Adventure for two

last weekend February 27th I planned on snowboarding at Purgatory ski resort with my wife. Well the weather has been very warm this month and a lack of snow made us not sure if the conditions would be fun, icy or slushy. Well by the time we made it to Durango it was 11am, we were both hungry and figured no rush. Ordered pizza at Fired Up Pizza, walked downtown, picked up some pastries at Jean Píerre and stopped at the bike shop. By this time we decided to take this as a day together, as I have been on the road so much for racing, and if I'm not on the road I'm out training, at the gym, or at work. Left downtown Durango and one last stop at Durango Joes for some delicious coffee for the drive, with no destination, maybe we will still stop in and snowboard... Finally on the road up the mountain, the is plenty of trees and red rocks visible, not much snow ☹. "Hey let's stop at Honeyville, we need more jam" says my wife and why not I like the little shop. With many choices to choose from we left with only five jars of jam and honey 🐝for our house. Back on the open road, just talking and taking in the beautiful scenery, watching a few road bikers going up and a few coming down the mountain. This is the only time I think about biking, but that thought quickly disappears as we continue talking about anything. We also had to stop and think about where we put the cowbell I keep in my truck, we like to ring it when we past a biker going uphill, in a supportive manner, and sometimes we get thumbs up and smiles (if your a biker it makes sense). We look at Purgatory as we drive by, it's busy but not packed/crowded. Keep on driving up the mountain, looking at everyone enjoying outdoor activities, hiking, crosscountry skiing, and a few snow shoers. We stop along the way for some pretty mountain pictures, and we pass through beautiful Silverton, CO. Minutes later we pull off the road to check out some of the waterfalls, some are frozen turned into blue pieces of art from a Distance we take photos and enjoy the fresh mountai air. "Ready" i ask and wife replies "sure" we get back into truck and head into Ouray, CO and around the first corner hey "that looks like ice park". We make a quick stop at the visitor center to make sure we found the ice park, and we go back. We park, hurry across the road and take in the scenery, never before we seen so much frozen ice falls where afew people we ice climbing and I talked to some of them as we have been curious about the sport of ice climbing. Maybe next season we will try it out, we keep missing out on he Ice Festival, but let's plan for 2017. Back into the truck, and by Ouray see you next time, fueled up in Ridgeway and up the mountain to amazing & beautiful Telluride. We have never visited in the winter, usually during Fourth of July and Horror Film Festival in October. Parked in our usual spot, prepared to walk historic downtown, looked into the shops, hoping to find a hidden sale item. Decided it's dinner time, Sheridan Chop House for dinner, well they are full and no reservations but seating at the bar and we took it and beat the crowd. Food is always great there and ordered my first Dutch mulé (also my first drink in awhile), but they don't have a great dessert menu. After dinner we walked he town in search of better dessert. We decided to eat at The Cosmopolitan, seated at the bar again but it's only for dessert we ordered fresh donuts & expresso and Maine blueberry pie. Very yummy and satisfying, while there we met and talked to a couple from Arizona, and once I brought up I am an Amateur Mountian Bike Racer the conversation really took off. They were great, and enjoyed hearing my story, from where I started 3years ago, and where I plan to go in 3years. We exchanged info and hope to meet again in a few weeks at White Tanks race. They bought me another expresso, as I mentioned we are driving home after dessert, because I was oncall at work the next day and also all the rooms were booked. They were amazed that we didn't plan to make the trip to Telluride and just got in our vehicle and drove in any direction. It was a very fun and much needed trip together, a day to not worry about riding my bike, training, going to the gym, work, or even watching what to eat/drink. I enjoyed the day No worries and No regrets for the fun day with my wife. Also it reminds me of my grandfather, he took my grandmother on this same route days before he had stroke. It means a lot to
Me to be able to say I followed the same roads as he did. Always love and miss him. Until my next adventure. Take care😁

Havasu Havoc, Race #3 MBAA race series

Well I'm ready, at the starting line, warmed up, stretched. My family here to support me, my riding friends are here to support eachother. I'm lined up next to Sherwin, and the count down begins. 5,4,3,2,1-GO. Off the line I pick a fast pace, shifting gears into the first corner and back on the pedals. Doing my best to stay with the pack in the beginning (after watching start video, I started in 10th). Once we crossed the road and finally hit the singletrack I found my pace, and began the first easy climb, I made two passes within the first 3 miles, looking ahead to other riders, I settled in as the faster group rode off but I could keep them in my sight. Once we hit the first big climb the group really broke up and I was holding strong. We passed the halfway mark and I felt good, taking shots of Hammer Heed and Fizz. Going into the narrow wash with a lot of rocks and sand, around one corner I hit a rock with my pedals and I loose cadence and have to clip back in, trying to keep up speed as I know a steep climb is coming up soon which transitions to a steady climb. I made the climbs and now it's rest time as we go into flowy descents, two guys pass me and I look down to see they are in different categories (leg markings) so I don't worry too much. As the second rider approaches a turn her crashes and lands in the trail, I grabbed my brakes and barley stopped in time from running into him. He apologizes, but I check to see if he is okay-off we go again back on the trail. The last steep climb is out of a wash again, I don't have enough speed and I drop the gears but my rear jockey wheel jumps and I have to stop to fix the problem. Sherwin passes by me, ask if I'm good 👍🏽. I get back on and pedal, but that incline made it difficult to start again. I came around a corner and I hear my daughter "go dad" and my father inlaw "good job", another hill and corner there is my wife and mother inlaw cheering, cowbell in hand and taking photos. Come back to the camp section and start lap 2. I noticed I was starting to slow down, i realized the heat is starting to take its toll on my body, I look and see I drank more than usual, and I see the pack I was following moving away from me, at the half way mark I was conserving energy for the last few climbs, then I ran into traffic from the juniors, which made the gap from my group even bigger. I finally found a place to pass them and got back up to speed. The rest of the course was a breeze, but I did have to let up a little, my body was telling me to slow down as I could feel cramping coming on if I didn't ease up. At this point I'm in 10th position, searching for Sherwin, all of a sudden I found him at the bottom of the biggest descent on the course, he had crashed. I stopped to check on him, he had a flat tire and no tools, I gave home everything I had, two guys had passed and he told me to go and he will fix it. I pushed it up the next hill as my legs cooled off while stopping for Sherwin and trying to help him. I made the rest of the course, my family still at the same positions cheering me I as before. I get back to the last section of race course and I am tired from the heat. Pushing to pedal as hard as possible, and make the last feet count. I cross the line my wife and mom is there, a few pics and I wait for Sherwin.

2016 race season start

I have started the 2016 race season early, I decided I wanted to participate in the Mountain Bike Association of Arizona (MBAA) race series. Five races for points, around the state of Arizona; McDowell Meltdown in McDowell mountain park, Hedgehog hustle in Estrella Park (Goodyear, AZ), Havasu Havoc in Sara Park (Lake Havasu, AZ), White Tank whirlwind in White tank park (Waddell, AZ), and last Flagstaff Frenzy in Fort Valley Trail network (Flagstaff, AZ). So far the first three races have had their own challenges, and I have had my own personal challenges. From lost keys, to a lost ring which had me not focused at all, and then last to not properly prepared for the heat. It is a learning experience, I'm not coming in first place, but I have learned a lot early this season. I hope to learn and improve from all of my mistakes...

Trying this thing called "blogging" agai

I am going to try and give blog writing another shot. My first attempt was called "bike riding dad", although it was not a success I was only testing the waters. Now as things have changed and I have some support behind me, my wife and family, my sponsors Kokopelli Bike and Board, Hammer Nutrition, and WolfToothComponents. I will do my best to give details, information, tips, and insight to everything that goes into being an amateur athlete.