Yesterday, Karl, Vincent and I drove over to Eagle and rode some of their local trail system.  It was really different from riding the Colorado Trail in Copper Mountain or some of the other local trails.  It seemed more like high desert riding than mountain riding.  Most of the trail we rode on were open to motorcycles, so the trails were a little more torn up.

There is a huge temperature difference at the lower elevation of 6500 feet.  On Strava, it said the ride averaged 88 degrees.  Most of the time I looked down on my Garmin it was in the lower 90’s.  We weren’t in any rush and everyone did okay in the heat.

I had my Shimano camera running most of the tricky descents, so with some editing, I can post a short video of the riding up in Summit and Eagle counties.  Funny think about filming MTB riding.  It looks like it is going super fast motion, plus, for some reason, it isn’t nearly as dusty looking as in real life.

This morning I’m heading over to Leadville to do a ride with Kent and Katie Eriksen.  They are competing on a tandem on Saturday.  Katie won the Laramie Enduro last Saturday, which is a 68 mile race, so they should be in pretty good shape for the weekend.  Kent is always just Kent, which is pretty unbelievable.

Brian Jensen moved out to Colorado, plus Matt Gilhousen, owner of our sponsor, Tradewind Energy, is out to ride Leadville, so it is a little team reunion this weekend.  Brian is talking about riding up Columbine before the race gets there.  I’m not sure that is alright, but if it seems to be, I’ll go with him.  I need to cheer on the home team.  I don’t really have a desire to race Leadville this year.  Last year was a bust and I’m not doing any better this, so it is probably best just spectating.

Trudi flew back to Denver from California, finishing her duties from the Tour of Utah.  She got up to Silverthorne at 1 pm and played with the dogs all afternoon, while we were out riding. She got in a little ride and I’m sure she is going to sleep a ton, which she always does after working a stage race.  There isn’t much sleep to be had during those events.

Okay, I need to get going.  A complicated plan today, people everywhere, then meeting back up in Vail for dinner later.

Kent and Katie ran into Floyd yesterday in Leadville. I guess he was serving whiskey and hot dogs at his booth. I hope to see him in the next couple days. I haven’t talked to him forever.

Karl climbing.

Vincent climbing.

I seem to always draw some blood.

We descended to this, which was sort of spooky. Yes, that is a deer head to the left.

Dinner last night in Silverthorne.

Jack, Nic and Tucker waiting for the walk last night.

It was cold when I woke up this morning at 8 am.  And Leadville had already been going on for nearly 1 1/2 hours at 1500 ft. higher elevation.  I’m not sure what the temperature was this morning for the start, but it had to be in the 30’s I’d guess.

Today’s Leadville race is going to be interesting.  To spectate.  I am pretty happy that my interest in riding today is minimal.  If someone would have called me a couple days ago and said they had a slot for me to race, I might have said yes, but that would have been just for the life experience.  I’m not fit enough to go fast enough for my liking, so it would have been just for fun.  I might have beaten my last’s year time, but I was pitiful there last year, so that would be that hard of a thing to do.

There are some road pros coming here this year.  Joe Dombrowski, specifically ,is interesting.  He won the Tour of Utah last year and is a competent MTB racer.   He is an incredible climber. I’d be very surprised if he won the race today, though.  The Ergon Team has too many cards to play.

Here’s an interview with Jeremiah Bishop talking about the extents that he is going to try to go faster.  Aero bars, taping up the helmets, bending numbers to act as a fairing.  I’m not really sure any of those things would help me much, but I guess every second counts, somewhat.

They are interested in lowering the under 6 hour mark.  There aren’t any prizes here, so it is just bragging rights.  I don’t think that there really should be course records for MTB races.  The course conditions are always so variable, sometimes not even the same course, so winning the race is the goal, not trying to one-up someone from year’s past.

I have a few friends riding today, so am heading over to Leadville.  I won’t be there for the first guys finishing, which should be around 12:30, which is 6 hours.  I’ll be there closer to 8 hours when my guys should be starting to roll in.  I am probably just going to ride there.   It is around 40 miles from Silverthorne to Leadville, through Copper Mountain, then over Fremont Pass.  It is a nice ride.

Jeremiah Bishop leading the field out last year. You can just see my helmet, but my team mate Brian Jensen is in full view on the left.

Pre-riding Leadville some yesterday with the Eriksen’s and Vincent.

Tucker and Trudi this morning.