A belated race report on the 2015 Mountains Revenge!
Dead of winter right now, but I just got all my bike repair parts including the new rear derailleur to replace the one I smashed during loop four of the Mountains Revenge last summer. That got me thinking about how I'd never done my race report, so I figured I would put down a few thoughts.
Several no-shows and a couple late arrivals left us with only four starters for the mass start, although Ken Boyer did put up a very strong time trial the night before after he had a scheduling conflict. So at 2pm, Nick Woodland, Bernie Romero, Phil Von Hake, and myself rolled out of Keystone Village to tackle loop #1: a classic on the Westridge section of the Colorado Trail. David Pickett Heaps and Eric Brown were a bit late to start but would soon follow.
I brought out a bit more squish than the others with my Yeti SB-66C and quickly fell behind on the climb up Keystone Gulch road. My intent was to go without sleep, so I wasn't in much of a hurry anyways. Once on the Colorado trail I was flying down the very familiar descent when I heard some metal break off from my pedal and fling off to the side of the trail. At first I thought it was my cleat, but it turned out to be one side of my SPD pedal. So for the rest of the race I had to line up the correct side of the pedal so I could click in; annoying, but not a deal-breaker. I finished up lap 1 in third place behind Bernie and Nick.
Lap 2 was a crusher, up through Montezuma and then a very tough & loose HAB over Radical Hill. I could see Nick a good ways in front of me and I think Bernie gave us a shout from the top, but I could never make any ground up on either of them. Once over Radical Hill you get to ride (and hike) some cool rolling jeep roads on the top of the world. We got a little light rain and enjoyed a beautiful sunset up there before the rowdy descent back down to Montezuma on St. Johns Road.
Once I got back to camp I was surprised to find that Nick wasn't back yet, because I knew I had never passed him. After a few minutes he came riding in and I was crushed to learn that I had inadvertently skipped a portion of trail from Montezuma to Peru Creek Road. I was totally bummed because I figured I was relegated, but I headed out for loop 3 anyways since it was a relatively easy, but tremendously fun loop through Summit Cove.
I was in a mental funk though until it dawned on me that loop 4 would head straight back up to Montezuma and I would have a chance to ride the section that I had missed. My punishment would be an extra couple hundred feet of climbing and two or three extra miles, but it seemed to be a way to get back on course and to fairly compete in the event.
Loop 3 was mad fun; a great night ride through Summit Cove on smooth flowing trails. I felt great and enjoyed it immensely, but I knew that loop 4 was going to be a killer.
Nick and I were in camp together and we both figured Bernie was already out on the loop, but I guess he decided to catch a few zzz's before loop 4. I took off before Nick because I had to ride the punishment loop that I had missed on loop 2.
Loop 4 was a long 33-mile adventure over Deer Creek, followed by a gnarly descent down Garibaldi Gulch. While hiking up Deer Creek about 3am I saw some lights ahead and eventually caught up to Nick. I was happy to enjoy some company and we spent the rest of the HAB bullshitting our way through night. We didn't know that Bernie had taken a break and we both assumed he was way ahead since we didn't see his lights. It was about 4am when we finally got to the top.
Adam had warned us about the ruts on Garibaldi Gulch and he was not lying. With the advantage of all that travel on my Yeti I was able to rock surf my way down a little faster than Nick, but when I reached the bottom I found that I had smashed my rear derailleur to smithereens. I couldn't shift at all, but I did have my lowest gear available.
The thought of being stuck over by Breckenridge was giving me a mild panic. I hiked up the steep hill leading to the Galena Ditch trail and took a food break to figure out a plan. Nick caught back up after a couple minutes and pushed on.
All I could do was stand & mash on the pedals, but I figured I'd continue on the loop since all the hideous climbing was over anyways. So I was able to keep going, but pedaling that hard was wiping me out. The road climb back up to camp / transition finished me off. It was only 8am and I still had plenty of time to take on loop 5, but knew I would have to walk the entire way to Montezuma and that seemed too lame. I had 102 miles in the bag and I guess I was content, so I took a short rest and drove the 15 minutes back home and climbed in bed.
Nick and Bernie manned up for a few more miles towards Warden Gulch and Nick took home the official title with 107 miles. Hat tip to Ken Boyer for his 115 mile effort the night before; I wish he had been there for the mass start with us. Looks like he has already signed up for more punishment next year, as have Nick and myself.
So far there are 16 registrants for 2016. I hope everyone follows through because it would be super fun to have that many folks out on the course together. Kicking it off with Lenawee will be badass.
Here's my Strava of the first 16 hours until my GPS ran out:
Saturday, February 6, 2016
Sunday, July 12, 2015
Dixie Hangover
Goals fell by the wayside after Dixie.
Nothing in the tank for training.
Managed one lap at the Firecracker but my hands were so sore I could barely shift or even hold the bars in the chunky stuff. So I bagged it after one lap and enjoyed some cold beer.
No Breck 100 is this condition either.
I've still managed some fun adventure cycling and crazy bushwack recon behind my new house, but the urge to race fast has been lacking.
Just been riding and exploring.
Still fired up for the Mountains Revenge and 24 hours at slow speed. Definitely ready for that.
Nothing in the tank for training.
Managed one lap at the Firecracker but my hands were so sore I could barely shift or even hold the bars in the chunky stuff. So I bagged it after one lap and enjoyed some cold beer.
No Breck 100 is this condition either.
I've still managed some fun adventure cycling and crazy bushwack recon behind my new house, but the urge to race fast has been lacking.
Just been riding and exploring.
Still fired up for the Mountains Revenge and 24 hours at slow speed. Definitely ready for that.
Thursday, July 2, 2015
Dixie 200 Race Report
Despite my still-tingling fingers from my literally jangled nerves, I enjoyed a great ride in southwest Utah in the Dixie 200 last week.
I had one goal and that was to finish and to remove last summer's CTR-DNF from my most recent bikepacking memory bank. Once the weather forecast ruled out any chance of rain, I decided to leave the sleep kit in the truck and planned to push through the first night without sleep. I hoped to be close enough to the finish by the time I started getting really sleepy that I could use that as a magnet to pull me the rest of the way in. Turns out that is pretty much what happened, with an assist to Rick Miller who caught me right as we got to the Spruce Trail at dusk on Saturday. I think his company went a long way in helping me to fight off the sleep monsters as we moved into that second night.
Here's a few random thoughts on the course...
Huge 4000' climb to start:
This wasn't too bad. It seemed like it went by pretty fast and I think I was up top after about 2.5 hours. I rode conservatively and managed to finish off the climb without damaging myself so that went according to plan.
Sweet Singletrack up top:
I was captivated immediately when I hooked into the singletrack up top. The terrain was beautiful rolling meadows without too much more climbing for awhile. I got lucky at the blind turnoff into the grassy field when I saw Scott Schaefer riding back up the trail towards me after missing the turn. He saved me a little time there as I surely would have continued down the perfectly good singletrack trail for who knows how long. That was a good lesson that I'd better be on my toes and not assume anything.
Tempting Flatish Roads:
After the singletrack and grassy field traverses, we linked in to some pretty nice dirt roads for awhile. I was tempted to open up the tempo a bit, but instead I stuck to the plan and soft-pedaled through it all. I reminded myself that I was going to go all night and that I had better hold something back so I could keep it together. Looks like some nice camping up there, and I think my wife would enjoy riding on those nice roads so I definitely plan to come back.
Confusing Brush Patch:
Sometime before crossing paved road #14 for the first time, my GPS track strangely diverged off the trail again. I walked back and forth looking for another trail, but finally just chuckled at Dave and started hiking through the brush patches for a half mile or so until it linked in with another old trail and continued on my way.
Water Spigot at Te Ah Campground:
Here I was reminded what an novice I really am at this stuff. All my prior bikepacking experience has been in the Colorado high country with its cool temperatures. Half the food in my bags was already absolutely disgusting. It turns out that a block of sharp cheddar cheese turns into a putrid, liquified mess in 90 degree temps. Same for my snickers bars and chocolate expresso trail mix. I was relieved to be on pace to hit Tod's at a decent hour because I was going to need to switch out a few things.
Virgin River Rim Trail:
What can you say, except, damn! what a fine trail. The scenery was jaw-dropping and I made quite a few stops to enjoy the view. The trail itself was a great mix of flow, tech, and some decent climbing & descending as you worked your way around to the next rim ride. I will be back for sure to ride this trail unloaded. Once it ended I took my first errant turn and flew downhill a good ways on the wrong road. I think this one cost me about 20 minutes. As Nick Woodland stated, at any road junction, always assume that Dave would pick the crappier-looking option and you would generally be correct.
Tod's Store:
I made it here about 5:30pm and was sorta bummed that noone else was there. I hadn't seen anyone since the top of the first big climb and I was starting to think that everyone in front had ridden away and would never be seen again. I ate a burger, replaced my runny Snickers with Paydays, and stowed a Bomb Burrito away for a late night snack. Rick pulled in just as I was mounting up and we chatted for a couple minutes, and I was off again at 5:50pm if I remember correctly.
Approach to the Paunsaugunt Plateau:
It was finally getting a little cooler and I was trying to get my mind prepared for a long nightime push. I got water from the spigot in the park at Bryce Woodlands (hold the handle up and wait!) and continued up some pretty decent roads before the GPS track ended at what appeared to be private property in all directions. I probed around before realizing that the track was indeed telling me to proceed into the overgrown vacant lot right in front of me. I saw evidence of fellow travelers and pretty soon an actual trail appeared that climbed very steeply up to a road of some kind. I got up there just before total darkness arrived and I changed into some warmer clothes and got my lights set up.
Grandview Trail:
I am amazed from looking at the pics from my fellow racers who went through during daylight. I guess I had some sense that there was some scenery and viewpoints, but for the most part I felt like I was riding in Vietnam or something. The trail was rough and overgrown, but still fun and mostly rideable. I was pretty surprised that there were not more downed trees because it sure didn't feel like too many people go riding on the Grandview. I knew to expect some crazy ravine crossings and I was not disappointed there. I was feeling good though and had a very positive frame of mind so I had a lot of fun. I finally popped out at the trailhead about 2am and finally saw some fellow racers bivied up.
Finally I had caught someone. I wondered if they would get right up and start chasing me.
Crawford Pass:
I read the word "Pass" in the trail name and really hoped that I didn't have some ridiculous climb to reach it. I had been prepared for Grandview, but I don't know if I was expecting another difficult singletrack immediately after. But that trail turned out to be fun and a little easier than Grandview.
Sometime around 4am I decided to lie in the dirt for a few minutes. I set my alarm for about 30 minutes but I woke up shivering after only about 15. Felta lot better though. That's really the first time I've tried one of those short cat-naps and I was happy to feel a bit rejuventated.
Running Out of Water on the way to Tropic Reservoir:
After the awesome trail-side spring on Grandview, I missed all the other water waypoints and had to start rationing as the sun came up and I was riding to Tropic. I was getting concerned when I finally noticed some trickling water running through the tire ruts of the logging equipment that was parked all around. I didn't waste any time and immediately started filtering right out of the tire ruts. If I would have just gone about 100' feet furthur then I think I would have found a much more appetizing place to refill (Podunk Creek?), but I wasn't taking any chances.
I skipped Tropic Spring because I didn't want to go off route and I managed to make it to the next campground water spigot about 8:30am. I had made it through the night. I ate alot and used the facilities and changed back into my warm weather clothes. I kept expecting for those I passed sleeping to catch back up, but so far I was staying ahead.
More decent (climbing) roads led to Thunder Mountain, but I getting really sleepy.
Thunder Mountain!
But first its naptime!
It was 10:30am and I felt like I should keep pushing because that's all I'd been doing so far. For the first time I felt sorta close to the finish. But something wasn't quite right, and I knew I wanted to have FUN on Thunder Mountain so I laid down under a tree and took my longest break of the race at 45 minutes. I ate and took my shoes off and dozed off in the shade for about 15 minutes until Scott rolled up. That jarred me awake and then Jason pulled in shortly after so I got up and decided to try and race for a little while longer.
And wow, that is another sweet trail and another I will be back to ride unloaded.
What little power I brought to this game was pretty much gone by this point. I shifted to granny at every upslope, but I did have a lot of fun cruising on the martian landscape of Thunder Mountain.
Indian Trading Post:
I was baking in the mid-day heat, refilling water, and cramming a tuna/tortilla in my mouth as Scott, Jason, and Mike all caught up to me for good. Mike and Jason had the great idea to move over to the shady porch of the Indian Trading Post and to see if they had any snacks for sale. We all enjoyed cokes, and ice cream and candy bars. My lethargy was increasing and I knew I'd better keep moving forward so I bid adieu and hit the road again knowing full well that these guys would be passing me in short order.
100 Degrees to Panguitch Lake:
Shit it was hot and no shade to be found anywhere. I was close enough to my truck that I still had easy motivating to keep slogging forward. Bumpy, butt-hurt, demoralizing roads though. I looked over my shoulder on a rise and saw Jason, Mike, and Scott charging from a good ways off. In mere moments that train caught me and I was shocked at how strong they were all riding. That was the last I would see of Jason and Mike. Scott would have smoked me too if not for his recurring tire problems.
I laid up next to the piped spring and could have gone down for hours if not for the piles of stinky cowpies and my faint recollection that I was not carrying a sleep system. So I stubbornly willed myself to Panguitch Lake.
Burger Barn:
Schafer and I rolled in together and crushed a burger and fries. I was basically out of food and didn't have a good idea of how much time I had left, so I ended up buying way too much for the final push. My backpack was so heavy. I had a couple hours of daylight left, so even though I was absolutely crawling towards the Spruce Trail, I was getting excited to be closing in on the finish.
Rick Arrives!
Rick and I are friends and we drove up together, but neither of us had ridden together up to this point at all. I was really happy to see him when he caught me at dusk just before the Spruce Trail. It made the last few hours more fun then it would have been otherwise, and I really didn't have any problem staying awake.
The Spruce trail was pretty funny. I knew to expect some deadfall, but I got really concerned when going through one of my most hated experiences.... downhill Hike-a-Bike! Thankfully it didn't take too long before we were wallowing over trees and climbing back up to the Sidney Peaks again.
This might have given me more trouble alone, but instead I remember having alot of fun going through it with my friend.
Dark Hollow:
Rick and I hit the final descent at exactly midnight. I probably should have eaten a little more, but I wasn't expecting someting quite so rocky and technical. I was super cautious and hiked down a good portion of the way. I knew I was not on top of my game and I was starting to get frustrated. All I could think about was climbing in the back of my truck and going to sleep.
Finally after an entire hour we popped out back on the road, but I was still amazed at how far we still had to descend. My hands were hurting from jamming on the brakes so hard. My little GPS arrow just didn't want to get to the end of that damn track!
Yet, finally we did. Rick and I crossed the line together at 1:32am and a finishing time of 1:18:27.
Somehow Mike was still awake and came over to congratulate us. I think I was kindof delerious and not sure I was making much sense but I know I was excited to be done.
Rick had a beer and I thought about it, but instead I crawled right into my sleeping bag and crashed the hell out.
The Dixie 200 is a superb route. I agree with everyone else that has stated that is is just a great mix of bikepacking terrain. Every time I was getting exhausted from fighting through a tough section, then it would usually end just in time and be followed by something where you could semi-rest and put some miles down.
I'm not sure if I'll be back to race it again, but I want to ride these trails again for sure. I'm not sure if I could really go much faster because I had a pretty flawless run.
Thanks Dave for putting together such an awesome route and cheers to all the other riders I met. I hope to see you again on the trail soon. Congrats to Jason and Mike for taking home the victory.
I had one goal and that was to finish and to remove last summer's CTR-DNF from my most recent bikepacking memory bank. Once the weather forecast ruled out any chance of rain, I decided to leave the sleep kit in the truck and planned to push through the first night without sleep. I hoped to be close enough to the finish by the time I started getting really sleepy that I could use that as a magnet to pull me the rest of the way in. Turns out that is pretty much what happened, with an assist to Rick Miller who caught me right as we got to the Spruce Trail at dusk on Saturday. I think his company went a long way in helping me to fight off the sleep monsters as we moved into that second night.
Here's a few random thoughts on the course...
Huge 4000' climb to start:
This wasn't too bad. It seemed like it went by pretty fast and I think I was up top after about 2.5 hours. I rode conservatively and managed to finish off the climb without damaging myself so that went according to plan.
Sweet Singletrack up top:
I was captivated immediately when I hooked into the singletrack up top. The terrain was beautiful rolling meadows without too much more climbing for awhile. I got lucky at the blind turnoff into the grassy field when I saw Scott Schaefer riding back up the trail towards me after missing the turn. He saved me a little time there as I surely would have continued down the perfectly good singletrack trail for who knows how long. That was a good lesson that I'd better be on my toes and not assume anything.
Tempting Flatish Roads:
After the singletrack and grassy field traverses, we linked in to some pretty nice dirt roads for awhile. I was tempted to open up the tempo a bit, but instead I stuck to the plan and soft-pedaled through it all. I reminded myself that I was going to go all night and that I had better hold something back so I could keep it together. Looks like some nice camping up there, and I think my wife would enjoy riding on those nice roads so I definitely plan to come back.
Confusing Brush Patch:
Sometime before crossing paved road #14 for the first time, my GPS track strangely diverged off the trail again. I walked back and forth looking for another trail, but finally just chuckled at Dave and started hiking through the brush patches for a half mile or so until it linked in with another old trail and continued on my way.
Water Spigot at Te Ah Campground:
Here I was reminded what an novice I really am at this stuff. All my prior bikepacking experience has been in the Colorado high country with its cool temperatures. Half the food in my bags was already absolutely disgusting. It turns out that a block of sharp cheddar cheese turns into a putrid, liquified mess in 90 degree temps. Same for my snickers bars and chocolate expresso trail mix. I was relieved to be on pace to hit Tod's at a decent hour because I was going to need to switch out a few things.
Virgin River Rim Trail:
What can you say, except, damn! what a fine trail. The scenery was jaw-dropping and I made quite a few stops to enjoy the view. The trail itself was a great mix of flow, tech, and some decent climbing & descending as you worked your way around to the next rim ride. I will be back for sure to ride this trail unloaded. Once it ended I took my first errant turn and flew downhill a good ways on the wrong road. I think this one cost me about 20 minutes. As Nick Woodland stated, at any road junction, always assume that Dave would pick the crappier-looking option and you would generally be correct.
Tod's Store:
I made it here about 5:30pm and was sorta bummed that noone else was there. I hadn't seen anyone since the top of the first big climb and I was starting to think that everyone in front had ridden away and would never be seen again. I ate a burger, replaced my runny Snickers with Paydays, and stowed a Bomb Burrito away for a late night snack. Rick pulled in just as I was mounting up and we chatted for a couple minutes, and I was off again at 5:50pm if I remember correctly.
Approach to the Paunsaugunt Plateau:
It was finally getting a little cooler and I was trying to get my mind prepared for a long nightime push. I got water from the spigot in the park at Bryce Woodlands (hold the handle up and wait!) and continued up some pretty decent roads before the GPS track ended at what appeared to be private property in all directions. I probed around before realizing that the track was indeed telling me to proceed into the overgrown vacant lot right in front of me. I saw evidence of fellow travelers and pretty soon an actual trail appeared that climbed very steeply up to a road of some kind. I got up there just before total darkness arrived and I changed into some warmer clothes and got my lights set up.
Grandview Trail:
I am amazed from looking at the pics from my fellow racers who went through during daylight. I guess I had some sense that there was some scenery and viewpoints, but for the most part I felt like I was riding in Vietnam or something. The trail was rough and overgrown, but still fun and mostly rideable. I was pretty surprised that there were not more downed trees because it sure didn't feel like too many people go riding on the Grandview. I knew to expect some crazy ravine crossings and I was not disappointed there. I was feeling good though and had a very positive frame of mind so I had a lot of fun. I finally popped out at the trailhead about 2am and finally saw some fellow racers bivied up.
Finally I had caught someone. I wondered if they would get right up and start chasing me.
Crawford Pass:
I read the word "Pass" in the trail name and really hoped that I didn't have some ridiculous climb to reach it. I had been prepared for Grandview, but I don't know if I was expecting another difficult singletrack immediately after. But that trail turned out to be fun and a little easier than Grandview.
Sometime around 4am I decided to lie in the dirt for a few minutes. I set my alarm for about 30 minutes but I woke up shivering after only about 15. Felta lot better though. That's really the first time I've tried one of those short cat-naps and I was happy to feel a bit rejuventated.
Running Out of Water on the way to Tropic Reservoir:
After the awesome trail-side spring on Grandview, I missed all the other water waypoints and had to start rationing as the sun came up and I was riding to Tropic. I was getting concerned when I finally noticed some trickling water running through the tire ruts of the logging equipment that was parked all around. I didn't waste any time and immediately started filtering right out of the tire ruts. If I would have just gone about 100' feet furthur then I think I would have found a much more appetizing place to refill (Podunk Creek?), but I wasn't taking any chances.
I skipped Tropic Spring because I didn't want to go off route and I managed to make it to the next campground water spigot about 8:30am. I had made it through the night. I ate alot and used the facilities and changed back into my warm weather clothes. I kept expecting for those I passed sleeping to catch back up, but so far I was staying ahead.
More decent (climbing) roads led to Thunder Mountain, but I getting really sleepy.
Thunder Mountain!
But first its naptime!
It was 10:30am and I felt like I should keep pushing because that's all I'd been doing so far. For the first time I felt sorta close to the finish. But something wasn't quite right, and I knew I wanted to have FUN on Thunder Mountain so I laid down under a tree and took my longest break of the race at 45 minutes. I ate and took my shoes off and dozed off in the shade for about 15 minutes until Scott rolled up. That jarred me awake and then Jason pulled in shortly after so I got up and decided to try and race for a little while longer.
And wow, that is another sweet trail and another I will be back to ride unloaded.
What little power I brought to this game was pretty much gone by this point. I shifted to granny at every upslope, but I did have a lot of fun cruising on the martian landscape of Thunder Mountain.
Indian Trading Post:
I was baking in the mid-day heat, refilling water, and cramming a tuna/tortilla in my mouth as Scott, Jason, and Mike all caught up to me for good. Mike and Jason had the great idea to move over to the shady porch of the Indian Trading Post and to see if they had any snacks for sale. We all enjoyed cokes, and ice cream and candy bars. My lethargy was increasing and I knew I'd better keep moving forward so I bid adieu and hit the road again knowing full well that these guys would be passing me in short order.
100 Degrees to Panguitch Lake:
Shit it was hot and no shade to be found anywhere. I was close enough to my truck that I still had easy motivating to keep slogging forward. Bumpy, butt-hurt, demoralizing roads though. I looked over my shoulder on a rise and saw Jason, Mike, and Scott charging from a good ways off. In mere moments that train caught me and I was shocked at how strong they were all riding. That was the last I would see of Jason and Mike. Scott would have smoked me too if not for his recurring tire problems.
I laid up next to the piped spring and could have gone down for hours if not for the piles of stinky cowpies and my faint recollection that I was not carrying a sleep system. So I stubbornly willed myself to Panguitch Lake.
Burger Barn:
Schafer and I rolled in together and crushed a burger and fries. I was basically out of food and didn't have a good idea of how much time I had left, so I ended up buying way too much for the final push. My backpack was so heavy. I had a couple hours of daylight left, so even though I was absolutely crawling towards the Spruce Trail, I was getting excited to be closing in on the finish.
Rick Arrives!
Rick and I are friends and we drove up together, but neither of us had ridden together up to this point at all. I was really happy to see him when he caught me at dusk just before the Spruce Trail. It made the last few hours more fun then it would have been otherwise, and I really didn't have any problem staying awake.
The Spruce trail was pretty funny. I knew to expect some deadfall, but I got really concerned when going through one of my most hated experiences.... downhill Hike-a-Bike! Thankfully it didn't take too long before we were wallowing over trees and climbing back up to the Sidney Peaks again.
This might have given me more trouble alone, but instead I remember having alot of fun going through it with my friend.
Dark Hollow:
Rick and I hit the final descent at exactly midnight. I probably should have eaten a little more, but I wasn't expecting someting quite so rocky and technical. I was super cautious and hiked down a good portion of the way. I knew I was not on top of my game and I was starting to get frustrated. All I could think about was climbing in the back of my truck and going to sleep.
Finally after an entire hour we popped out back on the road, but I was still amazed at how far we still had to descend. My hands were hurting from jamming on the brakes so hard. My little GPS arrow just didn't want to get to the end of that damn track!
Yet, finally we did. Rick and I crossed the line together at 1:32am and a finishing time of 1:18:27.
Somehow Mike was still awake and came over to congratulate us. I think I was kindof delerious and not sure I was making much sense but I know I was excited to be done.
Rick had a beer and I thought about it, but instead I crawled right into my sleeping bag and crashed the hell out.
The Dixie 200 is a superb route. I agree with everyone else that has stated that is is just a great mix of bikepacking terrain. Every time I was getting exhausted from fighting through a tough section, then it would usually end just in time and be followed by something where you could semi-rest and put some miles down.
I'm not sure if I'll be back to race it again, but I want to ride these trails again for sure. I'm not sure if I could really go much faster because I had a pretty flawless run.
Thanks Dave for putting together such an awesome route and cheers to all the other riders I met. I hope to see you again on the trail soon. Congrats to Jason and Mike for taking home the victory.
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
Dixie 200 Pregame
Very excited to line up for the Dixie 200 that starts on Friday morning at 7:00am.
Here's the tracker for your viewing pleasure:
http://trackleaders.com/dixie15
Excited to ride in an area that I have never seen before. I have been to St. George and ridden Gooseberry and other greats around those parts, but I've never been up in the Dixie National Forest. The pics and ride reports look and sounds fantastic and the weather is setting up to be clear and dry.
Compared to my obsessive CTR planning efforts, I have done basically nothing except make sure I have a decent idea where to find some water out there. I bought most of my food tonight and I'll probably take enough to survive until the end without resupply if necessary.
I guess my main worry would be a recurrence of the achilles issues that have plagued me in both CTR attempts. I've talked alot about trying flat pedals, but was unable to find a local dealer for 5.10 shoes and didn't want to guess on a model online. So I'll be riding clipless again, and I hope to be attuned to any issues with my ankles so I can baby them to the end.
Easy to say and tougher to do, but I plan to hold some in reserve during day 1. With mild temps and a dry forecast, I am going to skip a sleep system altogether. Nights are short right now so maybe I can push through that first one and get a boost when the sun comes up Saturday morning.
I need to finish this thing. Got to put that CTR DNF behind me. Plus Rick Miller and I are headed out there together and he always finishes so I can't be sticking him with some logistical shit show to drag me out once he's done.
Slow and Steady. Relentless Forward Progress.
Look around, enjoy the view and remember how lucky I am to be out there.
Here's the tracker for your viewing pleasure:
http://trackleaders.com/dixie15
Excited to ride in an area that I have never seen before. I have been to St. George and ridden Gooseberry and other greats around those parts, but I've never been up in the Dixie National Forest. The pics and ride reports look and sounds fantastic and the weather is setting up to be clear and dry.
Compared to my obsessive CTR planning efforts, I have done basically nothing except make sure I have a decent idea where to find some water out there. I bought most of my food tonight and I'll probably take enough to survive until the end without resupply if necessary.
I guess my main worry would be a recurrence of the achilles issues that have plagued me in both CTR attempts. I've talked alot about trying flat pedals, but was unable to find a local dealer for 5.10 shoes and didn't want to guess on a model online. So I'll be riding clipless again, and I hope to be attuned to any issues with my ankles so I can baby them to the end.
Easy to say and tougher to do, but I plan to hold some in reserve during day 1. With mild temps and a dry forecast, I am going to skip a sleep system altogether. Nights are short right now so maybe I can push through that first one and get a boost when the sun comes up Saturday morning.
I need to finish this thing. Got to put that CTR DNF behind me. Plus Rick Miller and I are headed out there together and he always finishes so I can't be sticking him with some logistical shit show to drag me out once he's done.
Slow and Steady. Relentless Forward Progress.
Look around, enjoy the view and remember how lucky I am to be out there.
Saturday, May 30, 2015
Die Winter Die!
Actual winter was nice, but May has been a rough month with constant rain and snow, a wrecked back to start, and a week-long cold to end. I am ready for June!
Trained well all winter and didn't gain twenty pounds for once. Lots of running through the cold months then got on to the bike regularly starting in March.
My daughter was born happy and healthy on March 27th and fatherhood has been amazing!
By the time April arrived I was sure that the trails would soon melt out and we would enjoy a long summer riding season. But then it started snowing in late April and has refused to stop. Finally today, May 30th was the first beautiful and sunny day that I can remember.
Threw my sorry back out on April 30th simply riding my hardtail around the rec path and was completely out of commission for two weeks. My wife and I had a roadtrip planned and I was scared I wouldn't be able to ride at all.
Luckily by the time I got to Sedona I was able to gingerly get back in the saddle to enjoy several rides on the trip without ruining myself further. While in Sedona I took a lap on the Hiline trail and had my mind blown. I did walk the terrifying chute into the creekbed at the bottom, but rode everything else... one of the best trails I've ever seen.
Hit the Continental Divide trail outside Silver City, New Mexico and damn, that is some fine trail too. If you access the CDT from the Little Walnut picnic area and head south you will hit a wonderful two-mile flowing descent down to Little Walnut Creek. That section was even great fun on the climb back due to the perfect pitch.
Here's some GPS on that one:
https://www.strava.com/activities/304698738
Visited my folks in Cloudcroft, New Mexico and did a thru-ride on the Cloudcroft Rim Trail. Based on the fact that noone else is likely to do something that stupid, I'm gonna claim a first completer on that until proven otherwise:
https://www.strava.com/activities/304699593
So I was glad to get some riding in on that trip since I was committed to the Gunnison Growler over Labor Day Weekend. My back was holding up but it was extremely tight and stiff (ok, normal) so I was paranoid about riding my XC hardtail, especially since I had only ridden Hartman's once before and still had never seen most of the race course.
Finally I decided to take my Yeti SB66c and focus on fun and not worrying too much about really racing. I knew I wouldn't be too speedy on that thing, but I wouldn't have to stress too much about the trail or the tech factor. So that worked, but yeah, I was slow. I got smoked on the neutral rollout to Hartman's and was damn near last to even enter the actual race course.
I did pick off about 60 people once I got into the trail so mentally it felt like a good race, but by the second lap I was pretty much auto-granny at the first sight of any upward slope in the trail. Did ride all the tech stuff though, especially second lap when I had a clear track. After cleaning the chute on Skull Pass the second lap (1st time was clogged) I got such a shot of adrenaline that I let it all hang out on the loose winding part after only to miss a turn and crash down into the ditch. Good times, no damage, climbed out and moved on.
So I have my time at 7:45 because I coulda sworn that they tell you that the neutral rollout is untimed, but that doesn't seem to be the case according to the results that put me at 7:59.
Fun, but grueling course, and if I race this again I will definitely bring my XC hardtail.
So all my summer goals listed in the prior post are still in play, but I'm stoked to add one more, and even more stoked that it is a bikepacking event:
The Dixe 200!
http://2-epic.com/events/dixie200.html
Rick Miller and I are gonna head down and give that one a shot. Much shorter than the CTR, but I need to get that DNF-taste outa my mouth and get my confidence back. I haven't done enough research to formulate an actual strategy yet, but I'm almost sure I'll ride my hardtail with flat pedals. I've got to find out of that can ward off the achilles problems I've been dealing with in CTR.
So that's what I've got for now..... I'll try to post up a Dixie Preview when I can.
Trained well all winter and didn't gain twenty pounds for once. Lots of running through the cold months then got on to the bike regularly starting in March.
My daughter was born happy and healthy on March 27th and fatherhood has been amazing!
By the time April arrived I was sure that the trails would soon melt out and we would enjoy a long summer riding season. But then it started snowing in late April and has refused to stop. Finally today, May 30th was the first beautiful and sunny day that I can remember.
Threw my sorry back out on April 30th simply riding my hardtail around the rec path and was completely out of commission for two weeks. My wife and I had a roadtrip planned and I was scared I wouldn't be able to ride at all.
Luckily by the time I got to Sedona I was able to gingerly get back in the saddle to enjoy several rides on the trip without ruining myself further. While in Sedona I took a lap on the Hiline trail and had my mind blown. I did walk the terrifying chute into the creekbed at the bottom, but rode everything else... one of the best trails I've ever seen.
Hit the Continental Divide trail outside Silver City, New Mexico and damn, that is some fine trail too. If you access the CDT from the Little Walnut picnic area and head south you will hit a wonderful two-mile flowing descent down to Little Walnut Creek. That section was even great fun on the climb back due to the perfect pitch.
Here's some GPS on that one:
https://www.strava.com/activities/304698738
Visited my folks in Cloudcroft, New Mexico and did a thru-ride on the Cloudcroft Rim Trail. Based on the fact that noone else is likely to do something that stupid, I'm gonna claim a first completer on that until proven otherwise:
https://www.strava.com/activities/304699593
So I was glad to get some riding in on that trip since I was committed to the Gunnison Growler over Labor Day Weekend. My back was holding up but it was extremely tight and stiff (ok, normal) so I was paranoid about riding my XC hardtail, especially since I had only ridden Hartman's once before and still had never seen most of the race course.
Finally I decided to take my Yeti SB66c and focus on fun and not worrying too much about really racing. I knew I wouldn't be too speedy on that thing, but I wouldn't have to stress too much about the trail or the tech factor. So that worked, but yeah, I was slow. I got smoked on the neutral rollout to Hartman's and was damn near last to even enter the actual race course.
I did pick off about 60 people once I got into the trail so mentally it felt like a good race, but by the second lap I was pretty much auto-granny at the first sight of any upward slope in the trail. Did ride all the tech stuff though, especially second lap when I had a clear track. After cleaning the chute on Skull Pass the second lap (1st time was clogged) I got such a shot of adrenaline that I let it all hang out on the loose winding part after only to miss a turn and crash down into the ditch. Good times, no damage, climbed out and moved on.
So I have my time at 7:45 because I coulda sworn that they tell you that the neutral rollout is untimed, but that doesn't seem to be the case according to the results that put me at 7:59.
Fun, but grueling course, and if I race this again I will definitely bring my XC hardtail.
So all my summer goals listed in the prior post are still in play, but I'm stoked to add one more, and even more stoked that it is a bikepacking event:
The Dixe 200!
http://2-epic.com/events/dixie200.html
Rick Miller and I are gonna head down and give that one a shot. Much shorter than the CTR, but I need to get that DNF-taste outa my mouth and get my confidence back. I haven't done enough research to formulate an actual strategy yet, but I'm almost sure I'll ride my hardtail with flat pedals. I've got to find out of that can ward off the achilles problems I've been dealing with in CTR.
So that's what I've got for now..... I'll try to post up a Dixie Preview when I can.
Saturday, January 3, 2015
2015 Resolution & Goals
Only one resolution: Be the best dad I can be.
But I did add a couple other racing goals, so here is the full lineup for 2015:
May 24, 2015 - Full Gunnison Growler
Time goal is to have a solid race and gain confidence in having strong early season form. I'll be pleased if I can finish in the top 50% of my age class in a tough field.
July 4, 2015 - Firecracker 50
Last year I PR'd with 4:48 and got 3rd in Sport Class, so this year I intend to move up to Expert Class. This should avoid the huge traffic I always have to encounter on lap 1 and probably gain a couple minutes based on that alone. I'd like to get my time down to around 4:30.
July 18, 2015 - Breck 100
I raced this in 2012 and finished in 11:52, so I definitely want to get below 11 hours. The lower the better.
August 1-2 - Montezuma "Mountain's Revenge":
I've heard about this one for a long time and was bummed to have lived in another era. But Adam Shaw revived this monster last year now I'll get my chance to see how many miles I can put down. Rough guess is about 100, but I'd like to get as far past that number as I can. I'd love to somehow get deep into Loop 5, the Lenawee / Warden Gulch Loop but that would mean something like 126 miles to finish. Jesse Jakomait did 155 miles last year so I have grave doubts about staying within 30 miles of him, but who knows. I think he had to do a Webster Pass / Red Cone loop and I know first-hand how brutal it is pushing up and over Red Cone.
September 12-13, 2015 - Vapor Trail 125
If I reach most of my goals I should be plenty battle-hardened for a ride on the Vapor Trail. No sense in setting any time goals for that, but I'll have a much better idea of how I stack up as the date gets closer.
But I did add a couple other racing goals, so here is the full lineup for 2015:
May 24, 2015 - Full Gunnison Growler
Time goal is to have a solid race and gain confidence in having strong early season form. I'll be pleased if I can finish in the top 50% of my age class in a tough field.
July 4, 2015 - Firecracker 50
Last year I PR'd with 4:48 and got 3rd in Sport Class, so this year I intend to move up to Expert Class. This should avoid the huge traffic I always have to encounter on lap 1 and probably gain a couple minutes based on that alone. I'd like to get my time down to around 4:30.
July 18, 2015 - Breck 100
I raced this in 2012 and finished in 11:52, so I definitely want to get below 11 hours. The lower the better.
August 1-2 - Montezuma "Mountain's Revenge":
I've heard about this one for a long time and was bummed to have lived in another era. But Adam Shaw revived this monster last year now I'll get my chance to see how many miles I can put down. Rough guess is about 100, but I'd like to get as far past that number as I can. I'd love to somehow get deep into Loop 5, the Lenawee / Warden Gulch Loop but that would mean something like 126 miles to finish. Jesse Jakomait did 155 miles last year so I have grave doubts about staying within 30 miles of him, but who knows. I think he had to do a Webster Pass / Red Cone loop and I know first-hand how brutal it is pushing up and over Red Cone.
September 12-13, 2015 - Vapor Trail 125
If I reach most of my goals I should be plenty battle-hardened for a ride on the Vapor Trail. No sense in setting any time goals for that, but I'll have a much better idea of how I stack up as the date gets closer.
Saturday, December 13, 2014
Post CTR Analysis and New Goals
After reflecting on my failed CTR I guess I have a few thoughts.
I must move to flat pedals and I need to install a much easier gear for slow-pedal spinning even if that is contrary to my usual riding/climbing style. I don't think my achilles are going to hold up any other way.
But mainly I've thought a lot about whether I should/could have continued on. My achilles hurt like hell in 2013, but I was halfway across Cataract/Coney and I didn't really have any choice but to keep fighting through it. Through that I discovered that after crunching through the pain each time I resumed hiking or riding, the pain would ease up and eventually I was able to cope with it.
Last year my achilles blew up into intense pain right as I rode the final stretch into Buena Vista. Maybe I could have persevered like the year before, but I could not convince myself to leave the comforts of civilization to face the very hard trek to Silverton. I convinced myself that the pain was much worse this year, but now I'm not so sure.
After finishing in 2013 it took a month of recovery before I could ride or hike again. I was severely hobbled for 3 days this year, but I was able to recover much quicker and was back on to fairly big adventures about 5 days after dropping out.
My situation calls to mind an important point that Mark Caminiti has repeatedly made about the necessary ingredients for CTR success, specifically his point #6 below regarding injury:
6. Injury. What happens when you have body issues? The will to continue the journey when dealing with pain is very important for all racers, not just fast ones. I had to deal with intense pain in 2012 in AZT and CTR. I ended up taking one aspirin in 25 days though I dealt with a heel/achilles injury in Arizona and a stress fracture in the lower leg in CTR. Do you have that drive to succeed? Even if it means your elapsed time sucks in comparison to others or your goal? Many folks quit because their final time would be not good enough or they cant break a record, etc.
People have correctly remarked that it was a slower field in the 2014, but personally I was having a great race. Aside from my achilles I felt fantastic mentally and in every other way. So I admit that knowing I would have to watch everyone I had been racing near ride away from me if I continued was another tough mental challenge to face.
I'm married this year and was feeling guilty about the possibility of ruining myself for months after the race when my wife had already made big sacrifices leading up so I could train so much.
Live and learn.... as I've said, I had a great time even if quitting leaves a very sour taste in my mouth.
But there was also a silver lining. My wife found out she was pregnant the day after I dropped out! So I am very glad that I was there to share and support her as she found out that great news. We are going to have a little baby girl sometime around April 1.
So there will be no bikepacking races for me in 2015, although I'd love to do some 1 or 2 nighters at a decent pace with any good folks training for the CTR or whatever else this summer.
As for me, I've picked out a few 1-day marathon races to focus on. I've built up a very nice endurance base these last couple years as I've been laser-focused on the CTR. I hoping to throw in a little speed training, interval-type stuff for the first time in my life to see if I can get sorta fast.
So I registered for the full Gunnison Growler in May, and then I hope to peak for the Firecracker 50 and Breck 100 in July.
Usually I get lazy and fat every November/December, but I have been training hard so I'm feeling great right now. Hoping to be in great shape when the baby comes and my sleep get cut way back.
I'm not done with bikepack races by a long shot though. I know I'll be back for the CTR again someday because there is nothing in the world that can satisfy my thirst for adventure like that thing can. Hopefully I will come back stronger, but mostly wiser.
I must move to flat pedals and I need to install a much easier gear for slow-pedal spinning even if that is contrary to my usual riding/climbing style. I don't think my achilles are going to hold up any other way.
But mainly I've thought a lot about whether I should/could have continued on. My achilles hurt like hell in 2013, but I was halfway across Cataract/Coney and I didn't really have any choice but to keep fighting through it. Through that I discovered that after crunching through the pain each time I resumed hiking or riding, the pain would ease up and eventually I was able to cope with it.
Last year my achilles blew up into intense pain right as I rode the final stretch into Buena Vista. Maybe I could have persevered like the year before, but I could not convince myself to leave the comforts of civilization to face the very hard trek to Silverton. I convinced myself that the pain was much worse this year, but now I'm not so sure.
After finishing in 2013 it took a month of recovery before I could ride or hike again. I was severely hobbled for 3 days this year, but I was able to recover much quicker and was back on to fairly big adventures about 5 days after dropping out.
My situation calls to mind an important point that Mark Caminiti has repeatedly made about the necessary ingredients for CTR success, specifically his point #6 below regarding injury:
6. Injury. What happens when you have body issues? The will to continue the journey when dealing with pain is very important for all racers, not just fast ones. I had to deal with intense pain in 2012 in AZT and CTR. I ended up taking one aspirin in 25 days though I dealt with a heel/achilles injury in Arizona and a stress fracture in the lower leg in CTR. Do you have that drive to succeed? Even if it means your elapsed time sucks in comparison to others or your goal? Many folks quit because their final time would be not good enough or they cant break a record, etc.
People have correctly remarked that it was a slower field in the 2014, but personally I was having a great race. Aside from my achilles I felt fantastic mentally and in every other way. So I admit that knowing I would have to watch everyone I had been racing near ride away from me if I continued was another tough mental challenge to face.
I'm married this year and was feeling guilty about the possibility of ruining myself for months after the race when my wife had already made big sacrifices leading up so I could train so much.
Live and learn.... as I've said, I had a great time even if quitting leaves a very sour taste in my mouth.
But there was also a silver lining. My wife found out she was pregnant the day after I dropped out! So I am very glad that I was there to share and support her as she found out that great news. We are going to have a little baby girl sometime around April 1.
So there will be no bikepacking races for me in 2015, although I'd love to do some 1 or 2 nighters at a decent pace with any good folks training for the CTR or whatever else this summer.
As for me, I've picked out a few 1-day marathon races to focus on. I've built up a very nice endurance base these last couple years as I've been laser-focused on the CTR. I hoping to throw in a little speed training, interval-type stuff for the first time in my life to see if I can get sorta fast.
So I registered for the full Gunnison Growler in May, and then I hope to peak for the Firecracker 50 and Breck 100 in July.
Usually I get lazy and fat every November/December, but I have been training hard so I'm feeling great right now. Hoping to be in great shape when the baby comes and my sleep get cut way back.
I'm not done with bikepack races by a long shot though. I know I'll be back for the CTR again someday because there is nothing in the world that can satisfy my thirst for adventure like that thing can. Hopefully I will come back stronger, but mostly wiser.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)