July 2026 (miles 1257-1521)
264 miles in a single month. July was an absolute monster. Kylie and I spent the 4th of July weekend at the racetrack. I volunteered to do corner working with her on Saturday, then went racing on Sunday. I think the highlight for her was the hotel pool. 14 hours outside in 100 degree heat will make you appreciate a pool.
The big adventure was the Wildflower Festival at Crested Butte. Day one was a short, lol, 12 mile / 5.5hr hike up to some lakes behind the Maroon Bells. The girls spent day two in the town of Crested Butte drinking teas, playing cards, enjoying the scenery… while I enjoyed the lift access downhill MTB trails. Day three was a travel day, but we stopped at the foot of Mt Princeton for a picnic and a paddleboard.
The month was bookended by another racing adventure. This time I took Danielle up to Rangely to volunteer as finish line time keeping for ARA Rally Colorado. Danielle and I camped, in 100+ degree heat, but we were well fed and had an amazing time. Returning home on our last leg of energy and more than a little sleep deprived. Perfect metaphor for July as a whole.
June 2026 (miles 1030-1256)
June was an absolute adventure. Got dressed up all formal to attend our friends’ wedding. Dipped my toes back into downhill mountain bike racing. I rode a whole lot of miles, with big sends. However, still remembered to get out and play a round of frisbee golf here and there. All of this made for a really busy month. Feels good to have the whole family together for what could very well be the last summer to do so.
This year, Kylie is moving out of the dorms, and out on her own renting a townhome with a couple friends. Life comes at you fast. This lease is year-round starting in August. I sit here fully aware that next year, she may choose to stay up in Fort Collins. School turns to career, life, etc… this could be the last summer. Better get back to making it count.
May 2026 (miles 808-1029)
Build, Race, Ride, Repeat. This is the fastest I’ve crossed 1,000 miles. I’m not so much riding more, as in longer, or more often, but I am getting markedly faster and covering many more miles. One of my favorite loops leaves the house, crosses the Interstate to UCCS, and back in just about an hour. I am also lapping Blodgett for downhill runs in under 2 hours out and back.
Our gym added Body Pump Heavy to the class routines. That is paying out well. I am losing weight and getting considerably stronger. This month I have set a few PRs on the bikes as well as a KOM. Strength is helpful off the bike too. Unpacking Kylie from the dorms saw me carry her things to the wagon racking up twelve miles as pack donkey. Great to have the family back home and feeling good.
April 2026 (miles 584-807)
I’m literally riding the tires, brake pads, and chains off all my bikes. The absence of any meaningful weather makes it easy to get out there. 223 miles in April is wild when the bikes are falling apart underneath you. Beyond how hard it is to seat and mount tubeless bikes tires with a pump… have you seen MTB tire prices recently? They’ve become car tire expensive. Except I have purchased car tires for less money.
Kylie had her dance recital for Rams In Motion at CSU. We made that our Spring family weekend at the University. Got to hike Horsetooth Reservoir, play cards, get some good eats, but the highlight was the Cat Cafe. If you’re thinking about it, or even just reading this, you have to go. Just hang out with all the cats, have an amazing time, watch the stress melt.
March 2026 (miles 368-583)
215 miles in March! Which is wild with everything going on. I have an engine in pieces in my garage. A garage I am also upgrading to hold more tools, lights, and mount a TV for Mr. YouTube Mechanic to follow along… because I have no idea what I’m doing. Work, family, and the state of the world, it’s all a bit overwhelming.
Thankfully, I have made space for riding and the gym. The life preserver keeping my head above water. I also made a conscious change to cycle through all the bikes in my fleet. You develop a neuroplasticity when you ride a freeride, long travel hardtail, a short slung and short travel slopestyle rig, a tall long travel enduro rig, and a vintage burly freeride rig. Constantly adapting to how different everything rides. Sharpening those instincts and getting better across all platforms. Or at least that’s the idea.
February 2026 (miles 155-367)
Perhaps the first winter in Colorado without a winter. I am getting summer miles in, 213 to be exact. This never happens. Lived here since 97’ and this is just wild. The warm weather has allowed me to get my head around the new slopestyle bike. I replaced the XC bike with this and they could not be more different. This bike is tiny, like a trail sized BMX bike. However, I’ve never ridden a better handling bike, and it just invites you to do stupid things. Big drops, big jumps, flat out corners, this bike doesn’t care. Bends your personal limits til it takes a piece of you. So far just a chunk of my shin but damn this bike is fun.
January 2026 (miles 0-154)
This has probably long transitioned from a challenge to a way of life if I am being honest. The key is changing your mindset to just doing something every single day. Even if you’re not feeling it, at all. Just walk the block, do something. When you shift that, it gets easier and turns into just who you are. Which is great, cause that attitude is contagious. It has spread to my discipline with learning and practicing German. Jedes tag lerne ich Deutsch.
This winter is weird. There are sprinkles of snow in there, but it is crazy warm and dry. Spent a lot of the month riding in shorts. Fun little secret, the best riding is out there when nature gives your favorite trail a little drift sauce. Usually nobody else dares to ride, so you have the trail to yourself, and you get some sweet drifts too.