Soaks, Sleds, and Sun...Colorado 2009

After leaving Colorado on that fateful day in August with my truck loaded down like the Clampetts rolling into Beverly Hills, I wasn't sure when the next time I would be back in colorful Colorado might be. Well after a wedding, another river job, a surgery, 4 casts, some crutches, a nephew and a deskjob I came back to visit Emily and some AWR buddies from this summer in Aspen, CO.
It was an awesome way to spend a birthday and let off some steam from being cooped up for so long. The day after I arrived we tooled around in the upper Fryingpan basin, checking out the river covered in snow. Much different scene than summertime. On super bowl Sunday we headed out to Arches National Park and had some dinner and a brew in Moab. Arches NP was super cool. We did some short hikes to almost all of the Arches. We had the place to ourselves since everyone else in the US was watching the superbowl. We checked out "Wall Street" a climbing area Emily went to this fall, right outside of Moab. I had to sink in a few handjams even though I was pretty much still on the ground.

During the week I rode Emily's bike or drove hger car around Aspen checking out the scene. Good people watching abounds in Aspen, especially in the wintertime.

On Thursday, I met up with Mark and took his sled up into the backcountry. We went way out Richmond Ridge, almost to Taylor Pass. I flipped it a few times and had some other bailouts before I felt very comfortable on it. It was much more of a workout than I expected. I was very sore the next day. Got to see some awesome views from way up at 12,ooo ft. I had never seen or been surrounded by so much snow in my life. It was amazing.

Emily and I left for Orvis Hot Springs just outside of Ouray, CO on Friday after she got off work. We enjoyed some awesome soaking under the crisp,clear, Colorado skies. We saw a few shooting stars even. On Saturday we did a quick tour of Ouray, the ice climbing park, Red Mtn. pass and headed for the Black Canyon. However, after driving to within 5 miles of the North Rim, we found out that the road is closed in wintertime. That was a bummer, but we collected some firewood instead and headed back to 'bonedale. We checked out Abigail Washburn and her string quartet including Bela Fleck in Aspen on Staurday night. It was a killer show!!

And all too soon I had to return home. Even though I didnt get to ski, it was an awesome visit and I cant wait to get back to CO in the winter sometime when I can take advantage of the awesome skiing and snowboarding.

Arches NP:

Hand Jammin' in Moab

All Pictures From Arches/Moab click here


The winter wonderland of CO:

Sledneckin'

Sledneckin'

Mark doing a front flip off of a cornice

The backside of Aspen Highland, the five fingers

Mark, rippin it

Some dude flyfishing on the gold-medal Fryingpan

Where I lived this summer, covered in snow

Stubbs, loving life

Colorado Backcountry

The rest of the Colorado pics, click here

Looking Back...2008

I know its a little late for a best of 2008 post, but I just haven't gotten around to it, so here goes...

I BECAME AN UNCLE!!

My Nephew - Robert James Phelan, Jr.

I got in at least 28 new runs, these are the ones I can think of:

Holtwood – Susquehanna
Roaring Fork, Colorado
Oh Be Joyful creek
Upper East
Daisy Creek
Upper Animas
Lake Fork, Gunnison
Castle Creek
Crystal River
SF Crystal
Upper Fryingpan
South Platte - Bailey’s Canyon
South Platte – Waterton Canyon
Clear Creek of the Ark
Arkansas - Browns Canyon
Arkansas - Pine Creek/Numbers
Colorado - Gore Canyon
Colorado – South Canyon wave
Colorado- Glenwood Playpark
Beaver - Eagle Section
Beaver - Taylorville Section
Bottom Moose (low water)
Upper Blackwater
Lower Otter Creek
Seneca Creek
Russell Fork
Meadow Run Cascades

I paddled in 3 new states: Colorado, Georgia, and Kentucky

I was probably the most excited about getting on the Upper Blackwater for the first time in May, right before I left for CO. However, it was really awesome getting to paddle with all my buddies in Colorado. We fired up some really fun stuff.

I did my first kayak race, on Gore Canyon of the Colorado. My race run was only my 3rd run through the canyon, it wasn't great, but i finished and gave the racing thing a shot, not sure if its really my style, but definitely something different.

I got paid to paddle the Gauley River 24 times, that was pretty cool.

The longest I went all summer without paddling was the 4 days I came home for a funeral.

I totaled 187 days on the river, not bad considering I didnt paddle at all in December. Thats just over an average of paddling every other day!!

It was an awesome year, lots of good times with good friends.

And heres a 2008 good times Photo Dump.