And while my focus is in the middle of honing in on skin tracks rather than tire treads, I’ve got my sights set on THIS HUMDINGER for this upcoming Fall. It’s gonna be the hardest thing I’ve ever done on two wheels. Who’s in?

Blending the best of my two favorite activities, check these vids out ~

And with the New Year comes a bit of planning. While you start throwing down reminders on that calendar of yours, you may want to account for THIS SHOW.

I’ve had this happen way too many times and until now, have had to rely on minimalist chainstay protectors and adhesive products stuck to my frame. Some recent journeys along the information superhighway have brought me to the burliest product for safeguarding your investment ~ SHELTER TAPE. It’s well worth checking out the video on their site by clicking on the link. I’m convinced already and got some on order. Once installed, I’ll let you know how it goes after a few rides.

Despite the fact that the single speed has been getting my nearly undivided attention when it comes to pedal revolutions, I’ve mentally shifting gears in preparation for winter. Let’s face it – the storms will eventually unleash and make this abnormal pattern of mid-December local riding a thing of the past. Working back at The Back Country infuses one with the desire to hike huge days into the remotest (yes, that’s a word) of terrain to score big, technical untouched descents. With that being my M.O. this upcoming season, I’ve been geekin’ out on all things BC, all things splitboard, and prepping for the reaping.

That being said, its worth checking out the digital version of the newly-published Kronicle Magazine, taking a gander at the menagerie of offerings from Grassroots, and killing time at The Forum for anything and everything that piques your splittin’ interests. I’ll get some perma-links added soon so navigation to these sites is as easy as….well, as easy as riding a bike.

Winter is officially two weeks out and patience seems to be growing thin. Thanksgiving marked our last dose of precipitation and the bitter cold temps of the last few weeks have been unwelcome. Delusions of snowfall flash before my eyes as salivatory thoughts of white-blanketed pillow lines and epic tours in the backcountry interrupt my thought patterns with regularity. A lengthy shoulder season, this fall has been a time of adaptation to change and appreciation of the present. Times like these prompt me, and perhaps others, to find happiness in all the parts of this life we can’t change. I find comfort in the simple and the serene, the activities and engagements that infuse my blood with the richest oxygen known to man. Yep, the knobby-tired bicycle has once again come to the rescue.

Filling the void of absent storm activity and barren mountainsides, I’ve managed to get out to some late season gems of trails and catch up with some of my favorite ridin’ buddies. While the wind of late has turned some buff singletrack into primitive twig-strewn stretches, it’s been epic. I’ve rekindled a love affair with the neglected and vexed single speed, which had hung dormant since April. Already thinking about the 29er for next years events, how to pawn my current steeds, and what trail bike is going to get my undivided attention. Sure, there are a few other life matters that most would declare of higher importance, but that grown-up stuff can just wait a few. Like we’ve all been waiting for winter.

Yet with bicycles I’m a bit more cautious of the next great doo-hicka-majig. The industry seems to have literally re-invented the wheel repeatedly as companies and engineering compete for the consumer and true advancements in bicycle ride quality and enjoyment. Good driving forces, I admit, but whether a frame is made of sustainably-farmed minerals from Saturn or features a saline-dampened rebound adjuster on its fork, it doesn’t make it game-changing in my book. I’ve stubbornly and slowly accepted suspension, disc brakes, tubeless wheelsets, and cycled through all 7, 8, 9, now 10-speed drivetrains. The pointed differences I search for are vast when choosing frames and componenets, but the wheel size has never really dipped into focus. I see myself as a 26er and not a 29er guy. It’s what I know, the snappiness of the O.G. small wheel is comfortable & predictable, I feel my height is better suited for a 26er, and uh, you know, I’m a 26er guy.

Well, after much curiosity and research, I’m finally giving it a go. The time has come to sample the offerings of cycling-related scientific innovations of our era. I’m gettin’ me a big wheeler. Niner, Yeti, short-travel, hardtail? Oh boy, let the ‘geek-out on specs’ game begin. Whatever I get, I’m gonna ride it like I stole it and finally see how 3 extra inches handles in the varying terrain I predict slaying in the not too distance future. Hold off on those snickers about the ’3 extra inches’ and tune in to this awesome discussion that sums up current 29er debate. I don’t think I’ll ever not have a 26er, but I’m not naive enough to ignore the possible next-best-thing – especially if it gives me an excuse to buy another bike! As a side note, my current phone isn’t a smartphone. It’s got a keypad to txt ur hrt out but no net or social msturbation, er…networking, apps. For months it has been shutting off / shorting out sporadically and I keep putting getting a replacement on the back burner. Ironically, I dealt with this exact issue when trying to place a call to my Niner rep earlier today for a pro form. Priorities….

‘You will never have a Sam Hill level game with wagon wheels on your bike’

The only thing constant is change. Change is good. People change and things go wrong, but always remember, life goes on. With respect to these phrases, much has been evolving with El Dirt Gypsy and I attribute that to the lacking content here on the site. That combined with a meager amount of laziness, choosing to spend my free time riding, and geeking out on winter gear has led to less than ideal blog activity.  As of late, work has been hectic (yet rewarding), relocation has been tiring (yet rewarding), and re-embracing a simpler life has been complicated. So I’ve got excuses, however vast and plenty, but am also aware that without this change, life would be too predictable and mundane. And to add to it, without change, these characters would still posing for inappropriate photos wearing this retro attire.

Well, taking this bout of adaption in stride,  there I was earlier today, Zen-like, making passes over skis and it soon became an involuntary, familiar motion. I found myself in welcome territory, chatting with old friends and co-workers, all the while savoring the aroma of freshly melted and smothered wax. The tensions and nerves from the night before and early this morning ceased to exist, comfort already settling in as I started my first day of work at the old shop. Mellow and stress-free it was, just as I recalled from my stint 7 years prior. Gears are shifting, seasons are changing, life is evolving.

Processing change has been tough this go round and I frequently take stock of all that now is. I’m newly single, relocated to a mountain mecca that feels more like home that anywhere else, and winter is afoot. I’ve got a full-time job, a sweet sidekick that can help pull in some ‘new friends’, and a season pass to both Squaw Meadows (or Alpine Valley).  The car is running champ right now, there’s plenty of money in the bank, a sweet studio that backs up to wilderness can be called home, and a huge storm has just started to announce its presence.  Hard to focus on the recent break-up and get bogged down in a pity party. But while winter is welcome I am here at Dirt Gypsy coming to grips with the fact that to get to mud on the downtube I’ll have to venture to Reno or Auburn & Nevada City. Nomadic and select journeys will appear with frequency to these lowlands laden with large amounts of singletrack. Otherwise, Dirt Gypsy will be moonlightling as Pow Prophet with the upcoming snow and onset of the BC and boarding season. Ahhh, life is good.

Hey, look into my eyes for a sec. Okay, see these two looking back at yours. This is for real. I tell you now that I promise to give you a little more these upcoming days, weeks, and months ahead. Trust me, I know the internet can be a lonely place. It’s a challenging realm to navigate and I hope to assist with you killing some time on a regualr basis. So have a look at the vid below of a trail you should put on your bucket list next year. I’ll talk to you soon!