Today I’m finally heading back to Kansas for a bit.  I’ve been out in Colorado for a month and a half and it is very easy to get used to it.  It has been super weather and I’ve gotten to ride with tons of friends.  But, reality calls.  Trudi has to head back to work early next week.  She is driving a BMC team car with me back to Topeka this morning, which isn’t optimal.  I don’t think she has caught up on sleep yet from the last month.

It was nice hanging in Steamboat Springs for a few days.   I could have stayed there a while.   Kent Eriksen has so many projects going on that it might be a never ending series of endeavors, which is fine.  It is always nice to have a project to look forward to.

Kent is an amazing athlete.  He took me on a pretty nice ride, right from his house, and it is unbelievable how strong he is, considering he is riding, maybe twice a week, but probably closer to once.  Plus the endless hours he puts in on his feet fabricating frames.

I have a dual suspension frame, I just need to get the parts now.  It should be fine. I probably won’t ride it at Chequamegon, but there are lots of long, technical racers in the midwest that it should be perfect for.  Maybe it will just become my “standard” MTB.  I don’t really know.

I’m looking forward to riding some in Kansas.  It is supposed to be pretty hot there, in the 90’s, all week.  I have only had a couple hot days the last month.  Kind of miss it.  Summer doesn’t seem right if I miss all the hot weather.

Like I posted last week, I am going to head to St. Louis for Labor Day.  There are 4 criteriums there and my jump is non-existent.  Maybe that will “fix” the problem.  Or at least get me on program to try to get some snap.  I really haven’t had a jump since I broke my hip last year.  Cyclo-cross mandates accelerations, so it is about time I do something about it.

Okay, I’d better get moving.  There is a 6 o’clock ride in Topeka tonight.  I’d like to get back in time for that.

Kent being all retro with an Etto helmet. He left his helmet at the shop, so went down to his basement and this is what he came up with.

The trail around Kent’s house, up by the hotsprings in Steamboat, is all decomposed granite. It’s pretty loose and tricky.

We stopped and picked wild raspberries along the trail.

These guys, Barnum and Bailey, were waiting for us when we got back from riding.

Kent just kept the retro look going.

After a couple beers, I started helping with a small retaining wall.

The drive back to I-70 was pretty nice on 131. I skipped going through Kremmling because of construction.