It is almost time to head south, yesterday the weather started getting cold in Durango, CO. This last week was amazing, fall colors, brilliant sun, riding in shorts and short sleeves every day. I took full advantage and ended the week with the Saturday Zuni 50 in Gallup, NM and a Sunday MTB skills clinic in Durango.
Zuni 50
Saturday I woke up at 4am for the four hour drive to Gallup, NM. Three folks did the Zuni 100 (the Zuni 50, then they go back out again in the opposite direction) and ~65 of us did the Zuni 50. It was all singletrack and so much fun! (the 50 mile course was really ~46miles).
After the race everyone wanted to check out my bike. I think my custom Cannondale Flash has been picked up/ridden by more people than any other bike ever. I got comments like "Well no wonder you were fast" and "Wow, that's cheating!". I have to say it was fun to walk around chatting to everyone and showing off my 17.75lb bike!
The course was amazing, it was very well organized, the people were really cool and I was trying out new products during the ride. Late Friday night I put on the new Magura 140/160 rotors (click on STORM SL Rotors) and decided to try a new drink I had just received in the mail, Carbo Rocket's CR333.
Thursday's Post Office score
The STORM SL rotors were the ones off the Interbike showroom floor! They performed just as well as the original SL 160s and had none of the flexy issues that light aluminum rotors have. I tried the light route, I am all about getting my MTBs as light as possible, but I couldn't deal with the lack of performance (both loss of power and rubbing issues due to the aluminum flexing while trying to align the brakes). The STORM rotors weighed 76g (140) and 96.39g (160) and worked perfectly. Because the Flash is designed for a rear 140 direct mount to the frame, I also lost the weight of 2 bolts and the 160 adapter.
I took full strength CR333 (333 calories in 24 oz bottles). I knew that would be too strong for me at race pace, but I was not going race pace and it worked perfectly. No gels, no water, nothing but CR333. My "50-mile" time was 4:13 and my legs felt good the entire time. For racing I would do ~280 calories in a 24oz. bottle and less if it were really hot (if I was going through more than a bottle an hour).
They had a full-on party all afternoon and evening. Write up and pictures at Mountain Flyer.
Pulling the pig out of the ground
Live music
Dinner
T-shirts
I stayed till dark (when everyone was really getting started, I left before the homebrew competition) and headed back to Durango. It was a full day and worth the drive!
Sunday I did a MTB Skills clinic for 12 people (showing off their 2oz Stan's Solution bottles)
Clinic goodies. Packing up for the next one in Cortez, CO.
Earlier in the week I got in on different group rides (and usually went for beers after)
Thursday night Girl's Ride at the Test Tracks.
Co-ed Friday morning ride from Sale Barn.
Funny who you meet in this town, the guy on the left is Jimmy Deaton. I tried to stick to his wheel on all the descents.
4:13 seems very fast to this old geezer, despite you not hammering.
ReplyDeleteAre you using the Ergon GA1 grips? Wonder if you've tried the GE1 and your preference?
haha, thanks!
ReplyDeleteI have the Ergon GE1, GA1 and GA1 Leichtbau grips.
I like the GA1 Leichtbaus best just because they are the lightest. But right now I am running the GA1s because they are white (and my Leichtbaus are black). I don't position my hands in tight enough to even feel the ridge on the GE1s. And I use bar ends from Ergon's other grips (some require cutting off a bit of the rubber to fit), so the end clamps don't matter to me either.
see weights here: http://www.ergon-bike.com/us/en/grip-weights