To all those who bought or donated items for Stuart’s auction I give you my sincere thanks……Thanks for showing me that the cycling family is strong and supportive of those in need. I don’t know the exact numbers of the money raised as of yet but I can tell you quite a few of the items got more attention than a teenager’s cell phone, and the bids were changing faster than the ink could dry from the previous ones. In the end, it didn’t matter so much what was bid on and won, as much as who won.
Speaking of winning, did you happen to see the results of the Leadville 100 which took place last Saturday as well? It seems the Tour de France is the perfect training event for the race across the sky as none other than Lance crushed the field and the course record while beating last year’s winner, Dave Wiens, by about a half an hour. Oh yeah, and if you think you could slow him down by letting some of the air out of his tires, think again; with about ten miles to go, he got a flat rear tire and without the aid of his team car, quickly realized he rides better than he wrenches, and finished with the same flat tire.
Photo by Bruce Turner
Another winner you might not have heard about is a guy by the name of Owen Murphy…..Who? O-W-E-N M-U-R-P-H-Y! He finished the Colorado Trail Race in 4 days, 3 hours and change, beating the old record by about a day. That’s 470 miles, Denver to Durango, on a mountain bike without feed zones, domestiques or room service. Only about ten yahoos completed the entire course and to the winner goes……..well, his name is Owen and he is most likely faster than you on a bike!
News from my side….the time finally came…the old Specialized Enduro got replaced. Yep, she was a good ride alright and we had a lot of good times together, but the rough miles, hard landings and fast descents were getting to be a bit too much for the old girl. It was time to upgrade to a new model; better built, firmer shocks, anxious to try new obstacles….The Trek Remedy. Like the Enduro, the Remedy is more of an all mountain bike, meaning it’ll go anywhere and tackle just about anything….Or as much as I can throw at her anyway. With a bit more travel and refined suspension, the Remedy gives the trails a brand new feeling and I can’t wait for the Fall trip to Moab and Grand Junction. We’re still getting acquainted and figuring air pressures and settings, but so far, it’s a keeper. One thing I just couldn’t part with was my old seat, torn up as it is, some things just feel right.
Ah yes, the Fall trip! Is it that time of year already??……Well, no, but planning is key and if you’re planning to ride this winter, might I suggest keeping your eye out for some inexpensive closeout shoes a couple sizes too big to allow room for a thicker pair or two of wool socks and a little wiggle room? You know, just in case you get a snow day!
Finally, don’t forget your summer time goals either just because Fall is on her way…. there’s still plenty of time to reach them!
Steve Lacey
Beyond the outpouring of support for Stuart, still more evidence that Fort Collins is a thriving bicycle community lies in the numbers we were able to post during our Bike to Work day — 5,175 participants, 25,463 miles ridden, 1669 work sites, 28 breakfast stations……wait, 28 breakfast stations?? If that doesn’t show community support for bicycling, I don’t know what does! Some of the businesses receiving top honors were REI, The Neenan Company, and you guessed it the New Belgium Brewing Company. The Neenan Company had a whopping 97% participation – way to go Neenan! 
Finally, a safety reminder — report any close calls while riding your bike in Fort Collins due to a road hazard or motor vehicle at the following site– 
The climb peaked at about 8000′ and was roughly the half way point of the ride. A quick hello to another rider, an added jacket, a couple energy bars and I was on my way. After the top there is a quick, very quick, descent to the intersection of Rist Canyon and Stove Prairie Rd. I chose to turn south on Stove Prairie Rd towards Masonville, but turning right and heading down to Poudre Canyon Highway is a great ride too. From here the 3000 feet of elevation gained on the ascent quickly disappears and it was a good choice not to test my cut sidewall on the road bike. After passing through Masonville heading towards Horsetooth lake, I must have been passed by every Harley rider in Northern Colorado. There is a saying that “a loud motorcycle is a safe motorcycle”….
Finally, you can probably imagine that this week’s tip comes directly from my own experience
If you’re going to be around Fort Collins this 
7 – 10 and are part of the Fort Collins Cycling Festival. You can also what the races live 
So,
o check this guy out. While his team made some calls, Lance thought he might freshen up a bit and hopped into the shower. If you don’t know, that is a big NO NO in the world of drug testing. You must not leave the sight of the tester after the request for a sample has been made and certainly not to go take a shower, especially in Europe. Just kidding Yann! Since announcing his return to cycling Lance has been tested 24 times each without incident, or is it indecent exposure? This little slip may be just what the Tour De France race organizers need to keep Lance from becoming an eight time Tour winner or even help Levi or Alberto win the Tour for Team Astana. By the way, Lance was in our own back yard recently, in Steamboat, and gave a video update of his recovery and his brush with the AFLD. Sounds like the training is going well and we’ll be able to see him in the Tour of Italy or Tour de Italia May 9 – 31
