I thought I'd post some views from the upcoming Wasatch Classic. I thought this picture was appropriate, since during the ride, this great view of Cascade mountain will be obscured by darkness.

It is also noteworthy that the background mountain contains the trail we will finish up the ride on, also possibly in the dark!

This was taken in April '06 on the "Dragon's Back" portion of the GWT/BST. The rider is Keith Payne. It is a fun, challenging climb with several short tiers, you climb, then rest, climb then rest... It is the very first section of singletrack we will ride on Saturday morning.



Later, as the first light of dawn starts to creep over the mountains we have to get up and over, we will find ourselves in Grove Creek Canyon. It is a long narrow climb through this steep canyon, which acts as a gateway to the Wasatch back country. Once to the top of the canyon we will be greeted with massive views of Timapanogos, and hopefully even the resident elk heard that calls the meadows and pines at the top home.

The trail we will climb weaves its way up both sides of the canyon, sometimes it is extremely exposed to sheer cliffs that drop a long, long way down.



Eventually we will make our way around Timpanogos, catching views like the one below, as we work our way toward the Timpanooke singletrack.

So, what's next? Good question. I think the remainder of '07 is coming together nicely for me, and it should be a stellar end, to what has been an eventful, and challenging, season of racing. Here's what the next 3 months look like:

August 4: The Wasatch Classic. This year we are going to ride it as a "competitive group ride". But anyway you slice it, it's going to hurt!

September 8th: The Vapor Trail 125. Huge climbs, huge elevations, the Colorado Trail, the Great Divide, the Rainbow Trail...uh..does it get any better?

September 22nd: 12 Hours of Sundance. Sundance resort, one of my very favorite places to ride, will be hosting an inaugural 12 hour race. I'm all over that!

October 13th: 24 Hours of Moab. The annual season ending classic in Moab this year will not see me line up solo, but rather this year I think I will be racing on a team. Which I am quite excited about.

What's not on list? Namely the E100. With the VT125 2 weeks later, I needed to choose between the two. Since I have never done the VT125, it got the nod this year. I might do the 50 mile version of the E100, or, I might go climb King's Peak, Utah's highest mountain. It's been about 10 years since I last did that, and actually the idea of a nice backpacking trip sounds very cool.

There is some high quality nit-picking going on over at MTBR with regards to friends and family showing up out on the trail during an unsupported event. The thread is interesting, but I think borders on crossing some lines. Namely, I don't want to see these unsupported rides and events become overly governed and policed. I don't want to see more rules and regulations. I think the idea of "Do it yourself" is fairly clear.

Again and again it just comes back to the integrity of the rider. If a rider wants to cheat, they will. All the rules in the world won't prevent that.

The Wasatch Classic is approaching, and all signs are pointing to a low key ride, maybe just 4 or 5 of us setting out on this inaugural adventure. But that doesn't mean the group won't work hard, and that the pace will be slack. I see the opposite happening, each of us pushing one another as we circle this epic endeavor.



The Pine Hollow Trail, leading to Trail 157

It's interesting how many newspapers and websites are asking variations of the same question: Can cycling be saved?

Cycling does not need saving. Not the act of cycling anyway. Maybe the ProTour needs saving. But that isn't everything that cycling is. The last few months have been interesting for me, as I have gravitated more to low key, un-sponsored events. I watched the Great Divide Race with much more interest than the Tour. The Colorado Trail Race had everything the Tour has, and a lot it doesn't. I mean that in the best possible way.

Here in the U.S., cycling doesn't really live well enough to die. At least from a financial/commercial standpoint. The Average American doesn't care about the Tour. They read the headlines about these dopers with an expected indifference. But these ridiculous scandals are going to change the face of the Tour. It may cause the event to scale back, because sponsorship dollars are lost. It might also just simply make the event irrelevant.

But enough of the Tour!

Cycling doesn't need saving. People are simply looking in the wrong place for the inspiration they crave. To the press, I say, turn your tunnel vision to the mountains, the deserts, and the lonely singletrack of a solo TT. Forget the money mongers and the arrogance of the ProTour.

Wait. On second thought...don't!

Keep writing about cheaters and liars. I like the quiet solitude your absence provides.

I think I forgot to mention that I have been in France the last 2 weeks taking pictures of Le Joke Tour. Here are a few I have snapped.


Riders warming up, getting ready for the days stage.

Vino contemplates his TT strategy...

A sprint finish!

Cristian Moreni after stage 9.
Michael Rasmussen, just after he told the press to "Trust me".

I was planning on remaining silent about Le Tour. I have watched bits of it here and there, and have been enjoying it. Then the news of Vino failing a blood test broke this morning.

Are any of us surprised?

It's the second positive test in this tour, and along with speculation about Rasmussen, the race has become what everyone thought it would be. A joker parade full of cheaters and liars.

At least that is how the general public sees it.

I read this ridiculous quote this morning, before the Vino story broke, in regards to Rasmussen:

"With all this speculation around him it would be better if somebody else were to win,'' UCI chief Pat McQuaid told The Associated Press on Monday. "The last thing this sport needs is more speculation about doping.''

McQuaid added, however, that the Danish rider has "broken no rules, so from that point of view ... you have to give him the benefit of the doubt.''

The benefit of the doubt? So giving him the benefit of the doubt, is hoping someone else wins. Why are the people who govern the sport so idiotic? Why are they good at only saying stupid, unprovoked comments, that do nothing in helping the image of the sport?

Despite the idiocy of the suits, nothing seems to compare to the outright arrogant invincibility of the riders themselves. What would motivate Vino to blood dope, after going down with the ship last year, he comes back triumphant in '07, a race favorite, both on the road and off it. And he cheats.

To what end?

The end of the sport if this goes on much longer.

Sponsors are going to pull their money out of the teams, the races, and the riders. What's left? a bunch of skinny Euro's with nothing to do but sit in a pub and talk about what could have been...

I found these two headlines to be just priceless. Posted within 24 hours of each other:



And then...



I guess most of all I am disappointed in what the Tour is today. Cheating has always been a part of Pro Cycling. But now it seems, that cheating is defining Pro Cycling. What do people remember about last year? The great Landis ride in stage 17? No, they remember the doping allegations.

What will they remember this year? The spectacular climbing of Rasmussen? The numerous crashes early on? The Aussie bad luck? The return of Iban Mayo?

Nope.

Thanks Vino. Thanks for assuring another year of post race garbage.

The last couple days have seen me feeling like a pendulum, swinging back and forth with different emotions and thoughts. Saturday afternoon I was ready to retire from racing forever. I could see no sense in ever doing anything on the bike again. Sunday afternoon I was pouring over maps, looking over gear, and otherwise planning the next great adventure.

Funny how that happens. What brings us back? Late in Saturday's race, I told myself to "Remeber how this feels! Remember this pain!" And here's the thing, I remember it crystal clear. I remember the sound of my face hitting the rocks, I remember the burn in my legs and lungs as I climbed Spiro...I remember it all. And yet, something inside rebounds faster than tired muscles, bruises and cracks. Is it the euphoria of crossing a finish line? The knowledge that you overcame pain and heat and competition? Maybe it has something to do with being in a constant state of delirium...

I can't honestly say. But I would guess that for everyone it's different.

I crashed pretty hard during the race. Twice. But I still came out better than Kenny, who crashed helmet-less on the road. Yikes.



The E50...



A few things standout this morning about the 2007 E50. And they all have to do with pain. First of all is the major crash. About 90 minutes into the race I hit the dirt harder than I think I ever have. I was motoring along quite nicely, comfortably in the top 10, and suddenly I was face down in the dirt, glasses shattered, bleeding from my face and elbow. Three riders went by, and in a panic I jumped on the bike and took off after them blood dripping down my cheek and arm, soaking my glove. After a few minutes I realized that my body was not ready to be pushing like I was, and so I slowed the pace, and made sure that I was not more seriously hurt.

The rest of the day was spent trying to get back into the pre-crash groove. I pushed myself hard, and against the cry of my aching head, back and shoulders. That pain started to combine with the normal race day pain, the burn that comes into the legs after pushing yourself for hours. The course was relentless, as I knew it would be. The Mid-Mountain trail, which made up about 40 of the 50 miles was merciless. On any given day it is a fun traversing roller coaster, Saturday, it was a villain, an enemy with destructive intentions, sucking the life out of the racers who fought against its will.

The final push of the day involved a 6 mile, 2000 foot climb. I was struggling mightily, and I dropped a few spots. I was angry with myself for letting the race come down to this sort of suffer-fest. I had plans of finishing fast and springy. And still though, I was pushing through a lot of pain on that final stage. Riders who passed me earned it. They had more in the tank.

The descent following the long final climb is nothing near relaxing. After more Mid-mountain trail we were left with the windy, technical John's trail. Climbing John's in the morning was spectacular. Descending it 5 hours later was salting the wound. Literally.

About 2 miles from the finish line I caught a tree with my bar-end and went down hard. Again. I got up, more angry than hurt, and sped off down the trail, the wind knocked out of me and my rib throbbing. I finished the race with a sort of maniacal joy. I was just happy to be off the bike.

Of course once the race was done, then the aches and pains of the day started to settle in in earnest. I am pretty banged up. Lots of bruises and scrapes, all overshadowed by the deep purple shiner surrounding my right eye.

I crossed the line 18th. I am disappointed in what could have been. I am sure the early crash had something to do with losing time in the race, but I can't blame it entirely. The field rode strong and earned the spots they claimed. Brad Pilling rode more or less uncontested, to a 15 minute victory. Well done indeed.

I feel some sense of accomplishment after riding through blood and pain, and there was definite progress made on other fronts...

but damn...Saturday hurt...

I unloaded a bit of used gear, and turned the proceeds into a Garmin eTrex Vista HCx. The unit arrived today, and it is really nice looking. It's super light, compact, and the screen looks great. I have messed around with it briefly, learning the basic controls and functions. First impressions are very good. It locked into a strong signal in my basement right out of the box. I think Garmin has found a way to put high end GPS features into a more consumer friendly package. Once I get a chance to really use the thing I will post my impressions. But out of the box, I am impressed.

I was looking at some of the gear I have recently put together, and realized that I am out of excuses. I have all the essential multi-day items I will need. I guess all that is left is to actually go ride one of these beasts. The problem is, I don't think I will have a chance until '08. Which gives me time to learn how to use all the gear, figure out a good strategy, and see if I can strap it all to the bike...good times ahead!

But, as I seem to be doing a lot of this year, I have gotten ahead of myself. Right now it is time to focus on Saturday, and the E50. I am going to try a new tactic in the race....going fast. :)

Saturday Brad and I set off for what was supposed to be a big epic. We had planned on exploring some unseen portions of the Wasatch Classic route. The only problem was that neither of us felt to good, and the trail conditions were sketchy at best. The hot dry temps we have been experiencing here the last month have turned any exposed trails into a fine dust, add softball sized rocks to the mix, and you have the makings of a lot of hike-a-bike. I think a slight re-route for the WC is in order. Instead of going across Curly Springs and up Battle Creek, we will go across the Bonneville Shorline Trail, and up Grove Creek.

Anyway, after 3 hours or so Brad and I called it a day. We were both spent.

Later in the afternoon the family and I went to Lagoon. I have not been there in over 10 years. The kids had fun, and surprisingly, so did I. I expected a crowded mass of bodies, waiting in endless lines. But the crowds were tolerable and the lines short.


Mount Timpanogos


Brad crossing Battle Creek


The BST


Roller Coaster self portrait

It is interesting how this one evolved. I had planned on simply scouting the route, getting a feel for how long it will take, what some of the trails are like that I had not ridden yet, all that stuff. DH was going to join me. When I got word of his injuries in the B.C. Bike Race, and that he'd have to sit the ride out, I thought "well, I am going to go ride it anyway, I may as well invite whoever wants to come".

And so the Wasatch Classic, as an event, was born. Or will be on August 4th, 4 AM.

It's hard to pick a date for an enduro race. There are so many in the region, that no matter when you do it, it is going to step on some toes of what other people have planned. Ultimately I just chose the best date for my schedule. Next year, with a little more forward planning, I can set the event for a day that might fit better for more people.

I have gone back and forth with several different variations of the route. It would be easy to extend the now existing 140 miles to 200, 250, and beyond. But I keep coming back to my original route. I like the way it looks on the map. It has a nice blend of singletrack and fire road, and tons of great scenery. It should challenge riders as much, if not more than the KTR. the WC will have nearly 10k more climbing in the same distance.

I am excited. Hopefully a few nutjobs show up and we can have some fun on the 4th.

This is probably the worst news I have read this summer, from DH's blog:

my injuries are far worse than expected. In short, my heel bone is shattered and it is one of those things that doesn't seem much at first, but is quite possibly the end of the season for me. No hard riding for 4-6 months was the last thing I heard today...other phrases included "life changing injury" and "we gotta take care of this one Dave" as if the collarbone was childs play. I'm really struggling with the reality of another long rehab right now...seems like I'm just getting going after the last one.

Ugh. At this point the "Get well soon" wishes probably just don't help. Dave is a resilient guy, he bounces back. But it's got to be excruciatingly hard. My thoughts are with you Dave.

Nuun has recently come on as a sponsor. I love the way this drink works. It comes packaged in small portable tubes, inside are 12 tablets that dissolve in water. The drink is light, tastes great, and has no calories, so you can add it to your existing intake without having to recalculate your calories per hour. It is simply hydration. Lately I have been mixing it with Hammer Sustained Energy to great results. On its own it is a great way to replenish electrolytes and quench your thirst. I drink it off the bike as well, I just drop a couple tablets into a Nalgene bottle and I am good to go.

My favorite flavor right now is Citrus Fruit, although Tri-Berry is also pretty tasty. I have yet to try the the new Cola flavor, but I am anxious to. As you can guess, the Cola flavor is enhanced with caffeine, which means now I have a viable way of consuming caffeine without relying on calorie laden, sugar loaded soda's or "energy drinks".

If you are looking for a simple, effective, tasty way of hydrating then Nuun is the way to go.

Derrick and I went up Diamond Fork Canyon and rode up Second Water, across Strawberry Ridge, and down Fifth Water. It has been years since I have been up Diamond Fork, so it was great to get back up in there. I had forgotten how great the trails are in the area. I am considering adding an extension to the WC route that would include some of the singletrack in the area.


Posing in my new T6 Deluxe Jersey.


The trail climbs through the sage, up into the high Alpine.



Derrick near the top of Second Water.


Motoring up the Second Water Trail.


Up on Strawberry Ridge, Strawberry Res. in the distance.


The famous Fifth Water Hot Pots. No naked bathers today. Thankfully.


Nudity Activism Graffiti...who knew?

In the mixed overall there was a big shake-up at the top, after the previously unbeaten duo of David Harris and Lynda Wallenfels had to drop out when Harris tumbled off a bridge, smacked his head and injured his ankle. Harris was briefly knocked unconscious, and was taken off the course on a backboard as a precautionary measure.

But later in the day, the Durango, Colorado rider was spotted at the Meadow Park Base Camp, and outside of an unexpected ambulance bill, he said he was feeling okay and would definitely live to ride another day.

I read that in disbelief. And also with relief that it sounded like DH was OK.

I realized with mild amusement, while at the grocery store watching many people fill shopping carts with soda, meat, and small explosive devices, that the 4th of July is really the ultimate American holiday. It is a microcosm of our culture as a whole. We eat grilled meats and we blow stuff up.

It's one of my favorite days of the year.

This year I had planned on a big mountain ride for the early hours of the day. But an invitation for a big road ride from the Holley's, and a little persuasive encouragement from Keith resulted in a change of plans. So at 5AM I was suited up and off for a local epic: The Nebo Loop. The ride is one of my favorites, big climbs, big views, tight switchbacks, and leg breaking grades all combine to make this a classic skinny tire route. After the climbing, a 30 mile flat, straight frontage road awaits. Which means fast pulls and headwinds. Everytime I do that ride the final 30 miles hurt worse than the first 50....

No pictures, but it looked a lot like the 2005 version. You can see this year's ride details here: Nebo Loop 2007

After the riding, it was off to Park City to play tourist. We waited in lines for the Alpine slide, the Alpine coaster, the merry-go-round and snow cones. As I rode the chair lift up the mountain I looked longingly below me at some of the great singletrack. My aching legs reminded me of the mornings adventure, and suddenly the urge to ride the tempting one-track subsided.

On the slide my 4 year old son made every sort of car, spaceship, and motorcycle noise he could think of, that is, between the whoops and weee's. It was much more fun riding it through his eyes, than mine. After all, the before mentioned singletrack would put the speed, turns and thrills of the slide to shame. But not for a 4 year old.

Later in the evening we made short work of our driveway approved explosives, again, something more enjoyable through the eyes of the kids. Although there is always some satisfaction in an empty box of fireworks. Around us the sky was filled with evidence of contra-banned red white and blue bursts. The cops drove around, threateningly, but I doubt they bothered to crash any parties.

Eventually the kids faded, and so did I. I hit the sack among distant, and not so distant booms, crackles, whistles and whoops. The air was thick with a floating blue haze.

It's all fun and games. Except where it's not.

I was grateful that I could get up early, and go do something as trivial as a bike ride. Knowing that not all people have that ability or freedom. It's a good land we live in. It has its flaws and its idiotic decision makers, but on the whole, it gets the job done. It's the people that make it great. The next door neighbors, and friends, the cousins and uncles and bike race competitors. The bloggers and baseball fans, the BBQ's and singletrack.

Mostly things people on Capitol Hill don't know much about.

Dave and Lynda are collecting more leader's jerseys. This time at the B.C. Bike Race. 2 stages, 2 stage wins. Can you say dominance?

The summer is melting away. What happened to June? I find myself dreading the cold winter months already. I am just not ready for those short, dark days yet. The good news is that there are many, many long hot days to come. And with those long days, many long rides.

The endurance genre is evolving. It might be a slow evolution, but I think, for better or worse, this movement is about to explode. Specifically I am talking about multi-day racing. The Great Divide Race had 23 starters. Last year there were 7. Two years ago the KTR had a record number of starters, when 15 people lined up. Over 120 have lined up in the last two years. We saw what happened there...

I think it is great that this idea of multi-day, self supported racing is gaining momentum. But I think there is a fine line between keeping the event grassroots, and what happened at the KTR. It will be interesting to see what happens on that front.

However, in the meantime the only thing to do is to design, scheme, plan, and ride these amazing multi-day routes. The Grand Loop, the Colorado Trail Race, the Arizona Trail Race, the Great Divide, Trans Iowa, are just a few of the existing routes.

More will come. Including two that I am working on now. The Wasatch Classic will be a 15-20 hour route I think. But beyond that the wheels are turning. I have good beta on a "Utah Traverse" route. Southern border to the Salt Lake area. Possibly a West to East route as well.

Beyond the self-supported multi-day races are these stage races. The B.C. Bike Race is going on now. Trans Rockies, Germany and Alps are all happening or have happened. I really think these races, both supported and not, are the future of the sport. People can only go in circles for so long.

However, lap races are easiest from a logistical/financial/safety/fan friendly perspective. And so that will keep them around. But regardless, it will be interesting to see where all this leads.