Snow, snow, snow AND a new bike!

Winter swept over our world just as the solstice arrived, and it feels as if it's here to stay. A little bit of snow is falling each day, and it's slowly building up.

Shyla and I have been out at our sunrise viewpoint on time each morning but a veil of clouds to our east has blocked it for a few days in a row. For a Coloradan, that's a long time without morning sun!

So, we play games and enjoy the solitude that truly cold and blustery weather brings to the forest.

As many of you know, I pedal our trails in the mornings with Shyla on a snowbike that I've had for almost 5 years. Since I bought my snowbike from an Alaskan bike company, snowbike design has changed a lot. Now there are even wider tires available plus good suspension forks and other subtle design features that make pedaling through snow easier.

The problem is that I am so small and have such a stiff spine that it's tough to design a snowbike that will fit me but also accommodate the new huge tires. So, I decided to have a custom bike built. My friend at Meriwether Cycles designed and built a beautiful new snow bike that will be arriving here soon! He photographed it near his shop when he finished building it.

I love the graceful curves of the frame.

This view lets you see how wide my new tires will be! Those are really snow tires!

I am excited to discover how easily I can float through fresh snow on this bike! If any of you is looking for an awesome frame builder for a fat bike (or regular mountain bike), I cannot praise Meriwether Cycles enough. The whole process, from brainstorming about designs to hearing about it being built, has been so much fun!

Shyla is betting that I still won't be as fast as her, even on my new bike!!!!

She's probably right but it'll be fun to find out. We're awaiting the bike's arrival with great excitement!