After Todd's raucous b-day celebrations at the Taos House, I got up about 6am, packed up my sleeping pad and bag, and headed up to the ski area. Skinned and skied while ski patrol bombed Kachina. Got up above the Phoenix, transitioned, and crashed on the turn onto the return trail. Quick ski but, back at the car, realized that I managed to lose my skins somewhere on the mountain. YEA, unplanned, extra training! Transitioned to boots and ran back up the mountain. Found the skins at the bottom of trail (phew!), but ran up 3/4 miles for good measure anyway.

Caught 5th chair, but was the first on the backside. Tore up the groomer at 65 mph with my Volkl race skis.


(Big)

Ran gates at NASTAR, but didn't do well: 24.52 handicap... Silver.

Skied a few new lines in Taos: the sunbaked Twin Trees, thin Walkyries Chute, and, surprisingly, Hildalgo. Met up with Nate, Grant, Todd, Kat, Mai and skied the backside for a while. Good to play around with friends... finally, hucked the small cliff under 4.



Final run on the ridge with great glow over Wheeler. Drove back home into the blinding sunset.



Got home exhausted and decided to check my phone. New text: "2nd mission..." Oh, shit. Unpack, repack, food, water, go. 5 stranded hikers 14-16 years old; one with broke leg. News. Official. Justin led us on a goose hunt up Embudo Canyon, so after directing the chopper to the kids, we trail-ran all the way back to incident base. I was burned at this point so I pounded about 500+ calories in GU, GoPros, fruit leather, and other bars, and set out to find the kids. Found them up the north face with the rest of the AMRC team. Escorted them down on a trail I came across--the only thing that I contributed for the night--into the arms of their parents.

On the drive back, I thought I was obeying the law, but still managed to get pulled over. Basically the last thing that I needed to have happen at 2am after a brutal day of exercise. Apparently my left headlight was out. The van's falling apart at an increasing rate.

Moved up a slot!

Bigger

Bang! Not a fan that he beats Bode though.

...watch a bunch of ski racing crashes. Ouch!

Double Ouch!

Lots of good stuff I found because of the Art of Flight soundtrack:
The Naked and Famous - Punching in a Dream
The Naked and Famous - No Way
The Naked and Famous - Young Blood
M83 - We Own the Sky
Deadmau5 Feat. Rob Swire - Ghosts 'n' Stuff (Nero Remix)

Trancey:
Avicii - Levels (Hardwell Bootleg)
Avicii - Penguin
Hardwell - Cobra
Orjan Nilsen - Legions
Orjan Nilsen - Viking
Mark Sherry Feat. Sharone - Silent Tears (Orjan Nilsen Remix)

Noiser:
Chuckie - Who is Ready to Jump (Dada Life Mix)
Zedd - Shave It
Dada Life - Happy Violence (Extended Vocal Mix)

Great drop:
Kid Cudi - Pursuit of Happiness (Feat. MGMT & Ratatat) (Steve Aoki Remix)

Took a 6 mile run with Mike and Mandy after work on Tuesday.

Wednesday, I joined a handful of AMRC people for a training at Flake 'n Bake. Cool to running a high-angle lower off the cliff-face in the middle of the night with the city glowing below. I could see about 10 lights on tramway cycling through red/green.

Thursday, listened to Sec. of Energy Chu during his post-state of the union tour. Actually found him to be intelligent, personable/funny (joking about guys in basements with red staplers - then telling everyone to go watch Office Space), and he emphasized high-bandgap transistors and PV energy. Even if the money isn't coming in, it's nice to see the people at the top care about the stuff that I'm working on.

Tuned and waxed skis tonight in preparation for Saturday's race.

Skinned, shoed and skied the return run with Jason before a full day of 4+" power runs. Also got in 6 ridges with Taz, Ty and Ben before the end of the day. Good times.

Raced in red river. Did much better this year with the Volkls!



Results


Corporate Cup and other race info here:
http://home.comcast.net/~skijay/site/?/home/

The spread:


The crew:


Voting:


Unveiling:

Ice climbing trip to Ouray with AMRC folks was a lot of fun. 3 days of climbing and my forearms are feeling it.

Ice Climbing Pictures


Bigger

Working with Jason to get proper bike dimensions. Goodbye Trek 1000. Hello Specialized Roubaix.

Started at the Run/Bike transition. Ran - pretty good but the climb killed me with my thrashed calves. Bike didn't go well... even with a 20 minute break. Calves cramped coming down, and tightened up repeatedly on the way up.


Run


Bike

Calves are goners.

Saturday, hurting already, I got up early biked to the AMRC unloading for Cabela's gear. Biked home for a total of 24 mi of riding. Ran 4.5 miles in 45 minutes, and then went to Kerry's for steaks and beers before getting the 2nd shipment of 60 pallets of gear unloaded from 8-10:30pm.

Sunday, Jeanne came over to join in the 5 fingers ride. Our version of the bike included trips up Copper, Indian School to Embudo, Candelaria to White Wash parking, Simms to Elena Gallegos, and Tramway to the Tram. Had to rewarm toes at tram because 35 deg weather with blizzard and beastly Easterlies.


Full size

More than 5 miles at a 10 mph pace. Ok, but lots of chafing.



Did better at the lower elevation. 4 miles in exactly 30 min.

Wolf Creek


More Wolf


Taos


Hiking at Taos


And a few miles of cross country for good measure

Cracked the 60 MPH mark on my AT Skis as the 2nd guy down the backside of Taos on Jan 2nd! Jason lead on his downhill Volkls and probably was flirting with 70 MPH.


CloseUp

Grant with his toy at the cabin in Pagosa:


Sunset at cabin:


Poker = -$10.


Torchlight on New Years Eve at Taos:


Fireworks for New Years at Taos: