Two T-Squared

After the AES McDowell60 (which was really 44.5 miles) last weekend, I was needing something shorter but still a good solid effort. I had a crazy idea of doing several of the time trials in the valley all in one day. The original plan was as follows: 1. WaltAZ TT in the McDowells 2. Trail 100 TT in PMP 3. Shaw Butte TT 4. Desert Classic TT Then the plan sort of fell apart...had late start and a conference call at 2:30 that I could not miss. So I dropped off #4 headed out... 1. WaltAZ TT - this is a great little 13 mile TT in the foothills of the McDowells that has a bit of everything. My SS is geared at 32x20 which was probably too spinny but this morning was super windy and I'm kinda glad I had that gear. Completed it in 1:11:21 (1st place...for now) but I felt really slow going up Taliesin with a monster headwind...I kept looking at the clock thinking that I was headed for a 1:40 finish. Flying down the last 0.25 mile which is not steep but zig zags down a cholla field that would be more than happy to leave you with some thorny twinkies covering your body if you crashed. 2. Trail 100 TT : fail...after pounding out #1 above, I didn't have another 1 hour at my anaerobic threshold in my legs. 3. Shaw Butte TT: this is a short one and one that I've been meaning to go ride...1.4 miles, 800 ft climb. Started at the electrical boxes at the gate and jumped on it...after the first big left turn, the trail gets super steep and I managed to keep the 32x20 turning...finally the next steep section did me in...hopped off and ran up that section. Back on near when it flattened a bit, I mashed the pedals more, my heart nearly jumping out of my chest...finally hitting the towers. Finished in 13:49...ufff...that frickin' hurt.

Bikepacking....almost ready!

I've been slowly assembling gear over the last few months to begin a sort of new chapter in my riding that involves so called bikepacking. It's been something I've pondered for quite a while and after spending significant hours surfing bikepacking.net and other ultra-light backpacking sites, I put a gear list together and decided with the help of my Mom, we'd sew up some bags. The first two were a frame bag and gas tank that took us the better part of the day to create. Made primarily from x-pac material with some 1/8 inch foam sandwiched in between along the tubes, they turned out pretty well.

Following that, I made another long trip out to the east valley where Mom lives, and we made a seat post bag; for the front side of the seat post. Very similar in design to the gas tank, I've loaded it up will all the usual repair stuff that I'd carry on my back (spare tube, leatherman squirt, first aid kit, multitool, zip ties, etc). Loaded it's 1lb, 8oz...nice to get that off my back. I've been carrying that for even day rides which has held up very well and been a rock solid design. Finally, I received most of my sleep kit (bag, pad, ground sheet) and decided it was time to load up the bike and go out for a test ride. The seat tube bag was loaded as described before, the gas tank bag loaded with snacks and spare charger, and the frame bag loaded with 32oz of water, steripen, pump, and filter funnel. I strapped the sleeping stuff to the bars with a couple of straps and pulled it towards the stem with another velcro strap.

All the bags full of stuff were an extra 11 lbs. Headed out to BCT to do LPL from Rock Springs and I immediately noticed that extra weight as we climbed up after the first river crossing. The bike handled actually very well and everything stayed put. After arriving back home, I did a little post-mortem as I unpacked things looking for signs of wear, etc and found that the cheap Wally World dry sack on the bars had developed several wear marks from the velcro straps, wires and cables. I figured I'd better proceed with making the handlebar harness which I'd designed about 3 weeks ago to better protect those items since I'd hate to start wearing holes in my brand new down bag, pad, and whatever else I put in there. Having the day off and needing a day off the bike, I headed out to Mom's again to make the handlebar harness... Here are the final pics of what we made.

Major "Thanks" goes out to my Mom who's sewing skills and patience are 2nd to none. Not only did I save money, but I gained extra time with Mom and did all those chores around her house she needed done...win-win for all! Looking forward to a real test of all the gear on my first overnight....

BCT on 11-11-11

With all the upcoming endurance races, I've been trying to up the ride mileage each week. On Friday, 11-11-11, I decided to take the day off and do just that...go out and put in a good long ride at my favorite trail, Black Canyon. My plan was to start at Emery Hendersen Trailhead off New River Rd, ride north, exit the trail at the Rock Springs Trailhead, ride through Black Canyon City (to get water), then up Maggie Mine Rd to the top of the climb at Arastre Creek, then come all the way back south on the trail. It was a perfect day for weather, overcast but topping out around 70F. All in all, the ride went quite well...although the final climb just south of Table Mesa Rd was a real sufferfest. That climb starts essentially at a small creek crossing north of Table Mesa Rd and gradually increases in grade until you top out roughly 4 miles later...not a huge climb by any means, but loose and rocky in many spots. I always feel that some suffering helps you get stronger both mentally and physically. Looking back and thinking about my "low" points, I really didn't eat or drink enough. When I did take a big swig of my homemade energy gel, my legs and mind woke up and I became more focused. (thanks to the instant coffee in the gel!) In any case, below are the ride stats...BCT can be a bit deceiving since there's really no long, truly brutal climbs. But since the trail winds in and out of several creeks and rivers, the climbing adds up...just ask my legs today.

Slow is good for the soul...and marriage!

Riding MTB's is something I do for exercise and the challenge. Second in the list of "why I ride MTBs" is the outdoors, scenery and such. Most of the time, my type A personality and lust for pain and suffering means my head is down and my thoughts are focused on finishing a long ride in a respectable time. Today was different...my wife who loves the outdoors but doesn't share a love for a good sufferfest wanted to come out and do a nice fall ride to see the colors. So, I took her up on the AZT NE of the peaks...it would not disappoint....

I rode a long way today...

Finally, I mustered up the huevos to do the ride I'd planned for most of the summer. Start at the bottom of Schultz Creek... ride north, up the AZT, east on FR418, up to the inner basin trail. Planned to ride to 10kft, but the IB trail was a beatdown; figured I need to save a few "matches" to burn for the way back. So I stopped about a 1/2 mile up the IB trail and turned around. Kinda figured it was the last >70F day this fall with no chance of rain that I could pull off a long, all day ride close to 70 miles. The day was as good as it gets... perfect... Riding on a carpet of yellow at times...

Arrived...at Locket Meadow...

On the way back to the AZT...

The final ride stats....I'm tired...

Ouch...

I think one thing I like about long, endurance type rides is that is doesn't feel like an all out hammerfest. I mean, at least at my current fitness level I certainly can't go "balls-to-the-wall" for a 6-11 hour ride. However, scale back the distance to something accomplished in <3hrs, and certainly, the possibility exists for more of a real hammerfest. I rode a few weeks ago with a few guys who also ride SS (Race them too) and it taught me a good lesson about pace. We had set out to do about a 32 mile ride at BCT starting at Emery Hendersen and heading north around the Little Pan Loop. They were running 32x18's and were able to put the hurt on me. I had to ride above my normal pace which definitely exposed weaknesses in my bike handling and paid the price by doing an OTB roughly 1/3rd in to the ride. No major carnage, but definitely a warning. By the end, all 3 of us were pretty toasted as it was also getting pretty warm. It was a great lesson for me and an eye opener as far as training goes....sometimes you really have to ride with other guys faster than you to push both your fitness and your skills. Flash forward to today, I decided to do a solo ITT out at BCT where I rode the quintessential BCT lolipop ride; Start at Rock Springs and go south around the Little Pan Loop and back. I've done it many times before but today felt the right day to go as fast as I could muster; with a sub 3 hour goal. The weather was perfect...about 65F when I started. I reached the top of the loop in 57 minutes so I knew I was on pace. At the bottom of the loop which is pretty much the 1/2 way point, I was at 1:21...excellent...still looking good. Reaching the top of the loop, which is 2/3's of the mileage, I was at 1:47....sweet...keep the hammer down. Crossed back over the main road at 1:59 and only 8 miles to go... I figured it was gonna be close. Kept my head down climbing back up to the skyline section then bombed down to the river (as fast as fear would let me!). Crossed the river at 2:35...picked up my bike and ran across the sand and riprap, hopped on and then hammered up the last section. Rain started to fall right then but there was nothing at this point to stop me...rolling over the last gate, I glanced down and knew the goal was in the bag... rolling into the lot, hit stop...2:46...whew, that hurt.

Lynskey - Back in Action

Lynskey turned around my frame repair in a few days so with shipping on each end, I was basically out the bike for about 3 weeks. Got it back a week ago, reassembled it and took it out on a shakedown ride...sure enough, like an idiot, I used a broken BB cup spacer that midway through the ride, started to work it's way back out. Of course, had it come out, the cup would have been completely loose and a bb cup tool is not something I bring! Back home, I replaced it and today set out for a long ride on the AZT. Conditions were immaculate...damp soil, cool (46 degrees at the start). The unfinished section of AZT is pretty much done now although the trail crews look like they still have a bit of rock to move in some areas. The climb is a good one, from where it crosses SB road, it climbs from 7600ft up to 9000ft, all singletrack. Had an annoying creak anytime I really put power to the pedals which I later solved with a grease on the headset conical surfaces...amazing all the things that can make noises on a bike and I feel like I've developed the ability to diagnose things on the bike. Nothing destroys a good "zen" climbing experience than a creaking or clicking bike. I probably stopped 6 times to try and adjust things to make it stop. Oh well...another lesson learned...Anyway, still a great ride and good beatdown.