Months ago when I first signed up to do the Leadville 100, I took out my calendar and started to write out a training schedule. Gotta do it, right? Can't go into this ride likes it a "regular" century, what with the altitude, potential weather adversities, the extreme distance (100 miles on a MTB is like 200 mi on a road bike...take away 75% of your oxygen and, well, you get the idea). I listed out the "organzied rides" like the Grand Fondo, the San Diego Century, and such. I also realized I needed to get in some serious altitude training as I got closer to the date. Having a place at Mammoth Mtn has its advantages for just this and so I talked to Beth and we scheduled in a few trips to go up. It's bad enough the 7+ hour drive but to have your husband take 2-5 hours a day riding...well, I DO have the best partner in life and Bethie has been an amazing supporter. (Let's re-address that as we get into the dog days of summer and the training goes up a few notches.
We planned our first venture to the Sierra's for Memorial Day weekend...its supposed to be the "official" start to summer. I decided to bring both my road and mtb bike and I had it in my mind to get as much altitude in as reasonable. There are plenty of roads that venture up the eastern flank of the Sierra's around Mammoth with the elevation ranging from 6800' to over 10,000'. The mountain biking is world class and NORBA has held their national championships here in the past. I was hoping to get some dirt in too to work on techincal aspects of riding as well as altitude acclimation.
This season for skiing was one of the bigger snow seasons and Mammoth was still open. They are planning on skiing through at least July 4th. I once skied here on July 23rd back in 1994, another hellacious el Nino year. I knew that going in but didn't expect to see what I did when I actually got there. It had just snowed 6" two days before we arrived and the air was still chilly in the morning as if it was February. We arrived Saturday early afternoon (too crazy of a sales day the day before to even think of doing a Friday after work departure...no way!) and, after meeting with a realator (sadly, we are selling our condo...any takers?) I took off on a "warm up" ride out the Mammoth Loop. It winds through forests of White Pine and Red Fir, past the Inyo Craters and ends at Hwy 395. I decided to turn left and took the hwy up over Deadman Summit (ele 8,047') to the June Lake Cutoff. I simply turned around (but not before taking in the beautiful snow filled peaks overlooking the area....one of my favorite spots on the eastern sierra) and headed back from which I came. It was a great ride and I felt better than I thought I would being the first day in altitude.
The next morning I got up early, took the dogs (yes, we have a new puppy....blog on that later....oh, so many blogs to catch up on) out for a walk, had breakfast and then got on the bike. Today was to be a longer ride with a goal to go to the top of Upper Rock Creek at Mosquito Flats. The elevation there is just over 10,000'. With all the snow still on the mountains, getting mountain bike riding in was going to be a challenge. So I decided to focus on anerobic and altitude training so it didn't matter what bike I was on as long as I was riding hard. So I took off down valley towards Tom's Place off Hwy 395 to the Upper Rock Creek junction. Beth and I have stopped here a few times for breakfast at this historic spot atop the Sherwin Grade and it was always one of those "marker spots" on the long drive from So Cal to Mammoth. When you got to Tom's Place you knew you were only 20 mintues from the cabin. Unless it was snowing hard...then it was a popular "chain up" spot.
I looked forward to this climb as my friend Susan had ridden this in the past and said it was a good training road. The climb first goes past a burned out portion of forest and then it slowly churns up grades between 7-13%, past a rushing creek of melting snow, to Alpine forests and shimmering lakes still covered in ice! The road starts at just under 7,000' and rises to about 10,200' to the trailhead. The upper valley is called Little Lakes Valley and is a favorite of my family for the hikes we did back when the kids were younger. We came here with our PQ friends- the Poggioli's-and I remember carrying Jenna on my shoulders half the hike. I came here last summer with Jenna (15 years later!) and she and I had the best day hiking, taking pictures, letting Chloe swim in the river. One of the best days I ever had with Jenna!
The road was full of holiday fisherman (and women) and the day couldn't have been more beautiful. Like the day before, I felt great and really felt like the altitude was not affecting me too much. I only hope that is the case come Leadville day. I rode as far as the highway let me which was about a mile shy of the trailhead as the road became covered in snow and became impassable. I still got most the ride in and got to just below 10,000'. The downhill was fun although I admit I am always conservative on descending. Going 40 mph on 1" tires still gives me cause for concern and I don't like the thought of dealing with road rashes. I try to be the first one up a climb but I know I will be one of the last one's down...
The ride back into Mammoth was very inspirational as I had 12,000' peaks covered in snow to move me on. If you haven't been to the Eastern Sierra in the Summer you're missing one of the most beautiful places on the planet. John Muir knows what I am talking about!
The last day of riding wsa a short one as Beth and I needed to leave. I did ride up to the ski resort and then also up to the Mammoth Lakes Basin. Over Memorial Day weekend these lakes are full of fisherman on their boats and along the shore. Not today as the same lakes were filled with ice. The road was closed past Twin Lakes to cars but was accessable by bike. Riding up to Lake Mary with 4-6 foot high snow berms was a trip. When I got to Lake Mary and I saw it still frozen over I thought I was in Siberia. I was amazed at the beauty and the stillness all around. I did come across a nice family who took my picture and I returned the favor. They owned the Crystal Craig Lodges and I vowed to come with Beth one day to stay there as they were the nicest people. They thought I was nuts for riding in the snow.
After the rides Beth and I would go to the Village and have a few beers, food, listen to local bands and laugh at the contrast of the crowd - skiers and snow boarders walking through the village while people hung out in shorts enjoying the sun and others walked by in bathing suits to the pool. After all, it was a day before June and it was still winter in Mammoth Mountain! Maybe Tipper left Al Gore because she realized the global warming thing was all a hype and she finally realized the truth! Whatever it is I am loving it!
So I got what I came for and came home with more... inspiration to keep riding, full of confidence that the altitude hopefully won't be my enemy. I will be back up the week of 4th of July with the family and plan to get some solid riding in along with fun family time in between...remember, Todd- BALANCE!
Today I am back at Sea Level and I am about to partake in a 2 day MTB skills class. I'm going in with an open mind to learn new skills and Beth believes this will give her confidence in me too for my safety in Colorado. More on that tomorrow...
No comments:
Post a Comment