Category: cycling

Levi Leipheimer wins Leadville 100mi

On By Rick McIn cycling2 Comments

I made a 30mi detour yesterday to check out the infamous Leadville, Colorado. It’s a grim looking mountain mining town.

It was festive yesterday, however. …

Just shy of three weeks after a disappointing performance in the Tour de France, Levi Leipheimer made a triumphant debut in the Leadville Trail 100 on Saturday, pedaling to a new record, 12 minutes faster than the previous record teammate Lance Armstrong set last year.

Leipheimer (Mellow Johnny’s), who finished 13th overall in late July in the Tour de France, overcome several crashes to claim the high-altitude mountain bike ordeal in 6 hours, 16 minutes and 37 seconds. …

“That was ridiculous,” Leipheimer told CyclingNews.com after the race. “I don’t know if I’ve ever suffered that much before. …

Levi Leipheimer pedals to dominating win in Leadville Trail 100 debut

I really can’t comprehend how road cyclists can switch so easily to mountain bikes. … Pain tolerance is pain tolerance, I guess.

Rebecca Rusch (Specialized Factory Racing) not only topped her first-time from last year by coming in at 7:47:35, she smashed the course record by nearly a half hour.

Keiran on the Slickrock Trail

On By Rick McIn cycling, friends, travelLeave a comment

From the Facebook album: Dying in the heat

The Slickrock Trail, located near Moab, Utah (USA), is a popular mountain biking destination with worldwide fame. This 10.5-mile (16.9 km) loop takes intrepid riders over a landscape of “petrified” sand dunes and the eroded remnants of ancient sea beds. The Slickrock Trail is one of the more difficult rides in the Moab area and possibly the U.S., both technically and cardiovascularly, and is not suitable for novice riders. …

Keiran took a spill into cactus, I hear. … Video to come.

When I was there a few years ago, I was thrilled to get through the Slickrock without hospitalization. It’s tough.

cycling the Hiawatha Trail, Idaho

On By Rick McIn best bike rides, cycling, health & fitness, travelLeave a comment

… The “crown jewel” of rail-to-trail mountain bicycle trails is operated by Lookout Pass Ski Area which is located adjacent to I-90 at the Idaho/Montana state line, 12 miles east of historic Wallace, Idaho. The Hiawatha Trail is generally open late May through early October. …

Winding through 10 tunnels and 7 high trestles, this 15-mile route crosses the rugged Bitterroot Mountains between Idaho and Montana. The Route of the Hiawatha is best known for the long, dark St. Paul Pass, or Taft Tunnel, which burrows for 1.66 miles …

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more photos tagged “Hiawatha Trail”

Rick on the Hiawatha Trail, Idaho

It made Allie Comeau’s list – 10 Great American Bike Trails

in Monument Valley

On By Rick McIn cycling, hiking, travel3 Comments

Gorgeous.

I’d been to Monument Valley before. But the Valley itself was closed for the (very cool) Red Bull Air Race: Photo by Timothy K. Hamilton

This time I did the only independent hike allowed in the Park, the Wildcat Trail (3.2mi). I had low expectations, but it turned out to be superb. I felt like a Mormon trailblazer.

At dusk I tried finding a mountain bike trail just outside the Park. That was a FAIL.

It’s amazing how all this flat desert is mostly impassable.

… moseying off in the general direction of the Grand Canyon.

from St. George, Utah

On By Rick McIn cycling, travel1 Comment

I’m here pretending to be a competitor at their first annual IRONMAN race. (Of the 2,500 people on the 2.4mi swim, I’d be the only one to drown.)

Will run/bike some of the course today, just for fun.

And camp up near Snow Canyon. And, what the heck, try the Snow Canyon trail too, while I’m here.

DOH – bumbling through Nevada

On By Rick McIn cycling, hiking, travel2 Comments

I rushed out of the fantasy world of Vegas to search out the best hikes in Southern Nevada for my hiking site.

Of the first 4 I tried to hike this weekend, something went wrong on ALL.

1) snowed in …
2) access road now “NO trespassing”
3) needed an odometer to find the unmarked parking lot. (My Honda has a broken odometer.)
4) part way down the remote 30mi washboard access road I realized I had left behind my oil cap. Merde!

Still, I’m loving driving around the sunny S.W. equipped with a mountain bike!

Here I’m being challenged by a desert tortoise.

driving Mojave National Reserve

tortoise - driving Mojave National Reserve

I carefully, slowly lifted him well off the highway in the direction I thought he was trying to go. … Unfortunately he seemed to be walking the yellow line when I found him.

south to Baja …

On By Rick McIn cycling, travel, travel Mexico1 Comment

My parents and I depart today for Baja California. A month long driving adventure taking the ferry over to Mazatlan from the Peninsula.

This is not the first time we’ve driven to Mexico. New … I’m taking my mountain bike.

Adios.

Clara Hughes ROCKS

On By Rick McIn cycling, sport - amateur1 Comment

Clara Hughes has won the most Olympic medals of any Canadian woman, all time, tied with skating team mate Cindy Klassen.

But Clara won them in both Summer and Winter Olympics. In fact, she’s the only woman from any nation who has won more than one medal in both Summer and Winter. Amazing!

What’s next?

Clara plans future Ocean kayak adventures with her husband Peter Guzman.