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BTW # 25 Back to the West Journey
BTW # 25 Back to the West Journey
Sunday July 15, 2012
BTW #52 - 86 Back to the West Journey Tracks of the StoneBear
Saturday August 11, 2012
Leadville , Colorado 3
The Leadville 100 MTB Bike Race
Sometimes you trip over something good. I call it stumbling. Stumbling my way through life on this journey. several years back stumbled into Livingston, Montana when they were having a parade for their July 4th weekend Rodeo celebration. There's not much more American than going to a rodeo on July 4th in Livingston , Montana ; I recommend it highly.
This time was stumbling into Leadville, Colorado the day before the Leadville 100 MTB bike race.
To arrive unplanned in Leadville on the 2nd Saturday in August.... Call it dumb luck, maybe.
The Leadville 100 MTB is a 100 mile cross country Mountain Bike - bicycle race, NOT motorcycles. This is equivalent to the "Tour de France" bike race in Europe. ... Only this is a one leg -- 100 mile race in one day-- Not a continuous race across Colorado / the west / America day after day for a month.
There are like 5 major bike races in America; THIS is one of them. And we're here to see it today.
Up at 4:30,... I want to see this. I want to see the bikers forming up, getting ready for the 6:30 start.
Strong black coffee, some oat gruel. A pit stop and walk 2 blocks up the main street of Leadville. Past the Pioneer bar on 2nd street; one of the most notorious streets in Leadvilles mining history. In the 1870s there were 62 saloons, gambling houses/ brothels on this street. Turn left onto main street / Hwy 24 running right through town. Walked past the Silver Dollar Saloon,... the saloon where "Doc" Holliday shot and killed a fireman over a $10 gambling debt. Leadville is one of the most unique towns of the west and it's neat to see dawn breaking while this race is forming up.
The Leadville Opera House is across the street from The Silver Dollar Saloon. The Opera House dates bck to Leadvilles great history when George Tabor was the "Silver King" of America in the 1880s. Past performers at the Opera House include Sarah Bernhardt, Oscar Wilde, Houdini, Jack Dempsey, and the Unsinkable Mollie Brown ; Mollie Brown was on the Titanic and resided here after. ( will write a separate post for the Leadville Opera House)
On 6th street next to the county courthouse the street was blocked off and there were 2,000+ bike riders corralled on the street for the start. The energy level as at a peak. These are professional bike riders from all over the world! You can tell their energy is flowing; athletes waiting for the start. Many making their last minute equipment adjustments, checking their bikes, camel backs, .... wiggling nervously in anticipation for the start. These guys are stoked!
Many are grouped together -- wearing team colors. Spandex, nylon cling type clothes. Many have sponsors for bike equipment ranging from bike seats, clothing, wheels, tires, frames/ chassis, brakes, helmets, gears,... the winner and i'm sure the 1st 50 finishers will probably get product sponsorship / endorsement and support. This is a BIG race; I'm just glad to be here to see this. The energy in the air is electric... at a peak.
Across 6th street is an aluminum headboard about 25' high with the Leadville 100 MTB logo. Aluminum bleacher stands line the street. Family and well wishers are in and already full. An FM radio station sponsor is broadcasting live and you can hear the countdown of 20 minutes,... 15 minutes, 10 minutes, 2 minutes blaring on the large speakers. Excitement is building. Everybody is ready for the start.
500 bike riders are in the 1st corral at the start line. All these guys -- and there are women in there too-- are lean,... and mean. there are no heavy obese folks here-- just in the stands. All the riders are thin, honed, ... like jaguars ready to run. ... thoroughbreds of the MTB world. In previous years cyclist Lance Armstrong has biked this race.
Countdown , the last minute... move down below the start. Go!... and the riders flood down the street... zip, zip zip past me. You can see the focus on the quick start. These guys know this is a 100 mile endurance; NOT a sprint.
The route will take them out past Turquoise Lake where we camped night before last,... then on out on some dirt roads,... on up to near the peaks of Mount Elbert 14,240' , and the 2nd highest mountain in Colorado .... Mount Massive at 14,421' elev. We're starting here at Leadville, 10,200' elev -- the highest municipal city in the United States,... and they will climb 4, 000+ vertical feet on this race.
I don't know if this was an AAU -- Amateur Athletic Union-- sanctioned race; or professional. It looked like there were a lot of professional -- dedicated-- bike riders in this event. These guys are the real deal macneal!
After the start,... by 7;30 spectators had thinned out at the startline. -- and will come back here to finnish-- The radio kept up with some leaders and the stats. Went on around Leadville during the day... up on the mining road off of 7th street. The Leadville RailRoad station and excursion train.... on up to the mining district of the old mines. Baby Doe Matchless Mine was up there. Yes, there really was a Baby Doe, and she was NOT a gold digger. She honored Georges wishes to NOT sell the matchless mine,... and 25 years later they found her frozen to death in the mine shack. She kept her word to husband George,... didn't sell the mine... and died penniless.
Back at the finish line --- missed the winner coming in. Austrian Alban Lakata finished 1st in 6hrs; 32min;23 seconds... WOW! Riders still coming in at 3pm. By the time we went back out to the Turquoise Lake camp for the night... straggler riders were still coming in at 4:30. That's a tough ride.
