24HITEF

An outstanding event on new to me trails.

I got in 3 laps for a total of 48 miles.  By then my back screamed no more.  So, I got an early start on the beer therapy.

Pics

Views from a ride

Hike pics

robledos 123009

Coaster mayhem

Your race crew hard at work.

A couple more here

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Fresh mappage - Cat 3

This map shows the Cat 3 (Beginner) course as an overlay on the Cat 2 course.

And ... an elevation profile for the Cat 3 course.

I can send .gpx tracks on request.

Bringin' Techy Back!

Here is the HTH '09 Cat 2 course (link). 

We've added in the fun/techish Second Peak/Little Moab (#4) and Inner Loop (#6) sections. Plus all the returning favorites: the Hill Climb, the Roller Coaster, the Green Rock, and the Cathedral.

Race Day

A great day for a mountain bike race. 

188 racers rolled out to christen the new race course on the East side of the Franklin mountains.

A beautiful, slightly breezy spring day.

A few clicks from the race start.

Coyote Course Recon Ride

Even though the trails are in my backyard, I really haven't yet had a chance to ride or get familiar with them.

I eventually figured out how to use the Garmin to follow the uploaded course track. (My first time using this feature.) There are a lot of junctions, and more times than not I would choose the wrong way. My Garmin would quickly tell me I was off course, and I would get back on track.

The course is good. It is much less bang bang chunky than the west side. Less of the hard limestone and more red crumbly granite.

There are still some chunky places and tricky spots to get one's attention. As with all courses, pre-riding is a good idea.

There are some short loose pack scramble up climbs - which folks may want to consider in choosing their tires.

Lots and lots of singletrack with some up down twist down up twist down g-out up cruise twist down etc. Sort of like the Robledos but with more flow.

The part I rode kind of reminded me of the Chupadera Crossing route in Socorro a few years back.

I finally got through the first, mostly singletrack portion and got to "Scenic Drive" heading north.

After some climbing - Fwheeh! Chain break! I pulled out the multi-tool to do a fix and to my horror discovered I packed the Alien withOUT the chainbreak tool. I was able to mostly coast downhill on dirt road back out to the parking lot.

I'll have to get back out again and finish up the ride.

Oh yeah, there's plenty of climbing on first part of the course.

Fun challenging course. A nice change up!

More Pics

Temptation

I've been a pretty good vegetarian - almost vegan even - lately.

Still, there is temptation in the world.

Temptation, thy name is Bacon!

When the need arises to confront Bacon! - this flowchart may be of some assistance .....

Doodlebug

Nice Sunday ride - hit all the spots I've been leaving out lately....

New Webpage

Days are shorter, nights are longer, and thoughts turn to a fresh season.

NMORS '09 - Shaping up nicely



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Cycling 2009

Working on the calendar:

NM Bicycle Races - 2009 - Working Draft


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Night Ride!

Fun stuff. Plenty more to come - just colder.

Hope Defeats Hate*

Yay!

*Except for Cali Prop 8, and similar

Tour of Las Cruces

Stash

Map / Cue sheet

Clear as mud?

Jumpin' Javelina

I was enjoying a nice twilight spin. Just cruising to burn some calories so I could have a beer with dinner.

My helmet light was on. The day light had faded away, and it was less than 15 minutes to hard dark.

I had come out of the Serpentine and was motorin' south down the undulating singletrack.

There is a strange sound ahead of me. Plus it looks like a big, gray rock is moving by the trail. Then this gray rock turns and has two bright spots for eyes.

A javelina - the first I've seen in the wild.

I lock up the brakes to a stop. The beast trots across the trail to a rise about 30 feet away and looks at me with a sideways stare.

It wasn't that big. About the size of my 50 pound dalmatian (but a bit stockier). So I expect it was a juvenile.

I look around to see if there were any others. Didn't see any. Got on the bike and sped away.

Of course, after that I felt frosty and was hyper-alert to every sound - like when I flushed a couple of birds and then almost ran into them mid-air.

A well-earned and tasty beer for, um, I mean, with dinner.

(Unfortunately - I was without camera for the photo op.)

Pretty Girl!

Sierra started out very skittish and shy.

Now that a few weeks have gone by, she has really settled in and is a real Ms. Personality.

She loves to see her people. And she loves to be petted. Happy happy.

Such a Pretty Girl!

Signal Peak Challenge '08

The Battle of the Gilanders is nigh

Ay ye lither sumfs

Graith ye staig fer the lairge fecht

Do ye Clans prood wit a fest onfaw on the muntain