Work, Racing, and Bike Lanes

Hey All,
Let's catch up a bit since the Growler. June has fortunately been one of our busiest months of the season at my job so with limited races on deck I took the opportunity to pick up some much needed banquet shifts. After a long Spring closure and Colorado's unemployment process biting me in the A$$, I pretty much needed to make up some cash somehow to get us through the remainder of June. Our fridge took a crap on us and I also had to grab a new one of those from Lowe's. My advice? Stay the course, brush the stress of your back and good things will come. In this two week period, I was able to make a ton of money working banquets, finally got my unemployment payments squared away, and thanks to Danielle's parents for buying us some condo insurance last year, we were able to get a nice check from them to replace our food and fridge! "Good things come to those who wait?" No, good things come to those who wait patiently.

Now, back to the focus of this blog. Cycling...

I've had two Vail Rec Series races since the Growler. "Hammer in the Hay" at 4 Eagle Ranch and "Berry Creek Blast" in Edwards. The Hammer in the Hay course is infamous for a non-stop "hammerfest" with few climbs but a relentless bumpy course thanks to the horse trails the loop is setup on. It did not disappoint. Hurt as usual and the course was extra bumpy to give your hands a test of endurance. Thank God for the Ergon grips that relieved some of the pain. Gave it a good effort, caught people on the one sustained climb per lap but quickly dropped off the back on the long, windy straights. Tyler Eaton had an awesome ride taking 1st in the Mens Expert group. I finished a decent 10th place.

A couple of days before the Berry Creek race, I had a big crash pre-riding the course. Dumb thing was that I tried "having some fun" and taking a line that I would not ride during the race and the trail took advantage of that mistake. Took a line off of a ledge and the landing was a bit harder than expected. Not exactly sure what happened but all I remember was the massive impact on my back and head, then opening my eyes stomach down in the sage brush. Only took a few minutes to catch the breath, check to see if the body was in one piece and finish the descent back to the trailhead. Surprisingly, nothing was broken. Just a damaged rotator cuff and now a week later, my lower spine still hurts. We'll see how it progresses. Wish I had some video for you from that one!

3 days later, I felt good enough to give it a go in the race. Four freakin' laps of Berry Creek... Gave a little bit too much on the first lap and got dropped pretty bad. Lap 2 was slow, but felt revived a bit for laps 3 and 4 to bring back the pace and pass a few guys before the finish. Finished 9th.

Spent this past week watching every stage of the Tour de Suisse. Despite all the rumors, attacks, and banter in the cycling world right now, that was some of the most exciting cycling to watch on television. The stages in the TdS were incredible, from the views, the course profiles, and the non-stop action the riders gave us. Fabian Chancellara's ability to time trial is simply super-human (no motors required). He handles a time trial bike like it's a mountain bike. Everyone questioned Andy Schleck's form on the stages he was "dropped". Take a look at the stages that he pulled... his form is there, he was running some tests by my book. The guy lost his bike during the time trial in the prologue. There was no reason for him to completely blow himself up in an effort to make that time up. Finally, after a courageous effort by Damiano Cunego defending the yellow jersey for most of the Tour, Levi Leipheimer had an outstanding time trial in the final stage to make up a 1:59 gap and win the overall in the Tour de Suisse by 3 seconds. Of course, the masses came out bashing his ability to ride that fast at that age. But take a look again, it's not like he crushed Fabian's time. He is a very strong time trialist and Cunego's performance was less than stellar in the final defense. Cunego looked worked after 9km. Should be an exciting Tour de France for sure. Not trying to play favorites but Levi and Chris Horner could be a force to reckon with. I'm sure Jonathan Vaughters has some tricks up his sleeve with Garmin-Cervelo. I expect an all-around great performance from those guys whether it be sprints, TT's, or climbing stages.

Next race on the schedule is the Firecracker 50 in Breckenridge. Here is a picture in town this morning... We'll see if the snow is cleared in time, especially up Little French.

July gets busy after Firecracker with Davos Dash, Telluride Full Tilt, Vail Grind, followed by the Breck 68 - All within the same 2 week period.

Until next time, get outside, ride your bike, and be sure to stay in the bike lanes...

bike lanes from Casey Neistat on Vimeo.

64 Miles of Fun in Gunnison... almost

This past Memorial Day weekend, Danielle and I headed down to Gunnison, CO for the 4th Annual Original Growler MTB race. The Growler is an event put on by Gunnison Trails and is a fundraiser for their trail advocacy efforts. Led by Dave Wiens, the event has become quite the contest just to get into. This years event sold out in a whopping 8 minutes! Luckily, Danielle and I got in.

We drove down Saturday afternoon and met up with Paul Gorbold and his girlfriend Kaylee to get a little sneak peak ride in the evening before the race. Temps for the weekend were stellar as it never dropped below 45 degrees, even overnight. Our short 10 mile pre-ride was up the singletrack that led us into Lap 2 of the race. Little did we know what we were in for. To say the climb was steep is an understatement. To add to that, the loose granite texture of the trail made tire grip less than optimal to push a hard gear. With a few power move sections we made it to the top and finished the ride off with Rattlesnake and Sea of Sage trails. To the right, Paul starts ascending the steeper part "Backbone". Only about a mile in length, this trail weaved its way around, to the top of all the rocks you see in the background.

As we woke up at 5:30am on Sunday morning, I immediately opened our hotel room door to see what the temps were going to be like for our start. I was pleasantly surprised to feel a calm 50 degree air flow through the room at 6am. Our start at 7am was about 55 degrees making the wardrobe choice very simple... jersey, sleeveless base layer and shorts.

Promptly at 7am, the sound of a double shotgun blast by the Gunnison town mayor, got us rolling through town with a 2 mile neutral rollout to the Hartman Rocks area. One of the coolest things that Danielle and I got to experience in this race was a mass start and the opportunity to ride side by side for the first 8 minutes or so on the race. Given that is was my birthday, it was a nice treat to begin the day of suffering that was to follow. The neutral rollout was anything but "neutral" as our rolling pace hovered around 23 mph for the first 2 miles. By the time we reached the dirt, the lead group of 40 or so riders were already about 1:30 ahead of me, half way up Kill Hill. As we climbed up Kill Hill it was time for me to get up front as much as possible to avoid the backup as we reached the first singletrack section of the course. I caught up to Pete Lombardi at the top of the climb, chatted a bit, then proceeded forward to gain some time.

The riding pace of everyone around me was very good and there was far less backups then I was expecting. We were cruising at a solid pace and I was able to gain some positions on each of the short fire road climbs each time we ducked out of the singletrack. The first major sustained climb came at what I believe is called "Bambi's", was tough but so much fun. I cannot tell you how much fun the singletrack is at Hartman Rocks. After some tree lined singletrack, we finished the climb on some large rock feature thats had a good mix of "walkers" and those that picked the right lines to keep on rolling. I was able to ride with the latter. One of the sections of trail I had not ridden was the Skull Pass loop, which, luckily I had a good rider from the Epic Endurance squad ahead of me who showed my all the right lines on the steep technical descent. I stopped briefly at the aid station out of Skull Pass to refill some bottles and I must say, I am so happy with the quality and taste of my Infinit Nutrition because the "other" sports drink out there was not too pleasing to the palette.

As I raced through the course, I was careful not to go to hard on any sections in an effort to feel somewhat refreshed as I started lap 2. Not quite sure which is mentally easier yet; knowing exactly what the second half of the course entails, or just racing on one big loop. I guess I'll know after the Park City Point to Point race. I rode into the drop bag section at 3:18:08, 34.5 miles into the race, grabbed a new set of bottles and started the ascent of lap 2. A Honey Stinger rider and I decided that hiking most of that initial ascent was right about the same speed as trying to spin easily up it. By the time I hit Josho's on the second lap, my legs felt only slightly fatigued, knowing that the hardest part of the course was out of the way. As I reached the Bambi's climb again, my legs were revived and ready to start hammering again. At this point, I was only about 10 minutes off-pace from the first lap due largely to the much more technical climb at the start of lap two.

Climbing up Skyline on Lap 1 - MountainMoonPhotography

At mile 48 I was steadily rolling as I crossed the 5 hour mark. The confidence from the possibility of an impressive finish time gave the legs the extra energy needed to finish the final 16 miles. Suddenly, something wasn't feeling right in my stomach. With little solid food eaten, it was not an upset stomach, but more like the feeling I used to get running cross-country in High School when you pushed to hard of a pace. I had never felt this on a mountain bike though. By the time I reached the in-bound aid station I stopped to get some water, thinking that maybe a mix of sugar and carbs were cramping the stomach. I was kind of bummed because as I was about to roll out through Skull Pass, fellow Bach Builder Ken Boyer was just coming out of the loop which meant at that time, I was only about 15 minutes behind him. As I started to descend, that is when the pain started to get intense. I got through Skull Pass and back to the aid station in a bit of pain and had to stop and sit for a little while to try and shake it off. Every bump and jolt on the bike send a searing pain through my abdomen. After about 8 minutes of so I got back on the bike and tried riding. It hurt... bad. And there was still 13 miles to go of less flowy, much more technical singletrack.

The next hour or so hurt a lot. Climbs were not too bad but any chance to gain some time on descents I had to crawl along being careful not to hit any bumps to hard. About half way through I almost threw in the towel. The mental game was getting the best of me knowing there was still 8 miles left and I had to pull over to regroup. I can't remember the last time I have cried, but this almost broke me. Not the pain as much, but knowing that the relentless pain was not going to leave me as I chugged along. I cleared my head, ate some solid food and pushed forward.

Turns out the sugar was just what I needed. As I approached the Fenceline (about 5 miles to the finish) the cramps smoothed out and went away. Started hammering again and with no pain my fitness was great leading into the last 2.5 mile section of the course which is typically brutal if your legs are in any way on the verge of cramping. Stopped real quick to be a good fellow racer and gave my CO2 to a walking racer with a flat and proceeded to the finish. Rode through the line at 7 hours, 21 minutes, and 12 seconds good enough for 86th overall in the mens field.

You never know how things will play out in a race with the what if's, and could've done's. After reviewing my Garmin data, the cramping issue resulted in an additional 32 minutes from lap one over the same 9.5 mile section. Granted you will naturally be slower on the second lap, to put my leg fitness into perspective, the last 5 mile section of the course was just over 2 minutes slower than the first lap. I guess my goal of 6:45:00 was right on par in a perfect race... but who ever has a perfect race! What I am able to take out of that race (my longest race to date) was how well my training has paid off to perform in long-distance events. My legs never cramped once and almost always felt refreshed. Even at the finish of the race, they were ready to keep riding. Recovery has also improved dramatically. No sore muscles or fatigued body the day after.

You know who did have the perfect race? Brian Smith (Alpine Orthopedics) took off hot from the start and never looked back. He won with a blistering time of 5:08:55. Paul Gorbold (Street Swell) represented really well with a 15th overall finish time of 5:52:33. Way to go Paul! Jake Wells pulled out early after lap 1 with some tough luck. He mentioned that everything just didn't feel right from the start. Some technical sections were interestingly tough to maneuver and his pace just didn't flow well. Smart decision on his part, it's not worth taking unnecessary risks just to finish with a chance of making some costly mistakes. Ken Boyer finished right around the same time as last year just over 6:30 and when I met up with him, I saw what his hold up (technically not a "hold up" I guess) was... NO front brake what-so-ever! Crazy! Only a few miles into the race and he lost all pressure in his brake line.

64 mile finishers gift!! Mmm, beer!

Danielle (Team High Maintenance) finished up 16th overall out of 33 finishers in the Half Growler with a time of 4:26:07. She was very pleased because her goal was a sub-4:30 finish. She battled with some cramping issues in her legs but rode most of the technical sections with determination. Most important thing she found, is that she can excel in the longer distance races while managing her blood-glucose level with ease.

Thanks again to Bach Builders and our team sponsors: Ergon International, Infinit Nutrition, and Stan's NoTubes for keeping me rolling fast, fueled, and comfortable throughout the race! Also, thanks to my personal sponsor Venture Sports in Avon for getting me on the fastest bike I have ever ridden!

Up next... Teva Mountain Games in Vail, CO!! Saturday, June 4th.

Gunnison Growler Pre-Ride

Yesterday, Danielle and I packed up the bikes and took a little day trip down to Gunnison, CO to give her a little taste of what to expect on May 29th when we race in The Original Growler. While I will be throwing down for the Full 64 mile version, Danielle will be getting out for the half version, a one lap 32 mile course of fast, swooping singletrack that was built through the efforts of Gunnison Trails, the local trail advocacy group founded by Dave Wiens in 2006. The amount of work this group has put into their local trails over the past 5 years is unbelievable and their hard work truly shows. If you haven't been out to the Hartman Rocks Recreation Area, you NEED to get out there now! As stated by Jake Wells after last years race, "Don't ever ride the Original Growler singletrack, because nothing else will ever compare."

Driving over Monarch Pass, just 50 miles East if Gunnison, we were al little worried because it was snowing. The forecast in Gunnison was iffy with chances of rain and thunderstorms in the area. But when we arrived in town, the clouds seemed to part just over the Hartman Rocks area. With the clouds looking menacing to the North over Crested Butte and rain/snow showers clearly hammering Monarch and Wolf Creek, we weren't sure how long the ride would actually last. Geared up for anything, we started our initial ascent up the infamous "Kill Hill", which will hit all riders hard as we start the Growler course. Pictured below, it consists of a steep 10-15% grade for about 3/4 of a mile climbing just under 300 feet.

Trying to find our way around via a printed course map was interesting at first, but thanks to the simple and clear trail signage, we quickly found our way. Gunnison Trails uses a name and number system to mark its trails, and with a simple placard at the start and finish of each trail, navigating by trail map was flawless.

We decided to skip the lap 1 fire road section of the course and climb the lap 2 designated "Rattlesnake" trail. I quickly realized that cleaning this trail would be key to sustaining a consistent pace. It featured some large granite rock formations that all the other riders who were coming "down" the trail seemed to be grinning from ear to ear every time they passed us. We however, were climbing "up" the trail and by climbing, I mean "climbing" by foot. Some steeps were at a pitch that even the shoes were having trouble holding steady. There is going to be some bloody scraped up knees on this trail. Here is one formation which has two options to ride: the center line to descend a steep 12 foot drop and the left-side route to navigate around the rock which Danielle opted for (watch those pedals for the narrow tracking through the rock or you will be walking).

The next section named Josho's, which for lap 1 will be the first taste of singletrack, was oh-so-fun! Fast, smooth singletrack descending into a small valley with minimal technical sections. The thing about the Growler course which is so unique is that it does not lack climbing (about 4,000 feet per lap), rather the course is rolling all throughout with every climb being no more than a few hundred feet at a time. The Whiskey course for example, had a 13 mile 3,000+ foot climb in one shot. These small rises in the Growler course allow riders to enjoy every bit of singletrack thrown at you weather climbing, descending, or playing on the technical rock formations. Pictured above left is an example of some of the small technical features that keep riders attentive to the trail.

We rode the majority of the course, ditching a few fire road sections meant to spread out the field and keep the 32 mile distance factor in the race. After a sweet, short descent into a trail named "Enchanted Forest" due to its random mix of trees and lush green, a welcome change to the sage brush infesting the rest of the course, we jumped into some rolling technical singletrack with names like Dave Moe's, Dirty Sock, Top of the World, and The Ridge.

Here's a pic of me about to clean one of the many "Ups" on the course. Our Bach Builders light-weight wind vests from Sugoi provided the perfect balance of warmth and protection from the consistent 15+mph winds all day. The chamois in our RS Bib Short provides us with enough cushion to ride for hours on end without making you feel like "the new guy" at the local prison after a long day in the saddle.

Danielle taking a break sporting the newly designed kits for Team High Maintenance.

All in all, it was a fantastic day down in Gunnison with no foul weather ever descending upon the Hartman Rocks area. It's going to be a big ole' fashioned throw down on the 29th with all sorts of friends heading down to race including Jake Wells (3rd last year), Tyler Eaton, Ken Boyer, Sara Delano, Ryan Cantrell, Mark Beresniewicz and more. Look for Jake to be gunning for a 1st place finish this year. I'm gonna go out on a limb and say Ken and Sara will take podiums their respective age groups, and if Tyler can ward off the cramps on "The Ridge", expect to see some impressive results from him as well.

For me?? Well, my plan is to rise up the rankings as races get longer, so let's shoot for a top 10 finish in my age group. I'm calling it a 6:45:00 finish time. Throw some times for me in the comment section below and I'll get a little prize out to the closest person without going over. (US residents only)

TMP

Time to catch up a bit...

You would think that with all this time off I have right now due to my job taking a seasonal hiatus for the Spring season, I would be blogging it up like crazy...

Fortunately, due to some fantastic weather in the High Country, I have been able to get a whole bunch of miles out on the dirt and even threw down for an unexpected race. So, I guess we will start with that one. Just a week after the Whiskey 50, tons of local friends were getting ready to line it up both East and West of Eagle at the Front Range 60 in Denver as well as the 18 Hours of Fruita in, well, you guessed it Fruita. Jealous of all the suffering these friends were about to experience I decided Friday night to pack up the gear and head down to Denver for the Front Range 60 "half-marathon" race which was just over 30 miles in length. I would have really liked to get down there for the full marathon race, but due to financial constraints of not working and the 8am start time, racing in said event just wasn't feasible. With a 2pm start for the halfsies, it made for a perfect out and back day trip to Denver to race, grab some goods at Whole Foods, and indulge at Tokyo Joes post race.

We got there just in time to catch the first group of finishers from the full marathon coming through the line. Fellow Bach Builders racer Ken Boyer finished in a blistering time just over 4 hours to take 6th place in his group. Way to go Ken!! This threw his average race speed at just below 15mph. Crazy! At that point I knew this course was going to be a fast paced hammer-fest. Edwards local Tyler Eaton came in just over 4 and a half hours despite having some cramping issues on lap 4 of 6. At this point the heat was settling in. The temperature in Denver was 60 degrees at 8am for the start of the full. By the time we lined up for the half, the standing air temp was already breaking 80 degrees. Eric Rubottom and I lined it up in our respective age groups, and at that time realized that our competition included licensed Pro riders. The thing about ultra-endurance races is that you rarely see a structured ability level designation. Ages are commonly split up but if you can race for 50+ miles, event organizers don't really consider you a beginner or intermediate racer. That being said, the start of our race was HOT! I was able to hang for all of a half mile with riders such as Kevin Kane and Mitch Hoke in my field.

The course sure was fast and fun. At 10 miles a lap, there were only 4 legitimate "climbs", 3 of which were less than 2-3 minutes in length. The only sustained climb was a gradual 10 minute haul which finally dropped down into a shaded, sandy section of the course. The toughest part of this race for me was the amount of sun exposure each lap which hit you about 90% of the time. Factoring the sun into the equation, race temps sat around 95 degrees for over 2 hours. Not knowing anything about the course I was shooting for a time of 2:17:00. I ended up finishing in a time of 2:12:22 good enough for a 14th place finish. For a last minute decision to race on an absolute 2 hour max interval format, I was pretty happy with the results. Not to mention, after being hit with some big cramping issues late in the race in Arizona, I was able to adjust my Infinit Nutrition blend to include some additional electrolytes and focus more attention to a steady intake through the duration of the race. The plan worked and not once did I feel even the slightest hint of a muscle twitch.


Eric Rubottom had a great race, throwing down a time of 2:05:58 good enough for 13th in a large field of 25 in his age group. 


Next race - The Original Growler, 64 miles of some of the sickest singletrack I have ridden to date! Also, becoming my longest race to date...


TMP

A Gentlemen's Farewell...

"Whenever I see an adult on a bicycle, I have hope for the human race." ~ H.G. Wells

Today, I saw the true meaning behind this quote. At the 4th stage of the 2011 Giro d'Italia, we were all witness to what I find to be one of the most heartwarming and respectful actions in professional sports. There are very few sports, if any, in which the entire competition could come together as one to remember and celebrate the life of a fellow athlete.


Wouter Weylandt (LEOPARD-Trek) lost his life from a crash during Stage 3 of the Giro d'Italia. Only 26 years old, he was young, ambitious, and a phenomenal racer. Just a year ago, he had won Stage 3 with his former team Quick-Step. Further investigations would prove that Weylandt had died on impact, that he had felt little if any pain, adding just the slightest level of resolve for family and friends who feared his final moments on the road.


Throughout the 4th stage on May 10th, all 23 teams took turns leading the peloton in a rolling procession honoring their fallen brother. In the final 4km to the finish, Team LEOPARD-Trek lined up 9 abreast (with Garmin-Cervelo rider and best friend of Wouter, Tyler Farrar) to ride in unison, silently across the finish line. The other 22 teams drifted back allowing the leading nine to roll through the crowds that filled the air with a calm applause.


I have so much respect for each and every one of these cyclists, and am very proud to be a part of our common love of cycling. Thank you, for proving that Mr. Wells was right, there is hope for the human race.


TMP

Road Trip to Arizona

I was planning on getting this blog up earlier in the week but the weather has followed us home from Arizona and it has been some prime time to get out on the trails of Eagle. Here is a picture of the riding today... Garmin said it was 83 degrees in the sun with not a cloud in the sky.

We took off for Arizona early Thursday morning for the Whiskey Off-Road event and took the Moab route to get down there. It was very scenic most of the way down with the exception of very barren stretch of land from the Arizona line until Flagstaff. We arrived in Prescott around 6:30pm not realizing that we actually gained an hour to move into Pacific Time.

After unloading the gear, suitcases, and bikes we walked a few blocks over to Whiskey Row to grab a bite to eat. Prescott Brewing Company seemed fitting for the evening. The waitstaff was very friendly and their menu had so many options, that made making a decision very difficult. I was recommended the Ponderosa IPA by our server and it was a very wise choice. The brew was fantastic and I could instantly see why this brewery has been named the #1 Micro Brew in Arizona for 2 years now. Their house ground Peppercorn crusted Gorgonzola burger was pretty awesome too!

The town of Prescott has got it going on. From their historic downtown section to the "upper" Prescott Valley with all the common shopping and dining options you find in most booming cities, there was something for everyone. The start/finish and expo area was setup right on Whiskey Row right alongside the town Court building and its spacious park setting. The finish line offered several balcony seating options from the various bars and restaurants giving spectators "VIP" access to all the excitement. The locals were all very friendly and I had several "locals" thank me for stopping in their town and spending some money.

The festivities began on Friday afternoon with the "15 Proof" (15 mile fun race) followed by the Pro Mens and Women Fat Tire Criterium. The course was set right downtown in a large figure 8 pattern of about 10 square blocks. On top of a stacked field of Pros, each lap feature some brutal climbs that reminded me of San Francisco streets. We missed the womens race but got there just in time to see the mens field lining up. Just minutes into the race, you could see who was really there to fight for position in the race, which was truly only held for the top five call-up positions for Sunday's race. Just one lap into the race a lead group had formed with Chris Sheppard, Barry Wicks, Jake Wells, Tinker Jaurez, and a few more. This group would end up putting non-stop pressure into the rest of the field eventually finalizing a race in which only 7 out of 50+ pros had not been lapped or pulled form the race. One of our local favorites Jake Wells (Dogma Athletica) finished with a strong 2nd place finish in a final sprint up the 200 yard, 15 percent grade to the line.



Saturday morning was the start of the 25 Proof and 50 Proof races for all categories except Pros. We started the 50 Proof race promptly at 7:30am to the sound of a customary shotgun blast, as used for the beginning of each race throughout the weekend. I arrived at the start a little later than I wanted, so my position was not optimal for a fast start. After close to a minute and a half of waiting I finally got rolling. The initial climb was on pavement for about 4 miles as we led out of town to the Prescott National Forest land. I was able to gain quite a bit of time on the road as it gradually got steeper up to the dirt. Apparently it was not enough though, as we hit the singletrack, it literally took 100 yards for the "Conga Line" to start with those who pushed it too hard in the beginning and now couldn't maneuver some of the simplest of technical features. Despite the frequent stops, the singletrack was prime. The town of Prescott has a very close relationship with the National Forest Service and it shows in the quality of their trails. Built for sustainability, the first climb and descent of the course featured what seemed to be an endless array of water bars keeping even the most technically advanced riders busy and attentive. At one point we had some steep 30+ percent descents littered with water bars that scattered racers among the dirt. One guy took an initial turn into the descent and instantly went over the bars. I must say I was rather impressed with his instant release from his pedals, otherwise his landing would have been race ending. As I weaved my way through the racers walking the descent, we popped out onto a double track climb for about 15 minutes up to aid station 1 and our descent to the Skull Valley out and back.

The out and back format was nice in that it allowed me to see the damage inflicted to the field from the lead riders who were able to "clean" the majority of the initial singletrack. The out and back was about 9.5 miles each way and it wasn't until mile marker 6 that I started to see the first riders making their way back up. At the turn around it looked as though I was sitting in about 40th as I made the turn back up the hill. The climb out of Skull Valley, past aid station 3 and to the top of the total climb was brutal. About 15 miles in length and a vertical gain of about 2800 feet that gradually got steeper definitely put some hurt into the thighs. Trying to ease off the onset of cramping, I tried to hold a steady pace without really trying to put some big efforts into the pedals. By the time I reached the top of the climb I had dropped to about the mid 70's in placement. My chain had lost all lube on the descent of Skull Valley and it was amazing how much of a mental damper the sound of a squealing chain will put on your cadence.

The first long descent was oh so fun! It was a fast sweeping 15 minute ride on some newly build singletrack by the NFS. I was able to gain a few places on the descent until I ran into the final 200 foot climb of the course. It started with some technical rocky ascents that I must have hit hard in the wrong fashion which sent my thighs into a wicked cramp spasm. I instantly jumped off the bike in an attempt to stretch them out with no luck. My thighs literally looked like they were alive with muscles jumping back and forth. After a few minutes I was able to get back on the bike and "spin" a little ways up. Soon enough, the climb became more sustained and loose, the cramps came back. With a bit of walking I managed to get to the top of the climb and begin the second long sweeping descent back into town. By this time I had lost quite a few more spots and was currently sitting at about 98th position. I made the final efforts on the road back to Whiskey Row and finished with a time of 4:45:00. I was very happy with the time and effort considering it was my longest race to date. Final results put me in 97th place out of 232 finishers in the Mens Open 50 Proof. One thing I was really happy about is that the Park City Point to Point race is not until September, because I am definitely not ready for a 78 miles race yet!

Team High Maintenance had a great showing with some fantastic results. Team Captain Amy Hermes finished a huge 2nd place finish in the Womens 50 Proof Singlespeed category. In the Womens 25 Proof category, Nadine Davis finished 3rd and Danielle 12th (also her longest race to date). After the race, we found out that Danielle managed a solid finish despite a bent rear brake lever from a early crash as well as a broken pedal, preventing her from fully engaging her cleat.

In almost every category, riders from Colorado seemed to dominate the podiums. Interesting, considering most of us have just hung up the skis for the season. Former Bach Builders rider and current Honey Stinger rider Dax Massey took 2nd in the mens singlespeed 50 Proof race. Way to go Dax!

On Sunday, the Pros took off and were just flying by the course checkpoints. In the mens field, Chris Sheppard (Rocky Mountain Bicycles) crushed the group finishing in a record breaking course time of 3:04:00, almost four and a half minutes ahead of 2nd place finisher Colin Cares (Kenda Felt). Eagle local Jay Henry (Tokyo Joes) dug really deep to finish in 3rd place. Jake Wells hung on to finish strong in 7th place. In the womens race, Pua Mata (Sho-Air) pushed hard in the final descent to pass race leader Catharine Pendrell (Luna Chix) with only a mile to go and win the race. Avon local pro Gretchen Reeves finished in 4th place.

All in all, the Whiskey Off Road is an event that I will definitely return for. My only issue was the race start format. I think I would race in the pro group next time just to have an open trail ahead of me. The 50 Proof group started with about 600 racers and the 25 Proof group had even more. Thanks Prescott! We'll see you again soon!

Thanks again to Bach Builders MTB Race team sponsors NoTubes, Ergon, and Infinit Nutrition for keeping the suffering to a minimum in my first race of the season!

Better Days Ahead

Today is one of those days, that sitting in your favorite local coffee shop, couldn't be a better idea for the day. The weather here in Eagle has been not the greatest riding weather over the past few days and this morning we sit at a chilly 36 degrees with a steady fall of mini snowballs. You know, those kind that are not quite in the form of hail but a bit heavy for flakes.

Yeti's Grind is not your average coffee shop. Run by owners Nate and Tara Picklo of Eagle, the bustling vibe as you walk through the door begins the experience. Inspired by a local coffee shop at Nate and Tara's alma mater, Baylor University, they wanted to create a hip and trendy place to get a good cup of Joe in Eagle which the town was lacking at the time. So Nate left his job in construction and Tara left her job in teaching to make this dream a reality. The term "Yeti" came from a nickname that Nate had adopted on a trip to Alaska due to his lack of shaving over the course of the trip. Throughout the shop you will find all sorts of Yeti themed trinkets. Their menu is well-balanced and they have several offerings if a dose of caffeine is not your thing, as well as a wide selection of gluten-free options. Past the liquid menu, they offer bagels with a smorgasbord of toppings and spreads, burritos, breggos, scones, and dessert breads.

Yeti's Grind opened its doors just over 3 years ago and has quickly become a staple in the small quirky town of Eagle. On any given morning you will find everyone from soccer moms to contractors, cyclists to small business owners grabbing their favorite brew before the days adventures. See, what I like about this specific establishment and what sets them apart from places like "MoreBucks", is that it feels welcoming to anyone. I don't need to be a hipster to fit in, or own an iPad to use the free WI-FI access. It's a place to unwind, forget about the days tribulations, and enjoy some great coffee with friends.

To add to the success, Yeti's Grind opened its second location in the Solaris building right in the heart of Vail Village. Longtime locals may not consider this area the "heart" of the village but it is quickly becoming the center of action with its marketplace offerings, bowling alley, movie theater, etc. So whether you are in Vail or Eagle, stop in and say hi. Enjoy a cup of the finest coffee the Vail Valley has to offer, roasted locally by Travis Colbert, owner of City on a Hill Coffee based out of Leadville, CO.

So what does a local coffee shop have to do with cycling you ask? From a local cycling team to the jerseys hanging in the shop, Yeti's supports cycling and has instrumental in re-enlivening my interest in our sport. It is just another example of the progress we can make in a community when we combine our interests toward a common goal.

Alright, back to the weather. Thursday morning, Danielle and I are hittin' the road to the first race of the season in Prescott, Arizona. The Whiskey Off-Road with options of 50, 25, and 15 mile lengths is a 3 day-long mountain bike festival in the center of famous "Whiskey Row" in downtown Prescott. The forecast right now is mostly sunny and mid-70's for the whole weekend which will be a very nice change to this cold, snowy Spring in the high-country. I'll be sure to bring the nice weather back to the Vail Valley since we have a variety of events starting up in May.

Tomorrow starts the Vail Recreation District Short Track MTB Series kicking off the season at the Eagle County Fairgrounds. Original short track founder and announcer Larry Grossman will make his way "up the hill" to help design what we all know will be a suffer-fest course for all racers. Registration is only $10 per race with free beer afterward. See you all there!


Also coming up in May will start the Vail Rec MTB Bike Series with the first race in Eagle Ranch on Wednesday, May 25th. If you around Eagle for Memorial Day weekend I highly suggest bringing your bike and take part in Hammer Mash. Sure to be a fun filled event with clinics, group rides, vendors, etc.  Keep and eye out for Eagle's Party for the Planet (usually in conjunction with a whole lot of bike demos from our local valley bike shops, rides, beer, etc.). It should be around May 14th. 


Thank you to everyone near and far who is getting these events together. This is the direction we need to go in and gain the support of everyone to make Eagle the next mountain bike destination. As the title says, I definitely see better days ahead. See you all when I get back from Arizona!


TMP