Shafer Road
Frank and John Shafer needed a way to get cattle from the mesa tops, onto the shelf of open sage and brush—and the Colorado River—some 2,000 vertical feet below them. So they did what any ambitious cattle rancher in 1914 would have done: They built a trail. In the 1950s bulldozers widened the trail to […]
Travel Well
The unknown distance to the great beyond Stares back at my grieving frame To cast my shadow by the holy sun My spirit moans with a sacred pain And it’s quiet now The universe is standing still. ~Goodnight, Travel Well. The Killers.
White Rim: Postscript
Ray’s Tavern is empty. Virg is behind the counter prepping for the day. It’s 11 A.M. I’m hungry. And had been thinking about the massive bacon cheeseburger and steak fries that were about to be placed in front of me since somewhere near Buck Canyon—some 60 miles into the White Rim Time Trial. I sit […]
White Rim TT: V.3
I wandered aimlessly through the small visitors center. Posters, faded by time and sunlight hung on the otherwise barren walls. A rotting bighorn skull sat lifelessly on the Touch Yable”. I grasped its horns with both hands, a small placard next to it read, “I’m delicate, please do not touch”. I smirked at the incongruence. […]
Paradox: The Bearded Mormon
What follows is the entirety of an essay I have titled Paradox. It’s a little different than the normal things I write in this space, and so, you may find it uninteresting. Or even worse. But I hope not. Part of the reason I have pursued storytelling in my educational and career paths is to […]
My Playlist Needs You
Many years ago —it feels like an eternity—I rode my first solo 24 hour race. It was, in general terms, a rousing success. In fact, many of my solo 24 hour efforts since then have been complete disasters. However, there was one stretch of time, during the dead of night in that 2004 race that […]
Post Ride
“Good ride guys.” “Yes, excellent.” “Doesn’t get much better.” “Love the trails in Corner Canyon.” “Who’s up for a hotdog* at the Chevron?” “Gross dude.” “Nah, it’s the perfect post ride meal. That, and a Diet Coke.” “If you say so…” *And yes, they were cheese filled. Not that you even had to ask.
The Best of Both Worlds
April is for skiing: April is for mountain biking: What’s remarkable is that these two photos were taken—as the crow would fly—about a mile apart. And within 36 hours of each other.
