Barr Trail

Today seemed like the perfect day to try to ride up Barr Trail some and to see how I could handle that.  Again, with most things mountain bike related, the last time I had a tire touch that trail I was 26 I bet.  But knowing what I needed to ride, times, HR zones, etc... it seemed like a great idea.  It also allowed me to recon it for future rides and my goal if it was clear was to be to ride down LRR however, once I got to the Experimental Forest it was obvious there was just too much snow from there up in places to make it worth going any further.

It was a great ride though.  Riding up Barr Trail is tough.  Not so much in the taxing leg busting, lung bursting way that some climbs can be but instead it is a challenge to pedal over, around and through the plethora of obstacles on the trail and to keep going.  Everything from loose granular Pikes Peak Granite on the trail, to larger rocks, roots and water breaks make it tough to keep a forward momentum going.  And to be honest there were just some sections even going up where I had to portage the bike some but still it was fun.

It is funny how Barr Trail makes the rest of the hills today appear to be nothing.  Over 4500 gain for the ride in 21 miles.

I'd say Barr Trail will be good practice for simulating going up the Powerlines in Leadville.  Maybe not 100% similar but I think the skills will be transferable.  As far as riding down Barr Trail?  I think that will just help my confidence overall with all of my riding across the board.

I've seen this tag all over town... Monument Valley Park... other places down low and even on trails in the foothills.   Has anyone else noticed it?  This was on the Barr Trail sign at No Name Creek.

I see this tag all over town and all the up the peak too.

But today was a good ride.  I know it was a good ride because as I was coming down Barr Trail I was second guessing my decision to skip the Silver Rush MTB race... The cycling confidence has grown by leaps and bounds the past couple of months.  This is a good thing considering I am doing a sixty mile race in just over three weeks...  I better have some confidence!

Lastly I trimmed down the carbon seat post on the Cannondale today.  I felt wrong taking a hacksaw to something that cost so much as an aftermarket purchase but I had to trim it for a better fit on the bike.  Bonus... I lost another oz in weight on the bike!  From what I have played with on the Cannondale and testing it out here and there I think that I am going to be quite happy once I am finished setting it up and I can take it out and put it through the paces.  I can't wait.