Dang Wabbit!! (Darn Rabbit!!) Ears Pass

This is our December snowmobile and snowboard trip. It is a road trip, we will drive about 2400 miles,west to the Colorado and Wyoming mountains. We like to drive overnight, Sleep in the truck on the way out. On this trip we left Sunday at 1:00 PM, and we were snowboarding Monday afternoon at 1:00 PM, 1150 miles later.Rabbit Ears Pass. Shot from a moving truck.
If you look to the extreme left of the ears (two tall rocks), there is an opening in the trees. that is where I launched my 800 RMK off a 50 foot cliff in the spring of 2005. In mid air I realized the landing was going to be a huge pine tree. I bailed at the last second and rolled down the mountain, the snowmobile impaled the tree, to the tune of $3000 damage. I was able to ride it back to the truck that day and it was a lessen learned. Don't go full throttle up over an unfamiliar ridge. Weez and I rode out to the Rabbit Ears last spring.

The view out the truck window after I poked my head out of my sleeping bag, we had driven 960 miles, pulled over at 3:30 AM. Slept for 3 hours, it was about 7 degrees outside.

A great day in the Mountains!! Good Times!!

Up top Buff Pass.

Heading out on Sunday / Sledboard Rack Polaris Mountain Sleds

We are taking off in about 2 hours. As soon as I finish this, we pack the truck & trailer & hit the road. We will leave Minneapolis about 12 noon Sunday & be snowboarding in Steamboat by 12 noon on Monday, about 1200 miles. The catch is we are heading right into the storm that just dumped in Colorado. I'm sure we will be locked in 4-wheel drive several miles this trip, good times! It will be a sleeping in the truck night I am sure. Sledding & boarding the next 4-5 days! Should be fresh powder in Colorado.

Gettin crazy on a 2 degree slope doin da heel grab, Ya!!

Can't wipe that happy smile off dat face.

It just puts me in the mood to drive 1100 miles to hunt for the deep white stuff.

Snowboard rack on 08 RMK 155"

Snowboard / Shovel rack on 05 RMK 159"

Using the 4-wheeler gun racks to carry our snowboards. Clamp them on bumper and drill 2 holes into bumper and tap a screw through mount and bumper. It keeps rack from turning on the bumper. I've used this system for 2 years. It's light and simple. The gear bag on the back is a motorcycle tank bag. It works well cause it has a clear map holder on top. I can carry a 1 person tent (2 lb. 12 oz.) in it , for emergences.

Let the Powder Games Begin, eh

Got out to the slopes today, doing some boarding and ski patrolling. Got my new Burton boots set up with my bindings . While hanging out in the patrol room a few of the elder patrol chit chat about past winters on the hill. Good times! It's great to be out on the hill. Some day these will be the past winters.

Here's a few pics from the last few days. Gettin crazy on a 2 degree slope doin da heel grab, Ya!!

Can't wipe that happy smile off dat face.

It just puts me in the mood to drive 1100 miles to hunt for the deep white stuff.

Snowboard rack on 08 RMK 155"

Snowboard / Shovel rack on 05 RMK 159"

Using the 4-wheeler gun racks to carry our snowboards. Clamp them on bumper and drill 2 holes into bumper and tap a screw through mount and bumper. It keeps rack from turning on the bumper. I've used this system for 2 years. It's light and simple. The gear bag on the back is a motorcycle tank bag. It works well cause it has a clear map holder on top. I can carry a 1 person tent (2 lb. 12 oz.) in it , for emergencies.

Last Years Adventures Riding into 07-08

A few pictures from last year showing the sled set-up on the 800 RMK & the 600 MT Cat. Check Weez's Burton Fish snowboard, I've got my new Burton Malolo that just rocked last spring also. Going to be setting the 700 RMK up this week(snowboard racks).

Our garage on wheels, Floe 14 ft. double axle enclosed trailer, I'm liking the mountains framed in the background. Northern Colorado.

Kicking off the Winter Season 07-08

Got the first 2 days on the snow under my belt. Ski Patrol this past Wed. & Thur.. Worked with new ski patrol candidates. Great to be on the hill. All the snow was machine made, but it works out fine. The new candidates need 2 months of on-the-hill training, so it will keep me busy working with that program.

Big storm on the way this week-end,6-10 inches of snow. We'll see, maybe some good snowboarding this next week.

The other part, 2 weeks of vacation, starting today. I'll be in the mountains with-in the next week. There is work to do on the snowmobiles, mount up a second snowboard rack on the 700 RMK. And gear both sleds up for the backcountry. I want to post some pictures this week on the snowmobile set up and our gear.

A Trip From The Past: MT. HOOD, OREGON (summer of 2006)

Gunnar.

Weez

Glacier, Weez, Gunnar

Gunnar checking for crevasses. This was a great trip, hiking up Mt. Hood in the morning with Gunnar the dog. Snowboarding down. Grabbing lunch, then mountain biking or 4-wheeling in the afternoon and evening. This trip was in the month of August, 2006.

Yours Truly

A little snack before the snowboard back down after the hike up.

Turkey Day

I did the turkey trot in the morning, about 2 hours. On the mountain bike, at the Lebenon trails. It was great outside, 20 degrees and snowing. Riding with Jeff and trying to keep Jeff in site on the trails. One of the times he waited up for me, he said," you better be riding as fast as you can, I think we could bring granny along next year to ride with ya". What exactly do you think he meant by that?

It used to be the Thanksgiving day pheasant hunt, but we can get out and back earlier on a bike ride. There's alot less shooting on a bike ride. If we see a pheasant on the ride we just scare him, kind'a like when Jeff shoots at him come to think about it. Actually I have seen him hit one before.

Later in the day I got to see new grandson, Max. Chad came into town with his gang, 3 boys at last count.

Lastly, it's snowing out west in Colorado and Montana. Two weeks till I blast out there with the sleds and snowboards. Somehow I've still got 2 week of vacation left before the 1st of the year. Powder, YA!! Been jumping up & down and doing plyometrics. Thats for the big mountain boarding. Also working on lifting 100 lb barbells. To get used to lifting the back-end of the sleds when we get them stuck in all that great POWDER SNOW.