Day 10 - Rest day

Coach let us have a rest day today. Advanced training camp starts tomorrow once the rest of the team shows up. It looks like lots of skilz practice will be coming to head.

There was a short 5 mile up hill to Hurrah pass. It is a wonderful overlook to the Colorado river. Then it was over to Slick rock to have some fun. I was able to make it out the East side of the practice loop. There were several deep sand spots that needed a hike a bike. It was about noon time with the temp in the 90 degree range. There was a nice cool wind so it was not too hot.

About a mile into the main loop, the rear hub lets loose. It seems I may have gotten a bit stronger in my climbing. The ratchet that the dogs bite into stripped out the threads. May it be a time for JB weld. This is why having a spare bike with similar parts is a handy thing.

Cheap Eats
Moab Diner on the south side of town. Breakfast served all day.

Lessons Learned

Brakes are a good thing to make sure be in working order to ride Moab. In Moab for some reason the inside of the single track or road is always favored. You still get to see more on a bike than roaring past in the truck.

Day 9 - Coach found us

Coach finally found us.  It seems he had to attend a pretrial hearing about something that happened to his previous coachies.  Should we be worried?
Arrived in Moab via the scenic route that had stunning views of really big red rocks and stuph.  After picking up a mtn bike guide to Moab coach made sure we got a workout.  It was low 90s in town so we headed for some cool elevation in the La Sal Mountains.

Today’s fun was a leisurely 6 mile jaunt from 8000 to 10,000 feet.  The down practice was how to make switchbacks on a gravel road at 30 mph.  Can you say weight shift?  Legs felt heavy. Not sure if it was the couple days where there was no coach to keep us riding and motivated or that I may have been slightly dehydrated.

Day 7 - Retro base miles

Coach showed back up looking like he had been hung out to dry. There were stories about former KGB issues, but know one is brave enough to ask coach about it.  An easy work up some double track for about 6 miles.  The grades were easier today or stronger getting I am.  An hour and 10 minutes out 20 minutes back.  Good breakfast by the creek.  Yum yum.

Day 6 _ Ohhhh Coach???

Coach is lost!  We can’t find him.  Not really sure what happened.  One day we were getting our quads ground into ground and then he went away.  Mumbling something about our hopelessness.  Oh well so we took Saturday off.  Man training camp has faltered what will our bike life be like without a complete camp. 

Miles = 0

Lessons learned
Gas is cheaper in Denver

Day 5 - Where is Coach?

Coach was not to be found today.  We are not really sure what happened to him so as lowly disciples we were lost without his leadership. That being the case what started out as a stop to do some bidness (finally the market went the way I was hoping) turned into an early lunch.  I now have the Dirk appetite.  I can’t drink enough water or eat enough food.  I am always hungry.

Hopefully this will shrink the stomach and get me to losing more poundage.

The sky of Leadville was gloomy all day with the hail starting about 1:00.  There was the though about riding the Mineral belt trail. (12 miles around Leadville to see old holes in the ground) but without coach, we were not sure how this would impact our training. 

After market close the thought was to find coach and move the training camp North to be behind the incoming front.  It is a good theory.  But with most theories this one did not come to pass.  The move north went though Winter park that boasts the mtn bike capital of the US with 600 miles of trails.  The vibe was not there since there was a Harley fest in town.   On to Grand Lake.  I stayed here on a Grandma/cousin family trip when I was 4 or something.  I was here about 10 years ago when living in Vail.   Woah! This place has changed.  Basically the whole place is built up.  Nice houses all around the lake.  I think it is the Conroe of Boulder/Denver.  Bad vibe here too. Just too many people/commercialized  yada yada yada.  Must move on.

On to Rocky Mountain National Park where the views are stunning, when not hidden by clouds.  Pretty much the whole place was socked in.  There were some really cool wind blown trees at top.  You know the wind blows when pine trees only have one side of limbs.  I am betting brrrr rabbit cold up here in the winter time.  Temp up top was down to 38 degrees.  Coach says we are going to try the Old Fall River Road in the morning, if the clouds clear which they don’t appear to be.
There was a huge traffic jam for people stopping to see a couple of elk.  Far side mode = on: “Hey Joe is the show almost over”  “Fred another 15 minutes and we can go” “Ok cause we sure are stopping a lot of cars”  Far side mode =  off.

Came down into Estes Park.  Huge bad tourist vibe in this town.  Found Devils Gluch Road.  Wowo Gary would have a field day here.  This place was sooo cool.  There are enough bouldering and other problems to work he could spend a life time here.   Way cool scenery.  Tight, rocky, rough that I remember from coming up here when I was a small child.

Stats
Miles = 0

Lessons Learned
Thought for the day:  It sure does get dark when the clouds are around and the sun goes down.

Best “hey that may come in useful” for the trip purchase.  Nylon fishing shirt and shorts at wally world.  They dry fast, wash fast and are comfy to wear.  

Best question asked the ranger while buying another San Isabel Forest map because I thought I can’t find my other one: “Are there bears in the woods?”  He thought I was serious.  “Oh yes but they really won’t bother you

Day 4 - Recovery day???? 4000 feet of what?

Coach says today is recovery day since it is on the road.  I am not sure how 4000 feet of climbing can be recovery, but hey he is the coach right?
So I come over Independence Pass heading for Aspen which I am sure will be the source of good internet connectivity based on the tmobile coverage map to take care of some stock business.
There are people on bikes headed up the pass, so since other people look like they are having fun the stock business will just have to wait.  I park around the city limits and change and go. 
It is full on climbing the whole way.  I make the road close gates at 8 miles.  They just close Independence Pass in the winter.  Too hard to keep open. Of course when they used to cross with horses and a sleigh they would do it all winter.  Funny what gold will do to a person.  Of course now this just probably helps keep the riffraff out of Aspen.

Just climbing and climbing.  There is a part of the road where the center stripe is missing because it is to narrow for two cars.  The nice thing about climbing a pass on a bike that you miss in a car is the pretty streams, wildlife and such that are right beside you.  So I have the gurgling start of the Colorado river to keep me company during the climb.

You can see the final pitch from the second to last pitch. It is good and bad since you know you are almost done, but you say “I have to go up there”

I make the switch back for the final pitch and stop a couple of times to rest. A guy on the back of a motor cycle shouts out “Awsome!”.  That is a bit of help. Two guys on a motor cycle?  Hmmm  Not that there is anything wrong with that.

I make the top of the pass looking for the cheering crowds and the Arrive banner over the road. Alas it seems then must have packed up long ago and went home.  There are only a couple of bikers cabitzing over there families back in Iowa and their Harleys.

I adjust the brake back since I had let them all the way out since I wanted no dragging during the climb.  I put on the long underwear top for the descent and take off.  I am doing 35 – 37 mph down the first pitch. This happens to be the speed limit so I just take up my lane.  I feel the rear brakes dragging.  So I pull over after the first pitch.  And readjust the right way.  One guy there says “A bit easier that way” I respond with “It sure does make you forget about going the other direction fast”

Mostly just the whir of knobbies for 18 miles.  A couple of sections that slow down to the 20s so I pedal “Faster, faster Daddy”
Maybe hit 40, I make a pretty good air brake with flat bars.  Even on the road bike I can only do high 40s…  Oh well still berry berry fun.

 
Stats
Ride time 3:17
Avg 10.8
35.5 miles
6% grade
4ish k  of climbing

Thought for the day
People sure do miss alot in cars....  Is it a good thing or bad.    The people who give bikes the most space Colorado plates.  The people who give bikes the least. Texas plates.


 

Day 3 - Judgement day

How come I get the former East German coach doing periodics and everyone else gets the “oh just go ride with your grandma as long as you ride for 2.13425 hours.”?  And why do I find this East German thing 3 days into camp.  I mean these guys just shoot you if you fall behind as an example to others.
 
So I am climbing this hill up CO road 100 and figure I will be tour de france and ride up hill without my helmet.  I signal for the coaches car to come up and grab my lid.  Man where is that coaches car when you need them, probably pandering with the podium girls.  The guide book says people drive the 7 miles from Salida up to the trail head.  Mr. Bill will be happy to know that trailer queens exist in Colorado also! Shoot is was like 2 miles all downhill from town. (This cockiness will soon be repaid)
 
Do the first 6 miles of single track with no events.  The standard route is to go down CO rd. 108.   I am wondering why would I waste a perfectly good morning hill climb with a bunch of rocks on a descent.  Let’s push on to Hwy 285.  It is only another 6 miles.
 
The second 6 miles finds a pretty good ledge of sketchy talus or scree (help me out here Dirk).  I meet a throttle twister.  Much prefer having to balance a 20 lbs. bike instead of hundreds of pounds of motor on this ledge of a trail.  The motor bikes pretty much thrash the steep sections.
 
I am just climbing and climbing.  Think of walking up a Broken Oak walker hill for oh let’s say about 2 miles.  Sometimes the I lean on the bike. Sometimes it leans on me.  It is getting to be 1:30 and I can see the clouds tuning up. The 100oz camel back is dry.  One bottle of gatoraide is gone. Not sure about the other bottle. There is some bang pow pop lightening exposure on the ridge. Too far gone to turn around now.  Can’t stop to rest must push on.  This trails false summits keep coming until the cows come home.  There is about ¾ in the last bottle of gatoraide.  Phew!  That should make it to the top.
 
The altitude watch that I only barely trust is showing over 10K.  The map only said 9600 for a peak at Sand Gulch. Between the lightening and the East German coach wanting to leave me for dead on the trail, I keep pushing and pushing.
 
Finally top out.  Most of the steeper descents get walked since the motor bikes have loosened the silt and baseball size rocks.  The penalty for missing would be a couple hundred foot slide down till that loan shrub stopped your forward progress. Wishing I had a 26” tire for the rear for some of this.  Not sure why those downhillers have not figured out a 29” and a 26” would roxor the DH circuit. Decide to push the seat  post in a bit.
 
I stop and squash the seat post all the way in.  I feel like I am riding Rob-0’s bike… well not that short.  Still hear Master Nick “Get off the brakes Barney!”  and Mutha “You sure are up there a long ways” 
 
AHH!  Hwy 285 what a lovely site.  Just make it there and you will be good.  Put the seat post back up.  Whoaa there little fella! not quite that high.  Hit 285 just down from just below Poncha Pass mostly cruising in the 25 to 35 range.  Dan from Pro Cycles sure does do a good job on wheels.
 
I can see into the valley and it is halfway socked in.  Mt. Shavano is one of those dark blues against a dark gray backdrop.  Very scary Scoob.
 
I  3rd class it into town. it is five miles from Poncha Springs and you can coast it at 15mph.   Good thing cause I was blown.  I am so sore!  Where is the team masseuse.
Protein first 30 minutes…. Tuna fish and gorp!
 
Stats
Rainbow Ridge trail CO rd 100 to hwy 285.
33.77 miles – except for hwy 285 it felt all up hill.
Lowpoint 6950  Highpoint by the watch 10300.
5 hours
6.7 average – The speedometer was registering 0.0 for the 2 mile up hill walk. The mileage kept adding up though.
12.5 miles of single track
1 fall – on an uphill when I could not get unclipped.
 
Lesson Learned
You know it may be an epic day when the coach goes back for the water purification tablets.   In the things that work column:  Bandaid brand advanced healing blister things.  I put them on this morning before the ride.  They stayed on the whole ride and even the shower and pool afterwards.  And I did not feel my heels.

Coach was feeling a bit bad about the punishment he dished out on us yesterday.  So today was an easy cardio time.  Poncha Pass on the road.  This should be an easy day.  26 mile round trip.  So I drain a couple of ounces of puss out of my rear ankles and get going.
 
 Poncha Pass is <3% grade.   5 miles up hill from Salida to Poncha Springs at 7300 feet then 7 miles up to Poncha Pass that tops out at 9010 feet.  Uneventful up hill, 1 car actually honked and waved and not with one finger like they do in Houston.  Still feeling a bit of yesterday, the legs are tired and heavy.  Decide to ride the 8 speed cross bike with the cool kids flat bars.  The road bike stayed at home for this trip.
 
Remembered how to drink at altitude.  In flatlands I take 3 long pulls on the camel back.  Up here I can only do 1 or 2 pulls without sending the body into oxygen deprivation. So drink less, more often. (Note cburke, Rider)
 
Hit the top o de pass and read the Forest signs.  To the south is the headwaters of the Rio Grande.  Check the tire pressures and then head down.   Learning about how a bike descends and being comfortable with the speed is the biggest fear factor.   The bike is pretty good going down. You want to make sure there are no high speed shimmies. The mini knobbies (Ritchy ZED up front) are a singing.   Probably hitting 35-40ish (no speedometer on this bike) Let out a nice “Wa hoo”.  Not sure I have ever done that riding in Texas.
 
They keep saying there is a heat wave here.  The temp on the bank sign said 77 deg. when I got back to town.  Go by Absolute bikes to pick up some 29” tubes.  Nice folks, they let me try out a GF 29” full suspension.  Feels pretty cramped.  Watch the kayakers playing in the river.  Why do I live in Texas?
 
Tomorrow is a tough day.  3 moutain passes 72 miles or something like that.  There is the Monarch trail that is supposed to be the best single track in the state.  So that may be a variation of the planned Poncha, Marshall, Monarch pass route.
 
Lesson learned:
The Gary Fisher 29 full suspension is not big enough for me.  I am destined to a life of custom bikes.  It’s 1:30

Day 1 of Training camp - Fitness Test

Carry medium weight pack on 8 mile round trip trail starting at 9800 feet going to 14,229 feet. Summit Shavano and possibly tag Tabeguache Peak.  Coach was not real happy about the traveling diet that included 2 milk shakes so I think today is going to be a tough day for us.  Up at 5am see clouds overhead.  Sunrise show red clouds on the mountain.  Acck!   Must get going.  Finally hit the trail around 6am.  Going is good, must take off a layer. Sweating a fair amount.  Drink and go, drink and go. Other people are heading up so there will be someone to call SAR and recover my body off the mountain. Using hiking poles is the way to go for clumsy oofs like myself.  (you’ll be happy to know I did not buy the poles, just recycled some old ski poles)   Hike through the trees, then are really, really long trek across an open space above tree line.  Hit the saddle then right to the peak.  Clouds start filling the saddle so Tabeguache Peak is out of the question.  It would add 2 miles to the trek.
 
See some mountain goats on the trail before me.  They are pretty nonchalant and let me snap their foto.  First thunder is heard about 12:30 and I am pretty close to tree line.  I make tree line as more claps are heard.  Phew!  The body starts to rebel from this much effort.  A couple of times I have to use the poles to stand up.  But hey this is all about getting stronger and who is going to question coach.  It hails a bit, this is good, hopefully Colorado is breaking their 7 year drought.  Water starts running down the trail.
 
Return to the car around 3.   I think this is the tiredest I have ever been in my whole life.
Every part of my body hurt.  Definitely not in shape to do Rainier.  Oh well I may be hanging up my hiking boots. 
 
I am thinking hotel and real bed for tonight.  A quick drive though town with net stumbler going finds some internet connection.  Check out the hotel deals online. Shower and feel a bit better.  Big ole headache from lack of carbs and water. Take nap, think about going to town to get real food, nope the sleep monster has me and I am back asleep.
 
Lessons learned:
rned1 day is not enough break in time for new boots.  Coming down a mountain on a bike is soooo much funner than hiking.

Travel Day

Well not quite the 5am start like planned.  More of an 8 am start.  I pretty much hate this drive.  I have done it enough times to just put the car on auto pilot.  Not sure how far I will get but just go till you drop.  The sleepies hit about 1.5 tank fulls of gas.  So I pulled off and went to the walmart to pick up those things I already knew I forgot.  Coach will not be real happy with the traveling day diet.  V8s, Gatoraide, Sonic burger and shake the fries were soggy so did not have many of those besides supposedly white potatoes are poison so said by the taller over coached brother.  Remember that people are sweating their brains out riding flat roads getting chased by the Sherriff.   Ha Ha tonight I will be in Colorado. 
 
I hit the Colorado line with daylight left.  Hmmm this trip is not so bad.
 
There was still lightning in the mountains at midnight when I hit them.  Not a good sign. Hopefully it is open windows in the morning and get down by noon.  Coach has been pretty fickle about the daily objectives.  Right before we left he made a change to the fitness test.  He decide it should be climb Mt. Shavano with medium weight pack.  Um yeah like the only time I wear a pack is though the airport.  Anyways I arrive at the Mt. Shavano trailhead around 1ish.
Must sleep. Coach is chomping at the bit to get my fat melting off my body.

Lessons Learned
People are friendly in small towns.   Traveling across Texas via the radio, it is good to have country music as one of those things you like to listen to.

The Schedule

The first day is going to be fitness test and then moving on to the real work.
Day 1
Monarch Pass
Day 2
Mt. Shavanon and Mt Te   something 5500 feet of climbing 10 mile hike
Day 3
Independance pass
Day 4
Mt Massive
Day 5
Mt Elbert
Day 6
Ride Mt Evans 28 mile road up a 14K foot mountain.
 
Ackk

The Day Before

Tomorrow is the day to take off for training camp.  Coach has not been happy for a long time.  I saw the training schedule yesterday and I can tell he is not happy.  I hope I survive the next week.  That AHP guy is right I have been resting on my laurels long enough and talking about past acheivements.   It is time to do like Rocky had to do in Rocky XXXVII and get back to basics.  The training schedule is not pretty.   It will be tough to survive.