Fat Bikes!

That's what I said Fat Bikes. Check this out. It's a mountain bike you ride in snow. 

These super light weight bikes float over the snow on fat inner-tube tires. It was really fun. They are a bit different than riding a normal street bike but if you can do one you can do the other for sure. They are designed to travel on groomed  ski trails. I rode them everywhere from downhill ski slopes to cross-country ski trails. 

They are fine in a little top powder but get into the deep stuff and that front tire instantly sinks and you do one of these. 

Which by the way was the softest crash landing I have ever experienced :)

You can rent these fantastic things at Kelly Canyon Ski Resort in the ski rental shop. It is $35 for a whole day or $25 for a half day. To go up the chair lift it is $5/ride. I recommend practicing in the parking lot for a second to get the hang of things on a flat surface then it's off to lift #4. Once to the lift there are designated chairs with hooks attached to them. The lift workers were fantastic and knew exactly what to do. All I had to do is get on the chair lift just like I do when I go skiing and the lift worker placed the bike on the hook for me. The bike hangs off the left side of the chair and you sit on the right side (to keep the chair balanced). 

Once to the top the lift worker will be waiting for you and he will slow the chair down and remove your bike for you. 

A few pointers. 

1) On freshly groomed trails you want your tires a little deflated to give you more surface area. 

2) When going down hill, sit farther back on your seat then you would normally on a regular bike. 

3) If you get going faster than you are comfortable with there is always the brake but I found it more fun to turn and circle up hill to slow myself down. 

4) You will come across skiing and snowboarding traffic so use the normal traffic flow of things. I like to yell "on your left" when passing people just so they know I'm coming. I startled a few skiers when I passed them for I don't think they were expecting me to be peddling a bike when I came by :) 

5) Of course my last piece of advice is wear a helmet. I like my head just the way it is and my helmet helps to keep it that way. Helmets can also be rented at the ski shop. 

This was a super fun winter activity. Not hard to do, super fun and a good workout. I think I worked my abs more than any other muscle because I was laughing the whole time :)

(Big thanks to my friend Lyndsey Norr for coming on this adventure with me!)