THE SUBWAY - ZION NATIONAL PARK

I've never done much hiking in Zion. I have always heard so much about it, and so I was extremely excited for the chance to hike The Subway in Zion. We had a fun group of 4 to help climb, bob and weave our way through the canyon. We had a great time, and the best way to show the beauty of this place is... pictures!

PLAYING AFTER WORK

Crest Mountain Bike Trail from Erin Splan on Vimeo.
This is a video of Jake following me down a bit of the Crest trail up Big Cottonwood Canyon. Sorry for the bumpiness, we were going pretty fast. Video in real time. Enjoy!


Side Note: I'm wearing the Vanya Knickers - check out my review

CHROME VANYA KNICKERS REVIEW

I've had the chance to wear and ride in a pair of Chrome women's knickers. I've never bought or used any of Chrome's bags/apparel/accessories, so I was a little excited to try a pair out. I've heard of Chrome and their good reputation for strong products that can take a beating and...are made in the USA!

The Vanya is a tough performance riding knicker which is mimicked from the men's classic shins. They are fit for women that work from bike to bar.

These knickers are made with Everest 4 way stretch fabric. I found the fabric to be very soft and comfortable. Thinner than soft shell fabric, but same feel. The knickers feel very durable and well made. I've worn them in both the wind and rain, and I can say after wearing them in a bad windy rain storm, they are very much wind and rain resistant. There is a nice stretch to them and because of the stretch I went down a full size for a perfect fit. I ended up with a medium in charcoal.

I really liked the style of the pants. I'm a fan of the double button at top, and the wider belt loops. It gives it a feminine look, but nothing that girly. I also have always thought 2 buttons fit me better (might just be in my head). The front 2 pockets are loose for extra comfort when riding so they don't dig into your thighs. The pockets are lined with a red mesh. 

There are two pockets on the back, and 1 side zip pocket on the left side. The side zip pocket is nice to put small things you don't want to lose. It's small, and when you actually use it while riding, it feels weird and uncomfortable. Still nice to have.

The bottom hem of the knickers have another cute feminine touch from the men's. The hem goes up into a "V". I think this looks stylish and helps you get away with wearing them all day at work (which I do).

There was one thing that bothered me. The back of the knickers didn't ride up high enough on my back side to go for a ride without being a distraction (if you know what I mean). I solved that by wearing a belt, but it would be really nice to not have to worry about something like that.

I really enjoy these knickers and for me they are the perfect knicker to ride my bike to work, work all day, and then run errands on the way home. The last thing I want is to look like I'm wearing "biking shorts" at work. Yes they are a little more money then other bike knickers, but I think they are worth it, and you get what you pay for! I'm going to go buy myself another pair!

SNOWBIRD WANTS TO EXPAND

Snowbird has submitted a plan to add an additional 780 acres to their resort. They also want to add a tram from Hidden Peak to American Fork Twin Peaks. Sounds like there will be a fight with local backcountry skiers and Save Our Canyons. While this will be years out, it's interesting to think about where Utah and their ski resorts will be in 10 years. A lot of backcountry terrain will soon be private property, and the freedom of being able to explore the mountains in your back yard will soon be hit with a "No Trespassing" sign.

Snowbird is seeking U.S. Forest Service approval to expand into another canyon off its back side -- Mary Ellen Gulch, adjacent to Mineral Basin.
Providing access: A new tram would run from Hidden Peak to the West Twin of American Fork Twin Peaks.
"That will be a pretty dramatic ride," Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort President Bob Bonar said of vistas from the tram, which would rise from 11,000 feet to the West Twin's 11,489-foot summit.
Bonar submitted a proposed master plan amendment last month to the Forest Service's Salt Lake Ranger District.
READ THE REST.

CADENCE X DVS MILAN CTC SHOE

DVS is taking a leap and has created one of the first bike specific skate shoes. DVS has teamed up with the cycle brand Cadence to help with the design. It looks like a really well thought out shoe, with a bunch of features that have never been used in a skate shoe before.  Read below for the press release.

"DVS is proud to announce the development of its first cycling specific skate shoe. Designed in collaboration with influential cycling brand Cadence, the Cadence X DVS Milan CTC has several bike specific performance and durability features that have never been used on a traditional skate shoe.

“From the beginning the goal was to create a cycling functional shoe that you can skate and walk around in all day,” says Cadence Owner Dustin Klein. “The result of our combined efforts is beyond what I had imagined.”

As a new category for DVS, The Milan CTC Cadence (Classic Tribute Cycling) has reflective detailing for nocturnal visibility, a stiffer lasting board that reduces leg fatigue and increases pedal stroke strength, and comes with specially designed patterning on the tongue that protects laces from toe cage damage. The shoe, however, functions equally as well as a skate shoe with all the skate-specific features as standard Milan CT.

Podium Distribution VP Brian Dunlap says developing a product for the cycling category was a very organic process. “I grew up racing BMX and bikes have always been a part of what I do. We wanted to go into the bike market with a shoe that we were 100% happy with. Involving Dustin and Cadence seemed like the most legit way to do it.”

The Milan CTC Cadence will be available at select skate and bike retail stores in May 2010.

Visit dvsshoes.com for more info in the future."

ROAD TUBELESS FRUSTRATIONS

Coming from a mountain bike background I'm very familiar with tubeless setups. They let you run a lower psi without having to worry about getting pinch flats. Therefore you can have a lower psi and your tires stick to the dirt better, and there is no tube to get a pinch flat, it's a win win. A while back I was able to get some Shimano Dura Ace road tubeless wheels for my road bike for cheap. When riding on the road you don't want a lower psi you want a much higher psi. So why would you want tubeless on a road bike? I'm not really sure! Since I was planning on using them for commuting and the last thing you want on your commute is a flat tire, why not go for tubeless? Lessens your chances of a flat. I've been riding my tubeless wheels and Hutchinson Fusion Tubeless tires for the past 3 months. They have been great! I have loved them... until the other day. I woke up to a flat front tire. That's odd. I have to start up the compressor and fill the tire back up. Done. 15 minutes later...flat again. This time I take the whole tire off the rim. Spend a hour cleaning the rim and tire of the hardened goo that you put in the tire to help seal it. The goo had hardened all around the rim where the tire bead snaps into place. I think this is what was stopping my tire from getting a good seal and holding air. Now the manufacture says to not use tire levers when putting the tire on the rim. It was absolutely impossible to put the tire on without a tire lever. Impossible! I've never had a harder time putting a tire on the rim! I finally get the tire back on (using 2 tire levers), and with relief go to bed. Next morning flat. Long story short, I am so frustrated with these wheels! They are not easy to work with, and they won't hold the air. It seems like the only way for them to hold air is to pour a bunch of goo into the tire. Then when either the goo fails or you need to change the tire you will have to spend some time getting that goo out of the small corners of the rim. This is much more time consuming than normal tubes. Also I am now worried while riding the bead is going to come loose and all the air will come right out. I think I may give up and go back to tubes.

This YouTube video shows how easy it should be.

THETA AR JACKET WHISTLER EDITION

I have to post this because this is an awesome jacket! The jacket features multi-color zippers in the colors of the Olympic rings. This special edition jacket is only available in Canada at the Escape Route. Hmm, I want one. Ebay may give me some hope!

Made with GORE-TEX® Pro Shell fabric, Pro Shell fabric, our most popular Hardshell is now even lighter and more breathable. The Theta AR Jacket is designed to be a rugged jack-of-all-trades for the outdoors. With our longest cut, the most reinforcement and every feature possible, this jacket does it all.

STELLER SEA LION VIDEO STREAMING LIVE

CLICK HERE FOR CHISWELL ISLAND STREAMING VIDEO
The population of Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) in south-central and western Alaska has declined by more than 80 percent since the mid-1970s, and this “western stock” has been listed as an endangered species. 
Chiswell Island, approximately 35 miles south of Seward, Alaska, is home to a small rookery of these endangered sea lions.  Steller sea lions often return to the same rookery—a place where they give birth and mate annually—making long-term studies feasible with remote video observation. The Alaska SeaLife Center has monitored Steller sea lions on the island since October 1998 using remote video cameras.   Researchers are particularly interested in Steller sea lion distribution and movement patterns, reproductive success, and mortality at Chiswell Island and other locations.  Live video feeds have been an essential tool in finding clues that could aid in Steller sea lion recovery.

IT’S YOUR RIDE

I love this video! It makes you realize how two different lifestyles can love biking just the same. It doesn't matter what style or type of bike you ride as long as you are out there riding.

ARC'TERYX ALPHA SL JACKET REVIEW

This is by far my favorite jacket I have ever owned! That's a pretty big statement if you know how many jackets I have owned. I've always been a big fan of Arcteryx outerwear.
Short introduction to Arcteryx. Arcteryx is a Canadian company. All their design is done in house in North Vancouver B.C. Many other brands have taken their designs and production overseas, but Arcteryx while having product assembled in eight other countries including USA and Canada still does all of their product design, R&D, and production development right in B.C. Arcteryx is very high quality durable clothing that is made with the best material around. Just pick up a piece of their clothing and you can tell right away the difference in quality. You definitely pay a premium, but you do get what you pay for, which includes a lifetime warranty.
Alright enough with that. The Alpha SL gets straight to the point, it's a minimalist jacket so there is nothing there that you don't need.


Hood: The hood has lots of room, and lots of adjustment. When buying a jacket I plan on using it while doing many things, and most of those things involve a helmet. A helmet compatible hood is a must for me. There is so much adjustment in this hood I can go from fitting a helmet to fitting snuggly on my head while I dig in the garden.

Pockets: All the zippers on this jacket are water tight. There are 2 chest pockets that open up to easily store more than you think. No inside pocket, no hand pockets. Chest pockets are used so you can still get into your pockets while wearing a harness. While most people are familiar to the traditional hand pockets, you should take note this jacket does not have those. Pit zips are there with two way zippers, they are big, so you can cool off fast.

Material: Gore-Tex Paclite. Anything Gore-Tex is guaranteed to be waterproof. There are many knock off waterproof fabrics, but Gore-Tex is still the best! For me, I never know when I will be stuck out in pouring rain. This happens more than often, and having a jacket that will keep me dry is worth the Gore-Tex name. The Paclite material is thin and can pack down into a small ball. This is great for keeping in your backpack for that day the weatherman was wrong. It weighs 10.8oz which means you probably won't even be able to tell it is there. Other rain jackets that are meant to pack down feel papery to me, and almost translucent in color. Paclite feels tough and durable, and it is! There is no insulation it's a thin shell with the inside lining a black nylon. 

Fitting: I'm female 5'8 and the medium seems to be a perfect fit for me. I normally wear medium in most other brands. The sleeves are a bit longer and cover the tops of my hands even when I'm stretched out on my bike. This is a big plus for me. The length is also hits about top of thigh. To me this is a perfect length. Jackets tend to run more hip length on me. Having that few extra inches I think makes it have a more flattering fit. You can also bend over with out having the jacket slide up your back. You can cinch the hem so it hugs your body more, and keeps that breeze out. It's easy and fast. I can fit my Patagonia Down Sweater under the jacket with out it being too tight, which makes for a perfect layering system for any weather.

I love this jacket and have used it for doing just about everything for the past year. It truly is my go to jacket. More people have commented on this jacket than any other. The best thing for me is the fit. It's just a good fit. What more could you want? This can easily be a do everything jacket. It's held up really well. It's lasted through rain and snow while I was happy and dry inside.

LUCKIEST CYCLIST EVER!

Video - Luckiest Cyclist Ever!

You may need to watch it twice.

MAY IS BIKE MONTH

May is bike month around the nation and in Utah. There is a whole list of activities throughout the month of May. Check out utahbikemonth.org and find something for you.

May 21st is the national bike to work day. Hope to see some more fellow commuters!

RYAN LEECH COMMUTER

SALT FLATS SURE ARE SALTY!

We decided to try a new dirt biking area over the weekend. We had to take a small road trip to get there, but everything close by had too much snow and mud. I love dirt biking, and it's always fun to ride in a new area. I must admit, I was a little nervous because I'm used to riding rocky trails, not sand! This was the desert and so there was a lot of sand! The Knolls are 30 miles east of  Wendover, NV traveling west from Salt Lake City, UT on I-80.  The Knolls are primarily rolling sand dunes and dirt trails.  There is a small mountain range to the east of the dunes where you can climb hills and trail-ride. The riding area is surrounded by the US Military training grounds.

Jake and Jon are really good riders, so I just have to hold on for dear life just to keep them in sight.

We rode out along the military fence and came upon the salt flats. Living in Salt Lake City my whole life I've heard about these salt flats. I'd have to say, they are exactly what I pictured, salty and flat. Jake tasted it and agreed that they "sure are salty!". We had the best time ever riding over these things. 

We spent some time jumping off a few of the sand dunes. Jon made it look quite easy, I on the other had was happy to just get off the ground. We had a great time ripping around all day. Definitely need to go back soon!

5 MILES OF BLISS...WAIT

Yesterday as I was laying around reading our city newspaper, I came across an article about a new 5 mile bike path. "This path was first brought to reality by Oldmill Office Park bike commuters who needed a safe way around the congested freeway intersection". What?! I'm an Oldmill Office Park commuter! I must commute right past it. I've always know about the first section of the path (underneath the freeway), but I just can't believe I have missed an additional 5 miles! So naturally after reading the whole article,  I set my alarm extra early and prepared to take a small detour and find this extra 5 miles. Jake did inform me it existed .

I wake up nice and early, hop on my bike and I'm off. It's cold, but I ride the 4 miles, go under the freeway, and there it is! Looks like a walking path. I've seen it before, but never thought to veer off my normal route. I ride for about 2 minutes to an intersection, cross the street, connect to the bike path on the other side of the street. The path takes you right behind the retail and before you know it...

What a beautiful pond! Within the article they mention the pond and how in the next few years they would like to add picnic tables, benches, a beach front (yes a beach front), outdoor showers, and a dock for fishing and swimming.

This bridge looked practically brand new. Crossing the bridge puts you on the path around the pond. Very nice. Besides that you ride right up alongside the residential. Also within the article it mentions how there is already a petition from the residents to put up a nice big sound wall. Hmm... sounds about right.

This was probably my favorite section of the path. The river on one side and nice big trees on the other. There was also benches randomly along the path (if you look hard enough you can see one in the photo).

As I'm enjoying the scenery, I look up and realize the path is taking me right out to the main street. What! I've only been on this "5 mile bike path" for 1 mile! I stop where the path intersects the street, I look around for an adjoining path. Nothing. Oh wait, the path continues along the road. This isn't a bike path anymore, it's a bike lane! Well, it was fun for the 1 mile. I turn around and zip back down the path, and make my way to work.

I definitely enjoyed the 1 mile of bike path. It was all brand new, and seemed like it was done with a lot of thought. I really wish Salt Lake would get on the bike band wagon, and spend some money on more bike paths. I truly believe if there was more bike paths, it would encourage more people to get on a bike and be able to feel safe and enjoy their ride. So thank you Holladay/Cottonwood Heights, for taking a step in the right direction, even if it is only 1 mile.

3.2.1...LIFTOFF!

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