[crd]

What a year. Lets back up to New Year's Eve from 2009.
The evening that dictated the odd year. It started with a potential for a great time; good friends, good food, good beverages. (Yummy single malt Scotch!)

But then the dog got out; Mr. Grendel. At about the time we should have been celebrating, both Anthony and I had taken off on foot to look for the dog. We searched and searched, called out. No dog. Finally, I took Ginger out and with the clang of her dog tags, we got Grendel's attention as I found him sniffing in the alley by casa de mtb (about 2 hours later). That was the preface for the year; strange, unexpected, odd.

It was an odd one all right. Two days before he passed away, I finally closed on a very stressful house deal. I got my own place in Golden, where it is almost always "Golden".

Let me back up a little…I moved back to Colorado in May 2008. I submerged myself into the local riding and Anthony's friends. We met for beers at the local establishment, cooked food frequently, floated down clear creek, and shared many of laughs. I appreciated our time together. I feel like I am a better person because of knowing Anthony. A man full of both darkness and light.

Here are some memories of the year...

January

A game of fetch on a frozen lake.

Ariana lovin the slickrock.

Snow and red rock, beautiful!

The off-season is really wonderful in the desert...

Rockin rocky Pueblo.

February

The warm-up.

The start of a fins ride; in cooler Moab temps.

March

Yup, more Moab! I was lucky enough to go January, February, and March!

Sweet Ginger. It was her last trip to Moab and her last Moab sunset. She developed cancer in January and I had to put her down April 1st.

The rest of that amazing sunset.

April

The rescue.

New bicicleta.

Ari and I beating the storms in Fruita.

Fruita Fat Tire Festival.

My last ride with Anthony and Andy; slipping behind the Zion Curtain.

May

The loss. All these folks came together for a memorial ride for Anthony.

Things he enjoyed: the Mt Evans View, Stranahans Whisky, and gummy bears.

Rode with Fixie Dave on a piece of trail that I had only ridden with Anthony, so it was a bit emotional...

June

Red pine needles; early high country riding season.

Fun on the trampoline.

There were bad things; but then there was the good. I can say the year ended on a high note.

Here is to 2010! (rest of 09 coming soon!)

 

[sgltrak]

Thanks for sharing. Great photos and touching memories.

 

[scorpionwoman]

Things he enjoyed: the Mt Evans View, Stranahans Whisky, and gummy bears.

I'll be damned. That's where that sticker ended up.

Thanks for putting together the post. Sounds like you can look back and appreciate what you had, and that's the best any of us can do.

Here's to a 2010 filled with joy!

 

[RCC]

Thanks for sharing such of personal memories...Salud to 2010 and hopefuly will be a better one...que dios este contigo!:thumbsup:
RCC

 

[AndyN]

Beautiful words and pictures Carrie. Here's to 2010.

 

[Team Pro Laps]

I only met Anthony once in passing, but the power of his writing and photography affected me, as it does most people, quite deeply. RIP Anthony.

 

[Tor-y-Foel]

Thank you for a wonderfull, reflective post - wishing you a good year in 2010

 

[Redmon]

Man I miss his work. I dont know if I'll ever be able to resist clicking on an old link or new talking about A or showing his photography.

 

[SlowerThenSnot]

Carrie Cheers to a much better 2010! Had a few shots for yah on New year eve!

 

[moishlashen]

Cool. Sorry to hear about Ginger. Have a great 2010

 

[crd]

rest of the year...

At last, the last six months. Full of change, rearrangement, darkness. I met his mother and ex-wife in this process which was difficult since I had only had his perception of them. I learned things about his family and his father his cherished so much, which also disappeared from this world too early.

July

I was able to hang out with the Adventure Cycling crew at Buffalo Creek.

Folks that also knew, loved, and worked with Anthony.

My daughter won her first criterium! Yup, she is a rock star, rides/races mountain and road.

Spent some time in the high country.

August


There was a gathering at Crested Butte.

Good folks.

I bounced back between Colorado and New Mexico for work and mostly drove through Alamosa.

More from my commute. It is a rather lovely drive...

Went on some evening Los Alamos rides after putting in a full day.

September

September was the big month. There was putting Anthony to rest in his favorite place.

"You're gonna have to leave me now, I know.
But I'll see you in the sky above,
In the tall grass, in the ones I love,
You're gonna make me lonesome when you go."

We also went to a cool point.

I drove through Ouray.

Had a pleasant ride in Durango.

A dear family friend of Anthony's got his older 575; and he rides it lots, as A would have approved.

And then GITA (Gaspin' in the Aspens) happened in New Mexico. I arranged some work time with some play time.

It is always nice to ride with some strong women!

Los Alamos is healing nicely.

Jimbeam took us on some super tight/loose/wooded trails of LA, which I didn't even ride while living there! Thanks JB!

Rode with some great folks! This is the reservoir handoff.

Let's not forget the potato blasting.

From the mastermind himself:

Snuck in a leaf-peeper ride:

 

[crd]

Almost there...

October


Went to lovely Fruita

Hung out with IndecentE. He showed us how it was done.

Ari and assisted with COMBA Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day:

November

Rode in a thing called pint-to-pint; good people, good beer, and a fantastic ride!

Then late November, we packed it all up and headed to Texas for a nice break from the cooler temps of Colorado. It was a pleasant 60-70ish degrees. It was also nice to see those trails Anthony rode.

Mr. Raby took D, A, and I out of some trails on Turkey Day. We had to work up an appetite for the wonderful soup M was making for us!

We did an urban ride on black Friday and wondered around the city...

Them Texans love the star symbol.

Browsed a bike shop.

Hit the capital.

Saturday, there was a big-old ride at the greenbelt area. It was a jolly old time, except that guy that dropped the group, hehe...the trail system is like a spider web, all intertwined and interrelated; however there are lots of options.


**Clicky for video**
One of the ladies fell down and went boom, but she was okay...unlike myself who had to visit a doc-in-the-box.

My sidis and spikes were no match for gooey, moss covered rocks. They won.

That was okay, I got a little alone time with Mr. Raby and he took me to get all stitched up. Afterwards, a couple of these was necessary:

Found a chair big enough for a king:

So there you have it; I left a little blood in Texas. Don't worry, I will be back!

December

A strange shot featuring Grendel and our newish pup, Buddy. They are funny dogs with great personalities!

Enjoy a little bit about my year. It was painful to relive it, but also good. Like I said earlier, there was a lot of bad; but also some great times. You are some good folks.

 

[PaintPeelinPbody]

jealous

Not that my current situation is bad, because I've always had the ability to ride out my door and have a nice 5-10 mile loop of varying terrain to ride, but the South West looks incredible.

I sometimes wonder if the plane tickets, separation from friends and family, etc; would be worth the beautiful country out there.

Anthony, as well as many that knew him really well have always lured me that part of the country with beautiful photography. Keep it up, and maybe I'll be out that way in 2010 (once I graduate).

 

[beenridin]

thanks.
all memories have good and bad in them, it's just in how we choose to look at them. you've got some good memories there

 

[safetyfifth]

awesome pics man. thanks for sharing em.

 

[brianc]

outstanding Carrie. thank you for sharing so much.

 

[JimmyC]

Beautiful post--thanks for sharing.

 

[ilostmypassword]

Great post. Here are mine.

...and more here at my blog

 

[crd]

Had a few shots for yah on New year eve!

Thanks Fixie! 2010 started wonderful with no drama :thumbsup:

Hot tub is back a workin' too! Damn pump blew out when you were here...

Cheers back at ya! Let's ride...

 

[sherijumper]

This is what the passion forum should be about . Thanks , I`m also a little jealous