Tour de St. George: Fall

Okay, it's been forever since I've updated this blog. I think it is due mostly to the fact that I've lost the blogging bug. Anyway, I've been training all summer long with friends Mike and Cody Smith (they're brothers) and my brother Dale. We've had one goal in mind... the Tour de St. George Century ride. Here's a map of the course that we rode!

There will be more pictures and videos, as well as a better narrative to come in a short while, but in the mean time, enjoy this map of the course. Those who are more familiar with the St. George are will appreciate this more than those unfamiliar. In the top right corner you can also see a profile of the elevation. It was quite the accomplishment, and we are all so glad we did it!! We're looking forward to our next century ride... some of us sooner than others, others are willing to wait. :)

Back in Utah!

My wife and I have finally returned from Houston's rough, pot-hole filled and traffic laden streets to the sweet, wide and vertically challenging roads of Utah County. We couldn't be happier to be back to our riding friends and enjoying the beautiful biking weather, panoramas and friendly streets Utah has to offer.

Before getting to the meat of this post, I'd better do a little ride-reporting. We've only been home since Friday, June 4th. The 5th was my 24th birthday, so I decided that even though I'd only been at 4500 ft. from sea-level for only 28 hours, I would go on a 24 mile bike ride to commemorate the occasion. I was excited, and enlisted the companionship of good bike riding buddy, Mike Smith. He just so happens to hold some fame on this blog. We met at 7 a.m. with another member of our BYU church congregation (Rand) to soak in the cloudless sky. Since my body was not in climbing shape, I decided to show them the joy of riding flat terrain like I'd been accustomed to in Houston... and also because I knew I couldn't survive any uphill offering Utah had to give. We departed, and I planned to turn around at the 12 mile mark to commemorate my big day... after all, I only prepared for such a ride... one bottle of water, no fuel... and way to much slacking off over the previous 6 months. Mike and Rand planned on flexing their muscles to an impressive 40 miles. After only a few miles, it was painfully apparent that my lungs weren't used to the lower content oxygen, but the ride was flat enough to allow me to keep pace with the altitude adapted riders of the group. We enjoyed ourselves, and I liked showing the others a new route they'd never been on before.

After 12 miles, I decided I could go a little further... but not for long. I soon told Mike and Rand I was turning around, only to decide a split second later that I could make it the rest of the way... 8 additional miles each way never killed anyone, right? Wrong! Long ride short, I got home feeling like my body had aged 16 years on my ride, to bring me to a grand total of 40 miles... bad idea. I "bonked"when I got home, or my energy stores hit rock bottom, and I had to enlist the help of my wife to whip up a quick protein shake to help me out.

Having learned my lesson, I went on a mellow ride with Brooke and Roger Barnhart (of Labor Daybor fame) and my wife on Wednesday up Provo Canyon, and a ride this morning back up to Vivian Park with Mike Smith. I can tell my lungs/body is slowly getting acclimated to the altitude, but wish that the process would go faster! For now, I'm being patient and pushing my body to healthy limits.

Now, on to the meat. I have recently been thinking about the caliber of riding that Northern Utah has to offer. I recently had a conversation with my good friend/riding buddy Chris (of much "Behind the Handlebars" fame). We sat down for an amazing lunch in Seattle, and discussed our Utah riding days. He commented on how much he missed it, mainly because the Seattle offerings weren't what he hoped or expected. I commented on the horrendous nature of riding in Houston. We concluded that we'd never ridden anywhere that beat some of our Utah rides. Now, I must admit I have ridden few other places, but I personally think that "Nor-tah" has some of the finest road cycling there is to offer. Let me attempt to prove my point in a photo-journalistic fashion, describing what I feel each picture exhibits about Utah road riding...

Dry, arid, curvy, red rocks.

Bodies of water, mountains, blue sky, fall colors, riding trail.

Aspens, steep climbs, country roads,fresh mountain air.

Steep climbs, great rides in close proximity to civilization.

Steep Climbs, wide roads, smooth roads, clean roads.

Farmland scenery, country roads, varying terrain.

Farmland scenery, stunning backdrops, animals, varying terrain.

Stunning backdrops, mountainous scenery, vegetation, steep climbs, challenging terrain.

Same as above. :)

Stunning backdrops, vegetation, varying terrain, farmland scenery, mountainous scenery.

Of course the only true way to know what I am saying is to come experience it for yourself! Breathing the fresh (albeit thin) air for yourself, seeing the sites in person, suffering the hills, enjoying the flats, appreciating the scenery... all must done for yourself to experience the joy that is "Nor-tah" riding. Please feel free to add anything you think I left out that Nor-tah has to offer to road riders.

Miles since "Back in Utah!": About 110

Bike Article and a Promise...

So, it's been a while. Lets not talk about it, it's way too painful. Lets you an I just focus on the future. I have big plans, but before I can get back to Utah in two or three weeks and really start to throw down some good mileage, I thought I would share this article.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/05/11/bicycle.wars/index.html?hpt=C2

Also, I promise you, my loyal readers (you must be if you're actually reading this!) that you will see me logging miles on here soon... hopefully some serious mileage. Until then, Share The Road.

Miles logged since my Labor Daybor ride: Countless, but not enough.