Him & Her...


Team Ski is a husband and wife team founded August 22, 1996. I have been interested in mountain biking for the past 3 years while my wife has only recently shown an interest in the sport. This page will contain stories, updates and pictures of our mountain biking adventures. Check back often...



Bailey the Beastly!

My GIANT ATX870...nicknamed by my wife Jennifer.



August 23-25, 1996: Spent three days and two nights at Turtle River State Park camping in our new tent. We were stalked by an killer gopher which was removed by park rangers. We were told that the gopher was infected by a virus which affected his sense of balance and fear of humans. Felt sorry for the little guy but dammit he was fun to watch...stumbling...bumbling...you get the idea. Went riding on the trails (without my wife) and later swimming/wading in the river (with my wife). Went riding on the trails (again...without my wife). Saturday night we were entertained by the local astronomy club as they brought two telescopes to the park and allowed us to view some points of interest above our heads. Went riding Sunday morning (without my wife). Jennifer commented that she didn't like sitting behind while I went riding...

August 30-September 1, 1996: Labor day weekend and our last camping trip of the year...had hoped to stay at Lake Itasca State Park, MN but it was full so we ended up at a little known campsite ( I can't remeber the name) about 20 miles away. Some guy with a Presto valve came by with a flat and asked if I had pump. Luckily for him I did. Went riding without my wife and had a blast. Saturday night it rained so hard that I thought...well, I guess I don't know what I thought...but it rained real hard! Lightning so bright I could see through my hand... Jen made the comment that maybe she should get a new bike...

February 22, 1997: Meet the newest addition to our family...Jennifer's brand spanking new mountain bike!

MANUFACTURER:
MODEL:
FRAME MATERIAL:
FRAME SIZE:
FRAME COLOR:
FRONT SUSPENSION:
SHIFT LEVERS:
FRONT DERAILLEUR:
REAR DERAILLEUR:
BRAKE LEVERS:
BRAKESET:
CRANKSET:
CHAINRINGS:
PEDALS:
NUMBER REAR COGS:
SMALLEST REAR COG:
LARGEST REAR COG:
CHAIN:
HEADSET:
HANDLEBAR STEM:
HANDLEBAR:
SEATPOST:
SADDLE:
HUBS:
RIMS:
TIRE FRONT:
TIRE REAR:
 GT
Backwoods
7005 Aluminum (heat-treated)
14.5"
Ball-Burnish
Rock Shox Quadra 21R
Shimano Alivio MC12 RapidFire Plus
Shimano Alivio
Shimano STX
Shimano Alivio
Shimano Alivio
Shimano Alivio HyperDrive-C
24/34/42
Chibel CB-322A w/clips & straps
7-speed
11
28
Shimano CN-IG30
Tioga Aheadset
GT chromoly Aheadset
GT alloy multi-position
alloy micro-adjust
Vetta TT Tri-Shock
Shimano Alivio
Mavic 238
WTB Velociraptor 2.1
WTB Velociraptor 2.1k


June 20-22, 1997: Our first camping experience of the new year...went to Hungry Man campgrounds south of Itasca State Park, MN. Jennifer went on her first extended length ride (>15 miles) and bonked. I did another 15 miles or so...and then called it a day (Saturday). That night we rested...


...and watched the sun go down. Sunday...was spent at Itasca State Park in all its glory. Too many stinkin' tourists getting in our way...but we managed to have some fun anyway.

February 09-March 06, 1998: Spent a month at Ft. Lewis Army Base near Seattle, WA. Needless to say I took my bike...got in a wreck...bent my chain and two teeth on my inner chain ring...result...replaced my chain and rear derailleur (not involved in the wreck but needed to be replaced). Didn't use the granny gear for the rest of my stay. Found a great place to ride called Steilacoom Park in Lakewood, WA.

May 26, 1998: The bionic bicycle is in for repairs: three new chainrings, a new cassette, new rear tire and adjustment of the front/rear brakes.

May 26, 1998: UPDATE Well...the crank I currently own doesn't work with the large chainring I had ordered and all the other cranks that would work except Shimano STX are incompatible with my current bottom bracket...answer...replace it all (including the bottom bracket) with XT. Isn't life simple? Now...if I quit eating for awhile and donate about 10 pints of blood I should be able to pay it off before summer is over...

June 4, 1998: In response to an overwhelming number of requests...I have listed the components of my bicycle for you in tabular form...feel free to browse...but DON"T TOUCH.

MANUFACTURER:
MODEL:
FRAME MATERIAL:
FRAME SIZE:
FRAME COLOR:
FRONT SUSPENSION:
SHIFTERS:
FRONT DERAILLEUR:
REAR DERAILLEUR:
BRAKE LEVERS:
BRAKESET:
BOTTOM BRACKET:
FRONT CHAINWHEEL:
CHAINRINGS:
PEDALS:
CASSETTE:
NUMBER REAR COGS:
SMALLEST REAR COG:
LARGEST REAR COG:
CHAIN:
HEADSET:
HANDLEBAR STEM:
HANDLEBAR:
SEATPOST:
SADDLE:
HUBS:
RIMS:
TIRE FRONT:
TIRE REAR:
 GIANT
1993 ATX870
CU92 Alcoa Aluminum


Rock Shox Mag 21
GripShift SRT 400-11
Shimano Deore STX
Shimano Deore XT (RD-M739 SGS)
CODA
Shimano Deore XT V-Brake (BR-M739)
Shimano Deore XT (BB-UN72)
Shimano Deore XT (FC-M739)
22/32/42

Shimano IG60
7-speed
11
28
Sachs PC51


CODA Performance

Selle San Marco Hovercraft


Specialized Pro Control
Trek Big Kahuna


June 11, 1998: Rory Johnson (fellow medical school classmate) and I went to Tetrault Woods near Walhalla, ND on a hot and humid day. The road leading to the trailhead was muddy from the rain the night before...20-ft into the ride we came to a 50-ft (long not deep) puddle. Needless to say...we got wet and muddy...the entire trail was a mudders dream. All the mud led to my discovery of (in my opinion) the only drawback to GripShift shifters...my hands were so muddy I couldn't "grip the shift." There were 3 large washouts/mudslides which added to our misery and all-around good-time. Ohhh yeah...woodticks and mosquitoes too. Pictures to come soon.

December 17, 1998: My dog goes with me on bike rides now (she doesn't actually ride bike...). I found it works well for the both of us...she gets better exercise than when I walk her and I get to ride. Our first time out she ran in front of me...leash went under the tire and got stuck between the tire and the frame...ENDO in the middle of the street. She knew she was bad...bad dog...bad. I kinda liked it though...hadn't had an endo in a long time...

June 2, 2001: It has been over 2 years since my last entry. What have I been doing you ask...it might be easier and more simple to ask what haven't I been doing...I can't remember the last time I took time to ride my GIANT. Until...yesterday. My wife (thanks...) stopped by a local rummage sale impulsively...she was on her way home and noticed a "Garage Sale" sign in flourescent pink and decided to stop. She found a Cannondale Bike Trailer for two children in excellent shape and it was only $75. She bought it. I was charged with retrieval as it would not fit inside her car. Upon making it home (on foot...) I decided to try it out...pulling my bike from the rafters I was witness to dust...rust...and neglect. My once proud GIANT needed help. The tires were dead flat...easily fixed. Dust I can live with... Rust...not bad...just on the chain...some lube will help. Checked the gears...brakes...shock...hmmm...they didn't seem to have suffered. I attached the Cannondale with my two daughters and took off...it was their first bike ride and it might as well have been mine too. A light in the house of The High Plains Rider has been lit...

I see that The High Plains Rider is approaching 10,000 hits...I find it interesting that the counter continues to rise despite the lack of new material on this page...look for updates in the next few weeks...I need to get my legs back.