The Stairs
Before I begin, there’s something I want to make clear, so you don’t think I am afraid of climbing a few stairs: My office is on the fourth floor of an office building, and I always take the stairs. Several times per day. Without really getting winded.
But the stairs at the Delaware Hotel in Leadville, Colorado, completely clean my clock. And not just my clock. Everyone’s clock. Kenny’s clock, for example, just got cleaned when he climbed the stairs.
There are two reasons.
1. The altitude. We’re at 10,200 feet here. That takes some getting used to. I’m not certain why climbing a couple sets of stairs leaves us panting where several miles on a mountain bike at the same altitude doesn’t, though. Maybe it’s the suddenness. Yeah, let’s go with that.
2. The stairs themselves. Really, the stairs speak for themselves:
Stairs to the second floor: 
These stairs make me wish I were a better photographer, because then I could more accurately depict how incredibly steep they are. Believe me: they’re ridiculously steep. Vertigo-inducing, even. Could someone who’s climbed these stairs give me an "amen" on this?
And now, the stairs to the third floor: 
Really, these shouldn’t be called stairs at all. They’re more appropriately called "The Demon Spawn of the Union Between Stairs and the Ladder From Hell."
I’m always really happy when I get a room on the second floor. This year, naturally, I got a room on the third.
Comment by chtrich | 08.7.2008 | 10:34 pm
Climb, climb, climb. Sounds fun!
Comment by Big Boned | 08.7.2008 | 10:47 pm
Fatty,
Can you check and see where they got that carpet? It is just BEAUTIFUL! I must have it!
Good luck in the race!
BB
Comment by Canadian Roadie | 08.7.2008 | 11:12 pm
Good luck this weekend! Nice carpet!
Comment by Robert | 08.7.2008 | 11:45 pm
Fatty,
I read somewhere that you have a chance to smoke Lance’s butt on this ride. Wish I was doing the 100 myself. good luck Guys. Just remember which side is down.
Comment by Nix | 08.8.2008 | 1:30 am
Just looked at the profile of the Leadville, being fairly a newbie in the sport was interested how it looks, but if you can cycle those hills, you must laugh about these stairs! Come and do the Cape Epic in South Africa next year, it will be no problem if you can do this. Enjoy it!
Comment by Jill | 08.8.2008 | 2:24 am
To say nothing of that carpet. That alone would cause motion sickness.
Comment by Michaela | 08.8.2008 | 3:46 am
I’m about as graceful as a 10 minute old giraffe. I would break my behind and/or neck on these stairs. I give you credit for getting up them at all with no major injury :)
Comment by Christy - 'lil sister | 08.8.2008 | 6:09 am
AMEM, AMEN, AMEN to the stairs! Although it has been a couple of years since I have been to Leadville with you, I clearly remember those dizzying stairs…
Have fun Elden – wish I was there!
Comment by Mike Roadie | 08.8.2008 | 6:35 am
We spit on stairs!!!
Have fun!
Comment by Thomas Brock | 08.8.2008 | 6:42 am
Fatty,
It’s Lance, man. He’s trying to keep you from showing him up.
:)
Go get’em!
WIN for Susan.
Comment by GenghisKhan | 08.8.2008 | 6:49 am
Robert said, “…smoke Lance’s butt…” Is it just me, or is smoking anything a good idea at 10K feet just before a 100 mile race that tops out at 14K?
And, really why would anyone want to smoke Lance’s butt–or anyone’s butt, for that matter (unless, of course, they are using DKNuts–I’ve heard it has mood enhancing properties…)
All in good fun, Robert!
Good luck Fatty and the Core.
Win Susan.
GK
Comment by Slowerthensnot | 08.8.2008 | 6:53 am
kick ass Fatty!
Comment by Don | 08.8.2008 | 6:58 am
So I’m going to ask the seemingly obvious question…
Couldn’t you just ride the stairs??
Have a great race Fatty!
Don
Comment by Mathias | 08.8.2008 | 7:06 am
Can you climb the stairs with your GARMIN so we can get some stats on those stairs?
Comment by Donald | 08.8.2008 | 7:13 am
It’s a perfect warm up for the race. Here’s to a great ride. WIN SUSAN!
Comment by Bob | 08.8.2008 | 8:00 am
This is a nutty hotel. The floors are so warped that I get winded walking from one side of the room to the other. When I’m on the high side of the floor, I look forward to the descent, even though I know my thighs are going to burn. If my kids were here, they’d take turns rolling down the floor.
Comment by montanapat | 08.8.2008 | 8:54 am
I had that same carpet on the stairs of the last house I rented, red instead of the green colorway. It’s not the altitude…it’s the carpet, it does weird thngs. Good luck with the race!
WIN Susan!
Comment by M2 | 08.8.2008 | 9:21 am
All the best to you and the crew! Have a great ride!
WIN!
Comment by KanyonKris | 08.8.2008 | 9:24 am
I’m in pretty good shape, for a recreational cyclist, yet I get lightheaded almost every time I stand up. I think this may be related to your winded stair climbing.
Comment by Brandy | 08.8.2008 | 9:47 am
it looks as if someone ate pico de gallo and barfed it back up on the stairs.
Good luck
Comment by Andy | 08.8.2008 | 10:29 am
Amen, brother!
From Andy on the second floor. Stop jumping around up there willya? I’m trying to sleep down here :-)
Comment by cyclingeurope | 08.8.2008 | 10:30 am
Amen – I’ve been on those stairs! And the whole place creaks and moans, like it’s haunted. Haunted by the ghosts of mountain bikers. Nice ones though, they’ll help you out in the race if you ask them!
Good luck, we’ll all be thinking of you.
WIN!
Comment by Jody | 08.8.2008 | 11:39 am
And to think that I have a friend that goes to the high school to ‘run stairs’ for fun. The bleacher stairs at the football field. I tried it once…..I would rather breath.
Good luck!!
Comment by LidsB2 | 08.8.2008 | 11:51 am
I work underground at US Strategic Command…waaay underground. I get winded climibing those stairs too, but I thought it was the black mold and asbestos!
All the best to you at Leadville. WIN!
Comment by leroy | 08.8.2008 | 12:25 pm
FC — Two words: The Shining.
Be glad it’s not winter.
Comment by Wild Dingo | 08.8.2008 | 12:31 pm
Fatty, you’re not thinking “outside the box!” if it’s not so bad to ride a mt. bike in this altitude, then why not just ride your bike up these stairs? duh. problem solved! Think, Fatty! Think! ;) Good luck at Leadville. Smoke ‘em!
Comment by SDM | 08.8.2008 | 1:02 pm
That carpet just looks like old people stay there. Really old people. I don’t hear them complain about the stairs…hmmmm.
WIN SUSAN!
Comment by Aunt B. | 08.8.2008 | 1:18 pm
Is this the hotel that Lance is staying at too?
Win Susan!!
Comment by Ted Heise | 08.8.2008 | 1:24 pm
That is too cool. I stayed at the Delaware Hotel over 30 years ago when I wanted a shower and real bed after a week of backpacking along the divide north and east of town. I don’t remember the stairs being steep, but it could have just been in comparison to the previous week of walking up mountains with 60 pounds on my back. I *do* remember the building being pretty creaky!
Comment by Tom | 08.8.2008 | 1:31 pm
Good luck in the race. Do well, be injury free!
Comment by Stomper | 08.8.2008 | 6:06 pm
Is that the hotel in Deadwood?
Comment by Aunt B. | 08.8.2008 | 6:49 pm
Wait! Isn’t that the same carpet I saw in a nickel slots casino in Winnemucca?
Win Susan!
Rock the Leadville Eldon!
Comment by Rocky | 08.8.2008 | 10:10 pm
Those stairs are the reason I stopped riding in Leadville. Crap – they hurt worse than the race. I have actually DNF’d the stairs more than the race.
Comment by RachelGio | 08.9.2008 | 4:54 pm
Obviously, those steps clean your clock because they set new records in HEE-diousness!!!!!
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