Durango... long entry!

Last weekend I went to the beautiful Durango, CO for my first real race of the year. I went with the CU Cycling team. We were supposed to take a 16 passenger van which we rent for races. The vans arrived 2 hours late. People were probably wondering why there were a bunch of cyclists standing in the Safeway parking lot for 2 hours. We finally loaded up and it was packed...butts in every seat! We departed at 5:30 PM meaning that the 7 hour drive would put us in Durango very late! At a gas station about 60 miles away from Wolf Creek Pass, we had a scare. Signs were saying the pass was closed after 7 PM meaning we would have to tack on yet another 2 hours to the trip. Fortunately, it's just Mon-Thurs, so we were okay to go. However, it wasn't so easy. As we started ascending the pass, it started to snow, turning into a full-on blizzard. There was also construction, so to add to the chaos, we were on a dirt road in total darkness except for our headlights and the blowing snow. The van got silent very quickly. It looked like something from a horror movie where 16 college kids get murdered in a blizzard under the full moon. The werewolfs decided to spare us and we made it to Durango okay. The site of our hotel was the next fun thing. I didn't think Durango had ghettos, but apparently it does. It had weekly/monthly rentals. The people in the room next to me were living there, complete with the lawn chairs outside. After seeing who lived there- basically white trash, we weren't suprised to experience the bum fight the next night. That's right, bum fight. A bunch of drunk dudes, one named CJ... yelling for 2 hours at the top of their lungs to show some respect. They were slamming up against the vans, against the doors, drunken punches being thrown. It was pretty crazy and we almost called the cops. I was glad Adam wasn't there, because I knew that if his sleep was to be disturbed, he would have been partaking in the bum fight to try and get them to shut up. I tried calling the front desk, but for some reason, the front office was always closed. Oh wait, I know why! We were in the ghetto. We left at 7 AM Sat morning to head to the TTT. Our bum neighbors were already outside getting started on a 24 pack of Bud Light. That's right! No wonder CJ had no respect later that night...he had been drunk since 7 AM. That's just how they roll.

We didn't have enough women there to do the TTT, but we watched the guys. It was snowing and freezing. Tom Danielson and Ned Overend even showed up. The team went out to lunch and I went to City Market to buy pb&j supplies for the weekend. That's me, poor grad student extraordinaire. I don't have mommy and daddy giving me all the money I want like most of the trustafarians... I like pb&j though. It's good stuff. :) Later that afternoon, I drove the huge van and we went to get ready for the hill climb TT. I wasn't feeling that great on the bike and the TT was a very short 2.5 miles. Ouch. I was warming up on the course and I found the most pompous official ever. We'll just call him cowboy hat. The moment he saw me, he yelled, "You can't warm up on the course!" when the chief ref had already given me permission. He proceeded to complain that I crinkled my number, and had to comment on my headphones. He had to go on and on. The weather cleared up for the TT. At the start, my calves cramped, but I tried to ride through it. I got 3rd in the TT right behind Molly Hummel... not too bad I guess!

Dinner was interesting. A van full of 15 roadies all bitching about where to eat. That was pretty much the theme of the van. Whining. No one could be pleased!! The sound of my alarm the next morning at 6 AM didn't feel good after being up all night listening to screaming bums. With the first few pedal strokes on the trainer, I knew my legs were feeling less than adequate for the day. The course had some good climbs...my favorite. I ended up working for my teammate. I helped bridge her up to the attack group since we were a little late jumping on. I had to turn myself inside out to do so, so 15 minutes later, I had just finished a pull and there was another attack. My legs were destroyed and I couldn't grab onto my teammates wheel in time. I guess she forgot I was with her or something... stupid road racing. I ended up riding solo for 20 miles and held off the chase group. I still finished mid pack overall which is okay. I got some good VO2 max efforts in since I didn't let off the gas at all when I was riding solo. Our new clothing sponsor, Domino is pretty sweet! Check out the new uniform:



Next up is Mesa State in Fruita this weekend. I want to bring my mtb so bad. I'll take some pics. I'm trying to get a little bit of race fitness before I become imprisoned in the hurt locker for the month of May. I'm hitting the Tour of the Gila(5 day this year!), a Prescott endurance MTB race OR a Las Cruces Stage Race(Road) Chili Challenge(MTB), and Iron Horse(road). I was thinking of going to collegiate road nats, but much to the coaches dismay, I think I'll decline that spot. There were waaaaaaay too many wrecks last year for my comfort level. I would rather not risk it. Plus, why in the $@*$# would I want to go to Kansas?!?!

Anyway, the length of this entry is indicative of how badly I do not want to do my homework. I have tried it and am again too dumb to do it. Grad school kills me. We got our midterms back for my soft switching and resonant converters class... I didn't do very well, but at least I didn't get the lowest grade in the class. I did get a C+ WITH the curve. I think I need to drop out of grad school. I refuse to live in the lab, and everyone else in my classes does...so basically I'm screwed! I'll figure it out someday.

Oh yeah, the final verdict is in! Adam is moving to Colorado in the fall. I know all of you were waiting to see if I was going to be with my heart's desire or turn into a Boulder pimptress. ;)