Snowbowls, and Fat Bike Races
Today we live life in a Snowbowl. February 11th, 2020; Albuquerque, New Mexico. What’s a snowbowl…? From what I gather the wind is ripping through the canyon, mixing with a front from the North West, and everybody around us is getting snow, except us. What it means from a practical perspective is the flag on the school, a block away, is straight out pointing to the south. And one block south of there, a flag pointing straight west. It’s weird because it’s cold, and windy AF, and I will be exchanging work today, for a flippy floppy run on Thursday.
Last year it was Xterra Maui, this year my heart sings for playing in the snow!
And although I have my sight on the Winter Bear, a mere 50 mile Fat Bike Race located in Steamboat; I love Leadville, don’t own proper equipment to ride 50 miles, and I’m not prepared. So that love of Leadville brought us to Cloud City Wheelman’s Tennessee Pass Jam
Fat Bikes in the snow in Leadville, Colorado!! Who better to participate in a crazy Birthday Adventure than Thelma! Thelma, and Louise together again, with a full tank of gas!!
A few hours pass, everything seems to be going well, and maybe a wee bit fast, before Thelma and Louise have a little run in with the Law.
We arrive just before 4 pm at the Tennessee Pass Nordic Center. What an absolutely amazing drive. The snow packed peaks, the wide open prairies, and the amazing section of road through Ojo Caliente.
Preparation begins: numbers, donations, shaking hands with a Facebook friend, home I admire. Leadville native, amazing athlete, and owner of Buttercup, the 2019 Burro Race Winner of the Triple Crown. Yes, I live for #burroraces #therightkindof jackasses #envy.
I have done one fat bike race in my life. The 2nd Annual Snowbomb Race in Winona, MN. It was pretty cool, my friends in Winona, and I were racing the same day!
I did my best to prepare. I got a few rides in on the Fat Bike: 4- 5, with 2 of them, being at 10,200′ at the top of Sandia. Both days up top, I underestimated conditions, and was only able to cover half the distance of Tennessee Pass. Thelma had gotten a new Fat Bike from Santa, and hadn’t even been on it yet! Although she is the reigning National SS Fat Bike Champion, we knew it was going to be interesting!
Any time I heard someone talking about tire pressure I ran over and asked: can I feel too? I felt many tires, and I learned, ‘you want about this much pressure in your fat bike tire’ .
I think, the hardest part of Saturday, besides riding; let alone racing, after a 5.5 hour drive, was trying to decide what to wear to be warm. Leadville was having a warm day, just above freezing, and I was attempting to guess how fast the temperature was going to drop after sun down. I took some risks, and ended up overdressing. I was literally dressed for -15 degrees. This turned out to be a very unwise choice, as my Minnesota blood always kicks in. I overheated. Dramatically.
Thelma and I did a quick start loop. She took off, and I was not as confident, I wanted to get a real good feel of how the snow was handling under my tires.
Seeing the sunset over the mountains. So grateful, so unbelievable, making the whole trip worth it. Neither of us had any expectations we had agreed: we weren’t going to get hypothermia, frostbite, or take major risks.
6 PM race start, hell it’s almost my bedtime. HAHA!
Anyhew, I’m at the back, I have no expectations of coming in anywhere, except, near the back. We head off down the start loop, it is no longer hard packed, it is torn up: squirrely, fun, and exceptionally dangerous, instability. On the bike, unclip, slide, times what seemed to be an eternity. If this is the way this whole lap is, I’m done. It is not. So onward.
We are immediately into the trees, and uphill after the start loop. And I am immediately hot, and shortly there after, overheating. Hank is not meant for climbing. Or racing. in the almost 9 miles I completed there was 1500′ of climbing. It was hard.
For awhile, I was riding with a young man, in gray sweatpants, and tennis shoes. He was adorable.
me: “I think, by the end of this, I will understand the strategy of fat bike racing”
adorable young man: “For the hills, I put it in the easiest gear”
me thinking: “if I were on a Salsa, I would NOT be pushing my bike right now”
And I am thinking, Nance, keep this up, this is great training for pushing your bike in July!
I was also near and older gentleman. His tires were very big. There were a few times, I rode in his line.
The trails converge, and we were riding against traffic, I believe, I saw Thelma heading up the final hill to the Lodge before doing another shorter loop to the finish. I really wanted to keep going. I knew this part was flat. I believe it is called Fish Flat. And finally, I was not in the trees, and my body temperature, was not broiling.
By this point, I am all alone. I am also very, very tired. I literally just want to lie down and take a nap. Yet, lying down, and sleeping would most certainly lead to death. So I kept going. At this point, the Full Moon was rising over Cooper Ski. It warmed my heart, and I felt so grateful to be alive, and experiencing such amazing views, in the heart of America, and Colorado.
I am exhausted, I don’t have enough supplies, my water froze, and I had dehydrated myself by overheating. I am alone, so if something does happen, I don’t remember hearing there is a sweep, I believe there are at least 2 people behind me, yet, I am unable to see them, they are so far behind me. It begins to snow, as I head up out of Fish Flats. I put a water bottle inside my jacket, so I do have some hydration.
So I head up the hill to the Lodge, and I am going to decide if I am done. I am going to look at my Garmin, and if I have 1 to 2 miles, I will complete the entire distance. If I have 3 Miles, or more, I will bow out.
I am at 8.9, and the course is said to be 12 miles. So I happily find the lady with the clipboard, and the race director, to let them know I DNF. I am happy with my decision, as I head in the lodge to find Thelma by the fire, everyone so happily eating, and drinking the gluten. I have my wicked WTF moment, or at least the precursor to the WTF moment that will slowly unfold.
We change, load the bikes, get some herbal tea. We catch the tail end of the awards, and schwag giveaway, and we head out.
It was an interesting time on the bike. Not only for me, also for my partner in crime, who rode the whole course with a flat rear tire.
I learned a lot.
- Your tires use about this much air.
- Dress for high 20’s, low 30s, and next plan, plan for the warmth of the trees.
- I may use a small hydration back inside my jacket
- No rear brake. Rear brake causes the major slide outs. Mostly front brake.
- And yes, if I am planning on racing fat bikes, I should donate Hank. Hank is wonderful. Hank is a northern city commuter bike. He would be happy in the Twin Cities, Chicago, or New York City. If I’m going to have to be on Hank next year, I will need to be shit fuck stronger. Really, I do see a nothing fancy aluminum bike, with carbon fork in my future.
- Follow the packed down track.
- Have a bigger snack.
- I do indeed want a helmet light
It was so fun, there will be a next year. I still love Leadville. I love the Cloud City Wheelmen. They put on a great race, well organized, simple, and fun!! I absolutely love the Winter Series! And I am so much looking forward to spending more time in Lake County surrounded by the tallest, most beautiful mountains in Colorado. I love the people of Lake County. The hardiness. Reminds me so much of my home, and the people of Minnesota.
And yes, I still really want to ride that 50 miler up in Steamboat. Level I Crazy.
Out. Thanks for checking in, thank you for being part of my experience. If you are reading this, I hope you live large, love, and adventure wildly!!
Coach Zoe