The Buffalo Spiderweb

The life and times of a wannabe endurance mountain biker. That was this past weekend after 66 miles and 8,945 feet of accumulated climbing and the best part, 98% singletrack baby! I've been thinking about a spiderweb route of Buffalo Creek for a few months now. At 1st I was gonna attempt this on my own but at the last minute I put the challenge out on MTBR, and got a huge response on the forum to it.

BC Spiderweb


Saturday morning came and I found AV Boy's truck already in the BC parking lot and AV, no where to be found. To top it off, my truck read 18 degrees F. Fugging cold mate! Steadyflow shows up just minutes before I'm ready to take off and we make our pleasantries before starting the ride.

BC spiderweb1

5 hours into the ride and I'm sitting right at 42 miles...setting myself up for a good 8.5 mph average pace. I lost Steadyflow behind me miles back and I've made up 20 minutes on AV Boy learning that he had started at 5:50am while me and Steadflow had left the parking lot at 6:10am. I'm starting to crack though. My body is refusing any kind of solid food and all that it will allow me to eat is gummy bears and my Accelerade sports drink. My original plan was to ride out to Lost Creek Wilderness but I know I don't have it in me so I take the turn off to Redskin, willing AV Boy a good ride and hopefully the win. If you didn't read it on the Challenge placed on MTBR, this is a good ol fashioned time trial, winner takes the braggin rights.

BC spiderweb4

Climbing Gashouse I'm suffering and I've accepted the fact I've lost the TT for today and with that I should of just continued down Sandy Wash to my truck. But sitting there on the trail at the entrance to the new Sandy Connector at the end of Charlie's cutoff, I look at the time. 2pm. 51 miles into the ride I start thinking about the Strawberry Jack descent and the more I do, the more I loath myself because it means I'm climbing Buck Gulch to get back to where I am now.

BC spiderweb3

An hour and a half later and most of Buck Gulch hike a biked and I'm descending Sandy Wash at possibly the slowest I've ever descended it, my bonk complete, my motor skills thoroughly scoured. I've survived my ride, but it has not been the highlight of my career of being the wannabe endurance mountain biker.

BC spiderweb2

This was done all in preparation for the Gunnison Growler. The great thing is I now know I can handle sixty some odd miles of singletrack with some serious elevation gain this early in the season. Colorado season's for riding tends to start a little later in the year due to weather, especially for those of us who ride only mountain bikes. The bad, I have no idea how the Growler's singletrack stacks up to Buffalo Creek. I later learned that AV Boy had made it to the Wilderness Boundary but bailed on FR 543 to get back giving him around 65 miles and 8500 ft of climbing and Steadyflow bailed and ended up with 50 miles.

BC spiderweb
Photo by : PBR, me on the Colorado Trail about 30 miles into the Buffalo Spiderweb

With the Growler only 4 weeks away, my next couple of weekend's are pretty shot for continuous long distance training. Next weekend is Mother's day, the next we'll be in San Fransisco visiting family which leaves the weekend just before the Growler for the one last big training weekend.

6 comments:

  Bill

May 3, 2010 at 9:45 AM

Great blog, thanks for posting it. We're glad to have your update on trail conditions. People are always asking us about The Colorado Trail here at the CTF office. Helpful, thanks,

Bill Manning, Mg Dir
The Colorado Trail Foundation
www.ColoradoTrail.org
ctf@ColoradoTrail.org

  The Evil MGE!

May 3, 2010 at 9:52 AM

Bill, Thanks for the kind words. The CT is in great condition from Chair Rocks to the Indian Creek Wilderness Boundary.A few soft spots in the switchback climb between Shinglemill and Tramway but drying fast.

Cheers!

  Sean Scott

May 3, 2010 at 6:35 PM

Oh, btw, its still on.

I think I will attempt again Saturday. Depending on if the wifey considers Mother's day to be all weekend or just Sunday. :D

  Tandemdan

May 3, 2010 at 8:07 PM

Nice work MGE. I gotta get in on one of these sufferfest rides. Good times!!!

  The Evil MGE!

May 3, 2010 at 8:17 PM

Sean, I'm out for this weekend. I'm still doing some time trials but just another area...gotta be through by 2pm on Saturday. Putting the Missus up in a hotel for Mother's Day while I take the kids.
Tandem Man, anytime!

  Sean Scott

May 6, 2010 at 7:26 AM

Ok, Not doing Spiderweb this weekend... instead doing the FR50 at Bear Creek Lake Park.