I am happy that goal of a 100 mile race is behind me! The Bailey Hundo was set up as a fundraising race for the Colorado High School Mountain Bike League and Trips for Kids. In its first year only 150 applicants got picked to race. Dave Weins and JHK were on the line shortly before 6am at 40 degrees. When the double barreled shotgun blast was fired we took off.
We had a hard pace for the first 6 miles and then it started to split up before we got into the 40+ miles of single track. The conditions were dry and fast and it was a comfortable 75 degrees. The single track was VERY GOOD, traveling on the Colorado trail and most noteworthy the Green Mountain Trail. Deejay Birch and I traded spots back and forth for the entire single track section. When we hit the pavement I got to pace line with recently retired road pro Tom Zirbel until he took off up the road. Every competitor felt the climb out of Deckers, CO up Stoney Pass, even Tom Zirbel who I came upon taking a break under a tree half way up. It was hilly forest service road back to the finish with a “surprise” waiting. Senator Romer said there was a special Surprise for the riders right before the finish! This kept me riding the last few miles trying to guess what this great “surprise” was going to be. A ride on a conveyer belt to the wood yard where the BBQ was? Maybe Lance Armstrong was going to be at the finish to shake our hands? Big belt buckles for the finishers? I couldn’t wait. Then I saw the “surprise”. A half mile hike a bike with a good 20% grade of loose gravel…..WOW..at least there was a flat 500 feet to the finish line that a rider could pedal over the line! I crossed the finish line an immediately began to eat! Hamburgers, chips, everything sounded good! Then I had to lie down.