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Is blogging still a thing?

So there I was, drinking beer and looking at the internet. What ever happened to my blog..... I don't think people even realize that I race mountain bikes for a living. I think people know me as that guy who posts weekly POV videos on YouTube about riding on the edge of some scary cliff in the desert. I am a Vlogger now, do I really need a blog? Well, after a two-year hiatus, I just turned it back on because it made me smile. Let me know what you guys think. Times were simpler then. More projects, more problems. Wouldn't trade it for anything. ​

Hawkeye Trail in Grand Junction Colorado

12/29/2017

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It's not every day that I get to ride a new trail in Colorado. Join myself and Sarah for a rip on the newest section of singletrack goodness in the Grand Valley. #FollowCamFriday on Hawkeye
Admittedly, I am not the biggest fan of "flow" trails. So when I herd there was a new blue run out at Kokopelli, I sort of rolled my eyes. I have always enjoyed the technical aspects of the riding in Loma and ride there often, as opposed to 18 road. I just prefer rugged and raw to smooth and flowy. Aren't we lucky to have so many trails to choose from... Thanks Fruita! 
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So, that said, I actually enjoyed this new bit thoroughly. We rode it in both directions and it's actually pretty sweet and allows for a more user friendly Kokopelli experience than say.... More Fun. I still prefer Mack Ridge and Horsethief, but this is a nice little addition to keep things fresh out there. Good work builders, good work!
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Pete should have his own Instagram account. He gets all the likes and comments. Would you just look at him... #petethedog actually gets a bit of screen time in this weeks episode. Pro tip- insert dog photo thumbnail, get 1 million views. 
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Pete is 10 years old and has run more miles behind the bike than most humans have pedaled. I take it pretty easy on him these days. He does better in the snow in his old age. He was on the gas on this particular day however. Riding with your dog is simply amazing. 
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For better or worse, this is how every ride begins. The herding instinct is strong in this one. I have never lost a DHF to these shenanigans. After about 30 seconds, everything gets back to normal, but this is always a crowd pleaser as we leave the trailhead. 
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And what can we say about Sarah. Sarah is faster than you. She has the heart of a lion and enough stubborn determination to tame any section of trail. It only took her a lap or two to get all of the rock maneuvers on lock. Impressive riding if I do say so myself. Sarah runs the Vida Mtb Series, inspiring women to get out and ride.  Need some coaching? Have a special lady in your life that loves to ride? Check out her situation HERE. 2018 clinics will fill up fast, so get after it ladies. 
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I hope everyone has been enjoying the holidays as much as I have. Thanks for all the support and good vibes in 2017! Couldn't do it without you guys. Here's to a prosperous 2018 for you and yours. 
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The ground, it's what's for lunch

12/22/2017

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After eating Mexican food for the last few weeks, we mix up the menu a bit with some rocks. #followcamfriday from The Lunch Loops with Krunk and James.
So basically, if you ride hard enough, you will eventually fall down. It's normal really," part of the sport", they say. When I look back on all of the stupid shit I have gotten away with, I feel pretty fortunate, all things considered. The same can be said for my stunt-man friends that I chase around every week. 
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James had never ridden The Ribbon before. Me, being the good tour guide that I am,  got him in way over his head without fair warning.... I mean, he did decided to nose-manual behind me.  But this is James we are talking about here and that  is no surprise.  He just didn't pull it off this time.  
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This is basically my favorite top to bottom run at The Lunch Loops. Ribbon to Free Lunch to Pucker Up. Pretty hard to beat really. It's got a bit of everything. High speeds, sand and a bunch of chunky rock maneuvers to keep you on your toes. This is a good trail to break wheels on so it is right up my alley... 
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As per usual, jump everything first run. Don't even bother with an inspection run, just send it! My friends are reckless and I prefer things this way. I guess they trust me, even after the casual fall off of a cliff in the first two minutes of our ride. 
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Maybe it will snow one of theses days and I can go skiing.... Until that happens, Ima keep smashing laps with the boys. Where will next week take us??? Which cliff will we fall off of next? Stay tuned friends. 
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Can you ever really have too much Mexican?

12/15/2017

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I say no such thing as too much Mexican food. #followcamfriday respectfully disagrees with you if you think otherwise. Part 3, of TWE. Trilogy complete. 
I eat Mexican food twice a day. Every day. This staple of health gets me out of bed in the morning and puts me to sleep at night. I also enjoy a good margarita. Coincidence? I think not...
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Ever wonder what is going on behind you while you are out on the trail. Well, if James on your 6, you can be sure that he is blasting everything in sight behind you. Air is smoother than ground, James is wise beyond his years. 
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Many were worried after I ended last weeks' episode with Krunk laying on the ground. Poor fella was all tuckered out from sending and needed a wee nap. Rest assured that he survived the slap and is back on the pipe in this weeks' episode. Can't keep a good man down...
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This is what 4 flat tires looks like. It's not pretty folks. Pro tip- to remove Stan's from a tube before you wrap it around yourself and ride to the bottom on the rim, beat a rock a few times to keep your new jersey clean. 

Something else you should know. When you run out of tubes and ride your rim to the bottom, that is called "rich kidding". James is so rich that he is buying beer later...

Used in a sentence- I flatted 7 times, ran out of tubes, and had to rick kid that fucking wheel to the bottom...
​Well played. 
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It's the subtleties of peoples riding that I really notice while following. At first glance, this just looks like Krunk is riding like a hack. Upon further inspection, he just nose-bonked that rock at speed. 
Pro Tip number 2- Nose-bonk everything. 
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Keep that shit folded until next week, bike nerds. Where will #followcamfriday turn up next? It's not snowing yet, so Ima keep riding my bike. 
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Mexican Food Overdose

12/8/2017

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Part two of Mexican the Mexican gluttony tour. #followcamfriday from Moab, Utah on the most famous trail in the world. 
In this weeks' episode, we ride UPS and LPS on our way to the river. Everyone likes a good taco and these ones are spicy..... Couldn't resist... I really do eat Mexican food just about every day. That explains my flatulence, for those who know me. 
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If you look closely here, James is in a nose pick and Krunk is desperately trying not to go over the bars. This illustrates great skill and amazing awkwardness in one photo. Think Krunk rode this out? 
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The "Snotch" is the crux maneuver on LPS. It's actually not that hard to ride and is way easier than the Notch, which it avoids. Sometimes there is a train of 40 people walking their bikes through here when I show up... One time Kyle insided me through the second switchback, in the middle of a race.... True story. 
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You would have to try really hard to fall off of a cliff on LPS, but in actuality, you are riding pretty close to the edge for a lot of the trail. The difference between this and say Gold Bar Rim is the fact that there are some trees and bushes to obscure the view of the edge. This delicately hides the imminent danger lurking to the right. 
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Rule number 1. Pull up off of everything. When I first met James, over ten years ago, we immediately referred to him as "Jumping Jamie". I am happy to report that nothing has changed. If you want to support a good cause,  you can buy a tee shirt from his company HERE. 8$ from every shirt goes to an animal charity. Neat.
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Do you think Krunk found that penny he dropped? Tune in next week to find out. Part 3 of the critically acclaimed Mexican smorgasbord series coming in hot. Now there's a word you haven't used in a long time....
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The Whole Enchilada Part 1

12/1/2017

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Here's the one you've been waiting for. #followcamfriday from the most iconic trail in the world, TWE. Come for a rip with Krunk and James. Kyle is injured, otherwise he would have crushed us. 
Your mother may have told you that complaining about the weather is useless. Your mom was right, everyone bitching on Facebook is wrong. That is a very important distinction to make. I will say however that it is a bit strange to be riding from 11,000 feet in the middle of November. 
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I am certainly not complaining, when the pow is brown, we ride bikes and when it turns white, we go skiing. Something else that your mother should have told you is that there is no bad weather, only bad clothing. Luckily, we brought down jackets.... Lots of them. 
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Part of what makes this ride special is the changes in climate zones throughout the descent. You basically start on the moon and end up in the desert. The bottom is borderline un-rideable in the middle of summer due to the possibility of heat-stroke, so I say we timed things pretty well actually... 
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This was Krunk's first run down Burro, Hazard, and Kokopelli. Needless to say, he was impressed. He had fun. He will be back. Krunk is a man who appreciates a proper trail ride, and there is just something about linking these sections together that is reasonably memorable and satisfying. Not one meter of flow trail, rough and raw,  just how we like it. 
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When James isn't pulling up off of everything in sight, he runs a tee shirt company that supports animal charities. Christmas is coming, hook your loved ones up with some fresh tee's and help some animals while you are at it. Winning I say. CHECK OUT FLOAT.ORG HERE
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Standard stream crossing photo.... Without it, we wouldn't be mountain biking now would we... Even if it is 32 degrees out and it may have coated our bikes in ice. Perfect I say. I'll take this any day over flow trail and perfect conditions. These are the things I remember. #mountainbiking
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Tune in next week to watch us smash into things on the lower sections. Also, start keeping track of how many flat tires James gets. I will be filling his tires with water, next time we ride together. That's what friends are for. 
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