I need to update this more
frequently. But not always at 2 in the
morning! Some people will be getting up
for work a mere hours from now, and I’m just winding down. But honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other
way! I work nights so I can enjoy my
days. Speaking of enjoying my days, what
have I been doing with them? Shortly
after my last post, in which I had suddenly been too tired to continue a ride,
I spent a couple of days in pure rest mode.
Probably more rest then I’ve gotten in months. It was something natural that came over my
body that I just had to listen to. I
wasn’t sick, but was running on low energy for about 3 or 4 days. Normally I would push through and get out and
ride regardless; this the infection that many cyclists have, always feeling
like we are regressing or “losing it”, but in this instance I decided to let it
be. Since then my riding has been mostly
mundane. I need to find the inspiration
somewhere to get back out and start hammering again. I know it will come, and I will find it, but
for now it’s a slow process. That’s okay
though, because there is so much in the way of mountain biking right around the
corner, and I will surely get my fill.
The first thing on my definite schedule is the Sea Otter Classic in
Monterey in April. I’m so excited to be
getting back out to California again! Not
so excited about taking my licks from all of the top MTB Pros that will be
there, but so it goes. Everybody has to
experience it. It will be a UCI-type XC
race, which I am not at all used to. In
the last couple of years the UCI has reworked what it considers mountain bike
races, switching from backcountry, singletrack epics, to viewer friendly,
technically challenging, fast and furious courses with minimal climbing. These courses are best-suited to the
big-power guys. I am not a big-power
guy. Before that, there are a couple of Pro XCT stops in southern California in
March. If I can swing it, I’ll also try
to be out there then. If not, some trips
to Moab and Sedona will probably be in store.
Then, in May the real racing begins.
There is the Rocky Mountain Endurance Series season opener in mid-May,
followed by the Gunnison Growler a week later.
After that, everything becomes a blur!
I kick off my foray into the ultra endurance scene with 100-mile races
in Ohio then Michigan only two weeks apart.
Then Marathon Nationals, Breck100, and more! Whewww! I hope it all works out.
In my immediate line of
sight, there is this thing called Stout Month.
In its 20th year of existence, the heavy hitting dark beer
extravaganza at the Mountain Sun Pubs is something to behold. Let me preface this by acknowledging my own skepticism
toward both the epicness and the appeal of having over 10 stouts on tap at all
times. Big deal. Who even wants to drink this much stout,
right? Well, apparently every beer
drinker in Boulder! The talk was not
cheap! It is truly something
special. The influx of amazing beers and
variety of our constantly changing tap wall has made me change my mind. Every day something new hits the wall that I have to try! More than anything, it has been the guest
taps that I have enjoyed the most. We have
gotten all of the best stouts, some of which are extremely small-batch, from
local Colorado breweries. New Belgium
Lips of Faith, O’dell Lugene Chocolate Milk Stout, Renegade Peanut Butter Cup,
Avery The Czar, Avery Tweak, Great Divide Oak-aged Coffee Imperial, and more
from Ska, Strange Brewing, Telluride, Equinox, Cooper Smith, Left Hand,
Elevation, Wynkoop, Boulder Beer, River North, Gravity, and more. This in conjunction with our personal
rotation of 40+ in-house stouts. It’s a
stout explosion. But that’s not the only
thing exploding. Facial hair also
explodes in odd forms and variety this month, as it is tradition for Stout Month
to coincide with Chop Month.
Mine was a
small explosion. More like a
fire-cracker.
More bike goods to come, as
they come funneling in, including my new 2013 singlespeed race bike build! Cheers.
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