Valentine’s Eve JRA at Phils

A rare hot lap while racing the cold & snow

As winter weeks go, this one was pretty good on the workout front. Fun hike on Sunday, 2 runs, and a spin-bike sesh (while on a 7-hour Zoom call…brutal!) so this morning when Regan suggested I sneak in a hot lap at Phil’s World before the snow arrived, I had to take it.

Supposed to snow about 10 inches over the next few days, so this would likely be the last real chance for a few weeks to sneak in a rip on Rib Cage before the muddy conditions would keep me out.

When I arrived in the parking lot, there were 2 other vehicles there — contrast that with a Saturday in April when there are easily 50. I was going to have the place to myself! Got dressed in a spitty sleet — just cold enough to be solid-ish, but not actually snow yet. Once I got rolling, I quickly realized the hero-dirt I was about to enjoy. Just moist enough to be perfectly tacky, but not so sticky as to dent the trail or clog up my tires. Climbing up to Lemonhead felt great — almost effortless, but not quite “chainless” as my friend Christy would say (“Is there a chain on this bike?? I feel nothing! Ha!”)

The lap on Lemonhead was awesome, but as I turned onto Abajo, the snow picked up. The front had arrived and with it, big sticky wet flakes. Good thing it was pretty much all downhill after this. Rib Cage was fun, but my tires were starting to pick up some mud — the soft, powdery soil was beginning to stick — time to get outta there.

By the time I finished Rib Cage and turned towards the parking lot, my tires were definitely packed and a couple of chain-sucks later I knew the fun was coming to an abrupt halt. Fortunately, the final mile is mostly on sandstone and gravelly soils, so I was able to get back without too much trouble, and without damaging the trail. Muddy? Yup. But escaped without tearing anything up.

Back at the truck — the only one in the parking lot — I changed quickly and got outta there. By the time I got to Mancos, it was a full-on snowstorm. 30mph all the way home after that.

But I got out. It felt good. Fun to see Phils again. 2 weeks until March!