Every year I try to ask TopoFusion how much I’ve ridden, based on whatever GPX I’ve collected. Sometimes it doesn’t happen for a few months into the next year. What can I say? I’ve been collecting data on rides for more than 10 years. It is still fun, but the novelty has worn off. I rarely check or compare the statistics of rides I do, preferring to focus on the experience instead. But I do find the comparison between years to be interesting, especially this one:
7570.87 mi, 836193 ft total ascent (850886 ft descent) – 22.9 % uphill grade, 34.5 % downhill grade
184 days 17:31:47 total time (48 days 18:20:34 moving, 135 days 23:11:13 stopped)
8:54 pace (7.6 mph average speed, 40.5 mph max speed)
That’s a fair bit of riding, about half of which was in the 4 month period known as CDTbike. It’s not the highest mileage year I’ve ever had, but it’s by far the highest in the ‘moving time’ category. I tend to average in the low 30’s for days of moving time, while mileage and total climbing fluctuate wildly depending on what I’m up to. Nearly 50 days of moving time is a new record for me, and while I’m sure there are scores of motivated folks out there riding far more, it’s a lot for me.
The point isn’t that anyone should be impressed, it’s that the numbers should impress upon me (and Eszter) that it’s OK that we were tired and worn out. We knew this intuitively, and felt this physically, but the numbers seem to back it up logically. Computing this, as I did back in January or February, helped in our recovery process, I think. The human brain is so good at tearing itself down (“why am I tired? I suck”). It helped to realize that it’s also one thing to ride lots on an unloaded bike where you return to your cozy and comfortable house every day. It’s another to be sleeping in the dirt and eating endless quantities of oats and mac ‘n cheese (not that I would have it any other way).
All this goes to say that it was time to put the bike down and try to do something a little different… even as much as the bike and the mountains still called.
There are other ways to answer that call. Tuesday Techy Taco run with Chad!
Instead of riding in the AZT Jamboree this year, Chad, Ez and I ran some 11 or so miles on the AZT. It was fun, but we paid for it. J-bake’s disposition (and position) are accurate reflections of how we all felt. We had to take a break from running after this. It was fun to participate in the event/fundraiser in a different way. Kudos once again to Chad for putting it together, and for kicking our butts running.
Neither running nor riding — a weekend busting trail out by Antelope Peak. I love it out there, and the trail was badly in need of some love. Little did I know how this work would pay off in the future.
Steve Gibbs at the summit of Antelope Peak.
It was time for the annual Antelope Peak Challenge, one of the first AES events, and one that I host. Racing bikes was pretty far from my mind, but AES events are quasi-races at best, and I was to host it.
Plus Alexis was in town and she managed to talk Ez into it. They had a blast racing it together, leading to some much needed bike (and racing) stoke for Ez.
I found myself struggling to stay with a couple of light and quick singlespeeders. I’d watch them accelerate away from me, knowing the strength to match them was not at all available to me. As is often the case in AES or bikepack racing, it is never purely about speed and I do have a few other advantages, especially on this course. I was crumbling away in the wind, just trying to hang on, as we neared Antelope Peak on roads. The peak climb was a much needed break from the bike, and despite ‘training’ on feet, the scramble up the peak still hurt badly.
All worth it for the view at the top.
Once on the Arizona Trail, headed back for Oracle, I realized two things:
1) I had a 5″ travel full suspension bike with a dropper post
2) Having walked this section multiple times during trailwork, I was more familiar with it than I have ever been
I dropped the seatpost and let it all hang out. Crushed the downhill five or six minutes faster than either Chad or I had during APCs or Gila 100s. Thanks, trail workers! AZT love was flying high. I hung on through the Bloodsucker climb and the seven washes. Yay, I ‘won’ my own race, yet again. Dork. But it *was* a lot of fun.
Some good stories came out as we watched everyone finish, both APCers and those in the Gila 100, over pizza and drinks. Classic post-AES good vibes.
Some foot adventures continued, despite Eszter’s shins and my hips.
I have always wanted to climb Cat Mountain, riding by and around it as often as I do. Eszter very nearly turned around at one point, being sketched out, but she pushed through it and we shared the summit with a couple of ravens. There many new on-foot adventures waiting, even in Tucson.
jumping with the neighbors
We somewhat reluctantly put the foot adventures on hold, pulling the bikes out.
More than that, I pulled the computer out. Winter has become the busiest season for Trackleaders.com, with a full calendar of mushing events, among others. I guess it’s a pretty good time to be busy since there’s always time for daily adventures, and longer things like bikepacking are less attractive with short days and more limited choices. Still, I can only take so much chaos and did get anxious for something long.
I committed to a weekday in Phoenix, meeting up with the good John Schilling for a grand tour of the west Superstitions.
The riding out there is superb.
The views are even better, especially in afternoon light.
Another goal was to scout out some singletrack additions to the AZT750 route that John has been bending my ear about for some time. Doesn’t this look like the kind of rubble you’d love to one day hike your bike up?
This *definitely* looks like the kind of trail and riding we want to add to the route. There’s serious promise out there, we just need to solidify it a little, and maybe see how the balance of some new trail work sorts out.
In true Schilling style, the ride was long, and the sun got low.
This ranks up there with the west side of the Tucson Mountains for ‘best places to be at sunset.’ Super fun chunky riding, just on the edge of rideable with lots of sweat and effort.
And the lights came out, too. Wouldn’t have it any other way. Thanks for the superb ride, John. A much needed break from programming SPOT dots.
A few more long rides like this one and I was beginning to feel recovered from 2014. Surely the mind was back into dreaming of future rides.
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