The route is set. It looks to be epic. It covers some of my favorite trails in Moab including Sovereign, Gemini Bridges and Poison Spider. 95 miles of some of Moab's best routes. It's going to be a week's worth of riding in one glorious day.

Check out the details of the route and race here.

I received a Switchback 2 today. Fist impressions? It's very small, and very compact. the battery is light, and the head unit feels solid. It is a great looking light. The beam pattern on it is very even. I pulled out my Cateye DS to compare, and while the DS is slightly brighter at the spot, it has those terrible "target" style rings around the pattern. The SB2 spreads the light out nice and smooth. It is a beam pattern that is easy on the eyes.

The light comes with everything you need. Car charger, Euro adapter, helmet and bar mounts, straps and extra cable for when you want to store the battery in a pocket or pack.

I will get out in the next day or two and ride with it, and then provide more feedback. At this point I think I will be pairing with a Switchback 3.

My cheap camera struggles with the close up stuff, but here is a shot of the light unit, the battery and a Garmin Edge 305 for reference on the size of the total package.

The weather and the riding in Saint George was great. No wind, no clouds, 60 degrees. We rode Bear Claw Poppy Friday night, then the Jem trail, and Gooseberry Mesa on Saturday.

It was also the first real time on the Jersey Devil HT. How did it feel? Really nice. The bike felt light, compact and fast. It handled the techy stuff on Gooseberry really well, and it bombed the fast single track on the Jem. The BB sits a bit lower, so I was hitting my pedals early on, but after a few minutes I was able to adjust and have no problems.

It was a fun weekend, but it didn't last nearly long enough. I knew I was missing the dirt, but I didn't realize just how much I was missing it. It was so good to get out and hammer on some real trails.

Pictures coming soon hopefully.

In a few hours I am heading South to St. George. If all goes well, it will be good therapy. I need the hours, I need the time on the new bike, and I need to escape the soupy inversion of the Wasatch Front.

Bart's case has been dropped.

That is excellent news. USADA actually did the right thing. There is some evidence that they may have even used common sense! Bart, way to fight the good fight, and come out on top. Congrats.

I think blogs, wristbands, newspaper articles and old fashioned world of mouth have really helped USADA realize the absurdity in all of this. Hopefully Sager, and the others facing suspensions will have their cases thrown out, so they can continue competing soon.


I think at this point a public apology is in order from USADA to the innocent athletes whose names were dragged through the dirt.

I think both Bart and Sager should come hammer the KTR. No entry fee, no prizes, no hype. Just you and your bike for 142 unsupported miles across the Colorado desert, and the Utah mountains. Last year's race was simultaneously a new high, and a new low for me on the bike. I'd never suffered so much, and been so happy about it.

Details of the KTR are here.

Also, be sure to check out the new blogs from Dave Byers and fellow Van Dessel rider Lee Unwin.

Alright, the desert is calling. Pictures of the weekend coming Sunday.

I am happy to say that Princeton Tec will be my lighting sponsor the the upcoming season. If you have followed this blog, then you know lights are a piece of equipment that are constantly on my mind. In August last year, at the Outdoor Retail show I saw the PT Switchbacks for the first time. I was impressed with how compact and bright they were. I am looking forward to hammering the night with these lights leading the way.

As soon as I have my lights, I will post more details. For now, visit the Switchback website.

The cold here is mind numbing. Literally. It has sapped any will to bundle up and brave the elements. So, it's been a lot of indoor stuff lately. That has been going well, but I am dying to get out and play in some dirt. This weekend may provide that opportunity. St. George is the plan. I just need a few cards to fall into place to make it happen.

Overall I feel pretty good about where my training is right now. This winter has been all about shorter, very intense workouts. They fit better in my schedule, and they are helping me develop more power and burst speed, two things I think were weak spots last year for me.

OP is at the gates, and while I have my usual delusional expectations for the race, I also realize that I need to set realistic goals that will help me later this summer. So the plan is to be consistent in my fuel, my pace and my attitude. Moab was a disaster from a strategy execution standpoint. The conditions threw any plans out the window in a hurry. At OP I want to re-execute my Moab goals.

Those of you looking for pics of the Ramble Tamble, well, we ran into a small issue. The brakes I was going to mount on it do not fit, so I need to get a new set. I am working on that as we speak. So hang in there, pics coming ASAP.

In other news, I see Switchbacks in my future. More on that soon.

I thought I'd share some more details about the workout I posted yesterday. It is a Garmin Training Center pre-built workout. I loaded it onto the Edge and did it on the trainer. Having distance and speed data on the trainer has brought new life to those basement spins. If I was going too hard, or too slow, the Edge would "yell" at me to adjust my HR or speed. It was actually fun. Did I just say a workout on the trainer was fun? Ouch. I must really be hurting for some singletrack. hopefully next weekend provides that opportunity. I need to get some long hours in, and I need to dial in my new bikes. It is killing me having them hanging in the garage. Pictures of the SS should be up tomorrow.

Try this at home.

click for biggie size

Wow, the last week has gone by quickly. I should have some photos of the complete Jersey Devil very soon.

I have been doing some indoor workouts lately, the temps here are unruly. Right now? 8 degrees. Last night I did some core work, and who knew that jumping up and down in your living room could be so painful. My legs were shaking afterward. The foam cylinder is my new best friend.

Other than just getting ready for OP and getting my bikes built up, my life is fairly dull right now. I think this is the worst time of year for blogging. At least for me. I feel like everyday I am writing about how cold it is, and how much I am looking forward to racing.

It is cold. I am looking forward to racing.

Like a kid on Christmas morning, I opened my new Van Dessel frames last night. First Impression? Super light and very attractive. I can't wait to get them built up and out on the dirt. The two models I have are the Jersey Devil HT and the Ramble Tamble SS. To go along withthe SS I also ordered a White Bros. carbon rigid fork. Training this year on the SS is going to be pure painful bliss. And training includes XC races....one might say I am going to try the SS class in the Intermountain Cup because I don't have the legs to hang with the 30-39 experts. They'd be right.

My profile page is up at Van Dessel.com now. Check it out here.

The Jersey Devil will have its debut race down at OP in February. The last time I got a new bike I won the first race I rode it in--the 24 Hours of Soldier Hollow. I will let that thought motivate you, and me for the next 6 weeks. :D

The Jersey Devil and the Ramble Tamble

White Bros. Rock Solid Carbon Rigid

I have been stretching to find interesting things to write about lately. Today I really have nothing. My frames should be arriving soon, I am very excited to see them in person, and build them up into fine racing machines. Of course when they get here, I will post pictures...

The training train keeps moving forward. I have been focusing on short, intense workouts. I want to improve my burst power and my "get and and go" ability. The endurance is there, I feel like I can ride for days. I just want to be able to ride for days--faster.

Old Pueblo is fast approaching. I am excited to get down there, enjoy some nice weather (hopefully!) and ride around the clock. I still have that empty place where the 24 Hours of Moab was supposed to be. So the two-four craving is still there.

There may also be some news forthcoming on the lighting front. I will post details when I know what they are. Regardless, something needs to happen pronto so I can get a new system (if that is the case) dialed in pre-OP.

OK, I am out.

More snow today. It is adding up, so it looks like it could end up being a pretty hefty storm. The heat of summer is looking better and better.

I was thinking....

In 2003 Utah basically had 2 endurance races. The Brianhead Epic 100, and the 24 Hours of Moab. This year there are 7 counting the Rim Ride, and the KTR. If the 24 Hours of Soldier Hollow had not gone away, there'd be 1 more.

So in 4 seasons of racing, the number of events more than tripled. And like Dave points out, the competition is only getting better and better.

In other news...judging by the pictures we are seeing, I'd say Sager is feeling as free as ever right now.

When I was down in Guatemala, at the famous city of Tikal, I thought, this area would make an amazing bike race venue. There is a great mix of dirt roads, and single track trails winding through some of the Mayan worlds most spectacular ruins. Imagine the 24 Hours of Tikal, gliding through the misty jungle at 3 AM with the dark ominous pyramids shadowing you. Above in the jungle canopy the howler monkeys are screaming back and forth, their chilling voices echoing across miles and miles. The Podium could be on the steps of the signature "Pyramid 1" in the Great Plaza.

Yeah, that would be amazing.

Never head a Howler Monkey? Here you go. They are much louder in person.

Never seen Tikal? Here is a good site to visit.

Today I hit the spin class and kicked my own butt. It hurt a lot. And it felt great. The last week or so has been sluggish. Due to some unforeseen family obligations, and a dose of year-end...laziness, I was starting to feel like a breathing piece of taffy. Tonight was a great way to get back in the rhythm of training.

2007 looks promising, and it starts for real in 6 weeks, and doesn't slow down after that.

February: 24 hours of Old Pueblo

March: The Rim Ride

April: ???

May: KTR

June: E12

July: E50

August: E100

September: E Ultra (maybe...hopefully...)

October: 24 Hours of Moab

These are just the ones here in Utah, except for OP. There are a few others in Colorado, and even some others in Utah, such as the Brianhead Epic 100 that I would like to do.

Yeah, 2007 will have no shortage of events. For now though, I am just focusing on getting the mind, body and bikes ready for Old Pueblo.