San Juan Hut Trip - Day 3

The crisp mountain air still had a chill in it when we woke up at the Black Mesa hut on day 3. We wanted to get an early start because we had to ride about 40 miles (although mostly down hill) and it would get hot as we descended from the mountains to the high desert. For most of the morning we were treated to more mountain scenery. Our route took us northwest along a ridgeline overlooking Groundhog Reservoir to the south and the northwestern peaks of the San Juan Mountains to the north. Eventually we descend a mixture of double track and fire roads down to the Greager Flats. Miramonte Reservoir was the high light of the day. It was a hot flat slog its semi-clear blue waters. Water in the desert is magic and we were all overjoyed at its sight. Huge crawdads (we saw one that was 8 inches) with pinky toe-chopping claws patrolled the shoreline, but they were no deterrent to cooling off and cleaning up 3 days worth of sweaty funk. The comfortably cold water was sooo nice, the best swim I've had in years. After lunch, drying off, and Pepsi that Jean-Paul bummed off a ranger and surprised me with, we pressed on into the dust and heat. This was a huge mistake because we wouldn't find water again for 2 solid days and the heat would only get worse. If we were wise we would have chilled at the lake until early evening then motored to the hut just before dusk. Dry Creek Hut was true to its name. We were in the desert now, there was no cooler filled with perishables, only spam to eat amongst the cactuses and lizards surrounding the hut. The spam was surprisingly delicious, but had the unfortunate side effect of exacerbating an already volatile farting epidemic that was affecting the group. After a lazy afternoon on the porch we hiked up to a butte to watch the sunset over Disappointment Valley. I slept with Jean-Paul on the porch that night, but caffeine and waking up to my sleeping bag liner dancing over my head gusty winds sent me inside. I made the mistake of rolling into the bunk above Andrew. All night long I was awoken by the foul stench of his gas wafting up through the bunk. It was some of the worse gas I’ve smelt in my life, I guess I had it coming! Here are my notes from the day:

• Egg Burritos for Breakfast.
• Riding by 10:00.
• Started with moderate climb to 11,000 feet.
• 8 miles of ridgeline and views.
• Missed a turn, but not by much.
• 5000' of descending, Andrew flatted.

Getting Starting

Andrew's Bike

Enjoying the Mountains

Doug and Joni in Front of Groundhog Reservoir

• Couldn't wait to get to Miramonte Reservoir.
• Heat became a factor as we got lower.
• So funky and stinky, need to bath.
• Clear water, salivated at its sight.
• Ran into water, couldn't wait.
• WTF just bit my toe? Huge crawdad, I mean lobster!
• Water felt sooo good, best swim of the year!
• Stayed for a while, should have stayed longer.
• Pepsi - sooo good.

Jo on the Greager Flats

The Group

Alex and Jean-Paul at Miramonte Reservoir

Jo Refreshed

A Pepsi Finally

• Jean-Paul broke a cleat.
• Hot dusty climb to Sandys Fort Pass, felt strong.
• Dry Creek Hut hot, dry, dusty.
• Relaxed in shade on porch.
• Rode down to Dry Creek, it was dry - huge mistake.

Dry Climb to Sandys Fort Pass

Andrew Topping Out

Chillin' at Dry Creek Hut

Spam - Delicious

Cactus in John's Leg



Horned Lizard

• Hiked up to butte, watched sunset.
• Bed early to wake up at 5:30 to beat the heat.
• Slept on porch with Jean-Paul, stars were amazing.
• Left after spooked by dancing sleeping bag liner.
• Horrible gas inside hut, Andrew.

Sunset over Disappointment Valley



You can see more pictures Here
(Day 3 pages 9 thru 12)

San Juan Hut Trip - Day 2

We woke up to a beautiful morning on Day 2 of the hut trip. The jagged rocky peaks of the San Juan's towered above wild flower meadows reflected back every color of the rainbow in the warm morning sun. Our route would have us descend from Bolam Pass to around 8500 feet where we crossed the headwaters of the Dolores River then climb back up through the San Miguel mountains to Black Mesa. It was only 28 miles, but it had another 3000 feet of climbing. There was an alternate singletrack route, but we decided it was best for the group not to ride it. We read in the logbook later that everyone that opted for the singletrack had epic days. I got the feeling that the authors weren't the most talented trail riders. In hindsight the best option would have been to split into two groups for those who wanted to descend the singletrack then rejoin and ride the standard route for the climb. Even though it was all on fire roads descending from Bolam Pass was great fun, but we paid for it later with steep climbing and sore asses. Here are my notes from the day:

• Cool night, high altitude, slept great.
• Warm sunlight, rocky peaks, wildflower meadows.
• Back, shoulders, and ass are killing me - no conditioning.
• Egg burrito for breakfast.
• Started riding at 10:00am.

Morning from the Hut Front Door

Route Finding

Group Shot

Heading Out

Andrew in Front of Grizzly Peak

• Lush alpine scenery, quintessential Colorado Mountains.
• First half down hill, second half up hill.
• Climb was long and steep.
• Was slow at high altitude, but felt fitness coming back.

Jo Descending off Bolam Pass

Jean-Paul in Front of Mt. Wilson & Mountain Cabin

A & J

• Reached hut mid-afternoon, weather was perfect.
• Ass is very sore, Body Glide sucks!
• Glad I brought A & D Diaper Cream.
• View from hut is spectacular.

Black Mesa Hut

Improvised IT Band Roller

Jo Stretching

Doug Chillin'

View from Black Mesa Hut

• No Soda, only beer, nothing for me to drink - Argh!
• Joni made great dinner.
• Early to bed.

You can see all the pictures Here

(Day 2, pages 7 -9)

San Juan Hut Trip - Day 1

Tuesday was the first riding day of the trip. Well rested from a comfortable night in the condo at Durango Mountain Resort we took our time getting ready. With the exception of the food and sleeping bags in the huts we would only have what we carried on our backs and our bikes to live off of. Andrew shocked and surprised everyone by changing into a once piece time trail road biking kit (courtesy of Jo's ex boyfriend).

Andrew in his new Time-Trail Suit


We ate breakfast among the tourists (mostly Texans) at the DMR deli and started loading up. As we all packed our gear piles spilled into each other and soon all manner of outdoor gear and clothing was strewn about the condo. Eventually housekeeping forced us (okay me, I was the last one ready) to leave and we were ready to roll.

Hurrying to Get Ready



Official Group Photo



Day 1's ride followed part of the Durango 100 mountain bike race course from DMR along the east fork of Hermosa Creek and then turned upward to Bolam Pass which sits at over 11,000 feet. It was only 18 miles, but it had almost 4000 feet of climbing. It was my first ride on the new Superfly. I remembered the course from the race in 2005. It was a short climb early followed by a gradually increasing climb that terminated in relentlessly steep switchbacks. The skies opened dumping heavy rain on us about half way up the climb. It only got colder and wetter as we gained altitude. We were all freezing when we made it to the hut. Here are my notes from the day:

• Good sleep - finally.
• Breakfast with Texas Tourists.
• Storm clouds building early.
• Route part of Durango 100, I remember this.
• Slow movers up the first climb, my ass hurts already.

First Climb

• Raindrops at the top.
• Easy Descent down to Hermosa Creek, big climb lurking ahead.

Descending to Hermosa Creek

Lower Hermosa Creek Valley

Crossing Hermosa Creek

• Rain clouds growing more ominous.
• Climb starts easy, gets steeper and steeper.
• Heavy Rain hit just past Hermosa Creek.
• Stopped for a while, but rain didn't.

The Rain Hits

Waiting out the Rain

• Pressed on.
• Rained the entire climb, just like in the Durango 100.
• Only got wetter and colder as climb continued.
• Switchbacks pure hell, no fitness only misery.
• Jo's chain broke.
• Steep climbing over at Miner's Shack.
• Great view at the top.

Pressing On

Broken Chain

Jean-Paul and Andrew on the Climb

Miner's Shack



Upper Hermosa Creek Valley



The Mighty Superfly

• More climbing to the hut.
• So cold, fingers and toes completely numb.
• Hut is a sight from heaven.
• So much food, so hungry, what to eat?
• Built a fire, finally warm.
• Rain clouds cleared, stayed cold at 11,000.
• Chopped wood, cooked dinner, organized, packed.

The Hut

Lycra Jungle

View from the Front Door

View from the Porch

Cutting Wood

Dishes

• Hiked out to overlook to watch sunset - beautiful.

The End of the Day

Sunset Over Lizard Head Peak

• Deer just outside hut.
• Slept good.

You can see more photos Here
(Day 1, pages 3-7)

San Juan Hut Trip - Travel Day

I'm finally done editing the 300+ photos from the hut trip. I'll pick it up on the travel day (last post here). I had no Internet (it was wonderful) on the trip, so I took notes every couple of days on paper.

After a hectic night of packing Jo, Andrew, and I left for Paradox at 4:40 in the morning. I had slept only 1 hour and 45 minutes. We decided to run the shuttle from Moab to Durango on the front end of the trip, as it would be less driving total. Andrew had to leave the trip on day 5 to go to London, which required leaving a vehicle for him in Paradox. This meant we had to drive the truck and the honda from Boulder through Moab to Paradox and back to Moab to meet up with the group. We had to be there by 2:00pm. Then we all would pile into a van for the 3 hour drive to Durango.

The Paradox Valley was the highlight of the day. I had been trying to get to the Paradox Valley ever since Lee described it to me years ago. The narrow valley, surrounded by red rock cliffs in the shadow of the La Sal Mountains, is called Paradox because the Dolores River cuts it in half rather than run through it. The north rim is perfect for hang gliding with cliffs over 2000 feet high and multiple directions to launch from. More on Paradox later, here are my notes from the day (bullet points).

• Long drive, racing against the clock.
• Must be there by 2:00pm.
• Very tired.
• Made it to Moab late, made it to Paradox early?
• Google maps is wrong.
• Road to Paradox is amazing, wish I was in the M Coupe.
• Fun even in the Tacoma, good lines, threshold braking, heel-toe shifting.
• Paradox more beautiful than I imagined.
• Red rock cliffs lush with green vegetation.
• Aspens at the top, desert sage at the bottom - amazing!

First View of Paradox

• Cloud streets - drool.

Cloud Streets

• Left Honda at Post Office.
• Very nice post woman offered to watch it.
• Paradox store abandoned.

Paradox Store

• Made it back to Moab early, everyone was running late.
• So hot, over 100 degrees at the ball field (meeting place).
• Like an oven.
• Met up with Doug, John, and Jean-Paul.

Jean-Paul and Andrew

• Loaded up in the Van.
• 3 hour drive to Durango was long.
• Lack of sleep catching up with me.
• Picked up Joni in town, 30 more minutes to Durango Mountain Resort.
• DMR, used to be Purgatory.

Long Van Ride

• Condo Doug rented at DMR is tight!
• No food though.

The West Needle Mountains from the Condo Balcony

• Rode 3 miles to School House Bar where they have pizza.
• Pizza took forever.

The Group at the School House

• Heavy sleep that night.

You can see all of the photos HERE(Travel Day, Pages 1 &2)

From the Podium to the Paramedic Trailer - The Laramie Enduro

What a difference a year makes! Last year I showed up to the Laramie Enduro well trained, fit, and hungry for a win, this year I had nothing but 7 exhausting days of riding/training under my belt. When I woke up on Saturday morning I felt horrible. My body was still wrecked from the hut trip, I had no energy and I was sweating a cold sweat. I chalked it up to a poor night's sleep and got ready for the race.

At Happy Jack's Recreation Area (the race start) there was a chill in the air and everything was drenched from rain all night. I tried to warm up, but couldn't get my heart rate up. Since I was racing in the Pro / Open Class this year Jo and I were together at the start. As the pack rolled across the line I slowly accelerated to a full sprint to get close to the front for the first section of singletrack. This strategy worked well last year, but did nothing for me this year. I made it to the first 3rd of the pack, but after the 2 miles of singletrack I was done. I slowed down to recover. My teeth hurt and my lungs burned from going anaerobic, but my heart rate was still only 120. This was odd because my threshold is about 182, I should have at least been in the mid 170's. As I slowed down it fell to 90, a classic sign of fatigue.

With only 2 miles down all I could think about is how much pain I was in. My legs had nothing, my pulse wouldn't come up, and I couldn't shake the chill out of my bones. The next 68 miles would be 7 and half hours of suffering. All I wanted to do was quit, but I stubbornly slogged on. "I don't quite races" I kept telling myself, but I should have. The fire road sections were the worst. A light, but steady wind forced me into my granny gear and the masses rode by. On the singletrack every once in a while I could muster a short burst of energy to ride like I was racing, but it would never last long. The lowest point of the race was at the 4th aid station, mile 50. There was a soda-filled water bottle sitting in someone's private support cache. I was sure the caffeine would give me a lift, but I couldn't have it. Torture!

No Smiles this Year



The last 20 miles of the race are the hardest as the course is mostly singletrack. I was so happy to be on some trail and out of the wind that my misery faded slightly. The end was in sight! All I cared about was finishing, I had come too far to quit. At one point I rallied another racer to try to beat 7 hours, but I was deliriously reading my computer wrong. 7 hours had already come and gone. I limped in across the line at 7:31.

I knew immediately my body wasn't right, I was cold and faint. Things were starting to shut down. I lumbered up the hill, changed, and waited for Jo to finish. She rolled across the line shortly behind me and at first sight immediately took me to the paramedic trailer. They laid me down and took my pulse. The doc diagnosed me with severe exhaustion and forced me to stay laying down for about an hour. She was worried about swelling around my heart from something called pericarditis, but that was just a worry. After lots of electrolytes and a strong tongue lashing for not quitting she released me. My original plan was to head to the airport to catch a red eye flight to London, but I couldn't even drive, much less travel internationally.

I finished 38 out of 51 in the Pro / Open Class - Ouch! Alas, still waters have finally arrived (see previous post)...