Jay T's Thanksgiving XC Ski Training Camp

Last year, we got in five days of riding during Jay T's Thanksgiving XC Ski Training Camp. Circumstances led to only a three day camp this year. The XC Ski Training Camp started on Friday with a couple of Loops on the single speed mountain bike at Lebanon Hills. Joining me were Tom and Lee Bengel and Rob and Lori Belz. The trail was mostly snow free but what fell a couple of days before left it a little icy and slippery. Instead of tackling the usual bridges and rock gardens, we baled out on a few bypass trails. We got in close to 15 miles of riding. On Saturday, the gameplan was to rollerski for an hour followed by a couple more on the cross bikes. We (Lori Belz, Rob Belz, Jerry Engen, Barry Torgerson and me) got in the hour plus of rollerskiing and decided to take a break before riding. The next course was eating chips and drinking soda. After an hour of doing that, no one wanted to ride. I stopped by the Bicycle Chain on the way home to find Dave and Larry both gone. Next, I went to Now Bikes and took their time trial challenge. Five miles of pain on the trainer with the video course layout in front of me. I averaged 24 mph which wasn't bad considering I haven't time trial-ed since August. I hacked up a lung afterwards... Today, Tom and Lee Bengel, Lori and Rob Belz, Bob Sumada, Mike Brown, Ben Popp, Dave B and I rode the river bottoms trail from Mendota down to the Cedar Avenue Bridge and back. Along the way, we passed Corey Gross and then Jim Redmond and Andy Kruse. It was a perfect day for a ride. I got in 26 miles as I rode from home and back. All told, not a bad xc ski camp.