Staycation?

Yeah, right. I think I need a vacation from my staycation. Seriously. I thought that 10 days at home would be what I needed to relax and recover from a 3 week racing road trip but I think I have packed more action into the last 5 days than I have in my entire year. I feel like I need to go race somewhere far, far away to get some rest!

Summer in the Tetons

I suppose that's what I get for attempting to squeeze major training rides in between entertaining visiting family, housework, a demanding schoolwork schedule and seeing all the friends I never see because I am on the road so much. I LOVE being a bike racer but really hate being away from my husband, dog and friends so often.

The week and weekend, as usual, revolved mostly around bicycles. Big surprise. We went to Music on Main on Thursday night and caught some TVTAP Mountain Bike Festival events which included a skills clinic Saturday morning taught by yours truly (14 people showed up!). I also wrote a few papers, raced the Teton Pass hill climbs Sunday morning, and topped it off with a Martin Sexton and Big Head Todd show at the Spud. I'm beat.

Hillclimb MTB leg finish. Oooouch.

The Hillclimbs were not quite as painful as I anticipated. Not sure what that means (am I fit or did I not go hard enough??) As I removed the dust from my road bike and raised my tire pressure from 50psi to 110 on Sunday morning, I was reminded how little I ride my road bike and felt a little pang of dread. But I went anyway. And I suffered.

After a slow start in the road hillclimb on a bike I never feel quite at home on, my legs came around by the mountain bike climb on my Nine that I know, love and fits me like a glove. I managed to win the overall, the mountain bike leg and set a new course record in both the MTB leg and in the combined overall. The best part of the race was the end. Nate left his mom at home with a good book and surprised me by waiting for me at the top of Mt. Ely so we could ride down Black Canyon together. Plus, he brought me water which I needed desperately as I had run out and was cramping the entire MTB climb.

View into Phillips from the new Ridge Trail

These photos are from a phenomenal training ride I did on Thursday. Ride time 5:20, 51 miles and lots of new singletrack. Jackson Hole's trail network seems to be magically multiplying like gremlins. However, we all know it's due to our awesome USFS Jackson Ranger District, Friends of Pathways, The Teton Freedom Riders and of course many dedicated and skilled trail builders, volunteer and paid. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

New trails are just popping up like crazy and I think it's time to officially announce Jackson Hole as a completely legit mountain bike destination. As in you can come for a week straight, ride all day and never get tired of the trails. My route took me up the pass from my house, out to and down Black Canyon, water stop in Wilson, out Fish Creek road, up the new Ridge Trail, climbed that all the way to the top to Snowtel onto the Arrow, rode that out to the end, turned and burned back to the Old Pass Road, climbed back up the Pass, descended with 5:30pm Teton Pass commuter traffic (NOT recommended) and, as always, finished with the 17% grade climb up my driveway and collapsed on my front porch oh so tired and oh so very happy.

Wow-can you say perfect trail construction???

Middle of Black Canyon. This is one of our favorite places to ski in the winter. It's even more fun to rip through it in the summer on a bike when it's covered with wildflowers.

Upper Black Canyon. Chest-high flowers and rain the
day before = lots of smiles.