Martin Stefan

Sommar

Shafbergspitze, it can be lonely at the top.

Maps can be studied, routes can be memorised and directions can be given. Usually this preparation results in well executed tours and a general sense of agreement between map and reality. This time however, I managed to screw up even though the preparations were dare I say german in their

Sommar

The sun is the same in a relative way

Shorter of breath, and one day closer to death. I'm not complaining though, even if frosty leaves in pale autumn sun on a tiny hill in Umeå is worlds apart from long, loose and lime stone littered descents followed by a swim in the Med like I did

Sommar

Pedalling on hallowed ground, the Stelvio

-It's a long climb, a classic, has 48 switchbacks. Do you want to do it? -Is it the Stelvio? Of course I want! And the next morning, there we are. Unloading the bikes in Prato, at the base of one of the most famous mountain passes in the

Sommar

Daylight in Austria

This morning I got to see a number of things: [http://smaertin.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/p1220016.jpg] An austrian cow [http://smaertin.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/p1220021.jpg] Sweaty men climbing tarmac roads [http://smaertin.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/p1220027.jpg] Alpine meadows and cramped handlebars

Sommar

Run to the hills

How about some late season Alps riding? Sun is out in Austria. [http://smaertin.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/dsc_0004.jpg] Just arrived in Fuschl, could be worse Great short night ride yesterday on the mountain right behind the house, and now time to get some more. Thanks Fabi

Sommar

Just reblogging, as usual

Not much have happened here for a couple of months. This is in part due to lazyness and the fact that I have actually been working, believe it or not. In my defense I should point out that I also lost the charger for my camera, so I haven'

Sommar

This is not a gear blog, installment whatever, or dawn of the dead (blogs). 5 10 Freerider vxi Elements

In a vague attempt to revive this dead horse, I thought I might write a few words on this year's most silent product release the 510 Freerider vxi Elements (puh!) shoes. [http://smaertin.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/dsc_0247.jpg] Nice and bright with yellow laces Maybe

Sommar

Mt Elbert, finally someone wrote something about it

I was there, I snapped some pics but I never got around to actually writing about it. As luck has it, someone else did. Well written about a great ride Andrea! Thin air on the roof of Colorado - Biking Mount Elbert [http://hungryhen.wordpress.com/2013/07/09/thin-air-on-the-roof-of-colorado-biking-mount-elbert/

Sommar

Still kicking, with kickass ladies and gentlemen

Just a quick update, Colorado is treating us with great weather, better scenery, big terrain and awesome people. [http://smaertin.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/p1210773.jpg] Old mining remains and our objective in the background. Mt Bross, 14000+ ft and one hell of a climb. Weather made us turn

Sommar

Going where the pavement turns to sand...

Packing, faffing and getting ready, tomorrow we hit the road. Making our way through Colorado to finally hit Telluride, Silverton and Durango, looking forward to it! Oh, and Matty, if you read this, I still owe you a beer. I hope to see you in a couple of weeks. [http:

Rat

So, whats new on the western front?

An oil change apparently costs 30 bucks (including the oil!), our bike rack is the size of the average french car and yesterday I was swimming in a cat4 rapid. Oh, and the sun i shining. [http://smaertin.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/dsc_0154.jpg] Half a ribeye steak,

Sommar

Some mixed photos from Laramie, Wy and Ft Collins, Co

After a great couple of weeks in (utterly cold) southern France racing the biivouac [http://biivouac.com] I am now in Laramie, Wy for work and fun. The trails here are mostly dusty and man-made, but more natural and fun stuff is out there for those who are looking. I

Sommar

The end of an era, and the beginning of a new one

The day before yesterday a new happy (I hope) owner collected my trusty Prophet frame, that has carried me through 4 seasons. Here it is in one of its first guises: [http://smaertin.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/mg_5087.jpg] One of the first proper pics I have of

Vinter

A day in Hunddalen

[http://smaertin.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/p1210247.jpg] Katterat train station, where the rails end and the skin track start Right, so the idea is simple. Take the train almost until you run out of tracks, get off and skin for a few hours until you reach the Hunddalen

Sommar

Team Martiin kickoff, day 2

More dry rock slabs, pine needles and sun yesterday at the second and final day of our team kickoff. I am getting along better and better with the new frame, It feels really sweet going downhill. I also got some new kit from ilikebike that will be interesting to try,

Sommar

Team Martiin kickoff, day one

Lots of dry (and some not so dry) trails today in Stockholm, quite a change from all the snowboarding. Hellas is a fantastic area for trail riding, and Martin knows where to find the good stuff. Great day in the sun, and tomorrow looks promising as well. [http://smaertin.files.

Vinter

Tribute to Matt

[http://smaertin.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/p1200743.jpg] The man himself, looking out over his backyard [http://smaertin.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/p1200745.jpg] Parts of the backyard in question [http://smaertin.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/p1200751.jpg] Getting close to the summit [http://smaertin.files.wordpress.

Vinter

Some stuff found in the mountains around Telluride

[http://smaertin.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/p1200625.jpg] Old mining thing [http://smaertin.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/img_3070.jpg] Wide streets filled with nothing and no one in Silverton. The tumbleweeds had probably frozen to death [http://smaertin.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/img_1303.jpg] The

Vinter

A few pics from Rainbow Peak

The weather did not look as fantastic as previous days, and the sun had been out potentially frying a lot of snow. Me and David decided to go poke around Rainbow Peak, and see what we could find. We got a glance of the area a few days earlier [http:

Vinter

Back in the salt mine

[http://smaertin.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/img_1156.jpg] Office and lunch room in Centennial We are back from an awesome couple of weeks in the Wasatch with everything from waist deep to spring conditions. I have a ton of pics that will eventually make their way to the

Sommar

Deep days in the Wasatch b.c.

Great days here in the Wasatch. We keep meeting really great people all the time, and the storms keep coming at us. The only problem really is visibility, today I had a hard time to see where I was going with all the face shots. Ah, the hard life of

Sommar

Wasatch delivers in spades

Sorry, no pics, but it was deep today in Big Cottonwood Canyon, Wasatch, UT. Like properly "i have ha hard time breathing"-deep. After a couple of days tumbling down hills on telemark gear it is nice to be back on the board again, and what a coumeback.

Vinter

Avi course, not all doom and gloom

Me and Andrea [http://hungryhen.wordpress.com/] took our first avi course this weekend. 3 days, lots of stuff I already knew and some new and very interesting things learned. Nice course, nice instructors at Jackson Hole Mountain Guides [www.jhmg.com/], thanks Pat and JD. Some really great people

Vinter

Same mountain, new aspect and more company

After a day in bed yesterday coughing rats and green blobs of death we were again back on the horse. Around 20-30cm of fresh had fallen on the already soft base, so conditions looked good. We opted for 25 short again, since we are by now familiar with that terrain

Vinter

25 Short, a first taste of the Tetons

[http://smaertin.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/img_0426.jpg] My first Teton summit, reason to celebrate The climb was a proper slog, our lungs seem to have been filled with barbed wire and badgers, we were huffing and coughing our way up the 1000 verts that separates the trailhead