Scorpion Tales

Thoughts and ramblings about my travels, mountain and road cycling, and whatever else is important at the moment.

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Good morning the snowy mountains said to the big sky. It is just another beautiful frosty morning in Montana. #montana #goodmorning #awesomefriends #livinthedream #roadtrip2017 #mountainlife #mountaingirl (at Bozeman, Montana)

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Let me ride where it's wide! Southeastern Montana...so surprisingly beautiful you are...but nowhere to stop and capture you with my camera! Made it to that state...that state of happiness...high, wide, and handsome you are. In Billings tonight and I got a glimpse of those big mountains from the highway. On the highway the temp was around 60 degrees. But those mountains are still filled with snow! #montana #mountaingirl #myhappyplace #southeasternmontana #bigmountains #bigskycountry

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Though far from a perfect story, the expedition of Lewis & Clark gets me excited. The excitement grew yesterday when I crossed the Missouri River. I looked at the map, and Interstate 29 roughly was paralleling the river. I am on I-90 now, chillin in Chamberlain, SD. Right next to the Missouri River. The L&C trail signs and the river are getting me excited to get my own expedition underway. I get to cross the river again over the Lewis and Clark Bridge. #southdakota #missouririver #lewisandclark #expedition #adventureisoutthere #adventureiscalling #history #historybuff #signs (at Chamberlain, South Dakota)

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Ah, yes, now in the Midwest. People everywhere, though, always making the past looking better than it was. Of course it always depended on where you stand. Swipe for the different years. I have included the depression, JFK shot, lynching of Emmit Till, my birthday and HS graduation year. #nostalgia #history #somewhereinamerica #iowa (at Sapp Bros Nebraska City)

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Somewhere in the Northwest corner of Missouri. Getting to that place where the views go on forever. #missouri #iowa

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The adventure vehicle is ready to go once again. This time, fully loaded with my belongings minus a few things. Seven bikes in the back and if you swipe, you will see a sweet Vermont Teddy Bear not so happy about being squished in the truck. Not an inch was left. Lamp shades and pillows are at my elbows. Who knows where this next adventure will take me but ready or not, here I come. #bicyclelife #bicycletouring #mtblife #roadbikelife #adventurebybike #adventureisoutthere #adventureiscalling #roadtrip2017 #colorado #montana #wyoming #idaho #washingtonstate #newmexico #vermontteddybear (at Brevard, North Carolina)

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What can I say? A double rainbow on my birthday. With friends. Celebrating the old and the new. The past and the future. Forty-seven years young and still taking on big adventures and big commitments into the unknown. You can't do these things without the support of great friends. Here in Brevard and Hendersonville, NC the high school mountain biking community has taken me in. I hope I have given enough of myself to have earned their respect. I find solace in giving so much to those around me. Thank you to everyone, near and far, on the phone or social media, who has made this day so special. #birthdaygirl #blessed #highschoolmountainbiking #mtblife #brevardnc #hendersonvillenc #rainbow #doublerainbow #dupontstateforest (at DuPont State Forest)

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There be...giraffes in Brevard. Road biking is a little dangerous with all the wildlife out there. #roadbikelife #giraffe #crazysigns

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St. Patrick shined on me today. The wind was at my back almost the entire ride. Of course, the usual spectacular views were on display. #whereiride #roadbikelife #roadcycling #radgirlslife #brevardnc Swipe for the Windows Vista view along my route on Jeter Mountain Rd.

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In the past three years I can think of at least three distinct times when my mountain biking progressed. The first was flying off a rock several feet off the ground on a wet and cold day at Snowshoe, WV. The next was riding the lower portion of Bennet Gap when it was pouring rain. I realized I can stay upright over wet roots. The last, which may seem minor to some, is this little rock on the Cove Creek climb. It is set an angle to go over a gully but when you come at it, it seems like your rear wheel won't make it. You put your front wheel on it and the rear should follow. For the longest time, I didn't believe my rear wheel would follow and thought it would slide into the abyss of the gully. Finally, I just did it. It seems small, but the ability to trust the bike will go is huge. I ride it regularly now. Many skip this section because it adds more gravel climbing but to me, that confidence is worth the extra gravel grind. And when I am fit, it is little effort. #radgirlslife #whereiride #pisgahnationalforest #pisgah #mtblife #mountainlife #mountaingirl #traillife #mountainbiking #progress #santacruzbicycles (at Pisgah National Forest)

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A windy day on the Blue Ridge froze my toes but not before I circled around the closed Mt Pisgah Inn to check out the view. Then, the excellent Parkway descent to the French Broad River. #mountaingirl #mountainlife #blueridgeparkway #blueridgemountains #roadbikelife #roadcycling #whereiride #radgirlslife (at Pisgah Inn)

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Where I ride. Stopping on a steep descent off of Jeter Mountain to take in the view. #roadbikelife #roadcycling #whereiride #roadslikethese #wnc #brevardnc #mountainlife #mountaingirl

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I am just going to put this here. It's from earlier in the month; I was hanging out with @ridebikesbigsmiles and her son on the BRP watching the stunning sunset. It is raining as I write this but feeling pretty lucky as I got a fun ride in before it started. #blueridgeparkway #blueridgemountains #thisiswhereiride #myhappyplace #roadbikelife #mtblife #sunset #sunsetontheblueridgeparkway #nofilter

[scorpiontale]

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Afternoon traffic on the country roads around Brevard. The cycling life can be a little slow at times...in a good way. 😀#roadslikethese #roadbikelife #bicyclelife #livingeachdaytothefullest #wnc #countryroads #myhappyplace #thisiswhereiride (at Brevard, North Carolina)

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Just another beautiful day to hike in the Pisgah. Today's special: Cat Gap to John Rock. #anotherniceday #catgaploop #hikergirl #pisgahnationalforest #livingeachdaytothefullest #brevardnc #wnc (at John Rock Trail)

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Bridges of Pisgah National Forest. Whether you hike or bike in Pisgah, a bridge crossing is in your future. Two of the more built up ones. Not typical as it is usually a few sketchy logs with an even sketchier handrail. I hated log crossing when I was in the military and it obviously still haunts me. #pisgahnationalforest #hikergirl #catgaploop #woodenbridges #anotherniceday (at Pisgah National Forest)

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In one direction, blue sky with fluffy clouds; the other, dark clouds. In the direction I was headed. It didn't rain because I was prepared. That's the life of a cyclist on the Blue Ridge Parkway. #roadcycling #roadbikelife #blueridgeparkway #blueridgemountains #wnc #mountainlife #mountaingirl #mountaingoat #climbybike #justridingalong (at Graveyard Fields and Falls)