It's beginning to feel positively springlike here in Durango. No recent snow to speak of, days nearing the 50-degree mark, and even a bit of rain - and it's not even quite March yet! I got a little over-enthused last week and tried out some of the in-town trail systems. After about an hour of riding around town, riding a few feet of muddy/icy trail, and then heading on to the next area, I had virtually no trail time but my bike was covered in mud. Took me longer than an hour to get it all clean... the mud in the valley here is like concrete, better get it off while it's wet.
Upping the ante lately with 6-hour county road rides. Six hours seems like a long time in the saddle right now, but a few months from now that will seem like a short ride. A few photos from Saturday's ride:
My main ride this time of year - Bianchi touring/CX bike, set up SS, complete with fenders, homemade frame bag (first attempt, the nicer second one is on the MTB), and cheapo micro knobbies.
Soon I'll be down there... and just past that visible stretch of road, I'll be literally almost run over by a F-350-wielding redneck who is just achin' to kill him some bi-cyc-ler. I guess that's one of the hazards of riding these desolate county roads alone. I can only do the same old boring road routes that everyone else does so many times. Maybe I should carry a .22? Or a .45?
Looking at the southwestern side of the La Platas from Hay Gulch, also known as CR 120.
In other news, I was super stoked to walk out on my porch the other day and find a box of these bad boys waiting for me:
Kate's Real Food, one of our sponsors (and probably my favorite, as the way to my heart is definitely through my stomach), had just shipped out the early season portion of our delicious Grizzly Bars. I knew I liked the Tram Bar, their milk-chocolate flavor, having tried it last year. In fact, the taste and wonderfully simple ingredients of the Tram Bar was what pushed me to pursue Kate's as a sponsor. But when I found they make a dark chocolate version - the Grizzly Bar - I knew this was what I had to have. After having a couple, I'm not disappointed. All organic ingredients, all things that I can find in my own cabinets at any given time - rolled oats, honey, rice, dark chocolate, apricot, banana, raisins, seeds - it's like something I would make, except they've perfected the recipe and it just works! They even have no soy, which is a rare thing in today's food, especially energy bars. I'm no big fan of soy after perusing, years ago, the work of Weston A. Price and his foundation, and whaddya know - that's what they've been reading too! Impressive.
Nutrition-geek talk aside, Kate's Griz Bars just taste like real food and don't make you feel like you're trying to stuff a science experiment down your gullet. If you ride ultra-endurance distances, you know there's only so much fake stuff you can handle before you just want some actual food, which is why I've been known to pack PB&J on lots of rides in lieu of energy bars. I don't think my PB&J is going anywhere, but the Griz Bars will be an every-ride addition. Thanks Kate, and thanks Katie (different person, instrumental in making this happen) for everything!
Now, if only the trails would melt out... I'm getting geekier with every road ride.
Joey
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