A gypsy and her list obsession

chemgirl

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Shopping lists, to-do lists, places-to-ride-in-NJ list, Bike Parks in North America list, they go on. I love making lists. I like writing them on a physical piece of paper using an actual pen. If it’s a long-term list, I’ll resort to digitizing it. Something about checking items off is extremely satisfying. Is it OCD, perfectionism or boredom? I don’t know nor care; I just like my lists.

I’m going to use this space to keep track of my bike-related lists. I’m disappointed I didn’t start keeping a blogged record of the places I have ridden and traveled to years ago. Places just blend together in my head now. It’s hard for me to decipher which are worth returning to or recommending. So, I’m starting this blog now. Hopefully I'll fill in some history as it comes to me.

For those who don’t know me, I’ve ridden a fair amount of bikes. In the very early years of MTBNJ, I joined as one of the original females. I raced XC for several years. I then left to join, what-was-then, an all-woman’s road-racing team and raced road/crit/TT for a couple years. Big mistake but a worthy experience. I then returned to mtb racing focusing on the endurance races. After completing the High Cascades 100 in 2016, I changed channels once again, and focused all my efforts on downhill/enduro which I raced until the Wonderful World of Covid hit. I continue to ride lots of different bikes on lots of different terrain, just a little bit slower. Since putting racing on hold, I have become more obsessed with my lists and started traveling more.

So this isn’t going to be a training blog, or a race blog. Just me crossing places of my lists while I can. Maybe my lists and adventures can be useful to some. I’m sure most folks on this forum will not even bother with this blog. But you if you like to travel, maybe I will eventually post something useful.
 

jackx

Well-Known Member
Soundz interesting. I’ll be 4th on your list of readers.

It will be interesting to hear what types of lists you compile. I understand that some lists are meant to have the items crossed-off such as shopping lists. And for some lists the items may be highlighted as accomplishments.
 

rottin'

Well-Known Member
Staff member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
@chemgirl I too am a proponent of writing my list down on paper and crossing off items as I complete them. Immensely satisfying experience for me...while I don't have the inventory of lists that you do--mine range from a daily to-do list for work things to a list pop projects around the house that gets done throughout the year-- crossing something off feels great. I approve of this thread! lol
 

Norm

Mayor McCheese
Team MTBNJ Halter's
I also am a lister. I have no less than 17 lists that I can see from my desk right now. 5 of them are taped to the wall. I also have various digital lists, from Google Sheets to Trello, to Anylist to Any.do on the phone.
 

serviceguy

Well-Known Member
I used to make lists, but I kept forgetting where I left them and eventually that I made them so I started making a list of the lists that I made, sort of a master list is you will...but I forgot that I made that too. Thank you for reminding me, I really wanted to make the list of those that make lists...
 

Dominique

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Subscribe! I like to make lists and also love to travel… Perfect blog for me!
 

mattybfat

The Opinion Police
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Subscribed
Not a lister just fly by the seat of your pants kind guy. I do much research and leave that in my head. I think of the mental list as a game to see just how well I did. I will always forget at least one thing on my wives list that she left on the counter for me lol...
 

Steve Vai

Endurance Guy: Tolerates most of us.
Any tips on remembering to bring the list? This seems to be the hole in 100% of my list based adventures.
 

KenS

JORBA: Director
JORBA.ORG
Following for the travel spots/posts. They really do blend together as you get older and have travelled a bit. I was riding Sleepy Hollow a few weeks ago thinking it was my first time there, having completely forgot that I had connected to it from Hinesburg a few years back. Didn't realize until seeing the Strava segments post-ride. Embarrassing in some regards, but cool to have the "new trail day" feeling twice.
 

JDurk

Well-Known Member
Following for the travel spots/posts. They really do blend together as you get older and have travelled a bit. I was riding Sleepy Hollow a few weeks ago thinking it was my first time there, having completely forgot that I had connected to it from Hinesburg a few years back. Didn't realize until seeing the Strava segments post-ride. Embarrassing in some regards, but cool to have the "new trail day" feeling twice.
We were at Sleepy Hollow? The heat and humidity has the whole trip blended together in my head.
 

serviceguy

Well-Known Member
Subscribed
Not a lister just fly by the seat of your pants kind guy. I do much research and leave that in my head. I think of the mental list as a game to see just how well I did.
Added bonus, if you forgot something from a mental list there's no evidence it was ever part of it. That is exactly how I can claim to have a great memory...
 

Norm

Mayor McCheese
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Embarrassing in some regards, but cool to have the "new trail day" feeling twice.

I consider this a bonus of getting old. By putting it in a list, you hold your future self accountable to your past self. Unless you forget where you posted it all.
  • I saw Sherry at KT at the end of June. Total random encounter. She gave Simon some knee pads I think
  • I saw Sherry this past weekend at Cranks. She gave me 2 bags of bike shoes.
Net-net? Sherry should ride where we do more often, so we get more free stuff.
 

KenS

JORBA: Director
JORBA.ORG
We were at Sleepy Hollow? The heat and humidity has the whole trip blended together in my head.
Lol, yes. it was the place that had a wedding going on when we arrived. Star Wars trail names, etc.
 

Soundguy

#SenditGuy
Team MTBNJ Halter's
My wife is the queen of lists. Like, every single step of her day is checked off in a notebook. She goes through notebooks like a crazy list lady. I admit, I have started to take to this method because my brain ain't what it used to be. Not just listing for productivity but also setting goals. Like you said, there is something satisfying about crossing things off.
 

chemgirl

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Lift/Shuttle Access Bike Parks in the US. Blue are the places I have been so far.

Aleyeska, AKBogus Basin, IDCranmore, NH (closed)Snobasin, UT
HillTop Bike Park (closed), AKBrundage Mt, IDMt Sunapee, NHSnowbird (lift closed), UT
Sunrise, AZKelly Canyon, IDHighlands, NHSolitude, UT
Leathwood (shuttle), ARLookout Pass Bike Park, ID - closedLoon Mt, NHSundance, UT
China Peak, CAPomerelle (closed), IDWaterville Valley, NHTrailside Park City, UT
Kirkwood Mt, CA - closedSchweitzer Mt, IDMountain Creek, NJWoodward Park City, UT
Mammoth Mt, CASilver Mt, IDAngelfire, NMBolton Valley, VT
Snow Summit/BigBear, CASoldier Mt, IDPajarito, NMBurke, VT
Mt Shasta, CABald Mt/Sun Valley, IDGreek Peak, NYOkemo/Evolution, VT
Northstar/Trukee, CAFreeman Ridge (no lift), MEPlatekill, NY (closed)Killington, VT
Snow Valley Mt, CAMt Abrham, MEWhiteface (shuttle), NYMt Snow, VT
Sky Pass at Santas Vilage, CASunday River (closed), MEWindham, NYSugarbush, VT
Beaver Creek, COThunder, MABeech Mt, NCSuicide Six, VT
Copper Mountain, COJiminy Peak, MASugar Mt, NCStratton, VT
Crested Butte/Evolution, COBoyne Highland, MIMt Bachelor, ORBryce, VA
Granby Ranch, COGiants Ridge, MNSkibowl, ORMassanutten, VA
Keystone, COSpirit Mt, MNTimberline, ORSnoqualmie Pass (closed), WA
Telluride, CODetroit Mtb Park, MNBlue Mt, PAStevens Pass, WA
Snomass, COMarquette Mt (no lift) , MNMount Pleasant (no lift), PASnowshoe, WV
Powderhorn, COHoward Bike Park, MO
Shepard Mt (shuttle), MO
Seven Springs, PA (closed)Little Switzerland, WI
Purgatory/Durango, COBig Sky, MTWindrock, TNGrand Targhee, WY
Steamboat, CODiscovery Park, MTSpider Mt, TXJackson Hole, WY
Trestle, COWhitefish, MTBrain Head, UTWhistler, BC
Vail Mt, COAttitash, NH (closed)Deer Valley, UT
Powder Ridge, CTBretton Woods, NHNoerdic Valley, UT

I've included a few closed parks, because I'm being optimistic and hoping the closures are temporary. Post up if I've missed any.
 
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