Quick trip up Baker on the 4th with @bennylieb@emily.shipman.ak
Felt good to be back on glaciers in the PNW. And it felt even better to be there with great company.
Fuck. Why is it always the best people that leave too soon? There are so many stories we never got to share, experiences we never got to have, people we never got to help. I’m missing you so badly and I hope it never stops.
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A lot of you knew Meg as a crushing ice climber who was always up for an adventure and never far from a sparkling water. And while I’ll cherish those memories that we shared climbing; the evenings spent drinking wine and talking about our dreams are what I will hold closest.
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I first met Meg in our WFR Recertification back in 2018, we ended up chatting climbing and next thing I knew, you invited me over to BBQ at your house after the course. I wasn’t the most open person back then and you were so inspiring with your approach to forming community. You immediately made me feel welcome and that it was ok to be myself.
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Fast forward a few years and COVID happened. The world changed and you stayed the same warm and welcoming person. From our wine nights in the park, to climbing with masks on and calling it “Altitude Training,” we became a lot closer and that’s when I got to see the truly wonderful person you were.
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The next few years we climbed some wonderful pitches. Along with getting skunked, drinking beers on the tailgate and getting excited about the “Mountains Mountaining” in the last light of the day. “Mountains Mountaining” was a creation of Meg’s for that evening on the tailgate that made it really easy for us to text each other to look out the window to see the alpenglow of a sunset on the Mountains. Those texts got me out of some pretty dark places and I balled my eyes out reading them again.
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I miss those texts. I miss you.
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Most of all I miss our late night heart-to-hearts. There is no one else I’d rather have stayed up too late with dreaming of ways to make the world a better place. No idea was ever dumb, and man we went down some rabbit holes on figuring out ways to make those dreams happen. No topic was off limit and no feeling was ever off limit, because there was something to learn from all of them: from happiness and love, to despair and loneliness.
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*Continued in the Comments*
With the valley hitting 95 degrees today, I’m longing more and more for some time in cold water…. And saying hi to some lil fish. 🐟
Photo from Winter’s last dance on Memorial Day.
📸: @fakecowgirl013 ❤️
The Utah Mixed Epic continued.
The second week took the riders through the splendors of the desert southwest. From towering sandstone monoliths to deep, dark canyons. The riders saw a little bit of everything. Including the high mountains first snowfall. Though beautiful up high, the rain that fell lower turned the road into an impassible mud. A great reminder of how small you are in nature. And an experience these riders will never forget.
Big shoutout to @bikepackingcom for hosting the Recap of the @utahmixedepic . A collection of photos from @slcski and I with words by @roadie_joel and @tim.tait
Link is in my bio!
Already excited for next year.
Utah Mixed Epic Weekend 1 Recap.
The @utahmixedepic is a self-supported,
off-road bikepacking race from Salt Lake City, UT to Moab, UT. The course is ~950 miles with 75,000 ft of elevation change.
The first weekend saw the riders traveling through the lofty peaks of the Wasatch Mountains down to the mysterious West Desert. Some of these roads that were travelled probably saw more bikes tires than car tires this weekend.
Riders pushed through steep, rocky climbs and long cold nights. Inching ever closer to the promised land of sandstone towers and cold milkshakes in Moab. 🏜
One of the coolest things about this type of racing is that the riders wear gps trackers that allow everyone to follow their progress.
You can find them at the link in my bio.📍 @bikepackingcom
Also follow along @utahmixedepic to see what the riders are going through!
#bikepacking #ume2021 #utahmixedepic #biketouring #cycling #utah
