Back of the Pack Racing Colorado Chapter

25 Hours of Frog Hollow. The longest one day mountain bike race and a good party (although if it's not held over time change, is it really one day?) Pit Boss and Leader finally got to race their   favorite style of NASCAR relay racing - taking on the duo teams and holding no quarter at least until it was time to stop.  Pot Boss was given the La Mans start due to Leader's inability to run. And generally because he's faster and the guys almost always start... And fast he was, coming in to transition in the top five riders. Leader hobbled to her bike and started pedaling her first lap. Windy as $h1t, making passing wheels very attractive and dusty as h€11, greatly diminishing the attractiveness of that draft. Neither of those two facts would change during the race. The wind would ebb and flow, playing riders for fools as it died down in town only to come roaring back moments after leaving for a lap. As for the dust, well that just got worse and worse, coating everything in bro...

UCI Road World Championships, Richmond Virginia 2015.  I still cannot get over the fact that the world’s best riders were in my hometown to race for the rainbow jersey.  If only I was able to watch the races happen.  What was I doing there then?  Making sure the races DID happen.  I was given an opportunity of a life time to be on a 12 person production team to ensure the races looked perfect, ensure happy fans, and most importantly, happy UCI officials and racers.  Because Richmond is my hometown, I ran into many friends who were curious as to why I had all access credentials, a walkie-talkie and a hurried demeanor.  The question of what my job was became harder to answer as the days progressed as there weren’t many things I did not do.  To name a few tasks my crew did the following:  made over 500 50lb sandbags, throw and pick up said 500 sandbags, throw over 20 miles of fence line, hang 75 tv’s in media and VIP tents, hang 20 miles of fen...

Ahh, Vapor Trail 125. Time for a little tour of the mountains to the west of Salida. The Leader and Pit Boss were both in attendance for this legendary event. As it was said in the pre-race meeting, this is a "fun" ride - only some people have fun by going as fast as they can and beating everyone else. Yep. Everyone has a different definition of fun. Most people wouldn't consider 125 miles with 17k feet of climbing to be fun under any conditions. Yet there we were, ready to enjoy a little "fun" night ride. The Leader's version of fun was to get into the front pack on the roll out, hanging the with fastest guys. It wouldn't last, but that's not the point. As soon as the race hit the right hand turn to Blanks Cabin, it meant The Leader could attempt to employ an "out of sight, out of mind" strategy. In the darkness of night, that was a little easier! Her goal was to ride as hard as she could, hopefully at the front of the middle of the pack. ...

Not much racing news - the annual gathering of the CO crew was sadly canceled due to the party not being held. Without the Party in the Sage, several crew members opted for a small pilgrimage instead, enjoying late summer adult beverages at "The Spot." Hopefully one of them will write some words, but that part of the Crew seems rather stingy when it comes to sharing the Lifestyle.  The Leader and Pit Boss opted to still go out to the location of the Annual Gathering for some two wheeled and two footed fun. There was exploring in the sage, new lines discovered on old rocks and plenty of in camp Shenanigans. In fact, without the pressure of a race both the Leader and Pit Boss were able to let their hair down and enjoy the fun of the camp. Marshmallows are for sharing, as are gluten free bisuts dipped in dark chocolate. And while Vodka Limeades are good, vodka orange juice will suffice as an Adult Beverage. The Crew has gotten busy with torturing old people and corrupting impres...

The GJOR is a 3 day festival/race weekend. I chose the 30 Grand Amateur race which started at 8:30 am on Saturday May 30. Riders needed to be there Friday for packet pick up and rider meeting. After packet pick up, I decided that it was important to get some nutrition and hydration to prepare for the big event. I had a couple brewskies at the festival, the better beer was clearly from Dirty Hippie brewing out of Palisade Colorado, I had the Imperial Red, fantastic. The other beer I had was a local beer from Kannah Creeek, a blonde is what I orderered, but I'm not sure that's what I got. Whatever it was, it was decent, but did not taste like a blonde. The nutrition was fantastic. I had a couple of awesome sushi rolls at Suehiro Japanese Restaurant right there on main street in the middle of the festival. Race day. I got up early and made it down to the start/finish area to see off a couple of my teammates on the Hub Bicycle Shop/ Subaru Adventure Team on their quest for single...

Some people take things literally. Paint me a picture, the Leader said when asked about the application process. Show me why you're qualified to become a member of the Colorado Crew and can wear Patches and Plaid.  So that's just what our newest Member did. Instead of writing her Letter of Intent and request for membership, she painted a picture. Always intrigued, the Leader then followed with an On-The-Bike-Interview to accept delivery of the painting and to verify that the Prospective Member would uphold the Vision, Mission and Intent of the Colorado Chapter.   There were some rocks, plenty of goat trails and a general fun time playing bikes. And following the On-The-Bike-Interview, a new Member of the Colorado Crew. Welcome to Kelly, AKA Stick. She's made the pilgrimages, loves riding her bike to ride her bike and doesn't tolerate JackA$$s whilst racing. She's raced 24 Solo and has proved a quick study in all things bike-packing related. Except for that sti...

Letters of Intent - the Founding Fathers require them for all new chapters and prospective members of the Global Chaos know as Back of the Pack Racing. Here in the Colorado Chapter, we are accepting said Letters of Intent from all interested parties for inclusion in the Crew. Letters should be submitted to the Leader either in person or through the various social media outlets. Figure it out - she's not that hard to find... And what should those Letters contain? Well, reading the Back of the Pack Operating Instructions and the Colorado Charter are great places to start. Not just reading it - understanding the Vision, Mission and Intent of the Back of the Pack Racing - Colorado Chapter. Once you've read the charter and figure you're up to the task and qualified to wear patches and plaid, it's time to be creative. A simple "dear Leader, I wanna join the Crew" isn't going to cut it. No - paint a picture of who you are, why you wish to join and what you will...

To say that I am ready for spring is an overstatement!  This is unusual for me because I am a fan of winter and love to experience a yin to the yang of our warmer summer months.  But this past winter really held my boots over the fire so to speak.  Over the past few years, I have ridden my bike an abnormal amount of times and feel like I am in pretty decent shape.  But something hit me like a brick wall this winter and took me completely by surprise.  About two months ago, I got hit with a cold that kept its storm cloud over me for about 6-8 weeks.  I will spare you the details of what came out of my lungs and head, but it wasn't a pretty sight.  The hardest part of these 6-8 weeks was not even getting an urge to put my feet onto my pedals.  The desire to hit the trails dwindled down to a faint glow.  Deep down though, with healthful retrospect, it feels to me that my body was telling me that it was beat up.  My body is getting ex...

Or an informal Chapter get-together with the AZ crew! No set plans meant a text from the Leader to Mad Rhino inquiring about riding plans. To wit, Rhino responded with a rather appealing ideas - a local race. A Short Track style race. Or as the website for the Short Track Papago states "an ad hoc MTB race purely for fun - and beer." After perusing the website, Pit Boss decided it sounded like a fabulous idea and the text was sent to Mad Rhino. The visiting members of the BPR-CO Crew were in! If only the Leader had fully read the course for that lovely St Patrick's day event. We may have understood a little more just what we were in for - besides riding our bikes.  Meeting up with AZ crew Jolly Rogers, Candy and Krazy Karl, we got a little more details. An anything goes - don't scare the natives - drag race from the meeting point to the Papago Park amplitheater. Any course, any route. Usually the race returned to the same point - but not this time. Happy St Patrick...

Another Saturday night in Leadville for the Crew - this time for the Mineral Belt Mayhem. After an afternoon of watching skijoring - apparently it's a big thing! - it was time for the fatbikers to take over downtown before heading off under the near full moon and waning sunset. There was a "gentlemans" controls start on the icy roads before the herd of riders was released into the darkness. With a long, gradual climb on the groomed nordic trail that is the Mineral Belt in winter, there was plenty of time to spread out the field. It was a long climb made harder by the thin air of Leadville. Lights dancing off the snow competed with the moon to illuminated the course.  After a downhill long enough to bring out the chills, there was another short climb. And then - back to winter on Endor. This section wasn't speeder fast, but twisting and and turning enough to confuse anyone. It was impossible to tell who was coming or going as the trail wound around trees. Groomed singl...

While the Founding Fathers were riding slushy laps and drinking Adult Beverages at the Silverton Whiteout, the Colorado Crew headed to Tennessee Pass for the second race in the Leadville Winter Mountain Bike Series. Held at the Tennsesse Pass Nordic Center, the course meander through trees, past the Cookhouse (just cruel - it was before I'd eaten and smelled yummy) and finished with section of singletrack that would rival a snowy day on Endor.  It was a successful endeavor, with most riders staying out of the snow and on two wheels. Results: Pit Boss - finished in the back of the front of the front of the pack, proclaiming that he was riding "like a girl" on the downhills cause he didn't know where he was going.  John "I'm just here cause I could get a loaner bike" - decided to take a short siesta in the snow at the start of the singletrack but got a little chilly. As a result, he finished in the front of the middle of the back and got to play tag wi...

Yep. Snow + fat bikes + night races = good times. The BPR CO Crew and a few prospective members will be trekkng across the frozen plains of South Park to Leadville for the Tennessee Pass Night Jam. The competion at the Back of the Pack and the Front of the Back of the Pack will be crazy - made even crazier by the gargantuan size of tires. Not the bikes. The Leader's bike is still midget sized and looks like a tonka truck. As usual, the Pit Boss and The Leader will rolling fully stocked with food, drinks and maybe an extra layer or two in preparation for a possible camping trip during the race. The Chapter prospects may or may not show up just as prepared.  Regardless, following the snow pedaling there will be a Chapter meeting somewhere in the fine city of Leadville. There will be cold Gluten, fermented apples and rice as well as crushed grapes per Chapter Charter. All prospective Chapter Members are encouraged to attend. 

After several years of causing chaos and confounding other riders, the BPR CO Chapter is finally official. Read through the Charter and decide if you can abide by the Chapter Rules, as well as the Global Rules. Applications for Chapter Membership will be accepted by the Chapter Leader and reviewed based on creativity, commitment to promoting the Chapter lifestyle and a desire for fun.