2009 Cycle Season

2009 Cycling Season

Bear Lake Classic

Lined up with Russ, ready to start at the Bear Lake Classic near Garden City Utah.

The Bear Lake Classic is a good early season race in May. It's a flat 50 mile ride around Bear Lake. Packs tend to stay together for the entire race and it's a big pack sprint finish. This year I didn't miss the turn. Most of the time there's only split seconds separating winners from the rest of their group. That's how it panned out this year. There was an uphill time trial the night before that was fun.

Waiting for the start... first race of the season!

High Uintas Classic

Waiting for the start of the Cat 4 group at the High Uintas Classic.

The High Uintas Classic is a great stage race. Maybe my favorite around here- or close to here. It's run by the Evanston cycling club. The road race starts in Kamas Utah and goes over a 10,000 ft. pass (Bald Mt) and ends in Evanston. The next day there's a Time Trial and Criterium. This year weather played an interesting role.

Lined up at the start.

The weather was cool at the start of the road race- a little rain. As we gained elevation, the rain got worse. At nine thousand feet it was constant- with intermidant snow/ sleet. The ride down the other side of the pass was fridgid at 40 -50 mph. Anyone that didn't have a jacket or sleeves or something got hypothermia and dropped out. Over half the riders in my group took DNFs (Did not finish). I finished, I ended up taking 4th or 6th in road race- 6th or 9th overall. Hard to say for sure- the results got all fubared in this race. The Crit did not count in the overall scores. It was definitely hard with the weather- a definite test of how much you coudl endure.

At the end of a very cold, very wet race!

Wydaho Mountain Bike Race

First MTB race of the season!

The WYDAHO race at Grand Targhee, on the 4th of July is just plain fun. It's a beautiful groomed seven mile single track loop. Experts do it three times- 21 miles. It's a shorter, sprint type race- not something I train as much for. Although I cut some time from last year, I didn't place as high this year- bottom third. I nearly won the hill climb again though! Had lots of fun.

Mandy's sister took bird's eye pictures of the race from the chairlift as they were going up.

Two third of the way up the hardest climb on the course.

Rippin' into the finish.

Taming the Tetons

Taming the Tetons was another circuit/lap type race at Grand Teton Resort. It was more technical than the WYDAHO race- more rocks, steep climbs, more switch back and steep descents- bridges and tighter trails. It kicked my arse. Was hard for me to go fast on. Hard to get into a rythm. Pretty much sucked. I came in dead last in the Expert division. The riders from Utah (it's part of MTB series from their state) smoked me. It was really fun riding- awesome, tight single track- I just couldn't go fast on it.

Teton Pass Hill Climb

The day after the Tetons Tamed me, came the Teton Pass Hill Climb. This is two races starting in Wilson. One is on road bikes, the other is for MTBs. They both go up Teton Pass. I think it's a fundraiser for their local club. They do a great job with it. Andy from Wilson Backcountry sponsors it and hosts a picnic, lunch/ prizes afterwards. Because the Tetons Tamed me the day before- my times were slower than they were the previous year. Kind of figure this would happen though. Again- good training and a great way to spend a Sunday!

The Laramie Enduro

No pictures from the Enduro. Went down there last minute with Chuck. They let us in late because they knew Chuck and we were from Wyoming. This was a great race- a near 70 mile loop. Lots of single track and dirt. A pretty fast 70 miles! Not knowing the course, I took it easy- still placing in the top third of our category. Chuck won our age group though- kickin' arse and takin' names. I really enjoyed this race- I'll probably have to do it again.

Leadville Trail 100

Lined up and waiting for the start with Bob.

Leadville 100- the big one! The one I train for all year. Was hoping to go under nine hours this year. It weren't to be though- mother nature had plans of her own.

Wearing the Wyo jersey, just before the start.

The start- Dave Wiens defending Champion in green with Lance Armstrong in black behind him.

As you can see- the road was wet. The first few hours of this race was cold and wet. This killed me. I didn't drink enough. When I rolled into the dam aid station at the bottom of the biggest (2500 ft.) climb- my water was still pretty full. Yikes! As a result I ended up cramping big time two thirds of the way up Columbine (the name of the Mt. that was the last big climb). It was my slowest tie up the Mt ever. Chuck and Karla's Tandem time up that Mt was faster. Grrr!

Lance rolls through the Dam aid station- probably only an hour or so ahead of me at this point.

The storm finally started breaking when Lance rolled back through the Dam Aid station on his way back- probably only a few hours ahead of me at this point.

I felt better going into the last huge climb (power line). The climb still wrung me out though.

Rolling through the last aid station.

My sister, who flew down last minute to crew for me- which was awesome, met me at this aid station and told me Bob was only 10 minutes ahead of me. That inspired me to kick in gear a bit more.

I caught Bob near the top of the Boulevard, just few miles from the finish. I caught this guy on the red carpet, just before the finish line. I'm right behind him in this blurry picture. My time was just under 10 hrs 30 min- my slowest out of three attempts. Not drinking really killed me. Lance Armstrong one the race about completing it about 4 hrs ahead of me.

Bob did awesome, finishing his 11th Leadville just a few minutes behind me.

Chuck and Karla rolled in a while after Bob- taking third place in the Tandem Division. Next year will be their tenth on a Tandem!

Dakota Five O'

The Dakota .050

Lined up the start of the Dakota Five O'

This race rocks! After Leadville the pressure is off. The Five O' is based out Spearfish, SD. It's a 50 mile groomed single track Lolly Pop loop. It's totally awesome/ classic Black Hills style riding- good stuff! Fast and rolly! The last aid station (bacon station) they hand out bacon and PBRs. Yummy! After the race, you can kick back listen to tunes, watch your kids race and slurp free beer. It's a good time. Good folks too! I did well this year- was on pace for 4hrs 30 min. Absolutley smokin' for me. I was hydrating the whole time. However, even though this was my third time racing this race- I missed a critical turn right off the last ascent and went off course a few miles. It cost me 15 or 20 minutes. Bummer- maybe shouldn't have had that PBR at the last aid station. Ha! Still finished under 5 hrs, placing 30/ 120 plus riders in my category. Guess I'll have to try it again next year though- I know I can do better!

I probably had about as much after the race, watching Tally race her new Strider.

Ready, set, go!

Cousin Maddy and Tally both claimed their prizes (water bottles) after finishing their races. Great fun!!

LOTOJA

Last race of the season.

Unloading, early in the morning, getting ready for LOTOJA- a 206 mile road race through three states and over three mountain passes. A killer! It starts in Logan Utah and ends in Jackson Hole, WY. Chuck said it hurt him more than Leadville- I decided I needed to try it. It hurt. One thing I'm starting to learn- if the race starts in the dark, or you line up for it in the dark- it's gonna hurt.

Some of the first packs taking off- in the dark.

Go Lander Cycling!

All LOTOJA riders get a leg stamp- they had trouble figuring out where to put mine.

It was light out (barely) by the time my pack started.

The fifty rider Cit Cat 5- 35 plus pack I raced in. I signed up for the race back in March, before I bought a Cat 4 license. They wouldn't let me change. Oh well- worked out alright because there were other folks from Lander in this group.

And they're off!

10 hours later at the finish in Jackson Hole at Grand Teton Resort.

A video finish!

Mandy's folks agreed to watch our kiddos for this race, so Mandy could crew for me. Thank goodness they did. Mandy spent all day driving 200 plus miles, stopping at various aid stations meeting me for water/ food stops. Was nice to see her smiling face all along the way.

Everyone that completes LOTOJA gets a custom hanger to comemmorate the event. Yup... that's right... a hanger! Interesting. I definitely felt like I was hung out to dry by the time it was over.

My, my giant and my hanger. I survived.

After the helmet came off.

While loading my bike up we noticed a staple or wire that pierced the tire. Hard saying when that happened or how long I road the race like that. I never flated. Crazy!

I ended up taking 4th place in my Category- making the podium! 10 hrs/ 17 min.

I might try this race again- it did hurt though. Not quite like Leadville this year, but close. Need a few more months to forget about how much it hurt. Ha!

Now it's hunting season...