Welcome Home...

Okay. If I didn't know any better, I'd say "I must be getting old..." As embarrassing as it is to admit, I've been listening to a bit more Bloomberg's "Market Report" on my satellite radio than I ever would have thought. Aaahhh, my father would be proud.

But as I've said in my recent posts, "hard work pays dividends..." and in this weekends' case, a whole new light has been shed.

The Mrs. and I jumped in the deep end on Friday and can now call zip code 80482 a second home. And with a hundred good reasons for us to jump in, there is no better way to train for a mountain bike racing season than to live at the course - talk about major homefield advantage.

My oyster...

With over 600 miles of trails to explore, Winter Park and the surrounding Grand County is gonna keep me busy for quite some time. There is nothing better than sleeping in your own bed the night before a race - and thanks to this little endeavor, I can do just that no less than 7 times this season - Saweeeet.

The freedom to roam...the excitement of new trails, new views, and a wide-open perspective...

Sooo....when's that first Winter Park series race? Two-and-a-half-weeks? Ppsshhbbt...oh yea...all that snow will tooootally be gone by then.................

By the way: Sorry Orbea, mud season demands pulling out the backup bike...

As it was, I've spent my training time trying to emulate the steep pitches and high altitudes of the race course. Now, "any" and "every" type course is right outside my front door...and with a base elevation of 9000 ft and a top elevation well over 12,000, well, let's just say even a mountain goat like me is gonna get put through the ringer...

And wildlife, to boot. Not 5 minutes from here, a hiker told me he'd just seen a huge black bear lumber off into the forest.

Yep - life just got a bit more interesting. A little more complicated? Perhaps. But the views from up here totally worth it...

Time spent here...

Leads to a good time, here...

It may not be as much fun as time spent here...

Or here...

But it can lead to the best of times.........here...

Yesterday's hard work is today's payday. Maybe today, maybe tomorrow....but be patient, and your time will come.

If that didn't sound like an add for 1-800-GO-ARMY I dont' know what does. And that was some shameless product placement. Seriously, I am just waiting for Nike to discover me and this blog, in all my witty metaphorical anecdotes. It's my ticket to the big time...or maybe it's something simpler - I mean, it's not like I'm a psychologist or anything....

Life's about to take an interesting turn....stay tuned....

A Silver Lining

This band of traveling gypsies finds itself perched precariously in that delicate timeframe at the height of spring, just before the explosion of summer. The seasons are at the apex of a mighty inhale, and you see it at every turn.







Each week a higher trail emerges from winter's icy grip...little by little...

This is not the Andes.....this is our backyard. And this time of year, you'd better pack both your sleeveless jersey and your cramp-ons alike.

Through this rather narrow window into my life I'll continue to bring you close enough to see each grain of dirt, each cut in a tires' knobs, each of which has its own arc through a turn down a trail; each of which has its own destination.

Here's To The State...

Here's to spring...

...it's bound to start in the high country at some point...

Here's to the trails we'll ride this summer...

....and to those we haven't found....yet.

Here's to the climbs we'll vista...

...The descents are not the same without them...


Here's to the crashes we'll experience this summer...

...Because it's all a part of the game...

Here's to post-ride beers...

...so that we can share our stories...

...And here's to the views we'll see...







...That keep us coming back....




Cheers.

Victory Comes In Many Forms...

Mountain States Cup #2

Nathrop, CO

28 miles, 2:07:46

If there's one thing I've learned in sixteen years of racing mountain bikes, it's that you've got to take the good with the bad. Not every course is gonna suit you, and to take a line from my stunt double, Russ, "what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger."

If you've read my past few entries you'll know that the Nathrop course is my nemesis. I've never liked the flat, windy course that caters to riders with tree-trunk-sized legs (which I do not possess, which may come as a surprise to many.)

But simply put, I am not the same racer I was a few years ago - I'm stronger and I'm smarter, and when you're racing a course that doesn't cater to your strengths, you look to your experience to carry you through. My experiences at Nathrop have never been real positive, and in the weeks leading up to the race, they brought me down.

But you do your homework and it pays. Was it windy? Yup. Was it flat? Sure was. Did it suck? Oh, hell yes - see all that red in my heart rate profile? That means pain. But it didn't sear nearly as much as I remember.

And while I was well off the podium, a hard fought 12th place and 5-seconds-out-of-the-top-10 is more than I could have hoped for. Hard work pays dividends and I feel like I conquered this course in many ways. Moreover, I feel like I conquered my own attitude towards this race even more.

So thanks, Nathrop, for not killing me. Cause in years past, you almost did. I've got such aweful memories of dragging myself through the final lap with nothing left, crossing the line and collapsing, and hurling on the side of the road on the way home.

But not this time.

It makes me think: the experiences in our lives shape our memories and our attitudes. Keep your mind open - you may be surprised at your capabilities...

(Race shots of yours truly should be up soon)

Fact: Attitude is everything.

Everyone's got their white whale, and this weekend's race in Nathrop is mine. Three of the past four years I've raced there I've either bonked, puked, or both; and last year I skipped it.











It's a race that constantly reminds me that no matter how fast I feel in the weeks leading up to it, there is still a lot of work to be done. The course is flat, it's rough , and constantly windy. And if you're a lightweight climbing specialist like me, the name of the game is to get behind a group and avoid being caught in the wind; or end up flappin on a fencepost like a plastic Safeway bag...

Cause any time there's a 2000 lb bull roaming the course ready to get his shwerve on, you'd better ride......hard. Catch ya on the flip side~