We rang in 2024 down in Salida, CO with a couple days at Monarch Mountain. Came home and rather abruptly shifted gears with the purchase/trade in the boating department. Out went the 27 Donzi, in came the 28 Active Thunder. Sommer Thunder II. Winter was mostly a bust in the midwest...one trip to Cadillac for MLK weekend. Drove up Thursday night right before a huge blizzard, Michelle worked from the hotel Fri while Mike rode with some Indiana dudes, then we all grabbed her for dinner. Saturday rode with Todd and Brittney and the girls and ate at their cabin, Sunday rode south then met them for lunch. Drove home in ANOTHER blizzard on Monday. The next weekend we trailered up to just south of Madison and rode out to New Glarus. Should have stayed the night and rode the next day...because that was THE END of snowmobile season. :( CO trip in early Feb...went out to Ski Cooper, met Bob and Cyndi in Leadville. Northwoods for President's Day...snow sucked. Came home early. Went back to the "slow lane" and traded the Golf R for another Wrangler...still kinda regretting that. Early March trip to UT and Kyle and CO's pad. Snow Basin on a super shitty day, followed by 2 storm days at Powder Mtn that were incredible. I flew straight from UT to CO for some more days at Loveland. March CO trip...Dave came out to the Love for a day. NEW BIKES...Yeti SB140 for Mike, Trek Fuel EXe for Michelle. Michelle's SPRING BREAK adventure was 3 day tour of the White Rim in UT on mtb. Got the new boat out APRIL 13...which might be a record. Late April road trip with The Don to Cincinnati to pick up his C8 Corvette...Michelle was nice enough to let us use her car. Couple days later I repeated the drive and we went down to visit Kyle and CO in the newly-finished cabin in Brown County. Went to CO in early May...snobroed and mtb'd. Got to do Tuesday night ride on CAT NIGHT at NTB. Came home and immediately went boating. Wild. Bad Religion/Social Distortion show late May. Memorial Day weekend...took the boat to Michigan City w/Mark. Mtb at Creekside. Early June we dragged the boat to Lake Shelbyville. Decent mtb trails there as well. Drove to CO with kittahs mid-June. Did Evergreen rodeo parade and event. PIKE'S PEAK PLUMMET with Josh and Amber. Buff Creek fun. Rode Loveland Pass on the road bike with Christine. Fall Mountain road in RMNP. Casa Bonita w/G and G. Snowboarded in June at St. Mary's Glacier...met Clint and Suz. Michelle stayed in CO, Mike went home. Michelle climbed Mt. Elbert. Mike took Nick and Angie out on the boat, then almost died the next day. Mike back to CO, Michelle home. Mike mtb up to Georgia Pass. Michelle comes back, Mike turns 50. Trip to Crested Butte...cats ruin everything. We do 401 Trail...the most beautiful mtb trail ever. Mike goes home. Road trip to WI to ride Levis Mound and visit MEAGAN at Eau Claire. August...back to CO...to drive Michelle and kittahs home. SUPER HOT "End of Sommer" ride at 3 Sisters with crew. Off to the GREAT STATE OF CANADA. Banff to be precise. Hike, sightsee, mtb and rented quads. Oh...and 200mm travel dh bikes at Kicking Horse. Labor Day, Brian gets married, we hit Lake Shelbyville again. Sept CO trip, hike to the Iron Fens. Get flat in truck. DH at Trestle with Josh and Amber. Early Oct...SINGLESPEED USA for Mike in Salida with Katrina. Came away with walking pneumonia. Yay. Open House Chicago for a day. Next weekend...Brown County again. November CO trip...Buff Creek with Scott and Christine and Gags and Kat and Badger. Next day...SNOW hiking! Toured Never Summer plant and air museum. Nov. 13th...THE FLOOD happens. Fly to CO assess damage...not too bad...get first days at Loveland, manage to screw up my back BIG TIME. Black Friday happens again. Early Dec trip back to CO for a couple more days on the hill. Julie gets married. We head back up to Pickeral Palace in St. Germain...blowing 2 tires on the way. Snowmobile out of Marinesco two days. Home. Christmas. Back in the truck for CO with kittahs. More days on the hill at the Love with frens. Eric's 50th bday in Denver. Stuck on I-70 for 2+ hours on NYE....dinner at Mark and Tiff's with Badger.
It went by fast.
