The Tour of Utah ended and that can mean just one thing. Bar-Bee-Queeeee.Actually, no, that's a lie. The BBQ is merely a fringe benefit of finishing a stage race, doing two days of sponsor obligations and rides in Salt Lake City, jetting back off to Denver, having a teammate named Timmy Duggan along for the travels who just happens to live in Boulder, and therefore getting to go to his house rather than go to some new hotel for the days leading up to the USA Pro Cycling Challenge - which should be called the Tour of Colorado. Alas, Timmy and the missus and I cooked up a downright feast worthy of the glorious summer evening - primarily Timmy at the helm of the grill.From there and with just 72 hours in the greater Boulder region, I logged one excellent ride on my former training grounds before setting off to higher grounds. That is, Eldora, Colorado way up in the boonies west of Boulder. Timmy's wife's parents live in the most amazing cabin I've ever set foot in, so for two nights we got to sleep at nearly 3,000m and train in some of Colorado's finest splendor.Here is a shot climbing up Trail Ridge Road. If you look super wicked closely, right in front of that white car coming towards me up the mountain is Timmy. And yes, the sky really did look that dramatic. As did the lightening we dodged at 3,500m.And here is a far less dramatic photo, but one that still shows the awesome power of man and dynamite and his ability to destruct rock for the sake of a road... at 3,500m above sea level.And yet another show of humanity's awesome power: the ability to install a restroom above 3,500m. Raaaaawwr!And now with that awesome display of blogging complete, I will say that Timmy and I made the trek down from Eldora, down to Boulder, and eventually down to Colorado Springs (thanks kindly to Loren), all within 72 hours. It's once again extremely exciting to be back in the heat of competition and with such a star studded field with the likes of riders named... Timmy Duggan and Ted King, among others.Come on out and cheer. And while you're at it, buy a shirt, a foam crown, or just throw money towards the best charity east of the Pacific Ocean.