Well, 2011 is officially here. Time to get on the bike! Here in Durango we've had several recent nights that dropped into the negative double-digits, which make the cold days seem downright warm by comparison. For the first time ever I've got my cold-weather setup dialed down to about zero degrees. Any colder than that and I'll stay inside, thanks. Riding before work has become an exercise not only in preparation and heat management, but in beard-ice-carrying-capacity as well. After most rides I look like a Viking! Days off provide much nicer riding conditions, as getting out when the sun is high means temps in the 20's-40's.
While the mountains here are covered with snow and the trails are unrideable (until I get a Pugsley -hmmm...), I'm already daydreaming of alpine meadows and dirt while cruising along icy county roads on my SS 'cross bike with studded tires. I've really been looking into the Colorado Trail Race. I know, it's still eight months away, but I figure it's best to not underestimate something of the CTR's magnitude. I'm familiar with several parts of the CT:
South Park from the CT, just west of Kenosha Pass.
I've also ridden segments near Buffalo Creek, along the Monarch Crest, and between Molas and Bolam passes. I've never ridden a part of the Colorado Trail that I didn't love, and if things go well this year, the CTR will just about be a definite. Having ridden a lot with Doug and Jon, I know how tough they are - and having heard their stories from the CTR, I could do much worse than to approach it with all the respect and caution I can muster! For now I'll just fine-tune my homemade bikepacking gear (thanks Doom for the hookup on the GoreTex!), keep riding on these damn roads, and look forward to the first overnighters of 2011.
Beyond the CTR, there are some awesome events I'd love to take part in for 2011. The underground Colorado Endurance Series has some great events, including the tough Durango Dirty Century right here at home. Arizona has the same sort of thing happening and the Sedona Big Friggin' Loop in March may well be my first race for 2011. The 12 Hours of Mesa Verde are less than an hour from here at Phil's World, the Don Ride beckons again, there will be an actual Ring The Peak race this year back in the Springs (filling up incredibly fast already), and as my friend Mitch Fedak organizes the 24 Hours in the Sage race in Gunnison I may have to try my hand at that as well! If my ducks are in a row I might even try and race fast in small circles at the newly-resurrected Iron Horse MTB XC race here in Durango - after all, the start/finish will be a block from my house.
One thing I'm realizing is that as much as I like maps and dislike electronic gadgetry, doing long self-supported events in places I've never ridden (Sedona, for example) will be really challenging without a GPS unit. Unfortunately, my homemade-gear skills fall somewhat short of producing an effective GPS device, so if anyone out there has a nice used unit with good battery life and wants to get rid of it for a sum attainable by someone on a bicycle mechanic's salary (that's me), please give me a shout!
A belated Happy New Year to everyone and a call to embrace the cold and get out there!
-Joey
