2008 August | UltraRob's Adventures

Time to Practice for Cyclocross

August 25th, 2008

Update: Race parking will be the same as last year at least for the September 13th cyclocross race.

It’s hard to believe but cyclocross season is almost here. Our first cyclocross race at Bear Creek is on September 13th. The 2nd race is on November 22nd.

Some good news for this year is we’ll be using the Penrose Event Center’s parking. The last couple years we’ve spent a lot of time directing traffic to the Bear Creek parking lots. Although a little of the course will be the same as last year, a lot of it will be new as you can see if you click the course image.

If you’ve never given cyclocross a try, you really should. If you live in the Colorado Springs area, people are meeting informally at Bear Creek on Wednesday evenings from 6 to 8 PM to practice. Some barriers will be set up and there will be a 20 minute practice race at 7 PM. This isn’t organized by any group and you participate at your own risk.

In addition to the informal practice sessions, Bicycle Village is putting on a cyclocross clinic on September 6th. It will be from 10 AM to 2 PM and costs $40. Registration required by 6 PM on September 4th.

Hi Tec Penrith Mid Jr. WP Hiking Boots

Price: $38.73

Adidas AX2 Mid GTX Hiking Boots

Price: $135.00

Salomon X Alp Mid LTR GTX Hiking Boots

Price: $219.95

Tags: Colorado Springs, cycling, cyclocross
Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments »

Long, Tough Week

August 24th, 2008

A couple months ago, I wrote that my brother-in-law was in the hospital with cancer. One of my long training rides for the Leadville 100 was to Denver to see him in the hospital. Unfortunately he never came home from the hospital. He passed away a little over a week ago.

This past week we had relatives staying with us. Not only was it tough with the funeral but other things kept going wrong. First the basement sink clogged. Next as we were leaving for the viewing, the panic alarm on the van went off and wouldn’t stop until I disconnected the battery.

Then we started having the sewer backing up. We were ready to leave for the grave side service when my 5 year old said it was backing up again. I ran down and started vacuuming it up with the shop vac. I took out 16 gallons of water and it was still coming. It turned out one of the toilets had stuck on.

Hopefully the coming week will be a little calmer. I will be adjusting to working from home full-time. The company I work for laid off some in our local office a few weeks ago. There are now only 6 of us left here and we will be telecommuting full time. There are certainly some positives to that but also some downsides.

Hi Tec Penrith Mid Jr. WP Hiking Boots

Price: $38.73

Adidas AX2 Mid GTX Hiking Boots

Price: $135.00

Salomon X Alp Mid LTR GTX Hiking Boots

Price: $219.95

Technorati Tags: miscellaneous

Tags: miscellaneous
Posted in Uncategorized | 4 Comments »

Dave Wiens and Lance Armstrong Leadville Videos

August 16th, 2008

August 9th, 2008, Lance Armstrong competed in the Leadville 100 mountain bike race. Even most non-cyclists know who Lance is. Five time defending Leadville 100 champ, Dave Wiens, is less well known.

Even though Dave Wiens is less well known than Lance, he had a very successful mountain bike career. He won 2 World Cup races and numerous NORBA races. Dave was inducted into the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame in 2000.

During the early 90s, I saw Dave at many races in Colorado. Before mountain biking grew in popularity, often the Pros and Experts would start together and I’d be close to him on the start line.

Dave’s wife, Susan DeMattei, was also a top pro mountain biker. In 1996 she won a bronze medal at the Olympics in Atlanta. In 1994 she won the silver medal at Worlds. She was inducted into the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame in 1997.

Here are several videos of what became a race between Dave Wiens and Lance. Course conditions were great from rain leading up to the race. With the good course conditions and by working together they shattered the course record Wiens set in 2007 when Floyd Landis raced.

Lance Armstrong and David Wiens talking at the pre-race meeting.

Closer view of Lance Armstrong at the pre-race meeting.

Closer view of Dave Wiens at the pre-race meeting.

Great summary video of the 2008 Leadville 100.

Good video of that start that shows just how many racers there are. The race is so popular that there’s a lottery to do it.

Another video of the start.

Lead riders go through the Pipeline aid station outbound.

Dave Wiens and Lance Armstrong hike-a-bike up the “North Face“.

Dave Wiens and Lance Armstrong come into the Pipeline aid station on the way back.

Dave Wiens wins his 6th Leadville 100 with a new record of 6:45:45!

Lance finishes the 2008 Leadville 100 almost 2 minutes behind Dave Wiens.

Lance after he finished. It looks like he’s in the medical tent and shows his bloody elbow from his crash.

Lance calls Dave Wiens a stud at the awards ceremony and also mentions he may race Leadville again in 2009.

Lance gives a few thoughts on the race.

This video isn’t of Dave Wiens or Lance Armstrong but shows more of the course from a flip video camera on one of the racers.

Related Links:

Hi Tec Penrith Mid Jr. WP Hiking Boots

Price: $38.73

Adidas AX2 Mid GTX Hiking Boots

Price: $135.00

Salomon X Alp Mid LTR GTX Hiking Boots

Price: $219.95

Tags: Colorado, Dave Wiens, Lance Armstrong, Leadville 100, mountain biking
Posted in Bike, Mountain Bike | No Comments »

Dave Wiens Wins 6th Leadville 100, Lance Armstrong 2nd

August 10th, 2008

Update: Watch videos of Dave Wiens and Lance Armstrong at the 2008 Leadville 100 | Complete unofficial 2008 Leadville 100 mountain bike results

Dave Wiens won the Leadville 100 mountain bike race yesterday. Lance Armstrong hung with him until about 10 miles to go.

Even though I’m 35 lbs over my race weight and only started training 6 weeks ago, I managed to finish in 11:21. That’s over 3 hours longer than my best time.

It was a long, painful day for me. It certainly wasn’t fitness that got me through the race. I just kept crawling along and probably was stopped less than 5 minutes the whole race.

Usually aid station splits are updated during the race and finish times posted and racers finish. They don’t seem to be posted this year except for unofficial results for the top 24.


1 Dave Wiens 6:45:45
2 Lance Armstrong 6:47:41
3 Manuel Prado 7:20:52 
4 Ethan Passant 7:27:54
5 Jonathan Scholnick 7:30:16
6 Max Taam 7:32:26
7 Nate Whitman 7:39:14
8 Jim Lehman 7:39:35
9 Kevin Andrews 7:42:18  
10 Kimo Seymour 7:43:31
11 Jake Rubelt 7:44:31
12 Chuck Gibson 7:44:31
13 Dax Massey 7:45:54
14 Garth Prosser 7:48:52
15 Jim Silverman 7:49:21
16 Ted MacBlane 7:49:37
17 Joel Mischke 7:51:27
18 Kent McNeill 7:56:17
19 Keith Collins 7:56:18
20 Bill MacFarlane 7:57:02
21 Yuki Saito 7:58:10
22 Paul Gorbold 7:59:03
23 Jeff Wardell 7:59:51
24 Ryan Hamilton 8:00:31

Related Links:

Hi Tec Penrith Mid Jr. WP Hiking Boots

Price: $38.73

Adidas AX2 Mid GTX Hiking Boots

Price: $135.00

Salomon X Alp Mid LTR GTX Hiking Boots

Price: $219.95

Tags: Colorado, Dave Wiens, Lance Armstrong, Leadville 100, mountain biking
Posted in Bike, Mountain Bike | 2 Comments »

Only a Few Hours Until the Leadville 100

August 8th, 2008

The Leadville 100 starts in the morning. I’m about to find out if I can finish when I’m 35 lbs over my race and only trained for 6 weeks. I’m still giving myself a 50/50 chance of finishing.

Both Dave Wiens and Lance Armstrong talked a bit at the racer meeting today. Dave talked about how he’s been coming to Leadville since he was young. One of his first races was the Mosquito Pass race here.

Lance downplayed how well he’ll do. He said he’ll be happy to be within an hour of Dave. Somehow I don’t believe that. He did say he’ll be showered and had meal by the time Chris Carmichael finishes. He rode the Columbine climb last week and said it was really tough.

One of the Trek guys had Lance’s bike out near the start. It is one sweet bike. Of course it’s more the engine than the bike.

Hi Tec Penrith Mid Jr. WP Hiking Boots

Price: $38.73

Adidas AX2 Mid GTX Hiking Boots

Price: $135.00

Salomon X Alp Mid LTR GTX Hiking Boots

Price: $219.95

Technorati Tags: Colorado | Dave Wiens | Lance Armstrong | Leadville 100 | mountain biking

Tags: Colorado, Dave Wiens, Lance Armstrong, Leadville 100, mountain biking
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

EJ and Jayson Will be Missed by Many

August 7th, 2008

Over 100 cyclists rode from Wooglins Deli near Colorado College to where two well liked cyclist were killed Wednesday evening. Several more of us drove there. I believe over 200 were gathered to remember two great guys. They will be missed on many group rides and by family and friends.

A lady turned left in front of them on a fast downhill on 26th street. It’s an intersection where I’ve had to hit the brakes many times. There’s very little traffic coming down the hill and many motorist barely even glance up the road before making the turn.

Most Colorado(?) Springs…

August 7th, 2008

Most Colorado(?) Springs cyclists have heard the sad news by now about two cyclists were killed last night on 26 street, one of my friends was a good friend with one of them. He called me and let me know several cyclists are meeting tonight at we’re going to Delly(?) at 9 PM and riding over to 26th street and getting ready for ____ 100 but make it down to the Delly. But, I am gonna try to driving over and meeting on 26th street. listen

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Most Colorado Spring…

August 7th, 2008

Most Colorado Spring cyclists have heard the sad news by now about two cyclists that were killed last night on 26th Street. One of my friends was a good friend with one of them, he called me and let me know Civil cyclists are meeting tonight at Wooglins Deli at 9:00 pm, and riding over to 26th street, and I’m about getting ready so about one hundred are not going to make it down to the Deli but I’m gonna try driving over and meeting on 26th street.` listen

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Lance Armstrong Pre-Leadville 100 Videos

August 6th, 2008

Here are a couple videos of Lance Armstrong when he was at Leadville last week pre-riding part of the Leadville 100 course. When I got some parts at Colorado Cyclist on Saturday, I talked to a guy whose roommate had gone up with the Carmichael Training Sytems group to ride with Lance. He said Lance was looking fit.

The 2nd video is of Lance and a couple other guys starting up the Columbine Climb. I recognize the spot at the end where the dog is barking and it isn’t very far up. At that point you’re close to the lowest point on the course around 9,000 feet and from there you climb to the high point at 12,600 feet.

Update: Lance Armstrong and Dave Wiens race videos

Related Links:

Hi Tec Penrith Mid Jr. WP Hiking Boots

Price: $38.73

Adidas AX2 Mid GTX Hiking Boots

Price: $135.00

Salomon X Alp Mid LTR GTX Hiking Boots

Price: $219.95

Tags: Colorado, Lance Armstrong, Leadville 100, mountain biking
Posted in Bike, Mountain Bike | 1 Comment »

New Tires for Leadville 100 MTB

August 4th, 2008

Since I haven’t been racing, I’ve just been riding with worn out tires on my mountain bike. Actually they’re more than worn out. They’re really worn out. I’ve had a couple times when the front tire started sliding out when I wasn’t cornering very hard.

With the Leadville 100 this weekend, it was time for some new rubber. I put a brand new Hutchinson Python tire on the rear. I had a new Gold Elite one lying around but I don’t think they’re available anymore. I also replaced the very worn front IRC Mythos tire with a new one.

This is the tire combination I’ve used on my previous 4 Leadville 100 finishes including the year I finished 17th in 8:18. I’ve been very happy with the setup. I figure it’s best not to change it now.

The Python has low rolling resistance and works well on the hard packed jeep roads. Some guys also run the Python on the front. I like the little more traction that the Mythos gives me and it seems to also roll well.

I’ve always liked to wear down the Mythos a little since the knobs were a little taller than needed for Leadville. When I put the slightly worn one on Sunday, I discovered it had dry rot. The new one has slightly different tread pattern and the knobs aren’t quite as tall. I think it’ll be at least as good as the old one.

Related Links: