Cycling News has some nice photos from Old Pueblo up.

A few of the ones my Support chief Brad Mullen shot are here.

That reminds me. I nearly let OP slip away without mentioning Brad. I sort of roped Brad into being my support crew. He was coming down to Arizona with us to enjoy some good riding. Instead I convinced him to help me ride in circles for 24 Hours. He did an amazing job. He was always ready with food, drink, endurolytes, chain lube, clothing, fresh batteries, and anything else I might have needed. He stayed up the entire night waiting for me to come around the loop, boss him around and then leave again. Thanks a million Brad. I could not have done nearly as well without the stellar help.

I knew he would be a good choice, because Brad himself is an accomplished racer. He is a multiple Brianhead 50 finisher, as well as an E12, E50 and E100 finisher. Not to mention one of the best in his class at the ICUP XC Series.

Really, thanks Brad. It was a ton of fun having you down there, and it was peace of mind knowing you were in the pits getting things ready for me while I was out on the laps.

I was just starting to feel ready to get back on the bike when I was floored by a stomach virus. Nice. A couple more days of rest are in order I guess. My thoughts are starting to focus more and more on the road ahead. The Rim Ride is next, but so far all accounts from pre-riders are saying the same thing: The route is impossible to follow. Hmmm. I am still planning on doing a pre-ride of the course, but the race is perhaps up in the air. Time will tell. At worst I guess the race will be just a long day on the bike, even if I spend most of it off route.

A few other events are showing up on the radar as well. I have a clean slate for April, and I think I'd like to fill that with the Dawn 'til Dusk 12 Hour race in Gallup, NM. I need to work out a few logistical things before I can commit to it, but as of right now it is a real possibility.

My Van Dessel bikes are now both built and ready for action. The Ramble Tamble is a beauty. I have a White Bros. carbon rigid fork to lighten up the front end. This bike is going to see a ton of training miles this year. As well as a it's fair share of XC race time.

Matched Pair, JD on the left, RT on the right

First, thanks for your positive comments. I am glad that you guys can relate to some of my thoughts.

As promised, I thought I'd share a few things about the gear I used during the race. I realize this will be sort of a sponsor pimp, but I would only do this for gear I really use, and really like. I was blown away by how well everything performed in the race. A 24 Hour solo will bring out the true colors of any gear. Mine came through for me with flying colors.

Princeton Tec Switchback's:

I used the SB 2 on my helmet, and the SB 3 on my bars. I was very impressed with these lights. They were more than bright enough, the beam patterns were easy on the eyes, and the lights were user friendly enough so my support crew had no problems charging and hooking them up. The lights are small and light, I never had any neck fatigue from having extra weight on the helmet. The battery for the SB3 stayed put on my frame. No sliding around or on the fly adjustments.

It took me about half of a lap to really get the direction of the lights just right, but once I got them dialed in, they lit the trail up very well. Last year I was constantly adjusting my bar mounted HID on this course. I was also constantly out running it. This year there were none of those problems. The SB2 shot light far down the trail, giving me plenty of time to dodge cactus. This combination of lights is excellent. I really felt for the first time that lighting was not holding me back--my legs were--but that is a different story ")

Ergon Grips:

I have been using Ergon grips for the last year, but that doesn't stop me from being amazed at how comfortable they can be. I used the R2W for this race, and I really liked the larger bar-end. It provided a nice spot for my hands to rest, or to grab while I cranked some of the small climbs. More and more endurance racers are using Ergon, and there is a reason for that.

The Jersey Devil HT:

The more time I get on this bike, the more I am loving it. The frame just feels very good. After 24 Hours on the HT I was still comfortable. The carbon stays soaked up the bumps and the stylish paint job turned a lot of heads.

Wingnut Assault:

The Assault just plain rocks. I literally forget it is there. It's the little things that continue to emerge with this pack that I love. The gel flask holder makes it so easy to eat on the go. The side zipper pockets made it simple to swap out batteries without changing packs. The low rider system kept my back and shoulders happy. These little Assaults are excellent lap packs.

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If you have any question about this stuff, don't hesitate to ask. Like I said earlier, I would only be using these if they worked. I am very excited about the gear I will be using this year. I really feel like I have some of the best available. The people behind these products are also very cool. They have been super helpful. Thanks guys!


The Le Mans run, getting my bike handed off to me in the chaos

24 Hour racing is an interesting endeavor. I go through the entire range of human emotion, from tears of pain to tears of joy. My body hurts, my mind gets tired, I question every decision I have ever made. But I am not suffering.

I was riding along the smooth, fast stretch of dirt road after "the bitches" just before sundown when randomly I thought of my Aunt Rita. She died 2 years ago after a battle with cancer. I wondered for a moment why she was occupying my thoughts, at that moment and in that place. Then I remembered.

Just after her diagnosis I found myself in Moab, racing my first 24 hour solo. I remember thinking how hard it was, how much pain I was in, how much I was suffering. Then I thought of her, in the midst of intense radiation therapy. I realized that what I was doing was not suffering. If anything, I was thriving. I was experiencing life in a way most people never get to. I picked up my pace a bit, glanced down at the yellow LiveStrong wristband like the one I had bought for everyone in my family, including her, when she was diagnosed, and learned a bit about myself and what life is really all about.

So there I was last weekend, watching the sun sink low behind the tall cactus and vast desert of Arizona. I smiled at the memory of my aunt. She is missed, but not forgotten. She taught me a lot about how to face challenges, how to smile through them, and how to love life.

I am happy that I can go out and "suffer" through a day of bike racing. That I can experience the gritty wind in my face, or the dull ache of numbing feet. A 24 Hour solo is hard, don't get me wrong. There is physical and mental pain, but it isn't suffering. It's experience. And that is why I think I do it.

A few things are emerging from this year's OP race. For me the theme was consistency. I wanted to be constant in my eating, pace and attitude. And for the most part I did that very well. I made a few mistakes, I didn't eat or drink enough, but it was leaps and bounds better than I have done in the past. Mentally I felt really good all day and night. I was having fun out there, despite the dusty headwind.

Physically things went well also. I fought off "mini" cramps early in the race. that was a new one for me, but after some extra electrolytes and some chicken noodle soup I was able to put those to bed. Arms, legs, neck and shoulders all felt good.

The major hiccup came on my last lap. It was a hard one. I wanted to be done. I was having trouble getting food and drink down. I think all the dust I had inhaled over the course of the race wreaked major havoc on my mouth and throat. For whatever reason it made it hard to swallow anything, even plain water. So I started trailing off quickly. I pulled over to let a group of faster riders by, and I fell asleep leaning on my handlebars. I took an 8 minute nap. I remember distinctly dreaming that I was with my wife and we were picking out a couch for our house. We couldn't decide which size we wanted....I have no idea where that one came from.

I rolled in eventually after that lap, and although there was time to start a 14th lap, I called it a day. In hindsight I should have gone out again, but at the moment I was spent, and the lure of being finished was too strong. Next time however, that lure will not be so strong.

Life goes on now, and there will be another day to race, another day to explore the limits of the human mind and body. Another day to go out and enjoy the simple pleasure of riding a bicycle. Underlying the competition (which is important to me) and the strategy and the lap times, is the foundation of living life to the fullest. Part of doing that for me, is racing my bike. Not a lot of people outside the sport understand why I would do it. But then, I can't really expect them to. For them, it might take years to feel what I feel in one day on the bike.

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Tomorrow I will comment on my light set up and few other gear choices. In short, the PT Switchbacks were amazing. For the first time in a 24 hour race I felt like lighting was not a liability. They were bright, light and extremely versatile. More on all that tomorrow....

13 laps. 14th place. Lots of good times. Lots of dust. I learned a lot, and made some good progress. I made some mistakes, but I was able to keep them to a minimum. Overall it was a good step forward. Live and Learn.

I will have details, photos, and whatever else I can think of soon.

Be sure to drop Lynda a "get well soon" note. She broke her collar bone, hand and finger in the middle of the night and had to drop out of the race. Everyone in our pit area was pretty sad to see it happen.

Lynda, get better! Keep your head up, it won't be long and you will be cranking again.

My wife got me a great Valentines present...



Speaking of rolling...it's time to roll out to Tucson.

An interesting discussion is happening over at MTBR.com. Mike Curiak has called into question some of the decisions made by the people racing the Arrowhead 135. This year the temps were extremely low, and conditions rather dangerous at the race.

So, where do we draw the line? In what situation does personal safety trump personal accomplishment? When is the reward less than the risk? And what responsibility, if any, do random people out on the course have in helping us get to safety?

It is a dicey question, but one that needs discussion I think.

Part of my plan for last year's KTR was a bail out option. My little brother was down there, and if I needed to, I could call him and arrange to meet him somewhere along the route. That way I would not be burdening any recreational riders or ATVers who I encountered on the trail. Thankfully I didn't need to call him.

A situation arose early on in the race where one rider crashed hard and broke his collar-bone. Another racer sacrificed his own race to help him. They were in a bad spot, high up in the La Sal mountains. They found a camper, he drove them to a spot they could get cell phone reception and they phoned in for help. Under the circumstances it was an appropriate action to take.

I know from talking with the people involved, that the camper was not in the mood to help these bikers. It was about 3 AM. He was asleep, and was woken up by people intentionally putting themselves at risk. The racers were polite and were ready to move on, when he relented to their plight.

More important than having the best gear and fitness, is having an exit strategy. Ask President Bush ") I am far from an authority on this subject though.. But it has been on my mind lately. Mike's argument is that to ask for help from people on the course defeats the spirit of being self-supported. I agree with him. His exceptions are when the situation is something that you cannot possible remedy on your own, as he says in his KTR description, "a broken leg or a broken frame."

But the line can get grayed rather quickly. Is running out of water 15 miles from Westwater a life and death situation? Do you need to take water from an ATVer? or can you leg out the remaining miles to a water source? The answer is probably different for everyone.

It's an interesting topic, and one that was inevitable. Hopefully we can keep this discussion pre-emptive, and not retro to an accident or other misfortune out on these remote routes.

Use your brain out there as well as your legs. Easier said than done in some cases.

I realized that the last time I really raced, was at the E100. In August. That was 6 months ago. Moab doesn't count. Saturday cannot come quickly enough. Just for the sake of competition, camaraderie , and of course to put a salve on the addictive masochism of endurance racing. I need this. I need the overwhelming thoughts that cascade upon me at 11:55 Saturday morning. The quiet determination of 9PM, and the aching fatigue of 3AM. I need the Sunday sunrise, and the unmatched feelings of relief, accomplishment and exhaustion that Noon will bring. 2007 is here, and I say...bring it on!

Thanks to Jeff Kerkove I will be riding and testing Ergon grips this season. The grips are not new to my bikes. I started last year with them and like Dave said, I "never looked back." In fact, there was a short time when one of my bikes had normal grips, and my wrists and hands ached after every ride. I was pining for my Ergons in a bad way.

This year I have switched to the "women's" size, which is just smaller then the men's. They fit my hands much better. The bottom line with these grips is comfort. I love the multiple hand positions and the soft rubber fin. If I sound like I am pimping, well, I am. But the truth is that I really like these grips, and was excited when Jeff contacted me about helping Ergon test and promote the brand here in the USA.

Thanks Jeff!

Various images shoot through my head during particularly painful workouts. They are fleeting, abstract, undefined. Today however they started to come into sharper focus. In fact, they were rather familiar. They looked something like this...

The last couple of days the weather has been...dare I say it? Spring-like. So today I rode outside up here for the first time since I don't remember when. It was a night ride as well.

I had hoped to hit the lower section of the BST, but it was mucky and soupy. So I opted to ride the streets around here instead. It just felt good to be out of the house, enjoying a pleasant evening on the bike.

The PT SB2 is a great light. The bar mount is the easiest I have ever used. The light cast a wide enough beam to do as a bar light, but I think where it will really excel is on the helmet. If you are going to OP, be sure to check out the Princeton Tec booth down there. They will have demo lights available for you to burn a lap on if you wish.

Pictures from last weekend, courtesy of Brad Mullen.


Breaking in the Jersey Devil on Gooseberry Mesa
Carson on Gooseberry
Tim up a steep grunt on Gooseberry
L to R: Chris, Tim, K.C., Keith, Myself