The Final Day of 2008

Here I sit on the eve of New Years 2009. I'm in southern California, in bed, watching the palm trees rustle in the breeze against the bluebird sky. I'm nailed into bed with a terrible head cold which succumbed me nearly two weeks ago during my week long visit home to Colorado. I'm trying to take advantage of the downtime as much as possible. I can't stand being inside on a beautiful day, but my body is pleading with me. So is my mind: Pondering over memories of 2008 and yearning for a better year in 2009. I'm ready to put my accident and competitive skiing career to rest with 2008, as well as the political turmoil of the election. I am well aware that the state of our politics and the economy has yet to hit rock bottom, but I can only strive to think of a more positive leadership when Obama takes office at the end of this month.

A resolution is a good way of committing to change, and there's some changes I definitely need to instill in my life with the birth of the new year. First, my health. My body is my temple and I need to continue to respect it as such. I care so much about treating it physically well for activity and sports, but I need to start treating it nutrient-well for longevity and internal health. My focus will be to get back to a healthier eating plan, and more importantly, less alcohol consumption. Since my move west, I have admittedly been using alcohol as a crutch. Now that I am beginning to settle into my new life more and more, I need to settle into a healthier lifestyle.

My career is quite possibly the part of my life that troubles me the most for 2009. I would give anything to be doing journalism full time right now, but I know that it's not realistic at the moment. I still need to get back on my feet financially before I can take the time to make journalism my career. I have big dreams and aspirations for my freelance ambitions, and I know in due time these ideas will come to fruition. I need to be one with time and let things come in their own time. Be 'in praise of slowness...'

On a lighter note, I've finally accepted that I am in a huge transitional period of my life. I'm happy with where I'm at, but eager to see where the path of life takes me. Yet another reason to look forward to 2009.

In perfect Brett fashion, I've been successful at spending my days away from the restaurant baking, recreating and seeking out reggae music. Another aspiration on the writing side is to start a reggae blog. So many people come to me in regards to shows, new music, etc. that I need to start using this to my advantage and help spread the love to others as well as help promote the music genre I love so much. My baking is another area I hope to expand in 2009. I would give anything to get to bake for people and get paid to do it. I've been talking to a lot of people lately about my idea of starting a bakery. Yet another balloon in the air for my 2009. Over Thanksgiving and Christmas I made numerous pies which were all honestly my best products yet. From pecan streussel pumpkin pie to classic pecan to four-berry pie, I filled the stomachs and hearts of many this holiday season. Soon my latest batch of plantains will ripen, and I'll back to bread production. This time I'm going to hit all the cafes in town and see if I can't pawn a few off.

I always say how I need to write daily, and I'm always trying to figure out a good way to hold to it. Kind of like daily exercise. My latest idea is to write about one topic from my list of topics titled 'blog.' This way I can spend the time and energy to write in detail, and work on my writing. I still have three stories I'm working on for this winter. I hope at least one of them will surface in the likes of Powder, SKi, Sking and maybe even Women's Adventure or Outside.

More for 2009:
-my Web site
-help women, etc. and/or work for a non-profit
-a bakery
-a steady writing gig
-reggae
-horses, bikes, surfboard, skis, camping

I could go on.

Enjoy a picture of me and my parents catching a great day on the hill when I was home!

Love and light for a healthy 2009!

Brett

December 20, 2008

Craigslist: My New Best Friend

Ahhh, nothing soothes me more than waking up each morning, stepping outside and letting the warm Cali sun wake me with its intense raise and warmth to start a new day. With each day that I am here comes more comfort, familiarity and groundedness. I am a firm believer and life-liver by the quotes, "everything happens for a reason," and "if something is meant to be it will be." I am now living those quotes firsthand; minute by minute and day by day. To begin, I'm living the exact life I had hoped for out here. Getting the time to work on, and pursue, my journalism while spending ample time at the beach. I'm still exercising plenty and even continue to take bike rides from out my door like I do in Colorado. As much as exercise and activity are a part of who I am, this is also part of my continued recovery. Because I have committed to making my health my number one priority, each day I set aside time for 'recovery hour' to tend to my various ailing parts. I strongly believe that this TLC is what has enabled me to make such a miraculous recovery.

Thanks to Craigslist, I have been able to dial my life in with almost ease. To date, Craigslist has scored me my room, my bed, my car and a printer! Last weekend I not only snagged an all-in-one brand new Cannon photo printer, but also a computer desk! For the first time since landing here I finally feel like a true journalist again! The printer was still in the box. I paid $50 for a $90 printer. I stumbled upon the computer desk while walking home from the beach one day. It just so happened that my buddy Randy was with me at the time. I'm pretty sure I spied the desk on the side of the road the second it came into view. Knowing me and my energy, I assume I jumped up a and down like a little girl, hooting and hollering about my free.99 find just a couple of houses up the road from my own. "Let's take it, Randy, let's take it!" By the beginning of the week I had two months of printing completed and a desk to begin my prose for a few stories I have had in the pipeline but have been procrastinating on like a true journalist. The best part of the desk is that it has shelves. The shelf side of the desk butts right up next to my bed and has conveniently become my bedside table. Gotta love the smallest of pleasures in life!

Lately I've been blessed enough to make it to a few amazing reggae shows. The first was Warrior King. There is a funky little venue in North Park, San Diego called the WorldBeat Cultural Center. They put on everything from dance lessons, cultural classes and incredible music shows. Warrior King took a lackluster crowd, wooed them, and turned the show into an intimate experience with amazing energy. I was lucky enough to get an autograph and a picture with him. Such a little white-girl reggae geek I am! Luckily I am the first to admit this about myself. I attended the show with a newly required friend whom I met at my first show here at the Belly Up venue in Solana Beach. Tricia is my age and lives and goes to grad school in Orange County. Not only is she as much of a reggae connoisseur as I am, we also share the same pig obsession. For all of you who know how extensive my affinity for pigs in my life is, this person is of incredible significance for me! We carpooled down to the show, and upon picking me up, I noticed the common fetish immediately. Her car was decked out in pigs. Figurines, head rests, and trinkets filled her dash. Could I have found a similar sister-from-another-mother? I think not! We had a great time together and have already made plans for our next show.

On Friday night I attended a evening of more beautiful energy and vibes at Belly Up. Groundation is a reggae/jam band from NorCal with an original sound that can't be mistaken. The lead singer is a white, jewish man with a high-toned voice that pierces your brain cells like nothing else. The house was packed and everyone was grooving down.

Thursday night marked another first for me post-injuries. I have recently joined a co-ed soccer league and partook in my first game! Sure my ball skills and field placement were rusty, but my legs still carried me and my mouth still worked like I've never left the field. I haven't played since my days at Whiteman, but it nearly felt like getting back on a bike. Words aren't enough to describe my thankfulness for having the ability to get back to physical sports! Thanks to my beach runs, my wheels rolled in fine tune. Friday and Saturday only greeted me with sore hamstrings, groin and hip flexors. To be expected for a region that had incredible devastation nine months ago! I'm not sure if my new teammates understand what planet I came from, but they were stoked to acquire a female player who gives 100 percent on the field.

Not having a camera continues to irk me. From not being able to document my surroundings for all of you, to not getting shots of reggae, I'm frustrated, but learning how to deal. I know that as soon as I have a new-to-me camera back in mt grubby hands, I'll be snapping shots and uploading them faster than you'll be able to view them all. Look forward to that!

Alright, off to the Broncos game. Perhaps we can pull off a win today... Go Donkeys!

Much love and light,

Brett

Trisha and I with Warrior King

'Cherry' the Subaru Impreza

The CO hippie chick finally broke down and scored some wheels. As much as I have thoroughly enjoyed NOT having a car out here, it hasn't been honestly realistic. Sure, it's great to commute everywhere on bike, but there are times where it's more of a hassle than necessary. Plus, I now have the capability to jet up to Orange County to see friends from last summer, as well as down to San Diego to check out music, see friends, etc. I found a gem of a deal: a 1993 Subaru Impreza with 165k miles for $1,300. I know if I take good care of her she'll take me the distance and be every bit worth the price. Thanks to the parents for forwarding me the cash...

I had the most mellow Halloween I have probably ever had. I didn't have the chance to get creative and make my costume, so I had to throw something together last minute. I was also working, so that put a damper on the holiday as well. I still pulled off and good 'n sexy Daisy Duke. It wasn't quite as enjoyable as Britney last year, but that one will be hard to beat!

Bike rides and beach runs continue to be my exercises of choice. I can't explain how refreshing it is to run along the beach jamming to tunes while watching kids roll naked in the sand, build sand castles and romp toys through the water. I admire teens being teens, hippies hoola hooping and flame-throw practicing, surfers chasing the perfect wave, and older folks living it up happily retired. And then there's me: A mountain girl on winter hiatus mingling with the SoCal peeps and appreciating every last second of it!

Recently, the plantain tree in the backyard produced an entire bunch of ripe fruit. Being the baker extraordinaire that I am, I wasted no time to find a ride to the store to stalk up on my baking necessities. I have now made six loaves of bread and they have been getting inhaled faster than I imagined. On top of my weekly cookies, making plantain bread has been a blast. I'm thinking of continuing to make it and sell it to some of the cafes around town. There are a few places that don't make their own pastries, so I figure that local Leucadian Plantain Bread would be a hot ticket! To the knowledge of my roommates, this is the first time that someone has cooked with the fruit. I set aside a loaf for the longtime landlord, so I trust he will appreciate the gesture as much as all my new buddies!

My jewelry making has taken a back-burner position until I start selling it. I decided the other day that I need to start wearing my necklaces in attempt to begin the selling process. Sure enough, I sold my first necklace off of me at work the other night! As I approached a table of two younger guys, one of them immediately commented on the blue pendant necklace I was donning. "Thanks," I said. "I made it, and it's for sale." He replied flatly. "How much, I'll buy it." It was that easy! I was so stoked and he was just as happy to support a local jeweler. There are a couple of places that I'm going to look into seeing if I can't score a corner to set my jewels out around town. Once I sell I can get back to making which is the best part! There are a couple of great bead stores in town, and I really look forward to tapping into what they have to offer for materials for me.

As I write I am experiencing the first hearty downpour of rain since I moved here two months ago. It's refreshing, but when you're used to Pleasantville, it's bittersweet. It's great to see SoCal get the moisture, but I want my sun! I'm so glad I get it every other day of the year damn near!

Bless up, big love and much respect,

Brett

Daisy Duke

Cherry

Work is good, the weather is sweet and the body is still soaking up as much sunshine as humanly possible. Living the SoCal lifestyle includes working enough to live the life of partying and being out in the sun. Where do I sign? Oh yeah--that's why I'm already here! I'm quickly learning that my weekends are a matter of burning the candle at both ends until the wick is chard and literally disintegrated. Last weekend I worked Thursday night, Friday night, Saturday night, rallied in Pacific Beach after hours and stumbled my way though a day of serving barley and hops to football fans all day Sunday. From four days of cranking comes three days of recovering. I mix my Monday through Wednesday with sleep, beach, bike rides and journalism. I recently wrote a short story that will be published in the winter issue of Steamboat magazine! I'm working on turning this specific story about Alpine Initiatives (alpineinitiatives.org--check it out!) into a feature story that will hopefully land in Skiing and perhaps even Outside magazine.

Yesterday a women's conference took place in Long Beach, just up the road from me. It was put on by Governor Schwarzenegger, but run by his amazing wife, Maria. There were over 200 empowering, notable women there. It is a conference that you must either be invited to or get tickets for, and I already plan on making it a goal to attend next year's event. I watched it live online and felt the full-body chills consume me multiple times within the two hours that I caught. They honored women making a difference in the world. Names like Gloria Steinem, Betty Chinn, and Billy Jean King. Bonnie Raitt sang and Bono from U2 spoke at length. I have always wrestled with my thoughts of Bono. I don't like U2's music--which now means nothing to me. I have ALWAYS respected him for both his musical talent and even more so, what he's doing in the world. Watching him speak last night, and hearing his passion come out through his words and ways, was so amazingly contagious. Every day I think about how I want to become an instrument of change in the world, and this conference nudged me that much more. I struggle with the fact that I have been forced to put my life passions on hold until my finances stable back out. I can't really complain for the fact that I am one of the luckiest persons on this planet to still be alive and even have the chance to pursue my life passions in the future.

Encinitas is Heaven

I finally feel like my feet are flattening and my toes are spreading and digging a little deeper into the sand these days. My road bike rides are becoming routine as well as my beach time and now--my job. I'm enjoying making the physical transition from mountain-bike hammerhead to road-bike distance rider. I'm still running in the sand and it feels good on the back. No soreness and a nice change of pace from the bike and the highway. Soon enough, when time and finances allow, I'll get back into yoga which i know will do wonders for my shoulder. It still reminds me on a daily basis that it needs a little more TLC.

I worked my first solo shift at the bar last night and it went well. I made a couple of first-day mistakes, but nothing detrimental. I already saw some familiar faces and felt like this is only the beginning to fitting in working the sports-bar-turn-night-club scene.

The weather continues to be my best friend. I think about the cold smoke threatening the CO mountains. I can only cherish every day that I wake up to sunny skies, warm temperatures and a cool ocean breeze. On average the temperature has recently been in the low 70's with not much humidity. It cools off enough at night to sleep comfortably, although everyone sleeps with a fan to drown out the noise of the train. When you live in SoCal, the goal is to live west of the I-5. Not only do I live west of the 5, I also live west of Pacific Coast Highway. The train runs along the PCH, and to be expected, it makes its presence known every time it comes cruising by. Trust me, there's no complaints coming from this girl. Walking out my front gate, up the street, over a half a block and down to the beach makes it more than worth it!

Every day I meet mellow, genuine people around town. I feel as comfortable and safe as I do in Steamboat. I commute around on my cherished cruiser, and do my errands on my road bike. I'm proud to be the hippie Colorado chick who rides her bike everywhere. I'm smart about where I ride and wear all of my lights and my helmet whenever I'm on the highway. I'm sure I'll quickly become known as the blond on the lime green cruiser with the two pig horns. ;o)

I make my occasional trips south to Solana Beach and home of the original Belly Up music venue. I've already seen two reggae shows there. As most of you know, not much makes me more happy than getting to go jam to some live, kinky reggae!

My first purchase when funds allow will be a new camera. I will be sure to make up for lost time and take a slew of pictures to familiarize you all with my new life and surroundings.

Peace and love to you all!

Brett

Holla D Street Bar and Grill

I HAVE A JOB, I HAVE A JOB, I HAVE A JOB! I heard back from D Street Bar and Grill on Monday, and they offered me a job immediately. Come to find out, this place is very competitive with server shifts, so I feel like I landed at the right place at the right time. I went from my second interview straight to my ... My first day of training was on Tuesday and all went well. It was a slow lunch, so I only learned so much. I can't express how much better I feel now that I finally have a job. I went home and was able to take a deep breath for the first time in what feels like ages. I train again Friday night, Saturday morning and Monday afternoon. By then I should know what my new work schedule will be! I have a feeling that I will get some good work shifts right off the bat. Not a bad time to be jumping on board into a sports bar during football season.

I took the weekend off from life and let loose a little bit. Through a long-distance friend, I've met a mutual friend here in Encinitas along with a great crew of people. We are starting a weekly dinner/bbq and have found our way around the late-night scene quite easily. After a wild weekend of barley-and-hops consumption, I rode my temporarily-adopted cruiser down to Solana Beach where there just so happens to be a Broncos Headquarters bar. Ironically enough it's called Chiefs. Sadly enough, that is just the team that broke a 12-game losing streak to beat us. Bummer. Being around a crowd of Broncos fans clad in jerseys and a plethora of blue and orange made me feel right at home. Even to the point that I got the chills and felt a little giddy inside. On Sundays I can wear a NFL jersey at work, so a new Broncos jersey will be coming in hot soon.

For the first time it rained and even thundered here on Monday morning. What an experience that was! The smell was overwhelming and brought me home to the aroma of rain in the mountains. I have heard from a number of people about how incredible the colors are this fall in Colorado. It seems as those chances just so happen when I am absent. Luckily enough I know I have a handful of friends who appreciate the beauty as much as I do and think of me when relishing in the beauty. Thank you!.. Just as I finished writing this I received a picture message from a friend who had just bike Emerald Mountain. It was looking towards the Steamboat Ski Area and the colors were absolutely majestic! I can't tell you all how much it makes my heart swell when friends let me know they are thinking of me when enjoying the beauty of life. I love you Alli~

Yesterday was hot. As in upper 80s hot. I went thrift-store shopping for cheap, black pants for work. I have realized that once I have the finances I will be able to completely revamp my wardrobe from second-hand stores alone. I now live just south of the O.C. and the women's second-hand clothing stores prove it. Seven, True Religion and Joe's jeans fill the racks for under 30 bucks. Now that's my kind of shopping! I waited for it to cool off and went on a nice beach run. As much as I don't thrive off running, I still somewhat enjoy it and like the sand for the forgiveness of it relative to cement or even dirt. There's nothing quite like running along the water while watching surfers, the setting sun and romping women and men clad in bikinis and board shorts. After all, that's why I moved to the beach!

I stopped by Nytro, the triathlon/bike shop where my new buddy George works. I sat with him and he dialed me on three new road bike routes to venture on. He discussed his upcoming weekend with me. He is partaking in a 508--that's not a typo--mile road-bike race that will take him just around 40 hours to complete. CRAZY. Between traveling to the race, nerves the day and night before, the race, and traveling home, he doesn't sleep for about five days. Not quite sure how the body endures that. I commend athletes like George. Good luck, and most importantly, HAVE FUN! I'm sure that he will quickly become a great friend for me to know. He and his girlfriend live in Huntington Beach, and they have already invited me for a visit. They also invited me to the race. If not for my new excuse, a job, I would go and cover the race. After all, I'm here to expand my journalistic horizons---right?!!!

My goal is to start writing in my blog more often and more freely. I have been urged to write as I think. Because I only know me as me, I don't realize how inspiring my words are for so many. But thanks to a handful of you, I am learning that more and more. Thank you for your honesty. You all extract my gifts to you from within me. After my accident this year, I realized that all I want to do in life is give back. I want to embellish and enhance others' lives with my experiences and what I have to offer. I have been so blessed in life, and I want to help be a blessing for others.

So, cheers to Brett's new style of blogging!

All my love, all the time,

Brett

Settling into SoCal life is finally starting to happen. I still haven't nailed down a job, but should know by Monday or Tuesday if I have a server position at a bar and grill in downtown Encinitas. On the journalism side of things, I spent the weekend in San Francisco attending a Professional Athlete Women's conference put on by The Stone Clinic in partnership with SheJumps.org. I can't express enough how motivational and inspiring it was for me to sit in the same room with 30+ women who all aspire to make a career out of skiing. I went more for the media networking aspect of the weekend, and I feel very accomplished with the contacts I made. I talked with editors from Ski, Ski Racing, ESPN the magazine and Athleta catalog just to name a few. Although I didn't walk away with a job (that would have been way too ideal), I did walk away with a handful of possible job opportunities to transpire in the future. The actual job I came out here to do has unfortunately dissolved. This unfortunate event has only made me that much more motivated to charge full speed ahead for writing and ski coverage opportunities this winter.
I've been spending my days pounding the pavement with resume in hand. It's a humbling experience to return to the days of restaurant and retail jobs. But as I explain daily, anything is better than no income, which is what I have had to face for the last eight months of my life post skiing accident.
I've been trying to get out on road bike rides and went on a nice ride yesterday. On the way I met an ultra-cyclist who works at a triathlon-geared bike shop here in town. In addition to being a great contact for ride routes, George will also be a good person to know for bike maintenance. Just the other night I got a flat. I ended up breaking spokes and paying $60 for a tune-up and rim repair. Perhaps next time I'll get a friendly discount. ;o)
I'm coming into my own with SoCal mentality. As most of you tell me, I already dress the part. Perhaps my most stylish accessory here has been my sunglasses. The new rage is the re-introduction of Ray-Ban's Wayfarers as well as Oakley's Frogskins. Or any other trendy, expensive pair of sporty shades for that matter. Challenging stereotypes and trends as always, I am sporting a pair of 1980-something Taiwan-made knock-offs of these old school, new school sunglasses. I'm nearly positive they came from the Steamboat Ski Area lost-and-found when the 'hostesses' now called 'ambassadors' got first dibs. Those were the days my mom came home with new shades, gloves and goggles for us daily. The frames are red with white arms. Naturally, I have tagged them with my rasta tape and they are now the coolest sunglasses around. I get compliments on them constantly. I can only accept and laugh at my re-invented rocking trend!
I'm off to the beach. Even though I only live one block away, I haven't been there in over a week because I only associate it with 'play.' I feel that I cannot just 'play' until I have a job and an income to justify my idle time. Wish me luck on the continued hunt!

Bless!

Hello from sunny SoCal!
My life is starting to get back to some normality. The other night I moved into my room and I feel right at home. I now live a block from the beach and just off Coast Highway 101. Yesterday I received my road bike, put it together and went on my first ride. I can't tell you how amazing it felt for me to feel the breeze of the ocean on my face while I got a good sweat in for the first time in three weeks!
The copy writing job I came out to work on is plugging right along. It is very mundane, so I am chomping at the bit to land a restaurant job that will help me financially and socially.
This weekend I am going to San Francisco for a professional women's conference put on at The Stone Clinic on behalf of Dr. Kevin Stone. I have known Dr. Stone throughout the years of being a U.S. Ski Team member, and more recently, part of the Director's Cup. There will be a handful of magazine editors there for me to meet and network with. I am eager to start proposing story ideas and get connected with such publications as Outside, ESPN and Ski Racing to name a few.
Wish me luck that I land the beginning of a dream job!
Best,
Brett

My first official blog from SoCal! I've been here a week and a half, and I couldn't be more elated about it. I've found a room I'll move into on the 15th, I'm hard at work with the job that got me out here and I'm eagerly awaiting to settle so I can ship bikes and borrow a surf board.
Since I've been here, I've been helping my good friend Adryan Ritter put together a show for well-know snowboard photographer Tim Zimmerman. The show was part of Travis Rice's, 'That's It, That's All' movie premiere which took place on Friday night in a swanky music/restaurant venue in downtown San Diego. The show went well, and Tim was able to display and sell some of the most epic prints from the most progressive snow movie I've ever seen. The movie crew was able to borrow the same camera that National Geographic uses. The clarity and color this camera captures trumps any other camera with no comparison.
The job with Adryan (which got me out here) has been going great. I am a copy writer for an e-commerce website, the-house.com. I am in charge of writing short product descriptions for the 10,000+ products they sell. Not only do I get to hone in on my writing style voice, it's also a healthy challenge for my vocabulary as well as a refresher for all the new technology and products currently flooding the action sports scene. It's a well-paying job on top of being open ended. We are working on back-stock items now, and within the next couple of weeks, the new website will be launching with all of the 2009 products to dive into.
Aside from that, I will work on a restaurant job as well as pursue freelance jobs for winter. I hope to establish myself as a traveling freelance writer covering various events, functions, etc.
The room I got is located in Leucadia, a small, funky community squished between Encinitas and Carlsbad. I'll be living with two older guys (thankfully) in an old, chill beach house. It's one block from the beach and what-will-be my new surf spot, Beacon's. I'm looking forward to getting back in the waves, and eventually getting my own board back out here.
Since I've been here I've met a ton of great people in the snowboard and skate industry. I've also met some great great people in the editorial and publishing world within the area. I feel that the more influential people I meet, the more opporunities will start to flow my way.
After riding my bike three to four days a week all summer long at home, I'm definitely missing my wheels as well as the exercise. I hope to get my road bike sent out in the next week. Pacific Coast Highway is right out my door and is chalk-full of road bikers during all hours of the day. I'll join a group ride or two, and settle in as an urban biker. I've also been invited to join a co-ed soccer league. Once I inherit my hand-me-down car from Adryan, I will be able to hit a game or two and get back into a sport I love so much but that I'm never healthy enough to play! On that note--I PROMISE you all that I will take it easy and not play like I'm a 17 year-old jock. I'll be so thankful to be back on the field that just getting to kick the ball will tickle my fancy. I've been going on short beach runs, and so far I haven't had any soreness in my pelvis or back from the impact. I realize that the soccer field is a different story and will be well aware of how aggressive I'm testing my body's soccer-playing capabilities.
The weather out here has been my best friend. As Adryan calls it, 'Groundhog Day' is just that, and it's fantastic! Every time I talk to someone back in Colorado, I get all giddy inside knowing that I'm not experiencing the recent change of temperature and change of leave color. As much as I love the beauty of changing seasons, my body is happy to continue soaking up the California sunshine.
I am now camera-less, and until I get some cash flow going, I won't be able to share my daily images with you all. Once I'm back to snapping shots, I'll be sure to share my new lifestyle with all of you.
I wish my best to each and all of you. I hope my blog finds everyone healthy and happy.
Until Brett's next ramble...
Peace and Love!
Brett

Here I am--slacking again. Although, I feel for some reason I have a semi-legitimate excuse. Over the course of last weekend my move to California came to fruition. I sold my Tahoe, got a place to stay nailed down, as well as a beginning job until I'm out there and am capable to pursue other work and a place to rest my brain. I'll be living and working with one of my best childhood friends, Adryan Ritter, who is a journalist and photographer in the snowboard industry. I really couldn't be more excited for this move. I'm ready for a change of lifestyle and am more excited for my career change! My recovering body is looking forward to an extended summer and some quality beach time.

I'm spending my final week at home in Steamboat tying up loose ends and organizing my life into snow and surf. I spent Friday and Saturday standing in the pouring rain at Red Rocks for two days of music I had been waiting all summer to see and listen to. Although the rain got old, I still enjoyed the adventure and the annual birthday present I give myself.

I'm making sure to pay special attention to my last bike rides, the trails, the trees, the quiet tranquility, our sunsets, the stars, the smell of nature and my closest friends. I know what I have in store among The Land of Fruits and Nuts, so I'm making sure to remember what I'll be so fortunate for when I return home for a visit.

Perhaps the next time I get back to my blog I'll be in SoCal!

Once again I can't quite figure out where the days are going. The mornings here in Steamboat have quite a nip to them lately, and there's already rumors of changing leaves in the higher country. Those are the conversations I don't let myself hear or become a part of. Real life and the aftermath of five months of recovery are starting to hit me smack in the face now. I so badly want to be a full-on freelance journalist, but that's relatively unrealistic at this point. I'm desperately trying to find something that will (try to) pay the bills, meanwhile trying to pursue this embedded athlete-journalist career. I know that time is the only answer, but the waiting is the challenge.
I've been spending as much time on my bike as possible. I feel that right now the woods, trails and being one with my body is my tranquility. I do most of my thinking during my rides, and they are very inspiring times for me. I think about life, my career and the current journalistic stories I'm working on at the time. I feel like I'm working overtime--getting to exercise, be spiritual and 'work' in unison.
I attended a friend from childhood's wedding last weekend. It was a small 'class reunion,' and the group of us in attendance had a great time picking up where we left off. Here's a picture of the old school crew.

Wow, how my life has done a 180, and I couldn't be happier about it. My days are full of work, and now I cherish my weekend activities to the fullest. Yesterday a group of us drove up to Seedhouse and mountain biked a trail in the National Forest. Ten minutes in we saw a moose, and later saw a few deer. The beginning of the ride weaved through an old forrest fire from '02. All the trees were black on one side and healthy on the other. The color contrast of wood, blackness and green grass was quite a sight. There were technical sections, short and steep climbs and plenty of beautiful singletrack. The end of the ride paralleled Hinman Lake. It was overgrown with lily pads and the banks were chalk-full of Columbine flowers and Wild Rose. The color of Columbines seen all around Steamboat is the exact color I think of when I associate the majestic bloom as our state flower. I get that puffed-up feeling of pride in my chest every time I see the gorgeous plant. I kept up with the boys well, and was more stoked than anything to be out enjoying our beautiful wilderness.

As always, the 4th of July was a huge day of adventures. I got up early and hammered up my favorite trail, Spring Creek, on my mountain bike. While the rest of the hooligans were tubing the river, I spent the day to relax and reserve energy for the evening and night. People started slowly showing up late afternoon, and before I knew it, the slip-n-slide extravaganza was in full force. The path was complete with a jump, which was appropriately named Brett's Jump. NO, I didn't get near the thing. Instead I worked on perfecting my blackberry and raspberry mojito featuring fresh mint and fresh-squeezed lime juice. Yes, they did the trick and then some. As the night progressed, my roommate Dan and I decided it was a good idea to cruise down the street to check out a band a buddy of ours plays in. Granted, I shouldn't have been on my cruiser, but I was, and what is done is done. I came into a turn with too much heat, locked up the brakes, my back tire skidded out on gravel and I was ejected over my handle bars and straight onto my head. This is when it might have been a good thing that I was tipsy. Needless to say I ended my night with a bloody, scraped face and a chunk removed from my knee. Above all I am most happy to report that I did no other body damage. I spent yesterday tending to my face and working on the six journalism stories I have been procrastinating on. Today, I wrote all morning and was already feeling good enough to take a beautiful bike ride on Emerald Mountain. Enjoy the pictures, and yes, I'm being good to my wounds!

I spent the weekend in Park City going to a wedding reception, riding mountain bikes and reporting for a story on the Shred Wagon--part of healthesnow.org. The wedding party was an overload of my ski racing past. It was great to see so many familiar faces who I haven't seen in years, but overwhelming to have to tell my crash story so many times over to most people who hadn't even heard I was injured. If it was up to me, I wouldn't have let anyone know. But word travels fast, and within an hour of the party I was being bombarded by concerned fellow skiers who hadn't heard the tragic news. I felt that it wasn't important to relive the event of nearly six months ago for the fact that I was standing in front of everyone, wine in one hand, smile from ear to ear, looking as healthy as can be. By the end of the night (which is always early for me) I was emotionally exhausted. I got to experience the Shred Wagon first hand, and I couldn't have been more comfortable and in my element. I went for a good ride up Park City Mountain Resort and saw a couple of other good friends in the area. On Sunday we trekked the wagon up to the mountains and took great pictures of it in its element at the summit of Guardsman Pass. On the way back to Steamboat, Nate and I stopped in Vernal to check out a spread of trails which are supposedly all the rave. We had a great time biking in the desert and owning it all to ourselves. I'm happy to have escaped the Yampa Valley for a weekend, pursue a great story for the Powder website, and romp my bike on some virgin territory!

So refreshing and thrilling to boast about a few firsts in my 'rebirth.' I begin with my first mountain bike ride. I've been riding my road bike aggressively and it feels great. The other morning a windy start to the day turned my plans of a road ride into my inaugural mountain bike ride. Words don't do justice for the happiness that filled my heart powering my way up Emerald Mountain. My body was thanking me as well as my mind. I followed that day with my first hike the next day. My buddy Glenn and I headed up the Fish Creek trail and I tested my lower body to the fullest extent. More than anything, my quads were weak and my balance and agility were lacking. After about a half hour my back got sore, but only enough to let me know it was time to turn around. My most thrilling first to date is getting back to work! I've been waiting to start my retail job, and in the meantime, I've been helping the parents out with finishing the basement of their recently-built house. The last few days I've spent sanding and staining doors and trim and I couldn't be happier doing it. Not only am I ecstatic to be making money for the first time in five months, it's even more fulfilling to be back to manual labor! I've turned the final corner in my recovery and everyday I thank the stars above that I have been blessed with such a fortunate life. 

Ah yes, the DAILY blog has already gotten away from me. Today was my first day being back on the majestic Marabou ranch. Now that summer has finally decided to grace Steamboat, the hills and meadows surrounding our town are reaping the rewards. Perhaps the Yampa Valley could be nicknamed the Emerald Valley. At Marabou, it's no different. The grass is lush, the river is raging and everyone's taking advantage of the endless activities. I headed out for a day of fun with two 10-year-olds and two 13-year-olds. After a brief dabble in mosquito-infested archery, we headed to the ponds for some serious fishing. Within an hour every kid had caught a fish and flashed a grin from ear to ear. I even worked on my fly fishing cast, and definitely got the itch to spend more time along the banks of the water. I'm looking forward to getting on horseback and on bike to explore the plethora of options at the ranch.

I'm as sick of talking about the white stuff as I am about my recovery, so I'm opting not to regarding yesterday. Instead I'll discuss my day of rallying to Denver and back with my family to have dinner with my 92-year-old grandfather. He's still full of fire as ever and yesterday was no exception. Mom, Matt (step-dad) and Brandon (bro) piled into the gas-hog and drove the emerald three hours to take Gramps out for lunch in celebration of his birthday and Father's Day. After a mediocre meal at Elway's and a session of talking on a microphone so not to have to scream at him, we dropped him and his lady-friend back at the assisted living palace for an afternoon of gin rummy. Without fail he complained about the waiter, ate only fried food and picked around everything green. There's not much to challenge for the fact that he was a cardiac doctor his entire life--and besides his hearing--is in damn-near impeccable health for his fragile age. A Home-Depot stop rounded out the city visit, and we were back in Steamboat by mid-evening. I feel so lucky to get to see my grandfather so often and can only hope I get to live the duration of life he's been able to enjoy. 

The highlight of my day was finally dumping our massive pile of recycling off at Waste Management. Some vital machine needed to do the dirty work has been broken for weeks, and has left us non-paying customers high and dry for a place to rid of our recyclables. As annoyed as I was towards the lengthy closer, I was delighted to see so many people as happy as I attempting to 'be green' in the land of excess. I pulled up among a slew of people, emptied the car and was out in a flash. So easy, yet such a difficult concept to sell. The rumor is that not all of Yampa Valley's recyclables end up reused. Now, with the recent closer, I'm even more eager to pursue a story asking why this is...

Today I'm completing a task I've been meaning to do for five months now. Perhaps I've been so heavily dragging my feet for the fact that I am sick of my thoughts being jam-packed with the solitary topic of rehabilitation and recovery. Now that the light at the end of the tunnel is becoming as bright as our recent sun-soaked days, it's time to ramble on about everyday life: Living the life of the broken, broke and blissful in Paradise, Colorado...