while the other person runs and hides

Listen to this: Whilst riding singletrack- OK, OK, doubletrack- to work, I could hear the conversation between 2 hawks taking place well over my head. It sounded like 1 was treebound and the other was coming in, and my assumption/hope was it was a pair and I might could see some babies. So I picked up the pace and came under the ~60' Monterey Pine as the flyer landed 5' away from it's mate.

It was a pair of  Red Tail Hawks (Buteo jamaicensis), which are big- chicken sized. The flyer paused for 20 seconds, during which time I scanned the tree for a nest to no avail, and then it took off. A few more seconds and the other attempted to take off, only to stick there flapping and tugging. The only explanation to pop into my head was that it perhaps it was tagged and the tag had gotten tangled in the limb. I considered who I could contact to help. It was a loooong way up and out a skinny branch above inaccessible terrain. Meanwhile the hawk was dangling upside down by one leg, swaying in small arcs. It was worrisome. Then the hawk flapped very hard a couple times and the branch cracked loudly. The hawk took off, and the branch fell away revealing a long dangling strip of shiny...ribbon?

It was a snake. The hawk had caught a snake and landed in the tree. The snake had wrapped itself around the branch and wouldn't let go while the hawk tried to wrestle it free with the dangling and swaying. The hawk flew across the small valley to light in another tree and bent it's head to eat that snake. Whereupon a bluejay began dive bombing it.

Some days are hard.

That is a True Story, and I witnessed it by commuting to work via trails. Amazing.

You party haters need to stop it

Jingle jingle.


We observed the "Take yourself Mountain Biking Day" that was yesterday. And is today. There is free beer tomorrow.



Welcome to the New Stairs. Same as the old Stairs?

Same, same, better. At minimum, these are being here now. LOL, you should have been there when we put these in...

I'd been scouting for a replacement Stairs spot for months. This one struck me, and I'd vetted it for a slightly lesser period of months. Drunk beers on this oak. Climbed this oak. Jumped up and down on this oak. Gone from oak to oak from this oak (the sturdy, sweeping branches intersect with several other trees). Etc., like you will when you are deciding upon a secret hideout.

I had intended to rescue the remains of the used to be Stairs, but alas and alack, they have been taken I know not where. So instead, I conscripted the remains of some other structures from one of the woodpiles dotting the Ord. Big Dummy to haul it. And several weeks ago now, the boys and I rode out with a bag of hammers and some nails to put it all in place.

Come to find out some bees had made a secret hideout of their own in a little-known bole on the far side of said branch.

D was holding the cross-piece as I tacked it in place when he was stung on the ear and neck. He and J ran for the clearing. There was a lot of yelling. I ended up doing the rest of the install on my lonesome, since I had on a hat and long sleeves. It went up pretty solid, with the occasional break for swearing and swatting.

And the bees haven't put in a return appearance, but J was awful leery. Look:

Not too sure about the whole thing.



So then it was a quick velocache, and some checking of trails we hadn't checked before. Ask me any questions you like. I got answers.








That's how the Past gives way to the Future.

Fresh tracks mean nothing to y'all

I love you, Boba Fet.


My Valentine made it possible for me to go long. From home to here to home. Mostly dirt! But I'll tell you what- there is more dirt to be had once someone finds the connector trail down that one North face and across that field. There has to be one.

"Here" is between Ryan Ranch and South Boundary Rd. It's a trail set I usually avoid, because the initial flow from the Frog Pond is not great; it's walking-for-sure steep to the ridge.

But then you are here for a while. which is nice. And while it doesn't stay as nice, and there are bits on the road, you can stay mainly dirt all the way past that one private school (I forget the name) before jumping back on South Boundary for the climb up the backside to here:

Lookit that ribbon. Follow that for a while, and then it's fresh tracks down 50! At least sometimes. Like today, when you could've dropped 50 and then zippity doodahed your way up 49 to climb 82 and all that new school ridgeline junk A____ R_____ adds on(84 and what not) to drop 82 and then climb up 50 on the other side for this:


Super bright unconnected duo.


Then there is the possibility of a backwards Mud Hen Express to here:
Where this guy was digging for ground dwelling bees? For honey I guess?

That is one of the uppermost wetland areas. The lower wetlands are refilling up real nicely from all this rain I called down. The ducks are already working the lowest of the low under 49.

More razing:

And reflecting on today's version of the constantly in flux view from the Stairs.

Ride bikes?

Swung by Old T____'s place in CSide(!) for a debate about the ridership in the upcoming ATOC. I gotta say,I am with Burt Friggin' Hoovis on this. And I must add my fervent wish that Contador chafe at the bit and rip Astana apart come Tour day France time! You think Hinault held on like a badger? That's nothing on what Lance would bring...now that would be bike race. Floyd? I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. Your boy Basso dopes. And plus, Millar is a pussy. Plain and simple, and proven on the Angliru.

Working up plans for Monday's stage. Tunitas Creek? May be too far to drive...perhaps Bonny Doon. Does anybody know anybody with a conveniently located HQ? Take the kids, mark up the road a little.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!omg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


These cats in Boise have it going on. Look for someone to copy them locally somewheres.