30 Days...

So here I am, thirty days out from competition, and my training is less structured than when I began.  Why you ask?  I think there are a number of reasons why this may be true.  First, I may be getting a little burned out on training.  You see, I miss the days when I didn't have a set schedule of how long, how far, and when I would be riding my bike.  I really prefer to simply get on my bike...and ride.  Now however, I have something specific that I must do each day...it really takes the fun out of it.  Second, I am having trouble finding time to get in my cycle workouts.  The weather is horribly hot here right now...in fact, it's supposed to be somewhere between 109 and 113 degrees Fahrenheit here today.  When it is this hot, I have to train my clients early in the morning to avoid heat related problems, so that means my training must be done in the heat...and that doesn't happen very often!  The third reason has to do with my injury...or injuries as of yesterday.  Yep, that's right folks...I've developed another issue.

It's not really a new issue, but more of a resurgence of a chronic injury.  While performing firefighter training at work yesterday, I jacked up my back...again.  What this means, is that it is time to go back in for another round of injections into my spine.  It's been about four or five months since my last round...maybe six months, I forget.  All I know is that it is certainly time.  I need to get some relief so that I can be comfortable on my bike from now until my race...and after, preferably.

Anyway...I would like to take this opportunity to tell you about my ride in Flagstaff this past weekend.  If you recall, I had taken a weekend trip to Northern Arizona with some friends, for a weekend of mountain biking.  Our first day was spent hiking our bikes around in Sedona, but our second day would be spent in the cool pines of Flagstaff, Arizona!

Our trip was to include a climb up to the top of Mt. Eldon, followed by some fun, fast downhill trails through the pines, on the Schultz Creek trails.  Mt. Eldon is one of five 'peaks' within the San Fransisco Peaks volcanic system, located just northeast of Flagstaff.  Mt Eldon takes its name from one of the region's earliest settlers, John Elden, who, along with his family, established a homestead on the mountain’s lower slopes and grazed sheep on the open grasslands below, during the late 19th century.

Mt. Eldon, towering above Flagstaff, in the winter

The view from Mt. Eldon is reported to be breathtaking, and I was soon going to find out...but not before I put in some serious work to get there!  You see, the elevation atop Mt. Eldon is just over 9000 feet above sea level...and we were not going to drive up there to take in that view...oh no, we were riding.  

Me and Alex at the top of Mt. Eldon...overlooking eastern Flagstaff

The ride begins at the Schultz Creek Trail-head, where we parked, geared up, mounted our trusty steeds, and proceeded in a northeasterly direction towards the mountain.  Oh by the way...the elevation at this point is only...did I say only?...6500 feet.  The trail really isn't a trail...in fact, it starts out as a two lane, paved road (known as Eldon Lookout Road) that meanders through a neighborhood before turning into a rocky jeep trail that winds it's way to the top.  We set out, enjoying the beautiful scenery and nice looking homes that are sporadically located along the road.  It appeared that the first part of the ride would serve as a good warm up to the climb that lie ahead, but soon it became crystal clear that the warm-up would be very short lived, as the road quickly became reminiscent of something in Alps that I have seen Lance Armstrong battle during the Tour De France.  The average incline of this 'trail' is about 8%, which means that some sections are closer to 9% and 10% grades...rocky, and loose in sections.  This is a serious climb!

Less than a mile into our ride I realize that I must shift into the the little ring, as I am using far too much energy trying to climb in the middle ring...and for the next seven-plus miles, I never shift out of the little ring!  That's right...over seven miles of non-stop climbing...and I hate climbing!  We reached the top, roughly 1-hour later, dripping with sweat, and freezing cold!  The weather was perfect for riding...cool and overcast, but by the time we reached the top, our cool weather had turned very wintery, and we were forced to don our jackets in order to stay warm. 

I was elated to reach the top, and felt as though I had accomplished something pretty special...right up until the moment I saw a guy riding around the lookout area, on a bike that couldn't have been worth more than a couple-hundred bucks; in a t-shirt, jeans, and no helmet.  I on the other hand was riding a bike that is worth over six-thousand dollars, and was wearing $300-400 in mountain-bike specific garb...talk about bursting someone's bubble!  Oh well, it is what it is!

Bob and I after reaching the summit...very relieved!

down the mountain.  About two hours later (because we took a number of ancillary trails on our way back) we arrived back at our vehicles tired, drenched in sweat, hungry, and in dire need of showers.  This was, without a doubt, the most difficult three hours I have ever spent on a mountain bike...but it was great!