Gila Cliff Dwellings

Tired. This race really takes it out of you. My performance this year is so slow compared to last year. I keep telling myself it's all about getting my race fitness back but it's hard when you get dropped by people you know should not be dropping you. I can't remember racing being this much of a struggle since I first started doing NRC races.

Yesterday our team turned a bad situation into a good one. We ALL got dropped at various times on the first set of climbs and ended up chasing in a group of about 12 or so for the majority of the race. We really held it together and finally made it back into the peloton before the last major climb of the day. I blew up again about 8 miles or so out of town as someone made a move on a smaller hill and that was all it took for me. I solo finished the last 8 miles into terrible headwinds. I finished almost 9 minutes back from the leaders but really didn't care. All I cared about was getting over that finish line and off the bike. My body is toast right now. The hills are usually something I look forward to but there is such a lack of power for climbing right now. Maybe I will feel better at Joe Martin next week. 4 days of rest between Gila and Joe Martin should be good.

Here are some pics of the racing out here as well as our home away from home, the KOA cabins!

I will send another update after this Gila madness is over on Sunday.

Gila Cliff Dwellings

Tired. This race really takes it out of you. My performance this year is so slow compared to last year. I keep telling myself it's all about getting my race fitness back but it's hard when you get dropped by people you know should not be dropping you. I can't remember racing being this much of a struggle since I first started doing NRC races.

Yesterday our team turned a bad situation into a good one. We ALL got dropped at various times on the first set of climbs and ended up chasing in a group of about 12 or so for the majority of the race. We really held it together and finally made it back into the peloton before the last major climb of the day. I blew up again about 8 miles or so out of town as someone made a move on a smaller hill and that was all it took for me. I solo finished the last 8 miles into terrible headwinds. I finished almost 9 minutes back from the leaders but really didn't care. All I cared about was getting over that finish line and off the bike. My body is toast right now. The hills are usually something I look forward to but there is such a lack of power for climbing right now. Maybe I will feel better at Joe Martin next week. 4 days of rest between Gila and Joe Martin should be good.

Here are some pics of the racing out here as well as our home away from home, the KOA cabins!

I will send another update after this Gila madness is over on Sunday.

Bisbee Pics

Here are some pictures of the cool town of Bisbee. The uphill time trial started in the downtown and headed up to the top of the pass, about 900 feet. I also took some pictures from the homestay I had while there. My homestay family, Melissa and Dave, were super nice and their place used to be a boarding house that was built around 1890. It's the yellow house in the picture.

I don't have too much to report in regards to the racing. My form is slowly starting to come back. I put in some hard efforts and managed to save myself from a crash on Sunday's final stage. Basically I still have a ways to go in regards to being able to handle intensity but at least I enjoyed the racing and being part of it again.

After the race on Sunday I packed up my gear and thanks to Gaby and Rene I was able to get my spare wheels back and head out of town to Tucson to pick up Brent. I really don't know what kind of shape I would have been in had it not been for Rene and Gaby showing up to race as well. Being without support is so very hard at these races. I can't thank my friends enough for being there for me.

Oh, there is this really cool rock formation between Tucson and Silver City. I am not sure why but it always amazes me and I have to stop and look or take pictures. Wow, rocks!

So we are at the Silver City KOA for the 3rd year in a row. It's great too be back and in our little cabin #3. I will take some pictures of Silver City tomorrow and post them.

More tomorrow...

Nothing Too Spectacular

This was written last Thursday. A bit delayed but what the hey.

Nothing too spectacular about the drive down to Bisbee, Arizona. Plenty of cacti and rocks to look at and the occasional Navy fighter jet being transported on the back of a semi to veer around. Oh, I did manage to lock the keys in the van at a rest stop outside of Blythe. So even though I didn’t manage to get any time on the bike I did get my heart rate up for a few minutes.

Bisbee is really a neat place. It’s this desert canyon made even deeper by years of mining and this town crammed into the canyon. I am sitting in a coffee shop watching the downtown area start to fill with cyclists who really don’t seem to fit in to this old mining town very well. Guess that includes me, except without the skinny legs.

I met up with Gaby and Rene yesterday and it sure is nice to have friends to hang out with. I like the host family I am with but it’s hard without any teammates. My legs feel good but there is nobody to tell that to. My stomach didn’t agree with the burrito I ate in Buckeye but again, nobody to tell. Traveling by yourself provides a lot of self reflection time. Probably a bit too much in reality. You know your lonely when you can’t wait to hear the DJ’s voice over the satellite radio as it brings you at least a bit of company. It’s funny because Brent and I always complain that there is too much talking over the satellite radio.

Tonight I ride 2.8 miles up the main street in Old Bisbee for an uphill time trial. I rode the course last night and it’s really a nice ride. I am still in the get fitness mode and hopefully this stage race as well as Gila will help get me fit for Mt. Hood and Cascade!

Okay, this coffee place is filling up. I should go outside and take some pictures of this place. Hopefully I can get internet access to work before I leave Bisbee but it doesn’t look likely. My computer is not accepting the wireless from any location here and I am not skilled enough to figure out why.

More later….