APRIL

Ketchum, ID - If spring has sprung, and my flowers are in bloom, then why is there snow in the forecast? Regardless of the weather, the town feels the season change and is gearing up for the next sport.

For me, spring means mountain biking, trail running, swimming and strength training. I ride for a local woman's team, Mud Honey and the trails are already clear down in Hailey! For a full report of local trail conditions for riding and running, check here.

More on my mind and lots of cool stuff starting up here in Idaho so stay tuned. Girls on the Run is in full swing and practicing for our 5k that will occur on May 22nd so mark your calendars for that one!

Tuesday Night Rain/Snow Likely Lo 27 °F

Wednesday Chance Rain/Snow Hi 42 °F

Wednesday Night Chance Snow Lo 20 °F

Thursday Chance Rain/Snow Hi 41 °F

Thursday Night Chance Snow Lo 24 °F

The frightful fate of my tulips and hyacinth

LOCAL 237

There is still some great skiing to be had, here in Ketchum, Idaho! Hawaiian Nationals concluded the Sun Valley telemark series this weekend and the gang sent one of our finest back to work.

When you play as hard as people in this valley do, you either need to rely on multiple jobs or else have a fund of sorts. My buddies and I belong to that first group of workers and we play as hard as the next, if not harder... but work has its place too.

The gang takes a breather at Roundhouse, Bald Mtn.

I just dropped Kent at the airport, who played with us all winter long. He chooses to separate his work from play. Being part of Union 237 Boilermakers, Kent is about to start 8 weeks of 7-12s. Yeah, that is 12 hours/day, 7 days/week... for 56 days! Yikes.

Get it done Kent and then get back here to play!

Kent, Mike & Brian: recreating after recreation

I am one of the few who has been lucky enough to have a job that duels as play, and work is about to begin again. Although there is snow in the mountains, the bike paths are cleared to roll and the single track will be close behind. I am getting my personal trainers certification this spring, studying German and staying focused on living it up, every single day. I hope you guys are doing the same!

Kate and the boys: another great day in the mountains!

OPENING DAY

Brie & me with Galena at our back

Spring has always been a time for change and a time for play. My flowers (now 4 inches tall) are somehow weathering the frost and snow each night and my legs (miraculously) are still supporting me after 6 days of skiing powder. I love life and I am living it up, happily!

Kate U's birthday cruise, Alturas Lake, ID

I still have the residue of sickness in my chest but my heart is happy and healthy! My car is still having trouble and I am flirting with sending Justy to car heaven (appropriate on this Easter Sunday). I am studying for my personal trainers certificate and look forward to regular scheduled training again soon. People in the Wood River Valley are already on their road bikes but I am sticking to the snow for now. That time will come and I can wait for it (translation: fair-weather biker).

This is Idaho. Yes please.

More regular updates to come. Happy Birthday little brother (yesterday), mom (Tuesday) and of course Go Sox!

SPRING FORWARD

Spring has come with an hour lost - good thing I got a solid 10 hours sleep, regardless. Bad thing that my tulips, crocus and hyacinth have already started to come up (I told them not to). They now have 5 inches of snow over them.

Me and the boys (Cam, Billy, Kent, Brian & Mike)

I have had the chance this spring to get up on the hill with my buddies and spend some extra time with my 5th graders. I still have fatigue and a sporadic chest cough from my virus (2 months running) but I am okay with taking the extended break. After 6 solid years of ski training and racing, I need a bit more than 2 weeks off this spring.

I hiked powder yesterday with a girl friend (Kate Underwood) and am paying the price today (hence sleeping until 10 and waking up coughing again). I am hot tub bound with my pot of green tea to soak up some of this Sun Valley sun momentarily.

With the spring comes cleaning and maintaining. My car, Justy, is in the shop. Some water has leaked into the dash and has made some of the circuits wonky. I am not fixing that however - what I am fixing is the gas leak. Loose circuits don't play nice with gas leaks (that's the college education talking). So Justy (pictured below) is getting a new gas tank. Unfortunately they don't make a 7.5-gallon Justy tank from 1988 anymore (the nerve, I know) so he is getting a 5-gallon bladder. The 11-gallon, which would have been SWEET on our 52 mpg streak wouldn't fit. I will still be able to go over 250 miles on a tank and since Justy is a bit beyond long off-road adventures currently, I think we will be okay.

Kate + Justy forever: a portrait by brother Jake

I am also moving, as you know from my post previous. I have visited Aspen, Carbondale, Crested Butte and Boulder from Colorado; Bozeman, Livingston, Billings and Red Lodge (I love Red Lodge) from Montana. On my list of considerations are also the Burlington area of Vermont and... well, I am trying to narrow it down. Thank you for all of the suggestions (comments, emails and phone calls alike).

More to come as it becomes clear to me. Until then, enjoy everyday like it's your last - It's spring-time baby!

TOUR OF CO

Ketchum, ID (for a moment) - I had a ticket for the Owl Creek Chase two weeks ago (Aspen). I went in for a check-up to get cleared to race just before getting on the plane with a no-go as the verdict. Being that I have family (basically) in Colorado, I decided to make the trip regardless.

I coached, cheered and supported at xc and alpine events alike for the past two weeks with little improvement to the rumbling in my chest. I thought I was crawling out of the hole for the past few days - until this morning. Coming back to Ketchum, I have been notified of a virus that a large portion of the local population is housing. I talked to 4-weekers, 7, like myself and even heard wind of a 2-month tour of this thing. So I have something to look forward to, which is nice.

Crested Butte - Prader Cup athletes sporting new lids!

I am trying to take this downtime, not only as my body frantically waving the white flag for me to give it a break, but to find my next path. I am unsure if graduate school, work or a combo is in my future. One thing I am certain of is the need for a new location.

I heart Ketchum. I mean L-O-V-E it, for real. For the last 3 years, however I have been either sick or injured. I am taking it at face value that possibly the altitude is one too many stressors for my body to deal with. I am in search of lower ground.

Keeping warm and waiting for awards

Last week I scoped out Colorado. I was in Aspen, Carbondale, Crested Butte and Vail (all of which don't cure the altitude issue) as well as Boulder, which is currently front-running on movable places. Today I head to Montana.

Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine are eastern states that I am considering. I flirted with Oregon for a moment but was hard pressed to find adequate schooling in acceptable proximity to snow, as I want to continue to train but take a break from chasing the circuit for a few years.

Feeling mildly lost, but excited about the possibilities, I will throw it out to you guys - Any ideas?