wow, antarctica

how's the commute?

not sure why, but tonight, i am SUPER thankful to be here. just a thought before bed. thanks for coming out.

chuck d

catching up

So its been a while since i updated the blog, and i figure now's as good a time as any. I've made it all the way back down to McMurdo Station, Antarctica agian. 4th time for those of you who aren't counting. 4th time is the cutoff i used to use for gauging lifers. The saying went, 1st time for the adventure, 2nd for the money, 3rd cause you just can't fit into the rest of society anymore, and 4th just made you a lifer. But i really don't feel or see it that way anymore. Now, i just feel incredibly fortunate to have been blessed with this accidental life regardless of how many times i am find myself here. Each year turns up more and more pieces of this enigmatic and unfamilar place. South Pole last year was an awe striking experience. Pole was colder then i ever experienced, more beaitiful than i ever expected, and more pleasant and easy going then any other culture i gave found. These unique people worked harder than any i have ever seen.

To wrap up the Mountain Bike racing this year, i managed to meet a whole lot of new faces and participate in a whole other way of living life. The people were so focused on fitness and competition, but managed to wrap all that energy up into the freindliest, most easy going and welcoming vibe.

It was neck and neck between the top 3 slots. we all kept going back and forth vying for top honors. In the end by a nose i pulled off a first place overall finish for the season. Telluride was stunning (and so very far away), the wildflowers and friends of Crested Butte were unparallaled, the comraderie of Snowmass, and it all came together with the competition of Keystone. Now with one win under the belt, what's on for next year?

gearing up for race #6 - Eldora Escape - Nederland, CO

Just coming off the CB wildflower fest last weekend and coming into the next race so quickly makes for a cool 1 - 2 punch highlight for the MSC series. Click below for more details:

http://www.warriorscycling.com/home/home.php

Race #5 - Crested Butte - Wildflower Rush

Wow, after just completing the beautiful Wildflower Rush (race 5) and already gearing up for race #6 at Eldora, it feels like a bit of a 1, 2 punch in the series right now. All the better! Crested Butte hosted the WildFlower Rush and it was EPIC (for you Curtis). It was my second time to return to the far flung mtn. town since Zach and I moved into the resort's parking lot ages and ages ago for a week of snowboarding and high adventure. Kim and i got lucky and found a camping spot in the same lot and nearly in the same parking spot. I was a bit late to the race start but finished ok afterall. 5th out of 6th this time and that ain't half bad. Personally, it was my toughest race thus far. It was similar to Angel Fire's long initial climb and fast hairy descent, but the Butte shoed more climbs and well, more climbs. The course was full of false summits. I am fortunate tha ti only had to complete 1 lap, nearly all the other classes had to go on to complete 2 or even (gasp) 3 laps. Unbelievable.

After the races, Kim and I took our gear and went on up to the unexplainably gorgeous, unspeakably mystical, and unbelievably transendental near Ghost Town of Gothic 9 miles beyond CB. We found a cozy room with a view opposite the cathedral like spired mtn opposite us and settled in for a rainy and enjoyable evening.

gearing up for race #5 - Crested Butte

http://www.crestedbutteresort.com/page.php?pname=extreme/wildrush

Race # 4 - Chili Challange - Angel Fire, NM

After missing the last race and only 'training' about as minimally as a person can, i was a little concerned for ths race. Especially when my supporters and freinds who have been there and ridden the course eluded to the trails tougher design, bigger climbs, and complex and fast decents. With this, I began to prepare mentally for my first 'real' race.

Friday's long drive to Eagle's Nest and Negel Fire was beautiful and relaxing. After arriving i joined up with Team Dean for a slow preride of the course. The uphill turned out to be much larger than was ready for, while the downhill felt comfortable and fun.

Saturday started early as Team Dean shoved off for their early start. I stayed at the house and tuned the bike and tried to calm my nerves.

My race was to start at 11:00 and would comprise a single 8 mile large loop. The starting elevation was near 8700 feet but felt more like 14000 to me at the time. The race itself went quicker than i imagined. I managed to start and keep myself somewhere (i think) near the middle of the pack. Early on i took it easy and allowed myself to be passed by several people, betting that i could maybe catch them later on the climb or perhaps on the downhill. That plan worked to some degree, but to what i'm not sure yet (i have't seen the results yet). I'm crossing my fingers for a descent finish. I felt pretty strong on the climb and had a great downhill like i had hoped. Once again, i finished, had a great time, and didn't take on any serious falls or injuries. Overall it was a blast of a weekend... i am really enjoying myself.

Big thanks once again for Team Dean's hospitality!
www.deanbikes.com.

follow another cycling adventure just getting started here. Liz's coast to coast trip starts Memorial Day weekend! Good Luck Liz!

http://kauffmel.blogspot.com/

OffRoad to Athens

yay-verily; made it to ride White Ranch today with curtis.lewis, kevin.bliss, kurnik, Kim, A-rock, and Kim. What an ass-kicker. beautiful day though, and it made for a great training lung buster. i rode fairly well, taking care to not bust anything i'll need for racing... like my collar-bone, etc.

Sat night was spent with kim's family at the Boulder Theater watching OffRoad to Athens. A great drama-documentary about the long road to the Olympics taken from the perspective of the athletes trying to make the team. The links can tell you more...
http://www.grippedfilms.com/
and
http://www.offroadtoathens.com/

Angel Fire - June 4,5

i will not be making it to the next event (in Morrison, CO), but will be getting ready for the big event in Angel Fire NM over the next few weeks. Here's a link for more info:

http://www.cyclecyndicate.com/events/angelfire/index.htm

this looks tough...

at the finish 

at the start 

Race #2 Chalk Creek Stampede - May 7 - Completed

5th - Charles Watkins - 1:35:58.43

Living and learning. It happens so subtly at times. Learning that if i would have pre-ridden the course i could have been more competitive. Learning that if i would have warmed up i could have shaved something like 10 minutes off my time... and got 4th place. Learning that truly these things though valuable to me, aren't thepoint of my racing this year. The point lies beyond these quantifialbes, these statistics, these performance enhancing notes. It lies within the experience.

I woke up at 3:15 to start race day. My family met me at my house at 3:45 and we road tripped in the blackened twighlight for 2.5 hours. Arriving at Nathrop brought a moody backlit sunrise and a near miss blizzard. After the snows passed the race began and finished in a whirlwind. The rest of the day was spent relaxing and enjoying my family's company in Beautiful Buenie. A big thanks to them for making the journey with me.

Something else important I learned: that I can do this. That I can be a mountain bike racer. Moab was so simple and straightforward that I hadn't really counted it. A 2 mile/30 minute hill climb is so quick if you just keep your balance and focus. However, in Nathrop - the 1.5 hours and group started mass of riders tumbling over all terrains, I realized this goal is attainable. That i'm not quite crazy for trying this out after all.

Race number two coming up this weekend...

5th Annual Chalk Creek Stampede
Nathrop, Colorado - May 6th thru 8th

XC :: Saturday, May 7th
8:00 a.m. Beginner wave 2 laps

Course description: 7 mile loop with a mix of double track and buttery smooth single track, be prepared for windy conditions, an occasional cactus and a bovine dropping every now and then. See the racing page for a complete description!

moab sandstone

red sandstone from Moab, Ut.

on the way to moab on I-70 looking north in western colorado. 

Race #1 Tour of Canyonlands - April 23,24 - Completed

Beautiful Moab kicked off the first race of my first season of racing. Saturday was a wash due to misinformation in directions and car trouble. I suppose this means i DNF'd, but Sunday was a successful day for me. I placed last in the Beginner Men's 30-34 class for the Amasaback 2mi Hill Climb! More information can be found here:

http://www.cyclecyndicate.com/events/TOC/index.htm

I owe Curtis Lewis and Team Dean a huge thanks for their support, hospitality, friendliness, guidance, and generosity. Thanks a bunch everyone!

mountain bike races begin!

I've joined the Mountain States Racing Cup as a beginner 30-34 racer. This will be a completely new experience for me, and i am excited for it. I've not had too many experiences with competitive sports, the last being a short career as an outfeilder in t-ball... The link below provides the details of this weekends races. Wish me luck!

http://www.racemsc.com/

The first stop this year is at Moab, UT. I am severly looking forward to seeing red dirt and canyon walls. Team Dean has graciously allowed me to room and generally hang about during the racing weekend. find out more about them and thier stellar bikes at:

http://www.deanusa.com/

kim and i off the coast of Australia