Sunday, September 30, 2018

Chris Babb Report: Gravel Pursuit 120





This is how my day went:

First off I will say that Jay P, the volunteers, Salsa Cycles and many others came together to put on an awesome and very well done event. The course was extremely well marked, the aid stations were well stocked and it was always reassuring to see the Moto rider periodically patrolling the course.

I decided to do the 120 for basically the same reason I did the Crusher. It had been far too long since I had entered any events I wasnt sure I could finish plus it sounded like a great adventure.

The day started out quite cold and dark. I had on leg and arm warmers, shoe covers, a vest, a long sleeve Sled Shed Jersey, a waterproof shell and cold weather gloves.. And it was just enough. The shell came off at mile ten and the vest and gloves ten miles later but the rest stuck around until mile 45.


Salsa was out with their Chase the Chaise campaign. Which consists of you the rider stopping for sit on their Chaise lounge so they can take a portrait of you striking whatever pose you see fit. I had thought of what I would do before hand but when I actually got there I just did whatever came to mind. (We'll see how those come out). One thing to note is that the Chaise came super early at Jay P's, about 30 miles in. Normally they have it in the last 15% of the long course of the other events they've done so originally the 60 milers weren't going to pass it. But then the guys at Salsa saw a view they just had to have haha. 

The first aid station had bacon... I partook.

At some point the 120 course departs the 60 milers course and that's when my day started to get interesting. From here we took a two track up to about 8000' where I put my long sleeve Sled Shed jersey back on and we stayed up there for quite awhile. It's rocky, grassy and remote but the views are awesome. I kept randomly meeting up with the same 4 or 5 riders mostly when we had go through a gate. One of them offered me a smoke during one of these encounters, I declined of course but I have to say that's a first for me in bike racing haha!

Once descended back down I made it to the second aid station (in Montana) where I lubed my chain, drank coke and refilled my bottles. This was at mile 75 and while I was fine, I was also getting pretty tired. My only comfort was that although there were plenty of miles left, most of the vert was over. 

From here we made our way up a rocky dirt road to a two track road to the top of Two Top Mountain. I was really proud to not have to put a foot down on this climb. It was rocky rooty and very steep in sections. The descent wasnt any easier. Steep, loose, and still rocky.

The most interesting part of the course came next. A 1 mile jaunt through a thick forest with plenty of log rolls and some I just had to climb over. This led us into a marshy grassy land. I rode some, walked some and my feet did get wet.. All while following flags haha.

From here the worst was over though I did curse the rocks and wash boards the rest of the way down the mountain.

The foothills at the base of the climb had the best gravel Ive ever seen, this was also where my winter gloves and vest went back on. This race was cold!

Getting to the finish from here was just a matter of eating, turning the pedals and following the signs. The race ended up being about 117 miles which I finished in a total time of 11hrs 17min. I finished somewhere near the back of the field but faster than I really expected and I was fit enough to still drive home afterwards.Win!

I rode the Trek Checkpoint with a 50/34 crankset and an 11-36 cassette and 43mm tires. I had no mechanicals. This set up was amazing and I will never under estimate its ability to tackle any course. I could praise this bike for days. That said, the 120 version of gravel pursuit is far more technical than the Angry Horse, Crusher, the cube or the 60 mile Gravel Pursuit. If I did this course again I would probably ride my 29 plus.

- Chris Babb

Saturday, September 29, 2018

Jay P's Gravel Pursuit 2018





The Gravel Pursuit is on the short list of my favorite events and 2018 did not disappoint. Jay P’s continues to grow and numbers seemed very solid today. The growth of the 120 mile race has been especially dramatic. No race results have been posted yet, so I do not know the exact numbers or where I placed. In spite of the growth, the number of Upper Valley cyclists today was the smallest ever. I rode the 60 mile race, Chris Babb the 120 mile. I know that Chris survived, but I do not have any additional details yet. More on Chris to follow. Kellen’s buddy Ryon Lockhart was there along with his wife Deanna. Both have participated in numerous Gravel Pursuits.
Temperatures were cold at the start, around freezing. I wore every single piece of the new Sled Shed kit including the thermal jacket and I was happy to have it all. Because of the cool temperatures, I was able to ride the full distance on two bottles without a stop at an aid station. Surfaces were loose and sandy and speeds generally seemed a little lower than previous years. (Maybe it was just my speed that was slower). I ran the same tire set up that I have used all summer (Donnelly MSO 40 mm tubeless @ 38 psi) and it seemed like a good tire for the sand.
Salsa was there with their famous Chaise which has appeared at Dirty Kanza and elsewhere. https://salsacycles.com/chasethechaise/ They do not have today’s photos posted yet, but I am looking forward to seeing them. The Chaise was near the top of the Chick Creek descent. There were a couple of people queued up for photos on the first lap so I did not stop until the second lap.
It was a super fun day on the bike. I felt good. A sixty mile gravel race is a satisfying distance-fairly long, fairly difficult, but not a death march. The 60 and 120 mile courses overlap for the first 45 miles or so. By the end of the second hour, I began passing the 120 mile stragglers who had started one hour earlier. I do not envy these people. Some of them are undoubtedly still out on the course.
The amount of schwag we got today was huge-water bottle, T-shirt, Gu products, a picture frame for our Chase the Chaise photo, custom stickers, and more. Plus every single person in Jay’s events gets a raffle prize. Over the years, I have had some small prizes like hats but also some big prizes like Osprey Packs. Today, I got a very nice Princton Tec headlamp.
Jay’s friend Bean Weaver has written a poem for the event which was read at the start. http://gravelpursuit.com/ride-forward/


Post Register Interviews Kellen


Monday, September 17, 2018

Mueller-Korenek rides 183.9mph, smashing world record – VeloNews.com

Launching June 15, 2019 - Tour de Teton



June 15 - Tour de Teton

Yes, that's the view you'll enjoy for much of your ride.

Join 500 riders from across the nation as we launch this incredibly beautiful gran fondo in the shadows of the Grand Teton Mountains.

Rolling through Idaho's Teton Valley, you'll be treated to fully supported aid stations, SAG vehicles on the course and, well, a view that simply can not be beat. Starting and finishing at Grand Targhee Ski & Summer Resort, we have a stunning backdrop for all of our activities.

Finish line lunch is served up for all finishers and you'll be the envy of your group ride with your Tour de Teton jersey and SWAG

REGISTER NOW
Copyright © 2018 Extra Mile Racing LLC, All rights reserved. 

Our mailing address is: 
Extra Mile Racing LLC
916 Chesterbrook Cove
Salt Lake CityUT 84123

New Website for UTCX

You can access their full 2018 season here.

https://www.utcx.net/utcx-race-series

 

Saturday, September 15, 2018

Announcing the 2018 Cube Saturday October 20th

It is with a great deal of excitement that we are rolling out an official announcement for the 2018 Cube. Thanks to Jeff for an incredible poster and T shirt. The Cube shirt has been a highly sought after souvenir for many years and this year will be no exception. Hint: It will look a lot like this poster. With the cancellation of Moose Cross for 2018, The Cube is probably the closest thing to a legacy cyclocross race in Southeastern Idaho. Even though we have been doing this for a while, I have never forgotten that the success or failure of a local race is based on the commitment of its volunteers and the positive word of mouth that it is able to generate.
Even if you do not participate in cyclocross, you can help us by volunteering and especially by spreading the word about the Cube to as many people as possible. We have tried to make the Cube very accessible with an adult registration of $30 and kids’ registration of only $10. As a bonus, we will be offering half price registration ($15) to the high school NICA MTB riders. This will be a great way for the HS kids to end their race season. There is an outside chance they will have to schedule a make-up race for the day of the Cube, but for now all we can do is hope. (Thanks, Joe for forwarding this message to the HS team and families).  
The Tuesday night ride next week will be Steve’s Loop with a visit to the Nature Park for a Cube preview. This will be a chance to offer feedback and suggestions on this year’s course.

TNR: Steve's Loop + Cube Preview

I have been hearing from quite a few people who are curious to see the Cube course and to be involved in the planning. I went to the Nature Park Thursday morning and rode around until I had a general plan for this year’s race. I think it is a decent plan, but some additional collaboration will make it better. The Tuesday Night Ride nest week will be a traditional start (Steve’s Loop east to west) but I am planning to swing by the Nature Park on the way back into town to take a look at the course. The majority of the Cube course is rideable on road bikes so everyone is welcome to come and take a look.

Sunday, September 9, 2018

Lotoja 2018 Race Report












The Rexburg Cycling Blog extends a hearty congratulation to this year’s Lotoja finishers, including Bruce Baxter who toughed it out after a rough start for his fifth Lotoja finish. TCI-Kelson organized two  relay teams: TCI-1 with Boyd, Cameron, and Cameron’s brother-in-law Brent, and TCI-2 with Aaron, Kellen, Greg, and Jeff.  I drove support for TCI-2 which placed third for the second consecutive year in the 3-5 Man Race Relay against a very fast and competitive field.
I understand that there were a few other locals participating who I don’t know or don’t know well. If you are interested in sharing your story here, don’t hesitate to contact us. Conditions yesterday were good generally with mild temperatures and favorable winds for the earlier finishers.  As the day progressed, the winds became significantly less favorable.
In 200+ miles on the road at Lotoja, it is almost an inevitability that something will go a little off script. It happened this year on the climb of Strawberry when Kellen was sideswiped hard by another cyclist and went face first into the handlebars of a third bike. Momentarily stunned, he shook it off to rejoin the group with a puffy lip and a loose tooth..
In a couple of very random notes, Kellen’s leg started in Preston, so he and I stayed in Preston’s two-star Plaza Motel along with the newlyweds pictured above. The vintage Winnebago was parked near the first transition. I included it in the photos as a curiosity and a bit of historical Americana.

Dan and Shae Stop for a Visit


I went on a nice ride with Dan and Shae a couple of days ago when during a brief visit to Rexburg (and a break from Shae winning various bike races in Boise). I asked them to share a photo.

R.I.P. Peanut Butter Gu

In recent years, Peanut Butter Gu has been my go-to energy gel for effectiveness, pleasant taste, and tolerability. This was validated to some degree by the study that Jeff posted a few months ago ranking Peanut Butter Gu as the top gel. I have been frustrated for a number of months by the unavailability of this product. Gu had a booth at Rebecca’s Private Idaho so I asked the representatives there: “What’s up with Peanut butter Gu?’ The news is not good. For years, Gu has maintained a peanut free production facility. They have outsourced the Peanut Butter Gu to a separate facility. Gu have made the decision to move all production in-house and the PB is gone forever. I offered a bit of customer feedback.  Reconsider the decision to abandon your best product. I don’t think that is going to change anything. Maybe someone has already started the social media or letter writing campaign to bring back Peanut Butter Gu. Best of luck to them if they have.

Monday, September 3, 2018

Rebecca's Private Idaho 2018


Rebecca’s Private Idaho is a high point of the year for me. If I had to select one cycling event as my favorite, it would be Rebecca’s. Like the Crusher, RPI continues to grow and evolve with bigger fields, more pros and notables, and a more competitive feel. In the early years of the Crusher and Rebecca’s, participants rode a mix of cyclocross and mountain bikes. The gravel specific bikes that dominate both events now did not even exist then. Gravel racing was not yet on the radar screen of most cyclists. Rebecca and Burke Swindlehurst were either fortunate enough to be in the right place at the right time or responsible for creating the hottest format in participatory cycling, probably a little of both.
Fads and crazes have come and gone in cycling. People are always looking for the next new thing and manufacturers depend on selling the next new product. Eventually, gravel racing may peak and decline, but for now, it appears to have staying power.  As a fun and democratic racing format, it is the best idea that cycling has come up with. But I think it bears repeating that fun or not, the Big Potato is still a long tough day on the bike.
Conditions at Rebecca’s have never been better than they were yesterday with mild temperatures and relatively smooth road conditions. Dawn and Sam made a last minute decision to ride the Tater Tot and had outrageous fun. Their only complaint is that it ended too soon.
It has been kind of a tradition for me to comment on something I have eaten at RPI. With mild temperatures this year, I only stopped at two of the six feed zones. Nearing the midway point in Copper Basin I wanted something solid, so I grabbed a Picky Bar, Cookie Douphness, the only flavor available. It was gooier and stickier than actual cookie dough. Based on my first impression, I am not a fan. Stick with the olive oil and rosemary potatoes at Rebecca’s.
We enjoyed a couple of days in Ketchum and Sun Valley, arriving in time for the Wagon Days Parade. I am always fascinated by the cars in Sun Valley. Not the two Rolls Royce I saw yesterday (seriously?) but the classic restorations. Here are our two favorites from RPI 2018:  a 1966 GTO convertible and a 1968 Jaguar E-Type.