Tennessee

The past 3-4 to weeks have been pretty strange for me. Here's a quick run down of it I've never been in Tennessee then back in April I went there for the Cohutta and now about a month later I'm heading down there again for the Dirt Sweat and Gears 12 hours race. It should be a good time as long as the weather holds up I've heard if it rains the mud is insane. So I find it pretty strange that I've never been there in 39 years and now I'll be there twice in less than 4 weeks apart. Some other strange happenings is that I've ridden 3 new bikes in the span of 4 days that's a record. Usually when I get a new frame I build it the same day that's what I did last Friday. Then on Saturday I finally built up a frame that I've had for over 5 weeks that's a record. Then on Tuesday I built up a frame that I picked up on Monday that I ordered about three months ago that also is a record. But enough about that Tennessee here I come again.

J

They call me Dustin

Out of the 4 races last weekend we decided to go to the second WVMBA at Mountwood. First choice was the Middle Mountain Momma followed by the Michaux race. I crossed both of these out because I didn't feel like having to leave on Saturday and pay for a motel. So that narrowed it down to the Grassman and Mountwood. I guess Mountwood won because I've been there before and it's always been a good time. It was raining on and off for the entire drive but finally we got there. I had decided to use my SS today because it's the only bike that was ready and I thought it might be better with all the rain and mud. At the start everything was going good until the hill at the start seemed longer this year than in year's past. Finally at the top and into the singletrack I was pretty far back at this point. Funny thing on the first lap the trails seemed to be in better shape than I had anticipated mostly running water, lots of turtles and but not much mud. Then on the second lap some sections seemed to be allot muddier but nothing to crazy. In the end I managed to finish 4th overall and was 3rd expert Montana had a great race and got the overall win on his SS. In the end I wished I would have sucked up the drive and cash for a motel and did Michaux or the Middle Mountain Momma. I had fun but it just seemed like such a waste of a day 6 plus hours of driving for only 2 hours of racing. But here's what someone else had to say about the race.

http://www.newsandsentinel.com/page/content.detail/id/529431.html

I guess in a way I deserve this? Because I always forget people's name and butcher their names as bad just as bad as they butcher mine. But whatever it's like I was never even there.

J

Cohutta 100

(See attached file: Cohutta.bmp)
I guess it's safe to say the 2010 race season has started. Mine began with the first race in the Appalachian Road Race Series the Morgantown Road Race. I just got one small little problem with this race why the hell is it called the Morgantown Road Race when the entire race in PA? Whatever the race didn't go to good for me I was at the back of the pack at the start of the first climb and got dropped. Then rode with a few different groups for the rest of the race. I did feel like a got a good workout in so I was happy about that. Then a few weeks later I headed out for the first OMBC at the Mohican Wilderness. As luck would have it it was the same day as the first WVMBA race at Big Bear. I love racing at Big Bear but choose the Mohican race over BB because the Mohican course seems to have allot more climbing and I was hoping it would help more in my preparation for the Cohutta. Last year at Mohican I raced my SS and did pretty well but last year the conditions were allot different from this year. This year the course was fast and dry I had a good start but got dropped out in the flats and never caught up. I got a good ass whooping and finished 7th. The only good I took out of this race was the fact that all my lap times were consistent.
Now it was time to get ready and head down to the Cohutta 100 the first race in the NUE series. I've never done this race before and the reason why is I figured the drive would suck. Now onto the race it starts on the highway with about a 2 mile climb then a short downhill then into some really fun singletrack. I had an OK start and was maybe in the top 40 or so headed into the singletrack. It was pretty tight and I passed a few people then I finally caught up to the big line of people. It seemed pretty chill like and not much going on and the pace seemed pretty easy to handle. Then we hit some downhills and it opened up and I was able to get around a few more people. Then back in the tight stuff I think the first 20 to 25 miles was pretty much all singletrack and a blast to ride. Then we hit the gravel and dirt roads and started climbing. I passed the first aid station and everything was going good. The climbs seemed to be pretty long but not to steep and it be allot of up and down. I got the second aid station and made my first big mistake of the day. Usually I don't put anything in the drop bags because I figure what's the chances of putting in the correct stuff. You could put 20 things in and forget the one thing you do need and so everything is else is useless. The only reason I used them this time was because I wasn't sure how stocked the aid stations would be so I just packed some food, coke and redbull. Now for the mistake it wasn't what I packed it was remembering which stop I put it in. After searching through the bags twice I left and figured that I must have put it in #3 not #2. Not sure how many miles in it was but at about 4 hours in the rain started. It was pretty steady and some thunder and lightening too. I got to #3 and found my bag and continued on. Then around mile 80 I was seeing allot more people I think this was around where the 100K racers rejoined 100 milers. I was feeling pretty strong still and every time I would get near someone I was looking to see if they were a SS or geared racer. Not sure but I think I passed like 5 or 6 other SS racers. Then I hit the final piece of singletrack and figured from what everyone had told me I had about 10 miles to go. It was pretty muddy and wet I felt like I was riding it pretty well. Then it happened my chain fell off I stopped and put it back on it happened early too but I decided not to fix it then. Then it happened again and again I think it happened like 5 or 6 more times. At this point I was debating about stopping and retensioning the chain but it was a tough call when I didn't know how much further I had to go or what the trail was like. I was watching my garmin like a hawk and knew I was getting close because I was at 94 miles. Then I passed a tent and they said 1-1/2 miles to go. I Finished without anyone catching me so I was pretty happy. My late surge put me in 4th in the SS class and around 20th overall. I was pretty happy about my placing but there was a big time gap between me and the SS in front of me. Two other note worthy details about the race for me first 100 miler in under 8 hours and first 100 miler that didn't have any hike a bikes.

Here's a few things I learned
#1 Remember what stations your drop bags are at
#2 Try to preride the beginning and end of the course
#3 The drive did suck
#4 Racing and riding in the rain is allot easier than the aftermath of changing, packing and waiting in the rain
#5 That there's an awful lot of Porn and fireworks for sale along 75 in Tennessee
The only one that was new was #5. But big thanks to everyone at Newleaf Adventure Center for all the good times and thanks to all my sponsors. Also Ruth made the trip and finished but lets just say she had a bad day and spent to much time in the cabin.

J

It's back

After 20 weeks of no racing it's back. I'm heading to Morgantown for the first race of the year. I'm really curious to see if all the training pays off. I feel like my endurance is good, my short efforts feel OK but not sure about the rest. But I still got nothing hope this ends soon.

J

Got nothing

Spring is here and I got nothing WTF! The nothing I'm talking about is blog material. So I'll do my best with a short little rant about the annual suck fest known as daylight savings. With a little bit of research it seems that's there's no clearcut reason behind this annual ritual of stupidly. But one reason seems to be that it saves electricity. I'm all for the saving of electricity it seems as a country we really waste allot of it. But the thing that really makes no sense to me is why not just do it all year long? If your saving electricity in the summer by doing this shouldn't work in the winter? I have no preference when I get my daylight. I really enjoyed riding to work with no light but I also like riding home without it. So whatever just pick one time and stick to it the changing back and forth is the problem. My body doesn't like the adjustment period.
I've been keeping busy riding and skiing but after almost two months of not riding in the trails it finally happened. The snow melted and the trails dried up. At first it felt weird but it didn't take long before for it felt normal. It was almost like when you go on vacation and on your first day back to work it hits you that feeling you get like you never left. It was allot like that but except for one huge difference this felt really really good and that never does. Sorry it's not much but that's all I got.

J

Torn

(See attached file: ss.jpg)
After almost 2 weeks since I rode any bike I might give it a try this weekend. Strange thing is that I'm not experiencing withdraw symptoms like allot of people are crying about. The strangest thing about all is that I have very little patience especially when it comes to playing with new toys. My new Specialized Rockhopper SS has been built for about two weeks and has yet to be ridden WTF? Back at the start of winter I decided that I wasn't going to ride my trainer or rollers all winter. So I rode in the cold got some studded tires to ride in the snow and started climbing the stairs at the cathedral when I wasn't riding. Then it happened the snow came and the outdoor riding stopped. The stair climbing also stopped from fear of trying to find a parking spot. So I started doing some more cross country skiing. The thing about CX skiing is I have lots of fun sometimes and not so much fun other times. I think the problem is my skis weren't meant for the type of skiing I want to do. But last weekend I got to try something new. Gerry had an extra pair of snowshoes and if I wanted to go. I figured sure why not give it a try. We went up on the Laural Highlands Hiking Trail and it was awesome. The snow was like 4' to 5' deep and I think I got spoiled because this was my first time and conditions were prefect. We stayed out for only 6 hours and only went about 10 miles but it was a blast the entire time. I had such a good time that Gerry only has one pair of snowshoes because I bought his extra pair. So after snowshoeing everyday except one I'm torn literally. Yes I want the snow to be gone so I can ride my bike but I also want it to stay because it's been such a blast. Good thing it's only skin it'll grow back in no time.

(See attached file: torn.jpg)


J

Enough Already

I've had enough already and I'm not talking about the weather. But in a round about way I guess I am talking about the weather. It seems just about everywhere at work, on the radio everyone is crying about the weather. Is everyone a WUSS? It's just snow and I don't like to inconvenienced but that's all it really is. As far as I know no the snow hasn't killed anyone yet. Or did it and I missed something? I'm sure the it would suck not having power for several days. Most of the people crying about shoveling the snow could use the exercise. The people crying that their street hasn't been plowed try walking it will make you appreciate your car a little more. This is like a once every 20 year storm maybe you should try to embrace the snow? Try skiing, snowshoeing or go sled riding? Whatever funny thing is about it is the some people complaining about the snow now will be complaining about the weather when it's to hot and humid in the summer.

J