I spent all last week with my family in Mammoth Lakes snowboarding, hanging out and generally having one heck of a good time. I managed to get 7 consecutive days on my brand new snowboard which began to feel like I was in a stage race.

So why am I writing about snowboarding on my cycling blog? Well, squint your eyes a little and this’ll sound like just the sort of adventure I have on a bike – and how could I not share?!

Mammoth Mountain (from space!)

The wind blasted snow at me sideways at 50mph. I hunched down a little farther on the chairlift, bowing my head, trying to avoid the stinging snow. Even with all the layers and fleece, I was freezing. I unloaded the chairlift into a near whiteout. As I buckled my rear foot, I vowed this would be my last run – it was too cold, this was too crazy.

Only the faint outline of a tree line helped guide me back down the mountain. At first, my brain freaked out because I was snowboarding without much visual input. I told my brain to “feel the mountain through my toes” which seemed to help a little. I felt like Luke Skywalker, using “The Force” to see the mountain which made me laugh a little at myself.

Canyon Express – this is at the bottom of the mountain!

There were not many people on the mountain and most of the ones braving this blizzard were sticking to the narrow swath of groom down the center of the main runs. I was having none of that. I got my speed up as I paralleled a drop off to my left and when I figured I was in the right spot, I cut hard left, dropping down a steep embankment, dropping out of the clouds and leaving the groom behind.

There was three feet of fresh powder on top of 10 feet of packed base. I was in heaven. Suddenly everything got very smooth and very quiet. Turns were made more by thought than action. I was floating down a mogul run except the moguls gone under the powder. Stay right to carve the steepest sections. Nothing is too steep in a meter of powder. Jink hard right at the bottom into the trees and catch a little jump coming out the other side.

Halfway down.

By the time I get to the bottom it’s so good, I’m waving my arms to the music in my head and singing along. I’m no longer cold and my heart if full of nothing but joy and love.

One more run. I text my friends, “I can’t stop, it’s too good.”

On my German vacation last week, my wife’s brother Klaus informed me that I was going mountain biking with him and his brother Winfred. I was immediately both terrified and totally stoked for the challenge. See, the thing is that Klaus and Winfred are both uber-hardmen and it was totally possible that I wouldn’t be able to keep up.  But there was no way I could pass up the opportunity to cycle the great forests of northern Bavaria.  So after getting assurance that we’d go slow and arranging to borrow a bike and gear, I was ready for it.

It was an epic day riding through beautiful German forests.  Seriously the best day I’ve ever had on a mountain bike.  There is no way I could explain how amazing the day was so I’ll cut straight to the photos.

Here I am getting ready to go – first time on a mountain bike in over three years!  The bike was fantastic – fully suspended with disc brakes.  Thanks to Winfred for letting me borrow his bike while he struggled with a rigid frame bike (center).

We cycled through the Bavarian Rhön Mountains.  A largely unpopulated nature park of lush green forests and short, but steep hills to provide the exercise.  Of course, lush green forests are green cause it rains all the time and this day would not disappoint.  Coming from San Diego it was kind of nice having it rain most of the day.  Really different from what I’m used to.

WIth the trees covering overhead, it’s like riding into a hole in the forest.  The trail was wet from the rain and climbing was extra fun with your back tire slipping on rocks, roots, etc.

I was super inspired by this ride – I can’t describe the feeling for bombing down singletrack at 25mph in conditions like this.

And of course, this is Germany which means we stop at a place like below for some mid-ride Apfelstrudel mit Sahne und Eis.  The Germans really know how to suffer in the woods

Yes, it was as good as it looks.

Klaus and Winfred climb the last bit up to where the horse-drawn sleigh picks up commuters on some mornings.  The sleigh runs as part of the local bus system.  I’m not making this up…

After 50 kilometers, we found ourselves at an historic Catholic Monastery that also happens to make some of the best beer in all of Germany.  We told each other that we’d have 1 or 2 beers, but not more than 3 as we had to cycle home still.  I should mention that beer is served in 1 liter stone krugs.

The first one goes down really easy.  The second one starts everyone singing traditional German drinking songs.  I’m not terribly clear on what happens after the third.

With a couple of liters of beer in us we bombed down the last 6km of single track back to home base.  It was so much fun I laughed the whole way down.

Thanks Klaus and Winfred for such a wonderful adventure!  If you guys are ever out in San Diego, we’ll do a ride SoCal style – ending at Pizza Port, of course.

It’s been a busy week and I haven’t updated you-all in way too long.

The Mrs. flew with the kids to Germany a week ago and today I once again fly across the Big Pond to join them.  It’s a “visit-the-family” trip which means my beautiful bike is staying home without me.  Don’t worry – I’ve arranged for a sitter.

We’re visiting my wife’s family in a very small, rural town at the northernmost tip of Bavaria (Bayern).  I met the Mrs. while stationed in Germany with the 8th Infantry Division way back in 1989 when the Berlin Wall was still up, the Cold War was hot, and driving an M1A1 main battle tank around (Western) Germany was just plain good times.

I’m really looking forward to spending some time back in her sleepy village.  There’s not much to do except eat, drink coffee, talk, eat more, drink beer, sing a few songs – all while hiking through the woods (sometimes even at night).  Here’s a map of where we’re going to give you the idea…

View Larger Map

I have actually been cycling and just not writing about it.  Went to Julian last Tuesday and set all kinds of new records for myself.  1:46 to the top of Old Julian Rd and 2:56 to the pie shop in Julian.  Then I suffered all the way home.  It always happens that way.  I always end up limping back for home, wishing that someone would hit me with a car just so I can get a free ride home in an ambulance.

Here’s the elevation profile to explain.

For some reason (and I think this is what makes me a little odd), as soon as I get home I’m stoked and ready to ride again.  All memories of past suffering are replaced with visions of glory.  So I talked Mark into joining me for a return trip on Saturday.

We took it nice and easy all the way to Julian.  I could tell Mark was nervous about the distance and elevation so we kept the pace low and I took the front a lot.  We arrived in Julian just fine and enjoyed our pie a lot.  We sat in the dappled sunshine and played with our iPhones as only boys can do.

Then we started home and Mark bonked.  Really hard.  With 15 or 20 miles to go I could tell he was really suffering.  I stayed with him and felt sorry cause I know I’ve spent a lot of time in that house of pain, especially on my way home from Julian.  After a time, we made it home and Mark survived (I pinged him the next day just to make sure <g>).

Now I’m getting on a plane and heading back overseas.  Maybe while I’m there I’ll talk the wife into letting me get a mountain bike!

Breakfast with Aden, originally uploaded by Arlyn Asch.

Romy and Barry are on the mountain, Sofia is in ski school, Daphne is getting a massage and Aden and I are having bacon, eggs and french toast.

Hershey bars fix epic yard sales, originally uploaded by Arlyn Asch.

Sofia took an awesome wipeout, but we fixed it with a Hershey bar.

Riding with sofia, originally uploaded by Arlyn Asch.

Sofia and I do some blue-black runs today. Epic!

Riding the gondola with Aden, originally uploaded by Arlyn Asch.

Sometimes Aden just wants to ride the gondola for awhile.

Took Wednesday off to let the legs recover and enjoy some other activities around Mammoth Lakes like shopping, eating breakfast out and of course, cooking Coq au Vin.

Also took some time to go sledding with Aden and we had a fantastic time carving up some serious back-condo freshie. We know it was a successful trip cause we crashed on almost every run and hit every tree we could find.

Mmm beer!, originally uploaded by Arlyn Asch.

Best day on a snowboard, ever, was today.

Another crappy day in mammoth, originally uploaded by Arlyn Asch.

Barry and I are ripping up a mostly empty mountain. Chair 9 rocks.