This winter along the Front Range we have received record-setting dustings of snow that began as early as October. While we never received any massing dumpings like in the Colorado Blizzard of 2006, snow has fallen with enough regularity to keep Fort Collins looking like a Winter Wonderland well into the New Year. In contrast, the mountains directly to the west of my hometown have received less snow than usual.
This did not stop Lisa, Rob, Tori and I from stomping around in deep snow with shoes befitting of Big Foot. Rather, it just meant that we had to drive further up into the mountains to find ample powder. Continue reading »
Today is January 5th, or the day after the expiration date of General Motors’ offer to dealers of $7,000 for every new Pontiac or Saturn that is moved to rental-vehicle or service-vehicle fleets. What does this mean? It signifies that now there should be no more Pontiacs or Saturns for sale that aren’t classified as “used” — even if the dealers end up reselling undriven vehicles from those fleets — as the dealers would technically be the first owners.
In other words, Pontiac and Saturn are essentially dead. Kaput. Gone. No más. Continue reading »
When we talked about going skiing in southern Wyoming, Ryan and I agreed that sliding down the green runs would be the order of the day. This would be our first time downhill skiing this season, and the last time I did a blue run I ended up with a bloody lip.
But after successfully skiing down the green Roundup run twice at Snowy Range, we threw out that plan. Continue reading »
I have to admit that I initially thought Kenny’s plan for the Tortoise & Hare races was brilliant. A few months ago he told me how he had been “sitting on his butt” all summer so that he would be slower for the initial T&H races, yielding slacker predicted times and a higher probability of racking up bigger points in future races. But today in the Rolland Moore four-kilometer race, it seemed like someone or something was trying to foil his plan.
“Please note on your blog,” he told me, “that [Kenny’s wife] Amy was faster in the last race, and yet she’s still starting before me. Totally unfair!” Continue reading »
“This year,” said Nick, “I am going to win a pie.”
Considering the phenomenal year Nick has had in running (five first place finishes, five seconds, and two thirds in distances ranging from 10 kilometers to 100 miles), the only question in my mind was whether he would win a pumpkin or apple pie for finishing in the top three in his age group in the four-mile Fort Collins Thanksgiving Run. That and if I was going to run the race too. Given the prize money and consequent depth of the field (2,000 racers including Olympic-caliber marathoners), there was no way I was going to win a pie nor finish in even the top 10 in my age group. Plus, I had hardly been running in the last couple months. Maybe it was better to be a spectator with a warm cup of hot chocolate instead.
“Come on,” said Nick. “It’s a Thanksgiving tradition.” Continue reading »
“Oh crap,” I replied to my friend Jen who asked me a question online 45 minutes before the start of the Warren Park 5k. “Is it this morning? Um, there’s still time! Um, I guess I should come even though I haven’t been running AT ALL.”
Forgetting about the race and waking up late is probably not the best way to get ready for a five kilometer run. Neither would being fully clothed in warm-up gear from head to toe while blabbing away with my friend Dana when buddy Nick (the race director and Dana’s wife) matter-of-factly stated, “Felix, you start in 30 seconds.” Continue reading »
&title=Goodbye U.S. Manufacturers "The Pontiac Solstice Coupe was the last new sports car design by Pontiac before the company’s death. (Photo: Pontiac)")
