This Weekend's Moab & Fruita Pics

Moab Saturday...Rode from the camp site at Sovereign to Amasa Back, Pipe Dream, Porcupine Rim via Sand Flats Road, and finished with M Bar before returning to camp.

Amasa Back turnaround point.

That would be too good to be true.

Porcupine Rim, becoming more enduro and less fearful with every run.

9 water bottles on board made for a tough training ride.

Dawned knee pads for the first time this year and finally nailing 4 foot drops, which only means one thing.

Fruita Sunday...Spent the afternoon exploring the Lunch Loops trail system which are impressive with their all mountain features. Figured today would be mostly for fun factor, developing my Tabeguache compass, and dialing in my technical skills since yesterday was quite a demanding effort from carrying more weight than most typical Saturday 8-12 hour rides.

First time ever at Tabeguache, unsure why I waited so long for such a gorgeous day.

Deserved an unusually lightened rig free of frame packs today.

Lunch Loops and the rest of Tabeguache was MADNESS!

Thanks for reading!

Tim

This Week on the Bicycle

Moab

Saturday...

Captain Ahab

A new found mini velodrome proved to be a dizzy spin after 20 hot laps.

Circle O

Sovereign

Unfortunately, time to ride back to the campsite. I was just getting going :).

Sunday...

Slickrock

Porcupine Rim

Thanks for reading,

Tim

This Week on the Bicycle

Due to weather conditions on the mountain passes and a 24 hour bug that hit me like a ton of bricks late in the week, it was decided that I was to stay close and take it easy. As always, I had no qualms with back to back weekend days spent at Buffalo Creek. It's by far my favorite place to ride a bicycle in the Colorado foothills. Brett Ebben and I spent both days exploring fire roads covered with 6" of fresh powder.

Saturday...

Wellington Lake

That's a broken rear fender.

Sunday...

More Wellington Lake 

So typical.

Colorado Trail Segment 3

Buffalo Burn, always so sweet no matter what time of the year.

Thanks for reading,

Tim

This Week on the Bicycle

Thanks to Santa Cruz Bicycles for their tremendous support, I spent the early part of the week building up my ultimate training bike, I've named Jonesy. It's for the big back to back weekend climbing days in Moab, Fruita, Crested Butte, Keystone, and most of all, Breckenridge. Golden Bike Shop had put in the finishing touches to get me on the trail in time for the weekend. I'm finally equipped with a bike that can take the abuse of big day rides without a full time mechanic to be on call 24/7.

After the Amasa Back descent, I nicknamed it to Drop City, it was amazing what I already do on my new all mountain bike.

After my first drop at Dead Man's Ridge, I immediately thought of hot butter on a warm biscuit, I wonder why :).

Pipe Dream Trail

Possibly my favorite climb in the universe, Porcupine Rim Trail's first section.

Porcupine Rim view.

On Sunday, Fruita's Kokopelli Trail.

Thanks for reading,

Tim

This Week on the Bicycle

The week...

First ever ride with Ida en route to work.

I've got a great feeling about sunrise (and sunset) rides this year.

Another sub 15 degree commute with Oscar, chalked up to the winter ultra endurance racing  that lies ahead.

The weekend...

One of many stunning views in my first winter wonderland joyride with Ida in Winter Park.

This site grabbed such a hold of me that I've spent all of tonight researching what I need to have and know to spend a few peacefully quiet nights here.

For the first time in my life, I want winter to last.

Foxton Road en route to finally finding my way via bicycle to Buffalo Creek. 

Deckers.

Platte River Road, just gorgeous.

Tim

2013 Riding, Racing, and Courage

Here's what I've drawn out to map what I want 2013 to look like. I'm expecting more and different styles of riding and racing than 2012. Lots of bikepacking on a Santa Cruz Highball C or soon to be super cushy Santa Cruz Tallboy LTc, more back to back giant rides and overnighters in Moab, Crested Butte, and of course Breckenridge. That place has my heart. In Autumn, I'm addressing the absenteeism of a fat bike in my life to avoid the seemingly weekly wintry defeats of dead end trails due to 6" of powder. The Arrowhead 135 is on my radar in 2014, and ultimately the Iditarod Trail Invitational in 2015. That'll be the story, I'm sticking to it, and this year will be phenomenal amounts of adventure, new beginnings, and a helluva grand time. There's no way I'm going to let myself grow old with regret, wishing I would have grabbed life by the horns while I still had the legs and the courage. Here's to living in the moment and going confidently in the direction of your dreams...

See you out there,

Tim

My Brother Has Arrived

You know you've arrived to superstardom when you have your very own beer commercial. Here's my brother, Chris Lutz, who plays professional basketball for the Petron Blaze Boosters in the Philippine Basketball Association. Way to get back up Chris!

https://www.facebook.com/video/embed?video_id=10151435102747485

Thanks for watching!

Tim

2012 24 Hour Solo Nationals Podium Change: 4th Place

I received news this morning regarding the article below. It's the first time that my podium standings have been affected by a competitor taking a banned substance. In this case, his name is Cyril Jay-Rayon (#2 spot in the pic below) from California and the prescription drug is Provigil. It helps you stay awake and increases strength. Maybe someone should introduce him to coffee. I heard it's glorious and it's race legal :). It's a very upsetting situation. I thought I was safe from the shenanigans in 24 solos but apparently not. I by no means think anyone else that are top 24 solo competitors are taking banned substances. I'm not going to say that it's good that the race was sanctioned by USA Cycling due to their foolish decisions regarding the 2013 24 hour racing categories. But, fortunately drug testing was mandatory for the top two finishers. It's a careless and selfless act and for what? If you need to take banned substances to compete in 24 solos then you don't belong. If you don't want to or can't race in circles for 24 hours banned substance free, then don't. Leave it to those that do enjoy it. Hell, I can't get enough of it and I wish 24's were 30's, 36's, or 500K's with the same format. I did two of four 24's in 2012 unsupported and faired well by doing the following: be prepared, drink coffee, think positive, be patient, intelligently eat and drink, don't be a hero, and ride your bike. If that doesn't work and you lose, then you lose with grace and dignity to honest and bad ass riders. And, whether you win or lose, learn the lessons.

The podium has officially been shifted by USA Cycling, placing me in 4th. At this point, I don't need the world to know and I don't need a new medal to prove it. That's not what 24 solos are about. I want others to know that this is a careless and selfless act that affects others and ultimately brings significant damage to the identity of the user and further poisons a sport that needs rebuilding from these types of episodes.

I've been informed of great news on a global level of 24 hour racing by the president of the Mountain Bike Australia federation. WEMBO, the organizer of the 2012 24 Hour Solo World Championships in Italy had mandated drug testing for the top 10 males and top 7 female riders. That's fantastic news and a breath of fresh air! All the more reason to motivate me for the 2013 24 Hour Solo World Championships in Canberra, Australia, also put on by WEMBO. Word is, Australia is the place to be for a 24 solo racers. It's THE race of all races for me, so hopefully I will have the privilege to be a part of this experience.

USADA article
http://www.usada.org/media/sanction-jayrayon123112

USA Cycling anti-doping article
http://www.usacycling.org/cycling-athlete-jay-rayon-accepts-sanction-for-anti-doping-rule.htm

USA Cycling nationals race article
http://www.usacycling.org/chambers-kirkland-ride-to-2012-24-hour-mtb-nationals-solo-titles.htm


It was and always wil be a spectacular day in my life, but I'm not done yet. I'm not even close and I'll do it drug free.

Thank you for reading. I apologize about the bitter post but actions like this are inexcuseable.

Tim