Sore Tom's Thumb

Who needs Alp D'Huez when you have Tom's Thumb trail? I just found this trail today while riding the awesome trails at the McDowell Mtn Preserve. I am not sure if they are the result of efforts by the City of Scottsdale, IMBA, volunteers or a combination of them, but a big Thank You to everyone that's put work onto those trails.

About today's ride...I started from the parking lot at Bell and Thompson Peak. Art had prescribed a 3 hour MTB ride, so I figured I could easily do that there. I went up Windgate Pass, which was nice and tacky due to yesterday's rain. It was a little humid too, but I wasn't complaining. From Windgate I descended towards Coachwhip, however on the way there I passed by an intersection to a freshly cut trail, which was the access to Tom's Thumb. The first part consisted of a gradual climb followed by a couple short rollers then I rounded a corner and saw the trail point upwards in the form of switchbacks. Switchback #1 was fine, 2-4 were tight and steep and my 22/34 were no match for them. 5,6 and 7 were hard but I made it up them. I walked up #9 then 10-12 were rideable, but at that point I was so tired I couldn't. The trails levels out after switch back #13 and becomes a gradual climb all the way up to #17, then when you think you are done, there is one last section that looks more like a continuos "S", steep, loose and tight which will give you that one last kick in the butt before you summit. Tom's Thum will be infront of you. The Thumb is big rock protuding above all others and looks like...you guessed, a thumb. After taking in the scenery I decided to reward myself with a long downhill, however there is one last little climb with a few more switchbacks to do before diving into a series of thight switchbacks which I didn't even bother to count, then the trails levels out and brings you back to the start of the Windgate climb.

I did Windgate one more time, over to Bell Pass and down. I still had 20 min to go, so I finished with a lap around the Gateway Saddle loop.

In other news...oh yeah, I raced last weekend up in Flagstaff. Race went OK. Finished 7th. Had a couple of holy cow moments and to this day, I don't know how I kept it up-right. Broke a Ti pedal in one of those, so it was pretty scary.

Norma did better. Got 3rd in her group even though she went the wrong way after a some individuals tried to derail the race by making course changes. Too bad we can't all coexist and be happy!

We also got our fence fixed. It only needs to be painted. We'll see how long it takes this guy to do that. Funny part about this is that the community newspaper lists the incident on their Sheriff Log and states that the driver left the scene. Huh, they must know something we don't!

I gotta start planning the second part of the season. I have a few races in mind, however right now I just know I am racing the State RR on the 6th and the MBAA finals on the 13th. Everything else is up in the air.

I told "Koko" I would take him to the dog park this afternoon, so I better get going. He's giving me this look of "are we leaving yet?"

Jeff

Where did last month go?

I knew I hadn't posted in a while, but didn't know it was already a month.

The lack of updates is not due to lack of events, in fact it's probably de opposite. I've been quite busy for the last few weeks in all different fronts especially the non-cycling ones.

Cycling has been on the down low mostly due to lack of planning but I was starting to feel burned out a little so I kinda needed a break, so it worked out somewhat OK.

The cycling recession started with the Whiskey Off-Road. My parents were in town and I had been preparing for this race for a long time. Art had created a training plan for me that had me peaking for this event. Things were going as planned for the first hour of racing and I was sitting comfortably in 4th place when it turned bad. First it was a front flat, followed by faulty CO2 trigger, followed by a locked front brake piston, then I got rolling for less than 10 min until I got a second flat. Rear tire this time. No tubes, no CO2, decided to ride as much as I could in hopes of making it to the aid station where Norma and my parents were waiting and they sure would have tubes and CO2. Endo'd at low speed. Landed hard and cut my shorts...time to call it a day.

Koko was a little annoyed that he didn't see me going by among the top 10 at the 25 mile aid station.

No bike the rest of the weekend, and very little to no riding that week. Spent a lot of time working on the yard at home with my dad and ate too many Costa Rican tamales made by my mom and Mexican tamales made by Norma.

Drove to Payson for the next MBAA race. Flat course didn't suit me but under the no-training plan no course would have suited me. Felt OK at the beginning, even drove the pace at the front a couple of times, then the lights went out and I literally had to crawl to the finish.

Ate more tamales and became a year older! Yeayy, viva Cinco de Mayo!!!

Received 13 tons of landscaping rock as birthday present from myself, then invited my house guests (dad and my friend Roberto from Minnesota) to join in the fun.

Got really bad sun burn on my back then took my parents to the airport.

Went to Flagstaff to pre-ride course then dropped my friend at the airport too.

Someone knocked on our door near midnight to inform us he had hit our house. Turns out one of our neighbors was driving too fast and overshot the corner in front of our house. He hit the curb on the other side, lost control of the car, floored the gas pedal, slammed into our wall leaving his car parked in the middle of our backyard. Cops came. No insurance. It's going to be ugly!

Got back on the bike on Tuesday. Legs felt rusty and slow. By Wednesday I was starting to pedal full circles again and today I procrastinated getting on the bike all day. Now it's almost 10 PM...I don't think I'll ride today!