The Conflict Is Over ~ Orbea Rise M-LTD With Enve 15Oct21

The debate I was having with myself is over. I was conflicted as to which eMTB to buy but there's now an Orbea Rise M LTD with Enve carbon hoops bound to COS for me. The Rise edged out the new Yeti 160e primarily on anticipated feel. I still like mountain bike riding and the Rise is more like that while the Yeti is designed closer to a full power eMTB. The Orbea is 35# with 360wH battery and a rider synergy (RS) tuned EP-8 motor. The Yeti is 50# with a 630wH battery and a "full power" EP-8. Rider Synergy means you gotta spin it like you mean it to get the power. So... while I may need the extra juice in several years, since I am not young, the Orbea should suit well now. I like the idea of it more anyway. Good biking friends tend to roll tech fairly often and I thought, so can I, if needed. We'll soon see if there is enough power to let me keep pace with the youngsters. Even if not, I'll be able to climb stuff I no longer can under my own human power, at least not readily or even often. Woohoo.

Update 27Oct21 - Kitsuma delivered the Orbea today! I need to put the armor on before I venture onto the trails but I did ride it... holy F$c4 power assist is very cool. And, how often does your bike talk to your phone to allow tuning. So cool. I gotta set it up a bit and I didn't expect the tires F&R they installed... I expected the Rekons but got DHFs all around. The ENVE AM30 rims are almost a weight wash with alloy (known) but the big tire in the rear is a surprise. My bike weighs 39# with pedals ~ a little heavier than I expected. I don't know if that's work to do or just fine; I'll see.

Update 30Oct21 - A custom fit (to the Rise) protection film set arrived from Ride Wrap and I spent about a day all up affixing it to the bike. The instructions and videos are all very good, as are the film sheet and fit. However, this is a bear of a task and getting the tricky spaces to adhere is tough and time consuming. I am pretty technically adept and it gave me fits ~ perhaps I should've outsourced it. That said, in the end, it's good enough and the Rise is covered.

Katie Toupin - Check Astronaut, And I Love Audiotree Again 13Oct21

Katie Toupin recently dropped her 2nd solo album after departing Houndmouth in 2016. She's awesome and wrote and co-wrote plenty for Houndmouth, including their superhit Sedona. Soulful voice, good backing band, fine songs. Listen live... very good.

• Mostly the latest EP, Little Heart - Katie Toupin Live @ AudioTree 16Sep21
• Mostly the original solo EP, Magnetic Moves - Katie Toupin Live @ ODEON Louisville 29Dec18

Jade Brid @ The Bluebird 07Oct21

Just wow. I caught Jade Bird @ The Bluebird in Denver yesterday after hearing her first at the Bluebird Music Fest @ Macky on CU Boulder campus a week ago. Jade Bird was very good though some full band arrangements delivered through the Bluebird's system and mix challenged me to hear her stellar vocals clearly enough. I cupped my ears like an elephant for a number of tunes ~ in order to focus on the vocals. Sound was better on solo acoustic stuff but all songs were very tightly performed, even executed in a smidge too business-like form for my taste; it was not mechanical, just seemingly nothing ad hoc. Jade is a spectacular vocalist, musician and songwriter, and has honed her performance schtick considerably for the latest LP of material. She's an absolute rock star and a blast to see & hear. Here, late in the concert, she's rapping Americana on "Now Is The Time" ~ completely excellent.

I am a bit ahead of myself. I arrived near the Bluebird after a brutal drive up University Ave and took out walking to the excellent Q House for duck lo mein. I then headed to a favorite brewery, Cerebral, for some tasty DDH IPAs. Especially notable was the DDH DIPA collaboration with Equilibrium... "Y'all Motherfuckers Need Science." Cerebral has turned their prior parking area entirely into a keen outside party spot ~ I took an Adirondack and did some drinking and people watching as I awaited "doors open" @ 7pm.

I arrived at the Bluebird just 10th in line with only 30min to opening. I met some true Jade Bird fans in line as well as folks who were just there for a show, any show seemingly. Once inside I secured a class A position in front of sound guys. As mentioned earlier, it didn't completely work but I was in the best spot. I think Bluebird should do a deep review of their sound system and cant the hanging towers in a bit... recently the Aggie, about the same size, sounded better.

First up, unexpectedly, was Lucky Kilmartin, Jade Bird's guitarist and partner. He has a nice voice and sang four good songs but never went to full voice. Before and during sets I chatted up my neighbors and came to find Suzanne was a classmate with my cousin Jennifer in Summit, NJ ~ small world! The marquee opening act Diana DeMuth was on after Lucky - she was accompanied by a cool percussionist and by her own acoustic guitar. Her voice was excellent and songwriting strong ~ also offering a kind of modern Americana. Excellent five song set.

The best was Jade Bird; no question. I'd done my homework and knew all the tunes and Jade delivered a strong ~70min show. Wailing as she does impeccably, with Lucky leading and sometimes singing backup. They do a nice duet on "To Love Somebody." As mentioned, it was sometimes even too tight a performance, if that even makes sense. I loved it nonetheless and the room was comfortable but a little boomy. The last link is video for a new release "Dressin' Up?" that she offered solo with acoustic ~ new is always notable at concerts.

I would definitely see Jade Bird again ~ I can't believe I missed her last week or so at the Vail Performing Arts Center. She'll be back and likely at Red Rocks, maybe even headlining.

The Links & ORB Training With Kala 06Oct21

What gorgeous weather we're having - heck the sprinklers are still spewing! Kala & I played King's Deer today on my punch card (sorry Jim & Tom, all used up now). Spectacular but slow... so slow in fact that we bailed at #16 to get home in time to eat at N3 Taproom and attend the ORB Training session via Zoom call with Lee & Emily Cleghorn. The later was a blast too, ORB and the Summit Club therefrom are treasures. We'll again select malt and hops ingredients for a new DDH DIPA which Lee with brew - and I'll score an exclusive couple of 4 packs of it at the Summit Club release party (plus I still have my dangerous Golden Ticket to spend this year).

Thin On The Blue @ Jurassic 05Oct21

Before heading to the Front Range for some events today I stopped to fish below Green Mtn Rez. Meh. Just a number of small fish from thin ~100cfs flows, despite a decent BWO and red quill hatch as well as returning caddis. The workhorse today was a #22 silver surfer which must've cut through the tinted green waters. Just 3.5 hrs in order to get home.

When In Winter Park... 03Oct21

...Fish the Fraser River I thought and did. A bunch of tiny rainbows and a larger brown (where I muffed the picture). Water was low, cold and clear and willows dampened casting. I tried for an hour or two behind the Safeway. Meh.

Upslope BackCountry Taproom With Wilburs & Kaisers 02Oct21

I was fortunate to catch a great day in the Grand Co alpine with my friends Jason & Scott. It was especially keen as I finally got to meet Jason's lady Lori, an impressive writer, walker, mom, drinker and friend - we had some moments; she's very cool. She even has good taste, in beer at least, enjoying the hazies most. Of course too, Reid the angel was on the adventure and she really opened up during the weekend and seemed to have a blast. Below I catch her rockin' with the BT speaker with DJ Dave at the controls. Cute kid with excellent poop potential. It was a generous weekend too as Dr Kize offered many in his employ tickets, beer and more to the Saturday event... he even offered my pizza. We attended the fun Upslope Backcountry Taproom where we took the Winter Park gondola to the alpine then hiked ~2 miles on the Top of the Rockies trail to a "taproom" built by Upslope Brewery... yeah, they served cans but it was fun; about a half dog for every person at the event (~2K folk - so a thousand dogs). Great to join Scott, Jason and their teams for an outing. World issues were raised; world problems were solved; the world stood still for a fun alpine event - well almost still, there was still a mighty queue to reach the gondola and again to retrieve beer, even in the "backcountry."