The Cliffs

Yesterday I said that I would get pictures of the really pretty road that I had never been on before. Well that didn't happen. I got pictures of The Cliffs, then the camera ran out of memory. I guess that's what happens when you have the family hand-me-down camera from 1999.
I have been up and down The Cliffs around 8 times, and I have never seen the sign at the bottom that says No Bikers, No Hikers, No Trespassing. About half way up today, a guy in a truck pulls up and tells me I'm not allowed to be there. Really, how much damage are bikers and hikers going to do on a road that nobody lives on.

90% healthy, 70% fast.

So I am finally done with the antibiotics. YAY!
Then yesterday I did my first interval workout of the training season and I had a blast. I had so much fun! The fun wasn't because of the intervals, but because it was raining, and I love rain. I really love rain! It just reminds me of where I come from. Anyway I rode just up out of Durango, to this hill called "The Cliffs". The Cliffs starts at 7100 feet above sea level and ends at just under 9000 feet. It is a great place to do AT intervals at because its so steep that its not possible to go easy. Then getting to descend down the 24 switchbacks, is completely worth the suffering up to the top.
Today, I went on the longest ride of my training season. It was 3 hours and 38 minutes, and 71 miles. I have to thank Matt Shriver and Neil (don't know his last name) for taking me on one of the most beautiful roads I have ever been on, and the most beautiful that I have ridden my bike on. I will have to ride on it again tomorrow to take pictures and just enjoy it again.

Pneumonia?

I am finally getting over being sick. It started out just being a cold, then things did not get better for 2 weeks. The day I was planning on going to the doctor, it got really bad, I could hardly get out of bed, and there was no way that I was in good enough condition to drive to the doctor. After waiting for an hour an a half to see the doctor, I was finally told that I have Pneumonia. I am so tired of having rheumatiod arthritis. The medicine I have to take helps my arthritis, but weakens my immune system. So every time that I get a cold, it turns into Pneumonia, or Bronchitis, or a Sinus infection. I am so sick of it. Ranting aside, the antibiotics are working and I am feeling much better, not 100%, but better nonetheless. I have even been able to go for 3 easy 2 hour rides, but thats about it. My heart rate is always way higher than normal when riding, but Im excited to see a nice and steady improvement. So my first official race of the season will be the Tour of Tucson Stage Race in a couple of weeks. Hopefully I can get Cat 3 upgrade for it, I don't understand why USA Cycling wont give it to me, but ill keep trying. And my first professional race will be the Fontana National Cross Country and Short Track Races towards the end of March.

Back On The Bike, sorta

Dylan Stucki 2nd at 9.86 miles.

So in mid December I decided I was going to start my base training for the 2009 season. I got in a 13 hour week, then the next three days later I rode another 7 hours. It looked like I was off to a great start, well a three week trip back to Alaska for Christmas with my family ruined anything gained by the week and a half of previous training. Only on 6 days the daily high temperature was above 0 degrees F. I think I cross-country skied three times, downhill skied twice, went to the gym once. Then, as soon as I got back to Durango, I put in a 15 hour week, then a 12 hour week, with at least one good hard run a week.
To really see whether the lack of training did much damage, I competed in the Annual Snowdown Roller Races event. Its a fun race where two people at a time ride on rollers as hard as possible for 15 minutes. The winner is the one who goes the farthest distance while staying in place. I ended up riding 9.08 miles and that put me in 4th place.
Now I'm Sick!

Look at the speed!
Top(Alex Howard 3rd at 9.76 miles, Trevor Downing 1st at 9.98 miles)
Bottom(me suffering after 4th at 9.08)