TomPierce wrote: ↑Thu Dec 02, 2021 9:49 am
My 2022 goals, which are more aspirational than bucket list must-do's:
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Climbing: More of the same, 5th class peaks. I have a list of a few (<10) that are of interest, a few (2-3) are higher priority, e.g. new LIDAR peaks, etc.
Making progress: 2 new ranked LIDAR 5th class peaks, another unranked 5th class peak last weekend. Hopefully I'll get another 2-3 this year. And there are a few ranked & unranked peaks in Dinosaur National Monument, a favorite area, that I'd like to get to via off trail, circuitious possibly dangerous routes.
Getting to the planning stage of this, I've mentally sketched out a new route, and I've decided to make it a combo off trail route & packrafting trip. Should be challenging and fun, probably in September/October. High adventure!
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Paddling: 2022 is shaping up to be an awful year for river sports, low snowpack = low runoff = low water flow. We'll see. That aside, maybe an early season (April) run down the Yampa, hopefully at >1,000 cfs (we did it a couple of years back at 850, it was OK, not great).
Done, did the full Yampa via inflatable kayak in April. Really fun, challenging, but I think I'm ready for new river adventures; I've done the Split Mountain exit from the Yampa & Green Rivers 5 times now, it's time to explore other rivers. I think the Escalante will be the focus for 2023. An interesting alternative is a packraft sojourn down the Escalante in UT, but that's apparently hard to nail on the cfs, esp in a drought. Again, we'll see...
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Cycling: I'd like to up my annual mileage to north of 3,000 miles, and I have a few other loose cycling goals: Ride to the border of Kansas (finally?!?), a long day at 170 miles, and maybe a multi-day jaunt to Oklahoma. I've also always wanted to do an unsupported solo double century ride (200 miles); maybe if my training doesn't fall apart in 2022 I can pull it off.
Ugh, had a nagging knee injury early in the year, it really set me back. But I'm steadily adding miles, juggling long weekend rides with climbing trips. Hard to say if I'll meet these cycling goals. But I should be in good shape for the winter fat biking season (I've been working on a winter ride up Mt. Evans) and the road season next year.
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And Everything Else: Wife, kids, family, work. Always gotta balance the above loose goals with the Everything Else!
All good at home, as good as they can be raising twin teenagers!
Wishing everyone a happy, healthy & productive 2022!
-Tom