[Archaea]

Final result, I am not in race shape whatsover, or perhaps I just lack talent or combination of both.

However, we had wonderful weather, 36 degrees, no wind and lots of other talented riders.

In our group of 45 plus, one of the riders was World Champion at something. I didn't stay with him long enough to find out. He took for example third place in the TTs against the pro racers.

It was a day of climbing and getting in shape. There is recreation shape where one does whatever one wants and there is race shape. There is a world of diffference. Say for example, you're sitting in your low gear as the pros go screaming by in the big chain ring up a hill causing you extreme pain.

Pro-racers are 20ish or early thirties very skinny and tremendously fit guys. Wannabes are in forties with no fitness and wondering how they landed on this godforsaken course. A fifty-five year old passed me. I admit it, I suck. But otherwise had fun and see what needs revamping in training, basically everything.

The course description was nine miles up a gradual slope, with guys attacking from get-go, diving down to the Colorado River and coming up steeply with almost no switchbacks. Yet these tiny gazells lope up it as if it were a Sunday jog. Bless their skinny legs and butts.

Even if you get dropped as I did, it is a great way to see a race. A vantage point equalled by none.

Try it.