Day Trip

It's Dec 29th and still no snow here in SLC (at least not enough to justify getting out into the backcountry), so a few of the fellas (Dug, Sleepy, Steve W., Steve D., Mark) and I got up at 4:45AM, drove to St. George and met up with Aaron S. and Jesse for some desert singletrack.

We started with the Goulds, Jem, Rim loop, grabbed some food in Hurricane, then drove out to Guacamole and messed around for a couple of hours on the new (new for us) trails.  Ate some more food and drove home.

A 3 hour drive from SLC will put you into a whole different climate.  It's well worth it.

Lessons learned:

• No matter what, don't accept a sports drink from Steve W.  It will mess you up.  Just ask Dug.  Stick to CarboRocket or plain water.
• Whenever Aaron says "this is my favorite trail", prepare to get lost
• Gears can be nice.  Especially in the off season. 
• No matter what, don't accept a sports drink from Steve W.  Ever

Amazing what 5 hours on a MTB, in 60 degree weather, on dry dirt in December will do for your mood.

I feel like myself again. 

Winding Down

2011 was a long race season.  March - December.  I'm tired.  Time to recharge and figure out what's on the schedule for 2012.  I think less MTB racing and more CX racing is in my future. In fact, I just committed myself by ordering a set of Easton EC90 Aero tubular wheels. No more ghetto set ups.  Since I seem to be working more and riding less these days, I figure it's time to leverage that and buy some upgrades. 

Gears, skinsuits, tubular carbon wheels....I don't even know who I am anymore.

UTCX #9

UTCX #9 - Mt Ogden Golf Course.  In my opinion, the best cx venue in the series.  Especially when you add an inch or two of snow to it.  I like the course because, for a CX race, it has a monster climb.

I had heard from the racers earlier in the day that the course was greasy and slick (much respect to those who double dip.  Mark raced SS earlier and then A's later in the day).  About 30 min before my race, conditions got worse. The storm arrived and it got colder and snowy.   As much as I like racing in miserable conditions, I started to doubt my decision to race.

I arrived late which meant no pre-ride and no warm up.  In fact, I had to get registration to add me to the start list and re-print it so I could race.  Then I had to pee so bad, I pretty much went in the parking lot.  (Only to have Bob S. heckle me and threaten to put me on the sex offenders list).

I lined up with the A 35+ group which had a new face- Grizzly Adam (who clearly belongs in this group).  I didn't even bother trying to get a good start position.  There would be plenty of time to sort things out on the first climb.

The course was pretty chewed up from all the previous races but there was a fresh layer of snow to hide all the ruts.

At the base of the climb on lap 1, I was 2nd to last but was able to make a few key passes on the climb and got into a much better position.  Most of the racers opted to clip out and run up the steep part of the climb, I was able to get into my granny gear and grind it out.

I had some good tires and was able to keep traction the entire race.  No crashes despite the off camber corners on the downhills.

Each lap, I used the climb to try and distance myself from the chasers.  I was able to get enough of a gap to finish 7th.  While 7th may not sound great, I was pretty happy with it and was my best result after upgrading to the A's this year.

Birdfood

Turns out, I really like birdfood.  Between my hollow bones (from all the Diet Coke) and this birdfood diet, I should be in prime climbing form for 2012.

Thanks for listening.  Yes, I do realize this probably should have been a tweet not a blog post but whatever...

Cross According to Grizzly

Grizzly Adam put together a very cool video of the Halloween Cross race on Saturday.  The dude knows how to make a video.

The race this weekend in Heber is going to be cold and sloppy.  I don't think the roadies are going to like it.

Two races, one flat, one DNF

I'm not going to dwell on just how poorly my races went this weekend. I'm blaming it on bad luck and being sick but mostly recognizing there is still a lot to learn on my part.  I'm motivated to correct things as the season goes on.

Also, if you haven't tried the Clammy Cross series, you are missing out.  Great venues, great people putting on some very cool races.  The Night Race was so great. The course was short but had some great features including a steep run up, singletrack, smooth grass, 5 barriers, a lot of tight corners, all while racing under the lights. It was fun to mix it up with Bob, Mark, Ben, Grizzly and others.

Waking up on Saturday, I didn't feel good at all but I promised Seth I'd take him to race his first bike race.  He wanted to try a true CX bike so the good folks at Canyon Bicycles hooked him up with a loaner at no cost.  The UTCX cross out cancer ride/race was going on at Wheeler Farm.

 Seth and Dad

The pre-ride and some last minute coaching.

Seth dismounting for the barrier section

Then it was my turn. I lasted about 3 laps before pulling the plug.  I had no power and had a hard crash on the gravel road which left me pretty frustrated.  O well.  That's racing.  Just chalk it up to a bad week and bounce back I guess.

Rachelle snapped a few pics.  

Seth and Dad in the pain cave.  Turns out, we both like to ride with our mouths open.

Fortune Cookie

This is exactly the kind of fortune one would hope to get before race day (or in this case, race night).  My interpretation goes something like this...."Don't get such a sucky start and you may have a shot at a top 10 finish".

Hidden Expense

Somewhere in this pile shrine, are Rachelle's "Leadville Shoes" or her "24 Hours of Moab boots".

Any major biking road trip/race, usually ends up costing me more than just the race entry and hotel expenses.  There is the shoe expense too.

Behold.....I counted about 60 pair, but I'm sure there are more.

I didn't do Leadville this year.  I didn't do 24 Hours of Moab.  I'm getting smarter in my old age.  These one hour cross races with less expensive entry fees are the future.

And with Rachelle just coming back from a 4 day girls trip to So Cal, I may end up getting the hall pass to race the Clammy Night race on Friday and the UTCX on Saturday.  Maybe.

UTCX #3 - Ft. Buenaventura

                                                  Thanks Jason W. for taking the pic


Fort Buenaventura, Ogden- The best cx conditions and best course so far this year.  By the time the A's and A 35+ flight left, the course was tacky and not too muddy.  

I hope by racing up I'll be able to dial in this cx thing before end of the season.  Fitness is there, but there is so much more to this stuff than fitness.

Early Snow

The view from my driveway this AM. 

Friday Night Lights Clammy Cross

This is going to be cool.  Oct 21st.  CX race under the lights.

UTCX #1

The UTCX season kicked off on Saturday/Sunday at the Utah State Fairpark. Here is a sample of the action.  I switched from racing SS to the A 35+ group.  Every week is going to be a fight to stay near mid pack.  And you know what....?  I'm okay with that.

The course on Saturday had a lot of turns.  A lot of tight, 180 type turns.  I spent the entire race in my smaller chain ring and a few gears over from granny.  It was all about bursts of power out of the turns.  Totally flat.

I suffered and never really figured out some of the corners but I loved it.  I even busted out my superhero skinsuit.  If you can't ride fast, at least look fast. 


Next week, we go to "O" town.  Conditions should be wet and muddy.  Perfect.

Pics From Clammy CX

Thanks Joey (DNA Cycling) for sticking around and snapping a few (and by few, I mean a few hundred) pics last Saturday.   You have a gift.

Clammy CX #1

Saturday was the first CX race of the year for me.  The Clammy Chamois crew put on a very cool race. at Art Dye Park in AF.  It had it all.  Technical, steep climbs, mud, a lot of grass, barriers.  Probably the most technical CX course I've raced.

I decided to line up with the As and give that a go.  There were about 15 of us.  I was already feeling out of place and then Keegan rolled up.  That kid is amazing. 

(I ripped off these pics from the Clammy Facebook page)

My goals were:
1) Not finish last
2) Not get lapped by the leaders

We raced for 60 min which was about 10 min longer than I am used to.  I ended up making both goals with a 6th place finish and didn't get lapped.

The new Specialized Crux felt really good and my tubeless held up (although I must have burped my rear tire a lot on one of the logs.  I started with 35 PSI and finished with about 20 PSI).
 
Thanks Dug, Kim, Holden and Joey for the cheers (and Dug for showing me his nipples when all I really wanted was a water hand up)

Thur Night Worlds Recap

In the end, Drew was just way too fast.  He was unbeatable and walked away with the Belt, the cash, and bragging rights (until the next race).  The Belt in now in SLC.  Sorry UC.













The Podium looked like this:
1) Drew
2) Me
3) Brandon
4) Dave B.

Although 2nd place really belongs to Brandon.  We crested Jacobs together and descended together until the finish.  Seconds ahead of me with 100 yards to go, he took a wrong turn so I was able to sneak past him.  But this is my blog and I'm claiming 2nd.  Wrong turns are part of racing.

Post race meal at Village Inn.  Pancakes, bacon, eggs, and a massive glass of chocolate milk.










Thanks to all those who came out last night and suffered (especially to former Champion Brandon who came up from the Payson area to race).  I heard a lot of post race coughing which means people were pushing the pace.

I think we all got a little faster last night. 

Thur Night Worlds Update

If you plan to race on Thursday night, leave a comment with your race plate number (remember, YOU need to bring your own race plate).  I'll bring a bag with all the race plate numbers in it for the drawing post race.
****also, be sure to bring $5 for the cash purse.  Winner takes it all*****
If anyone wants to ride (not race) and would be willing to film or take pictures, let me know.  That would be cool.

We are starting from the EQ at 9pm.

I think the course should be:

• Neutral start from the EQ to the first dirt road section (same as last year)
• Race to base of Clarks and at bridge, stay right towards potato hill
• Up Ann's trail
• At the top of Ann's/Clarks, head up Jacobs
• Down Jacobs
• Down Ghost
• At bottom of Ghost stay left
• Up Canyon Hollow (to Brock's) to top of Clarks
• Down Rush
• Down lower Canyon Hollow
• Down Creekside
• Finish at the EQ

 Post race meal at Village Inn on 106th South.

Who's in?

SSCXWC 2011

It's official. The Cyclocross Singlespeed World Championship Race is Nov 18th-20th in San Francisco.  It just so happens, SF is my territory at work and we have an office there.  This will be the best business trip ever.