Nite Rider

And we've officially transitioned from the pretty damn hot summer we've had, to a just-about-as-hot fall period.  Yes, I know "fall" doesn't technically start for another three weeks.  But up here in the high country, we're being treated to sundown at just before 8pm, and shortly thereafter, temperatures plummeting from the mid-80s it hit earlier in the day.

As darkness set in, the clouds consolidated over Steamboat, putting on quite a light show...

Wednesday, I charged up the lights - not because I particularly wanted to do a nite ride, but because I wanted to ride, and my option with getting home from work around 6pm now extends into the darkness.  Took Stumpy out for a little spin with my brand new Garmin Edge 500 and the NiteRider illumination on the front end of the bike.

I really can't pin down why I don't do more nite rides, because I had a freakin' blast.  Just looping around at the Eagle Ranch Loops - trails I've ridden a million times - and it feels so different at night.  Anyways, I caught a cool glimpse of the dark trail and the last glimmer of daylight fading away.

Enjoy.

GO RIDE!

USA Pro Cycling Challenge - Part II

Yup.  Agreed.

And just like that, the USA Pro Cycling Challenge is wrapped up for 2011.  A few thoughts, after watching Stages 5 (Steamboat -> Breckenridge) and 6 (Golden -> Denver):

• Congrats to Levi Leipheimer (Radio Shack), winning the USAPCC...
• Impressed with the Americans holding serve, taking all top five spots...
• Tejay Van Garderen is the future of US pro cycling.  Just hope he can harness the disappointment of failure (seen at end of Vail TT) and use it to fuel his riding...
• The Schleck brothers (Andy and Frank) already had a lot of fans here in the US.  Now they have more...
• World-famous Elgee almost got clipped by Andy Schleck (as witnessed on Versus TV) during his attack at the top of Swan Mountain...
• It was amazing seeing these guys up close and personal.  Watching the peloton up over the short kicker just outside of Wolcott, you realized just how strong, quick and powerful these riders are...
• The turnout at each stage was amazing.  The crowds at Independence Pass, the gate and finish sections of the Vail TT, the finish line at Steamboat, the mob that was Swan Mountain, and the tens of thousands that showed at the finish circuit in downtown Denver...wow.  That was just amazing, and surely there is something there that will bring this race back over and over...

Next up for me is Mountain States Cup Sol Survivor, in Granby on September 3, and Tim Mt. Pleasant and I will be holding it down for Bach Builders MTB at the 12 Hours of Snowmass on September 10.

GO RIDE!

Leading Out

On the front of a group...(VRD STXC #1 - Eagle)