The Whiskey Off Road (edited)

Thank you to everybody for a fantastic weekend. I absolutely had a great time and really enjoyed everyone’s company on the trip. I especially want to thank both Nippy and Mark for all their hard work and dedication to the team. Without them this trip would not have happened and I am extremely thankful for all their help. Please everybody if you see the two of them some time soon, thank them, please.

Friday: The only part of trips that I do not like is the driving part. However now that I have automatic windows and AC, things have become marginally better, because I still have to drive. I drove with Daniela, Damiano, the 61 Coleman camper, and Alex S. It took us about 6 hours with plenty of stops that included the grocery store.
Nippy drove early in the day with Marcos and well Mark had the rest.

We all arrived at about the same time between 6 and 7:30pm. Very fortunately Nickel, or Mr. Danger, had already arrived in town and had found us a perfect camp spot. A free one just 4 miles south of town in the Prescott National Forest. We had the place to ourselves, with a running stream in the background, a fire pit already made, and ample flat room for everyone’s tent. Thanks Mr. Danger.

Dinner was bean burritos and I will remember to bring the hot sauce next time.

Saturday: Race Day

Alex, Nickle and myself were the only ones to do the 50 proof ride which meant that we had to be out of camp by 6:45 am as the race started at 7:30am. It was super cold at the start right in the middle of downtown. It was a very cool starting position. Right in the middle of the old downtown, which is set up just like an Old Italian town. With the center square ringed by shops and the like. The start was marked by some “cowboys” who shot “guns” and we were off down the pavement to the dirt about 4 miles away. Alex, Nickel and I were all on top of each other at this point but once the dirt hit so did the pain. Alex instantly was gone while Nickel had me in his sights for quite a bit of time. The hardest part of the race for me was the altitude. I had a real hard time in the beginning of the race controlling my heart rate. In fact after about 45 minutes of my heart through the roof I actually stopped at a very random place just to let myself recover. Once I had the rest of the race went great, just that first recovery was really tough. The first 5 miles of dirt were the hardest of the day, and not knowing that in the moment made for some real mentally head games. Like am I ever going to survive this? In the first 10 miles I was walking way more than I ever want to on an MTB ride, the problem, 2 foot up hill ledges that were created by logs, over and over and over. Man they were hard. However after that the fun of all time came. Maybe the most fun section of trail I have ever ridden, rolling down hill with burms to ride and jumps just fun enough to not scare me, and scenery for post cards. At the bottom of that section we turned around at about 12 miles and started back up the hill, A really crummy forest service road that was super fun to MTB with tones of water crossings. Really through out the ride we probably rode through 30 different little creeks. At the top of this climb was the fork for the 25 mile riders, which meant that I had a very long steep 12 miles to go down hill on a dirt forest service road. On the way down I saw Tinker Juarez coming up, kind of cool, Alex Strickland, not so cool, and other friends. Since it was a down and up you were able to see all your competitors and friends either in front of you or behind you. Alex was in front of me, dang it, and Nickel was behind me. I know right, like totally crazy, you read it right, Nickel behind me.
The next 12 miles were granny gear grinding madness. It took me about an hour of easiest gear churning to get to the top of the climb. I was passed by only two people, passed my fair share, and got to suffer with a friend of mine Jesse who was riding a hand built custom Rossin single speed 29er. So hard, but so great, was this climb, epic for sure. At the bottom of the hot valley you could see the cut out of the trees on the mountain way above where you were headed. The climb started at hot t- shirt weather and ended in pine trees with snow left over. Once this amazing climb was over there was just 8 miles of almost all down hill single track left. It would have been more fun had I not been so exhausted. It was hard to focus on the trail at that point and my body was just plain fatigued. I cramped like crazy on those miles every time I had to peddle but I never got off the bike for fear of not being able to get back on. So I just kept on peddling even though the body really just wanted to say stop. The ride ends on the same pavement that took you to the dirt so when I hit the pavement I just about wanted to scream. Man was I happy. Knowing the pain was just about over gave me all the energy I needed to get to town and to stay away from Nickel.

Final placing in the 50 mile open event:

Alex: 74th place 4:25.33
Ignacio:91st place 4:33.38
Nickel: 117th place 4:58.37

I am going to ask one of the kids to write up a story about this but here is what I can tell you.

Pablo won it. Well in regards to all his friends that is. And man was it fun to watch him cross the line like he just won the world championship of the world. Arms up mouth wide open, he was pumped. He was in the thick of it on the trail with Logan and Marcos for most of the ride and broke away at the end and held on. However when he crossed the finish line he got off the bike only to yell like crazy he was cramping so bad I think he woke some people up. He finished 3rd over all in the Junior field.

Logan was second in the team game and says he only lost to Pablo, because he too was cramping like crazy and it was only when off the bike the last time to dispel the cramps that Pablo passed him. He also lost time in a few places because Marcos was having trouble staying on the bike.

Marcos was next and when asked how many times he went over the bars during the ride he was unable to answer better than, a lot and probably more than 5. Logan in fact got to see many of them, 2 that were within 30 feet of each other.

Kramer followed and ended up in this position because he broke his chain while trying to hunt down second place. He had Owen Graves in his sights for a good portion of the ride until his chain broke. It took him 30 minutes to get it together and thus his finishing position.

Nathan the birthday boy finished with only, “That was crazy” to say. He just kept saying it with the biggest smile he could provide. Thanks Nathan!!!!

Donovan and Connor finished up the boys of the team. They came in hand in hand looking good.

I really want to tell everyone though of how awesome of a brother Donovan is. At the start of the dirt he realized this was going to be an extremely hard day for Lizzy and he decided to wait for her. He gave up his race to ensure that his sister would be ok. This is what El Grupo is to me more than anything. Young kids learning how to be caring and respectful adults. I appreciate and respect that act immensely and will not soon forget. Thanks Donovan for being an awesome brother. However Lizzy in turn said no go ahead. So Donovan chased his friends like crazy until he caught Connor and from the fork in the road they road in together.

Lizzy on her end won her division. And upon her arrival had 3 older women come up to her and basically tell her she was the toughest thing they had ever seen. The fact that she could finish that ride says a lot and even more telling is the fact that when she finished she said, “Next year I can go way faster.” I love coaching this girl.

Not a bad day in the saddle for all.

After the race we hung out in downtown on the lawn and watched the bands into the night. We ate pizza in the park and laughed at the music. Once the sun fell we went back to camp and ate cookies and watched the fire. Just a perfect ending.

Sunday:
We awoke to a slow morning of breakfast burritos and got ready for our hike. We went to Lnyx Lake for a walk and met up with an old teacher from City High. Daniela ran around the lake and after catching up with us she led the kids on sprints along the trail. They apparently were not tired yet.

I had just a great weekend and all the riders were super fun to be with. This was an “easy” trip.

THANKS EVERYONE FOR A GREAT TRIP!!!!!

Oh and Nippy whenever you can get me some photos would be great.