Big Bear 2x12

(See attached file: Big Bear.jpg)

Late and behind again but whatever here it is. I'm really not into 24 hour racing anymore it's fun and I night riding is a blast. But there's not enough fun to make up for all the sleep I lose. But this year was different I was actually looking forward to the annual 24 Hours of Big Bear this year because it was going to be the 24 Hour Nationals. But thanks to Greedy Gear is was cancelled thanks Laird your the best. But something good came out of the 24 hour race getting cancelled. Mark Schooley the mountain biker that runs Big Bear Lake stepped up big time and decided to put on some type of endurance race that same weekend. It started out as the Big Bear 4x24 but in the end it was the Big Bear 2x12. Its a pretty simple format teams of two racers each must complete 2 or 3 laps depending on your class. The more I thought about it I liked this format plus the first place payout of a $1000 made in even more attractive to me. My hardest decision now was to decide which class and finding a partner. In the end I asked Suz Falvey to team up with me. Even with a stacked coed class I liked our chances. Just for the record Ruth doesn't like racing with me says she feels to much pressure.
Packing was super easy cause I knew exactly how much stuff to bring cause I knew how many laps I had to do. I met Todd and Suz early Saturday morning and headed down. The trip was pretty uneventful except for spotting a cool ass General Lee replica on 68. We decided that it would be best for me to go first. I was pretty happy when I found out that there wasn't going to be a Le Mans start. As usual I felt like I was rushing around trying to get ready and before I knew it was time to line up and go. One thing for sure is that if you never rode at Big Bear it's worth the trip just to check out the awesome trails there. Some people say how technical and rocky it is but I just think its fun that's the stuff I love riding. I had a good first lap and come in third and then the battling started. We went from first to third and back again. But in the end Shogrens and the Riddles were to much for us and we finished third. Which was OK but with the winner take all format third or last it still meant nothing. In the end I had a blast hope to make it back again next year the only downside was the Stoopid 50 was the next day and I decided not to make the drive. Thanks to Mark and all the awesome sponsors for the good times. Almost forgot to mention that it rained a little too thanks for the picture Ben.

J

To Dash for Cash or Not?

(See attached file: dash.jpg)
Not much racing lately but had to make a tough decision between the Dash for Cash and the Mohican 100. The Dash won for several reasons not necessarily in this order cost $30 to $150, drive time 20 minutes to 3-1/2 hours, wake up at home or in a tent, rush to pack and leave Friday night or not packing and sleep in on Saturday, give my hard earned cash to someone I really don't like or give it to a local fire hall, show up at a local race in hopes they have more or go to an over hyped 100 miler, hangout with some cool people drink a few beers and eat some good grub (this would be the case at either race). If I would have only wrote this down the decision would've been some much quicker and painless.
Anyhow about the race I was stoked about the a new record turnout of a 126 racers. I thought with the crappy weather the days before and the crappy projected forecast not many people would come out. Image that I was wrong good think that never happened before. They use a TT format for the start 2 racers at time at 30 second intervals. The reason is to prevent bottle necks but I'm not so sure it really works to avoid that but the TT format is always cool. Do to my lack of paying attention and not realizing how many racers there were I got started in the near the back of the pack, It didn't take long to realize it was going to be muddy also I got caught up in the allot of bottle necking that the TT was supposed to prevent. It was all good everyone was pretty cool about passing and stuff. The mud wasn't to bad in years past the mud used to get to me but riding in the mud is all about attitude. You need to embrace it and think realize everyone else is out there in it to so how bad can it be? Then I got to the first deep creek crossing and it was so freaking awesome they put ropes across it to hold onto so no one got swept away. (The one in the picture is the small crossing sorry that's all I could find) Along with everyone else I had some bike issues and finished second. Anyhow some awesome trails and great food afterwards what more could you ask for. So if you ever get the chance be sure to give the Dash for Cash a chance you won't be disappointed. Thanks to Jarvis Lindsay and family, all the volunteers and sponsors plus the Buffalo Riders. Next time the my decision will be allot easier.

See you next year
J

Dirt Sweat and Gears

(See attached file: DSG.jpg)

(See attached file: no gas.jpg)
I made the long trip to the Dirt Sweat and Gears 12 hour race in Fayetteville Tennessee. Even with all the rumors and stories about the mud from last years race when I first heard about it I gave it some consideration. I was thinking of racing solo or solo SS but couldn't find anyone to carpool with. Then about 2 weeks before the race I was looking at the calendar and there didn't seem like much else going on that weekend. So I mentioned to Nathan Annon and he said he'd do it as a duo and do the driving so I figured why not. Then the day after we got registered I heard about the Cranky Monkey 9 hour race that was only 3 hours away. But whatever at this point it was to late to turn back. I got to Nat's on Thursday evening and we did a short road ride though Grafton WV. Then it was time to unpack my car and load up his car. It seems no matter how light I try to pack I always end up bringing a bunch of useless crap and never have the one or two things I really want.
Our plan was to get there early enough to do a preride and setup camp and then chill out. We left at 3:00 and the trip done was pretty uneventful for such along trip. The only thing that seemed really strange about the drive was Nat's got a GTI and he's from WV so that's two licenses to fly and he's driving like 5 mph over the speed limit WTF? Whatever but we finally got there and setup camp and headed out to do a lap. One thing I noticed right away was that it was allot hotter down here than up in the burgh. The course was pretty fun about 10 miles long I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of rocks and rocks. It didn't have any long climbs but lots of short and steep climbs. I was running a 34x19 gear and it seemed about right Nat was running a 34x20 and thought it was a little heavy and switched out to a 34x21. We ran into Mike Schultz and he was nice enough to let us take a shower his motel thanks Mike.
I liked the fact that the race didn't start until 9:00 plus we gained an hour crossing the time zone so it was really like 10:00. I convinced Nat to do the start because I just didn't feel dealing with of the traffic on the first lap. He came in 9th on the first lap I picked a few people off pretty early on. Then about 5 miles in the rattling noise on my bike kept getting louder and more consistent. It sounded like a loose bottle cage I moved my bottle into the other cage and still luck. Then I heard a really loud noise and thought my wheel came out of the dropouts cause the rear brake stopped working. I stopped and looked only to see that one of the bolts that hold on the rear brake caliper was missing and the other was backed out halfway. So I figured it'd be fastest just to ride out the rest of this lap without the rear brake. It worked out OK cause no one caught or past me before the end of the lap. Now it was time to start hunting down a bolt I asked allot of people and no luck. Then finally I got lucky and the guy from the Moots demo truck took one off of a demo bike thanks. Then while I was waiting to head out for my second lap the rain started. It didn't seem like it rained to hard or for to long but the trails were pretty slimly. I past allot of people walking and pushing their bikes and seen people using sticks to clean out the mud. It was bad but I didn't think it was to bad my first lap was like a :54 and my mud lap was a 1:06. So after I finished and get my bike cleaned up I heard that they decided to shorten the course to remove some of the mud. I was like WTF and went and tried to convince the people in charge to leave it alone without any luck. My case was we were racing on SS and I figured that we'd fair better in the mud than our competition that had gears on. They said tons of people were whining about how bad it was and they didn't want anyone getting hurt and also didn't want to have a bad experience and not come back next year. I understood his points agreed but it's never fun not getting your way. They were really fair about how they put people onto the shortened course too. You had to be on the same lap as the leader of your class that way every team got a little taste of the mud. I guess I'm a little more used to the mud than some others. Because they basically removed the first 2-3 miles of the course. I past some of racers in that section and finished the lap washed my bike and was waiting to head back out and they were just coming back covered in mud and they even short cutted back didn't even finish the lap. We never really got close to the first place team and went back and forth with 2nd and 3rd. In the end we finished 2nd and I was OK with that.
After the race was cool lots of free swag some god food and some great local beers. Then the rain came and it rained all night long. We woke up early and packed up in the light rain which sucked but I'm glad we left when we did cause that's when it started to rain even harder. Two rules I found out when traveling with Nat first the passenger it's allowed to sleep and second what the gas gauge. Overall I think it was a pretty awesome race and venue the only drawback I see is the 20 plus hours of driving. So as of now I'm unsure about next year. But thanks to everyone for the fun check it out www.dirtsweatandgears.com

Plus one more shout out to Scotty Holmes for his roadside assistance along 79.

J

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