Time…

There are times throughout the calender year you wish you could just bottle up and keep with you.  And these days up at the Mountain Command Post, it’s just that time of year…

 

It’s hard to imagine 6 months ago, and 6 months from now, scene’s of 6 ft snow drifts will grace this place…

 

Saturday’s Winter Park Series #3 would take me back to the 2-hour cross-country events my body has become accustomed to; but that wouldn’t mean that it would be any easier…

 

Seems last weekend’s epic would have long-lasting effects on my recovery, as I struggled for an hour and 45 minutes to keep in contact with the notables.  You know you’re outta sorts when you make up all your time on the descents, an watch ‘em pull away from you the second the trail turns uphill…

photo: www.mountainmoonphotography.com

I’d cross the line in a solid, but oddly forgetable 15th place in the pros.  As hard as I try and pretend, I’m simply not as fast as I was the last couple of years and that’s a tough pill to swallow.

But hey, I never said I was in this for the money.  As fun as the occasional top-5’s are as well as those ever-elusive podium spots, I’m still out here, still getting nervous before every single start.

Next up:  another bout with the big boys at the 2010 U.S. National Mountain Bike Championships…