Strava: http://app.strava.com/activities/88900881/
I ended up doing Baldy for
probably the last time of the season. It was in the low 50s when I
started and a little chilly. I was looking forward to the climbing.
My plan was to see how fast I could get up and down. My main
concern was getting up fast but with the mindset that I don’t blow up on the
wall. I was keeping a consistent pace heading up and I ended up passing
about 5 people in the first 5 miles. I was hoping the legs would feel a
little fresher than they did, but after about 5 miles in, they really started
to loosen up. I was feeling pretty good so I turned it up a notch.
I figured that I would back off a little on GRR to save some for the
switchbacks. I was pretty much alone until the slight descent
before the last climb towards the water tower. I ended up blowing by some
guys on the climb after the descent. I thought they may latch on, but it
didn’t happen. I was alone again. After going through the Eastfork
intersection, I decided to take on some food. One thing I do when I ride
up there is take mental notes for the descent. There was a construction
area that had some rocks and gravel on the road. I didn’t want to hit
that going 35-40mph. On the way up GRR, I noticed earlier in the
year that a rock wall was taken out on a sharp turn. I always thought
whoever hit that is no longer in this world since it is a few hundred feet down
to the bottom. Sure enough, there are two large crosses where the wall
used to be and some markings denoting there is a big hole in the wall.
Making my way up GRR, it was me and a bunch of bored hunters
looking over the cliffs with their rifles and scopes. It is a little
weird, and I had the same feeling this year as last. I hope they don’t
get too bored and decide to shoot some schmuck on a bike for fun. I’d
hate to end up on 20/20 or 48 hrs or some other crime show as a vic. I
finally reached the village and I actually learned to embrace GRR. I used
to hate it, but with the views and getting used to the grade, I actually enjoy
it now. The part I hate is the climb out of the village to the beginning
of the switchbacks. It is not easy, and it is the pain before the really
painful. I’d rather just get on to the really painful. The road was
repaved, and it will be really nice after it gets some wear from the
traffic. Right now, there is some loose gravel from being pretty
fresh. Heading up the switchbacks was pretty comfortable, but there were
a lot of gravel, rocks and cars. I spun my tires a few times when I got
off the saddle. It was not cool. The road was repaved to the
parking lot for the chairlifts, but the rain and snow from last week knocked a
lot of rocks and gravel on the road. I ended reaching the store and not
stopping. I had a slow descent down the switchbacks due to the rocks and
gravel, especially on the hairpins. There were a lot of cars from the
hikers so even the wall was a slow rate. Of course, I froze on the way down
and as usual, I could not wait for that climb up after the village to
GRR. My hands were frozen in place and my back was locked up. The
climb and sun got everything in order though. I ended up catching a guy
on the climb with a new go pro. He followed me down GRR for a portion and
he was all excited about the footage and speed. I think I saw Vin heading
up, but I didn’t have time to react. I ended up dropping the guy on my
wheel after some of the hills. GMR was a blast as usual. Once I got
back to the car, I got my coconut/pineapple water and then headed home for some
beers. That ride is always a fun but painful ride.
FYI, I finished about 27 minutes
(about a 1 minute/mile) behind Lawson Craddock from the base of GMR to the
lifts. Pretty funny.
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