the weekend

While some teammates were out doing the Colorado State Time Trial championships I was pre-riding the Laramie Enduro course.
I towed the Silver Bullet up to the summit at about 8700 feet Friday night and setup for the early 8am ride start (early for me as on weekends I usually get the sleep that I miss during the week).
I powered up the trailer for AC using my truck converter to enjoy some TV before heading off to sleep. I need to find a 1000 or 2000 Honda generator in the future.
Day broke and I let the pups out for their morning romp while I enjoyed breakfast and ESPN radio.
It was chilly but calm and I suited up for 30 miles of fun.
I met the others at the Tie City trailhead after riding about 20 minutes of warmup. There were about 40 riders of varying abilities and rides. Full suspensions, rigid and suspended single speeds, and many 29ers.
The fitter/faster riders is where I fell in and we quickly separated ourselves from the others in a group of 10 or so before we held up at the first turn onto a single track (Windy-Windy trail) through a closed fence. This went on for most of the ride. The faster riders separating themselves from the rest. I somehow found myself always at or near the front. Able to stay with whoever was on the front be it climbs or single track. At one stop I mentioned that I hoped to finish the race in 7 hours and another rider who said he did it in just over 7 hours said that the way I was riding I would have no problem. I hope he's right.
I finished the ride Saturday with a ride up the arduous Headquarters Trail finish. Definitely a section that will be hard after 65 miles or so of race. I'll be using my cyclocross skills on the really rocky sections to not lose time.
After making it back to the 'stream. I let the dogs out while I relaxed. I had rode fairly hard (actually really hard for me) and was dead tired.
I got in touch with my teammates that rode the State TT to see if we would have a jersey to show off to our sponsors but no such luck. The categories we race in are so competetive that if you win you are sure to have a good run at Nationals if you choose to go there.
I may have a go at it next year when I get the new bike but we'll see.
Sunday: 2nd half of the Enduro pre-ride and also a baby shower/party for my teammate KOB. I had already planned on the pre-ride weeks before the party that I had excused myself. that and the price of gas just to drive down to Evergreen would have been a present in itself to show up.
I slept 12 hours the night before and was still tired. I got up at 6 and had breakfast, fed the dogs, and waited for daylight to warm the area. It had rained for about 6 hours the previous afternoon/night. It was still damp outside but the worst item was the wind. It was whipping. I hadn't seen this on the weather forecast. It was so bad that the trailer was rocking and the dog crates had blown into the truck and a few yards past. I was in no mood to rush out into the 40 degree temps with 30 degree windchills to ride the 2nd half of the course that included at least 1 high water crossing (there were 2 up to the chamois and many other lesser crossings)
I went back to sleep and eventually slept until 10:30. I must have been dead tired.
I think I should do this more often on non race weekends. It allows me to unwind/relax more than I thought possible.
I eventually rode the course backward to the start of the days ride to hear the stories of the return riders. Tales of frozen feet and water up to the chamois were the norm. Eventually I rode back the 8 miles that me and the dogs rode out and crashed at the 'stream again.
I made it back home where the grass had grown another couple of inches and were awaiting shortness by lawnmower. A couple of hours later and not nearly enough grass cut (I should really buy a riding lawnmower) I headed inside to watch the Cubs defeat the Dodgers and the Celtics pull out another home win.
Back to work to earn the $ for a Honda generator.