Steamboat Springs Town Challenge

Any town who's recreation department puts on a Mt Bike race meets my definition of a bike meca. I'm here is Steamboat Springs where my parents live, yes lucky, and I was able to catch this race. I got a little over 24 hours to acclimate to the altitude but a nights stay in Salt Lake due to a missed connection seemed to help as I didn't feel too bad going into the race.



I got a chance to pre-ride the course the day before the race, about 90% of it was fast single track w/ a few short sharp climbs and rolling descents, fun

My strategy was to go fast at the start, see who came around me and try to follow them around. Got off first on the line and was looking good until I immediately took a wrong turn (hadn't pre-ridden the start apparently), taking about 1/2 the field with me ! Luckly the trail I was one joined back onto the course and after letting the field that didn't take the wrong turn go by I hopped on the back.

The pace wasn't fast enough so I went around the group got to the front and put a hard effort in on some fast and rolling single track through some high grass. After this effort there was still 2 riders on my wheel. I eased off some to get a recovery and grabbed the wheel of the rider who went by. I followed him for a bit and as the trail climbed I went around to put in another hard effort. At this point I was passing some racers in the class ahead (30+ expert) so it started to become hard to tell how far behind me my field was. I thought I had a pretty good gap so I settled in to keep picking off racers in the next class figuring that would be a good pace to keep.

About 3/4 the way through we got to the sharp climb w/ some 180 degree sandy switch backs, the race/altitude whatever was really starting to bite so I tried to keep a solid pace w/o blowing up, but realized that I was slowing. Two riders started coming up behind and when I glanced back i saw their numbers were different so I was psyched, figuring that i was in good shape.

They both caught me going down and I let them go by figuring I could stay on their wheels and ride a better line down. One just took off w/ some pro-like speed, wonder where he came from ? At this point I'm not so sure I'm in first anymore, so I stay tight on the rider just in front. I come along side him on the last short climb up before the single track to the finsh, he gets to the top first, but I'm able to sprint by him to get the hole shot. Down the single track fast and to the finish just ahead of him.

Turns out he was in my class, and I beat him to finish 1st.

Awesome course, hope I can plan my trip to Steamboat next year to race this again.






photos courtesy of Art Mastoras race photographer.

Pescadero Road Race

The Pescadero Road Race is one of the highlights on the Northern California Calendar. I've always felt that this is a good course for me but I've always come up far short of expectations.

This race started out very slowly, there were two teams well represented; Synergy with about 8 riders and Wells Fargo with about 4. I was determined to stay out of the wind as much as possible on this one. The climbs up Old Stage Rd went w/o issue, I had no trouble moving up near the end of each of the climbs to ensure good position on the descent. I came down both descents in about 6th wheel, safely ahead of any issues.

On the first trip down 84 the pace was pianissmo !, I didn't really care for it as the field was spread wide across the road, but hey stay out of the wind and near the front and so I did. The short climb up the feed zone after turning off 84 has given me trouble in the past, I don't know why but it just does. This time I was set for it and grunted up it with out too much trouble as the pace picked up as riders got nervous before haskins.

I came into the bottom of Haskins about 1/2 back in the field and paid for it a bit as I had to dodge around the various missed gear shits and riders that suddenly just stop !. The pace didn't seem to bad up and I came to the top in the lead group. Six of us, 2 synergy, 2 wells, 1 webcor and I got clear on the the descent. I thought hey this is a good group, but this is a cat 4 RR so don't get to excited. Webcor and 1 of the wells fargo guys thought so also and drive the pace. Neither seem to want or let others pull through, i was holding back on the end just waiting, looking back before I committed any energy. Webcor was very animated up front but the organization wasn't any good, and sure enough another group joined and than the pace just shutdown, soo enough we are all back together with whats left of the field, around 50 or so.

Back through Pescadero and the pace starts to pick up as someone up ahead goes for the sprint. Just past the sprint point I'm a little surprised to find myself at the back of the field, and I start seeing some gaps opening up ahead not good ! I quickly work my way up to the front, time to pay attention and stay up here. The field is single file at the start of Old Stage climb, cool finally we are racing and some guys are complaining :-). I take turns grabbing the wheel of whatever rider wants to lead and we put a good pace in up the first climb, down the descent in 5th wheel than back up and down. Soon after we get on 84 Synergy guys go to the front and start working, cool ! I tuck in at 8th wheel and they string the field out single file almost all the way down 84 to the turn off. Nicely done, not sure what their strategy was but the pull was well executed with most of the work being done by one big guy.

The field starts to spread out before the turn off and I figure its better to be in good position here and take a little wind than get boxed in. So I go to the front and 1/2 tuck in behind the last Synergy guy, up through the feed and I'm in 5th wheel at the start of the final climb. A larger spine guy gets a break on the first 180, I'm being conservative and just focusing on keeping a good rhythm. 1/2 way up the climb the spine rider is brought back and the lead group is down to 12 of us. There's an oncoming car a few passing motorcycles and suddenly the group is stretching out and i'm on the back! I keep it going looking for my pace, if i go over redline here I'll blow before the finish. I'm looking for the final turn and focusing on bringing back the few riders not far ahead, I start sprinting at the last turn to catch one and come a few lengths short of two more.

Looking back on it I should have gone sooner with a final sprint as it would have got me into the top ten, i'm stronger than I'm letting myself believe! As it was I finished 11th so I'm all right with that, but 10th would have been so much better.

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A very fine/hard ride

This past weekend I joined and excellently hard ride put on by the local teamsters of cycling DFL. A seriously great bunch of folks I figured this ride would attract some fast riders and good many cyclocrossers. At the Java Hut start there was around 30 riders and Dennis the organizers passed out the ride card. 100 miles w/ stops for food and water and some tough climbs, Wilson Hill, Marshall Wall, and up Farfax-Bolinas from Stinson at mile 82. Ouch !

All was cordial out of Fairfax over Whites Hill until the right turn at Nicasio, where the fireworks always start. Onto the lead group and into some fast pacelining out past the reservoir, right up Hick Mt Ridge climb where two riders + Rachael Lloyd powered away. A stop at the Cheese Factory, more cordial riding out to Bodega Ave back along roads with names I forget until more attacks up Wilson Hill than up Marshall to lunch, thankfully at Marshall.

From Marshall we all road back to Pt Reyes, where I indulged in some BBQ ribs, yes they were awesome, than back on the bike to Olema, where soda and cookies waited before the climb up Fairfax-Bolinas than down than up than finally back to the car.

An excellent BBQ in Fairfax awaited, stories, cross racing friends and families, food and cake !

A most excellent day. Thanks Dennis and to all who joined !

Mt Hamilton Road Race

Over the Memorial Day weekend I raced in the Mt Hamilton Road Race. This was the longest and toughest road race I'd ever done but was also one of the most fun. I prepared well enough to enjoy my race but not well enough to finish w/ the leading group of riders. I hung on for about 3/4 of the 4,177 ft climb and settled in w/ a good group of racers for the remaining parts of the climb and the 42 miles of racing that followed. The group of six I was in worked together, the presence of two Cal Berry racers helped and we caught up to the next group on the road on the back side of the Mt. Instead of a group of 12 we still ended up w/ a group of 6 after the catch as we caught them on the last climb and some couldn't hang on. I ended up crossing the line in 32nd out of around 85 starters. Not a great result but a fun race nonetheless.