where the week went

It all started with fresh snow in the Park. Five weeks have come and gone faster than I would've liked. With it's passing so wraps up the Winter Ecology/tele-ski class we were teaching. The Park left us with some crazy wheel art on our short bus.

This bus would do well in Mad Max 

All week was waiting for more to come though. Many boxes were to arrive with my name on them filled with bits and pieces for True Grit also coming quick in March. FM coordinator-extraordinaire Christopher back in ATL was super quick with placing my tire order and Maxxis was super quick shipping 'em out. I'm not sure what SW Utah is like in mid-march (hopefully 70 and sunny) so I'll be repping more of the southeast with pro-white Swiftwick arm warmers.

Swiftwick may have over compensated with the box and huge-ass sticker

 It was like Christmas here this week. On Friday the latest in skull security arrived, complete with checker pattern and nifty magnet closure that I can't for the life of me figure out.

TSE battle axe and the perfect combination of form and function in headwear

But before I could test it out I had the luxury of filling said skull with a new list of wants at this years incarnation of NAHBS. It was a brief browse, as it should've been before I got any silly ideas, but well worth the drive. Before I strolled into the convention center, an old AT friend met me for lunch, with a side order of catch-up and a healthy sprinkling of future hang-out potential. The seed for an '04 thru-hiker 10yr reunion was also planted. Can't believe it's almost been ten years...

Back to bikes. Here are some highlights. Fellow FMer Jonathan has plenty more here.

don't know who made this, just know it will be now be a regular fixture in my dreams 

Ellis Cycles nailing the go-wherever-the-hell-you-want category

totally forget who made this too, I love the custom frame bags and integrated rack

crazy seat tube cluster with Maverick fork, dropper post and hard plastic saddle?

Alchemy was local when I went to NAHBS in Austin two years ago too. Who's following who?

Mud is the new black. Oskar's Blue's REEB selection lookin' fun

Moot's with their bomber IMBA trail clearing tank

English Cycles were nothing but sleek. this one also looks uncomfotable

another local with amazing lines

and classy details. this beut won Best Ti Construction 

Gangl, straight out of Golden, was geting plenty of gaukers

old school framebuilder in history but never in design 

um, yes please. 

IF goin' all pastel for Easter

Tonight I unloaded the new stickers I collected in Denver and added them to the collection. Not too extensive, but they sure do tell a story. This is two years worth of moving around the country, going to conferences, shows, bike shops, races, and barbecue joints. Nothin' like a little nostalgia to finish out a week.