I guess on of the perks about being in the mid-pack of the race is that, sometimes, you can just take your time. Really I think today might be the day I’m most embarrassed about. My short day between Butte and Wise River is certainly low from a milage standpoint, but at least the factors that kept me there were from external factors. Today I was just low. My motivation was at an all time low, partially from the rough day yesterday, and from the temptation that Brush Mountain offered. This is also about the section that I, and to some extent Sean, decided to start baling on the route last time. This year that didn’t seem like the right thing to do, I was healthy and still on track. Still, my lackadaisical attitude kept me from putting in the kind of miles I really should have.
I got an exceptionally late start today, at least for a multi-day bike race. I left earlier than some of the others that rolled in late at night, Tim, David, and Steve had all arrived well after I went to bed. Seeing them catch me after I tried so hard to get a lead was a bit of motivation to keep going. Reluctantly I left the comfort of Brush Mountain and headed toward Steamboat Springs.
At Brush Mountain I learned that it wasn’t an issue of the pass being too snowy, but it had rained a lot and turned the road up to the pass into a sticky mess of peanut butter mud. This stuff is so sticky it clogs up wheels and chains, and can cause some real damage if you try to push through it without cleaning off your bike. This was in addition to the snow that was on top of the pass. Many racers had tried to ride and push through the mud during the great traffic jam, but no one could make it very far. Sofiane, the former race leader was staying at Brush Mountain, and told us all the story over dinner.
I had no trouble riding through that section, the mud had long since dried. And the snow up to the pass had also melted down quite a bit. It really didn’t take very long at all to make it up to the top. I had to rid around a few drifts and muddy sections as I started heading down, but it was nothing like what the leaders had to go through.
It really didn’t take long to get down to the Clark store where I stopped to get ice cream and sit around, again motivation was low. I was there long enough that Tim, David, and Steve all arrived. I then hung out with them while they got some lunch and we all headed out to Steamboat.
It was nice to ride with other people and I think it helped me keep going even though I was “over it” at this point. I think the combination of some tough days, and having mentally bailed here last time were really making it tough for me to find the motivation to race instead of just tour. I was only about half way done, but I was almost mentally done.
We stopped at Orange Peel, the only bike shop that is still directly on the route, David needed some work done on his drivetrain, and the other guys wanted a once-over. My bike was running fine so I just hung around waiting for them. I even called my wife to express my lack of motivation. She told me to keep going, and basically to hurry up and just finish.
After what seems like an exceptionally long time we started back on the route. I still waited for the guys and we even made a big detour to the grocery store, off route to resupply. There are so many mistakes I wish I could have done differently in these last few days, lessons for next time* I guess.
At some point I decided I’d try to make up for lost time and just keep riding into the night, with or without the other guys. I gave myself another ultimatum to ride until midnight or until Lynx Pass, where there’s a campground. I made it to Lynx, and as I was setting up I met Jackson, who had pulled into the campground looking for water. We chatted a bit, eventually finding the water spigot, and he headed off. He was trying to do an overnighter to make up some distance too. Overnight riding is great, as long as you can recover in the normal 4-5 hours of sleep the next day, otherwise it almost defeats the purpose.
I finally got settled and tried to fall asleep. It was going to be a cold clear night up here on the top of a pass.
*If there is a next time.
