Long live IMBA epics.....
The weekend for me entailed a bit of an organizational cluster (to say the least) all in the efforts to ride a sick high mountain trail....the Monarch Crest Trail. Now you may need to know the lead into this one. Basically I was supposed to hit up the 32 mile section of the CDT/CT outside of Salida last summer with some buds from work, but the unfortunate timing of the broken leg nixed that plan. Especially since the trail starts at 11,313 ft and is above treeline for the majority of the ride, the only ridable time is after snow clears and before 1st snow. Well that was my window shade pulled in '07. I wasn't going to let evening storms, spoiled camping, no hotel rooms in the surrounding 4 towns, 3 hrs sleep, morning overcast, or Monarch Pass being closed for a road race deter this trip. Late start and cloud cover rolling out at 9:15 am I proceeded to ride some of the best singletrack I'd ever laid rubber to. There was just enough climbing, rolling, technical, fast, steeps, mud, east-coastish rocks and roots, and descents that I was thoroughly satisfied. Now I know why IMBA named this as one of their Epics and it is ranked as one of the best trails in the US.
Too bad I couldn't stick around the town to ride more trails on Sunday, but I had to get back to get the dog and I was planning on racing the next day. Yeah who races after doing an epic. Me! All in the name of having fun and the Sunday race wasn't a focus; just for fun since on the AFA Falcon Trail. Needless to say the State Games of the West didn't do such a good job of publicizing even having a MTB race so not that many people showed up and I barely did since Buck stretching, yawning, and shaking his floppy ears was the only thing that woke me up. Anyways, my category was comprised of 5 other Expert/Semi-pros and I was the only Pro. I knew I had this one so from the gun I had to tell myself that it was a race intrinsically and against the clock. It worked as I turned two sub-1 hr laps (57ish and 58ish) for a winning time of 1:57. That satisfied me for the day considering I did a 32 mile high altitude ride the day before and I didn't have anyone on my wheel making me keep that pace. I did get the nicest gold medal I've ever been presented and guess I now have the title of State Games of the West Pro Champ. Huh, kinda funny.
Anyways, really motivated right now to do well and race more mtb and CX. I've been having bunches of fun on the dirt and look to see what 2009 brings for racing.
The weekend for me entailed a bit of an organizational cluster (to say the least) all in the efforts to ride a sick high mountain trail....the Monarch Crest Trail. Now you may need to know the lead into this one. Basically I was supposed to hit up the 32 mile section of the CDT/CT outside of Salida last summer with some buds from work, but the unfortunate timing of the broken leg nixed that plan. Especially since the trail starts at 11,313 ft and is above treeline for the majority of the ride, the only ridable time is after snow clears and before 1st snow. Well that was my window shade pulled in '07. I wasn't going to let evening storms, spoiled camping, no hotel rooms in the surrounding 4 towns, 3 hrs sleep, morning overcast, or Monarch Pass being closed for a road race deter this trip. Late start and cloud cover rolling out at 9:15 am I proceeded to ride some of the best singletrack I'd ever laid rubber to. There was just enough climbing, rolling, technical, fast, steeps, mud, east-coastish rocks and roots, and descents that I was thoroughly satisfied. Now I know why IMBA named this as one of their Epics and it is ranked as one of the best trails in the US.
Too bad I couldn't stick around the town to ride more trails on Sunday, but I had to get back to get the dog and I was planning on racing the next day. Yeah who races after doing an epic. Me! All in the name of having fun and the Sunday race wasn't a focus; just for fun since on the AFA Falcon Trail. Needless to say the State Games of the West didn't do such a good job of publicizing even having a MTB race so not that many people showed up and I barely did since Buck stretching, yawning, and shaking his floppy ears was the only thing that woke me up. Anyways, my category was comprised of 5 other Expert/Semi-pros and I was the only Pro. I knew I had this one so from the gun I had to tell myself that it was a race intrinsically and against the clock. It worked as I turned two sub-1 hr laps (57ish and 58ish) for a winning time of 1:57. That satisfied me for the day considering I did a 32 mile high altitude ride the day before and I didn't have anyone on my wheel making me keep that pace. I did get the nicest gold medal I've ever been presented and guess I now have the title of State Games of the West Pro Champ. Huh, kinda funny.
Anyways, really motivated right now to do well and race more mtb and CX. I've been having bunches of fun on the dirt and look to see what 2009 brings for racing.
posted by Unknown at 2:23 PM
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