a sense of loss
It's a strange feeling when something that's been part of your life for the last 4 years is suddenly ripped away. Even though I've been focusing mostly on running the last few months in prep for my Pikes Peak Ultra 50k, I was still preparing for a fifth run at the Vapor Trail 125. I wasn't 100% committed, but was 95% sure that I would be toeing the line come 10:00 PM on Sept 8th. After four consecutive finishes with one first and three second place finishes, I couldn't imagine anywhere else I would want to be.
I saw some posts and photos on Facebook that indicated there was something up. A photo with a road closure sign at the bottom of the north side of Tomichi pass. One of the race organizers asking questions about routes that connected up to the top of Granite Mountain. I didn't connect the two together - thinking Tom was just out exploring. Besides, it's only the beginning of July - September is a long way away and I had closer events to think about. I was planning on worrying about Vapor once the running race was finished. Then I would decide that last 5% that would depend on how much PPU took out of me.
That's what the plan was. And then - yesterday the reason for the cryptic posts and photos was revealed. Suddenly the best laid plans were gone and it felt like the summer was now in limbo. Due to catastrophic road damage from a rock slide, the USFS had closed the north side of Tomichi Pass. We wouldn't be able to use that road for the race. But unlike the closure after Alpine Tunnel for the last two years, there was no simple reroute. Tomichi Pass is THE way to get over to Canyon Creek from the east side of the Divide. Sure, we could take the route that Tom scouted - but that would call for an hour of descending on rutted jeep roads before starting up a 3,500 foot climb to the summit of Granite Mountain - in less the 5 miles. The added duration and difficulty would have made the race even more challenging for both riders and organizers. Another aid station, high potential for multiple DNFs due to hypothermia at the bottom of Quartz Creek. And no easy way to self rescue from the bottom of Quartz...
While I understand the reasoning and know that it wasn't an easy call - there is a profound sense of loss. An emptiness in the calendar and no motivation for epic suffer fests on the bike. I hadn't realized how much Vapor Trail 125 had become part of my soul until it was gone. Hopefully this is just a temporary pause and the race will be back to it's full glory in 2019. I know I will be one of the first people on the list when registration for 2019 opens - regardless of the form the race takes.
I saw some posts and photos on Facebook that indicated there was something up. A photo with a road closure sign at the bottom of the north side of Tomichi pass. One of the race organizers asking questions about routes that connected up to the top of Granite Mountain. I didn't connect the two together - thinking Tom was just out exploring. Besides, it's only the beginning of July - September is a long way away and I had closer events to think about. I was planning on worrying about Vapor once the running race was finished. Then I would decide that last 5% that would depend on how much PPU took out of me.
That's what the plan was. And then - yesterday the reason for the cryptic posts and photos was revealed. Suddenly the best laid plans were gone and it felt like the summer was now in limbo. Due to catastrophic road damage from a rock slide, the USFS had closed the north side of Tomichi Pass. We wouldn't be able to use that road for the race. But unlike the closure after Alpine Tunnel for the last two years, there was no simple reroute. Tomichi Pass is THE way to get over to Canyon Creek from the east side of the Divide. Sure, we could take the route that Tom scouted - but that would call for an hour of descending on rutted jeep roads before starting up a 3,500 foot climb to the summit of Granite Mountain - in less the 5 miles. The added duration and difficulty would have made the race even more challenging for both riders and organizers. Another aid station, high potential for multiple DNFs due to hypothermia at the bottom of Quartz Creek. And no easy way to self rescue from the bottom of Quartz...
While I understand the reasoning and know that it wasn't an easy call - there is a profound sense of loss. An emptiness in the calendar and no motivation for epic suffer fests on the bike. I hadn't realized how much Vapor Trail 125 had become part of my soul until it was gone. Hopefully this is just a temporary pause and the race will be back to it's full glory in 2019. I know I will be one of the first people on the list when registration for 2019 opens - regardless of the form the race takes.
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