Paranormal Biking

One of the advantages of getting on the trail early in the year is that there is nobody else there. Occasionally you will see another human and think to yourself "what are they doing on my trail?". A misrepresented piece of  entitlement I enjoy quite often. The disadvantage of getting out early in the year is that there is nobody else there. What the what?

I am not one to be afraid of the dark and sometimes I can be found riding a mountain trail in the dark, sometimes not properly prepared with adequate lighting. I keep a 300 lumen light always packed on my bike but sometimes the battery is low and then it is no longer 300. If I know I will be in the dark then I will pack 3000 lumen or more. A trail out in the sticks can be dark and disabling. I have always found my way out but at times I have had some close calls. Riding and hiking in cliffed areas and poorly marked trails have lead me on many occasions into dark forested areas because I accidentally followed a game trail instead of the trail I was supposed to be on. Then you get that feeling that you are being watched by something in the dark shadows. You probably are being watched.

I love this area. Someone has always got a good Bigfoot story. Here is a couple of sightings caught on film in nearby canyons. You be the judge:

American Fork Canyon

Provo Canyon

Artist rendition

Famous Photo

One of the legends from the Escalante expedition come directly from the cross that I ride by all the time. I it said that Escalante built the cross to ward off demon wolves that he claimed were following him and his party. This story always reminds me of a hike I did with my niece and nephew. I told them the story of "Bigjaw", clearly Bigfoot's brother. They kept wandering off until I told the story and then they stayed real close. Seems like a good motivator to me. 

This is the place where I do a lot of biking. It is close to my house and it is a great trail.

I have never seen a Bigfoot or a demon wolf but I have seen large stacks of bear bones in this area. I asked around to see if someone might have an opinion of how that happens and  the best answer I heard was that a big cougar lives up here. This canyon used to be and still is somewhat a place for game herd passage. I see herds all the time up here. Ten years ago we had a drought and some bears came through this way to get to the corn fields for some winter fattening.  

Spanish Fork Mountain Bike Trail 2016

I thought I would take a gander at the SFMBT (Spanish Fork Mountain Bike Trail) to see if the snow was off of it. Unless we have another storm I think we are good to go. A few patches of snow here and there but clear for the most part. I am very impressed with how well the trail drains. I don't know if that is the nature of the mountain or if it was made that way but Kudos to God and the other creators of the trail. I would say to stay away from the heavy rains. Happy trails.

Treasure Tour

One of the greatest things about touring is all the neat things you can find while you are on tour. So, I thought I would share some of the tour treasures I have found. Not counting one million bungee cords (exaggerated), one hundred thousand sunglasses (again exaggerated), and a billion (maybe not) tools found while on tour. After that there is

5th Water Hot Springs:

After a long ride it is hard to beat this most precious jewel. Many hot springs are on private land and have been turn into money making spas. Not this one. This is maintained by people who just want to enjoy natures treat. You can see where people have come up the mountain to improve on it. 

Keep in mind this is the kind of treasure that people can ruin easily. Lots of people know about this place and yet it still exists. I hate to be pessimistic but I think it is only a matter of time before this is extremely regulated. 

(Strawberry Loop (hot spring is in video 2) Click)  

Indigenous American mortar and pestle. Found in the surf at Parson's Landing, Catalina Island, California. In my research I have not found one like it. I tried to mimic how it may have been used and as I put it on my side to simulate it's use, I found it to be amazingly and ergonomically comfortable. Possibly used to crush acorns.

After much internet research to get an approximate dating on it I found some very differing opinions of 3000 to 10,000 years old. Maybe someone will look at this and give me even more differing opinions. 

(Tanner Greenwood gets credit for the find)

I will only take partial credit for this find because as we were touring the island and made a camp at Parson's landing. We set camp and were walking the shore picking up strange shells and rocks. He then pick up this rock and says "Dad look at this one it has a weird dent in it." Luckily I had some interest in archeology in college and I have been on some digs. My jaw dropped. I said "Tanner, do you know what that is?" I then began to show him what it was. I never believed in luck until Tanner was born. He is the most happy go lucky person I have ever met in my life. Great tour!

(Catalina Island Tour Click)

The "Sun Face" as it is called by the locals:

In an area where petroglyphs are plentiful there is this. The "Sun Face" is in no way indicative of the common indigenous characters found on rocks and cliffs in this area. Discovered by the pioneers of the early Utah territory along with christian symbols it is thought to be carved by the early Spaniards who pioneered this area long before the Mormons arrived. There is evidence still of their search for gold near the "Sun Face". Old Spanish mines can still be found in these areas. The location of this was given to me by a local treasure hunter who says he knows the location of many Spanish symbols but would not tell me where they are. I took a group on a bike tour of this area and took them here.

(Guided Bicycle Tour Click)

Raw gyms:

Agates

Jade

No location given (sorry)


A Million Sunsets (it's a round number):

Peaceful mornings:

Etc.....

To be continued....

Return to Green River: Kayak

I thought I would mix it up a little. It is not to long from now that all you northerners will get the renewing of the snow melt. The sun is already bringing 50 plus degree days here is central Utah. Green is coming through and the flowers are about to take a peek at the sun. What a marvelous  reminder of the coming of a new day. All things are new to be lead forth by good hearts and bring peace to yourself and those around you: make it good, make it count, make it forever.

I will be looking for some new and adventurous trails this year and I love to follow a river. There is something about the sound of water that relaxes me. A river usually offers good terrain and essentially easy access to water and fishing.

So I had a thought from the past that brings me to the Green River. A fews years ago I did a rafting trip on the Green and I remembered a hiking trail that followed the river. Not a very big trail but good enough for an amazing bikehike/fishing trip. So I did some research to see if there were some restrictions on the trail and this is what I found:

The Little Hole National Recreation Trail follows the north side of the Green River between Flaming Gorge Dam and Little Hole seven miles down-stream. Hiking and fishing access are the major attractions. Camping, fires, and horse use are NOT allowed on this section and mountain biking is NOT allowed Memorial Day to Labor Day weekends.

(BLM site click)

This sounds like a post Labor Day fall trip to me. In the mean time there is more scouting and research to do. I think this merits a kayaking trip.

 A few years ago we launched at the Flaming Gorge dam and then spent the night on the river bank for a serine camping experience. It was a great trip full of rapids, fishing, and tons of good clean fun. Some of the group were pretty young and some will get the chance to return again to soak in the beauty of the river, however this time on Kayaks.

2012 Rafting Trip 

Canoe vs Raft

Kayaking trip video to come in June.

Power storage: Christmas?

Just eyeballing this product

$18.99 with free shipping (Amazon click)

• 1.Dual USB Power Bank 4x 18650 Battery Charger Box for smartphone pc laptop ipad
• 2.Take a power bank with you, no worry about mobile phone / mp3 / tablet run out of energy anymore. It is powered by 4 pieces rechargeable 18650 batteries, that you can change battery or charge from PC, laptop,wall charger and car charger when they run out of energy.
• 3.Every time if you use new batteries for this power bank, please charge it first. This is for activating the electric circuit. No charging time is requested, just charge a second and let it feel the electricity. If you don't want to charge it, you can also change one or two new batteries, but not all the 4 batteries a time.
• 4.it works for resistance decode mobile phone, MP3, MP4, only when it is with a resistance decoded charging cable. (The attached cable is not resistance decoded
• 5.Make sure the batteries' positive and negative directions are right . Please use chargers which are below 5V/1A to charge the power bank. Because larger current deducts the battery and component life.

Here is the scaled down version which is not a bad option because you can buy two of them for near the same price as the first option.

$9.99 free shipping (Amazon click)

• 1.USB Power Bank 3x 18650 Battery Charger Box W/ LED Light For Cell Phone iPod MP3
• 2.Take a power bank with you, no worry about mobile phone / mp3 / tablet run out of energy anymore. It is powered by 3 pieces rechargeable 18650 batteries, that you can change battery or charge from PC, laptop,wall charger and car charger when they run out of energy.
• 3.Every time if you use new batteries for this power bank, please charge it first. This is for activating the electric circuit. No charging time is requested, just charge a second and let it feel the electricity. If you don't want to charge it, you can also change one or two new batteries, but not all the 3 batteries a time.
• 4.t works for resistance decode mobile phone, MP3, MP4, only when it is with a resistance decoded charging cable. (The attached cable is not resistance decoded.)
• 5.Make sure the batteries' positive and negative directions are right . Please use chargers which are below 5V/1A to charge the power bank. Because larger current deducts the battery and component life.

Presently I have the goal zero torch 250. I love the hand crank option on it and it has a solar panel. However I have never used it. The Torch 250 is only 4800 mAH. To give you a perspective I can charge my Kindle with about half of the power in the torch. Simple math right: that is 2400 mAH.

In comparison the TOMO has the capability of  20000 mAH and is smaller and lighter in weight. Now keep in mind this is not an Apple to Apple comparison. The torch has other features that the TOMO does not.

The TOMO advertises 10400 mAH. however, You can now do an upgrade to 5000 mAH batteries to increase your storage. 

$15.99 (click)

Now we are charging laptops right?

Now my favorite part of all. These are the batteries I use for my 5000 lumen head lamp that attaches to my bicycle. I love simplicity and I now do not have to carry my 18650 battery charger since the TOMO serves as one. 

If this is for Christmas then start ordering because shipping can take a long time.

The reviews look great on Amazon.

Power storage: Christmas?

Just eyeballing this product

$18.99 with free shipping (Amazon click)

• 1.Dual USB Power Bank 4x 18650 Battery Charger Box for smartphone pc laptop ipad
• 2.Take a power bank with you, no worry about mobile phone / mp3 / tablet run out of energy anymore. It is powered by 4 pieces rechargeable 18650 batteries, that you can change battery or charge from PC, laptop,wall charger and car charger when they run out of energy.
• 3.Every time if you use new batteries for this power bank, please charge it first. This is for activating the electric circuit. No charging time is requested, just charge a second and let it feel the electricity. If you don't want to charge it, you can also change one or two new batteries, but not all the 4 batteries a time.
• 4.it works for resistance decode mobile phone, MP3, MP4, only when it is with a resistance decoded charging cable. (The attached cable is not resistance decoded
• 5.Make sure the batteries' positive and negative directions are right . Please use chargers which are below 5V/1A to charge the power bank. Because larger current deducts the battery and component life.

Here is the scaled down version which is not a bad option because you can buy two of them for near the same price as the first option.

$9.99 free shipping (Amazon click)

• 1.USB Power Bank 3x 18650 Battery Charger Box W/ LED Light For Cell Phone iPod MP3
• 2.Take a power bank with you, no worry about mobile phone / mp3 / tablet run out of energy anymore. It is powered by 3 pieces rechargeable 18650 batteries, that you can change battery or charge from PC, laptop,wall charger and car charger when they run out of energy.
• 3.Every time if you use new batteries for this power bank, please charge it first. This is for activating the electric circuit. No charging time is requested, just charge a second and let it feel the electricity. If you don't want to charge it, you can also change one or two new batteries, but not all the 3 batteries a time.
• 4.t works for resistance decode mobile phone, MP3, MP4, only when it is with a resistance decoded charging cable. (The attached cable is not resistance decoded.)
• 5.Make sure the batteries' positive and negative directions are right . Please use chargers which are below 5V/1A to charge the power bank. Because larger current deducts the battery and component life.

Presently I have the goal zero torch 250. I love the hand crank option on it and it has a solar panel. However I have never used it. The Torch 250 is only 4800 mAH. To give you a perspective I can charge my Kindle with about half of the power in the torch. Simple math right: that is 2400 mAH.

In comparison the TOMO has the capability of  20000 mAH and is smaller and lighter in weight. Now keep in mind this is not an Apple to Apple comparison. The torch has other features that the TOMO does not.

The TOMO advertises 10400 mAH. however, You can now do an upgrade to 5000 mAH batteries to increase your storage. 

$15.99 (click)

Now we are charging laptops right. 

Now my favorite part of all. These are the batteries I use for my 5000 lumen head lamp that attaches to my bicycle. I love simplicity and I now do not have to carry my 18650 battery charger since the TOMO serves as one. 

If this is for Christmas then start ordering because shipping can take a long time.

The reviews look great on Amazon.

The Child in Us All

Every Time I am riding down a slope and I spot a small hill I get the urge to separate the earth from my tires. I am sure it stems from my childhood days building ramps with all the neighborhood kids. It was just the summer activity we did. Of coarse one-up-man-ship always lead us to the impossible ramp that only the most daring would even try.

Picture from: http://www.leftylimbo.com

 "Evil" Knievel was doing television stunts and neighborhood legends were made in every American town. We dreamed of flying and we built bicycles to accommodate the urge. It is sad to think that there will come a day when the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. With 50 + years behind me I sometimes feel like that boy flying through the air with full confidence of my landing and sometimes feeling the pains of 50 + my landing is not so sure. I know what it means when the spirit will not yield to age and wisdom keeps your wheels on the floor a little more. My prayers go out to Jeff and his family. May miracles be a great part of his journey. 

Jeffs Journey (Click)

Help Jeff (Click)