Snake Creek Gap Training....

This is always a hard time of year.  It gets colder.  It rains.  A lot.  Most mountain bike trails are closed, and those that aren't probably should be anyway.  How does one get ready for a race like the Snake Creek Gap Time Trials when all of the local trails are closed?  How do you get technical training into your weekly schedule too, so you can survive those gnarly rock gardens?

There are lots of excuses not to ride.  I don't have a good light... so I cant ride at night.   Or...  I don't have a road bike so I can't get any riding in at all.   Or how about this one:  The family is all in town and I have to relax with them, and can't get away for a ride to save my life.   Well, who said you had to have a road bike?  Do you think the family would mind if you went to the garage or the basement for an hour or two?   I doubt it.  Lights?  If you don't own a bike light what's wrong with you!?    Just kidding,  if you can't afford the expense, or you just haven't gotten around to buying one yet, why not just get up earlier and ride at first light?  That would definitely solve that problem.

Here are some fairly simple solutions to help you keep your fitness in this time of crisis...

A good trainer:   While Fluid trainers used to be the best thing in this category, now there are other, more expensive, and much more advanced trainers in this category.  I use a fluid trainer, with my laptop in front of me, or some hard rock, and jam out while I stand up off the saddle and practice hill climbs.

A set of Rollers:  Rollers are another great idea for keeping the cycling muscles working, and you can add resistance to make them an even better workout.  Not only does training with rollers keep your pedaling muscles trained fairly well, but they also help with you balance.  Balance is a great bit of ammunition for your Snake Creek Gap conquering arsenal.

Mountain bike on the road:  You can do it with another set of wheels and tires, to protect your knobbies, or you can take the slower route and just swap rubber.  There are plenty of big hills on the road nearby.  You could find some monster in a neighborhood someplace and do hill repeats while listening to so AC/DC or drive out to Kennesaw Mountain and climb that over and over.  It will leave you breathing hard for sure!

Go for a hike or a run:  If the trails are closed you shouldn't go hike on them either, but maybe A run up Stone Mountain is in order?  I suggest the season pass if you  plan on becoming a regular, otherwise you are just throwing money away that could be spent on upgrades...  Running strengthens your quads, and calves, which are both important to keep fine tuned for hiking the "Horrible Hill"  aka "The Wall"  at the Snake.  No joke here...   95% of riders hike this section.

Spin Class:  I always picture an 80's video with neon pink and orange tights and chicks with giant hair spinning away.  I've heard stories about people walking by and slipping and falling because there was so much sweat on the floor.   Keep in mind,  Spin classes, trainers, and rollers may keep you from losing all of your fitness, but there is no replacement for ACTUAL HILL CLIMBS and REAL technical challenges.   Which reminds me:

Cornering Drills / Trackstands
Go to the local Target, Wal-Mart, (yeah I said it...) Sports Authority, Dicks, or REI, and pick up a few sets of small soccer cones.  You can lay them out in all kinds of formations and practice your low-speed cornering.  This type of skill, along with trackstands, really help improve your balance and your ability in technical areas like rock gardens, rooty steps and drops, and tight twisty singletrack.   You will thank me later.   Some of the best drills in my opinion are Figure 8's and the staggered slalom.  You will be amazed at how much these drills help you turn!

See you at the Snake boys and girls!   Hope you are ready.........

Thomson 12 days of Christmas Contest!

What a great idea:   Thomson is having a competition via social media site Facebook, and giving away some really cool bike bling.   Seat posts and Stems make up the vast majority of their product line, but for good reasons.  These posts are tried, tested, and true.  They are ridiculously strong, and they are made in the good ol' USofA!

I hope this short blog post will entitle me to 50 points in the contest, as I have a very important final exam today...  back to the books!

-Daniel

Snake Creek Gap - PreRide this weekend!

If you think you are man enough (Or woman ) to brave the elements, come on out this Saturday and check out the race course for the Snake Creek Gap Time Trials.  Every year, the crew at North-West Georgia SORBA puts on this amazing event, filled with great mountain views, treacherous cliffs, frigid creek-crossings, amazing volunteers, and some REALLY SWEET SCHWAG!!!!!

34 degrees makes for a cold ride,  especially when you are only 2 miles in, and you  ride through this...

If you have never tried this race and you call yourself a mountain biker, well, you are missing out.  This is one of those courses that will make you wish you had another set of lungs, legs, and sometimes even another bike frame.  I'm not kidding, this course has broken two frames of mine.  I've seen quite a few others laying by the dumpster after the event comes to an end.

Some of the events amazing sponsors for 2012 include:


Trek Bicycle Store of Chattanooga
Carver Bikes
Lynskey Performance
Wright Labels
Apex
Dalton Convention & Visitors Bureau
Mulberry Gap Mountain Bike Get-A-Way
Subaru
Hammer Nutrition
Boys & Girls Clubs NWGA
MAXXIS
Terrapin Brewing Company
Rice Rehabilitation Associates
SORBA
RoadID
Clairmont Dental Services
East Ridge Bicycles
Pearl Izumi Dawsonville

There are hotels available at a discounted rate for this event, and there are plenty of restaurants nearby in Dalton as well, so when you finish up, you can replenish all those calories you burned off.  Be sure to race all 3 events in January, February, and March so you can receive your  3x34 Challenge Belt Buckle.  2011 was the first year for this awesome buckle, and I got mine...   When are you going to get yours?

More information on the pre-ride, and the race itself can be found here:  http://nwgasorba.org/snake

 

24 Hours of Georgia -- A look back

There are times in life when your family will question your sanity.  Your friends will tell you that you have lost your mind.  People you don't really know might just ask 'Why?'  What on earth would make you want to sit on a bicycle, go round-and-round on a course in the woods, in the day, night, and back into the day for 24 straight hours?  Some kind of madness for sure.

There are times in life when you question your own sanity.  Usually it's about the time you realize your friends, family, and those strangers who questioned your intelligence were probably right.  Why would someone want to do this to themselves?  But then it's too late, because you are on the bike, you have been on it for 14 hours, and you now think  "Hey self,  You are well past the halfway mark....  just hang in there for another 10 hours.

Racer Dammule setting up sleeping quarters before the race.  

My awesome girlfriend stayed awake for almost as long as I did.  She refilled my camelbak for me with a properly mixed concoction of GU-BREW endurance fuel at least 6 times.  She helped me find my GU Gels when I came through after each lap, and also helped grab other odds and ends and throw them to me when they were requested.

My own personal pit crew:  Nikki G, getting ready for a loooong day of refilling my camelbak, drinking beers, and telling me to keep on pedaling!   She is the best a guy could ask for !!!!!

A close friend of mine, Jeff, came up from Florida just to hang out during the race, and give me shit.  I'd come through and he would say stuff like  "You are so slow, I'd have about 40 laps by now..."    and far worse things.  Luckily I was having a good ride, and I wasn't about to let anything interfere with that.   I broke 100 miles around 2:30 am.  Slow and steady, I picked a few monster hills on that course and walked them each lap, so I could save valuable energy and ride just a bit longer.   On lap 9, at around 2:30 or 2:45 a.m., right in the middle of this crazy song by Static-X,  my iPod came unclipped from my camelbak and swung around in slow-motion.  Right into my front wheel.  This was a rough, bouncy downhill section in the woods, the only light being the one attached to my handlebars.  As soon as the iPod hit the spokes, my song was replaced with silence.  Just long enough for me to hear the iPod go skipping off through the bushes and leaves somewhere off to my right.  It's one of those new Nano touch models.  The thing is hard enough to find when I know where it is.

Nikki had a couple friends up to hang for a bit.  My parents came out to show their support too.  From left to right:
Mike, Mom Top, Jeff, James, and Pop Top

Continuing on for a bit, with only headphones in my ear and nothing attached to them, I decided I should wrap them around my hand and wrist until I found a good stopping point.  They fell off my wrist before I stopped.  "Well, what good are they without the iPod?"  I asked myself out loud.   Now slightly pissed off that my iPod and musical source of motivation was gone, it was even harder to continue.  I finished that lap and stopped to try to eat some solid foods.  I whipped up some pasta shells with some very mild olive-oil sauce the night before, and I was hoping it would still mash well with my stomach.  Not the best plan.

Someone told me my legs would stay cleaner if I shaved them.  Not only was that NOT true, but  it also made me colder at night.   At least my girlfriend loved it...    

My stomach clearly wasn't in as good of shape as I thought.  On top of that, the wind was blowing from 5-25 mph all day.  It stayed basically the same at night, and being sweaty with damp clothes in windy 55 degrees is not a great idea.   Between nausea and chills, I knew I was going to be sick if I didn't get warm.  I jumped into my tent, changed to all dry clothes, and buried myself in my sleeping bag.  After 30 minutes of shaking, with my teeth chattering, and rubbing my chest, I passed out.  2 and a half hours later, I woke up feeling great!   Back on the bike!!!

Tim,  one of the local volunteers and very skilled riders, let me ride his Penny Farthing around after the race.  That was the scariest contraption I have ever ridden!   The whole thing wobbles, and it's a fixie!

I finished up my tenth lap around 7 a.m. (120 miles)  and caught the sunrise in doing so.  I never did get that solid food down earlier though, so my 'Great feeling'  wore off kind of fast.  Liquid food was keeping me moving, just barely, and I knew i only had one lap left in me.  I took another Gu gel, jumped on the bike, and went out for one more.  Being exhausted makes navigating tight twisty downhills that much more difficult.  Hell, they are usually pretty easy.  Having daylight back was helpful though and I couldn't help but think about my iPod.   How I missed it...    that playlist was awesome too.   "I'm going to find it!"  I shouted to the trail and hammered on.  I stopped within 20 or 30 feet of where i thought it fell off, and walked along with my bike.  A few steps and sweeping stares into the leaves, and nothing.  A few more steps.  Still nothing.
I swear it was on the last glance before I gave up, and I looked down next to this small sapling.  There it was!
AWESOME!!!    In my excitement, I failed to realize I didn't have earphones anymore.   DOH!!!

Practicing proper chain-lubrication technique, clean, lube, wipe - approximately 20 hours in...

In the end I made for 5th place in my first ever 24 hour race, I did it on a singlespeed, and hit my goal of 125 miles.   I got 132.  My friends Charles Weaving III  (19 years old from Macon, Ga)  and Tim Winters (one of the local GATRs) Took first and second in the singlespeed class.   Charles ended up with 15 laps and 180 miles!  The crazy part is, he never rides a singlespeed!   I'm impressed.   Tim got in 14, as well as the next 3 places.  I had never even ridden 100 miles in a day before, so 132 was a victory for me.

Pop Top, Jeff, and Tim talking about his crazy bike.  Tim came by our tent a few times to see how I was doing.  Thanks TIM!!!!   Nikki G. is in the background too!!!   

It was great seeing so many people come out to the first 24 Hours of Georgia event.  Chain Buster Racing and DirtySpokes Productions put on really great events, and this was no different!   For probably 20 hours of the 24, Bruce Dickman announced, heckled, and promoted Pro-Gold lubricants.   It's amazing how much energy that guy has....

As always, thanks for reading and I hope to see you out there on the trails soon!

-Daniel

Chainbuster Racing 9 Hours of Jackrabbit Mountain in Hayesville NC

This video sums up the beginning of the day quite well.  Everyone lined up, made a few jokes, and tried to hide the butterflies that we all get in our stomachs before a race.  It reminds me of when I was a little kid, and I had to stand in front of the class to give some kind of class presentation.  Awkward and nervous.  In this video you see the starting line, a little extra road that was only used in the first lap, and, and the part we used every lap.  Also, you get to see all of the riders turning into the singletrack and preparing for battle in the woods.

Hey, don't forget your Emergen-C Everyone!!!

I like to start in the back of the race during a 9 hour event.  For one thing, I'm going solo.  I won't maintain as high a speed as the 6 hour racers, so I don't want to be in their way.  Another reason is, I'm on a Singlespeed.  One gear.  There is a generally 'happy pace' that I will fall into and try to maintain that.  If I climb, I usually catch a bunch of geared riders and on a descent, a few of them might catch me.  All-in-all though, I really enjoy starting in the back of the herd.   Well, except for this one time at Jackrabbit....

The night before the race I mounted a new tire to my front rim.  Tubeless rim, not a tubeless tire.  This is usually no big deal.  Stans-No Tubes sealant will take care of it.  It always does.  But then, fluid kept pouring out of the area immediately surrounding the tire valve.  Finally it stopped and I went to bed.   After 3 hours sleep, I drove up to Hayesville NC, and began unloading the car for the race.  The front tire was flat again.  Hmmm, I pumped it back up, and again fluid started pouring out of that same area.  I put some more Stans fluid in, and pumped it up again.  Seemed to hold.  The tire was feeling fresh and solid for the making of the above video...   but about 3 miles further it was almost flat.  I just passed a few people and now I had to stop...   it's almost maddening to see people pass you, that you just passed with ease.  But it happens to everyone at some point.  I pulled out my tiny crank brothers pump, and went to work.  After a couple minutes I was on my way again.

In 2 more miles it started feeling soft again.  I had passed a few riders for a second time.  Maybe even a dozen or more.  I didn't want to stop.  I climbed to two largest climbs in the course with about 10psi in my tire.  That's a bit sketchy to be sure...   every time I pressed down on the fork, the tire would try to fold over and toss me off the bike.  It was about 10 times worse on the long descent...   so I finally stopped to try to fill it up again.  This is when I noticed what a serious problem I had.

See how my valve stem went INSIDE the rim...   Not a good way to start the race. 

I will illustrate this for you.  Most people recommend re-filling the Stans-Fluid in your tubeless set up every two to three months.  I never heard anyone talk about replacing the tubeless valve-stem though.  Apparently the rubber on my valve had shrunk down to about 1/2 the normal (original) size, and when I tightened the nut on the outside of the rim, it pulled the whole stem into the middle of the rim.  Now I would not be able to get it tight...  or stable.  That's why it wouldn't seal.  It was a miracle it even re-inflated one time.   Now, I'm 4.2 miles from the end of the first lap, and have no choice but to run with my bike.  I haven't run more than 1 mile in 3 months...  great.  Just great.....but almost as soon as I started my run, I started feeling better.  I was still kind of angry at myself, but running always makes you feel good.  Even though I ran into my pedals a few times and that hurts like hell, it couldn't take away my runner's high.  I knew that running in the first lap was a catch-22.   If I ran too hard, I would not be able to pedal as far later on in the day, but if I didn't run, I would lose precious time to finish as many laps as possible.  I just moved into 3rd place in the series points before this race, so I knew I had to push the envelope to hang on to that spot.

Recognizing an issue when you see it... Not me!!! The tire!!!

I finished that first lap in just under an hour and a half.  A friendly racer in the tent next to me helped remove my tire from the rim and then we started surgery.  The valve stem would not come out of the rim.  The Stans ZTR-355 had been hungry it seemed, and this valve was between two layers of metal.  I carried over to my plastic cooler, and hit it with my BFH...   or  BIG F$%)IN HAMMER, until it came free.  Then, we realized the metal layer of rim on the inside actually broke slightly, producing a razor sharp shard of metal.  This would reduce the lifespan of any innertube we threw in to the wheel from months down to mere seconds.  Having another quick MacGuyver moment, I asked Charles Weaving Jr. if he had a cheap round patch.  I told him "Lets cut a tiny hole into the middle of it, and fit it around the tire valve, so it protects the base of the tube.  We did it, and it worked all day long.  Not a bad fix at all.

I came out of the pit area screaming fast that lap, trying to make up as much time as I could.  My calves burned every pedal stroke from the morning jog, and I didn't think I would make it long before I cramped up and had to stop.  My body surprised me.  I never had a single cramp.  I was close a couple times, but nothing worth stopping for.  I took a GU Gel every lap, alternating between the ones with caffeine and the ones without.  I ate shot bloks by Clif Bar.  I drank my Carbo-Rocket Half Evil 333 mix all day from my camelbak.  All of it must have worked perfectly...

CarboRocket, organic, effective, and easy on your stomach.

After 6 laps, I asked a young guy named John (who just finished his first 6 hour solo) to see what kinda position I was in.  John ran down to the timing tent, and back, telling me I was only 3 minutes out of 4th place.  "How many are in my class today?"   I asked him.   John's reply: "Umm five."  Okay, I had work to do.  Back on the saddle, back to the pedals.   I went pretty fast that lap, caught a few other riders from other classes, but didn't see anyone I knew until 3/4 through that lap.  I caught up with racer Jono Senk, who is a pretty hardcore rider.  Apparently Jono had wrecked into a tree and dislocated his shoulder, but was still riding 2 laps later.  We chatted for a bit and finished the lap together, after passing another friend, Brian Young.

Army Ranger Jono Senk, rode for a few more laps with a dislocated shoulder.... SICK

I had to stop after that lap to grab a fresh bottle since I knew I was getting low on water in my camelbak.  Grabbing a bottle is much faster that refilling the bladder.  Back out i went!  This would be my 8th lap and final one due to the time left on the 9 hour clock, every pedal-stroke had to count.  I came blazing through and jumped off the bike at the end.  I thought for sure I had accomplished something.  All day felt like an accomplishment.  I found out a while later that I made it to 4th place.   However, the guy who was in 4th, as it turned out, was actually placed in the wrong class of racer.  (The accidentally placed him in the 'Sport' category, when he should have been in the 'Expert' category.  So, once they straightened that out, only 4 guys were in my class.  Looking at the lap times, I'm sure I would have been on the podium if it weren't for that flat tire problem  Missing it by a lap just gives me more fuel to want it next time.  I got this!

The first two of my lap times were terrible because of my mechanical.  Only one person is to blame for that... ME

A few days later, I looked at the series points on the ChainBuster Racing website, and noticed something great!  I just moved up in points to the number 2 spot!  The previous 2nd place guy didn't show for the race so I moved right up there.   This is great!  If I don't have any mechanical failures and can continue to train hard enough,  I have a very strong likelihood of staying in 2nd for the whole series.  Woohoooo!!!

Thanks for reading everyone!  Next update:  24 hours of GA.  SOLO.   This one is going to HURT

Tribble Mill 9 Hour Endurance Race - Great day for the books

 One of my friends who I run into very frequently at Tribble Mill Park, Craig, mentioned to me that Jose Paz signed up for 9 hour Sport. Jose is a friend of mine, who runs, rides, and lives very near Tribble Mill Park.  This is his home turf.   I was kind of nervous about that news at first.  But it was good to have a friend in my class because it made me train harder.  I went to Tribble Mill park several times in the 2 weeks before the race, just to make sure that I was mentally ready for the climbing.  Here is the official 2011 course map.
If you want a tour guide sometime, hit me up, I'm always game for some Tribble training laps.

I've come to realize that if you (mentally) prep yourself for a hard day of racing, it becomes much much easier when the course is actually laid out in front of you.  I ran into some of the GATR riders a few days before the race, and pre-rode the course.  There was a new hill, a couple of new loops, and an extended hill over last years course.  I loved it.  This is one of my local trails and I ride here frequently, so a new way to go about it definitely helps.

Emergen-C for me?  YES PLEASE!!! 

Tuesday - 4 days before race day, I start feeling like crap.  Throat was tight, light fever, and even a little nausea.  Friggin great.  Less than a week and now I'm getting sick.  ARRRGH!  Last year at Tribble Mill's 12 hour I was very sick too.  I think that time it was strep throat.   I still managed 68 miles and I couldn't even talk at the end of the day.  This year seemed to be repeating...   hmmmm.   Maybe the race-gods are trying to tell me something?


Friday - less than a day before the race.  I have taken it easy for 3 days, stayed hydrated, eaten only healthy foods, taken my Emergen-C, and drank excessive amounts of organic green tea.  I actually felt kinda good, except for the congestion and the weakness that comes with being sick.  I called up my awesome gal, Nikki G., and told her I wanted to pre-ride the course before dark, so I could tell how my body was doing.

My awesome gal, Nikki G!

We got to the park around 5:30 or so and chatted with Clay and Krista (GATRs)  and spoke with Carebear for a few as well.  Then we went out for a lap.  The first climb felt awful.  So did the second and third.  I thought, "Daniel, tomorrow is going to hurt".   But then I thought soon after... "It's going to hurt and you are going to like it!"  So I stuck with the latter thought.   :)

Saturday - Race morning and I only slept about 6 hours, which somehow seemed to be the perfect amount.  My Niner was groomed and ready for battle, thanks to some parts I recently got at the LBS- The Bicycle Doctor, and my legs and lungs actually felt about as good as they ever had.   This was the first day that I had no fever all week.  Good timing. 

You are heading the right direction if....

The race started out with a bang, and a few hundred racers tore off into the woods.  I started in the rear as I like to do with my singlespeed steed.  This trail is very twisty so I wore my camelbak and this way I also eliminated stopping between every lap.  This worked to my advantage after a few laps, when I began passing the first few people from my own class.  After 4 laps I passed Jose and didn't see him again.  After 5, I caught David Blalock (was 3rd in the series at the time)

Jose Paz and Daniel Topley at the 2010 Tribble Mill Race

Some of the best (fun) laps I had were laps 6, 7, and 8.   Lap 6 I rode nearly half the lap behind Nicki Sutherland.  She usually podiums in her 6 hour events and today was no different.  I knew that if I pushed myself to hang with her for a while it would help my lap times.  Eventually I think I bugged her from talking too much so she insisted I go by.  I almost couldn't go any faster to pass her!  I was out of gearing!!!

Turbo-woman Nicki Sutherland let me draft her for a bit...Thanks Nicki!   (credit to Mark Duffus for the photo!)

On lap 7 I thought to myself that usually after the 6 hour race ends, it gets a bit quiet in the woods.  Instead, I rode up on a group of 5 or 6 guys and we all chatted a bit between gasps for breath.  The company and the conversation made the lap seem much faster.  I even bumped into Tommy Vu on the 7th lap for a bit.  He's always good for a laugh, and usually he refers to me as his 'caucasian brother'. 

A Good friend of mine, Cale, takes a moment to show the importance of pounding down the Electro-Mix, a sports drink mix developed by the makers of Emergen-C;  the Alacer Corp.

Finishing up lap 7, I came through the timing area and my buddy Cale C.  yells out "Go Go Go!!!"  and some other things I can't remember....  but he also told me 3rd place was within reach.  So I rolled out for a turbo 8th and final lap.  Everyone I passed on the first climb (which is not a friendly one) was hiking their bikes.  I pressed hard on the pedals and torqued away on the bars and slowly left them behind.  A few minutes later I began reeling in a guy.  For a while he would pull away from me, then I would catch him again.  Then he finally settled down a bit and we rode almost 7 miles together of the 9.2 mile course.  After a little bit of conversation, I found out he was racing in my class.  His voice sounded familiar, but I could not see his face since he was riding in front of me.  I was on lap 8, he was on 7.  This was a good sign...

Me, rocking the Singlespeed steed up the final hill in the course.

I came back through and finished the lap, and the race for that matter, with 73.6 miles in 8 hours and 22 minutes, and I find out to my amazement that I wasn't in 3rd.  Nope.  I bumped up to 2nd.  It turns out the number-one-man-to-beat, Chad Parker, didn't go back out for an 8th lap when everyone thought he had.  He hadn't recovered fully from the Fools Gold 100 miler the week before, and was cramping up too seriously to go back out.  Ladd Dunwoody smoked me and the rest of the field of Sport class racers and got a lap up on me.  He ended the day with 9, me with 8, and the next 3 or 4 guys (including Jose) had 7.

Not a bad day in the books...

An honorable spot...  Left to right: Chad Parker with 3rd, Ladd Dunwoody with 1rst, and me on the right with 2nd!

 

 

 

 

Winning has it's advantages...  I will have to continue this trend ;)

At the end of the day, I moved from 4th place in the series up to third, and the feeling of being on the podium really charged me up to start training for the next race at Jackrabbit Mountain, in Hayesville North Carolina.
See you all there! 

Fools Gold 50 miler... August 2009

Yes, you read that correctly.  2009.  Not 2011, or even 2010.  2-0-0-9.   I didn't race this year, so I think I'll just tell you all about my first experience with the event. 

My ride at the time:  2005 Gary Fisher Marlin, featuring rim-brakes, and shimano deore components. 

2 weeks prior to the Fool's Gold event (Early August 2009)  I first starting kicking the idea around.  I had never even ridden 50 miles, let alone in the actual mountains of North Georgia.  Actually, I had only raced one race, a 6 hour coed team.  At Fort Yargo.  Yep, I called myself a mountain biker and didn't ride in the mountains....   what a fraud.  About a week and a half before the race, I met a few local riders at Yellow River park to ride after work.  At the end of the ride we all were back in the parking lot and chatting it up, I mentioned that I was thinking about trying the 50 miler to Danny Preston...   "You should do it!"  he exclaimed.  My friend Sheri also agreed, but I just wasn't sure.  I remember thinking; 50 miles seems so far,  I just don't understand how people can ride that long.

1 week to go, and I had to make sure I could even ride 50 miles.   I went to the most familiar trail I could think of at the time:  Fort Yargo.  A standard mountain bike lap around Fort Yargo is about 11.7 miles.  If you add the newest addition (the Monster Mile) It comes out around 13.1 miles.  I figured if I rode 4 laps around Fort Yargo, with the monster mile included, It would put me at just over 52 miles.  Should be a good test....  
4 laps later, feeling tired and yet very excited to have survived, I ate a sub and drove home to get a shower.  Good day.  My first 50 miles.  How much harder could this "Fool's Gold" race be?


I shared a room with my good friend Sheri and we hit Wal-mart in Dahlonega for our microwaveable breakfast goods.  The race started at 7:00 am for the 100 milers, and 7:15 for the 50 milers.  So we had to be up around 5:30, get the car loaded up, get dressed, food eaten, and get to the race.  When we pulled in, it was still dark.  The chain of cars coming down the long gravel road to the parking area with their headlights on seemed endless, and kind of surreal.  After I parked I started following other racers around until I saw what they were up to. 

10 minutes later, I still didn't really know what I was doing so I finally asked someone... it turned out to be Namrita O'Dea.  She and her husband Eddie put on this whole event.  She explained that I needed to put my SAG items in the camp Mess Hall.  This was basically a large barn with nothing in it except for 3 folding tables, to the right side of the room.  All 3 were covered over completely with other racers ziploc bags (SAG gear) so I just found a table with a spot left and put my bags on it too, and left.  I didn't know that these tables were numbered, and that they had any influence on where my bags would show up...  

At the starting line, feeling confident I could ride 50 miles, self assured that my SAG bags would go to wherever I may need them, I was focused on everything around me.  I heard some people talking...  "That blonde woman is Loretta Simpson,  she is a BEAST".   From the other side of me, "That Jeremy guy is wicked fast".  It seemed I was surrounded by veterans.  Should be an interesting day....

Thinking about Loretta Simpson and her super-BEAST powers, I started eyeballing her ride.  She was sporting a Trek Top Fuel, loaded with top-of-the-line components and it just looked fast.  I didn't know why but I wanted to be a beast too...   maybe I could chase her down?   Hahahah riiiiiiiight.

The race begins and I see at least a half mile of riders climbing the gravel hill in front of me and what seemed like an ocean behind me of racers.  I felt rested, strong even.  Climbing along I passed a few people I heard talking at the starting line.  Some people went screaming up on my left and right, weaving through the crowd and making this hill look like it was flat.  Suddenly I was halfway up the 9 mile gravel grind, and I looked to my left.  I was riding right next to her.  The BEAST.  She was breathing easily, her Trek looked ready to launch at any second.  I kept on my pace, and before I knew it, I was ahead of her.  I still felt pretty good even at the top.  About 2 miles later though things took their first turn for the worse. 

I stopped at the first SAG stop,  and asked for my bag.  I could sure use a gel I thought.  They didn't have my bag.  What?  What do you mean you don't have my bag, It should be righ.....   SHIT!!!  It dawned on me I put all my bags on the same table, but didn't know which one.   Oh hell this could be very bad.  Just then, Loretta went screaming by on the downhill.  Her Fuel with it's Disc Brakes and BEAST power driving it, quickly took her out of sight.  I never saw her again actually. 

At the next SAG stop I stopped again, with the same result.  I stopped, people passed me, and I left without my bags.  Lucky the SAG stops had excellent volunteers with H.E.E.D. mixture in the water jugs.  30 Miles in, and I was still feeling good.  Only 20 to go, what could possibly go wrong?  Just when you think that kind of thought, only one thing happens.  You go down.  You don't see it coming but you should.  You are riding and everything seems fine, and then  WHAM!!!  You get to meet the ground, and in a hurry.  And so I did.
I just passed this guy for like the 4th time, and pulled out of sight, when suddenly I'm picking myself and my bike off the ground.  He flies by me in a blur and shouts "You alright?"  and then he is gone.  It happened so fast.  I felt sore, but I had to get up and continue.  Blood was barely trickling out of my right leg, but I smacked my knee cap on the handlebars, so it was throbbing pretty badly.

After I rode another mile, I had to stop and straighten my seatpost.  The crash knocked the think about 10 degrees off to one side,  and that is NOT comfortable.  Then I get to an uphill, and realize that only 2 of my gears work without skipping.  Ahhhh right, I bent my derailleur hanger.  This is not good.  Sometimes they snap if you aren't lucky.  I was lucky. 

I made it to the 40 mile mark, and started running on fumes.  A volunteer with a bike-work stand tried straightening my derailleur.  It sort of worked.  Now I had about 4 functioning gears.  When I rode to the finish line, I put the bike down and walked to some shade and laid down.  I was on the verge of passing out.  Later I made it to the racer's food line, and got huge portions of lasagna, pasta salad, and some other items, before going to check my race time.  I was hoping to finish, and nothing more, so I had no idea what to expect.  I heard that some pros came through for lap 1 of their 2 lap race at around 3:46 or so, and went back out for the 2nd lap.  Turned out the first place 100 miler turned a 7:30 something time.  I was fortunate to finish, especially considering the crash, and the bent derailleur, and even the SAG issues...   but I turned a solid time of 5:46.    "Something to shoot for next year" I told myself.  I had to check it too, but the BEAST turned a time of 4:57.  She was the only woman to turn a sub-5 hour 50 mile time.  Wow.

Maybe next time I will lay back a little, and send my SAG bags someplace on purpose....  lol 

DRAMA QUEEN.... Need I Say More?

   Lets start in the beginning....  on the day before the Drama Queen ride, I still wasn't sure I should go.  For starters, the weather looked questionable two days out.  For another thing, I have been planning an out and back on the entire Silver Comet Trail, and if the temps looked cooler, it would be a great day to try it.  Next, I wanted my girlfriend Nikki G. wanted to ride along with me but didn't want to keep me from doing the longer distance.  So at 10:30 p.m. the night before, I talked her into coming and riding the 33+ mile ride with me.  Singlespeeding on those hills is a pretty good workout, and the main difference between the 33 miler and the 54 is a bunch of road riding.  Not super fun on fat tires... and on a singlespeed you run out of gear pretty fast on pavement.  She needed to pick up a few things so we went to Wally-World and picked them up.  We got home around 12:30 am.   Good thing we'd be able to get 5 solid hours of sleep.......   riiiiight.   (the drama begins...)

   When I try to "carb up"  before a long ride in the hills, or a race, I'm often faced with a rush of energy that keeps me from sleeping.   I gave up on sleeping around 4am and just layed there...  twitching with too much power in store.  (sarcasm)  At 5:30 I started making breakfast for Nikki G. and myself.  I woke her up around 6.  She was exhausted still.  I told her we had 25 minutes to eat, and get out the door, and she just kind of squinted at me with silent understanding.
   6:40 a.m. and we are rolling out towards Mulberry Gap.  We made a quick stop for gas and ice, and were on our way.  Getting closer to our Drama Destination, I was super sleepy and drove right past a turn and didn't realize it for close to 5 miles.  Somehow we did a loop around East Ellijay and ended up right back in the roundabout at the center of town.  Crap.  Now it's 8:48 a.m.  We have 12 minutes to get to Mulberry Gap and get ready.  Didn't happen.  9:09 we roll in to the Mulberry entrance just in time to see 70+ mountain bikers fly down the hill and turn up the gravel road.   Nikki was already dressed so I asked her to run up top and sign us in, grab our maps, etc.  She came back and I was shocked there were no Burger King crowns!!!

Nikki G. hugging the Gennett Poplar, for size referencing purposes.

    For those that don't know; the 33 mile Drama Queen course consists of climbing Pinhoti 2, Pinhoti 1, Bear Creek trail up to Potato Patch Road, down Tibbs (Oh my!)  and then up and down Milma, before hopping on a road and heading back by way of a few more miles of gravel climbs to Mulberry Gap.  Here is the course map:

The 33 mile route turned out to be around 39, with a calibrated bicycle computer. 

   Nikki G. and myself have climbed halfway up the first trail, (Pinhoti 2) and are getting warmed up.  A few people pass us, and then we catch up to a Sorella Cycling member named Deidre who has a cold.  This first climb has to be hell with a cold, I can only imagine.   She says she will "try to keep us in her sights" and does a pretty good job of it.  Soon we finish up the trail and meet her friend, Michelle, who is also a Sorella Cycling member.  After a few introductions, we basically formed a (hopefully) Drama-proof group.  Good thing too.
   Our "wolfpack" alternated leaders, and I maintained that I knew where we were going since I rode this course the year before, so I became our map reader..  All seemed well for a little while, then the first signs of drama began.   Michelle was having trouble with her Shimano SPD's.  They were very loose at first, so we took a break to adjust them.  Seemed like they were better, only took one more stop to fine tune them.  No big deal.  I thought to myself "Drama Queen, is this the best you can do!?"  Nope.  PLENTY more to come.

Looking back, Michelle climbing up Pinhoti 1.  It's kinda steep...

Deidre smiled all day, despite the pain and suffering of the Drama route!

   Just after departing the Bear Creek overlook to climb some more, Michelle came unclipped somehow in the gravel and falls on her side.   Directly on top of a yellow-jacket nest.  One stung her on the butt, and one on the shoulder.  Deidre and I rushed in to help her up and get both her and the bike out of the range of the yellow jackets.  Wow, we were lucky it wasn't worse.   Nikki G. had some allergy medicine just in case this kind of thing happened.  Michelle didn't need it so we were back on our way.
   Not even 5 minutes later, a car was coming down the hill in front of us, and it pulled off to the side.  Turns out this was our "Sag Stop", sort of a mobile refueling vehicle for us athletes.   The driver says, "we waited and waited and thought nobody else was coming."  Good thing we refilled then, because the other Sag stop was gone already when we got there too.  No problem, it was cool out, and we weren't using as much water as we normally would.  We can handle this drama....   "How are the stings Michelle?"  "they sting..."
Here are a few pics from the Bear Creek Overlook.

Nikki G. rocking her Santa Cruz Superlight up to the Bear Creek overlook.

Sorella Cycling's Deidre climbing up to the Bear Creek overlook, making it look easy even with a cold.

Michelle, also of Sorella Cycling,  conquers all the drama the ride threw at her!  Nice Job Michelle!!!

For an overcast day, the view was still stunning.  Bear Creek Overlook

Not sure about the face I was making, but Nikki G. sure looks cute!  Bear Creek Overlook, with the Cohutta Wilderness in the background.

   After bombing the gravel hills for a while on Potato Patch Road, we arrived at the entrance for Tibbs.  I warned everyone to unlock their suspension and looked at Michelle's brakes to make sure she had plenty of lever-pull with her (Rim) brakes.   Then we set off.   Tibbs is at least four miles of steep, rocky, bouncy, rough, mean downhill.  This trail doesn't play around.  If you go slowly, you are in more danger of crashing, so we started to pick up speed and have a good time with it.  Nikki G. LOVES downhill so she took off after Michelle.  A minute later I arrived behind them and Michelle says she has a flat tire.  Hmmm the drama seems to be compounding interest or something.   We flip her bike, pull the tube out and remove the tire.  After inspecting it for thorns or glass, I re-inserted the now patched tube and pumped it up.  Hisssssssssss.   Upon re-disassmbly, i found that the patch didn't hold because it was too close to a seam in the rubber.  I quickly install another tube, pump it up, and carry it over to Michelle's bike.  I bounced it on the ground and hear another Hisssssssssssss.
   WHAT THE HELL?   There was a small slit in the sidewall of the tire.  When I bounced it on the ground, a sharp rock must have gone through in the exact spot and cut the new tube.  What luck...  just then,  another rider named Kathy, and a young guy named Joe rode up and were happy to donate another tube.  This was good because it still left us with an emergency tube for later if we needed it.  We patched and booted the slit tire and put it back on the bike.  Success!!!  What else could happen?  Haha we had no idea...
   Less than a mile later, Nikki G. was out in front and really starting to enjoy this downhill action.  She was relaxed and riding very aggressively.  It was hard to keep up for a minute.  Impressive.  Then suddenly, literally in the blink of an eye, her and the bike went their separate ways.  The bike just stopped and she kept going.  We quickly checked her for broken ribs (which she doesn't exactly remember thanks to the adrenaline rush) and took a good 10 minutes to let her relax and breathe.  She insisted that she was okay, so back on our way we went.
   Emerging in a small clearing about two-thirds of the way down Tibbs, and I took a quick look at the map.  After we decided which way to go, Michelle tries to pedal and her chain comes off.  At first glance, I thought her derailleur hanger was broken, but it turned out the actual derailleur was just badly bent.  I have never had good luck bending back a hanger or a derailleur.  They usually snap.  This was an older model Shimano derailleur, and there was a chance it had been bent before.  Keeping my fingers mentally crossed, I bent it back as straight as I could get it with a quick pull.  It worked the rest of the day.  Amazing.
   Now Milma comes along, and I couldn't remember how much more climbing was in store.  I was trying to keep everyone in a good mood with all the Drama, and seemed like it was going well.  We caught back up with Kathy and Joe, and Kathy mentioned that we were almost finished.  "There isn't very much climbing left, it's all downhill from here."  she said.  Michelle and Deidre was so excited to hear this, but I knew better.  I think Kathy forgot about the first half of Milma (the very STEEP first part) as well as the last 3 or 4 miles of gravel uphill back to Mulberry Gap.  Milma is fun.  It's like a roller coaster downhill, with giant, smooth water bars that you can float off and land so smoothly....  I had dreams about screaming down that section after last years ride.  Well worth the pain of all the climbs leading to it.  

Here is a shot from the downhill section of Milma!  (2010 pic) Courtney is screaming with joy! 

The views are spectacular from this part of the trail.  (Milma)

   In the last mile or so of gravel climbs back to Mulberry Gap, a red Honda Ridgeline truck pulls up to us, and says "How many are in your group?"   I told them that there were 4 in our wolfpack and there were another 2 a little bit back.  The people in the truck started cheering.  We were the final 6, and they were the search party just heading out to find us.  They asked if anyone wanted to bail, and toss the bikes in the back.  I told them "No way, we are too close to quit now" with a big smile.  Deidre wanted to go in the truck but we talked her out of it.  She thanked us later over beers and burgers back at Mulberry.
   The crew at Mulberry Gap did an awesome job with this event, as did Mike Palmeri of Cartecay River Bikes in East Ellijay.  Amy Lynn Larimer was there doing her Rolfing, (or massage therapy of sorts).  The food was awesome, and there was free beer.   I can't say enough about this place.  I love coming here.  Nikki G. loves it too.  Mulberry Gap has over 70 miles of mountain biking trails, hiking trails, within riding or hiking distance.  They have small cozy cabins for rent with hot tubs, and primitive tent sites as well.  There is a babbling brook and a couple of koi ponds as well.  Very peaceful, very relaxing place for sure.  If you haven't been, you should definitely go!
   Thanks Nikki G., Deidre, Michelle, Kathy, Joe, Mulberry Gap, the Big Dawg - Mike Palmeri, and everyone else we talked to after the ride.  Good times!  If you come prepared,  no amount of Drama can stop you....  now back...  to...      sleep.....

Training Days in the Georgia Heat > 3 months to go!

More Preparations for the Big Ride  - 24 Hours of Georgia

I have a feeling I'm going to need all the Emergen-C I can get, to help me recover and battle the heat we have been facing here in Georgia for the last few weeks.  Luckily my wonderful sponsors just sent me a bunch of Awesome goodies!  Most of it will be given out at the Chainbuster Race at Tribble Mill Park in a month.

I'm getting several 20 or 30 mile rides in on the bike during the week, and aiming to up my long distance Saturday ride from 60 to 80 miles this weekend.  The goal here is to gradually bump up my comfortable long distance ride so it gets closer to 100 miles.  This way, when the 24 hour race arrives in October, my 125 mile goal will be that much more attainable.  

Last weekend, I arrived at Chicopee Woods in Gainesville earlier than usual.  I had my daily nutrition planned out in full thanks to CarboRocket.  Plenty of water reserves in the back of the car, and some gels for added energy.  The ride started around 8:25 am.  One lap of every trail at Chicopee is right around 21 miles.  This "lap" as I call it, has approximately 2400 feet of climbing, and several of the hills are moderately technical climbs. Two of these hills on the Copperhead loop are wicked at a glance, and overflowing with roots, twists, and rocks, as well as being fairly steep.  The Saturday loop also means that at the end of the lap, riders are directionally challenged to ride up "Granny Climb" which is a little over half mile uphill climb entirely on gravel.  Gravel sucks.  But it's great practice for races like Fool's Gold, or Southern Cross, which have a large quantity of riding on forest service roads.  (as well as climbing on them)

First lap went smoothly.  21 miles done in just under 2 hours.  The gearing on my Singlespeed steed 34x20 seems just spinny enough to allow me to climb ridiculously steep stuff, at the same time allowing me to reserve energy for the long day ahead.  Second lap was 2/3 of the way through and going smoothly as well, considering I'm riding rigid, until I took one turn and my drive-side Crankbrothers Eggbeater came apart.  I was cranking at the time it happened and the knee jerk reaction of the entire foot sliding off to the right caused me to yank my foot back towards the bike.  Little did I realize the spindle of the eggbeater pedal was bare now, and I nearly punctured myself in the calf with the broken pedal.  I pulled the "egg beater" part of the pedal off my shoe and slid it back on the spindle.  Keeping relatively smooth strokes, I finished the remaining 5 miles back to the car.  Broken Pedal spindle pic:

broken eggbeater - 6 months old. FAIL

I was intending on spending less than 40 bucks on the lowest-end eggbeaters as a replacement, so I could get back to my laps (and my goal of 80 miles).  Adventure Cycles in Flowery Branch had other ideas.  They were out of stock on all the lower items and the only eggbeaters they had were the 2Ti, which are about 300.00 more than I would want to spend, especially after nearly getting pierced by the 120.00 pair.  They did have a pair of Candys, which are like eggbeaters with a metal platform around the pedal for 89.99.  I didn't have much time to drive around and shop competition at all corners of the earth, so I broke down and got the Candys.  Here's a pic for inquiring minds:

My awesome girlfriend Nikki G met me at the bike shop, and followed me back to Chicopee to ride the 3rd lap of the day with me.  We checked wunderground.com on the way and it showed weather to be clear for the next 2-2.5 hours.  The warning still said "Severe Thunderstorm Warning" under the map though.  With about 4 miles to the finish of lap 3 I heard thunder rolling in.  Not good.  The whole day it had been in the 80's but humidity was very high.  I'm sure by the creeks it was close to 80%.  I switched gloves every lap, to keep wrinkly fingered control of my bike.  "Nikki G.,  we better hurry.  That thunder is getting closer" I told her.  "I'm scared"  she replied. 

Nikki G. getting ready to rock the Typhoon lap with me at Chicopee

It was getting dark quickly...   A mile later and more thunder.  Closer to us still.  When we crossed the final creek, before the "Granny Climb" I told Nikki that if we feel a strong breeze and feel the temperature get suddenly colder, we would be getting soaked within a couple minutes.  I was very much correct. The wind started up as soon as we got on the gravel.  By the halfway point, we emerged in a short clearing, and the wind was blowing straight through the opening in the trees, small bits of leaf and debris were flying sideways at what I can only guess to be over 50 mph.  It was like the video you see from the beach during a hurricane. Right at that clearing the rain started.  We had about 3/4 mile to go, and some of it by singletrack.  I welcomed the cooler air and the shower, as I'm sure I needed one by this time.  Nikki G. had never pedaled up a gravel hill faster in her life, I'm sure of it.  I looked down at one point and I'm pretty sure she averaged 10mph for the whole "Granny Climb".  She really thought any moment we would get blown off the earth or struck by lightning.  What a fun training day!!!

some storm damage from a nearby neighborhood

In addition to the gale-force winds and high humidity, we saw 2 different 3-4 foot whipsnakes, 2 eastern box turtles crossing the trail, and a large doe running off into the woods.  I love being out in the nature, and if I had a choice, I wouldn't want to train any other way.  Here is a pic of the whipsnake we saw at Yargo a few weeks ago, same type as we saw at Chicopee last weekend.  Look at the pine cone as a size reference...

Thanks for reading!  More to come soon!!!