HDB Members Get Fit Cheap! / Wee-Chi-Tah/Hotter ‘N Hell MTB Results

HDB Members Get Discounts on Off-Season Training:  High Desert Team members are eligible for 20% off Winter Fitness or Core Strength classes with the coupon code “HDB20“.  Both classes are six-weeks long.   For more details on locations and times contact stacyv3@gmail.com or go to nmsportsonline.com.

 

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Wee-Chi-Tah Hotter ‘N Hell MTB Results: North Central Texas is known more for it’s tire-blistering-summertime heat than mountain biking.  Nevertheless, the Wee-Chi-Tah Mountain Bike Race – held in Wichita Falls, TX as a part of the Hotter’ N Hell 100 ride festivities – turned out to be an entertaining event.

The Wee-Chi-Tah trail, voted the best urban mountain bike trail in Texas, would make a carpenter salivate.  And, there are no gnarly, bone-jaring jumps. I’d be walking if there were.  But the course, seemingly a pretzel twisted inside out, offers several long wooden plank bridges, including a suspension bridge, that make the course interesting.  A few seconds of inattention and you can quickly find yourself looking up at a bridge 10-feet above your prostrate body.

The biggest obstacle however wasn’t the course, but the weather.  I raced the 60+ Cat 2 event against three other competitors.  The 10:18 a.m. start temperature was 95 degrees.  Estimating a ride time of about two hours the temperature would be teasing the century mark at the finale.  The only solace; the course is hidden in the tree-lined bottom of the Wichita River.  At least I wouldn’t see much sun.

My shot at first place for the race was lost 30-seconds after we left the start at the Bridwell Agriculture Center.  I did a poor job of selecting a starting position and was instantly separated from the eventual 60+ winner, Tim Noble of Wichita Falls, Tx.  Tim crushed me by six-minutes.  I finished second, 49-minutes ahead of third-place finisher Stephen Tabler of Shreveport, La.  The fourth rider, Mark Wygant of Wylie, Tx, did not finish.

Fun Wichita Falls, Tx Heat Facts

• Average First 90-Degree Temperature – April 9. The first 90-degree temperature this year occurred on March 31 (93).
• Average Last 90-Degree Temperature – October 11
• Average First 100-Degree Temperature – June 9
• Average Last 100-Degree Temperature – September 4
• Earliest 90-Degree Temperature – February 14, 1979 (92)
• Latest 90-Degree Temperature – October 31, 1934 (92), 1938 (90), 1992 (91)
• Latest 100-Degree Temperature – October 17, 1972 (102)
• Earliest 100-Degree Temperature – March 27, 1971 (100)
• Most Consecutive 100-Degree Days – 42 (June 23 – August 3, 1980). The temperature reached 117,

Seriously?  And you think Albuquerque gets hot?

 

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Broom Wagon Notes 8/17/2018: Masek Podiums Twice in at Senior Olympics

20K TT Start

The weekend of July 21st and 2nd was good to  hardworking Nathan Masek as he hit the podium twice in the 2018 New Mexico Senior Olympic.  This year’s NMSO is a qualifying event for the 2019 national event, which will be held in  Albuquerque in June 2019.

Nathan was second on the podium in both the men’s 50-54 20K time trial and 40K road race.  Nathan said he “had an amazing race (20K TT) and felt exceptionally strong.”  He attributed the strong finish to a few changes in his riding position.

20K TT Finish

The 40K road race was tight at the end.  “I lost it in the last sprint.”  Nathan admittedly worked too hard during the race and some riders hiding in the pack disrupted the finish pushing Nathan to a second place finish.  “I actually had pulled a bit too much leading up to the end, my bad but I always fall for that stuff.”

Congratulations Nathan for a good race.  I guess we will be seeing you at Nationals in 2019.

Picture left: Road Race Podium:  Picture right TT Podium

Broom Wagon Notes: July 6, 2018

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: The High Desert Bicycles Racing Team is one of the 2018 sponsors of the Oak Flats Mountain Bike Race scheduled for Sunday July 29.

Six volunteers are needed to host the feed-zone table at the event.  Volunteers will be handing-up hydration bottles to racers passing through the start-finish area.  Laps are approximately 5.25 miles long, with Cat 1 racers riding five laps, Cat 2 racers riding four laps and Cat 3 racers riding two laps.

The race organizer, Parmenides Orpinel, needs volunteers to work from 7am to 1:30pm.  HDB Team members have been sent a link to Signup.com to volunteer for a spot.  This event counts toward required volunteer activities for team members.

Help support local racing by assisting with the event.  We will send out additional reminders as the event date approaches.

TRAIL 341 REROUTE: On June 30th members of 505, Elevate and HDB bicycle teams in coordination with the Albuquerque Open Space Division rerouted approximately 1/8 mile of Trail 341 in the North Foothills.  The area rerouted starts north of the rock steps near the Pino bench and ends before the trail drops down into a small arroyo.  The rocky sections of the trail were not removed.  The old section of trail is scheduled for closure on July 7th.

Hopefully the hit-and-miss-monsoon showers will land on the new trail to help pack in in.

GET OUT AND RIDE

 

Ruiz Podiums at Bill Mclain Memorial Sandia Crest Road Race

The Bill Mclain Memorial Sandia Crest Race was held Sunday June 10. High Desert Bicycles was represented by Andrew Black and Alex Ramos in the 45+ Masters category and Daniel Ruiz in Cat 5 – all braving the wind, heat, and relentless climbing at altitude.

Daniel Ruiz, left side accompanying photo, nabbed a podium spot, finishing third in Cat 5 with the outright fabulous time of 1:53:15 despite riding solo the second half up the crest road.

Thanks to Tim Mattsson, HDB’s in-field reporter for the report and photograph.

 

Geoff Steffens 2nd At Ironman Santa Rosa, CA. Qualifies for Ironman Worlds

High Desert Bicycles Geoff Steffens could not have asked more a more successful spring.  After placing 3rd at the Ironman 70.3 in Galveston, TX in April Geoff put together a strong finish at the Ironman Santa Rosa, CA, finishing 2nd in the Men’s 50-54 category.

Geoff’s strong finish at Santa Rosa qualifies him for Ironman World Championships to be held in Kona, HI on October 13, 2018.  Looks like Geoff is going to have a working Hawaii vacation this fall.

Congratulations Geoff, and good luck at Kona.

What the Heck? HDB Rider Hits Top Step on Podium at Gila

High Desert Bicycles rider John Heck had to fend off attacks in the final road race of the Gila but his efforts resulted in a first place GC finish in the men’s 35+ cat 4/5 race at the Tour of the Gila.

After three days of racing John was 3rd overall and was leading the men’s 35+ cat 4/5 race by two minutes ahead of the Gila Monster Road race on Sunday.  John had to fight brutal cross-winds in the time trial, but his third place finish in the TT was enough to put a time gap on the rest of the 35+ cat 4/5 competition; a buffer he would need to hold off the hard-charging field to win the GC.

HDB’s in-field reporter, Thomas Mattsson also raced the Gila.   Unfortunately, Thomas crashed during the first road stage, hitting the pavement on a descent in the Mimbres Valley.  Thomas was able to bandage an ugly case of road rash and continue the race.

Thomas got so caught up in his reporting he forgot to report on his final overall standings in the race.

Congratulations to John; and great work Thomas fighting through your crash.

Good Luck to HDB Tour of the Gila Racers

The 32nd Tour of the Gila starts tomorrow, April 18, when 18 men’s and 10 women’s UCI teams hit the start line for five days of intense racing in Silver City, NM. The UCI race schedule starts with the Mogollon Road Race and finishes with the aptly named Gila Monster Road Race on Sunday April 22nd.

There is also a four-day version of the race starting with the Inner Loop Road Race on Thursday April 19 and also finishing with the Gila Monster on April 22nd. High Desert Bicycles Scott Steffen will be making his annual journey to participate in this southwestern New Mexico classic.

Wish Scott, and the other HDB racers participating in The Gila, well in the race.  Sorry if we neglected to name any other participating racers; but you gotta let us know your racing. We’ll make amends, we promise.

NOW: GET OUT AND RACE, RIDE BECAUSE BIKES ARE THE BESTEST!