Yabba Dabba Doo

We recently visited Hualapai Mountain Park near Kingman, Arizona - built by the CCC in the 1930s. I can't remember how we found this park on a previous trip some 5-6 years ago, though it made it good midway stopping point while headed towards a camping trip in the Mojave, and I can only assume it was simply a camping area designated on an Arizona Road Map in our glove box. Arriving late at night, we had no idea until the next morning that we had arrived in the town of Bedrock. We've been continuously amazed and intrigued by the work done by the crews of the CCC, so back we went to take a second, longer look. Astounding and lasting work left behind by those CCC crews, and all of it essentially done by hand. 

Cabin #1 - Boulder Run, upon arrival

Copper counter tops and back splash

Cabin #1 - Boulder Run, upon departure.

Ahh... Springtime in the West

Hualapai Mountain Park near Kingman, Arizona, which was built by the CCC camp, SP8A, who arrived in the Hualapai Mountains in 1935. Enrollees began to reconstruct Hualapai Mountain Road, widening it, straightening curves, and improving drainage. In 1937 the enrollees began to develop the park itself. They built retaining walls, trails, roadways, and stone bridges. They also built 17 rustic cabins; some are constructed with large-sized, rubble stone. Each has a stone fireplace and chimney and is set off in its own portion of the park, complete with picnic table and grill. These beautiful cabins are still in fine shape and available for rental today. For more information on this park, go the Hualapai Mountain Park website.

Follow Ned on Strava

Our personal favorite mountain bike legend, Ned Overend, has recently become a member of the Strava community, and you can follow every ride he does. Just go to the Strava website, Sign up (if you haven't already), search to follow Ned by his Strava name, "ned o", and start learning how the legend trains. And then when you come to Durango, you can compare your times to Ned's times on his favorite training rides. So, what are you waiting for?

Strava allows you to track your rides & runs via your iPhone, Android or GPS device so you can analyze your performance, set new PRs, and compare and compete with friends.

Mmmm...

Lately, in select Durango gardens.

Pasque Flower

Pulsatilla vulgaris 'Elegans'

Plants & Photography by Lisa Bourey

Vern, the Equinox

The first day of Spring, March 20, 2012

Fresh snow and a morning temperature of 10° F.

Pictures from our Durango yard, where the Sonoran Desert makes a last, defiant stand in the chilly shadow of the Rocky Mountains.

Agave neomexicana

Yucca harrimaniae

Photography by Lisa Bourey

Clairette Does a Pirouette

As we approach the Vernal Equinox, Durangoans cling to any and all small signs indicating the coming of warm "Spring" weather. Or some years we just wait until May...

Dwarf Iris

Iris reticulata 'Clairette'

Clairette doing a pirouette

Flowers & Photography by Lisa Bourey

Ned Wins Award #523 (approx.)

Our personal favorite mountain bike legend, Ned Overend, received the Cycling Legend award at the Endurance Live! gala in Los Angeles last Saturday night. Which begs the question, where is he putting all these awards?

Click on the picture to jump to the VeloNews article and video. And get a small glimpse into Ned's rare wit.

The gala highlighted many of the top athletes in endurance sports, including Ironman champion Chrissie Wellington and downhill mountain bike world champion Danny Hart. In an interview with VeloNews, Overend talked about how the unique event brought a variety of endurance sports icons together.

“All of these incredible athletes, that’s what makes this such an honor,” said Overend. “You talk about Dara Torres, there’s no end to it. Jim Ryan, Dave Scott, Chrissie Wellington. Crowie’s not here, but Chrissie and [Craig Alexander’s] performances were inspirational this year.”

In his prime, Overend won six NORBA national championships and the first-ever world cross-country championship, in Durango, Colorado. The Specialized spokeman hasn’t slowed down much, however; at 56, he is still winning world championships, and has already done so this year, at the Masters World Cyclocross Championships in Louisville, Kentucky. Overend attributes his victory at the 1991 mountain bike worlds and his lengthy career to his relationship with Specialized Bicycles. “The pressure from sponsors can lead to short careers,” he said. “I’ve never felt that pressure from Specialized.”

Read more at VeloNews.com...

Durango's First Sign of Spring

Snow Crocus

Crocus chrysanthus

Flowers & Photography by Lisa Bourey

Amber Has a Posse

Durango Multi Modal Department Adds 2 New Hires!

Amber Blake (middle)

flanked by Deven Meininger (left) and Wade Moore (right)

Until a little over 4 years ago, and after some prodding, some at City of Durango confidently assured the cycling community that we didn't have need for a Bike/Ped Coordinator. Then in May of 2008, after an enlightening community-wide Bicycle Summit, Durango was named a Silver-Level Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists. And from that effort, the Advocacy Partners presented a list of Multimodal Transportation Recommendations to a welcoming City of Durango and La Plata County. At the very top of the list was the need to hire a Bike/Ped Coordinator. Then lo and behold, less than one year later, Amber Blake was hired as Durango's first Multi-Modal Transportation Coordinator in April of 2009.

Amber started her new job with the City of Durango by diving right into the many transit, bike and pedestrian issues that make our roads and transportation systems better for all users. After almost 3 years of existing as a one-woman department, her hard work and strong personal aspirations for the Multi Modal Department has been rewarded with the addition of 2 new support postions within her Multi Modal Department to assist her and allow the acceleration of further improvements. To start 2012, Amber now has two new employees - Deven Meininger, Durango's new Multi Modal Specialist (hired with the help of a FTA Mobility Management Grant) and Wade Moore, Durango's new Multi Modal Assistant (a benificiary of restructuring within the department). And well, that leaves Amber as the Multi Modal Administrator with the additional responsibility of overseeing the Parking Division. Though with all our great transportation options coming together, we like to think of parking as a Multi Modal Transition Zone. So here's to great things in Durango!

Durango DEVO is Excellent!

The Durango Devo Junior Development Cycling Program (DDJDCP) has received some sweet recognition and a little financial boost from USA Cycling this month in earning a place on the list of 2011 Centers of Excellence. Read the article on the USA Cycling website.

Congratulations to Sarah Tescher, Chad Cheeney, the coaches, and all of the efforts made within the Durango Community to make Devo such a great program.

Ned Nabs Another!

Overend Wins 2012 UCI Masters Cyclocross World Championships – Men 55-59

From Cyclocross Magazine

by Grant Berry

LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY — The final men’s race of the 2012 Master’s World Cyclocross Championships was also the largest race of the final day of competition. The 55-59 year old field was deep with talent, including 1990 Mountain Bike World Champion Ned Overend (USA) who came into the race as the heavy favorite. Other notables included Henry Kramer (USA) and Norman Kreiss (USA) both of the Cal Giant Berry team, as well as Jim Gentes (USA) and Benny Andersson (SWE).

The sun continued to bear down on the formally frozen course, as the ruts softened to create a thin, slimy layer of muck.

Gentes would grab the holeshot, only to be immediately overhauled by Kreiss in the first straightway with Kramer close behind. Overend was off to a slow start, sitting 6th wheel entering the first chicane. He was almost taken down by a rider falling in front of him, but was able to keep it upright.

Kreiss wasted no time in establishing a gap, and by the time he hit the flyover for the first time he already had a 10 second gap over Kramer, followed a few seconds later by Overend.

Heading out for lap two, Kreiss had stretched his lead to 20 seconds, as Kramer and Overend were together. Behind them, Bob Downs (USA) trailed seven seconds later.

A lap later, Kramer and Overend had taken over for Kreiss at the front. Kreiss looked to have hit the ground at some point, and was covered in mud. Kramer and Overend would trade places several times on this lap, before Overend got to the front on one of the straight power sections and laid down an attack to establish a gap. At the same time, it appeared that Kramer had bike issues and was stuck in too easy a gear helping the gap to Overend grow quickly.

“Kramer and I traded the lead a couple times. He was gunning it out there; the first time I passed him he came back by my right away and surprised me. He was going for it out there,” said Overend.

With 1 to go, Overend had established a 25 second gap as Kramer and then Kreiss chased. Downs was close behind, and appeared to be saving some for the finale. Kramer had a slip up the last time through the wooded section, allowing Kreiss and Downs to close in on his wheel. It was going to be an all out battle for the final two spots on the podium.

“It was hard to put the power to the ground today; it was so slippery and traction was tough. You really had to learn the lines out there, but then it was tough to stay in ’em lap after lap,” explained Overend.

As Ned Overend came on to the pavement for the last time, he had plenty of time to celebrate another World Championship title. The crowd now looked down the finish straight to see who was going to fill out the rest of the podium.

Kreiss, Downs and Kramer all came on the pavement together, and it was a matter of grit, determination and who had saved some energy for the last effort to the line. Downs put up an impressive fight, but ended up getting overhauled by the two teammates as Kreiss would take the silver medal, followed by Kramer for bronze.

Photos – Steve Anderson