Its that time of year

again to be over on the South Fork chasing after big, spawning brown trout.  We chased em hard the past two days and caught a host of decent fish, but nothing to write home about.  HOpefully in two weeks time the weather will be a little crappier (often produces better fishing) and the water temps will go down a bit and we will catch some monsters. 

Can't Wait.....

For the World Cup season to start up in a month from now with the opening races of the long WC season on the glaciers in Solden, Austria.  

Marco posted this shot of him from South America getting after it last week and it made me realize how much I miss tuning into the WC.  Sorry to the Seahawks and the M's, but I religiously follow WC ski racing more than any other sport.  We ordered up satellite TV  last winter so I could better keep up with all the races.  Of course having family on the tour helps keep even closer focus on the ski racing world.  I am gonna miss yelling at the tv for you this winter Anna!  Really stoked to get the tech events going in late October and early November, and then get the speed watching on later on in November and then of course, in person at the Beav.......Let er buck Marco, let er buck dawg.   

Not a threat anymore.....

The "Little Horsethief Fire" is now 100% contained after a few rain events this past weekend and early this week.  The fire gave the whole town a pretty good scare and made for some tense conditions.  Here are a few shots that had been circulating around the net via friends of ours.  Pretty amazing.  

Ariel shot of the fire going right behind Snow King and starting to creek down the ridge into Cache Creek.  

 

Bottom of Snow King Ski Area with the massive cloud of smoke billowing in the background.

 

The first big night of the fire this shot was taken from the top of Teton Pass looking east toward town and the fire which was to the south of town.  

Everyone is stoked the fire is gone.  Big, Big thanks to all the badasses that came from all over the west to fight Lil Horsethief. 

Night out....

Thanks to Rena, Mom, and Dad for treating us to a night out on the town last weekend for our anniversary.  We ate a whole bunch of good sushi and went to a movie. 

After years of threatening.....

I finally broke down and re-established a golf handicap.  I last had an official one in high school and it was lower than it is right now, but golf was also a bigger part of my life then than now.  I had been playing enough the past 5 or 6 summers to establish a handicap, but just never got around to it.  I have been playing this summer as much as possible (over 40 rounds so far) and decided it was time to make it official.  So, Teddy and Dad, no more bitching about me not having a handicap.  Case, time to get one! 

Searching

Three minds a map, a compass, and a gps hard at work trying to figure out "where the hell are we?"  Sometimes moto trails go from a superhighway into a game trail into nothing but huckleberry bushes all in a matter of minutes.  Last weekend up in the BH's. 

Sorry.....

Advanced apologies to all the native Colorado Natives that we know and love....., but I love this bumper sticker!  It has been gathering momentum this summer throughout western Wyoming.  It seems the 307 has had enough of the "Greenies" down south from "Calitnotsorado."  Big Wonderful Wyoming pride is alive and well. 

The Anatomy of a Damn Good Time

 Sunday last weekend turned into an epic mission up in the Big Hole Mountains outside of Victor, ID.  Had a big ol riding posse and we saw some new singletrack and got above the oppressive smoke.

I rode with a bunch of really experienced long time born and raised locals who have been riding for a long time.  Always fun to go out with a hard charging crew and learn new things.

It was mostly all Honda's, I was the lone guy on orange.  

Climbing a techy zone up Flemming Canyon with the S. Fork and Black Canyon below us.

 

 Whole lotta switchbacks on Liar's Peak, just below Garns Peak.

 

We numbered 9 riders as we came out the Rim trail back to Pine Creek.  Outside of the insane dust, riding with that many guys was a ton of fun!

 

 On of my favorite shots of the entire summer........., drag racing in a hay field near Swan Valley.

 Fall is the best!

Shooting the shit.

Five Years Strong

 Chels and I celebrated 5 married years together last weekend like so many over the years......., hanging out, having fun, loving each other, doing cool shit.  The smoke foiled our plans for a Tetons backpack, so, we grabbed Rex and headed up to Granite Hot Springs to camp and soak.  

Rex, clearly killin it.

 One of my favorite things about Chels......how into yoga she is.

 Granite Hot springs has become and is one of our favorite places in the Jackson area.  Winter missions have been countless over the years, but this was the first time we have been up there sans snow.  It was every bit as sweet!  

 I scampered over a 40 foot cliff to get this shot.

 The water is so amazingly clear and hot!

 Chelsea's nice toes, because, well......a photo of mine would make you barf at your computer.

 Chels scrambling to the hot spring.

 Can't wait for the next 5 years Chels.  Holy shit, its been 11 years total....

Definitely...

the handsomest two furry fellas I know.

Scoping the scene

 I went for a little hike tonight up High School Butte to get a better view of the fire behind the King.  The winds had shifted and the big smoke cloud that had engulfed Jackson for much of the day had moved on.

 One of the upshots of working with teenagers for a living, they are always on the cutting edge with everything that is technology based, hip, and cool.  One of my probation kids showed me a cool free app that turns your photos into panoramas yesterday.  Pretty sweet!

Bye Bye Sun....

A little scary

 The Little Horse Thief Fire is raging just outside Jackson right now.  The flames and smoke wasn't as bad today, but it's still pretty scary how close it is to town.  

Looking at the big billow of smoke on Sunday while up on Munger Mtn.

Town is just on the other side of that ridge.

Just another weekend in paradise.

Fall is here, and, well......, it seems like we say this for every season except for spring here in JH, fall is our favorite time of year.  The days get crisp, town quiets down, colors, etc.  This past weekend was awesome with the SLC crew coming north to hang out, ride moto, fish, etc.  

Due to hunting, the moto trails in Jackson close no matter the weather, conditions, or demand on September 9th every year.  So, we had to take full advantage and ride like bandits full well knowing we cant get back on them until July 1, 2013.....

 

Case and Anna....Matt and Shannon brought an extra moto up for Case to ride and Anna rode mtn bikes and did homework......She is in school now and clearly getting smarter with each passing class....

 

 Case, Horsetail Trail, second day on a moto!  I think he is officially hooked!

Matt putting a fresh tire to the limit arcing a fatty around a nice burnout section.

 

 And of course, no trip up the Gros Venture is complete without a cocktail and sunset at the wedding tree.

 

Anna, Shannon, and Chels....being rad chics, hanging out.

 

 

 Matt and I clearly were not cool enough to hang with the chics, so, we went fishing instead.

Having a hard time figuring out what is going on in this picture?  Its the sun, setting through a split in a tree with pees on the right taking it all in.  We heart fall in Jackson! 

And yea, your wondering is correct....There is a bunch of smoke in the valley.  There is a fire raging just on the other side of Snow King right now.  Super scary.  Fight it strong boys, hopefully the winds cooperate tomorrow and things settle down a bit. 

Fading light..

 Days are getting shorter, but if one rallies hard enough after work.........., you can still squeeze in some good times.  

Drew and I hit up Horsetail last night on the moto and got back to the trucks just as it was getting dark. 

Ben and I hit up the Reserve over in Idaho after work two nights ago.  Ben, making it look sweet. 

That Lake They Call Superior

 Our whole wedding posse all stayed an extra day after the wedding and took a trip on a rented pontoon boat out to the Pictured Rocks National Park.  It was an insanely cool day.  

 Chels and Shannon on one of the secluded beaches we pulled into.

 Shannon and Wren climbing up into a cave.....

 That we all eventually jumped out of.  The water was chilly, but swim-tastic.  The water clarity and color were close to the tropics.  

 Yep, that's not the south pacific.  Nope, it's Michigan .

 Matt chilling in a shallow grotto.  

Props to Case for spearheading the mission, renting the boat, and being one hell of an amazing captain the whole epic boat day.

 

 All of us couldn't believe the lack of crowds everywhere we went, especially given that it was a holiday weekend.  

 Wow....So amazing..

 She didn't win two Olympic medals by not getting inverted.

 Chuck, in fine diving form.

Besides Keelan and Meri getting hitched, our day out to Pictured Rocks was certainly the highlight of the trip.  Insane beaches, swimming, good friends, etc...