Can it be Labor Day again?

 Monday the only laboring that was going on was attempting to ride trails that had gotten 24 hours of rain and that are clay based.  It was a slimy mess, but we endured and got a sweet ride in.  Michelle, Shannon, and Steve resting after a big climb.  

 Michelle is an absolute crusher on a mountain bike and is starting to get more and more into moto.  She, like everyone else who does both kept saying, "I never get this tired on my mountain bike.!!!"

 Yea Michelle, get to the top of that beasty climb.

 Ry, with the age ol sparklers.  Somethings never get old.

 Kinda like were we are lucky enough to live.  It's the most beautiful place south of the 49th parallel I tell ya.  

You never know who you might run into up the Gros Venture.  Teddy and Heather were up there camping too and hung for a bit. 

So awesome!

 Sometimes certain blog's just put a smile on my face.  Well, looking at all of these shots I couldn't help but think and remember what a solid time last weekend was and how many laughs were shared.  

"Miss Shannon" taking 4 year old Riley through a puddle.  She loved it!

 Tanner, 7 years old with the help of his dad riding up his first singletrack hill with Alex and Steve cheering him on.

 Riley and Tanner's badass mom Michelle, crushing!

 Tanner on his lil ol 50cc going knee deep in the creek.  He literally went back and forth through this creek easily 20 times!  

 Zoe, 13 months and happy as could be, eating popcorn and watching the sunset over the Tetons.

 And getting airborne via mom.

So awesome, the happiness with both Case and Wyatt!  Yo Browns, I think a 4 person Razor would be a hell of a good purchase.  Just saying! 

The best

 There really isn't much better in  life than a 4 day weekend spent camping with good buds.  Last weekend we ventured up the Gros Venture River and hung out at Slide Lake.  The Happes and Passages came from SLC/Park City, Curt from SLC, Case and Jess from Jackson, Steve, Alex, Hannah and others all came and hung for different parts too.  Hell, Ball Game and Heather swung by too.  It was a social extravaganza!  

Shannon, getting ready to hand Zoe off before riding.

 Luckily Matt and Shannon are ninja's on their dirtbikes because they had to ride in and out double after I crashed mine and had to leave it up in the mountains for a night until I could get the necessary part for it.

 Matt, content.

 Chasing rising fish on Slide Lake at sunset.  Yes Please.

 Part of the crew, cocktail hour.

It was so awesome getting "Handy"out for a mission. 

Too good.

Last round of shots from the weekend up in North Idaho.  Steve charging down a sweet section of right at the tree line elevation goodness, looking north toward the Canadian border.

 

 Soaking up the view.

Mom and Dad, you guys are timeless classics and I love you both so much.  Thanks again for being the best hosts (always) and taking such good care of your moto boys.  We will be back next summer for more shennanigans.

 

 The before picture, fully bright eyed and bushy  tailed.  From L to R, Drew, Aaron, me, and Steve.

and nearly 11 hours later, completely worn out, but super stoked.  Cheers boys, one hell of a weekend. 

Outstanding with a big ol O

I feel like the moto crew and I have traveled far and wide in search of epic trails all over the inter-mountain west.  We are never disappointed  to any of the cool places we have explored whether it be in the desert and or the mountains.  But I gotta say, the boys and I both trips to North Idaho kept saying "this is the best mountain moto in the west!"  Growing up in the area and not being into moto at that point I had no idea the adult playground that was right out my back doorstep.  NOw that I do, I want to make an annual pilgrimage each and every year.  Of course it is also highlighted by getting to stay with my Mom and Dad who run the best Moto B and B this side of the MIssissippi!  My Dad pulled the ultimate bro move this year and shuttled our truck and trailer 6 hours into Montana and back and met us 10 hours later after we rode a 70 mile epic.  Thanks again Dad.  

Drew and Steve, crossing one of the what seemed like hundreds of scree fields.  Yes, it's as sketchy as it looks, but once you get the hang of it and gain some confidence on the moving rocks it is actually a ton of fun. 

 Sometimes the trail goes right down a creek.  Hah, advanced apologies Dad!  We knew you would be fired up on this shot!  We didnt kill any fish, dont worry.  

 Drew charging, with the CDA River basin off below and the Cabinet Mountains in the distance.  

 This days ride was super burly.  It straddled the Idaho and Montana border the entire way.  We can across snow which I couldn't believe was still hanging around given that the elevation of the highest peaks in the area top out around 7k.

 Me with the Jordan Saddle and the rest of the amazing CDA River network in the background.

 Moto'ing, its an adventure!  70  miles is a hell of a long ways to traverse in a day in the mountains.  Invariably it requires route finding, map skills, and a lot of patience!  

 Hell yea!

Spectacular

 After finding moto nirvana last summer up in North Idaho the crew and I decided long ago that this trip needs to be repeated every year that it is possible.  So, while motoing in June in Sun Valley we set a weekend and hatched a plan to head back to North Idaho in late August.  We waited, and waited, and waited until this past weekend came, and once it did, we were not let down.  The quality of the trails up there are second to none.  

Aaron, taking a breather on the Centennial Trail. 

 Aaron, Steveo and Drew atop Facet Peak above Independence Creek, looking toward Canada.

 The boys debating just how punishing the evening showers might be.

Scuba Steve traded in his old truck for a really pimped out new truck.  NBD! 

Floating is the best

 Really cant think of a better way to spend a lazy Sunday than with friends on the river in the summertime!  SUnday the beers were cold, the company was top notch...

and fish were caught.