Rist Canyon Time

Holy crap... only TWO WEEKS left until D-Day! So much left to do, but I'm excited for family and friends to make it into town so everyone can get some face to face time, and we can start the celebrations!

Tomorrow we're off to Fort Fun, for some early morning racing. It's time for the Rist Canyon Road Race. I really love this loop, and it's always fun to go back and ride it as when I first moved out to Colorado I lived right on it. And I rode it fairly often... one of my first forays up into the big hills. I still remember the shock and absolute bliss, that descending for 13 straight miles can bring out... as long as it isn't hailing or snowing...

The only bummer is that "racing" this course, is a whole different day from "riding" this course. No real time to enjoy the scenery, the wooded climbs, or the twisting, descent. Instead, I will likely be cross-eyed, trying to follow a wheel, any wheel, and trying to remember to stay hydrated and fueled up without burning too many matches all at once. And with the last minute course change, it looks like we attack stadium hill right from the start. That means there will be no easing-into the festivities tomorrow, even with a 7.30am start. The only consolation is that I should be back in bed for my nap by noon.

While I'm facing down the barrel of tomorrow's race, it's good to see that the boys on the team are representing quite well out at the Tour de Nez! Yesterday Baker pulled in a sweet 2nd place finish, in the downtown crit, putting the purple and orange colors up on cyclingnews.com

Yesterday I made it out for the Bus Stop ride. Not often I make the Thursday ride, and I probably should have listened to the cycling gods - 150 meters from the car my tire exploded. Quick tube change and we're off (Walker had come up to see what this ride was all about), though not without noticing, and reinforcing a huge tear in the tread of my tire. Ugh... Perfect day for the ride though; hot and with minimal wind. Once we hit Lyons though, I was having issues with my tire again, and it had also become evident that I didn't properly adjust a newly installed wheel the night before. So I stopped and fixed, it. Luckily with the way the ride goes, we were able to cruise along and jump back in when the ride came around. I felt good and went back to turnin' the screws. And on the hard lead-in, I was there turning the screws again, when the tire finally gave and blew again. Damn. Mostly I felt bad that I had to pull Craig out of the ride, so he could save me with his additional tube and air.

I noticed on the way home, that the cycling gods left a huge bank of clouds in their wake, as they headed further southwest to harass some other poor soul;