winter park worked out quite well...

the vacation was a family vacation
there was talk of doing a race in Winter Park on Saturday
but only if we arrived by Friday
work did not allow that Friday to be away
which meant that there was no chance of hitting that race

which was fine
there was enough gear being dragged about the airport as it was

being from sea level and all that
well... and
colorado being colorado
well... and
it was alright not getting humbled in front of a bunch of strangers

this all came to surface last night on our last night in Boulder as I jumped into the pool with my two boys I saw a guy with a spanking new black cast on his arm
the fit build along with the location and the Ritchey hat spelled bike accident
I bluntly asked... "did that happen on the bike?"

the exchange was pleasant and open
no great detail
he had one eye on his daughter while I alternated my one eye between my two boys
grant with a life jacket
dean swimming like marine boy sans aqua gum

in our exchange it came up that he had missed the Leadville 100 that day
that brought a smile to my face
sorry for him
yet quasi happy for me
as I missed the Leadville 100 that day as well
had I know that that race corresponded with my family vacation
well...
I could still be riding my bike trying to finish that course right now

apparently missing the Leadville 100 is a real bummer to this guy
his wife understood and offered the Cyclocross Nationals as a way to make up for the missed race and the injury
sounds like his wife understands his addiction

leadville 100
one of the great things about the Shenandoah Mountain 100 is how late it happens in the year
it allows that race to be at many mountain bike rider's to be at their peak fitness
as well as being at the tail end of their year
as a 100 miles off road may take the snap out of a rider's legs for a few weeks

riding the chair and riding down hill on a bunch of times may not have been making use of the high elevation for training for a distance event
but who said anything about training
who said anything about racing