TELLURIDE .....THE WHOLE STORY......

Amazing what a 6 hour southwest drive from Denver through Colorado can bring. Cool, no gas guzzling Silverado or team trailer and only 1 bike with NO tools and ...I'm flying!! Audi Turbo...!! Well not really, actually 8 hours.. I'm accompanied by 5 female bladders and one very nice state trooper lady just past Blue Mesa reservoir. Yes mam ' I will slow it down after we get to the next restroom....

And you know, that construction flag person that stops you for 20 minutes at a time? She doesn't really have a round head like the sign.

Of all of the MSC destinations, T-ride is hands down the favorite. Maybe it's the isolation of the San Juan's with the rumors of grizzly bears and noticeable absence of pine beetle infestation that makes me feel like I'm in the familiar conifer forests of southeastern Oklahoma and southwestern Arkansas . Except there is oxygen in the air in the Ozarks.

The 10,551 foot Allred's restaurant reminded me that I live half way between here and the ocean. Our third trip for races here, we chose to stay in town rather than the village. More stuff for the visiting grandchildren and chief support crew member to do and they can sleep in.
The Columbia Hotel was at the base of the town -to -village gondola and made a fine camp spot for the wiener dogs Sugar and Cinnamon, granddaughters Tori and Shyala and junior high school sweetheart Teresa.

Back to racing. Friday afternoon showers were a perfect excuse to not pre-ride the course. It was basically the same route as previous years and 3 straight days of crank-crank was not on the agenda. On a hunch Thursday night, I dropped the Moab abused Maxxis kit tires for a fresh pair of Ritchey Z-Max tires. The side lugs and paddle Z-tread turned out to be a major contributor to staying upright in the turtle climbs and downhill off cambers after showers left the XC course wet but not impossible.

Sticking to my game plan of consistency vs. out racing everyone, and taking advantage of competitor's mechanicals and misfortunes, I actually made the podium with a 4th place finish with as close to under 2 hours time as you will ever see. 1:59:59.2

Telluride XC 2007--Sport Men 50+

Place Name Time Pace1

1 Ford,Ed 1:51:44.5 9:01 27 26

2 Kimmell,Thomas 1:57:37.6 9:29 42 39

3 Falkner,Highly 1:58:13.4 9:32 43 40

4 Strouse,David 1:59:59.2 9:41 45 42

5 Grossman,Larry 2:00:53.8 9:45 48 44

6 Blaylock,Lewis 2:22:56.8 11:32 66 50

7 Supino,Lou 2:28:00.0 11:56 68 51

More rain on Saturday night left the Hill Climb course in a major muck. Thanks to all the Pro and Expert riders who deepened the ruts and polished the tree roots for the beginner and sport clowns.

The "Parade Lap" put distance between the 40+ crowd until about 40 yards into the uphill singletrack. At that point we all wadded up and one by one began the ascending hunchback walk until a flat spot was found.

Despite an anaerobic condition from the get go, I finished (remember the game plan) and took back series points from the Ed man who....smashed a derailleur on the rocky switchbacks.

Although T-ride was fun, the peleton is closing in and I'll be lucky to stay in the top 3 in series points before the final 4 races at Eldora and Keystone. Stay tuned.