Evolution, De-evolution or Re-evolution?

Calm down Matt - I ain't racin' this thing...
It seems to be missing some parts.

Twitching

Remember the days where you had to ride just to stay cool?

Since nobody wants to look at pictures of people riding on rollers in their basement, here's a few shots from the past year or so to remind us all why we spend the winter hours chasing walls while going nowhere and watching bad movies.

Dawn near 13,000 ft on the Vapor Trail 125 ('08 actually)

CO Trail on the Ten Mile Range (Day 2 of CTR)

Hartman Rocks (Growler pre-ride)

CO Trail - Fooses Creek

CO Trail outside of Salida

CO Trail - Fooses Creeek

CO Trail, above Keystone

CO Trail, near Searl Pass

CO Trail - Outside of Breck

My backyard

Moab - Sovereign Singletrack

Mineral Canyon Road (White Rim)

White Rim

CO Trail - somewhere past Marshal Pass

Maybe tonight I'll finally chase that wall down...

CL Replacement

Last week, the original plans of going to Utah for 3 days of Camp Lynda were canceled due to rain. So, being the industrious folks that we are, myself and the partner in crime, drew up a 4 day plan as a replacement. Who takes vacation days and then stays at home anyway? We packed the car with 2 bikes, climbing gear, skate skis, a few maps, and bolted out of town on Thursday.

The first stop was the Springs where we pounded out some miles on dirt. Slightly frozen and damp dirt, but hey, it was still dirt.

Next up was a "leisurely" hike up the incline....

The next morning we left the bikes on the car (for a few hours anyway) and got some climbing in.

The day started out nice and for awhile we were climbing in t-shirts. Then, within the span of a single climb, a front moved in and I was all of a sudden climbing in a snowstorm. Strange little styrofoam like snowflakes were falling down the rock like a waterfall which made things a bit interesting. However, true to form, an hour later it had blown over and we squeezed in a nice ride before darkness swallowed us.

Saturday morning we drove down to Pueblo (yes on purpose) to meet up with JJ and Steve and ride the big (50 miles) singletrack system they have. It was windy but quite warm, and best of all, the dirt was DRY. The trail consists of lots of loops, some big, some small, but all fun.

Well, fun until someone flats out in the open and in the wind. Never fear though, Jenny brought blueberry pancakes....no really she did.

Hours ticked by and the trails just got better and better.

But, January fitness is only so big and we called it a day mid afternoon and headed off to the next spot.

Next up we headed to some hot springs to soak and relax.

Sunday, we got in some good skate skiing in Leadville. If you're ever looking for a gut check of your fitness level, go skate skiing at 10,000 ft and ski up some big climbs. We cracked hard.

A big mug of hot chocolate later we are back home.
Only 5 more days till next weekend.

Do you eat?

Ok, that was an easy question.

Now for the hard one.

Do you live within a days drive of Fort Collins?

Yes?

Help Slyler go to worlds, and go eat at La Luz this Tuesday!

Takeout

Don't leave home without it...

Starting on the right foot

Well, another year is in the books. I could do some sort of a retrospective post, but I've been feeling rather short winded lately. So, in the interest of me being lazy, how about just something about the past weekend?

Alright then.

Friday I decided to ease into the new decade/year/month/day/morning ever so slowly by lounging around and not getting out riding soon enough to ensure that my ride would end in daylight. Either way, I didn't take enough clothing and spent 4 hours perfecting the "toe flex while pedaling" technique and the "balled up fingers in glove riding" style. I stumbled home sometime around dark-thirty slurring my speech and with several useless appendages.

Saturday, the lady and I chose to hit up a group ride to relieve the riding solo blues, and since the chilling memories of the day prior hadn't left my brain, I completely overdressed and spent the day baking alive in my clothes. Oh yeah, and the fact that it was really my first truly hard effort since mid October didn't help, I was 'a hurtin'.

Sunday, I had an open day so decided to do some good ole fashion splorin'. Gravel and B roads were the surface of choice and I put some good miles under the tires. Sunday was the only day I had a camera so rather than me blather on about the ride, I'll let the shots tell the semi-interesting story.

At first conditions were nice. A breath of wind, some sun, warm-ish temps, and nothing but roads like this between me and Wyoming.

Then Ma Nature pounced on me. Within 15 minutes there was 30 mph winds, snow, and visibility was practically zilch. In the photo above there are actually some darn big hills, and then mountains behind them, just about half a mile up the road. I swear, they are there.



But in the end, the storm blew over leaving some not so crappy views as the sun set. Not a bad first three days of the year eh?

Here's to another year of doin' whatever ya do.

Uphill gliding

In lieu of a mad-house Christmas this year, the clan decided to get out of town, stay in a Yurt, and ski for 3 days. Good stuff.

My hip flexors are sore and now things like this are creeping into my calendar...

Mornin' commute

5 Degrees - Nice start to the day eh?

Winter riding tips

Find others to ride with - ya know, that whole safety in numbers thing.

Choose a bike suitable for the task.


Apply flannel liberally. Yes, that is a flannel vest...


Don't be afraid of pushing.


Or road closed signs.


When riding for 9+ hours, instant mashed potatoes, hot coca, homemade sourdough, and some good ole blue ribbon to wash it all down make for a happy stomach.


Enjoy the views.

Don't forget to smile.

Focus

What is focus? Desire? Drive? Discipline? Is it the relentless pursuit of a singular goal no matter how lofty, or just simply the ability to get up at 6am to train your weaknesses when its dark and freezing outside? The 2 months or so post Moab my focus was a bit off after a long summer of rather intense ....err...focus. My bike love is stronger than ever, but I desperately needed some non-structure. No chest straps, no powermeters, no plan. Just riding to ride. I just needed to feel the chill air, feel my chest tighten and breath shorten on a climb, feel the concentration just before a technical section, feel the fatigue after a long day. I needed no distractions.

That time has come and gone and now the desire is back and the flames are burning higher than ever. I have some big ideas for the next few years and the gears are turning. But for now, time to focus.

Here but still kinda there

Well, what to say, what to say? I've been back for a week now and am still surfing a desert binge high. Twas just what the doctor ordered: Whiskey for breakfast, singletrack for lunch, dirt roads for dinner, some climbing for desert and cheap beer around a campfire with friends for a nightcap. I have no idea how much I rode, how many feet I climbed, or what my HR was, all I know is that I was tired every night, squeezed the most out of every day, and woke each morning wanting more. Here's a slice...

Thanksgiving binge checklist

Functioning bikes: Check
Camping gear: Check
GPS filled with possible rides: Check
Maps with even more rides: Check
Concrete plan: Not check
Flask: Check
Case(s) of fresh New Belgium brews: Check
Climbing gear: Check
Place to eat Thanksgiving dinner with friends: Check
That place not being the 6 year tradition of Denny's in Moab: Check
Everything packed: Not check
Stoke level high for 9 days of riding/climbing: CHECK

I'm outta here

That time of year again...

Let the daydreaming begin.

Hey look - my bike is famous

Head on over to Siren and check out the Trauco page.
My bike looks good eh?

Mid week adventuring

Wednesday the workplace closed up shop for Veterans day, so I did the only logical thing and packed for an epic day of riding. Colorado Springs was the destination, and since I was going with an ex-local, I knew nothing of the planned route except that we were heading above 10K and it might be a bit damp.....

We started with loads of rail grade climbing

We found the first snow of the day.

Then it got deeper.

But, it was mostly rideable....for now.

Around 10,200 we found our goal trail and it looked.....slow.

10K, snow, soaked feet, setting sun, smile on the face - check.

Still hiking

Uphill slog.

Ooooooo

Below about 8.5K things dried up and some amazing trails followed. Flow galore, which means lack of pictures.

Finished up the day with Captain Jack (I believe) and rolled to the car just past dark thirty. Good times.

Tis the (Off)season

Soapstone Panorama

Red Mountain Open Space

Wash riding

Nope, this is not Kansas, nor Wyoming, nor Nebraska.

Colorado Springs

More Colorado Springs

Pitch #3 = Lunch spot

Dusting off the cobwebs.

LaSals at Sunset

Porc Rim

Double O Arch

Don't know this guy, but I think we could be friends.

CO River

LaSals at Sunrise

The hike out...

So, ya wanna ride gravel across the state? Nonstop?

Last weekend Carney the younger rode roughly 245 miles across Iowa via gravel (North to South). I believe 6 started and 3 finished. Paul was the ride mastermind and was joined by Cory (after he toured from OR), Matt Maxwell, and some other folks I don't know. 23 hours of gravel....ouch.

Paul demonstrating proper floor sleeping technique about 210 miles in....

Nice job guys!

24 Hours of Moab - '09 Version

Alright, so here's the story. I've raced in Moab twice before and twice it has broken me. In 2006, the rain destroyed both my spirits as well as my bike. Last year I spent the night before the race holding my tent to the ground in 50 mph wind while swallowing copious amounts of dust which later lead to me never really getting going and then cracking (hard) after the sun set. This year, I wanted some revenge and was mentally prepared for rain, snow, dust, hurricanes, pumas, locusts, or whatever Ma nature wanted to throw my way. My personal goal was 15 laps and I knew if I stayed calm and steady it was possible. Here's how it all went down.


Once again, based on sitting up all night last year, I drove to Moab on Thursday so I had lots of time to chill, set up, and even sprung for a hotel instead of the usual Carney sleep wherever method. I knew I had good fitness going in and was in a good place mentally to really suffer. Is it bad when in the weeks before an event, I start to think about how much it will hurt, how much I'll want to stop, and I start to smile and get all giddy? On Friday my pit crew showed up, AKA my parents and brother. I did a easy spin on Friday with Stephen and the Ergon crew and things felt great, I was as ready as I was going to be. Race morning I was super relaxed and had everything dialed. The gun (potato cannon actually) went off at noon and the game was on. My plan for the first lap was to go super easy (obviously), so I had a good time watching team riders who all thought it was the Olympics and the finish line was just over the next rise. I saw lots of crashing, heard lots of heavy breathing, and had a nice chill lap. Well, it was chill until about half way through when I heard a spoke snap, and then another. Turns out a rear spoke snapped in half (I must need to lay off the cookies more) and a front spoke popped as well. So I nursed the rest of the lap, and jumped on the Yeti for the 2nd lap while Stephen fixed the Siren.


I haven't been on either a FS or a 26 since I built the Siren in July and all I'll say about riding the Yeti for a lap is that I could not wait to get back on 29's. It hurt. My 2nd lap was much slower than even my first even though I felt like I was working much harder. However on my 3rd lap I was back aboard the big hoops and stayed there till the finish.


However by this point it was downright hot out. Ok, so maybe not for the desert rats, but it's been cold all summer in the fort and the heat was killing me. For example, on Friday I was setting up while wearing shorts and a t-shirt and has a pretty good sweat goin' on, then I started talking to LW who was wearing a down jacket.....what the? Seriously, a down jacket? I guess that "hot" in St. George is only when it's over 130 or something. So in the afternoon heat I was burning up and spent the next few hours until sunset just trying not to hurl or cramp. Major conservation mode. However I knew to just chill and that as soon as the sun set, I would turn the screws a bit. Afterall, there was still 20 hours left to race.


Sure enough, the sun set and I felt much better. I kept things steady all night and had fairly quick pits. I was having a real hard time eating on course so I would stop to slam some food in the pits but only stopped for more than a few minutes if I needed a battery change. Speaking of lights, I think I had the sun strapped to my helmet. I ended up running a double set of Ay-Ups which put me right at 1300 lumens and for the first time in a 24 I really felt like I had enough light. It was great, I couldn't out run it, the sand couldn't suck it up, and I could see all the crazy lines in the rock jumbles. Blinding everyone else was also a plus. For once I was "that guy" who when he rolls up behind you at night his lights are so bright it annoys you because your lights are blown out. It was great!


The night got cold but I kept the demons at bay and never really rode super well, but stayed steady. My brother and dad did an amazing job running the pit and making stops smooth. I had some pasta sometime in the wee hours of the morning and was lovin' the fruit chunks. New to me, but I never know what I'll crave when I shop for these events, my taste buds could go in any direction. I had one stop of 15 or so minutes to eat, change bats, put on more warmers etc, but other that that I don't think I stoped for more than a few minutes at a time the whole night. At some point around 4am, JK was in my tent and caught my foggy brain on video, good blackmail material I guess.


Throughout the night I kept moving up in the placings and by mid morning I heard I was in 7th or so. I turned the screws all the way the last few laps and gave it what I had left ending with 14 laps at 12:14 or so, just short of being able to go out for my goal of 15 laps. Regardless it was good enough for 6th place in the Solo National Chamionships Class. Not too shabby and a satisfying way to end the year. 3rd time at Moab must be the charm because I finally felt satisfied with the effort. I'll still be back tho.

Off season is in full swing....pass the cake.

XXC Numero 4

Jason has once again provided us all with 89 glorious pages of the productivity killing distraction known as XXC Mag. This edition even has some words and pictures by yours truly (Check out pg. 24) about my time in the Colorado Trail Race this year. I must admit, seeing all my pics and words all fancied up sure makes them look much better!

Check out the emag here!

Some Siren love

I've had the pleasure of riding my Siren (Trauco) for about two months now and have put roughly 140ish hours and over 1000 miles on it. In that time I've ridden it on everything from some pretty darn high mountains, fully loaded, touring style to all out face to the stem racing. As a result, I've gotten a good feel for how she rides. Overall, one of the things that I noticed on the first ride was how stiff the frame is. Brenden takes great pride in his work and it certainly shows through in the frame performance. Since setting it up I haven't even had to adjust my shifting and have had only one mechanical in the Colorado Trail Race where I shattered a granny ring, however that was due to bolts working loose. This was my first 29er so I could go on and on about how it rolls over everything like a monster truck but that's common knowledge and even going back to a hardtail wasn't even difficult with those big hoops. Actually the first time I rode it other than on a bike path or my driveway was at the Breckenridge 100 and I had a grin the whole time as I was monster truckin' over everything. On the CTR I was amazed at how good the bike felt even late in the race. I think that the big hoops and stiffness of the frame allow me to descend just as fast as my dirt bike like Yeti, and climbing, well that's a different story. I'll put it this way, after breaking the yeti and marathon nationals and then getting the siren a week later, I haven't even re-built the replacement Yeti frame. It's been sitting in my basement collecting dust and wondering why I don't ride it anymore. Overall, I'm super impressed with the frame and couldn't be happier with how Brenden tweaked the geometry to fit me and my riding style. Get yourself a Siren!

On the Colorado Trail on Molas Pass outside of Durango

In Lake City after bailing on CTR

Near the top of Cinnamon Pass outside of Silverton

On Thunder Pass near Rocky Mountain Natl. Park

Old Flowers Road outside of the Fort

Big miles n' smiles

This week was the last big push before tapering for Moab and 200 miles up high over the weekend was just the ticket to cap it all off.

With a map this good, some guessing was also on the ticket....

14 days and my season will be over...

Back at it

T-minus 22 days till Moab...

Woah, race coverage!

Denver Post does the Vapor Trail - Check it out!


Salida Mountain Mail

Vapor Trail 115...ish

Ok, so let me preface this write-up by saying that events like this years Vapor Trail are what mountain biking should be and that it was one of the most enjoyable night/days on a bike I've had in a long time. Tall words eh? Here's how it all went down:

The full course sits at 125+ miles, 20,000+ feet of climbing, loads of high elevation, and even more hike-a-bike so even if conditions are perfect the ride is brutal. Throw in the fact that it was raining cats and dogs Saturday evening and snow was predicted up high and you're staring down the barrel at something pretty serious. Also, two weeks ago I had a 4 day bout with food poisoning and last week I had a fairly bad cold. So even though I was feeling better for the first time in 2 weeks, the lingering stomach issues were in the back of my head. About 9PM the call was made to push the start back to midnight to allow the rain to clear out a bit.


So everyone got to sit around the nice warm bike shop for another 2 hours, drink coffee, eat cookies, and chat with some friends we don't get to see too often. When midnight crept up the rain had stopped and we rolled out of town. Temps were nice and cool and before I knew it we were closing in on the Colorado Trail. However, before we got there the skies opened up a bit reminding us that mother nature still had the upper hand. I had learned my lesson about getting wet in the rain at night so as soon as the first drops fell I had full pants and a jacket on. Getting soaked at 1am an hour into a 100+ mile ride with few bail points was a risk I wasn't messing around with. The rain didn't last long so the rain gear came back off and I got to rail the perfectly tacky colorado trail under the glow of my lights. I have ridden that section 3 times now and always in the dark so I knew it pretty well. I don't know if the views are any good but I know the trail! A few miles before the first aid my legs suddenly went from feeling good to feeling absolutely amazing. I cranked it up a bit and passed JK just before the aid. I only stopped long enough to top off a bottle and slammed a few cookies in my mouth. Once back on the trail I noticed there was only one set of tracks, I was all of a sudden in 2nd. The climb up to Alpine tunnel is long and I am NOT a climber but I kept on the gas and was really digging the solo climbing. As I got higher the pine bows were frozen and the sky was crisp and clear. The stoke meter was pegged out. At Alpine I was joined my Matt who can out climb me any day on his single. We rode up and over Alpine together which will be a highlight of my year for sure. I crashed a bit coming down Alpine and it's always fun going over the bars at night! Matt and I continued to ride until when part way up Tomichi I had a .....well, I'll put it this way.....a digestive emergency. Needless to say I had to visit the back side of a tree ASAP! I think it was a combo of some lingering issues from my food poisoning combined with riding/eating all night and sitting around Absolute for 2 extra hours drinking coffee and eating cookies before starting. When I was stopped 2 folks passed me, but I then got over Tomichi and bombed down to aid #2 which was by far the coldest I was the whole ride. Actually I was much warmer this year than last despite the colder temps and rain. Last time the weather was good so I went light, but because of this years forecast I had to pay much closer attention to my clothing selection and I couldn't of been more pleased....light but safe.


At aid two my stomach was still a bit messed up but I slammed a coffee and a pancake and rode off still chewing the pancake. Last year I literally exploded climbing up Monarch so I started off a bit slower this year. however my stomach was really starting to give me problems and I couldn't eat or drink. Eszter passed me at the base and once again my complete lack of climbing ability came into play. I kept it steady up the never ending climb (seriously it never ends) and made it to Monarch just as Matt was leaving. I swapped out some clothes, ate a PB&J, filled bottles, and took off. Just after the aid I puked up the PB&J but then a strange thing happened, my stomach fixed itself and I was back on track. So, from then on I was riding fast, taking chances, and trying to make up some ground. I passed Matt just after the Marshall Pass aid and then just as I came within sight of Eszter at start of the Rainbow trail I blew a tire. So after I fixed that I was rolling hard and fast and caught back up at the end of Rainbow. Eszter and I rode into town together and straight to the food table. Overall, it was one of my favorite days on a bike in a long long time! Thanks to everyone who works to put this amazing event together - I still have a smile plastered to my face!

Saddle up

Game on!

125 miles, roughly 20K vert, 10 PM start, snow and rain predicted....It's game time!

Carney the younger in the money

Stephen continued the Carney reign on the 24 Hours of 7 Oaks this past weekend by winning the solo class with 20 laps, which was 2 laps up on 2nd by mid morning. The numbers don't lie, 150ish miles with roughly 33,000 feet of climbing. Rest up and spend plenty of those winnings on ice cream!

Vapor Trail 125 T-minus 4 days...

On a Sunday

Being social

You know you have the right kind of friends when a big chunk of your social time is spent on recovery rides.

Quality

Every quality ride has a mandatory swim break in the middle...

Curt Gowdy State Park.

And now time for a bit of completely random news - someone found their way to this site by doing a Google search for "net worth of the Carney brothers" ......?

CTR Words

Over the past weeks I've been struggling to find the time, energy, and the creative juices to write something about my experience on the Colorado Trail. I'm beginning to realize why folks don't write much about big events such as these, because it's so difficult to put such an immense experience into words on paper. Days spent in the sun, evenings spent in the rain, nights spent in the cold on unfamiliar ground, and mornings spent in the cold pre-dawn glow all while plodding slowly (at times very slowly) towards a goal that seems so far away. Sure, I've spent a lot of time out of doors in my life pursuing different outdoor and athletic pursuits, however the world of multi-day mountain bike "racing" was and still is very new to me. So, my largest goal for the event was pour the ego out of my cup and fill it with experiences and knowledge for events such as this. I was at the start line with roughly 6 weeks of prep time, good fitness, and open eyes. What I experienced over the next week is near impossible to convey on paper or even pictures, and anyone who was out there knows this. However, here's some words on paper.

The story starts in June when a good friend and my brother convinced me to suck it up and try CTR this season. I wasn't getting the experiences I craved from the races I did this spring (not much adventure or commitment needed for a XC race) so I was in search of some good old fashioned adventuring. Fast forward 6 weeks and I'm suddenly at Waterton Canyon trailhead with packed bags and a giddy mood. I say hi to the folks I know, admire Dave Nice and his plentiful booze supply for the journey ahead, eat some more poptarts, drink some more coffee, and before I knew it, we were riding. Chatter on the roll out was plentiful and I was full of anticipation to put some miles under the tires. The first few sections flew by and I was settling into a groove. I stopped in Bailey for some liquids, and some ice cream before heading out on the highway. Twice on the highway I saw ambulances rushing up the road and twice I feared it was for a racer, but turns out everyone made it to Kenosha Pass just fine. Just after the pass I came upon Scott, Jason, and Ethan, we all waited out a brief rain storm below Georgia Pass before continuing on. Once over Georgia I knew the trail and made quick time to Gold Hill where I stopped to make some dinner. After dark, Scott and I made our way partly up 10 mile before stopping for the night. I was still full of adrenaline so sleep was.....so-so.

Day two started with much anticipation and we were moving a shade before 4:30. Being above tree line for sunrise is an incredible experience even if I was pushing my bike. The pictures I took up on 10 mile don't do it justice, and the mental stoke batteries were fully recharged by about 6am - sign of a good day to come. Copper for breakfast and then Searl and Kokomo Pass for lunch. Between the two passes we came upon Dave who was just chipper as can be (ok so he was chipper but the altitude was giving him a rough go of things). Bombing down to Camp Hale through fields of wildflowers was a highlight of the trip and doing it with Dave and Scott (two guys who have been to the rodeo a few times) was even better. Once back below 10K or so, Dave's engine starts to fire on more than one cylinder so he was off like a shot. Scott and I rolled into Leadville and found the first burrito stand in town. Dave's Spot showed him at a uber-shady hotel, but turns out he cashed in at the super ocho, so we scooted outta town. Darkness found Scott and I around Twin Lakes under a full moon. The trail was fast and my mental cloud had cleared so I was having a great time floating along along the lake under a full moon and basically thinking to myself "This is why I ride bikes".

Just as I opened my eyeballs the next morning, Dave rode past (he had left the hotel at 2 am) we all exchanged a few words, I made a comment as I slowly stood up - "Is this what it feels like to be old?". Well, a word to the wise, don't mention old man in the presence of Dave - he may take it personally - HA. As I saddled up, I noticed that I felt better than the day before - good stuff. Later that morning we made it to Buena Vista and Scott and I once again headed to the burrito shop, but this time I packed an extra one in my bag. Then off to City Market where we found Dave hunkered down on a picnic table surrounded by food. A full box of Chex anyone? I filled every nook and cranny with food and crossed my fingers that it would last until Silverton. In hindsight, I should of counted more carefully, but hey, I'm not sure I could of fit much more in anyway. Later in the afternoon just after Princeton, my bike suddenly groaned and then I was pedaling air. What the? A closer look revealed a shattered granny gear. Crap! So, I pushed up the huge hike-a-bike with Scott and rode to the first jeep road that headed down towards Salida, we parted ways, and I bombed nearly 20 miles and 2000 feet into Salida hoping to get there before the shop closed. All of a sudden riding alone for really the first time in 3 days was a bit odd. Scott and I had a nice rhythm going and being solo so abruptly was a bit strange. I made quick time in town and was back to where I left the trail just a few min after dark. At this point my mind clicked back on and I pounded out the miles until 2 am. I stopped not because I was tired, but because I knew I needed to get sleep for the days to come. In fact, my mind was racing and it took me awhile to fall asleep....maybe I should of ridden all night?

Day 4 started out well and by this point my rear had hardened and the legs had pushed out some fatigue. I could fall into a rhythm easily and just let the hours slip by. Fooses creek, Marshal Pass, and Monarch Crest all gone in a haze. At some point at the start of Sargents Mesa, I ran in to Chuck from Nederland as he was patching a tire. I stopped to chat and before I knew it were were riding together and riding well. High alpine meadows were passing under our tread and I was lovin' life. Then around dark, the wind picked up and it began to rain. First, straight rain, then diagonal rain, then completely sideways rain. We quickly put on our shells and then began to bomb through the meadows in search of some thicker trees to take shelter in. Ever fly on narrow single track in a meadow at 11K, in complete darkness, in cold sideways rain? Well, it's kinda fun actually. We found some trees and to the best of Chucks knowledge, the next section was super slow so we decided to hunker down early, eat some food and try to stay dry.....it kinda worked....Kinda.

The next morning we pounded out the next bit of trail, which turned out to not be bad at all, and as we noticed, it didn't hardly rain another few miles up the trail....figures. We finished of another section before starting the La Garita Wilderness detour. It started fast, but soon we found ourselves battling a severe headwind. "We" by the way, was a trio at this point as we joined up with Brian from Boulder earlier that day. The road went fast but the riding was tiring. As we neared the end of the detour the wind really picked up and it even started to rain a bit. Earlier in the day I had started to take serious note of my food supply, I knew sections 22&23 were going to be agonizingly slow but I was starting to have serous doubts about what I had. At the end of the detour we started towards Spring Creek Pass, and to make a long story short I stopped and laid out my food and options. Roughly 900 calories was all I had and that was for dinner and all of sections 22 & 23 and into Silverton. I had already been skimping and that was less that I could have easily eaten for dinner. Chuck was in a similar situation so we decided to do the smart thing and bail to Lake City. Sure we could have maybe hunted a Marmot or something, but starting those sections just was not a smart move. We gave Brian some of the food we had since he was continuing on and started riding down into Silverton in the dark. It was a very difficult choice to make since I have never not finished a race I've started in 10 years of racing bikes in some capacity. However, it was the smart move and in my head I'm happy knowing that I was capable of making the smart call instead of being stubborn about it.

Once in town we found the only open restaurant and just as we walked in they said the kitchen was closed...figures. So we ate the cold pizza they had on display and whatever else was in my eyesight while standing at the counter and that they would sell me. Chuck and I then attempted to find a hotel for the night, but they were all booked up by Texans, so we did the only logical thing, went to the bar, had some PBR, and then rolled out of town and camped in some bushes next to the river. It rained on us again...

The next day we ate breakfast and found a local who was willing to give us a ride up to the top of Cinnamon Pass, actually he found us but that's a different story. So we jumped in his janky truck and he 4 wheeled us to the top. It was a bit sketchy at times, but we got to the top in one piece. Chuck and I then rode down into Silverton stopping at several old mining sights to do the tourist thing. Once there, I ate lunch with Chuck and his family before we split paths. I loaded up on food and starting riding up to Molas Pass. Once there I stopped early and enjoyed a nice sunset and a big camp dinner. I had found a sweet camp spot with a nice view of a lake (check out the end of my slideshow) and it was made even better when around dusk somewhere back in the woods someone began picking away at a banjo.....perfect.

I woke before sunrise and frozen. Sleeping in a wet bag for the 3rd night in a row was a tad uncomfortable but the last night I was around 12K so it got darn cold. So cold in fact that my water bottles had frozen. I wasn't horribly cold but cold enough to not sleep. So, I got up, started some coffee and munched on some frozen bars for breakfast. The rest of the day I made my way down into Durango. I even ran into a friend at a gas station, which I was not expecting but it did pick me up a bit. Once in town I crashed in a park, let my ride know where I was, and passed out for a few hours until she found me sleeping in a sunny patch of grass.

So in the end, I'm content knowing that I made the wise call and that physically I could of easily continued on. Also, keeping it together mentally after breaking my chainring was a little victory in my mind. I learned alot, saw some amazing things and got to ride my bike through the mountains for a week. So can I really complain?

Congrats to everyone who finished!!

CTR in photos

Watch them here in proper order and with my commentary since they didn't seem to embed in the correct order.

Goin' for a ride

So, about 6 weeks ago a friend of mine convinced me to toe the line of the Colorado Trail Race this year. Sure it's been in the back of my head, but I hadn't seriously planned on attempting it this season. For some reason it seemed like a good idea at the time and the 6 weeks since have been a blur of ordering bags, gear, building a bike, and somehow getting to know a route that I only knew about 30 miles of as of mid June. Regardless, the time has come and at 6am on Sunday I'll roll out and hope for the best. No race goals, high hopes, or expectations, just showing up with open eyes hoping to learn as much as I can in my first attempt at "racing" for multiple days. Who knows, could be fun?

For those so inclined, here's the spot tracking page for the race and the race discussion over on Bikepacking.net as well as the call in page.

Time to take the scenic route to Durango.

Bored at work?

Issue #3 of XXC is now available - so head on over, read up, and if you've got a keen eye you may even get an insider view of what my dishwasher looks like...

Saturday Protocol

Hey, it worked for us?

Start with some riding similar to this.

Then climb for an extended period of time up a loose and steep jeep road.

Enjoy the reward.

Then start to poke around at the top of whatever mountain you may be atop of and discover some ruins of times past.

Like a random shady shed hidden in the woods.

Make a quick assessment of it's potential as living quarters.

Take note that it also comes with an outdoor throne. Never mind that the door is missing - the view is what counts.

Well what else did you expect with two bothers in their 20's?

Ok, so after passing up the quaint living opportunity with a view, decend and find some other roads to ride. All while playing battleship with a few thunderstorms.

Keep pounding out those miles - we're not home yet.

Ok, so the rain finally guessed right and caught us. But being the prepared type, it's didn't phase us much.

Speaking of being prepared - did anyone loose a shoe?

Finish in the rain but with a smile from ear to ear.

And some gravel in the chamois...

Another frustrating Breck 100

Well, another Breck 100 is in the books and truth be told, it didn't go exactly to plan. Physically I was ON the whole day, mechanically the new bike worked amazing and even though I built it 2 days before the race, it didn't even have so much as a single missed shift. The problem was that the course changed race morning leaving me and everyone else who knew the course at a loss for memorizing what was posted online. So my confidence in knowing the course ahead was gone and it was now a mystery. The gun went off, I rode the first lap rather conservatively and rolled into the pits in 2:55. No matches burned and lots of food eaten.

Picture stolen from JK with no real permission.

I swapped bottles and headed out on the 2nd lap which was basically half of the Firecracker in reverse. Up out of Carter Park, over Sally Barber, then up Little French where I made a point to walk across the stream where I tore my tire 2 weeks ago. After a screaming fire road decent and the first aid station things got interesting. I was climbing on a fire road and hadn't seen a course marker for awhile so I turned around not wanting to get off course like last year. About 1/2 back down the road I ran into another rider who I believe was Shawn Meredith. However since we've never actually met, I'm not 100%. Anyway, he had a course booklet so we consulted it (it was fairly useless without any sort of actual map, just directions) After awhile a few more riders joined us and we continued on what we thought was the right road. 4 miles and 1200 feet of climbing later (I topofusioned it at home) the road ended on a saddle.....um, crap. So now we had lost a good 45 min. So bomb back down the road to where we found a bunch of other riders milling around at a turn (the arrow was facing the wrong way meaning you had to ride past it and look back to even see the damn thing) So onto the Colorado Trail I went in a fit of rage. Basically for the next 50 miles I was fueled simply by rage and frustration at a changing course, missed markings, and getting off course for the 2nd year in a row and spoiling what turned out to be a darn near perfect race physically. Due to the extra time, I also ran out of water on lap 2.

Lap 3 also held a little surprise. I was expecting the paved/gravel climb up to Boreas Pass.....nope, we took a steep as hell, rocky, and at points very badly marked trail up. I was however, still running on anger so it only helped to fuel the fire. I BOMBED the gold dust trail into Como. We're talking big ring on the singletrack at times. In fact, I passed my brother since he had passed me when I was lost. I came up on him so fast I hardly even knew it was him until I had passed him. All I could get out of my mouth was something like, "you have no idea how pissed I am right now". Before I knew it was was past him and wondering if I should of slowed to ask how he was doing. Either way, caution was thrown to the wind and I pounded out the miles into Como and then back over Boreas to the finish. My 3rd lap time was 3:27 which says how fast I am capable of riding at the end of an event like this......I just lost 45 min riding up the wrong mountain again.

Frustrated

All told, I finished in 10:33 which was an hour off of my goal time of 9:30. I think if the course was what I was expecting and I hadn't gotten off route, it was certainly within reach seeing how good I felt all day. My time put me 2nd in my age group and somewhere around 11th or 12th overall I believe. I'm not going to go into too much detail about my thoughts on changing the course etc, but when I had a great day physically with absolutely no mechanical problems despite a new bike, getting off course on a section that made it's way into the race at the last minute is certainly a tough pill to swallow.

Either way, Sunday the brother and I headed back to the Fort early to "race" in the New Belgium Urban Assault race. Good times were had, good beer was drank and I believe it was the best recovery I could of done, both physically and mentally after a disappointing Saturday.

Take a deep breath...

Now, on to the fun stuff. The new bike. Brenden came to my rescue last week when my Yeti frame bit the dust (It is under warranty however). The mailman dropped off the frame on Wednesday and I got to work building it up. The build went super smooth and bottom line is she rides like a dream. Prior to the Siren, I've only had about a total of 20 min on a 29er and not having raced a hardtail in over a year I was a bit nervous about lining up at Breck with it, but she worked perfectly. After the first lap, I was over FS bikes and in my mind was no longer calling it mountain biking....it was now monster truckin'. I'm no expert in reviewing frames and really nobody should trust my opinion, but dang it is a sweet ride! Stiff, snappy, and rides like an extension of my body. Carving turns is like being in a dream and climbing....well, the monster truck aspect comes into play here again. Bottom line is, I'm diggin it!!


Here's how she sits now:

Frame: Siren Trauco - Size - Custom
Fork: Reba Race w/ remote lock-out
Wheelset: Mavic Crossmax 29s
Drivetrain: Sram XO
Crank: Truvative Noir carbon
Brakes: Avid Juicy Ultimates
Stem & Post: Thompson
Saddle: Fizik Gobi
Tires: Kenda Karma 1.9
Cages: King Cage Ti
Bar: Race Face Next Carbon

I think I may go monster truckin' tonight...

Siren to the rescue

Since I've been sans mountain bike since the Firecracker, tensions have been high and nerves have been frazzled in trying to wrangle up a ride for the 100 this weekend. But never fear, my new Siren frame arrived yesterday and dang is it a good lookin' frame! I'll post some pictures up tonight hopefully, but for now check it out on the Siren Blog and try not to drool on your keyboard!!

Change of pace

Firecracker crack

Well, the Firecracker didn't quite go as planned. In fact, it didn't even go remotely well. When the gun went off I felt good and was riding my race and shooting for a goal time of 4:20ish. At the top of the Little French climb on the first lap I pointed the bike downhill and rode across the little stream that I've ridden across EVERY other time I've been there and heard my rear tire explode. It wasn't sealing by itself so I pulled off and tried to coax it to seal, but no dice. What I found was a 1/2 in gash right on the ridge of the tire and right though a knob....and it was a brand new tire too. By the looks of the gash, I hit a piece of metal because this isn't from a rock or nail.


So, I threw in my spare tube and began pumping. Just as the tire was getting full pressure the valve stem snapped clean off in my pump....


Um.....crap. My race was over so I started to gather my things to begin the long walk out. Just then, Sonya pulls up and gives me her spare tube and CO2. I told her to take it because my race was over and I really didn't want to maybe ruin hers if she flatted. But since she is such a rock star she basically shoved the tube and CO2 on me before taking off. So, I put in the new tube, aired it up, and rolled down the trail. The adrenaline was pumping full force at this point and I started railing it....that was until my body completely shut down. I started to puke, cramp, and get the shivers, even in the sunlight. I kept the pedals turning and crossed the line, but no where even close to what I was shooting for. The last few races I just haven't been able to pull things together and to be honest, it's really starting to get on my nerves. I know that on paper I'm the strongest I've ever been, but on race day it just hasn't been coming together lately. But Jason and I have a plan and the Breck 100 is two weeks out, so bring it on!

Even though I had a bad day, the brother rocked it and ended up winning his division. He needs to get himself a license one of these days tho. :)


Oh and if the weekends body crack wasn't enough, I found this little ditty tonight while cleaning off the bike. Complete and utter frame failure on the Yeti! Looking back I know right when it happened. About 100 feet from my car after the race I was out of it, but all of a sudden the bike felt like a wet noodle and made horrible crunching sounds. At the time I just thought it was a missed shift but looking back I'm not sure why it happened there and not on the trail, but either way, I'm currently without a bike and in the peak of the season. Not good!

Crap!

Taper

This tapering stuff works - This week I've been bouncing off the walls and I'm fairly confident that I have restless leg syndrome. I guess that's what happens when I go from riding somewhere around 20 hours a week to 7 hours. Firecracker, here I come.

Firecracker pre-ride, Colorado Trail, Snowbanks, and lots O' flow

That pretty much sums up the weekend. Saturday morning, the brother and I headed out of Dillon early and spun on dirt and pave over to Breckenridge to meet up with some folks for a pre-ride of the Firecracker course. Those in attendance besides Carney Bro's Inc. were Jeff "my shoes match my bike and your's don't" Kerkove, Looney, Dejay Birtch and Rebecca Tomaszewski of Niner, Jake Kirkpatrick, and John Adamson all the way from Iowa. So after a breakfast of coffee and coffee cake (see a theme here?) we rolled out of town.

The pace was chill, so between lots of "uh, I think the course goes this way" moments, there was lots of stopping and chatting.

Word to the wise: If Looney says to go "this" way.....Go "that" way! :)

Blowdown trees added a little bit O' spice to the loop.

After finishing the loop we all parted ways, but the brother and I wanted some more hours so we hit up Coldstone for some fuel, and headed back out on the Colorado Trail up towards Georgia Pass.

Up...up....up

Who really can complain about climbing when the trail is as buff as this?

Ok, time for some down.

We ended the day with a little over 7 hours of moving time, 8K climbing and right at 70 miles of which 60 were on dirt...not bad! Afterwards, we destroyed an all you can eat salad bar before cashing in for the night.

Sunday.....more of the same...

We started with some climbing

Plenty of cookie breaks

Some occasional walking....mostly through snow

Ok, so we got turned around by snow just below 12k.

Which lead to walking back through the same snow

And lots of decending.

Another good weekend in the books!