Long in the saddle

The return of the Blog

2011-12-26T18:39:00.006-05:00

Inside jokes may be used here at and where I see fit...and only those on the "inside" know of the "at and where"

Beep.......................beep.................beep....beep, beep, beep.

IT'S ALIVE!!!!

Rumor has it that this's the time of year that blogs bog down and or died all together. I say NO blog world.... let the blog world be reborn.

I give you my Monday..

three of the best people I know.....why I'm here I have no idea.....if they only knew.

Today could have been a great day of riding...first time on a trail that was perfect, I was riding great, looking great, and did not have a flask of vodka on the bike.

So why was today not great......Bacon.

The ride started out heated so I tried for the hole shot and was cut off at the last second.....by Bacon.

Then Bacon spent the next 90 minutes slowing me down, cutting me off when I tried to attack and over all being a newb to the cycling world.

I believe Bacon's problem and overall disregard to cycling etiquette was that I was covering all of his attacks even thou I was on a SS....and he knowing he could never ride such a bike.

Two hours later (and as I was just getting warmed up) we returned to the cars....Bacon was destroyed, the blistering pace that I was pushing him to go just crushed his weak body. He made some lame excuse about needing to get to an underwater basket weaving class, quickly loaded his car and left.

.....weak.

Afterwards the rest of us celebrated at Deer Park over popcorn, a few beers....and one Hell of a humus sandwich.

Plus some how I came home with extra beer in the car....win.

Some, little or none of this story may be true.....also names may or may not been changed. So to take one thing from this waste of your time? The blog's back baby....and for playing along I leave you with a parting gift...

Iron Hill Enduro

2011-06-07T12:13:00.008-04:00

After being "blamed" by a friend for "planting the seed" to do the endurance race over the XC, I knew the Iron Hill Challenge was gonna be a little more painful then normal.

Having ridden the course a few laps the week before I knew five laps was my target.....with timing for a sixth to be very close. The course was a little over seven miles long, 90% single track with three main climbs, lots of roots/rocks and a couple of "bowl" drop-ins........fast, dry and fun.

With 75ish riders lined up for the endurance race I knew I wanted to get into the single track in the lead group.....little did I know we'd be chasing a little white rabbit up the road once the starting gun went off.....
Most who read this blog know this man already, and just how many riders legs his have ripped off (whether on a mountain, cross or road bike.) Now he was here to take out the "blame" on us helpless little enduro riders. If you're the one person in the world that may not know this destroyer of legs we'll call him the other, other "White Meat" to protect the innocent...and just because I'm hungry.

Once the gun went off White Meat drilled it up the gravel road.....crap! A few of us very unhappily gave chase knowing he'd back off in a minute....except he didn't. A minute later we headed into the pit area "tent city" as a group of 6-7 riders before heading out on our first lap. After a couple of tight corners boxed us back up White Meat gave up the lead just before we entered the single track. Luckily the twists and turns slowed things down a little before I started to count the stars that were already forming in the corners of my eyes.

By the time we peaked the second climb I was riding 7th (anchor) along with Ben A. and White Meat, with 2 thru 4 in a pack just ahead....1st was never to be seen by us again. The three of us rode well together for the next 10-15 minutes, but shortly after we topped the third climb Ben came around White Meat and then it happened.

Just after dropping into "slime hill" (a short steep descent) Ben went down in what sounded like a train wreck. When I came over the top Ben was wrapped inside his bike still sliding down the hill. As we stopped White Meat told Ben not to move, and then again. As White Meat helped Ben out of his bike I started to run back up the trail to find the course marshal we'd just seen and warn oncoming riders. After finding someone to walk Ben out we headed back to our bikes, losing maybe fifteen minutes or so.

Now being at the tail end of the field we knew we had our work cut out for us. To steal a line from White Meat "you gotta dance with the lady you bring to the dance" and I was the fat girl in the corner with the painted toes nails....yes, really.

As we came into the pit, Lady White Meat yelled at him "what are doing back here, stop screwing around".....as laughter ensued we rolled on. The second lap we made up alot of time, with WM leading the pace we were like a hot knife cutting thru bacon fat (yes, I used the term bacon fat....now let's move along.) At an intersection just before the end of our second lap WM yelled over to his wife for a Swedish Fish "hand up" as we came in the pit....that didn't happen. As we rolled up/and on right by she was calmly snacking away on the beloved fish, WM yelled back "how do those fish taste" as out for lap three we went....fishless and mildly heartbroken.

Lap three was more of the same, me being a tick on WM's wheel as he set the pace and cleared the seas in front of us. As we ended the third lap we saw the first waves of Sport racers being launched....not where we wanted to be, but we both knew we need to pit. After a quick refuel and a short pause to let a thundering herd of Sport riders charge by out we headed again.

The next lap was less than pleasurable making our way thru the waves of riders, but I was shocked at how calmly WM took it.....even after a couple of near misses. At the end of our forth lap I was starting to fade a little and WM yelled ahead as we entered the pit to hand me a Coke. It definitely helped, or atleast delayed my wheels from totally coming off. But as we headed back out WM says "you know we've got two more laps in us right?" I'm not even sure if I replied anything at that point, but I knew he was right.....and all I could think was crap.

WM started giving me a countdown of the number of hills we had to climb, "6" I heard as we started the first...midway up I started to feel slight cramping in my left hamstring. A few passed riders later (and spots picked up) I hear "5" and then "4" with a little more cramping. At this point I start finding climbs that did not seem to be there on the first few laps and I start counting 3.9, 3.8 in my head....equally mixed on if that was the number of climbs we had left or the minutes until I detonated.

As we started our sixth lap I finally started to feel a little better. "Three" I heard, then "two." Then WM spots another enduro racer ahead, "see that guy... we can catch him." I'd already mentally flipped from what was left of my pursuit mode and into survival mode....changing back hurt, it really hurt. But on hill 1.5 we got by and passed him, then finally I hear "one." As great as it was to peak the "last climb" seeing yet another enduro rider just ahead of us was bitter sweet. I knew we had to surge again but was not sure if I could. We never had to find out, he caught a pedal on a short rocky climb and we got by without a fight.

Minutes later we headed into the tent city for the last couple of hundred yards to the finish. After a little gamesmanship I went.......

I was fueled by the smell of hotdogs and beer in the air...and knowing I was about to eat Swedish Fish and drink cold beer...not to mention I knew the last rider we past was a main competitor of mine in the endurance series (he too sadly was having a bad day....four flats.) Somehow I came across the line ahead of WM, but without a doubt I'd never have made it there without him. A HUGE thanks to both He and His wife.

In the end we ended up being 12th and 13th and we both more then happy with the result. What we thought was gonna be a five lap day turned into six, and we only missed the cut off for a seventh by minutes......not that I would have lived thru it.

Also want to say thanks to Dennis Smith....
for the best Iron Hill course in years and to everyone that helped but on the race itself, was a horribly great time.

Granogue

2011-05-05T08:47:00.006-04:00

This past weekend was Andrew Mein's Excellent Adventure at Granogue, which is just a long way of saying fun. It's one of two racing weekends (the other being a pair of Cross races in the fall) held on private grounds at the DuPont estate. The weekend has changed formats over the years (and rumor has it will again next year) but this year the party included a 10k trail run and 3 mile time trail on Saturday...then Sunday came the normal gambit of XC races and a four hour endurance race. For the truly sick at heart they created the Iron Monkey, which is there version of a "triathlon" for the lack of a better word. The IM competitors did both the run and TT on Sunday, then had to do the endro on Sunday.

FatMarc, L-Webb, Tom and Buddy put on some of the best events in the area and put in more time doing so then must people will ever know. With that said, then I was offered the opportunity to help out I jumped at it. With this my weekend started Friday helping out with the course marking.....Wifey showed up a few hours later and helped me knock out our area before heading home to repack the car for Saturday.

Saturday morning came early, but lets face it.....if you shove donut holes in my face at 6AM I'll be there. An hour before the 10k start time (9AM) multiple people were saying "where the Hell is everyone." We all have the mindset of mountain bikers, if the race starts at nine you need to be there two hours before (lots earlier for some) between setting up a pit area, getting your race number, warming up, maybe preriding the course, etc....not to mention riders start staging at the start line 15-20 minutes before there race.

About half an hour before start time runners started walking up in small groups, and within 15-20 minutes we had 150 runners ready to go. But something just seemed wrong, the race was starting in 2-3 minutes and 95% of the runners were standing 15 yards back from the starting line in small groups quietly talking......some were even laughing. What was wrong with these people, there was no trying to push and squeeze your way into the gridlocked first five rows of riders...it's like they were civilized or something.

But the race started and we all headed out....yes, I said we...myself included...really, I have proof.

The run went well for someone that's not a runner, just kept a mild pace the whole time (been having calf problems when I have been running) and tried not to hurt anything. Somehow I ended up in the top 25%.

After the race the runners disbursed just as fast as they came, in/out in less then two hours...still weirds me out. But next was the TT, Marc joking (in a way) called it the " DE, MD, PA, NJ Mountain Bike Time Trial State Championships." And what's a championship without a photo:

The TT was fun....fun in the way as I should have stayed home and just kicked myself in the nuts kind of fun. The last thing my legs wanted to do was sprint for 20 minutes only a couple hours after the run, but it was over before I knew it.....and the course record was destroyed by over two minutes in the mean time.

Wifey and I headed out in time to get dinner and home for an early night with the furry kids before what would be again an early ass morning.....have donut holes, will travel.

Driving down Sunday morning Wifey asked how my body felt, "like we're driving home from an endurance race not to one" I told her. So after doing a little helping out and alot of sitting on my ass:
I started to get warmed up for the race. From looking at last years race I knew the leaders did six laps, so that was my goal.....I would have been ok with five given my body was shot, but I still wanted six.

I ended up rolling down to the starting line a little late (10 minutes before kinda late) and was far from upset having to line up mid pack......little did I know Marc was gonna give Jeff, Buddy and myself a call up for the work "we" did....and by we I mean they did, Buddy has put more work into others trails then anyone and should have been given a five minute head start.
The lap starts with a 300-400 meter sprint down a paved road, so needless to say with the way my legs felt and Buddy being on a single speed being front and center was both awesome and horrible. The horn sounded and Buddy and I huddled together as close as we could as we rolled down the road as not to be ran over by the thundering her the filed by us on both sides. About midway down the road we finally got more then what felt like an inch apart and started the single track about mid pack. I followed Buddy thru the first few areas so I could watch his lines, but he had to pull over to fix a small mechanical problem....the next time I saw him was a few hours later with a beer in his hands.
So like any endurance race you just find your grove and roll with it...and even thou it took a hour my body started to come around, one of the few times I've felt better the longer I rode.
By the time I finished my third lap I was working on the math for the fifth and sixth....was gonna be close on time to head out for a sixth.
Lap four ran into five and I made the cut off to go out for a sixth lap by about 3-4 minutes. I did little more then slow down in the pits as Wifey did a bottle hand off to me.....it took me a few minutes of riding to run thru in my head Buddy calling my name and well as seeing Jeff standing there. A quarter of the way thru the lap I heard L-Webb saying that Jeff was not very happy with me, seeing me go out for another lap made him think he also needed to in order to stay first in the IM results (not so, but we did not really know at the time.) I yelled back to tell'em I'm sorry and that this would be the slowest lap in Granogue history.

Wifey met me at the finish line with my recovery drink and everything else under the sun. A few minutes later I was changed, somewhat cleaned up and had beer in hand...I wanted to do it as fast as I could before my body shutdown. Which happened about 20 minutes later as I started falling asleep in a chair in the registration area as Wifey helped with results. Tom walks up and says "go lay down of the couch in the trailer." I said thanks, but I'm ok......he replies with "I'm telling you not asking." I next thing I know is I hear "he's sleeping in the trailer" over off the microphone and Jake D. opens the door..."they're calling you to the podium, they're calling you to the podium."

Out the door I stumble with my eyes hardly even open, 8th of the 60ish Solo men:
and 4th in the IM....it's not that I could not stand up, I just felt like a tool standing in a spot that was not mine.
After I was awake a little it was time to clean up my course marking mess....still half asleep.
Looks kind of like Arnold Schwarzenegger meets the Pillsbury doughboy.

I what to say thanks to Marc, L-Webb, Buddy and Tom for once again a great weekend, hope we made things a little bit easy for you.

12 Hours of Santos

2011-02-28T11:37:00.003-05:00

Last weekend Wifey and I headed back down to FL for the second time in a month for a twelve hour race. After my less then ideal showing at the first one (Oleta) I had mixed feelings heading down again....but the way I look at these couple of races is a little different then most racers/riders doing them.

I guess the best way of putting it is I treat this races as training rides, a way to test out new things on the nutrition/equipment front and to kickoff changing gears on the training front. Since our racing season does not really get kicking until Aprilish I'm not looking to get into a knife fight and/or burn one of the few matches I have this early in the year....besides, with these guys coming into their peaks right now (not that they ever really aren't) at best I'm bringing a knife to a gunfight.

Ok, enough of me running my mouth. The week before the race I was debating on signing up for the singlespeed class....let's say the debate was over once I pulled the geared bike of the hook to clean it up for the race.....singlespeed it is.

So after a short trip to meet some news friends:
I wanted to get in a preride of the course to check out the bike/and gearing. Sadly that did not happen, let's say that Wifey is no Magellan and leave it at that...cuz if not I may get smothered with a pillow tonight. So off to the hotel and dinner we went, which was cool because I got to meet Sebastian for the first time (other then watching him ride circles around me.)

After setting up our ghetto pit we heading down to the lemans start, and for some reason I convinced myself it would be best if I did not kill it on the run (figured since I'd be on a SS I did not want to be "that guy" holding up the geared racers at the start.) Not my greatest idea ever, even with the couple hundred meter run and dirt road start it took half a lap to get thin things out. But once I got to keep the cadence I wanted to thou I was like a fat kid eating cake...the 32x18 I was running was perfect. It's always cool to be on a SS and pass riders on geared bikes on climbs....or better yet, make climbs they even can't.

As normal the first few hours were a blur, but around the four hour mark the lack of riding the SS was beating on me...the upper body was getting worked alot more the normal with the short power climbs. An hour later I pulled/threw my chain off and thought it'd be cool to try and remove a fingertip putting it back on. But thanks to full fingered gloves and the fingernail it was just a sweet cut and blood, not that I knew at the time thou.

An hour later I ran into Wifey in the ghetto pit, she was having far from a good day. She had gone down a couple times and was just mentally out of it, not that's she's right mentally right in the first place....I mean she did marry me. So with that being said I told her to go finish her lap and I'd back up the fort.....after all, six hours on the bike is still six hours on the bike (and this time of year I'm happy with that.....besides, we had a cooler full of beer that was not gonna drink itself.)

Sunday morning we went over to Ormond Beach and did part of my old road loop for a recovery ride:
and I did get yelled at a couple of times for trying to chase down roadies that came by. But with a midway point like this how could it not be a good ride:

Want to say thanks to the Goneriding crew for as always putting on a great event, and maybe next year I'll bring more then a B game....or maybe I'll just take up basket weaving.

12 Hours of Oleta

2011-01-18T11:40:00.003-05:00

After Wifey and I shoveled 6-8 inches of snow last Wednesday we made our annual trip down to North Miami for the 12 Hours of Oleta.

Going in I knew Oleta was not gonna be an "A" race for me giving it's the middle of the off season up here and I'm no where near any kind of racing shape.....unless we're talking about a donut eating race, then hold onto your pants....cuz there's gonna be a throw down. But Wifey and I use it as an excuse to get the Hell out of the cold/snow and head back to our home state of Florida. Not to mention the people....and no, I'm not talking about

.........sadly, that picture took up an hour of my time. Funny the amount of time it takes to find just the right picture...yeah, that's it.

But back to where I was....we both miss the people down South, call it southern hospitality if you want but I just think people seem happier down there....most people up here outside the cycling world are just gruff at best.

But to the damn point......for those of you that have not done this race before I highly recommend it. It's a great location right on the river less then a mile from the beach, the course is fun/fast and the Berger's of Goneriding know how to run a race/series.

As always the race started with a lemans start to thin out the herd, and as always I ran like a wounded hipo:

But once I got on the bike things were going well, not great I give you but well. The course was in perfect shape, dry but not dusty and really fast. The course was changed up a little from prior years (for the better I think personally) with a couple of the "climbs" taken out and the first part of "Gilligan's Island" added back in.

It took half a lap for riders to get placed right (anyone that's done a lapped endurance race knows what I mean) lap one ran straight into laps two and three with no problems....aside from nearly choking myself with a Kind bar (note to self, don't ram a whole damn bar in your mug at once....it can be done sure, you just won't be able to breathe for a minute...which is always great when you HR is upwords of 165.)

Even thou I was giving up 3-4 min's a lap on the two leaders and I felt great, on lap three I knew I had a couple small problems I needed worked out. First being a newish pair of Sole insoles that were killing the outside edge of my feet and second....lets just call worn out bibs and say things were not sitting/staying in place right. That would explain my face in this last picture atleast...

So after lap four I ran out to the FJ got the thinner insoles for my shoes and started lap five with all things right in the world......for about 10 min's.....then I had a brain fart.

I was on a bridge that I've ridden 100 times (about 16-18 inches wide, 50 yards long with a couple small twists and about 18 inches off the ground) and then it happened. No idea what happened but I put two and two together and got the normal three of what I must have done.

My front wheel slipped off the right side of the bridge just enough to drop me down onto the rotor which bent 90 degrees under the weight of my awesomeness......(yeah, that's it) and I dropped straight down on the bridge itself left elbow and knee first before falling down to the ground to the left and pulling the bike with me....and still clipped in. Needless to say I hit like a ton of bricks and it hurt like Hell (so if any seismic activity happened Saturday in the area around one...that was just me....sorry.

It did not take long to figure out my day was over, the rotor and handlebars were easily fixiable, the body not so much. I knew the knee was not broken, but I could hardly move it. Luckily I was a short walk to a dirt road that led to the pit area, so onto the shoulder the bike went and off I hobbled.

As normal at races I had more then a few people ask if I needed help in any way, including the local Cannondale rep that sat with me asking questions I now know he already knew the answers to just to make sure I knew who/where the Hell I was.

I want to say congrats to Sebastian for a great race thou, the man was killing it. And I look forward to trying not to make an ass out of myself next month at Santos.

Knife...what knife?

2010-07-31T08:25:00.003-04:00

The only problem is I'm the one carrying the knife.....and as you can guess we're going to a gunfight.
Guess the good thing is I'm in pink, and that'll make the Wifey happy. But it still does not fix the problem.....and my problem is lack of power. Seems like everytime I need power/strength I've got nothing. Short power climbs, countering attacks or even trying to stick the landing on that double backflip off the ceiling fan. It's like Scotty's down in the engine room preoccupied by something else...
Not sure if it's a nutrition/hydration thing or just a little Summer fatigue thing....because it sure as hell is not from being over trained. Either way I need to start kicking up my speed work...in a way.

Been finding out more and more that I've got two speeds. I can go 95% for 30-45 minutes (which will hopefully work well for Cross) or 75% for 12 hours.....but with XC races being in the two hour range I gots myself a problem. But it's a problem that I'm not even sure I want to work on fixing right now. Cross training groups are starting next week and that's where my buttered up cheeks will be...but in and out of the saddle.

Now just to finish building up the bike itself.

Deadbeat blogger

2010-07-25T07:00:00.003-04:00

Warning, warning......deadbeat blogger on the move.

It's been WAAAY to long for any kind up an update (not that anyone is waiting on pins and needles) and for no real reason...so here's the highlights.

I suck...the end.

Races are still happening, even thou I'm not sure why. I've been enjoying the nice easy riding with even better groups of people more then racing itself.....but something still draws me to them like a fat kid to cake.

Even thou I set it as a goal four months ago, I some how pulled a first place at the 12 Hours of the Cranky Monkey back in late June. This race damn near killed me two years ago with heat and my own stupidity, but with a little luck and great friends to help keep my head on straight I had a good day.

I've also somehow found my way back to the starting line of a few XC races again in the past month....including a night XC lastnight. A few mechanical problems and a couple of second places are the highlights....in all not bad with my lack of training for speed. But things are a changing, Cross season starts in a little over a month and I'm for the first time looking forward to it..... but still a couple more XC's to knock out of the way first thou. One being our Team race at Neshaminy.

Got a few non racing things that are gonna be taking up lots of time here soon (more to come on that...and it won't be two months this time) but either way I need to start kicking up the speed work.

Two for the price of one.

2010-04-20T12:58:00.004-04:00

I know I said last post that I was not into the XC racing thing this year, so therefore what did I go do? Yeah, a XC race.

A little over a week ago was the Bike Line Fair Hill Spring XC down in MD, this was the first race in the MASS series here in the PA area. I'd always planned on going to the race (the Wife had it on her schedule) and even thou I love the course I was not planning on doing it. But somehow I found myself on the starting line of my age group.

Having done ZERO speed work since last year, waking up sick and just an all around feeling of not really want to do the race I lined up pretty much in the back of the group. They released the dogs and the pace is fast, real fast. After dancing around a near crash I find myself working my way threw riders...not knowing why or know. Ninety minutes and 23 miles later it was all over and strangely I felt good. I never really pushed myself really hard, just rode my own race and ended up 6th of the 22-23 riders. So for better or worse I'm rethinking things again.

Fast forward a week, Wifey and I found ourselves down in VA for the Leesburg Baker's Dozen. After meeting up with friends, pit set up it was time for an easy pre ride lap. The course was perfect, fun fast and fun. After a little more BSing with the pep's headed out for a couple beers and grub before hitting the hotel....my camping days are over.

Normal for me the night before I race I slept like crap. Ended up watching a couple Married with Children's before I got Wifey up for the morning prep. After my race morning breakfast, 3-4 pit stops, bottle/food and ball prep once again it's off to the starting line.

The several hundred riders at the line are off with the sound of the fire truck siren...really:

....and in a dust cloud we were off.

The first few laps went by in a flash, sub 30 minute laps in an endurance race are a little strange....but I felt good and was just rolling along. I was stopping every other lap for a bottle change and throw down a little grub. Things were chugging along just fine till I went out of my 6th lap. The first single track section was a flat and VERY fast section with a few slight turn here and there. Well lets just say I misjudged my speed on one of these slight turns and a tree ran out in front on me.....and by saying it ran out in front on me I mean I tried to do a power slide to miss it and it reached out and pulled me into it.

Pretty much broadsided the tree, lost some skin on the forearm, and slammed my shoulder into said running tree. But the biggie was I whacked the back of my head pretty damn hard. I must have tried to turn my head away from the impacted and most of the blow was taken by the back of my head just below my helmet. Let's say it hurt a little, but after a couple seconds away I went. The head hurt the worst until about five minutes later when I started feeling my jaw. Could not really open my mouth (which the Wife would love) without pain, so the wheels upstairs started thinking I broke my jaw.....nice, liquid diet...this may not be so bad.

An hour and two laps later I pit to see if I can eat. Was not the easiest thing in the world but I got a banana down...pretty much bite off a piece then used my tongue the smash it against the roof of my mouth. Not ideal, but it worked and back out I went. But this is when the other problems started.

Once I went back out my eyes could not really focus that well and for the first time ever the sunlight was not my eyes friend. I could see fine, but I just could not focus in on anything. Kind of felt like I was daydreaming and then would snap back into what I was doing. Needless to saying this was not ideal, one small half crash and a couple near misses I finished the next lap and week out for another knowing it was not the best idea in the world.

About a mile into the trail I tore a sidewall in the near and was on foot. I ran/walked as I debated what to do in the pits. I had a spare wheelset so I knew I could be in/out in a couple minutes. I was in the pits for less then 2-3 minutes when the Wife came running/rolling in....with the same problem in the rear. She'd heard the reports of the tree on rider abuse and turned off the racer switch and turned on the Wife/Mother questioning switch.

Ten minutes later I had beer in hand. Good, bad or indifferent everything happens for a reason. More then likely she saved me from doing something stupid....well, something stupider then normal.

8.9

2010-03-23T13:25:00.003-04:00

No, I'm not talking earthquakes here...I'm talking about my pissyness level.

Like most of the men in my family I have mood swings that equal or surpass that of most women.....they, I'm sure I'll pay for that one. But hey, I'm pissy and venting.

Funny thing about that picture I was/am called Homer alot....and Hell, I think I'm looking a little more and more like him these days too.

So a little history, someone from my past used the line "friends do thing for friends" alot. Now "hypothetically speaking" I may have helped this person move a few times, mowed a yard or two, and gone to more an a couple Jai-Alai games with said person. And in return? I may have got threw a couple years of English and Spanish with the grammar skills of a 10 year old and not being able to order at a Taco Bell right now.....but that could be just the Southern school system too.

So my point, friends do things for friends....period. Friends don't use the words "lame, bummed and disappointed" if/when you ask something of them. If that's the case, you may want to take a better look at who your "friends" really are.

So that was yesterday. This morning I saw that one of the races I was REALLY wanting to do this year was filled/closed. This makes the third one this year I've missed....and I'm not talking about races soon, these are May-July timeframe. One was straight up my fault, I knew it would fill up and I just did not pay attention to when registration opened and I missed it. But the other two never even said word one in all the registration info about a max number of races, truth me...after missing the first race I double and triple checked.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not pist at any race promoters here. Being one myself I know all the crap they go thru. My point to this then? One to vent, so vent over....and believe it or not I feel better. And two, if you have a race you want to do this year....go register, NOW!!

Happy St. Paddy's Day

2010-03-17T07:44:00.002-04:00

First off everyone's Irish today. So eat your Lucky Charms this morning and listen to the DropKick Murphys and Flogging Molly all day. But remember boys and girls after to many of these:

You may think she looks like this:And you'll be singing this. But tomorrow morning you'll wake up to something more like this:

Drink up kids.....

Hibernation over

2010-03-16T14:42:00.003-04:00

Well, it's time for the hibernation to end.....but now comes the WTF moment.

I've been asked a dozen times in the past two weeks about what my plans for this season are, and I've answered this way. I have no f'in clue. All I know is it's gonna involve hours and hours on my new toy:

Took it out for the first time last weekend, and simply put it's night and day compared to the older frame set.
Have not thrown on the light wheel set yet, but it's sitting just over 20lbs with only a couple personal touches.

So, back to the "what's your plan this year?"

Things I do know. I'm doing the Baker's Dozen and the Cohutta 100 again, other then that I have no idea. I'll race more then just these, but it may be a little different then prior years. Don't see doing much XC racing happening for a few reasons. One of which being asked to "target lightly attended races" for paper titles/championships. Talk about one way to lose respect for someone.

More so I see myself my a "bucket list" up. Races or things I want to do....not that I'm planning on kickin it anything soon, got want to start hitting things I want to do. Some may involve things other then a MTB only.

More tomorrow.

Tick, tick.....

2010-03-15T16:31:00.002-04:00

I smell life...
....well, untill I get back on the bike. Then the above could happen.

Oleta minor...

2010-01-05T06:37:00.003-05:00

Same blog title, as a year ago....what can i say, the brains got really working. Not that it ever really does.

Wifey and I rolled back into Casa de Frozen just in time to do a jail break on the doggies from the kennel. As she got the kids I got the pleasure of unloading the funk that was the FJ, I got the short end of the stick.

But here's a small recap of the week/weekend that was the trip. Most have nothing to do with cycling, because let's face it....what the Hell do I know about cycling?

First off, a HUGE thank to a buddy of mine BBB for letting me use his girl for the race:

Mine are still days (hopefully) or a week/two away, so BBB real came thru for me.

The boss and I did a pre ride Friday and a found my friend from last year:

...and like ever man has said, I thought he was bigger.

Also had to take a couple shots of the nice little climb (I know you can't tell from my great iPhone pic's) and the trees I wanted to take a chainsaw to a couple years ago. F'in Gary could tell you I had some severe grazing on the damn tress EVERY lap two years ago, this year....golden.

So here's a brain spill of the week.

Best hotel...for sleep, not for an hour rental. Hampton Inn, end of story

Found a liquid source I can handle/want to drink for endurance races. Don't ask, I ain't telling ya...unless your last name is Jolie, and even then we'd need to work something out.

Found a real food source too, for when you can't handle anymore of the normal Shots, Blocs, gels and what not. Again, see the above....but you can throw in the names of Alba and Biel too.

If you're adding more shammy cream mid race make sure you don't use the same hand you just used to put on Biofreeze.

Same thing goes with the biofreeze if you're answering natures call.....enough said.

If you get pulled over by a female State Trooper, it's does not end the way it did in Days of Thunder.

And lastly for this morning, a two for one is not always a good thing either...but I'll go into that later.

Laundry and bike cleaning calls.

Water water....

2009-12-01T12:03:00.003-05:00

"Water water everywhere but not a drop to drink"

No, I'm not having a high school English class flash back (besides, I'd need to have gone to have a flash back in the first place.) But that's a different story.

I'm talking about bikes. Between Wifey and I we have 14 bikes in the house right now....yeah, you heard me 14. Granted, two are loner/demo's and one still needs it's cracked frame replaced but they're hanging from hooks all over the place. If these things were meat Rocky would be in here using them as punching bags...

...and, I'm not puttin a picture of the meat locker up.

So where am I'm going with all this? Guess which one of the Army of bikes I want to ride.....yeah, the broken one. Not because I like it any better then the others (but I have spent many a long ride riding it...long, cramping nights filled full of what the Hell am I doing this for thoughts.)

But here I am rambling again.

I feel like I'm speed dating trying these different bikes. Sure it's cool to ride something different once in a while......nevermind, that's just to easy. But it's kinda hard to compare things to something when you can't ride one of them. I'm mean you can close your eyes and make believe you're riding something else, but it's not the same.....yes, I'm still talking about bikes by the way.

But the window shopping needs to come to an end....maybe.

Running

2009-11-10T13:21:00.003-05:00

There, I said it....I've been running.
And no, it was not from blue flashing lights or to a buy one get one free sale at the beer store....but I would for that second one.

I ran more then I care to remember back in the military and the wife and I ran alot back when we first met (well, it was more like her trying to run from me and me chasing after her) but we wised up and focused more on cycling.

But for some reason a month or so ago I started again, not even sure why. But what the Hell, I thought it'd be good cross training for a week or two. Then two weeks ago I saw a sign advertising a 5k less then a mile from the house....how can I not do that I thought. Ok, so I can cross train a couple more weeks....do the race, then back away the running shoes again for a decade.

The race was last Saturday and I dug it. Sub 22 minutes (not stellar, but ok) and third in my name group. So now when I should be pack/hiding my running shoes again something weird happened. I found myself surfing the web for other races in the area.....and sadly I found some.

So much for hanging up the shoes again....we'll see what happens after this weekend. Hopefully I can kick this habit.

Stop the madness.....

2009-10-20T09:43:00.003-04:00

and no, I'm not talkin about Susan Powter given one of her waked out weight loss infomercials from back in the day....

....but speaken of her. Has anybody seen a picture of her lately? I like the new punkish look....tat's, nose ring and hair....

Now we're takin, game on.

But before I say to many things that the wife will beat me for...I'm talking about the beatings I've been taken for no blog updates. I mean I'm not living the life of a Rockstar or anything....but the groupies could be cool.

Riding seams to be something from a prior life, and I'm not sure how I feel about that yet. Broke the mountain bike frame 5-6 weeks and have not road on dirt since...mostly because I have no big wheeled bike to ride yet. Just can't see myself on a 26er again.

Have taken the road bike out 4-5 times in the past six weeks, but have not went more then 25 miles each time. But it's getting to be fixie season again....and a strange as it sounds I'm looking forward to riding it again.

Besides the Wife is gonna drag me kicking and screaming back down to Miami again the first of the year for a 12 hour....I'm mean who wants to leave PA in the dead of winter to go to Miami?

And to ride a bike for 12 hours at that....I think she really needs a sit down.

The attack dog left...

2009-08-24T13:46:00.002-04:00

ok, fine.....he fell asleep. Plus the cat's out of the bag, so it's out of the box for the new toy...

What can I say, it's that time of year to play off road on the skinny tire bikes.

Top Secret...

2009-08-24T07:16:00.002-04:00

It's under non armed, fuzzy guard....but what we got?

He takes bribes if you want to see....or just wait the 30 seconds till he's bored/distracted by his brothers.

Or if you're wearing a skirt I'll show you myself...

Mt Washington Hillclimb

2009-08-20T10:20:00.005-04:00

So back in Feb the BikeWrench calls at 11:45 on a Sunday morning, saying we need to do the Mt Washington Hillclimb. All I really remember hearing thru my hungover haze (remember I said it was Feb.....ok, any Sunday......fine, it was any morning of the year) "registration opens at noon and it'll close out in a couple hours at best."

Six months later here we are:

With traffic the eight hour trip turned into ten hours, but we did have a few sight along the way:

No freaking idea.....

But you've gotta love the rest areas in NH......nothing like a state that sells liquor on the side on the turnpike.

We roll into town with just enough time to grap our race packs and thru down some food but hittin the sheets at eleven.....so five AM came REAL EARLY.

Just before 8:30 we line up to watch the Pro class head out, and my herd rolled out five minutes later. It was nice and flat for about the first 40-50 yards then it started to kick up...and by kick up I mean straight to 12-13%.

The Wrench and I were riding side by side when we heard the next wave being started (they use a freakin cannon as a starting gun.) Next thing I hear is him saying "that's one mile down....eight minutes." Sweet.

Then I start thinking "when the Hell is this gonna flatten out"......at the top dumbass, at the top.
A few short kickers of 16-17% grade later I hear "mile two...18 minutes." Nice, I still felt good and all's well.

That changed at about mile 2.0000001. Started to fade a little and lost Wrench's wheel, I slowly fell back to about 15-20 yards back for awhile. After what I thought was 25-30 minutes I started to feel a little better. I decide to burn one of the few matches I had left and caught back up to my little rabbit. I ask him how we're lookin (fully knowing we were around 5 to 5.5 miles in) "4 miles.....well, 3.9 to be right now."

One word....fuck! Hearing that it felt little someone pulled a parachute and I was off the back, riding on flat tires....mentally shot, crushed and everything else. I fell back about 40-50 yards behind the Wrench and just stayed there.

Mile four to five was the steepest overall (other then the short kicker at the top) but I started to come around once we lost or treecover....about mile 4.5. Once I started to feel better it all came back, and the next thing I knew I was looking at the mile six marker....but the Wrench was still sitting about 50 yards up.

I start to push a little harder and to by disbelief to started to pull him back. Right I we pass the seven mile marker I pull up next and he gave me a where'd the Hell you come from look. Seeing the road leveled out a little (from 13-14% down to about 12%) over the next 100 or so yards and knowing the top was less then half a mile away I burnt my last match.

I jumped the best I could (which ain't much) for 5-8 seconds on the "flat" knowing the Wrench would follow. I looked under my arm as I sat back on the saddle for the up coming grade change (13-14% changed to 18% for 50-60 yards and then to 22-23% for the last 50 yards) and I was somewhat alone.

And then the finish line:

This is my thank God that's done face...

The FJ and I front row seat thou.

This 10 year old dude rocked the last 50-60 yards.

Reasons to climb...

The easy way down...

And Hell Yeah we had to stop on the way home.

Movement

2009-08-04T07:44:00.003-04:00

And no I'm not talking about Women's Lib, Save the Planet or bring back the dinosaurs (thou that would be kickass.) Maybe if we had a pet velociraptor the lady across the street would stop bring her little shit dog to crap in our yard every day instead of her own.

You'd think the three 100lb Shepherds trying to go thru the front window/glass door would give her a clue...no, she just smiles and waves.

But onto the movement, and lack there of.

The hand is healing at the speed of glacial movement (and don't believe of those global warming nuts...glaciers are a bad thing, we need to get rid of them.) The only thing ice is good for is keeping beer cold....and Slurpees.

Weird to say, but break bones kids...don't do soft tissue damage. It takes FOREVER to heal, and it's never the same again even once it "does."

But the thing that is moving at the speed of light is our race date for this weekend...which I'm both glad and pissy about. It'll be great to get this thing done and over with (it's been like slowly pulling off a band aid with things starting and stopping over the past months.) But I'd love to be heading with the Wifey up to Mt Snow for the Kenda Cup weekend too.

But I'll be here circling the wagons and rallying the troops to get the course ready for Sunday, and working out this velociraptor thing.

When bike's attack...

2009-07-14T07:00:00.002-04:00

That's my new movie coming out this Summer, only bad thing is I'm not the star of the film. I guess if you put it in the terms of a Friday the 13th movie the bike would be Jason, and I'd be the guy/chic that just had sex (they always get killed right then....WTH?) But I guess better after then before right.

So what the Hell am I talking about?

I guess the whole world (besides myself) knew about the Look Keo's having a recall on them.

"Hazard: The steel axle inside the pedal can break, posing a fall hazard to cyclists."

"Incidents/Injuries: Look Cycle has received 14 reports of incidents with broken pedals, including 7 injuries which resulted in scrapes, cuts, contusions, elbow pain, and a knee injury."

Any guess on what pedals I had on the skinny tired thing?

I guess I was lucky that it happened on a standing climb with my buddies nice soft chain rings to break my fall next to me. Driving my elbow into the pavement may have been worse. Not sure what I hit with my back, that nice straight line is a little strange. But the matching one on my chest is from my top tube I know.

But all's well. The bike should be ready to roll again today, even if I'm not.

XX

2009-06-25T15:47:00.003-04:00

No, I did not leave off an X there.....but I am talking Bike Porn.

I should have spent the last day plus getting all the gear ready to head South for a race this weekend. But reality hit yesterday when I stopped to help a chic with a flat tire on my road ride. My thumb is/was so weak I could hardly even use the tire level, so I don't think riding a bike for 12 hours would be the right call for the weekend.

So after the pissyness slowly wore off (I've found that beer helps greatly) I started surfing bike porn (BP). So what does two days of surfing BP give you (other then a sore hand?) Info.

I've read more about the new SRAM XX group then anyone should in and day (and I still know nothing about bikes...including how to ride them most the time.) Also found that that Scott is releasing a 29er this year and that Cannondale is coming out with a carbon 29er. I needed a minute alone after reading that. What, why do you think it's called bike porn?

So I'm penciling in my anniversary/Christmas/birthday/and groundhog day wish lists. Yes, I said pencil.....nothing is in ink yet. For one you never know what opportunities have/or will come your way (how's that for cryptic?) And two I change my mind more then a woman....a cryptic secretive one at that.

But back on the birthday note, today's my Pops' birthday. Happy Birthday Pops', hope to see you guys in Vegas.

Secret Squirrel out

A week...

2009-06-23T17:01:00.002-04:00

Another week goes by and I'm older, grayer and balder. Well I guess two out of the three is true.

I'm now in what I call "my last year of mid thirties" and luckly it came and went with no fan fair. Wifey and I hung out and I sent her on a bike ride....that's when the balder part came in, Happy Birthday to me. No details to follow on that one.

But I did get one of the best birthday presents ever (well I guess a little short of Wifey dropping a new road back on me a couple years back) Team Utah (aka mom and pops) had a calender made up for me. No just any calender thou, this one got my mug on it for each month. Each month has different shots from races form the past year now so, it really freakin cool.

I had no idea you could do something like that....well, I am a little slow on the uptake of most things.

I paw is about 75% and have been on the road bike the past four days straight with only light pain/soreness. The thumb is still really weak, but all in all it's getting there.

And that's where the problem is. It feels just good enough and it's been a few weeks since a race....so I see very stupid things happening. Watching the weather/heatwave to our South right now....if it lightness up I feel stupid human tricks are in store for this weekend.

Glass hands...

2009-06-16T16:09:00.002-04:00

So today I went to see the orthopedic (Super Doc) for the follow up on my knee/second look at the hand.

First the knee: After the normal how does this/that feel and alot of bla, bla, bla. He gave me the "official ok to ride." And he added, "since I saw you riding over the weekend this should not be a problem." Whoops, sorry Doc.

Then we moved onto the paw. He took a second (his first) set of x-rays to get a look at things and his first comment was "Jesus!" This can't be good I thought to myself.

But things got better as he laughed and followed this up with "how many times have you broken your fingers?" I replied never (never remember anything.) As he laughed again he threw in "ok, I'm the doctor let me tell you then." He stopped counting at five....on the first two fingers. My favorite was "do you see this bone...it's supposed to look like that."

But everything current (bone wise) is healing pretty well, the biggest thing still hanging on is a damaged ligament in the thumb. So more anti-inflammatories, pain pills, a brace and "try to limit the use."

So it sounds like more easy road rides it is for old glass hands.

Pissy...

2009-06-12T16:03:00.003-04:00

That's the best I've got.

It's 80 degrees and the damn sun is so bright it hurts your eyes......and I can't RIDE MY FREAKIN BIKE! So yeah, I'm pissy.

I've taken enough pain killers and anti-inflammatories in the past six days to keep things nice and fuzzy, but fuzzy is not what I want. Most of my Team is heading out to State College to do the Stoopid 50 and here I sit, being pissy.

The hand is somewhat getting better thou. The swelling in the hand itself has greatly gone down, but both the joints in what was my thumb (it's more of a kielbasa now) are still pretty jacked up. I also know my memory is fading in my old age, but I don't remember my pinkie having that angle to it either.

That don't look right, but we'll see what Super Doc says about that on Tuesday.

Kenda Cup East #3, Hoo-Ha

2009-06-08T15:39:00.004-04:00

Sunday morning started EARLY with Wifey and I rolling out of the casa at five AM (yeah, there is two five o'clocks a day) to get down to Massanutten, VA for the Hoo-Ha.

After check in and all the normal pre race I lined up with the other 13 bodies in my age class to head out for the first of our two 12.5 laps of joy on two wheels. Two minutes after the Pro field went out they unleashed the 100 plus Cat 1 field in a mass start (I love this idea) of dust and flying rocks.

We had a nice 10-15 minute dirt/gravel to grass double track slight climb until we singled up on some of the nicest single track I'm been on in awhile. Another rider and I kept trading places for 4-5th in our class as we started to pass some of the Pro women. As we started the tight switchbacks for a 12-15 minute climb midway thru the lap my partner got around one rider that I did not and away he went.

I guess the best way to put it is to steal a roadie term, I just "sat up." I found myself following this women's line and being happy with it (not to mention she was picking a line better then most men I know.) I could have gone faster, she gave me the line more then once but I just never took it. I was mentally zoned out of the race, it felt like I was just on a training ride and I have no idea why.

Once we started the downhill switchbacks girl was GONE, she dropped me like a bad habit. No joke, girl was flying and had no fear. She flat out stripped me of my man card, and by doing so I think she saved my race. I snapped out of whatever funk I was and got bad in the groove. I wanted to thank her once I finally caught and passed her, but I'm sure she would have thought I was a freak...which we all know is true anyways.

After a bottle change I rolled into lap two with little to speak of for the first 6-7 miles, that all changed on a creek crossing. As I dropped into the creek my foot wheel came to a dead stop and the bike went vertical, and over the bars I went. It hurt, it really freaking hurt.

Long story short I found the bike, found the trail and rolled on knowing I'd really jacked my right hand. I could hold it on the bars but ever rock, twig or piece of dust I hit made me want to scream like a 10 old girl (and I did more then once.) Shifting let's just say was a pleasure, and obscenity filled.

The last five miles or so could not end fast enough and Wifey took these as I rolled in.

Wifey pulled off my glove to find what we thought was a broken hand...don't need to be a doctor to tell this one. I looked at the finishing board to see I ended 5th as the boss got ice and a medic.

Wifey was a champ and did most of the car loading (even thou she placed well in her race) so I may never get my man card back. And after a shorted talk with an old friend we headed out for the long drive to the hospital.

Bones will heal and I'll live, but I'll be getting a few weeks of rest...which I needed anyways. You're heard me say it before but everything happens for a reason, just let's not it be so freakin painful next time.

Two races in two days...

2009-06-01T11:08:00.003-04:00

One problem thou, only one finish.

So after a seven hour drive out to Ohio for the Mohican 100, a crappy night sleep and an early wake up call my race ended WAY to early (less then 20 miles in) when some nice young lady decided to take out the rear half on my drivechain. Derailleur hanger snapped, damaged derailleur and whacked rear wheel.

I guess the plus was that it happened right at a check point, and a couple bystanders offered to drive me back to the finish. So my Mohican day ended in a little under 10 hours, to bad seven of those was the drive home.

After an emergency late night repair by the Bikewrench, Wifey and I headed down to Iron Hill for the four hour endurance race yesterday.

After an early morning shower the 50 or so enduro riders (23 in the Open I think) headed into a slimly, slippery mess that was the trail. I went into the trail in forth and held that until I sled out on a wooden bridge toward the end of the 5.5 mile lap. Hiting the brakes on a wet wooden bridge any ten year old can tell you is a bad idea. Braking to change lines and miss the huge root coming up would be a good idea, unless your rear wheel is still on said wooden bridge.

The good thing is my two Teamates that passed me as I was countin fingers and toes did not see my jackass move.

On the third lap the trail started to dry out and things were moving nice. As I rolled thru to start my forth lap friends yell to "go get the wife, she just went into the trail" (the Sport class started two hours after the enduros did.) So after a quick howdy with Wifey (I think it boiled down to me yellin "give me a line") and her throwing an elbow my way I was off. Really, I'm pretty sure she was elbowing me out.

So lap five ran into lap six and then into seven with no changes. I finished the day in 6th with a little over 35 miles in the saddle. The body was a little sore from the "short race" the day before and the knee by no means felt right, but I was happy with how things ended up.

The next Kenda Cup XC is this weekend, but we'll see what the Doc's says tomorrow before making a call on that one.

Huge congrat's to Jason and Rich B on the sub ten hour times they threw down Saturday, nice work guys.

Rollin West

2009-05-29T08:00:00.004-04:00

So I can't walk up/down stairs and pretty much can hardly walk at all for that matter. I foresee white rooms with people in doctors smocks in my future but until then, it's time for more stupid human tricks.

The Mohican 100 it is.

Five minutes

2009-05-25T13:24:00.001-04:00

Give five minutes today:
It's the least you can do for them.

Dirty and Wrong

2009-05-23T13:53:00.003-04:00

No, that's not my new porn movie title. That was how this mornings MTB ride felt.

With back to back races called off (and a broken spoke a mile in on my last attempt) there's been little off road riding, until today. Wifey and I headed down to Wissa for a couple laps this morning and all I can say it everything felt wrong. Not the bike or the body just riding off road.

Downhills that I've done a thousand times I was nervous to do, and a couple technical climbs that I've not dapped on in years I screwed up on. It took over an hour but I started to remember how to ride a bike (not that I every really was any good at it.)

Tomorrow is another MTB with the Team and some friends. If things go well with that maybe the next step is to diside that to do next weekend. Either the four hour endurance at Iron Hill or to man up and head out to the Mohican 100.

We're gonna need a bigger boat

2009-05-22T16:18:00.002-04:00

Or a boat period for that fact.

Even thou Wifey and I have been in PA for five years now I still keep an eye on the happens in Daytona Beach. I knew it's been raining down there for the past week but hell, it's the Summer in Florida....it rains everyday.

I had no idea how bad it was till I saw these pictures this morning. These are a couple shot from the Speedway.....and yeah, that is the track itself that's under water.
There is a lake in the in field, but this ain't it.

Now I'm about as far as you can get from a Nascar fan. The only time I ever went to a race was when my Dad broke my brother and I out of elementry school to see one. (Now how I can remember things like that from 30 years ago but I can't remember things from last week I have no idea.) But damn that's ALOT of water.

For once I'm glad to be in PA other then sitting on a beach in FL....just don't tell anyone that.

10 Years to life...

2009-05-21T08:47:00.003-04:00

No I'm not talking about prison terms here (thou some may call it that,) talking Wifey and I.

Today's our ten year anniversary. Not being married, but our first meeting/date/set up which starting this whole ball rolling in the first place.

We lived roughly in the same area and went to all the same places for 15 years before we ever met (luckily.) We've both said numerous times that if we had met at any other time we would not be sitting here now.

Let's just leave it at we both changed ALOT in that time frame, one of us more then the other....everything happens for a reason.

So here's to you Wifey:

So plans for the day. On the record an afternoon movie and dinner, off the record.....

The Squirrel

2009-05-19T15:40:00.002-04:00

We've all seen "suicidal squirrels," you know the ones I mean. Those little blurry balls of fur that fly in front of your car/motorcycle/bike/walker or whatever. I swear I think it's just them and their and play chicken their buddies.

I was on the road bike heading back toward the house enjoying my favorite mile long downhill when I saw a first for squirrels. I was rolling along in the mid 30's when a squirrel came darting out in front of me, and the only thought I had was "this is gonna hurt"......little did I know this was not your ordinary squirrel.

I knew I had him dead to rights with my front wheel and I was already mentally calling 9-1-1 then this little bastard took flight....I kid you not, he jumped and cleared my wheel.

I went from being fat dumb and happy to thinking I was going to the hospital, back to fat dumb and kind of happy in less then five seconds. I looked back and saw Super Squirrel heading up a tree, probably to change his shorts...which was the first thing I did when I got home.

Stella "The Race"

2009-05-12T07:43:00.009-04:00

This could be the greatest commercial ever....well, that did not involve a bikini.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mmq9UHX0IEs&feature=related

Stan's or no Stan's, from now on there will be a nail taped to my bike.

Kenda Cup East #1: Ducktown, TN

2009-05-05T16:41:00.007-04:00

Friday had Wifey, Janel and I heading back to TN for the first of the new Kenda Cup Series here on the east coast.

After being stuck in traffic for an hour we decided to grap some food and call it a night midway thru the 12 hour drive. We knew we were in luck with our Mexican food choice (and our only choice of food) when we saw a handmade sign on the door walking into the restaurant that read "no pubic restroom." And with the limited scan I did they were true to their word.

When we checked into our hotel I found this sitting on the shower ledge:

At the time I did not think much of it, but with an hour it came it me. The race was in DUCKtown, TN and I have a rubber duckie (my new bath toy) at a random stop midway down. It's gonna freakin rain, I know it.

At the time they were calling for some light rain Sat that would clear out by race time Sunday. That all changed by the time we woke up Saturday morning. Flood warnings, heavy rains and just all around happiness was in order.

After packet pick up we were off for an easy scouting of the course. After a half mile of paved to gravel to concrete the climbing started with a mix of singletrack and doubletrack over the next three miles. Then a mile or so of rolling singletrack led us the a mile long bombing packed gravel downhill that put your high speed BMX cornering skills to the test. Once again on singletrack we keep the downhill thing going on one of the best downhills I've rode on the east coast.

After a night of heavy rains once again Wifey had lots of these to see in route to the race start:

Even with the rains we were a go, and after some prep time...and lots of trying to stay dry I found myself at the starting line up. But the only thought I had as I stood with the other Cat 1 men was "what the Hell am I doing here?" I'm standing in a sea of 24 Trek, Cannondale, Gary Fisher, Independent Fabrication and other riders that most were "Semi Pros" last year before the USA cycling class change.

As the moto took us out on our "neutral" start to the base of the climb I was sitting in sixth and feeling good...even with a HR in the upper 180's. 1st-3rd place were gone in a blur but five of us were bouncing positions the whole first lap and into the second. Midway thru the second lap on the bombing gravel downhill I rolled my rear tire sliding thru a corner and broke the seal on the tubeless tire. A 30 second CO2 repair and I was off, but without my prior riding partners.

My repair job did not last as long as I wanted, and I had to stop once more on the final lap for a second CO2 repair. Guessing the Stan's could not get a good seal with all the water/mud on the rim and I saw a few more places drop away. Coming out of the last singletrack I was caught by a rider and I looked under my arm to see my class series of numbers on his number plate...crap.

With only a paved somewhat flat mile to the finish I locked out the Lefty threw it in the large chainring and gave it Hell. I put over 40 seconds on the guy, but it was still only good enough for an 11th overall. A little out classed right now maybe, but nothing makes me want to train harder then things like this.

Once again a huge thanks to the Berger's of:

and all those that helped them put on a great race in less then great conditions.

2009-05-04T07:27:00.002-04:00

Photo's are up from last weekend Epic melt down.

My fav, I kind of have the scared ten year old girl look to me....minus the 10 year old girl part. It'd only rocks and water, not a freakin polar bear....wimp.

Working on three hours of sleep right now, so this may make less sense then normal. Got home at three this morning after the 12 hour drive home from TN (same local as last weekend) for the first of the east coast Kenda Cup races.

More on that after I break the dogs out of doggie prison, and start laundry...and clean some of the mud out of the car and myself. No more details to come on that part.

Cohutta 100 Miler

2009-04-28T08:21:00.003-04:00

Yesterday was the highlights, so I guess it's time for a little more detail.

After my super secret breakfast and pre race rep I rolled down to the starting line just in time to hear all the call ups. I know it's sounds kind on lame but it was really cool to see all these great riders lining up. I've seen most all of them before at races here and there, but this was the first time I'd seen this many at one line up.

It's also funny to see what everyone has done to themselves/bike for the race. You have the normal things like gels taped to your top tube, people playing with I-Pods and even a person or two just trying to mentally zone out. But I saw a first, it was a female rider (come to find out it was the female winner Carey Lowery) that wrote "eat" on her inner forearm. It's a great idea for a personal reminder during endurance races, but at the time it just made me smile...but it did not last.

The race started with a two mile leg on a paved road to thin out the ranks a little before we headed into the singletrack. This first 5-6 miles of singletrack was super fast and very little pedaling was needed, it was a little like being on a roller coaster...just flowy up and downs with sweeping corners thrown in here and there.

After a fast paved downhill we headed into a couple miles of double track that ended with the only thing I'd call technical at all on the course...

It was very ridable for most but a couple riders did have a problem on it. After a few more miles of rolling uphill singletrack we hit the fireroads.

At the first rest stop (18 miles) I topped off my HEED bottle, graped a couple cookies and was on my way. This is also where the climbing started, nothing major just a little teaser for what was to come. About ten miles later is where the main climb for the race started. Again nothing major just a nice steady climb the next 8-9 miles to rest stop number two (36 miles.)

I felt great, so other then popping a couple Endurolytes I repeated the same as stop one. But a few more uphill miles after leaving the stop I learned the day was not gonna turn out as well as I wanted. A group on four of us were working well together in a pace line for a few miles, until a rider dropped off...and then a second. The two of us tried to keep it going but the short rest break in between pulls brought out what I knew was coming. I was not recovered from the past two weekend, I guess doing a 6 hour and a 13 hour the two weekends before a 100 miler were not good planning...go figure.

So with the legs starting to feel a little sluggish I backed off and rode my own pace, but overall still felt pretty good when I hit the third stop (49 miles.) Leaving the stop is where I started to feel the heat, and the last 7-8 miles of this never ending climb we starting to get to me. But help in the from of 15 plus miles of downhill to the forth rest stop was on the way.

I tried to eat what I could (which was not much/to little) as a wrench lubed my chain before I was off again. After 5-8 miles of flatish rolling climbs the incline grade kicked back upward for the first of the last three climbs. These last climbs were much shorter (maybe a mile or so each) but a little steeper and totally exposed to the sun. This is where the wheels really fell off, not on the bike...but on me.

The 15 miles from rest stop 4 to 5 felt like I was a hot dog on the grill. At the stop one of the volunteers had rags in a cooler of ice water. Dude treated me like a turkey being basted for Thanksgiving and I could still now hug him for it. During my ice bath I looked around with my fuzzy vision and saw two riders laying on the ground all but paws up, both were being attended to...but they were not looking good.

After the bath I felt a little better and rolled out for the last two climbs. I knew it was hot and getting hotter (I'd stopped sweating sometime before) so I forced myself to drink the two bottles I had knowing it was only ten miles to the last rest stop.

With the last two climbs (and both bottles) I hunted for the last rest stop....and missed it. I remember where it must have been, but at the time I thought it was volunteers warning/giving directions into a hard corner heading back into the singletrack. Needless to say that last 10 miles of what should have been fun singletrack was Hell.

I could not focus, I was light headed to say it mildly and found it harder and harder to hold a line. Knowing I was in a bad place physically and getting worse fast I backed off even more. This last few miles probably took me twice as long as it should have but I made it to the last mile of pavement without the bike or myself meeting a tree or worse beforehand.

As I came across the finishline the timing clock was great to see, but not the numbers that were on it. I came in 30 plus minutes over my targeted time of nine hours, but all I wanted to do was get to the FJ and get cold fluids in me and sit in the AC.

I found results posted lastnight and seeing them did not help my mood at all....62nd of 101 finishers in my class. I have a mixed feels right now, half of me wants to get my ass on the bike (not that it's gonna fix anything) and the other half wants to just forget about it and enjoy an beer....or five.

Cohutta 100 Miler Minor

2009-04-27T08:24:00.003-04:00

The weekend in a nutshell.

I did the 11 plus hour drive down to eastern TN on Friday for the Cohutta 100. Got there just in time to pick up my race packet and find a place to crash for the night.

The race started nice and early at 7AM (luckily) and the first couple hours things went well. Then came the first real climbs, and I knew it was not gonna be the day I wanted...no where near recovered from the last two weeks of racing. But little did I know the worst was yet to come.

Things rolled along and I made it to the top of the major climb a little passed the 50 mile area (pretty much uphill from mile 25 to 55) that led into 20ish miles of rolling sometimes flying downhills. Then IT happened......

That's the best way to put it, I had the epic of all epic melt downs. I knew it was getting hotter, we had zero cloud cover and alot of this part of the course we were exposed.

The three climbs from the 75 to the 90 mile area were a little steeper then the ones earlier but very ridable. But they KILLED me, I never got off the bike but I was hurtin. Not from the grade of the climbs (done far worse), but the heat. I was very close to bad things happening heatwise (but I others at aid stataions that were worse.)

I wanted to marry the chick that had the iced towels at the last aid station (ok, it was a dude, but it sounds better being a chic) it kind of brought me back.

Even thou the iced water shower I took helped a ton, it was to little way to late. I finished at the 9:32 mark, just outside my hard target of nine and a half hours and way off my true target of a sub nine...and about 1.35 days behind the leaders.

A full report to come later today/tomorrow.

Leesburg Baker's Dozen

2009-04-21T12:57:00.013-04:00

Another weekend just means one more shot at doing stupid human tricks. With that Wifey, Jason, Matty, Dan K, F'ing Gary,and others headed down to Leesburg for the Baker's Dozen.

Wifey and I had rode the course when we did the XC race earlier this year, but we wanted to do a pre ride without 3-4 inches of snow on the ground just to check thing out a little better. The course was perfect, just damp enough to keep the dust down and not wet enough to....bring the cow patties to life we'll say.

The course was great, seven and a half mile laps of flat (even thou someone did start adding hills about midway thru the race...not sure how that worked) none technical just balls out fun.

So after the pre ride and way to little BS'ing with friends Wifey and I hit the hotel for some dinner and an earlyish night.

The opening gun went off at nine and we were off on our 13 hour tour. I started out a little quicker then I want to, but I wanted less to be stuck in traffic...so all was good. My lap times started right at the 30 minute mark and slowly moved up into the lows 30's, then into the mid to upper 30's at around the 7-8 hour mark.

But body felt pretty good for the most part, did get a little nauseous around the 2-3 hour area but luckily it never came of it.....never eat one of those muffins from a Jiffy store, nothing good will come from it. Sorry to say some of the others in our group were not so lucky, Matty went down way to early....but like a champ he made a comeback after some time in the pits.

Wifey was in the pits a few times when I came rollin thru and got these:

yes, the kid's sport sideburns

and I love the salt areas on my shoulders and stomach

the face has nothing to do with the Endurolytes i was eating like candy

And while we're on the strange looking what the Hell faces....

But I've got nothing on this....I guess what happens in the pits does not always stay in the pits.

Not in pain, just turning off the Ipod to talk to Wifey

Other then riding a lap plus with Gary midway thru it was a pretty lonely day....but I kind of prefer it that way.

Nice shot below from Gary Ryan, you can check out all his race photos here.

Around the nine hour area the body was starting to not be happy with me. No one real thing, just little this and that. Did not want to drink more, no food sounded good, I'd stopped sweating and just overall was becoming a not so happy camper.

With this I got off the bike for the first time and hung out it the pit for 15-20 minutes to try to eat something. After a handful of potato chips eaten as slowly as a person could I rolled back out.

After a couple more laps in the pit I sat again. Dan K and Matty were giving me the how's things going questions as we saw Vegan Rob roll in and out once more on his way of beat us mear mortals down (dude is a freakin machine.) So the questioning turned more into BS'ing as I took off my helmet ands shoes.....the next thing I know I see Rob pitting again. I yelled over to his wife "Rob just left, what's up?" "He left 35 minutes ago" she replied laughing.....son of a....

Shoes and helmet back on I start to roll out when Dan K asks me "aren't you gonna put you lights on?" I've got 45 minutes till dusk I reply, "do you really think you're gonna do a sub 45 minute lap right now" he gives me. I know he was trying to look out for me and a smarter man would have listened to him, but we are talking about me here.

Everything went well and I got back in while it was still light. Lights on this time I rolled out on lap 16 and then straight into lap 17 as I was doing the lap timing math in my fuzzy head. I knew I'd make it in before the cutoff time but had no clue on my or others placing around me. So with a little under 11 and a half hours and 128 miles I was calling it a day....even with 25 minutes on the clock.

So what does calling it a day 25 minutes early cost you....two places. I feel from 7th to ninth overall in the 61 person field. I was as high as 4th before my 40 plus minute whatever the hell pitstop, but it is what it is. Should have would have, I firmly believe everything happens for a reason (even thou you may never know why.)

So with all that we have a couple of days to recover at home before the Wifey and I start doing our apart weekends. She's heading somewhat locally to a XC to qualify for Nationals and I'm from some reason driving to TN to do a 100 miler in the mountains.

I'm starting to think that everyone is right.....something may be wrong with me.

6 Hour Grind on the "Greenway"

2009-04-14T15:54:00.004-04:00

Wifey and I rolled down to the Charlotte, NC area last weekend to visit some friends and do the 6 Hour Grind on the Greenway as a little tune up for this coming weekends play time at the Leesburg Baker's Dozen.

With my wounded wing far from healed (don't want to talk about it) I knew the smart thing to do was stay off the bike to let things heal and be a cheerleader for Wifey. That was the smart thing to do, so yes....I raced.

Even with the heavy rains the area got the afternoon/night before the course was in great shape, other then 3-4 small muddy spots the trail was perfect.

The race started out quick and I entered the single track in about 10th of the 150ish rider pack. Within the first five minutes the 10-12 of us were alone, with me being the anchor....but I'm cool with being the anchor in a group of Pro's and local top guns. Even being in this elite group something was wrong, not really the collarbone just everything. Best way to put is I did not feel smooth on the bike.

Midway thru the second lap my race turned into a ride as I knew it was not my day and I lost site of the last on my riding herd. I'm still not sure what the problem was, just nothing seam to be right. Everything I ate did not sit well, this hurt, that hurt and I was pretty much pissin about being on the bike.

So lap two rolled into three, four and five....then something happened. What it was I have no idea, but it happened. Everything felt right, I felt in the groove and all my this hurts/that hurts went away. To little to late for my placing, but I was just happy to be feeling in the groove again.

I ended the day with a 5th place out of the 11 in the Solo Men's Open, and with atleast one pro rider behind me I guess I can say it was an ok day.....guessing his bad day must have been worse then mine.

So now it's time for some bike love and hopefully a little body healing before the packing starts for the Friday trip down to Leesburg.

St Patty's Day

2009-03-17T18:18:00.003-04:00

Hell yeah, St Patty's Day. The day everyone's Irish....or atleast drunk.

And with that in mind...

I know, it's not Guinness or Murphy's...but the bottle is green. And the Wifey and I did see the DropKick Murphy's last weeks too.

Great show and even better people watching.

Things you don't see everyday.

2009-03-15T16:10:00.004-04:00

I saw this driving home from a ride last weekend....and about crashed trying to take this picture on the cell phone.

Still not sure what to say......so therefore.

Back in gear...

2009-03-10T12:57:00.001-04:00

or back on gears that is.

Saturday morning before I met up with BikeWrench and F'in Gary (and once again no BBB) I took a trip down to the Bike Bat Cave. After the secret password and retina scan were done I entered the room like I have a thousand times over the Winter, but something was different about this trip.....I was walking passed the beer frig. That's was my first mistake of the day.

Even thou a tear came to my eye as I longing looked at the empty beer cases I knew true love in bottled form was only a pull on the frig handle away....and still I walked.

Then I saw it, hanging just where I'd put her four long months ago...the geared bike was coming off the hook. After the dust was cleaned off, tires topped off and my buns lubed up (yeah, I went there) I rolled out.

The 15 mile roll to the Wrench's house was odd, I felt both like Superman and Clark Kent at times. The flats and climbs was where Superman was rocking (felt great) but the couple of times I had to start from a stop or a long slight climb I felt like I was dragging a lead weight behind me...of then my ass that is.

After trying a few different gear ratios I was lost, and therefore my first question to the Wrench was a WTF? His reply? "Yeah, that's how it should feel." After he saw the lost look on my face his next words jumped started my lost/slow brain. "Remember, the fixie is a direct drive"...and with that the light came on.

I loved riding the fixie over the Winter, but it took me about half the ride to get over the flat spots in my pedal stroke that losing the direct drive brought on.

But with all that said it was a great ride, just under 70 miles with a couple really nice climbs throw in. Nutrition was a slight problem thou, nearly had to call the Wifey to come get me as I started to melt down in the last three miles before home. But I knew I'd never live it down......guess the night of drinking was not the pretty thing to do before a four hour ride?

This ain't FL

2009-02-22T16:25:00.002-05:00

...remember, I'm from the South. Ain't is a word down there...ain't it?

Well the trip to FL for the Santos 12 hour did not happen for a few reasons, but pretty much no reason.....kind of a sore spot right now.

But today was a great three and a half hour tour of French Creek with about ten other Guy's (and a couple gals too) riders in the snow. Trails were starting to get a little nasty the last 15-20 min's, but a great ride over all.

Still, was not FL...

Here's a question...

2009-02-04T16:08:00.003-05:00

What's rises 4727 feet in 7.6 miles, has nearly a 12% average grade that then turns into a 22% grade section at the top?

Need more...."it's the biggest climb in the NE, and often dubbed the toughest hillclimb in North America."

You still drawing a blank?

I give you my next stupid trick.

Snotcycle...

2009-02-01T06:24:00.009-05:00

or better yet, the SNOTiceCYCLE.

Kind of at the last minute Wifey and I decided to head down and to Snotcycle down in VA. It was mostly just to scout out the course for the upcoming Baker's Dozen, but we also had a number of friends coming too (even thou I did not get to do much BSing.)

The race promoter sent out an email Thursday night if this as the headline: "The trail is an ice sheet, it'll probably be crunchy, muddy, and just plain nasty for the race."

Got to give this it the boy, he don't lie.

After watching Jason, Fort James and that woman I live with roll out for the Sport start I headed back to the car (and the heat on full blast) to regain the feeling in my fingers. Then of course the pre race stomach crap starts, so off to the Porta John.

Let's just say sitting in one of these love machines is not where you want to be when it's 25 degrees....or a gust of wind comes rolling thru and comes up from the bottom.....nothing like starting a XC race with frostbite on your junk.

But onto the good stuff, not my ice stalactite....sorry, I had to.

The race did not start as fast as a normal XC given all the ice and snow, but trail was just as we were told it would be....icy, but very ridable....you just had to watch your cornering. I ended the trail head around 8th of the 30 plus men in the expert/pro field and felt really good.

The first lap things just felt in slow motion for a XC race, I felt like I was in an endurance race because we just could not hammer as fast as we could. In a nutshell it was go as hard as you could in the straight areas, pull up when you see a corner coming and just try to glide thru the the corner then repeat.

On the second lap my shifting went to crap. The rear stopped shifting completely, but with a little luck I was big ringing it up front. Wifey got this at the end of the second lap:

You can kind of see that the trail was changing from ice to mud where the sun was, so once again the name Snotcycle was balls on...a little more on that "mud" to come.

The third lap we had a lot more mud in the fields where the sun was melting the ice sheets, but the trails themselves were getting better. They were still snow/ice, but they were starting to get a little grip to them.

The last lap started just as the third did, I passed the guy in the picture above crossing the timing mats (he past me both times on a climb I could not gear down for....zero shifting and a monster gear) He, I and a third guy (just in front of us) BS'ed most of the race, was one of those races.

Knowing I had to gain time on the spots where I could I pushed a little hard then I wanted to in the first few hundred meters of the trailhead. I went by my BS partner up front that earlier joked "the last lap it's every man for himself" and continued to push for a couple minutes till I heard nothing behind me.

On an open flat road (mud) section about a third of the way thru I look back and saw no one for 200-300 meters. That when I took a few deep breaths and started thinking about the "mud" covering my face, and even in my mouth. The course runs threw a cow pasture and if I was one cow patty I was a thousand...and we were riding threw them.

So you get the point on the "mud." Something seams wrong about a vegetarian not eating meat, but being ok with having cow ass in your mouth....I'll need to check the vegetarian handbook on that one.

So things ended as they were, never see my riding partners again. But the first thing I wanted to do have seeing why the Hell I could not shift was get the cow ass off me.

Why lick your lips when they're covered in ass?

The shift was east to figure out once I look at the drivetrain. Both the middle/small gears up front and the rear cassette were blocks of ice. It was kind of cool to see at first....but then it took my body about two minutes to felt just like them.

I knew I was out of the payout range so my main concern was not gettin hypothermia, so it was off to dry clothes and the heat of the car. The violent shivering took about 20-30 minutes to stop but then the nausea kicked in because I did not eat during or after the race. But after a recovery bar and sitting in the passenger seat in the fetal position for an hour things started to come back.

Still a little fuzzy on my placing, but Wifey was thinking 6-8th (I'm thinking 10-12th range) of the 40ish person field. Results should be out in a few days, I'll threw a number up then.

Also want to throw a shout out to Fort James, Wifey told me you were 3-4th. Great job man, you and Jason had a HUGE freakin field of riders out there.

Today it's gonna hit the mid 40's, so that will put me out on the fixie for a recovery spin.....and then maybe get tested for mad cow.

One by one...

2009-01-23T10:54:00.003-05:00

or slow and slower. No, not me riding (that's just straight slow all the time) I mean the race schedule.

The race is three months away, but Wifey and I are in for the Leesburg Baker's Dozen down in VA. After being locked on the outside looking in on this race last year (it's capped at 400 riders total, counting teams) I signed us both up on day one....and I'm glad I did. I looked at it this morning and it's already at 210 riders, with just under 50 of those being solo men.

Still kicking around the idea of heading down to the course next weekend for a XC race....more so just to scout things out, not ready to go head to head in a XC yet. Don't have the high end cardio kicking right now, remember this is beer drinking...I mean base miles season.

French Creek and a WTF

2009-01-18T16:33:00.003-05:00

First off the WTF.

For those that don't know (and I just don't care) the Eagles and Steelers are both in the playoffs for whatever retarded sport they play....yes, that was a joke....just a pissy one.

But to the WTF. Today while Wifey and I were on the PA turnpike to French Creek to meet a few other Guys riders I pointed to the chick in the passenger seat to look at the traffic alert sign (or whatever those big lighted signs that warn you about traffic, accidents, snow/ice or even randon hots chicks in need of help are called.)

But what does this sign says that our tax paying dollars are paying for? "Go Eagles" Not anything about the snow we were driving thru, the ice on the road etc. Just one more reason I hope they lose.

But as I said, we meet a group for what was a great ride at French Creek. The trails were perfect, about an inch of snow just to soften all the rocks...no ice and lots of traction. Two and a half hours of fun in the snow....and even with my clothes on this time.

And I still hate the Eagles, their coach, QB and most of all the crappy fans. If they're winning they love'em, if they lose. "They lost just to piss me off, fire the coach, trade the QB" etc, etc. Then after the next win, we've got the best team in the world, the best coach, best players...we're the greatest.

Come on Cardinals, or whomever they're playing....and once again I'll stand down from my soapbox

Misery

2009-01-17T10:24:00.003-05:00

So I gave into Glenn's evil again yesterday and went out for a ride in the cold. It started the same, with only feeling the wind on a small area of the face....and once again after the turn north things were great.

I loved the looks we were getting from people in cars at stop signs and red lights. Nothing like looking at someone in a car with the heat on full blast wearing a hooded sweatshirt giving you a are you nuts look....I loved it, and that got me thinking.

After an hour of thinking on numerous things I came to the conclusion that I love misery. I'm not talking getting my ankles broken by some old ugly fat lady, I'm talking about epic conditions. I can't tell you the number of times I've heard fellow competitors in races or just friends on rides bitch about the wind, rain, temp, mud or how they're having a bad hair day.

I'm not saying I can handle anything (I've bailed on more than one race in my life) but you're not gonna hear me bitchin about it....and is it wrong to love seeing other people going thru misery? Or better yet, do everything in your power to show them you're not?

Don't get me wrong, I don't want anybody to get hurt, I just loving seeing how people react to adverse things. I may never be able to beat the other 95% of endurance and XC racers out there just because so much of this game is genetics. But I'd like to think I can mentally push myself further then other do, or will.

I'll stand down from my soapbox now. Not sure where all that just came from....but there you have it.

And with that, Damien and I are heading out again this morning......and with the temp sitting at 8 degrees, I'm sure I'll be getting those looks again.

Glenn...

2009-01-15T08:43:00.002-05:00

For those of you that don't know I have an evil twin, his name is Glenn. We're both Gemini's so we have our two sides, but he being the evil one....well both his sides are evil. Pretty much being a prick and a jackass are his two favorite things....and somewhere in there pissing me off comes into play.

Well Glenn wanted to go riding today, even thou the temps were maxing out in the mid 20's and the wind was 10-15 mph. I tried talking him into just doing the trainer thing, the Aero stepper in the basement or better yet nothing at all.

After failing once again I start to repair myself to follow his evil plan. Next thing I know we're rollin out the door and to my surprise things felt fine. The legs felt spunky after the week off and the temp was not a problem.....until we turned into the wind.

Even thou I only had an inch or so of my forehead exposed it felt like that was being stabbed my a thousand knifes. I keep trying to change the angle of my head to somewhat get the wind blast off my forehead, but nothing was working.....and I was to the point of says "screw you guys, I'm going home."

But we made a turn north (out of the facial) and I stopped my crying.

An hour and a half later we pulled back into the house, the ride rocked and I felt great. Or in the words of the Master. So even thou it pains me to do so, I have to thank the evil one for dragging me off the couch....but he's still a prick.

The Sidi...

2009-01-13T11:40:00.002-05:00

that gave it's all.

So the body is back to normal (if you call this normal) after Oleta and worse yet the 16 hour drive home....and better yet the bike (all the bikes) are stills hanging from hooks in the basement. Yep, my plump buns have not been in the saddle since the race....today being day ten.

But it's time to get things moving again, even thou the weather is not Miamish out there. One thing that won't be making the next ride is the old Sidi...
....and yes that's our sheet of ice (aka the back deck.)

The girl gave it her all, and she had a good year last year.....but she's done. I had to take her and she sister on the long walk to the trash can.....kind of bought a tear to my eye.

So out with the old in with the 18 year old......oh, I mean in with the new. Pretty sure I'm gonna pay for that one later.

Moving on from me getting beat by Wifey, to still trying to work out a race schedule. I'm thinking it's gonna be a strange mix, a little less on the local XC front....and more on the endurance front and other XC's, just outside of the area.

But we'll see....now I'm off the to find a good hiding spot before my beating.

12 Hours of Oleta

2009-01-06T11:58:00.002-05:00

So, after a seventeen hour drive in the car, five loads of laundry and getting the kids out of doggie jail things are starting to return to normal.

The body feels pretty good, expect the arse. Must have went a little light on the undercarriage lube, because we've got some mild to heavy chafing....still hoping to get back in the saddle tomorrow thou.

So a few other things outside the highlights I gave the other day. The course was great, a few changes from last year....I think all for the better, added some great new single track...can't go wrong with that.

A shot Wifey took on the Friday pre ride:
The race started with a 400-500 meter run before we jumped into the single track, and with a little luck I was sitting in about 10-12th....right behind Prickish Maximus. The first hundred yards of the trail had a few tricky/tight climbs and turns. It took Mr PM about 1.5 seconds of being "slowed" to start his yelling "get the F out on the way, if you can't ride a bike get off the F'ing trail." Then came my personal favorite, "pro rider back, get the F out of my way!"

Class, straight up class.

But as in all endurance races things work themselves out and I was riding for the most part alone, passing and/or being passed by a Team rider here and there. I pretty much just fell into a grove and was rolling with it....it must have been some grove since seeing the first of the two topless sunbathers did little to break my mindset. The second did draw a little more attention, but she was also sporting fresh off the showroom floor bolt-ons.

A few bunny sightings later is when Mr T-Rex (the iguana) and I had our meeting. Guessing someone let there pet free once it got to big, cuz I'm pretty sure those things don't normally sport around southern FL. I'm just glad he was the smarter/more awake one and got the hell out of dodge.

I could hear Wifey now back in the pits...what happened to you? I hit/was attacked by an iguana..... A what?!....You heard me, a freakin iguana. If that conversation happened I'm pretty sure she would have called it a day for me...luckily it did not happen that way.

Once the night laps came around things got REALLY quiet, and other then a lot of beady little yellow eyes not much was happening. That is until my little shoe problem (I'll get a picture of that later today.) But even with that it was a good day.....4th of 30 plus solo men, just under 110 miles and a little over 11 hours of ride time.

A huge thanks to the Berger's for once again putting on a great race for all. This is our forth trip to FL for the 12's they put on and everyone is top shelf....we'll be back next year, if not sooner.

Oleta minor

2009-01-04T17:11:00.005-05:00

Wifey is motoring us thru VA right now, so that means I lived...I think.

The body feels pretty good (considering) just the normal, sore everywhere. Much better then lastnight, I'll go into the full write up tomorrow.

The highlights:

ride time....11:09
11 laps
just over 108 miles

But the more important highlights....as always you see a little wildlife on endurance races. So I saw the normal, two rabbits, a snake and the raccoon that keep trying to raid or pit area. But remember this is Miami.....therefore you have to throw in a topless chic or two sunbathing and believe it or not (shocking for me to say) that was not the big one.....really.

About nine hours in I came around a blind corner and was face to face with a three foot Iguana....I say again, a three foot freakin Iguana. Not sure whom was more scared me or the freakin T-Rex. Luckily he had the larger brain of the two of us and got the Hell out of dodge.

So the outcome. I held third place all day, 3-4 minutes up on forth place. But on the last lap I thought I'd make things a little harder on myself, so I ripped the whole freakin sole off my right shoe. Needless to say this made jumping over roots and rocks less then easy.....luckily there was only one every ten feet. So in the end I could not hold dude off, forth place it was.

Tee minus 13 hours...

2009-01-02T19:48:00.004-05:00

till the start of the 12 Hours of Oleta...so lets go thru our pre race check list.

Bike dialed in...check

Back up bike...check

Bottles, pills, powders and bars ready...check

Lights charged and spare part bag ready...check

Inner ear infection coming on strong...check

Yep, even thou I'm about eight years short on the schooling I'll put on my doctors dress on and call this one. I noticed my ear starting to hurt Wed, did not think to much about it. Yesterday during my pre ride of the race course my jaw (same side as the ear) started hurting too....but still did not really think to much about it.

But this morning I put two and two together and I got the normal three when I about feel down trying to get out of bed (for once it was not because of alcohol.) After wobbling into a couple of walls I figured out what was going on...crap.

Oh well, we're here and I'm gonna give it what I've got. So it seams I may have a reason to smack the tree I hit even damn lap last year. But if it happens as may times as last year I'm taking a chainsaw to it.....I may not return home with a podium, but I'll have firewood for the rest of the year.

Daytona Beach it is...

2008-12-31T10:13:00.003-05:00

Yep, the wifey is rolling us thru the old stomping rounds as my fat fingers peck away. The temp is closing in on 70 and it's crystal clear skies, so what are we gonna do....saltwater baby. My pale buns are hittin the beach.

A few highlights after 1000 miles and six states:

Number of Cracker Barrels counted from Philly to Daytona.....59

Number of sodas that blew up in in my/wifey's laps.....2 (don't mix an Airborne tap with soda)

Number of cars sliding sideways down the highway at 70 plus mph 20 meters in front of us.....1

Number of drivers needing to change their shorts after the above....2 (luckily I was not driving)

Number of times flashed by other drivers/passengers.....0 (hoping for a big uptick in that number)

So with today being the last day/night of 08 it's time to drink up, eat up and lube up. Before you stop doing one, some, all or none of the above for the New year....or at least for a couple days.

Me......I'm just hoping to get out of Daytona without being shot by an ex girlfriend, or husband. Their's not mine.

And we're off...

2008-12-30T10:23:00.002-05:00

well, we're on the road that is.

The Creamsickle (the new Shortbus) is loaded and rolling towards the land of orange juice....and better yet my personal favorite, the thong.

I'm still pounding so much Airborne and vitamin C that I'm guessing I'm legally pissing said orange juice....not that I'm gonna test it thou. So with any luck I hope to be at about 80-90% by the starting run (have I ever said I hate running starts?)

So if I'm 80-90% of my normal (slow) self...that should put me mid pack of the women......this trips getting better sounding already.

Ho, Ho....

2008-12-27T20:06:00.003-05:00

hack.

Yeah, Merry Christmas. Mom, Pop, Brotha and all (his kid) are here...and I'm hackin up things you may find at a Chinese buffet. But yet I'm doing a 12 race in tee minus seven days....WTF!!!!

No one ever said my mother raised a smart one......thank you FL school board.

Ridiculous...

2008-12-02T07:38:00.002-05:00

that's the best way to put it, this running thing is getting out of control.

After putting in three good days on the bike, ending with a 45-50 mile spin on the fixie Saturday (then the weather turning to crap) I again decided to pull out the running shoes to hit the streets....in the rain no less. Stupid.

Don't get me wrong, I've ran more miles in the past then I care to remember. Some were planned, and some let's just say were not....I'll leave it at that.

But for some dumb reason I did not think I needed to stretch out to much.....to run in 35 degree rain. I made it about a mile and a half before my left calf left the building. So after walk/limping back home Dr Wifey went to work with the Stick and some Biofreeze, and brought things back to life.

So after two days of the house smelling like a geriatric ward things are about 80% again, so time to test the old man parts out of the bike....hopefully 911 will not need to be called.

Crap...

2008-11-25T11:11:00.002-05:00

I know, not the best title for a post...but I'll make it work.

The weekend rides were a little painful with the legs still sore from running, but I got a 30sih mile fixie spin in on Saturday and a shorter MTB spin on the 29er in on Sunday. First time riding the mountain bike since the eight hours down in NC....forgot I still had two broken pedals.

So on to the crap.

It's been raining here since lastnight, so riding is out the window (not worth riding in crappy weather this time of year.) So I told myself that if the rain stopped by noon I'd go running...knowing I was pretty safe because the radar was full of green.

So what do I see outside with my selfmade deadline only half hour away...sunshine. Crap...
Crap.

Running...

2008-11-21T06:41:00.004-05:00

is stupid. Yeah that's right, I went running yesterday...twice. And no, there was not any blue light involved....even thou a cop just drove down the street. Weird.

I dropped off the FJ for a new stereo to be put in, and with it only being a little over two miles away I thought why not run home. Even thou like I've said before I run like...

a hippo in water. But I got home and all was well, guessing my speed was a blistering 8-9 minute mile range. A couple hours later I get the call the girl's all done, what the hell...I'll run back. Run number two again went ok.

Then this morning came, and now I feel more like a harpooned hippo. Let's just say the stairs are not gonna be my friends for awhile. With that I say again running is stupid...but I plan on doing it a coupe times a week, it felt pretty good.

And no Wifey, running is not the new twist I'm throwing into the training plan.

Secret Squirrel out.

Cold...

2008-11-18T11:07:00.002-05:00

damn cold, that was the best way to sum up the riding the past couple of days.

Winter's made it's way here to the Philly area, and with it the boxes of cold weather riding gear are out of the basement. The 40 degree temps I can deal with, but it's the 10-15 mph wind that's the killer.

But even with the crap weather the fixie is rolling down the streets. Pretty much have the riding/eating/fitness plan worked out, gonna be throwing something off the wall into it this winter (more on that to come.) I love being "cryptic" as the Wifey says.

But with a little over six weeks until the first race of 09 I've still got time to work out the minor deals.

Interesting article on Stan's rims too....who says you can't buy your way to a faster time on the bike.....

Paris-Roubaix...

2008-11-11T09:59:00.002-05:00

in PA. No, but that's what part of my past couple road rides have felt like.

I've always loved the Paris-Roubaix race, both for the toughness of the course and that racers end up looking like this more then not...

But thanks to the ever happening (and forever taking) road work here in PA a couple of my favorite riding roads look more like cheese graters and anything else. It felt more like I was riding a jackhammer then the fixie...maybe I can send the Pennsylvania DMV my dental bill, cuz I'm pretty sure I need to go after that mile.

As for the other areas.....paging Dr Wifey.

The best and the worst...

2008-11-04T10:00:00.002-05:00

time of year/and or types of days.

With the changing of the clock this past weekend it's now dark (and I'm talking black dark) by a little after five. I still try to ride in the warmer part of the day, so it's not really cutting in to ride time. It just sucks that it's so dark so early...plus the past couple of days (and the rest of the week) the sun is not coming out...AT ALL. Gray, deary and nasty looking outside...kind of like a horror movie.

But with this time of year brings fixie rides, and I love my fixie. Riding a fixie is great for strength and increasing your cadence, plus it's the best thing to work on a fluid pedal stroke. I also love just being able to zone out...no thinking about should I up/down shift, should I sit on this climb and spin, blah, blah, blah. You've got two options, in the saddle or out...other then that you just push the pedals....weather it's 60 rpm's or 110. You can figure out yourself where the sitting and standing are in those numbers.

Now go vote, I'm going riding.

Never gonna live this down...

2008-10-29T14:04:00.001-04:00

Wifey made Cycling News, here the article, it's under the Oktoberfest write up.

Time to go put my dress on now...

National MTB Oktoberfest

2008-10-28T09:54:00.011-04:00

The laundry is started, water bottles are in the dish washer, the fuzz balls are pasted out after four days in doggie jail...and it's snowing outside....really. Perfect time to do a race report.

So what do you do an hour before the start of an eight hour endurance...

A shot down pit row before the madness started...

The Shortbus (the pit box on wheels) packed full of food, water, fuel and bike parts for three...

After a night, and morning of rain we kicked off the start at noon on to a slick but fun ten mile course...and with no Lemans start....thank God, I run like a wounded three legged Hippo.

Harlan Price looking as cool as the other side of the pillow... Tinker...being Tinker, steady as a rock...
And then there's this smuck...
The first couple of laps were pretty slimy, but after an hour or so things started to dry out pretty nicely...other then the last climb that stayed nasty all the way thru.

Trying to clean a little crap out of the drivetrain...
I think this was the point where I realized they I was having a hard time clipping in (other then the mud.) I'd broke both my pedals, I love Eggbeaters...but I've gone thru about 3-4 pair this year alone....mostly I think it's because of my riding style (crappy) pedals are not meant to be pounded on roots and rocks.

The box of spare pedals seemed a little light when I drug it out of the bus...yep, empty. That's when I remembered I put them on the fixed gear a couple weeks ago...nice job jackass.

So back out I went with what I had and things worked out pretty well.

The cut off time for heading out on laps was 7:30...(my laps were in the 38-40 minutes range) on my tenth lap I was kind of milking it as I tried to convince myself to push harder in order to get back in time for an eleventh lap.

Heading into the last climb I knew I had 10 min's till the cut off...and believe it or not I'd convinced myself to head back out. I looked up and saw Wifey making her way up the slick climb, and yell up to her "are you going back out for a lap?" She throws back "we're done, it's 7:40."

I looked down and saw I had the computer on ride time, not the clock. Hell yeah baby, talking about a pick me up...that last half mile was a blur, the knew what was in the cooler.

So seven and a half hours and 70 miles later I threw an eleventh place in the books. Not to bad with the competitors that were there and my lack of training the past month.

Now it's time to get things back into gear...diet, base miles the whole works. Next years not that far away...and this year my not be done yet either.

Results and the return...

2008-10-27T12:23:00.002-04:00

drive that is.

Yep, the race is in the books and the Shortbus is 95 northing it as I type...and I still hate driving.

I'll throw a full write up and some pictures up when we get back in the land of the Amish, but here's the shorted version.

I could only pull out an 11th place of the 22 finishers, but with the talent that showed and a couple minor problems I was cool with that. Wifey made up my slack with her first appearance on an endurance podium...if this keeps up I could be down graded to her pit bitch. But the beer is in the pit...that's something worth thinking about.

Huge props to both Jeremiah Bishop and Harlan Price, nothing like having an eight plus hour race come down to a sprint to the line.

The drive...

2008-10-24T15:23:00.001-04:00

and I hate driving. But the Shortbus is just now crossing into NC, state number five of the day.

Was an early morning to take the fury kids to doggie jail (they love the kennel...really, they do) met Bikewrench back at the casa to load bikes, gear and asses in the bus....and we're off.

That was six and a half hours ago...and we're still driving.

Probably gonna bail on the night shortrack tonight...forecast is call for heavy showers with 1-2 inches of rain. No point in doing a 45 minute race just to spend double that in clean up time to get the girl ready for the race in the morning.....plus that means I can hang out and have a couple beers to, and you know I'm game for that.

....and the Shortbus rolls on.

National MTB Oktoberfest...

2008-10-21T08:38:00.003-04:00

finally, somebody that spells as well as I do....but either way it's on.

Started getting the gear pulled together for Wifey, BikeWrench and I to head down to NC on Friday morning for Oktoberfest. Looks like the weather is gonna be questionable (calling for showers and highs in the 60's) but with the big hitters that are signed up this is just gonna be a fun event for myself (plus we get to see some long lost friends).....but I really got to say I'm looking forward just to being on the same course as this guys. Last time I checked there were three of the top five endurance racers in the country already signed up and I'm sure a few more are not far behind.

Ernesto, Nat Ross, Harlan Price, Sapsford......you figure out yourself which one of these does not belong. Just not sure about this David Juarez guy thou, I've never heard of him....he must be new to MTBing or something....

yeah, that a stale attempt at a joke this morning.

Off to do a final tune up spin of the 29er's with the Wrench this afternoon, till then.

Photo ride...

2008-10-16T19:34:00.009-04:00

well half the ride was....then the ride got shortened and the praying started.

Took the fixie out again yesterday for what was to be a 30-40 miles spin...but about 10 miles out the bottom bracket started sounding like someone with braces chewing on rocks. So toward home I turned....and started praying the old girl would hold up till I got home. Did not feel like walking miles and miles in cycling shoes.

But here's the shots I did get...

She's back...

2008-10-14T15:39:00.002-04:00

Look at want got pulled off the hook in the basement after an eight month vacation...

Yep...the fixed gear is back in the game. Felt a little strange riding her around with it being in the 70's...but damn I love riding that thing. Only put 25 miles in the books, but I don't want to jump into the deep enf of the pool to fast....again.

Even thou I hate the cold more then I can put into words, I can defiantly say I really dig Fall up here in the northeast. The color change is in full affect right now, thou it's only gonna last a week or so....I'll drag the camera along tomorrow.

I'm back...

2008-10-12T17:23:00.003-04:00

not that I went anywhere, but I'm back on the bike.

My two week recovery ran a little long with a sickness (me) the Wifey's birthday (yeah, she's 18 again) and even a wedding anniversary (five going on life.)

So today was the three week mark anniversary if you would of my buns being in a saddle (not counting the 15 mile roll on Monday.) But with a eight hour endurance race only two weeks away it was now or never.

So this morning was a kickass three hour medium paced ride down at Wissa. Things felt so right that I wanted a cigarette once I was done riding....and no, I don't smoke.

So tomorrow I'm hoping to thru down a good 2-3 hours on the road to start biulding the base back up and we'll go from there.

336 hours...

2008-10-05T14:32:00.002-04:00

20160 minutes, 1209600 seconds....that's how long it's been since my bulbous (yeah, it's a word) buns have been on/in a saddle....that's two weeks in english.

Maybe I should change the name of this blog to long outside of the saddle?

But the body needed the break.... plus mentally I was shot, dead, useless. We're good on that front now....I've got focus again. Have some new short/medium range goals (more on that later) even thou I'm still lost on next years focus.....Expert XC, back to Endurance.....competitive eating/beer drinking?

Today was gonna be day one of "gearing back up".......but now I've got a freaking cold. WTF! I've not been sick in three years....

TWIN SIX OCTOBER FOUR DAY SALE

2008-10-02T14:36:00.005-04:00

The boys over at Twin Six are puttin on a four day sale starting today, swing by and take a look.

They also have the new 09 line up out too, I like this one myself...

The way I'm feeling right now I think this will be my new race day shirt for next season...

Now go see Brent and Ryan, they're great guys.

Fall has fell...

2008-09-28T06:50:00.002-04:00

...and no, I don't mean the trees all nice and full of color. I mean it's been raining for the past four days, highs in the 60's and has looked like this outside since Thursday...
In other words a FL kids nightmare.

Bruised, broken and burnt...

2008-09-23T06:51:00.004-04:00

but it's done.

After the Cross race on Saturday (and the crash that happened there) Wifey took my bruised body and ego to Bear Creek on Sunday for the final race of the MASS.

I debated all morning long on weather to race or not, but after watching the start of Wifey's race I decided to put on the Superman costume one more time....but it was all Clark Kent and no Superman.

The race both started and ended fast, to bad mine did not end as fast as the guy that tore off his rear tire in the first ten feet thou (not really sure how that happened) but that would have saved me a 20 minute walk. About a mile into the trail my rear derailleur snapped in half...game over.

But I believe that everything happens for a reason...whatever the reason is that I've destroyed two rear wheels, snapped a rear derailleur and crashed more times then a five year old girl learning to ride over the last month is I have no idea.

So after my lovely walk thru the woods it was time to hang out the friends (over beer) and tell lies about how great we all were this season while the real racers finished racing.

Sour...me? No...I was not sour, bitter yes....sour no.

So on to the series awards we go....and the winner of Sport Vet 1 is....

yeah, some guy with a cool cycling cap and a black and blue knee.

Now it's time to heal a little then start getting things ready for next year. I know it's a long way away...but I have a long way to go. Let's just say my first few Expert races have not gone the way I wanted them to. Long walks in the woods dragging a broken bike.....been there, done that.

We've only got 200 days (ish) and a wake up before the first race of the 2009 season, time is short. Are you gonna be ready?

Status check...

2008-09-20T16:11:00.003-04:00

...one, two....let's Rock

...I have no idea what I was/am doing...in the picture or in a Cross race....and speaking of The Rock....the quote of the day..."ride it like you ride his mom."

Being a jackass at race = free, being a jackass at a race and being put in your place = Priceless.

Sadness...

2008-09-18T05:49:00.005-04:00

and no, I don't mean that crappy Enigma song that's pretty much only good for one thing...I'll let you fill in the blank on that one.

But sadness on the coming end to the racing year, on the MTB side of things that is. Sure, there's still Cross....but Cross is a different breed of racing, and I'm not sure it's my cup of tea.

One of these girls is not like the others...

and I don't mean the dude rocking the Florida Gator jersey next to me, still surprised Wifey did not try to do a little throw down on the startline...long story.

So after the not so happy ending to the Saturday race I wanted to redeem myself on Sunday....let's just say this was the happiest I looked during the 45 minutes bloodfest.

Racing the MTB on Saturday was a great idea, the course was a nasty mess of fun for me on the fat tires while all the guys on Cross bike were having a tuff time at best....that is until the rear wheel decided it was done for the day.

So after a 4-5 minutes run/walk/crap while trying to drag a dead bike I get to the pit and jump on Wifey's bike....a nice 4-5 minutes off the pace...day done.

So Sunday it is...and let's just say that trying to race the MTB again was like bring a knife to a gun fight. The Cross bikes were just laying down the speed hammer and I just could not keep the pace on my fatboy tires.
So 45 minutes of dying and crying later it was over...thank God.... and I ended up being mid pack.

So with that in mind I think I'll be bring the Cross bike to the throw down this Sat....and rumor has it there's a MTB race on Sunday too.

Torque plus flex....

2008-09-13T18:55:00.003-04:00

equals first to last.

That was the Cross race today, details tomorrow after I get a little revenge. In a nutshell I destroyed my rear wheel again (when I was leading the F-ing race no less) but now I know why atleast.

Tomorrow I'm head hunting...

Pictures and question marks

2008-09-10T07:34:00.004-04:00

Thanks to Jason for posting a link to a ton of pictures from the 24 hr at Seven Springs taken by Don Pagano...great sunrise shots.

Personally I like this one...
This weekend is up in the air on the racing front, kind of depends on if I can get my destroyed rear wheel fixed in time....either way we'll see.

Seven Springs and the Cross

2008-09-04T08:38:00.009-04:00

...and by no means do I mean anything to do with church. Cyclo-cross kids, Cyclo-cross....as sick and mental as it is....it's started.

So I hit most of the highlights on Seven Springs in my first post, but here's a little more.

As the norm for any endurance race you had the questionable attire...

...lucky the Wife did not get a shot of the dude wearing the paisley dress, some form of fake boobs and a pink wig....sadly I thought dude was pulling it off pretty well. Thou I'm not sure why she missed getting a picture of the all female team rocking the schoolgirl look...plaid skirts, knee high socks...one even had pigtails, not that I really noticed.

On the the race:

Just past the two mile mark on my first lap I plowed my right pedal into something on a super fast downhill singletrack section...I saw on later laps it was a rock about the size of a cider block. Needless to say I went down HARD, and I truly thought I'd broken my leg. I knew a first aid station was at the bottom of the hill so I thought I'd just one leg it down the rest of the way.

After a minute or so I was able to start moving it and by the aid station I rode. I'd mostly forgotten about the leg when I came flying in for the pass off to the next rider on my team. As they she took off two women came over to me freaking out..."come with us, just leave your bike and come with us." My brains not really working after red lining it the past hour so I stagger with them as another teammate grabs my bike and gear.

They sit me in a chair and now I see what they were freaking on, my left leg from my knee to my ankle is covered in blood. Long story short, the sweat made things look much worse then they really were...just some cuts and two really good impact points.

The night laps were cool, nothing like doing a MTB race and hearing the Ted Nugent concert at the bottom of the resort most of the course.

My fourth and last lap was just about riding safe and burning up time. At that point we knew we had a fifty minute lead on the second place team with just over two hours to go. After my lap I took a couple shots of the resort on my way back down....this was about halfway the mountain.

The area reminded me of western NC alot, a sea of rolling green "east coast" mountains.

Proof that I can't get dressed without Wifey...

I've also got to thank the guys from Lupine Lighting System for the lighting system they raffled off....and I won. This thing is pimping and will gets LOTS of use....a huge thank you.

Now on to this Cross thing. Lastnight was the first cross practice here in Doylestown and I have to say that guys/gals that do this are a sick, sadistic group...really. I mean who in there right mind sprints for 40 minutes on a fat tired "road bike" thru grassy fields, rocky dirt roads, dismounts to run over barriers (put there on purpose) just to come to a hill so steep it's not ridable...therefore you throw the bike on your shoulder and run up it.

I know, like I said sadistic, damn near stupid......and yeah, don't even ask...I'll be back next week.

Mini Seven...

2008-09-01T08:56:00.009-04:00

Here's a snap shot of the weekend. But we warned, the brain's only running about 50% of normal right now.....and when "normal" is about 50% of where it should...well, you get the point.

Late Friday afternoon easy pre ride of the course....atleast it was nice and flat:

....result. Seeing the kickass course firsthand and a destroyed rear rim...on the paved road heading back down the mountain to the villa no less. More on that once Bikwrench does his "CSI" investigation, good thing for back up wheelsets.

Friday night brought a Team carb load.....one part pasta, three parts beer. Three plus cases of beer over 14 racers is good hydration right? After a LATE night and an EARLY morning (ie two hours of "sleep") it was more bike love time....a big thanks to our neighbors:

....not sure who these guys were, but they seam to be good riders. If you're not a local these guys are STUDS on bikes, hands down some of the best riders on the east coast.

Back up top to watch the releasing of the hounds at noon

It was a awesome clear day....if you have three drinks and close one eye you may be able to make out the runners on the back side of the lake heading to there bikes.
Jump 24 plus hours ahead of racing with about an hour of sleep and what do you get:

A win of the five person Expert class and victory 'gift' from the second place team.

Will fill in the blanks later today or tomorrow, after I regain full motor control. But a way to man up award goes out to Jason on throwing down nine laps in the Solo class...huge props man.

Pack and Promote

2008-08-28T07:48:00.003-04:00

The past few days have been a lot of running around to pick up small things here and there for the trip out to Seven Springs tomorrow for the 24 hour this weekend.

Sad thing is it's taking me so long to get all the gear together, I'm just not sure what all to bring. I mean I've got my normal endurance race packing list down to a science, but the thing is this will be my first team fling....in other words a lot of standing around between laps. Therefore extra clothing but better yet....more beer.

It's been a pretty easy week on the bikes. I did a easy 20 on the road Monday just to work the funk out of the legs after the century Sunday, then hit Wissa up lastnight with Bikewrench and Dr Bob....probly do a medium 25-30 on the road again today. Then hoping the weather is good for a pre ride of the course tomorrow afternoon/evening.

On the promotion side of things....I threw out there the other day that I was asked a "interesting/cool question" during the ride on Sunday. I was asked to take over as the race promoter for my Team race here in the local MASS series, and as cool as it sounds I was a little scared at first.

For the first time in awhile I got the feeling of being a small fish in a big pond, I mean these guys put on the best races/events I've done...just hoping I can live up to there standards. Nobody can compare to the FatMarc's and Kuhn's in the world of race promotion but with the core support group I have I'll do my best to make sure we give you a fun event for all....it's give back time boys and girls.

Lake Nockamixon century

2008-08-25T07:32:00.003-04:00

Yesterday was the Lake Nockamixon century that had a starting point less then two miles from the house....and at one point the course passed within 400 meters from the house (to bad it was at the 100 mile mark.)

Even thou the course rolled thru all my normal riding routes I could not pass up the opportunity to ride with the large Team turn out we had.

Most of the 20ish rider pack we had at the start did the full century (plus the extra 7 mile ICU hill climbing option) but a few pulled off at the 75 mile turn because of timing. When all was said and done a dozen of us rolled back to the start/finish with an average just under 20 mph. Not to bad considering the amount of climbing that was in the course.

Here's the course/profile from last year...pretty much the same as this year too. (edit: Here's this years course/profile from a buddy on my ride.....over seven grand of elevation change and at a 19.9 mph average too.)

I also had a very interesting/cool question asked to me on the ride yesterday....sounds like I'll finally be pulling my share in the mountain bike world next year. It's about time I gave a little something back...more on that to come thou.

Till then I'm resting my spent legs for the 24 hour coming up this weekend.

I'll live....

2008-08-21T17:53:00.002-04:00

for now that is.

That is until Wifey knocks me off to get that dollar seventy-five in life insurance....and there's still that hit out there that a couple guys in my Sport age class put on me too. But I think we're all good on that one now.

After a MRI (plus one more to come) and lots of blood work the doc thinks that I have something called essential tremors. The long and short of it is my right hand/arm gets slight tremors from time to time....and by time to time I mean daily.

The bigger scare was it was something worse...like Parkinson's.

The doc said she would/could give me drugs that would help, but it sounds like the side effects are worse then my symptoms in the first place. Fatigue, cold hands, dizziness and weakness sound like me in general....once she said loss of sex drive.....

"thanks for your time doc, got to go"....see you in three months.

Snap Crackle and...

2008-08-17T06:21:00.004-04:00

...what the Hell was that?

That was lap one of the Iron Hill endurance race yesterday. Halfway thru the first lap I pushed in the thumb shifter on the rear derailleur and hear a loud snap, I try it again.....Houston we have a problem. The cable broke inside the shifter, not really what I wanted to happen ten minutes into a four hour race.

But things could have been worse, the course was perfect for my new ghetto three speeder. Each five mile lap was full of fun fast twisty single track, several super fast rocky downhills and a few steady climbs.

Even with my limited shifting and even more limited training the past few weeks I felt pretty good the first two hours. But in the third hour the extra torque on the legs was starting to take it's toll. Not so much on the legs themselves, I started to cramp a little in both lower biceps. All I could guess was that it was from the extra pulling on the handlebars. A little extra fluid and a few Endurolytes helped a little, but it was just time to nurse the body thru the last hour.

I started the race with the goal of eight laps, but as I headed out on my eighth lap I saw I was gonna be cutting it really close to be able to go out for a nineth. I tried to give it a little extra, but there was nothing left....I missed the cut off by just over a minute, and to tell, you the truth I'm not one bit upset by it.

So a ninth out of the 20 solo "geared" men it was, and considering the field plus my bike issues I was pretty happy with that.

A different kind of bottle...

2008-08-15T11:43:00.006-04:00

and something new to put in them too.

I got my supply of the new Team water bottles in the mail yesterday, and I think they look really sweet...I really dig the green/yellow ones.

I'd like to thank my buddy Ray Z for the time he put in on these, sounds like everyone is pretty happy how they turned out.

Then on the that to put in these sexy new things front, I give you my new sponsor Motortabs. I've been looking for something to use as a fuel source for on the bike now for a few months, and knowing myself it needs to be a liquid...the belly just don't work well with most solid foods on longer endurance stuff.

I love using Nuun for electrolyte replacement (nice mild flavors,) but on the longer rides when I need to re fuel is where I've been searching. I've tried all the normal sports, but most have fallen short in one area or another. Some are to sweet, others have to many calories/sugars and some just plan taste like crap.

A friend gave me a couple of the Motortabs caps to try and I really enjoyed them. A great taste that's not to strong and I my mind just the right amount of carbs for a bottle. I'll give more of a write up once I try all three of the flavors...until then get on your bike.

New mistress...

2008-08-12T07:31:00.004-04:00

Dear Wifey,

There's no easy way to say this, so here it is....I've found a new love.

As you know I've got around a lot in the past few years. There's been Blonds, multiple Red's and even a Blue or two in this long search. I've tried many of her kind (even a good number in her own family) but none have floored me....even thou as you know, I've ended up on the floor a couple of times in this search.

She may be to strong for some, or to dark for others. But it's her earthy complexness that sends my pallet to places never before known. I'll still flirt with others and maybe even have a fling or two with the old favorites....but I think my feelings for this new mistress are true....

Your loving hubby

Pumping Iron...

2008-08-10T07:08:00.003-04:00

No, I'm not talking about that crappy movie with this guy in it...
I'm talking about the Iron Hill Challenge next weekend down in DE.

The wifey, Pam the Rockstar and I met up with a few other of the Team members for a little pre ride of the race course yesterday morning. Having not been on the course in over two years my brain was a little foggy on what it was like....not to mention life in general.

We knocked out four laps on the five mile loop in right about four hours. The course is a freakin blast with a great mix of everything. The second half of the course has a little more of the climbing, but nothing major. But the best part of the thing is the amount of singletrack, looks like next weekend is gonna be four hours of fun.

Plus it'll be a nice warm up for the 24 hour coming up at the end of the month....or maybe I'm just trying to burn off a few extra calories before the Donut Derby on the Labor Day?

Pissing contest...

2008-08-07T08:16:00.004-04:00

...that's the best way to sum up lastnights shop ride, or better yet maybe this...

Yeah, I think that the one there.

I've not done this ride in awhile, but I knew what it was going into it....a bloodfest. It's a big boy ride that for some the unspoken goal is to drop as many above average riders as possible. Sad to say but I think this is the highlight of some of these guys week....that's why myself and others joking call the ride "Wednesday Night Worlds."

We headed down to the river out of Doylestown and crossed over into Jersey. After a four mile spin gone the river we turned upward, and the "fun" began. Anybody that's ridden this area knows it's about as flat as your area stripclub.....you can find your on picture on this one, if I start searching I'll never finish this post.

The ride broken down this this: come to a hill = someone attacked, the steeper the hill the harder the attack was. Once over the top the speed went back to a fast tempo, if you were dropped on the hill you were gone...if you were dangling off the back it was your job to fight your way back on...if you couldn't, again you were gone.

I'll spare the blow by blow but 60 miles later with an average of 20 mph plus I drug my beat, broken and defeated ass back into the parking lot....but I was with what was left of the group, and there was not much left.

Right move, right place...

2008-08-05T16:48:00.002-04:00

...wrong time.

That sums up the road crit I did on Sunday. The race was nine laps on a nice 2.8 mile course that had one slow long climb on the front leg, a few sweeping turns then a short steep downhill that sent you right back uphill for a hard right for the last 1000 meters to the finish.

The big minus for the race was that it was not on closed roads, so the yellowline rule was in affect. That together with the narrow roads we have here in PA meant passing/moving to the front was tough with the 75 plus racers field.

With no teammates in the race I was a one man band so I sat in the field the first 4 laps to see what was gonna go down.....and not much did. A few single riders attacked hear that there just to be pulled back in by the peloton. On the sixth lap I saw the strongest of the single attackers from earlier moving to the front again...once he went I jumped on his wheel.

We managed to put a 20 meter gap on the field for a few minutes, but on his third pull he was toast and sat up...we were pulled back in like the rest.

Coming across the start/finish for the bell (final) lap the whole field slowed the pace to start setting things up for the final sprint to come. Not wanting to play in the whole field sprint game I knew I had one last shot to get away...this was it and I took it (even thou it was two miles from the finish.)

I went and went hard, and to my luck three riders came with me. After my pull I sat back in and saw we had about 30 meters on the field. After my second pull we were down to a twosome, on my third pull this was the picture...
...the only bad thing was we were about to be eaten alive by this...

Less then 100 meters later I heard the train coming...and I do mean I heard it. Anybody who knows what I'm talking about knows the sound.

So a field sprint it came down to...and having blow my load the past tow miles I just sat my happy broken ass up and watched things unfold.

With all that said it's time to start turning things back up again to get ready for cross season. Goodbye nachos...

Brain MRI...

2008-07-31T16:40:00.002-04:00

...yeah you heard me right, I had a MRI done today on the old brain (I'll go into the why part another time.) I'm guessing things are gonna come back looking like this...
Won't know for a week or so thou.....Hell the way I'm going they may even find nothing but a avocado in their.

I'm back...

2008-07-29T18:31:00.003-04:00

...well I never left, I've just been off crime fighting.

Ok, not really on that one too. Unless you call saving the world from being overrun with Oreo's and Belgium beer, even if that's the case I'm only batting 500. I'm pretty sure I've single handed keep Hoegaarden in business the past week and a half, but the cookies are gettin the best of me. Just can't really do much junk food, but I'm giving any avocado in five square miles the warning to watch out.

I've made and eaten more guacamole in the past week then your average Mexican restaurant...and plan to keep it going for a little while longer.

If you can't figure it out I'm taking a much needed break from any real training. Nationals has come and gone and MASS is won, therefore I'm doing what I've been told for once...taking a break.

Still doing some base miles, but I don't think my HR has been over 150 in the past ten days.

Some if you're a Belgium beer or a plate of nacho beware...I'm coming for you. Atleast for the next few days still.

Mt Snow Nat's...

2008-07-20T11:31:00.010-04:00

As some of you may have read the MTB Nationals were this weekend up in Mt Snow VT.

After a easy pre ride on Thursday I headed out early on Friday morning for a test of my knowledge of the lines....little did I know it would be with Georgia Gould...
...(for those of you that don't know she's one of the best female MTB'ers in the World...and cool as Hell on top of that.) But with my race only being three hours away I tried to keep my HR as low as I could while sucking in all the knowledge Georgia was throwing down (she's forgot more about MTBing then I'll ever know.)

But noon was throwdown time for my race, and after seeing the "call out" I knew who my competition was...not to mention it was gonna both start and stay fast. The course started with a half mile climb up and combination of dirt/gravel and jeep trail that then sent you bombing back to the start/finish area.

Only then to head back uphill for a three mile climb to the top of the ski resort for the last technical mile long downhill to a fast 500 meter sprint to the finish of the lap.

The race started FAST and I hit the climb about mid pack, but my body just had this cold/not warmed up feeling to it. But after 10-12 minutes I felt in the groove and start passing riders both in my and earlier fields....only to be hung up behind a couple slower riders in the technical downhill.

The second lap was a blur of pushing as hard as I could and passing riders when/where I could.
But with about 100 meters to go on the last technical downhill I heard a rider coming behind me and I gave it all I had. I came into the last 90 degree turn out of the technical stuff WAY TO FAST and grabbed a handfull of rear brake knowing it was to late. By some miracle the rear of the bike snapped around (in a powerslide I never knew how to do in the first place) and I found myself pointing the right direction and gave it all I had. Needless to say the 20 plus people watching in that corner went nuts....the one thing I heard was some guy yelling "that's how you f-ing do it right there." Little did he know I thought I was gonna forever be apart of the tree he was standing next to.

Once I knew I was not dead I gave all I had left into the pedals for the last 500 meters to the finish never looking back, and never heard a sound again...still not know who was behind me.
The first thing the wifey asked once I finished was "how you do?" I told her I thought I was 5th-8th and was somewhat happy knowing I gave all I had for a lap and a half.

Turns out I was third of the field 28. Being on a podium is cool...but being on a podium at Nationals was really freaking cool. But a third is a third, and with that in mind I'm setting goals on next year and Expert Nat's at that.

But until then it's time to reset short-term goals rock the house in Cycle Cross.

Bust...

2008-07-19T19:52:00.004-04:00

...well, if you want to call third place in Nationals a bust. Personal I do...I'll give the blow by blow tomorrow.

Mt Snow or bust...

2008-07-16T08:36:00.002-04:00

Loading the shortbus up this morning for the trip up to Mt Snow for Nationals on Friday. Should be a good time, but it's gonna be a rough course it sounds. Lots of climbing and tough competition all around, but I'll do what I can do.

Reality check....

2008-07-14T05:50:00.005-04:00

....that was the best way to put yesterdays race at Fair Hill, but being my first Expert race I knew things were gonna be different. Between the speed, the extra distance and just the over all competition change this was going to be a new game.

The course is the longest of the season at 28 miles, but it's also a very fast course with the average speeds in the 12 mph range. The race started at a good but sustainable pace, and I was sitting in the lead group of 8-9 riders. I have to say that it was pretty cool to look ahead and see our little freight train of color rolling thru the trail.

We stayed as a unit for about the next 45 minutes, only being spaced out a little here and there when we came upon slower traffic from the classes in front of us. But that's about the time were things started to head south. I got "hung up" behind a small group of singlespeeders and fell off our little freight train....and I say hung up because the more I think about it I just didn't want to get by them, I felt myself starting to fade. I think it was more mental then physical, but none the less it was happening.

After 2-3 minutes of rolling with the SS guys I came around on a long downhill fireroad, but I did use my time wisely and sucked down some fluids and a little nutrition. A few minutes later I came across the best water/recovery stop known to man....lots of pictures in the link...

...as always FatMarc and friends know how to have a good time.

After my little lap in the pool I felt things coming back, not sure if it was the nutrition I threw down just before the stop, the splish splash in the pool or seeing Rotten Rob rocking the leopard print loin cloth but I was back....so I thought.

Things felt good for about the next 10-15 minutes but then I felt myself starting to fade again. I caught another group of riders and was content with just sticking on their wheel. After 10-15 minutes of riding with these guys I made my way thru (more so because they were fading more then I was, not that I was faster) but that put me riding alone...which is not what I needed.

With 3-4 miles left in the race (about the 23-24 mile mark) the wheels fell off....I was done, cooked, spent, etc. I was not cramping at all, so I'm guessing it was more nutrition based then hydration...or maybe it was just the distance, either way I was heading south fast.

Thankfully this part of the course was flat and I limped to the finish with a showing of 11th of the 14 finishers in my class. The next hour was a little worrying thou, I've never felt so bad/sick after a race. I was light headed, disoriented and felt like I was gonna puke, but I was sweating like an escaped convict so I'm not sure if it was dehydration.

But things slowly got better and all seams good today. So now it's a chill out couple of days until Nationals on Friday and we'll go from there next week. I've got a couple different thoughts running thru my head...but more on that later.

A week away

2008-07-11T09:20:00.002-04:00

Not that I'm counting or anything, but seven days and three hours from now my race at Nationals starts...again, not that I'm counting.

But before that we have this weekends race down in Fair Hill, which will be my first as an Expert. But the cool thing is I feel zone pressure, I plan on just going out and giving what I've got knowing that I'll be mid pack at best. I look at it as this is just a head start on next year and a training ride/race for next weekend.

With the race coming on Sunday and the big one next Friday I've kept it a pretty laid back week on the riding front. I did forty miles on the road on Tuesday and believe it not I went down to Wissa and did a MTB ride yesterday.

I thought about it as I was riding and I could not remember the last time I went out for a true MTB "ride." Sure I've rode lots of miles off road over the last few months but it's all been racing or pre riding the course before a race. I've not gone out and rode in the dirt since before the race season started, guessing it was as far back as March....and I have to say it felt good.

Marysville major

2008-07-07T14:28:00.013-04:00

As I wrote lastnight this past weekend was the Marysville stage race. Friday night was a NTT, (night time trail) Saturday was a normal XC race and Sunday was both a hill climb (2.6 miles long) and a STXC (short track.)

The way it worked was all four races broke down into two points races for the year long season. The XC was one itself and the NTT, hill climb and STXC (stage race) were grouped together as the second one. Everything with the XC was normal, but the way they grouped racers for the stage race I lined up with 19 thru 45 year olds (Sport A.).

Having ran into a problem with the babysitter for the dogs wifey and I got the pleasure of driving the hour and 45 minute each way trip back and forth all three days. So thinking about it we spent more time in the short bus then we did racing.....

....and we kind of invaded the "Team" RV....food, beer and all.
The NTT on Friday night was a blur only being 25 minutes long, but it was a good look of the course for the XC on Saturday morning. After Wifey had a little problem Saturday morning (I'll let her tell that story) we were lined up and off for the XC race.

The course was a great mix of technical stuff, (logs, bridges and tight twisty turns) climbs and open areas the fly thru. Things worked in my favor again and I took the win....my last for Sport, more on that later.

Sunday started early with the hill climb being the first of the two races of the day. It was only a 2.6 mile climb on mostly fireroads, but it was 20 minutes that I don't want to repeat until next year. Luckily no walking (besides having to jump of and run thru a bottleneck area for 10-15 meters) but it was a nice tough climb the whole way.

After a couple hours the recover (two beers and a turkey burger style) it was off to the STXC...20 minutes of laps on a quarter mile loop thru the camping area. Wifey had the camera rocking...

....and I was just trying not to throw up....nothing to do with said beers and burger. After working my way thru traffic (someone thought it would be a good idea to fall over in front of me at the starting line) I sat on third places wheel in forth most of the race. First and second place were fighting back and forth about 25 meters ahead of us, but we just could not close the gap.

With two laps to go I made my way into third place coming across the start/finish and I heard the promoter say over the PA system if I keep third place it would put me on the podium for the Sport A stage race....
....and so it was. I took third in the STXC and that gave me third overall in the stage race....the podium shot of the three 20 something year olds and I. No respect......kids beating up an old man like that.

Even thou I was third overall in the Stage race they break the points down into the normal age classes, so with that I won all three stages in my age. And with the wins this weekend I will have mathematically won the season even thou there is four races left...so on to Expert I move.

Now the real pain begins....but I just look at it as a head start on next year.

Marysville Minor

2008-07-06T20:26:00.002-04:00

Just got home from three days of driving and racing.

Marysville was great, in a nut shell I won all four of my races. The weekend was broken down into two races, a stage race (with three stages) and a normal cross country.

A full write up in the morning and a couple photos I hope (depends on how steady wifey's hand was) till then I'm going to sleep.........for about a day.

Till then goodbye Sport class, hello cruel, cruel Expert class.

Hi ho, hi ho....

2008-07-04T06:10:00.002-04:00

...it's off to Marysville we go.

The wifey and I are heading out to Marysville for Stage Race and Festival for what will be my last Sport race...there, I've said it...it's official. I wanted to move up as of this week, but someone asked me not to change until I mathematically had won the Class for the year. So next weekend to the big leagues it is.

Either was the weekend should be a blast. It all starts with a night time trail today, a XC tomorrow and when a hill climb and short track race on Sunday. I hill climb is what I'm not looking forward to, I remember it from a couple years back. Was pretty much a 20-25 minute climb up this long beat up dirt road.

But it should be a good weekend mix of fireworks, beer, a race (or four) followed by more beer.

Time to go get sleeping beauty kick started....or maybe kick sleeping beauty. At this time of the morning they one and the same thou.