Washing away the dust

Hopefully, this weather front will move out by the weekend! It's been great - a nice steady rain almost every day this week, with clouds draped across the mountains and the sun flitting in and out. With the rain, the trails at Palmer Park should be fast, with all the sand washed away or packed down. The thin layer of sand coating the rocks will be gone, leaving awesome traction through Templeton and Little Moab. Outside of the park, in the Canyon where I normally ride, it's even better. The trees are brilliant greens and golds and there is snow on the higher mountains. Fall is here and the weather is acting accordingly. All the dust in the air from the long hot summer is gone, leaving behind the smell of fresh air and the promise of a fun winter of riding and exploring. 

But one more race to finish before that can happen. One last trip between Noon and Noon with my husband. It's been a fun year, trying our hand at a few different 24 hour races and learning how well we work together when we're both tired and cranky. We've never given up on each other - even when the Arizona hurricane blew Nick into the tent with frozen hands and I came in late for the exchange. We've had good laps and bad laps, but we've always been honest about our emotional and physical status. There's an art to running a good duo team without help and after all the races we've done together, I think we're getting pretty good. Communication is the key. It helps to be fast, but without the communication and the honesty, a team can fall apart quickly. 

One more race - in our "backyard" playground. With several other really fast teams toeing the line, it's gonna be 24 hours of hard, smart riding. And the best, most prepared and most consistent team will end up on the top step come Sunday Morning. Let's get out and ride our bikes!