13 Days, 10 States, 3000 Miles

If you don't like America, then you need to leave and go on a road trip.

I am always taken aback at just how IMMENSE this country of ours truly is. Over the course of the last 13 days I left winter, drove through spring and summer, experienced a bit of fall, and was stopped dead by winter again. It baffles the mind. Travelling through the U. S. of A. never ceases to amaze me. Now I know where Eisenhower got his inspiration for the Interstate system. A good friend and myself had the pleasure of journeying to some of the finest mountain biking destinations in the country. Our route was changed at the last minute due to weather, but it worked out for the better. I might add that "finest" is quite subjective, but a day that is spent on a mountain bike is a damn fine day, no matter where you are riding. We started in Vernal, Utah, moved to Fruita/Grand Junction, Colorado, headed east to Wilson Lake, Kansas, moved north to Potter's Pasture, Nebraska, and finished in the Black Hills of South Dakota. I highly suggest that everyone quit their job, go back to college, take out some loans, and then spend your break travelling the country. I might add that it is also important to find a wife that will allow you to do this.

Red Fleet Trail Area

Short-horned lizard of Utah.

Sweet Vernal singletrack.

This is a real dinosaur footprint. And it's a lot older than 6,000 years.

Tell that to James Usher.

This is a fake dinosaur.

The fence of lost bicycles.

Colorado is a bike friendly place.

Fruita's town jester.

4 foot Kansas Gopher snake.

Rolling through "Post Rock" Country.

Kansas is not flat. At least not in Wilson.

Joe and Travis on the Switchgrass singletrack.

Welcome to Potter's Pasture.

My kind of sign.

One of the many chutes at the Pasture.

Potter's Pasture, a religious experience.

Carhenge; Alliance, Nebraska.

Old Ranger Station, Rimrock Trail, South Dakota.

Alas, we can go no further.

Winter Wildlife

Yes, it's still snowing here. A lot.

But the Elk don't seem to mind. This is a pic from

the cabin at 6:50 this morning. There's about 40

Elk in the picture and I'm betting 40 more you can't see.

I think this is one of the herds that migrates in and out

of Yellowstone Park. This subspecies is known as the

Rocky Mountain West Elk. It's also referred to as the

"Wapiti".

3 Reasons To Come Home

At 2:00 p.m. tomorrow I will have officially completed another semester at Montana State. No more physics, no more mineralogy, and no more students asking me, "so how old are you?".

To celebrate I will be traveling back to Kansas City. I miss my Boulevard Ales dearly, as well as my family and friends. In order to make the return trip more pleasant, I will be stopping to mountain bike in four spots along the way. Custer, South Dakota; Chadron & Brady Nebraska; Wilson Lake, Kansas. See everyone in about 10 days.