Back in Action

After nearly a full month off the bike to take care of just a few minor life events (wedding, honeymoon, buying a house and a move to Salt Lake City, UT), Josh is finally getting back into the flow and onto the trails. Following a triumphant sprint finish along the dirt roads outside of Boulder to take the 2nd annual Butter GOLD 100 mile ride, Josh packed his bags for a four week tour de force along the East Coast, culminating with his marriage and honeymoon, enjoying five, all to short days in the Caribbean. 

With his house packed, he and his new wife, Lauren, moved their life into a new home in Salt Lake City, UT, where he'll be based for the next four years as she completed a residency program at the "U" as they say there. And within minutes of unpacking nearly all of the moving boxes from the moving truck, he jumped on the bike and got a nice lay of the land and one of the local climbs. "SLC offers a lot of what Boulder does, with just a tad more of an urban experience and definitely less of a 'bubble' feel. Its been fun to explore a new area and the access to the Wasatch mountains is truly incredible. Outside of the quiet flat farm roads around Boulder, I'd say the riding is nearly as good and the mountain biking from the house and just up the road in Park City is outstanding." Needless to say he's making a mighty fine adjustment and has been enjoying the trails and climbs out of SLC, but is also looking forward to a few return visits to Colorado this summer and in the fall for the 'cross season.

After a few weeks of getting some miles in, Josh jumped into his first official XC race of season at the Intermountain Cup's Deer Valley race. "The fields were a bit smaller than what we see in Colorado, but the level of the riders that are here, is pretty solid. Definitely plenty of fast guys to make things fun and competitive. Its been great to experience a new race scene, with people, teams, sponsors and of events and courses. The trails at Deer Valley are fantastic, super tight singletrack and mach speed."

Pleased with a 10th place, and 3rd in the local mid-week race series in Park City, he's now in the days of preparation of the big one of two for his mountain season, the now infamous Crusher in the Tushar race in Beaver, UT. The Crusher has quickly developed a reputation as one of the hardest one day races in the US and attracts a top field of some of the best road, mountain and cyclocross racers in the country. With a ~50/50 mix of road, gravel and dirt climbs and descents totaling 70 miles and 10,000 ft of climbing, its will be a solid test of fitness, both mental and physical. "Having done the Growler a few times now and a few other endurance dirt races, I've got the sufferthing pretty dialed, so am ready for a new challenge and the Crusher looks like a perfect event."