Grand Loop Saturday July 28th

Head out and ride with the fast group - planned to do the same as i did on the Death Ride - stay with them until the first big climb and then drop off!  Anyway we set off pretty fast but I stayed with them OK through the early rolling hills.  Then I had a problem with my front light which stopped working - don't know why - thought I had changed the batteries!  So now i was committed to staying with the group, but I can't go up front without a light - so felt a bit bad sitting in the middle of the group.  Going pretty damn quick too!!  Anyway i thought I would just stick with them until the checkpoint - it was OK just a bit quicker than I had planned!!  So I changed the battery, had some food and was ready to continue.  It looked fairly flat up ahead so I decided to maybe try to jump back on with the front leaders.  Almost immediately I realised again that I had no light - the other battery must also have gone!!  So I chased the leaders for about 10 minutes and decided it was safer to stay with them where there were lights.  As we went uphill it began to hurt - I was OK and  if we were  riding100 miles rather than the 200  l would have been happy to stay with them but I knew i had another gruelling race in only two days time!!  So I stayed with them until the sun came up - I didn't need my light now!!  My back lights were fine - I was more worried about being disqualified if I rode alone without a front light!!  Anyway all was now OK in the daylight!!  

Rode the last part of Section 2  - bit of a downhill - into Estes Park and stopped for a McDonalds.  Received a text message from Kendra out of the blue asking where I was - I told her i was about to enter the park and she said she would try to meet me!!  Great!!  So I looked out for her as I continued to ride!  really looking forward to seeing her!  It was a pretty good climb now and i had a good rhythm going - not that steep but long - and very pretty scenery!  Took a picture of a load of deer at the side of the trail.  I felt pretty good, climbing away enjoying the amazing views.  I had probably completed about 20 out of the 25 steady climb when I  saw Jorge and Kendra ahead!!  Great!!  We stopped and chatted for about half hour.  However when i got back on my bike my legs had seized up - I couldn't get back into that good rhythm I had found earlier.  Now it took everything I had just to pedal - and I really struggled to finish the last 5 miles to the top.  It was cold and windy at the top - with snow on the ground - but just incredible views!  Pretty awesome - I would definitely like to return there and go hiking!  Over the top and down a little to the next checkpoint i a car park.  I just sat on the ground for a while, hanging out and eating - also gave me a chance to put on some warm clothes.  Then there was a really great downhill - quite a way - down through the valley with a bit of a headwind - which i had been warned about earlier!  There was another little down before ending up in Granby - i was pretty hungry at this point so found another McDonalds to stop off at.  Back on the bike to Winter Park and a Taco Bell!!  I was feeling pretty good - I kept stopping, hanging out, eating plenty - not caring about the other riders passing!!  The idea today was to take it easy - getting myself ready for the Colorado trail Race on Tuesday!  Got into a good rhythm again and started passing a few riders - into the second biggest climb of the day up to Winter Park Ski Resort.  So there i am, in a good rhythm and i start thinking about flat tyres.  Thought to myself i hope i don't get two flats today as I only have one tube and 1 CO2 canister - and sure enough I get a flat tyre!!  So I changed it really quickly at the side of the road - eager to get back on my bike again.  Hop back but within a mile I get another flat - managed to immediately yell at a rider just ahead who kindly stopped and loaned me a pump and a tube.  This time i sat at the side of the road and inspected the tyre more thoroughly - finding a piece of glass which had caused the trouble.  However I now struggled for the remainder of the climb - just like before unable to get  that rhythm back.  Made it to the top and the next checkpoint!  Charley was there!!  Had some food and a drink - could see rain clouds ahead on the downhill so put on my rain jacket - actually should have put my rain shorts on as well!!  the downhill was awesome - went flying down - steep at first but then flattened out.  But then the rain came - torrential.  I recognised where I was at last- the road we were joined the I70 - which was nice.   Caught up with Mel  from Texas - but he nearly took a wrong turn in the rain - luckily my GPS put us straight!  We rode together for a while - not too close because of the rain but at Idaho Springs I waved him off as i decided to stop for another burger!  I knew there wasn't too much of the ride left now! - the river runs all the way along the I70 and we were on a road parallel to it - and then there would be one more climb up to Evergreen.  Felt great after the Mc Donalds and the hot chocolate.  However i was really cold now when i got back on my bike - I went through the construction zone we had been warned about - it was very gray and miserable and I was now shivering continuously!  It was a good uphill - short but decent up to Evergreen.  I caught up with Mel again and we had a little chat as we carried on.  The weather improved slightly - no sun but at least the rain stopped - then there was a good descent on Look Out Mountain to the finish back in Golden!!  

All in all it was a difficult day - harder than I had expected. The flat tyres were particularly annoying.   Anyway two down now - one more for the Triple Crown - I just want to get my fancy Triple Crown jersey!!!