but it filled me in on the system.

Winter came and I wanted to be in ski shape and be stronger for lifting bikes and stuff, so I hit the gym. I was probably a bit conservative and didn’t go enough, but I felt like I was getting stronger. I unsuccessfully tried to do more yoga, but only did short 5 to 10 minute sessions at the end of my weight lifting session. I did my best with my background knowledge of resistance training and was happy with my time spent in the gym. It was less than what I wanted, but I’m beyond the point of killing myself to get more workouts in and stuff like that.

Spring ’22 rolled up on me like a locomotive without a train. I picked up day tours when Rim needed guides and I found two employees to help on Thursdays and Fridays in the sweatshop basement that is Nuclear Sunrise Stitchworks. A cylinder head machine, programmable bar tacker, and another Juki 1541s were purchaced and they’ve been getting plenty of use. Seeing that a regular schedule can be more productive due to improved planning and predictability, I made myself available for M, T, and W day tours and one multi-day trip a month. Most afternoons and all day Thursday and Friday I’m in the sweat shop with the boys. This May I’m scheduled for two multi-day trips….a Kokopelli support trip and another North Rim trailer trip which I’m not too stoked on. And….since I just finished my first White Rim trip the first week of May, I guess I’m doing 3 multi-day trips this month.

Speaking of first North Rim trip, I did 4 days with Dave Bagley and I had the time of my life. It was so good, I’ll do a separate write-up on it.

So……to wrap it up. I’m in Moab!!! I’m crazy in love with a Moab rockstar. I ride rad trails whenever I want/can…..trying to ride everyday but we all know how that goes. I’m learning new stuff, making new friends (they seem like old friends), I’m a voting member of Trail Mix, and I’m listening to more music. I ride a big boy Moab bike now and like to send it. My kiddo just turned 12 and he likes to send it too. I’m only about a 4 hour drive from visiting him….way better than 14 hours. I’m looking forward to getting more words on this platform and hope to have a podcast going soon. I hope you’ll tune in. If you’re reading this, I’m guessing you probably will.