Hayduke Lives!

January Heat Wave

2009-01-23T12:14:00.000-08:00

The weather this January has been incredible, unless your preferred activity is skiing. Personally I'm loving it, although I have this nagging feeling we are going to pay eventually.

No sense in worrying about that now- time to get out and play!

My friend Cody called the other day- "Wanna ride?" "Duh." " Texas Creek?" "See you tomorrow!"

Texas Creek OHV area is often clear of snow in the winter...it's a series of canyons opening to the south, soaking up the plentiful sun. I'm in love with the diversity of the area- up high it's spruce and pines; down low, cholla and yuccas. I've seen Roadrunners, Tarantalas, and ringtail cats in those canyons- a bit of the southwest deserts here at home. I've ridden dirtbikes there in the winter before, but this day was pretty amazing. We were able to get to the highest areas, and only found snow in the shade.

The weather was warm and sunny... just the way I like it!

Near the top of Table Mountain, you can see the curvature of the earth. Fantastic views.

What's Not to Like?

2009-01-14T09:06:00.000-08:00

Finally got a new camera, so I'll be inspired to post again!

Mid January in the Upper Arkansas Valley... this is why I live here. Last week my friend Cody and I had a great day snowboarding in powder, this week, Tami and I got out for a little ride.

The lower, south facing areas were clear so it was nice enough for a little playing...

We ran into snow when we went just a little higher. Conditions aren't ideal for riding yet, but the warm sun in these south facing canyons at least gave the illusion that spring will be here soon.

RIP Bonnie Kitty

2009-01-03T14:36:00.000-08:00

It was a rough end to the year. Our beloved Bonnie, our "baby" for 16 plus years put up a brave fight against both diabetes and kidney failure, but she just couldn't fight anymore. We had to put her down on the last day of the year. A terrible New Year's Eve.

Bonnie was truly the most loveable, affectionate, sweetest pet we've ever had. She lived to be held and petted. If we didn't kiss her enough, she'd gently press her forehead to your lips, or touch her wet nose on yours, purring all the time. She was a terrible predator; I don't think she had enough "mean gene's" to even feed herself if she had to.

It's amazing how much joy a little furball can bring into our lives. No matter how down I would get, I always felt better when Bonnie would climb on my lap and share her warmth.

Rest in Peace Bonnie Kitty. We will miss you forever.

Bonnie Sheppard. April 1, 1992-December 31, 2008

Plonking Around on Skis

2008-12-16T16:09:00.000-08:00

This time of year I close Fattees down on Tuesday and Wednesday and take some time off. It was cold and cloudy today and it would have been really easy to sit at home... but this year I'm determined to get in shape and not sit around dreaming about summer for the next four months. Besides, I just got some new toys; Climbing skins for my Tele skis!

Climbing skins attach to the bottom of your skis and allow you to climb... they sort of glide forward, but stick and provide traction instead of gliding backward. These days they are made from a synthetic material, but they used to be made of sealskin or mohair.

Since I've only used skins once before, a long long time ago, I thought I'd get out and see how they worked. Best to try some gentle terrain. With the skins on, you are more or less "walking" along... kind of like snowshoeing. The skis give enough flotation that you stay on top of the snow rather than sinking to your waist, but when you are ready to go downhill, you peel the skins off the skis an glide on down. MUCH better than snowshoes!

Since It was pretty gentle terrain, and the snow was thin with lots of obstacles sticking through, it wasn't so much skiing as "plonking around on skis". That's alright, though. I learned a bit about using climbing skins, and also about how out of shape I am.

It wasn't exactly warm...

...but I was burning up! It sure felt great to get the heart rate up!

I followed a road for awhile, then went cross country down to another road, enjoying the quiet, soaking up the solitude. What a wonderful place.

Eventually I dropped down to the creek to take a break and eat a snack. As I sat there enjoying the gentle sound of the creek emerging from the ice, and the wind blowing snow through the trees, I couldn't help but think, "why haven't I been doing this all along?"

Winter on Green Creek from Hayduke on Vimeo.

After my little break, I threw my pack back on and headed toward the truck.

When I got back to the road, I pulled the skins off and skied down... MUCH faster, and so much fun. Another great day in the heart of the Rocky Mountains.

Winter and bicycles

2008-12-15T12:41:00.000-08:00

Winter is here, as much as I've tried to ignore it. Today is the first truly cold day we've had, and it was a "brisk" bicycle ride to the shop this morning.

Tami and I are trying to drive as little as possible this year, and that means bundling up and enjoying the crisp air in the morning, and the dark ride home in the evening. It's not a long ride, but it just makes me feel better to have that little bit of exertion each day, not to mention the "reduced carbon footprint". We've put less than 3000 miles on the car in the last year-and-a-half, so I suppose it will last longer as well.

Riding has also given me more energy lately, leading to more activities... I can't wait to get the skis out! Or go snowboarding! Or take a hike! Usually this time of year I get down in the dumps and just want to hide out inside, but this year I'm finding that I want to get out more.

If you haven't ridden for awhile, dust off the bike. Take a ride! It's good for the soul!

Interlude

2008-12-14T12:35:00.000-08:00

My friend Ned produced a couple of great dualsporting DVD's. I print shirts for him and ship DVD's. It's a must have for dualsport motorcyclists!

Introductions Part Two

2008-12-14T11:01:00.000-08:00

Today I am 38 years old. I'm not so thrilled, actually.

Lot's of dreams, lots of things to do. I feel a sense of urgency...

Where was I? Oh, yeah; Flyfishing.

I guided flyfishing for about 10 years, and worked in the ski industry in the winter. From March to late November, though, I ate/slept/breathed flyfishing. The year I did 150 days on the river broke me. I didn't want to see the river, didn't want to hear another customer say "man! You have the ultimate job!". When you make your passion your job, don't be suprised if it becomes just that: a job. It has taken me a few years, but I am ready to spend some time on the water again. I do love fishing, and I do love being on the water. But I was ready for a change.

So when I opened Fattees it was not as a passion, but to fill a need. I needed a job, and Salida needed a t-shirt shop.

But when I started screenprinting, it touched on my old art school days (I graduated with a minor in design). There's something satisfying about running your own business, making it without a boss. I love it.

Interlude

2008-12-14T09:16:00.000-08:00

Because the Dakar Rally is coming soon, and I can't WAIT!

KTM DAKAR TEST from Gary Price on Vimeo.

Introductions Part One

2008-12-13T17:35:00.000-08:00

Where to start? I don't know why I decided to start a blog. I used to keep a journal and it satisfied a desire to share my thoughts and just chronical my life. As I've gotten older, this habit has fallen by the wayside. Tomorrow I turn 38 (I don't feel a day over 18!), so maybe this is a mid-life crisis sort of thing. Who knows?

I've been through many iterations of myself, but the one constant is the need for adventure. I've found adventure in the outdoors since that first camping trip with my parents, cruising around in their van in the Rocky Mountains in the early 70's. My folks were definitely "hippies", and we found ourselves in places where maybe we didn't fit in, but the lure of the great western landscape was so strong we returned year after year- living in the van, my mom painting, my dad playing guitar around the campfire. I'm sure these experiences are why I was determined to live a life in the outdoors and why I live in Salida Colorado today.

Tami and I married right out of highschool, and it wasn't long until we moved west, eventually working our way to Prescott Arizona where I went to Prescott College. PC focuses on the Liberal Arts and the Environment, and many of my classes were in the outdoors- backpacking, rafting the Grand Canyon, visiting Mexico. The experiences I had there were amazing.

I graduated from Prescott College in 1995 with my focus on park and wilderness management, but my first job after graduation was as a whitewater rafting guide here on the Arkansas River. This later led to work as a River Ranger then as a Flyfishing Guide.