Because my wife and I will be relocating from Chicago to Prescott, AZ, in 2011 I won't be able to enter the Race Across the West in 2011. Likely the most challenging event for the '11 cycling season will be the doublecross Indiana UMCA race on May 21st.
Since I'll be retired by June '11 and likely living in Prescott the training will start with regularity at that time. I'll be switching among recumbent bikes for the training in the mountainous local area and the low (southwest of Prescott) and high (northeast of Prescott) desert areas. The recumbents I'll be training on will include the Bacchetta Ti Aero, the Cruzbike Vendetta and the Cruzbike Sofrider.
The Cruzbike Vendetta will be used exclusively for speed and time trial training on both the flats and the mountains. It will be reserved for shorter (200 miles and less) unsupported distances. (If I am supported in my racing the Vendetta will be the primary bike, no matter what the terrain or distance).
The Bacchetta, also will be used on both the flats and the mountains. But I'll be training with a BOB trailer weighted with gear, nutrition and water for the longer distances. For shorter distances (less than a day) I'll replace the gear with sandbags.
And the Cruzbike Sofrider will be used almost exclusively on the mountains for shorter distances, using the BOB trailer weighted with sandbags and nutrition and water.
As you can guess the use of the weighted BOB trailer will serve the purpose of increasing my mountain climbing speed and power.
I plan to use the Bacchetta and the BOB trailer for long, multiday, unsupported solo training through the low and high deserts. I'll need the BOB trailer to carry water, tires, parts and tools, clothing and camping gear. It's hot, dry and the towns are few and far between. Again, the purpose will be to increase endurance and power by adding weight (trailer) and extended training hours.
As mentioned in a previous blog I'll use either or both the Bacchetta and the Cruzbike Sofrider to transport the Cruzbike Vendetta to races that are within a 300 mile radius of Prescott. Again, more reliance on human power for endurance and conditioning.
Though I value the `green' aspect of not using my pickup truck and gas to go back and forth to races ... I'm less interested in being `green' than I am in building strength and endurance.
As for food? Thouugh I tend to be careful to avoid `bad' foods and too much salt, meat and alcohol I'm not what you would call a food freak. I do well enough. And I have neither an illusions about immortality nor a desire to live into senescence. If I have to die I'd rather not slowly dissolve into a barely surviving organism. Part of my role in life is to become food for the planet when I'm gone. Nope: no cremation. What a weird idea!
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