January races

Cyclocross this Saturday at Wheeler followed by the year end bash that evening. While I fell in love with Cross racing this year, I'm pretty sure I didn't get the full taste of it - got two races with snow and mud - both in Heber, but the remainder were in prime conditions/weather - not typical for a cross season. This weekend should be a little different with all the snow on the ground that's been melting for the last few days - nice and sloppy. Although it can't be worse than last years Frozen Hog (coming up soon)when the track was shredded on the first lap and nearly unrideable thereafter. Should be fun at Wheeler this weekend.

And then....

The Bash Winter Tri at the Soldier Hollow venue on the 17th. I'm taking the rest of this week off and will try to spend some time each day getting some stability/coordination on the cross country skis. Should get around ok on the run and the bike, but the skiing will be more comedy than speed I'm afraid. Regardless - something new to try and enjoy this winter and I'm ok with having some fun/laughs at my own expense.

Also - there's a Mtb ride up squaw peak on Thursday - details are over at Ride29er.

Also - heading south to St. George for some Mtn Biking with a small group the weekend of the 9th - if your in the area and want to join us for some 1 track let me know. There's a snowshoe race on the 10th in Park City if your not up for the Mtn Biking down south - would make for good preperation for Sam's Kneaders Cup.

December runoff

The quality of all the fresh snow that's fallen over the last few weeks has deteriorated a bunch the last couple of days. Case in point - I went over to Clarks trail this afternoon looking forward to snowshoeing up some deep snow (deep = more burn in the legs and lungs), but instead, hiked all the way top without even putting the snowshoes on. The trail has had some decent traffic since last time I was out on it, which is great, but this warm weather we've had the last few days has put a nice layer of ice/crust on the top so it's more prime for your trail running shoes than it is for the snowshoes.


Instead of going back down Clarks I headed down the fire road to see if the wading would be better on the Ghost Falls trail on the way down. The crust was strong enough that even on the fire road, where there had been minimal traffic, you still float on the top without snowshoes (snow depth looked to be 12-18 inches below the crust).


Ended up throwing the snowshoes on to go down Ghost, moreso for the traction on the icy downhill parts than necessity to stay on top of the snow. Got down to the falls and they were running pretty strong for December, lot's of snow melting over the last couple of days. We need a fresh layer.

Christmas 09' top picks

Top kids gift: MSR Denali Tykers snowshoes

Not sure that they trump the doll house or the Baby Alive's (No, I didn't cave and buy the version that poops), but we took them for a test spin tonight and they're fantastic. We've tried a few other sets of Jr. snowshoes and these are hands down the favorites. Good float on the snow, light, and the #1 problem you experience when taking kids under 5 years old snowshoeing, stepping on their own feet/shoes, was almost eliminated completely. The poles are new this year and also a big help for the rats of the rug. Kiddie gear is a must in Suncrest - otherwise they'd spend 4 months of the year pent up in the house due to the snow. They like getting outside, regardless of the temp. or depth of snow. The only thing that bothers them is the wind when it's stinging their faces with the snow. MSR Denali Tykers - Highly recommended.

Getting ready to test out Chesney's new snowshoes.

She cruised in them... 4 yrs old and happy as a clam to be out in deep snow, mid teen temps, hiking the ridge behind the house.

Big sister - Kylie - did a heck of a job breaking trail.

Brock won't graduate to snowshoes until next year - but he's content being carried by his hot momma.

Stripping the kids out of their gear before letting them back in the house after the 1/10th of a mile excursion. Won't be too many more storms before we have to dig a cave exit out of the basement.

Top romantic gift: Fine Literature

Maybe... it's not what you might think, but hope it works like you might think...TBD - recommendation pending.

Gift that's been used non stop since it was opened: Candle Warmer

We got the Aurora lamp and Annie hasn't turned it of yet. Aside from making the house smell good, this company also happens to be locally owned and operated by some good friends of ours. Highly recommended.

Suncrest's winter night life

We left Erik R's house at about 8:45 pm and spent a couple of hours XC skiing tonight. Just as with the Mtn. biking, it's hard to believe that within minutes from the house you can be on prime terrain, bite off as much as you feel like, and then able to be in bed within 5 minutes of clipping out. It was the first time Brandon and I had been on the XC skis, Brandon caught on pretty quick, I provided plenty of humor and made sure the pace remained less than reasonable. Erik R. and Eric B. both shared plenty of tips 1 - because they're good guys, and 2 - because they wanted to be home before 2:00 am. They also broke trail in what was a pretty decent accumulation of new snow today.

Brandon, Erik B. and Erik R.

Looking north at the Salt Lake Valley at about 10:00 pm, 18 degrees, and clear skies.
Brandon, Fat guy in a little coat, and Eric B.
Brandon hit a soft spot, right ski, right leg, right butt cheek, right ... all had to be dug out.Here's Eric B., head half way down the hole, digging the last of the ski out.

Not a bad way to spend the evening after moving a foot of snow out of the driveway.

Breaking trail

I've identified my new lunch excursion for the next few months, and it's the same as what it's been for the past several months. I went over for a test run today and am happy to report that Clarks trail is just as perfect for snow running/shoeing in the winter as it is for riding in the summer. Yep, it's just as mellow and pleasant as ever for a leisurly walk as it can be for a liesurly climb on the bike. And... just as steep and cruel in it's being deceptively longer than you think, no matter how many times you've ridden/run it, when trying to move up it at a training or conditioning or race pace. We just got our first significant snow accumulation of the year and I broke trail all the way up, 6-8 inches in most spots, less on the exposed ridges where the wind could move it off, and a little more in other spots. I had the snowshoes strapped on the backpack, but never took them off and put them on, the snow was just shallow enough to still be reasonable in the boots I was wearing.

Near the Bridge at the bottom of Clarks trail...

At the large rock just after the trail turns south. Trail features are a little different in the winter. This rock and a lone pine tree were the most prominent features in the snow vs. the rock in the middle of the trail on the off camber turn, etc... in the summer.
Recognize this - absolutely you do! The little cove at the top where the trail switches back to the east. The critical spot on the trail for the rider who's pushing it, it's elusive in it's arrival, but is where the suffering finally becomes a little more bearable because you know your close. Same when jogging, or maybe walking - ok, crawling in the snow.
Home is just a bit out of the left side of the frame. Seriously, Utah's got some prime areas to call home if your into the outdoor recreation thing and want it accesible right from the front door, but not many better than the Suncrest/Corner Canyon locale. It's that good...

I'll give Clarks another go tomorrow with the snowshoes on and the Garmin and make Clarks my winter training TT route ala UtRiders cycling TT blog for what may be the premier year round fitness training trail in the valley.

Cyclocross series/bike season wrap up

We wrapped up the Utah Cyclocross series with the race in Draper this morning. Unbelievable cycling weather this late in the year - must have been close to 50' - raced in short sleeves. My race went fine, rode it clean, not fast, but clean and steady. One tactical error on the sprint up the last hill, but that's why cross has been so great, I feel like in my first year racing bikes, 70% of what I've learned has come from these cross races.

The course was fast, smooth, and the little climb up the road at the end of the lap was just enough to seperate the conditioned guys from those of us still lacking the legs/lungs but not the weight. The run up was a little longer than others we've had this year, and was one of the most opportune spots on the course to open a quick gap if you had the legs to hustle up it. Finished the last race of the season with a 9th.

Cyclocross has been a fantastic way to finish my first year of getting into this whole cycling thing - didn't even know what it was this time last year and am now probably hooked at least until age 50.

Done with racing till probably March with the start of the Icup series and what I'm planning on being my first ever road race event, the Tour Del Sol down in St. George. The plan is to quit complaining about my lack of conditioning and try to develop it a little over the winter, we'll see how that goes.... but I want to break out of my beginner guy capacity and compete a lot better next year, both in the bike races and the triathlons/Xterra's. So, time to hit the reformers, get a trainer, drop the extra weight, and develop a decent set of legs and lungs. Will do a year recap post at some point, but the bikes and all the cool people that ride them have been a really fun discovery this year!

Yep - I'm one smooth cat

Late post tonight, Tony and Shannan scored $500 courtside tickets to the Jazz vs. Raptors game which was being aired on ESPN so it started late. OK, I'm exaggerating on the ticket price, they were only $477 a pop. Whole different animal watching from down there vs. the seats I'm willing to pony up for, and instead of the $3.00 hotdogs we were fed like kings both pregame and at halftime - on the house with those tickets. Annie and I had a blast, thanks Tony!

Couple of random items:

1 - I've been buying back into the market slowly since October, some days feel smart, some days feel like I'm rolling the dice poorly with cash I should be more careful with. But, I'm optimistic that I'm gonna pay for my kids college education with a relatively small cash outlay over the next year. Does this economy suck, yep, and I work in an industry that's ground zero for the mess. But really, I'm serious in that I think I can get the 800 pound monkey of expensive tuition off my back with just a little dry powder being used in the near future. And if it continues to go the other way, well, dry powder probably ain't gonna matter a whole lot then anyway.

2 - Here's the smooth cat story. I got new tires for the cross bike yesterday so took it for a spin at lunch today over at the draper course where the race will be held tomorrow/this morning. It's at the equestrian center so it's common to see a few horsetrailers in the parking lot as the cyclists share the phenomenal corner canyon trail system with the folks riding horses. I grew up on a cattle ranch so happen to have a built in fondness for horse folks, mostly because I is one. So, the events leading up to my smoothness were entirely natural. It starts when I come around the fast corner on the pavement on the easternmost section of the course - the corner straightens out and transitions from the blacktop to a loose gravel/dirt surface. I come around the corner pretty fast, and there's a gal - late 40's/early 50's coming across the parking lot with two horses. It's not what you think - there was plenty of distance. I didn't spook her or her horses and cause a big wreck there, nor did they spook me - it was a very controlled and warm encounter as we made eye contact and acknowledged each other. And being the gracious people that most horse folks are, she followed the eye contact with a wave. This is where it got a little ackward. I'm still going pretty fast, on an uneven gravel surface. So when I sit up, pull a hand off the bars to wave back, and hit a hole with my front tire, I have absolutely no shot at recovering. I can save some pretty out of control situations on a bike, but no way it was happening here. Right smack in the middle of my hi, it's a beautiful December afternoon, parade style wave, I go down - hard! And then skid for a bit. I get up, dust myself off, and this nice woman proceeds to take some responsibility for the incident by apologizing to me for waving. I fake laugh to hide the pain grimaces, and explain that it's my first ride since taking the training wheels off, and that I need more practice before attempting advanced tricks like waving with only one hand on the bars.

She makes sure I'm alright, I make sure she retracts her apology, and we go back to what we were doing before the ridiculous afternoon drama. I ride off absolutley baffled at how she could keep her composure and not fold over laughing after seeing that. So a bit later I've got a couple of more laps in and am coming up to the crest of the little climb up the road just as she's pulling out of the parking lot. She waves again. I look at her, look down, brake until I come to a stop, put a foot down, and then take a hand off and wave back. She finally gives in a cracks up.

Stackin it... Flashback to Cyclocross race #8

I mentioned after the cross race at the Weber Fairgrounds that I'd stacked it going into the double log barrier and was halfway expecting to see some pretty humourous photos surface. That wreck, along with one of several from the previous weeks race at Wheeler stand out as the two that, were I a spectator, would have made me laugh the hardest and been the most fun to watch. Photos of the Weber spill haven't floated up yet, but yesterday a fellow cyclocrosser sent these over, which happened to be of the aforementioned highlight of the Wheeler race on a slow but slick corner that required more finesse than I had on this particular lap.

Yes, Cyclocross is so much fun that you're still happy and smiling when only 4 inches from touchdown with your face.

Most crashes involve getting up and looking around for where your bike landed. It saves a few seconds when your bike lands right on top of you...

and proceeds to roll off into a convenient position.....
like right back into your hands....
I managed to stay on for about 3 seconds and get down the hill before having to get back off and put my chain back on. Then back to the chase to try and repair the self inflicted damage.

Thanks to Mike Rossberg and his crew for the photo's! You've seen plenty of photo's of the 50% of the time I spend riding on top of my bike at these races, with these photo's, you now get a more legit look at how I spend the remaining 50% of the time and what I really look like racing cyclocross.