Mesa (Grand Junction Colorado)

We left Fort Collins around 430 pm Friday headed South to Grand Junction Colorado. It took approx. 5 hours to get there. The Mesa Collegic cycling team coach was generous enough to let us crash at his house for the weekend. So, funny story. There was a cage in the basement where we were sleeping, Amanda made me sleep by it, and in the morning our host asked us about seeing the creature that was in the cage...there was no creature. The was a two foot lizard roaming free around the house. Kinda weird, but it all worked out.

So, the ST race was crazy to say the least. The first location (changed due to rain and increased amounts of mud [concrete]) had an intense climb from the start and followed this ridge followed by a fast road descent. The loop was 1 mile long, majority climbing. Glad it was changed minus the fact that the race we did was in a parking lot weaving around some traffic cones in mud while it was raining. About two laps in I was stuck in one gear, not that it mattered because it was a big ring race. This weekend I moved up to the Men's A level (wasn't sure how it would turn out) I ended up taking 20th in short track. Not bad for getting stuck behind the bottle neck in the drainage dip.

Saturday wasn't a sure thing, but Caley (CSU teammate) prayed to Baby Jesus, so it was sunny and in the 50-60's. The XC race was fast from the start. Going through a ravine, into a long climb. For the most part the climb was easy (would have been easier if I would have warmed up). After the first part of the climb there was a section where you had to rock climb with your bike, get back on ride some more, and then carry your bike for about 50 yards. It wouldn't have been so bad but, it was nearly impossible to clip in once your shoes were muddy. Seriously, the mud was like cement. It stuck to everything, and didn't come off. I am still cleaning my bike from it. Overall, good fun trail. I ended up taking 20th again. hopefully regionals will be better.

This is what the terrain looked like at the Mesa Race. You climbed and then road the crest.

Amanda, myself on our was home...I was definitely ready to get back to the FoCo. There is a race this coming weekend in Boulder, Co. Not sure if I am going to race. The following weekend in regionals. Stay tuned and we'll see what happens.