Aspen Crit: Have I mentioned that I love bike racing?

Posted on by lindsay
The Race: Blue Ribbon Alpine Challenge Criterium in Aspen, CO The Course: 60 minutes, four corners The Field: 1/2 women The Finish: 5th Short backstory on this event: the men-only US Pro Cycling Challenge is rolling through Colorado and stopped in Aspen on August 22/23. Last year, a three-day women's stage race was hosted in Aspen concurrently with the stage of the men's race. That same event was scheduled for this year, but had to be shortened to a one-day criterium in downtown Aspen. Let's see how many times I can say Aspen in this paragraph. Aspen! USA Cycling was kind enough to invite me to join five other women to race on a composite team for this event, the Aspen Valley Hospital Composite Team. We got cool pink and black jerseys from Primal that helped us blend in seamlessly with the riders from the actual Primal pro team. I was thrilled to ...continue reading.

In which I settle in more than anticipated

Posted on by lindsay
When I was younger, I wanted to live by the sea. The thought of settling down in a land-locked state like Colorado seemed claustrophobic and confining. Mountains were for other people who liked cold weather and skiing and plaid. This might be the time to mention I'd never seen the mountains. Now, after three days of living in Aspen, I realize that there is nothing claustrophobic about this place. When I stand outside and see peaks in every direction and endless sky, it feels expansive. It's a forceful reminder that the Earth is three-dimensional. Also, in the dry mountain air, my hair spends less time being a frizzy animal, which is a selling point against the sodden rainforest that is East Coast humidity. The last few days have passed in a blur of riding, eating, and sitting around. I've made it into downtown Aspen a few times, sampled more than ...continue reading.

Aspen: Acknowledging each lovely vista with a snack

Posted on by lindsay
[caption id="attachment_3360" align="alignnone" width="400"] This shouldn't need a caption. It's The Pizza at the Denver airport. Five minutes after this photo was taken, this box was empty and I was eyeing my carry-on's potential to hold another.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_3361" align="alignnone" width="400"] Riding up Maroon Bells with the Susan G. Komen Ride for the Cure. This would have been the TT course for the stage race, but I was happy soft-pedaling up while taking photos and stopping to harass wildlife. Marmots are just asking to be hugged.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_3362" align="alignnone" width="400"] My Aspen Valley Hospital teammates Amber and Abby rocking the ride.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_3363" align="alignnone" width="400"] The view was breathtaking. No, wait, that was the lack of oxygen at the high altitude. But the view was still awesome.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_3364" align="alignnone" width="400"] Apparently Abby was so moved by the ride with Amber that, upon reaching Maroon Bells, she proposed against a ...continue reading.

Sunset on the Season

Posted on by lindsay
As a result of the Talent ID camp, I have been selected by USA Cycling to race on the Aspen Valley Hospital Composite Team at the Blue Ribbon Alpine Challenge crit in Aspen, CO on August 22nd. The Aspen race was originally supposed to be a three-day stage race in conjunction with the men's US Pro Cycling Challenge, but lack of funding forced the promoters to cut the race down to a one-day crit that runs on the same finishing circuit the men will use coming into Aspen at the end of that day's stage. I knew going into the camp that a short-term result of successful performance would be selection for a composite team for the Aspen race, but when the announcement came that it was no longer a stage race, I assumed that the composite team would no longer happen. It came as a pleasant surprise to get ...continue reading.

This One Time, At USA Cycling Talent ID Camp

Posted on by lindsay
It's been a while since I've written here. Things got a little chaotic in life and I lost my voice, so to speak (although not my taste for bad puns). At first I just didn't have time to write, then I was distracted by the things happening, and then I had a lot of feelings that were not blog-friendly, unless this blog were retitled, "Times I Have Held A Serious, Exhausting Grudge That Is Refueled On A Near-Daily Basis." The good news is that throughout this period of being unable to find words to share a lot of what is going on, the bike is still making me happy. Sure, I had some boring-ass rides before I went off to Colorado, rides where I slogged around the same local roads watching the minutes crawl by, but even despite some minor mental burnout, I'm still deeply in love with the bike. ...continue reading.