Get on the Train

Of course I rode last Thursday- it was in the 50's and the sun was out. There were even times when I would be climbing sans covering on me arms! Yes, I suck for getting the 2nd best day of Jan. to ride but I'm o.k. with that. No pics 'cause it was mostly a pain-fest- SS Mtn.-style bike, out n back (not quite all the way) on Richard Mtn./ P.diddy Branch for a little over 40, in right at 4 hours. It's time to get ready for Cohutta!!

Walk in the woods

Sometimes you gotta hike. With the national park so close, and a better than 50 percent chance of rain last Thursday, went up a hiked an out and back that I had never done before. Chestnut Top trail near the Wye was the perfect rainy day hike and is probably the best looking trail in the area that is illegal to ride. Oh well. Of course by the end of the hike the weather became beautiful thereby rendering the weather predictors totally worthless. Always good to be outside, especially in the woods.

Back to it

Been a bit since the last post, so a quick update. Round about middle o' December crashed on a night ride at Chuck Norris and landed strange, bruising the left knee but more importantly twisting it as well. Tried to ride a little but it didn't seem right. Got Doc. b to check it- no structural damage, so I just had to rest it. Timing ended up being good with the holidays and all, so lots of extra sleeping and just hanging out for a couple of weeks and now its (been) good to go.

Meanwhile ED has not stopped- ride, ride, ride looking forward to what 2010 events have in store. Luckily, neither one of us has died since the temps here didn't get out of the 30's and were more like teens and 20's most of the first two weeks of the new year and riding has been happenin' fo sure.

Still haven't built the plastic wonderbike yet- had initially planned on moving current parts over and riding it some, then getting all new stuff for racin', but now I'm just gonna get all new stuff and build it right the first time. Not a big hurry, weather has been sucky for off-roading- frozen dirt good but only for as long as you can feel your fingers and toes OR its raining. The exception being the other day where we caught some good Big South Fork action.

Anywhoo, looks like the first racing might be 12 hours of Santos at the Ocala area trails in FLORIDA on Feb. 20th. That sounds way warmer than wondering around Pisgah for 36 hours straight and freezing to death. Southern cross got postponed due to weather and is actually tomorrow, but it ain't happening for either of us. Lots more catching up to do, but later.

Winter already!

Out riding in the Smokies last Sunday early A.M. Cold start but beautiful with the snow from Saturday still lingering in the trees and on the gravel roads. Thinking that getting a jump on riding when its freakin' cold might help at Southern Cross and even has me thinking about the Pisgah 36..........

Just when you thought it was over....

....the season continued at the 6-hours of Lock 4 mountain bike race in middle TN a couple of weeks ago. ED went on the new plastic 29er and threw it down! There wasn't an old man class so he jumped in with the sport guys, many of whom he could have been their dad, and cruised for a 3rd place finish! He had time to do another lap (6 laps in 5 hours) but it wouldn't have changed his place. Daughter of ED "little bit" went and caused trouble in the expert women's class getting 3rd and being in the $$!! (They did the same number of laps and he is still faster than her!) Also, dholmes traveled along and rode to an awesome 2nd place in the SS class and was also in the $$!! Sweet!

The worst part about this time of year is that racing options (unless its cross) are pretty limited and I know that after the Swank (for me) and Lock 4 (for ED) we were both fired up and wanted another event to do, something, anything at least 4 or 5 hours and not a billion miles of driving to get to. So, a couple of weeks ago I spent two hours on the computer looking for this "event" and the only things I could find were a 6-hour race on Long Island, NY and a 42 mile race on the other side of San Antonio, TX. Oh well........southern cross will be the next thing and the start of the 2010 season-we can't wait!

By the way, this came yesterday and I will be kicking people's asses aboard this beautiful bicycle next year.

Kicking it Swank Style!

Last Sunday was the 11th annual Swank 65 (k) in Pisgah. Did this event for the first time two years ago and it was super awesome because 1. its Pisgah, 2. the weather for the first weekend in Nov. was pretty dang good, 3. i traveled with Ed, Larry, and wife of Larry, 4. rode myself into 2nd place SS, and 16th overall without realizing it. Time goes by, blah, blah, this year has been the year to do more stupid-long endurance type events for me ever and this seemed a fitting way to end the "season". Sure, if something pops up it could happen but for me any serious racing is most likely done (Ed did do the 6-hour race at Lock 4 yesterday-more on that later). Some good K-town folk signed up- Googe who is always crazy strong, Shawn from Harper's , and Ben whose genes allow him to ride any type of bike anywhere, anytime. Left early in the AM Sunday and with 40 being closed detoured through Newport and Hot Springs to dump out on the North side of Asheville. Ended up only taking about 20 minutes longer travel time which was good. Got to the Fish hatchery area, got ready, and lined the bikes up for the LeMans start. Ran (stupid) then got to pedalling, nice gradual uphill singletrack to start, except that I was in the dreaded "train". Found myself with Shawn and we started passing when able but knowing there was a good section of doubletrack at the top of the climb. The course did an awesome job of singletrack, forest road, back and forth highlighting the fish hatchery trails all of which are good. I could tell that Shawn was going good-climbing well and descending superbly (full-suspension, great knowledge of Pisgah, and of course skill help alot). I'd be lying if I said that I didn't want to beat him, and that there weren't separate classes-OPEN men, so we were all against each other. Anyway, we basically climbed up to Butter Gap together but he got me on the downhill. Then it was the not so steep but all singletrack up Longbranch and by the second time up to Glouchester and the rest stop I had caught up again. Then the infamous steep forest climb to Farlow where the descent off Farlow was more about survival with a little riding thrown in. Stayed in front of Shawn's group up the climb and caught a guy who at the time was the second place single-speeder. We rode together out to Farlow and then the crazy stuff started-rocky, steep, leaf-covered goodness, scary but ridable I made it farther than I thought I would but as soon as I started walking, I heard the tires coming and I knew it was Shawn. Just had to keep going, not get hurt and when back on the bike ride hard. Made my way down staying in contact with the SS guy and another dude on a FS rig untill it really opened up and they were gone (SS guy come to find out was running a 32-18 29er!!) At the last rest stop someone said I was top 15 and that made me very pleased, so I quit worrying about Shawn or anyone else and just wanted to maintain that position and if I caught anyone in the process so be it. Flat, rolling trail/forest road to the base of the last forest road climb one I know well from riding over there and is the perfect grade for me not too steep, not too gradual and the last chance to make time and/or make sure no one catches me. Pretty much went into the "red zone" and after racing for over 3 hours this effort was hurting but I knew where the top was and that it was mostly downhill singletrack to the finish. Caught SS guy and FS guy about half-way up the climb said "hey" and just kept truckin'. Later the ss guy told me he tried to tack on but didn't have anything left. Made it up, then navigated the singletrack back to the start/finish without killing myself and ended up coming in just over 4 hours and almost 9 minutes. Only a handfull of minutes behind Shawn and good for 13th place out of 138 finishers!! Very pleased, very tired but my helper for the day (ED came over but didn't race) had a tasty recovery beverage ready for me at the finish!! Googe came in about 20 minutes later, and Ben rode incredible for right at 5 hours! Great day of racing (thanks to Shawn!!) Weather was unbelievably good-sunny and topped out at around 70!! Burgers, beer, won a 29er tire and then Ed and I fired up Papa's and Beer before driving back to K-town!! Thanks to my partner in crime ED for traveling with me-again a great day on the bike (second best of the year-Shenandoah being the best day on the bike this year!!) Looking very forward to doing more of all this in 2010!

12 hours of the Hill 'o Mud

The 11th annual 12 hour race at Haw Ridge happened Saturday (halloween-style) and of course as is the trend for most of this year it rained and rained alot overnight Friday and through the better part of the day for the race. As many of you know Haw is really fun when its dry and really sucky when wet. The first few laps were probably the best because it was raining and keeping things wet and managable. Team Asswipe' -myself , Jason S., Googe, and the "Hammer" raced single-speeds in the Open class. We decided doing two laps in a row each would make sense and mean less times getting cleaned up-once dirty stay dirty longer. Matt went first and cranked it, Jason second, myself third and the hammer cleaning up. All I know is that my laps (5th and 6th) were merely an exercise in staying upright. Not sure if I would consider myself as "racing" but we participated and had fun despite the conditions. Matt had decided to leave to go to the football game anyway and I got the call to go trick or treating, so I think we knew going in that the weather and other events of the day would influence how much "racing" would happen. Still though it was really fun. A big part of this event is hanging out and my teammates are people that I truly enjoy the company of-big thanks to them for rallying to make the team happen. Also, the support crew of the Hann's and Basile's was unbelievable!! I should know by now that these folks bring the "A" game every time and they, along with the camper, made the day so much better than it would have been. Awesome food, and a hot post-laps shower!! Big thanks to JB for putting on this event. The weather wasn't very good, but the vibe was great as always. I know its a tremendous amount of work to make it happen and I hope the Knoxville cycling community appreciates your hard work.

Next stop, Swank 65-Pisgah-style on Sunday!