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Do you know that feeling when the time is right for a road trip?  I'm not talking about that mundane out and back trip to go pick up that '63 Econoline headliner you bought on Ebay, either.  I'm talking about the type of trip that materializes when you and some coworkers have an upcoming trade show in the desert to attend and a pile of prototype bikes that NEED to be tested.  And by tested I mean throwing this pile of bikes into a van, pointing it west, and stepping on the gas.  Our plan was to ride every sweet spot between here and Vegas and see how the Krampus (and we) held up.

First we rode in the van for a bit:

Back to front view of the inside of a van, with 2 people sitting in back seats and 2 people sitting in front seats

Along our way we found what was at the end of the rainbow (donuts and breakfast sandwiches):

Front view of people outside of a CASEY's general store, with a rainbow arching over

After that we found a place to ride:

Front, left side view of 2 cyclists on Surly bikes, riding single file, down a trail on sandy, rock hills

We headed for the hills:

 Front, right side view of 2 cyclists, walking their Surly bikes on a dirt trail, up a tree covered mountain hill

 And everything was lovely, just lovely:

Front view of cyclists in the distance, riding on dirt road in a grass field, with a mountain hill and trees behind them

We rallied:

Front, left side view of 3 cyclists, riding their Surly bikes single filed, up an incline on a dirt trail in the forest

Adam shredded while we bathed in good fortune and sunshine:

Front, left side view of a cyclist, riding a Surly bike on a dirt trail, in a grassy clearing in a forest

After a while the trails got rocky and cliffy so we looked off some cliffs and threw rocks off of them:

Front view of a cyclist standing near the edge of a high, rock cliff, with 2 cyclists and their Surly bike, behind them

We survived and drank from the chalice of sweet success: 

Right side view of a van, with 2 people sitting on the sill of the open doors, in a lot with packs in front of them

We camped:

Left side view of a silver van, with a yellow tent set up near the front bumper, in a brushy desert field

And then we repeated:

Rear view of a cyclist riding a Surly bike across the side of a desert hill, with mountains ahead in the distance

Front view of a cyclist riding a Surly bike, down a rock hill in a gouge with trees on top

Rear, left side, blurry view of a cyclist, riding across a rocky hill, on a trail in the bare mountains

Eventually we got to Vegas:

A person splashing into an outdoor pool with palm trees around it, with a motel in the background

Stayed there for a week:

A large gathering people inside of an event center, next to the Surly Bikes display booth

And rolled out.  On our way back we made new friends:

A person with a pack, sitting on a concrete lot next to a drain, with vehicles and a building behind them

We soaked up some bicycle history:

Right side view of a blue bike with a cyclist standing behind, on a wood deck patio outside of a building

And we completed our desert training:

Front view of a person leaping in the air, on a large, smooth boulder, above a desert canyon that's behind them

In short, it was a success.  I still have cactus spines in my ass, but it who cares?  The Krampus and Knard killed it - next summer is gonna be great!