With the Crusher in the Tushar coming up this Saturday July 16th I have been putting the miles on the single speed cross bike rather the mountain bikes to be more accustomed to it as most of my time is spent on a mountain bike. The Crusher course is rerouted due to the road damage by the heavy snowfall this year but it will still hurt just as much. 69 miles and over 10,000 feet of climbing. Yeah, that will hurt!
I rode Thursday from Rico North up the Dunton Road and to the end of Eagle Creek Road putting in 42 miles. When I got back home from this ride I decided to go back with the Mungo On One bars as they will be a bit more comfortable on the long dirt roads and the braking will be better. I also upgraded the brakes on the cross bike to Avid Single Digit V brakes with Problem Solver Travel agents to work with the roadie style brake levers. A great system with lots of braking power. Initially I was going to go with my Salsa cheater brakes on the roadie style drop bars but the Mungo bars are much much better suited for the off road type of riding I will be doing in The Crusher. I also received a set of Hutchinson Bulldog 35cc tires from Paul Adams that I am really liking on the rough stuff. I got out Saturday for a ride heading South to Hillside and was turned around 7.5 miles up by the constant pesty bees and flies so I decided to drop back down the highway and go up Roaring Fork and the same scenario unfolded with the same type of insects descending on me like I was fresh bait. Very annoying as much as I was perplexed why they were bothering me so much. Maybe I smelled too good or the orange kit was attracting them. Dunno! I was able to get in 50 miles and 4400 feet of climbing on this day and a good dousing of a rain storm to boot which allowed me to test out the new Loki rain jacket. Very awesome indeed. I even put on the built in mittens over my cycling gloves to stay dry and the hood. Sunday I rode North from Rico and went up Barlow Creek road a few miles and took the first right turn and ascended a few miles up until the road dead ended at 10,800 feet and I than back tracked to Rico riding just under 30 miles. The legs felt so-so so I ended the ride short. Time to cut back a bit on the bike but with some limited riding this week and going to Beaver Utah on Wednesday to preride the first hill climbs of The Crusher. 42x20 or 42x22 for this race......maybe the 22.
 |
| The view from Barlow Creek area. |
 |
 |
| Dunton Road by the meadows up high. |
No comments:
Post a Comment