We all really enjoyed the inaugural edition of Echo Red to Red race last year even though it was ridiculously cold and miserable. This time the race was a little later in the year and we had unseasonably warm conditions near 70 degrees and some new single track to tackle at the end of loop! The pace was blistering at the start with Ben Thompson setting the tempo. By the halfway point, he and Nathan Bannerman had started to slow and I was on them. I immediately went to the front to keep the pace fast and limit the frantic accelerations up each short climb. Before long, it was just two of us, and we stayed together ahead of the chasing Thompson and masters’ phenom Perry Roper. I knew time was running out before the road section back to the finish in town and there were two critical sections remaining. First we rode up a steep side hill trail up along a vineyard, and then across some higher rolling terrain on virtual cow trails. This section was fast and rough, but I had the ultimate weapon–the KHS Flagstaff would be perfect. I hammered the climbing section and dropped Bannerman by a hundred meters as we began the final rough single track. Never leaving the big dog, I dumped all my strength into my 40 tooth Rotor Q-Ring and steadily opened the gap letting those big wheels roll over the countless bumps assisted by the Manitou suspension in concert at both ends of my steed. By the time we reached the road, I had more than a minute advantage and it was time to roll in for my fifth win in a row to start the 2010 season.

This was race number two of the USA Cycling Ultra Endurance Calendar and again pHitpills was there to schlep me from the Little Rock airport out to Hot Springs, Arkansas for the race. It was another late night and the race was full on from the start. With a little longer road section I was able to move up quickly and managed to take the lead a couple laps in. However, it wasn’t an easy job staying at the front with Scott Henry battling back every time I was able to make a gap. With just over a lap to go we were still together but he dropped his chain and I dropped the hammer. Knowing that time was running out I twisted the throttle full gas and rode my fastest lap of the day for another win!

The following morning the organization promoted the Do-it-in-the-dirt duathlon at the same venue. I had a later flight so I broke out the running shoes for what was my first ever event of this type and one of the few running races I have ever contested. After the first leg of the run-bike-run format I was off the back by a few minutes. I leaped aboard my KHS 29er full suspension and laid down my fastest lap of the weekend! In doing so I was able to take the lead back by a couple minutes, too. Running scared I managed a two minute faster second time split and secured the victory again in near course record time!