Coming soon. So many of us now ride 'cross (cx) bike but have never raced. It really is a world apart, an alternate reality from road or mountain. Weirder than singlespeeds even.
'Cross is Hard. Lungs searing survive that initial sprint, hold your place, watch that squeeze, dont wreck me you F**k! Hit it, legs go, go, go. Recover lungs, damn you, cmon gain in this section, f'in flats, roadies killing me, hold that wheel. Redline, recover, redline again, off bike, over barriers, shit can't clip in, som bitch lost place, f-er, hit it cmon get it back, breathe, get the lactic out, manage the heart rate, can't keep this close to redline, will pay ltr. rip it. good section, ride it clean, hit it, lap over - only 40 more minutes of hell.
'Cross is training. Tuesday nite chasing the 'fast' guys around State College. Wednesday following a Ferrari around and practicing barriers, sprints, and then finishing with a race. It's knowing you'll suffer the entire time but showing up anyway. Its being slow, its being fast, its falling down, its sliding perfectly through a turn, its winning a sprint. Its being out of gas, hungry and cold. Its finishing in the dark. Its rollers and running. Its wanting to quit all the time, but not being able to.
'Cross is travel. Its riding 4 hours to do a 45 minute race. Its planning your weekends around your travel time, not your races. Its google maps and mapquest. Its gas station questions and interstate information kiosks. Its where am I? Its finding America in the middle of nowhere. Its being alone and appreciating a familiar voice on NPR. Its sleeping on couches, floors, and other people's beds. Its about never being comfortable...until Sunday night.
'Cross is a cool scene. Its beer. Its screaming. Its fan friendly. Its seeing the same racers week after week until you are no longer strangers. Its grabbing a beer while off the back or grabbing one while off the front. Its climbing that run-up to delight the crowd. Its swapping stories with Gunnar while rooting against his wife. Its DJs amping up the crowd. Its the announcer saying your name and hometown after a nifty pass. Its toeing the starting line to AC/DC Highway to Hell. Its sharing the hell, the suffering, the want of it to end. And then showing up again.
'Cross is fun! Its yelling, its screaming, its passing, its flying, its jumping, its sliding, its dancing, its drinking, its chatting, its dogs, its dreams, its addictive. Its sunny days, and snow. Its mud and misery. Its a sausage sprint! Its new friends and old. Its strange and familiar. Its smiles. Its laughter. Its endophins. Its the sharing of the moments. Its 'cross.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Riding Alone
The Lhorba listserv sent an article last week about a guy who went to ride some local trails at a park while on a visit to the area. He apparently lost control on a downhill and hit his head on rock between his eye and temple and died. He was wearing a helmet. It was tragic. Here is the exact contents of the email:
PLEASE POST THIS - NEVER RIDE ALONE - ESPECIALLY ON UNFAMILIAR TRAILS
http://www.timesonline.com/articles/2009/08/24/news/doc4a92092694ad9066878620.txt
PLEASE POST THIS - NEVER RIDE ALONE - ESPECIALLY ON UNFAMILIAR TRAILS
http://www.timesonline.com/articles/2009/08/24/news/doc4a92092694ad9066878620.txt
This f'in yanked my chain. First it was an accident! Second there is no basis that riding with a partner would have saved his life. I think it is very uncool to add your personal opinion (as fact) to this tragedy. I'm still pretty hot about it.
Why? I admit I like riding with a partner but 'never ride alone'. That is a little draconian. Most beginner riders always ride alone. Most training rides SHOULD be done alone! Commute to work? Wait, never commute to work alone! WTF?
So lets look at some stats. 700 bike fatalities a year, 500,000 injuries. But guess what, 59% of those injured are children (less than 19 yrs). Mortality rate by mtb vs mortality by road vs mortality by commute vs mortality by recreation I could not find. So what about mortality while alone alone vs. mortality not alone? It is going to take someone really serious to pull these stats. I'm talkin' PHD candidate. I doubt the poster had anything remotely factual as they are not available on Google.
The only information I could find was mtb specific. A pre thesis on mtb injuries in New Zealand that is really good. Surprisingly it never broke down the alone/not alone question. But it did tell us without question that downhills cause injuries. The injury rate on downhills is far above any other type of mt biking - NEVER RIDE DOWNHILL! Other interesting studies were done at race events to look at male/female injury rates. They didn't address the alone/not alone question either but did let me know women get injured just as much as men! At least the racers do. Must be the downhills...
So where did this 'never ride alone' mantra come from? Just a tangent of general outdoor safety I think. 'Always let someone know where you are going and when you should return', correct. That's smart but its unrealistic for mtb's. My profile, single, live alone, family far away, neighbors would more likely TRY to kill me. I could tell my dog??? But we have cell phones, the trails are not deserted, and there are no human carnivores in our region of the world (unfortunately!). So is this still accurate?
I checked 3 bike forum for 'riding alone'. Guess what, every single mtb rides alone at some point. So this 'never bike alone' is being ignored by 99.999999% of the biking community. Where the F does this idiot get this sh*t??? Why am I the only one who cares?
I'll be the first to promote riding with a partner. But if it is between riding alone and not riding? RIDE ALONE (cue scary music and evil laughter). Until I see the statistics, the facts, I don't believe riding alone is any more dangerous than riding in a group. And I certainly believe it wasn't the prevailing cause of death in the tragic death in the article.
Now get out and RIDE!!!
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
On the road again
Old Man Ride goes to Renovo!
A funeral then a bum knee kept me from the Old Man ride the past 2 weeks. Pete was set on Renovo and we were game. 8am start for a big group including the usual suspects with guest appearance by D. Hill and Bob Rad. 12 of us rolled out. A big crew will help with the big miles (125-130). My original plan was to climb up to Snowshoe, check the knee, then maybe turn around on the plateau and head back to cut it short. I pulled to the base of the climb on 144 then had to recover. Found life and started bridging back up, recover, bridge, repeat. Leaders just ahead. Bridge to them at top - great effort, where did these climbing legs suddenly appear? Snowshoe, regroup and eat. Across plateau, f'in roller heaven. 40 miles to Renovo - 40 miles of rollers - crap. Josh convinces me it is easier to stay with the group. Riding partner calls, I tell her I'm not back tracking! Climb up the lip, staying with the group, pressure peter but not enough to break him, he's KOM. Damn, one more pitch? 15%, I blow up but so does everyone else except nifty Todd. Descent to Renovo, ahh relax. I run 'cross gears so I'm spun out early. Bridge to Todd/Josh at bottom. Make a game and try to gap leaders in flats - fun. Renovo! IGA has fruit and choc milk, yum, need to push the liquids. Off again, rollers alongside river. Serious rollers for a 'flat' section. Who built this road, those are f'in hills in a downstream river valley. Who signed up for this? In sprint, James loses something. I double back to get it. Bob picks up the lube. We're off the back by a 100 yds but both strong. My pull, his pull, up a roller, maxing heartrate, my pull, his pull, he's breathing hard, my pull, here's a flat, dig, dig, dig. We're back on. F' that was hard! Not stopping. F' the lube next time. Spent! Roll into Lock Haven, then the sheetz at Mill Hall. Mile 95 at 20mph pace. Second fastest ride in State College, baby! We are freaks this summer. Truly. Glad to get onto Jacksonville. Didn't remember this part during the double but its beautiful. Josh and I spot an osprey on a pull. Runkle sprints from far, can't catch him, but end up doing another pull. Leave it out here on this ride, been going great all day lets see what I'm made of. Easy to recover as need to slow pace - everyone's tired. Longest ride for 2 fellas. Into Bellefonte, my first ride of the year was to Bellefonte and back. Thought that was good, now Bellefonte to State is nothing. Seibert hill. James takes off, f' it, I mark him then pass. Try to recover before the steep, damn it can't. He goes, Todd gets me. Another steep, legs toast, Bob passes but I stay on his wheel on will power alone. Could outsprint him but its pointless. Matching his pace was the victory. Out to the airport, seeya glover, regroup for finish, I am 5th back at light and attack early but perfectedly. I gap the field by a few seconds. Just hold this pace for 300 yards...shit I'm tired. C'mon, TT and dig. Fumes. no response, rounding turn I can see bridge, f' it. Fork is in me. 100 yards short I pull over and field zips by. I'll give myself most combative rider for the day. Pissed, I had it. Happy I left it out there.
Final stats - 125+, 18.8ish, 7600 elevation gain. approx 6 hrs ride time. Effort level - high to very high.
A funeral then a bum knee kept me from the Old Man ride the past 2 weeks. Pete was set on Renovo and we were game. 8am start for a big group including the usual suspects with guest appearance by D. Hill and Bob Rad. 12 of us rolled out. A big crew will help with the big miles (125-130). My original plan was to climb up to Snowshoe, check the knee, then maybe turn around on the plateau and head back to cut it short. I pulled to the base of the climb on 144 then had to recover. Found life and started bridging back up, recover, bridge, repeat. Leaders just ahead. Bridge to them at top - great effort, where did these climbing legs suddenly appear? Snowshoe, regroup and eat. Across plateau, f'in roller heaven. 40 miles to Renovo - 40 miles of rollers - crap. Josh convinces me it is easier to stay with the group. Riding partner calls, I tell her I'm not back tracking! Climb up the lip, staying with the group, pressure peter but not enough to break him, he's KOM. Damn, one more pitch? 15%, I blow up but so does everyone else except nifty Todd. Descent to Renovo, ahh relax. I run 'cross gears so I'm spun out early. Bridge to Todd/Josh at bottom. Make a game and try to gap leaders in flats - fun. Renovo! IGA has fruit and choc milk, yum, need to push the liquids. Off again, rollers alongside river. Serious rollers for a 'flat' section. Who built this road, those are f'in hills in a downstream river valley. Who signed up for this? In sprint, James loses something. I double back to get it. Bob picks up the lube. We're off the back by a 100 yds but both strong. My pull, his pull, up a roller, maxing heartrate, my pull, his pull, he's breathing hard, my pull, here's a flat, dig, dig, dig. We're back on. F' that was hard! Not stopping. F' the lube next time. Spent! Roll into Lock Haven, then the sheetz at Mill Hall. Mile 95 at 20mph pace. Second fastest ride in State College, baby! We are freaks this summer. Truly. Glad to get onto Jacksonville. Didn't remember this part during the double but its beautiful. Josh and I spot an osprey on a pull. Runkle sprints from far, can't catch him, but end up doing another pull. Leave it out here on this ride, been going great all day lets see what I'm made of. Easy to recover as need to slow pace - everyone's tired. Longest ride for 2 fellas. Into Bellefonte, my first ride of the year was to Bellefonte and back. Thought that was good, now Bellefonte to State is nothing. Seibert hill. James takes off, f' it, I mark him then pass. Try to recover before the steep, damn it can't. He goes, Todd gets me. Another steep, legs toast, Bob passes but I stay on his wheel on will power alone. Could outsprint him but its pointless. Matching his pace was the victory. Out to the airport, seeya glover, regroup for finish, I am 5th back at light and attack early but perfectedly. I gap the field by a few seconds. Just hold this pace for 300 yards...shit I'm tired. C'mon, TT and dig. Fumes. no response, rounding turn I can see bridge, f' it. Fork is in me. 100 yards short I pull over and field zips by. I'll give myself most combative rider for the day. Pissed, I had it. Happy I left it out there.
Final stats - 125+, 18.8ish, 7600 elevation gain. approx 6 hrs ride time. Effort level - high to very high.
Friday, August 14, 2009
W101
Wow, what can I say???
It started ok, then we climbed into mist and stayed in the mist. I was soaked. I couldn't see. F'in spectacles. Down the dangerous fire road descent. Take hand off handlebars to move glasses so I don't see through them. Bad vision is worse than no vision, right? Ok climbing and moving up, maybe I'll hook up with Todd, Josh, etc. Good there they are! Jump on the train with the friendlies! Miles pass, not feeling it. The little up on crowfield spits me, I'm alone, me and the fork. Stop for a drink before thickhead. Climb it well, can't see tho. Detweiler - blind - omg. Rider in front - LOG! Praise the saints I would never seen it! Up Bear Meadows, f'in fog, I can't tell how steep. Then down, take lead on Lonberger and drop the group - expected. 3 bridges, 1st bridge ok, prudence tells me to get off the second. Haven't walked them in years - bike tries to drag me off 3rd. On for Hollywood, sending it while singing 'Billy Jean' by MJ. Guy wrecks at end and I foot/push/dab to avoid him w/o losing momentum - classy Rothrock move. Up Laurel, hang on to group - hard, mist going. Down Lil' shingletown, muddy. Hard guy pulls everyone until Aide#2, stupid. I don't look good, don't feel good, no energy. 2 sandwiches, banana, and seat adjustment. Go time.
Greenlee, Pooh and I start up, beer station!!! Drop him, but not feeling it. Mathews catches me by top, tires are over-pressured for Croyle so let him go. De-pressure. Croyle sucks, not fast. wet. Onto seager. stop for a dip in the stream. Climbing. Legs coming around I think. A fan up ahead in costume, Centurian? He's going to hit me with his sword. NO! It's CHIP! Hi-five, bro! Huge push, he's the man. Groups coming back, yes! Shit, the climb ends. Down telephone, better than expected, across spenser to aide#3. More sandwich, one for the road.
Push bike (savvy vet move) up Sass-crap. Finish sandwich and get on. Behind grannies but refuse to pass, stupid as I probably burnt more energy instead of saving. Ditch them to go in first on upper. Rippin' it. Picking off riders. Downhill, Nord at turn, then to Lingle, hard, slippery, fun. Up the road, more riders come back. Josh - doesn't look good and cramping. Adios at Beautiful, scorch it. Kikapoo, horrid, endo and stove finger. Endo again. Paying for tiny front tire. Make it down. Alone on road. Love that section - into the 'town', aide #4. Eat, drink, say Hi!. Clay asked for time check. Overhear Eric tell him 10 hr pace. F*ck, can I do it? Put it out of my mind. Long way to go.
Up Stillhouse and find a pace, catch people. SS passes me - barely can turn pedals, I pace behind. Top is there before I know it. Legs are feeling iffy, mind is tiring. Wet clothes. Put it behind you. Good downhill then familiar trail, out to road and see Jim and Mike! I pee and we chat. Bad trail ahead - what? I've been ripping singletrack, might be good. Send Little Poe, absolutely kill it. Hit re-route, f! this is where I got lost 2 years ago! Granny climb, guy ahead tells me rattler is on left. Nothing there, no his left. Biggie, wants to cross in front of me but I sprint ahead, I'm not stopping on this climb. Logging road, good. Then see right turn to follow deer fence, more up! Granny again, down, up, granny two, down up, off bike, f'in ridiculous. Catch group and ride into #5.
Coke! Cookies! Eric lubes bike so I have excuse to stay. Girl from VA punches me and tells me to get on my bike! WTF? She's tired of me passing her - ha! Get on the last leg with J. Williams (master). Nothing left in tank so we don't even work together on the rail trail. Road to Old Mingle I drop the group I'm with. Stop for leak at bottom. It ain't gonna be pretty. Jump in with group and two of us pace together. He's going to walk, I tell him to stand and he gaps me! At top, not bad just nothing in legs. Down to fisherman's path, mojo is gone. Still catching people but ride it worse than I ever have. Back to rail trail, catch VA girl and sandbagger. He leads but drops her, I don't care to bridge so we trade pulls - tired. Over bridge, good photo! Through tunnel, wait for her (gentleman). Pull her on road. Round turn, IS THAT THE FINISH??? Yes, I reply, my GRIN bursting from my face, can't you see my GRIN! I see hers. Its worth every minute of the 10 hrs. Into Coburn, go ahead I tell her. Into the park, Kim shouts 'Oh no' as she wasn't ready with the camera. No matter, get the pic later, I'm done. Happy. Congrats back and forth, Jimbo tells me I finish under 10hrs - 9:56. Did it. Take my glass. Tough day, ready to change and for beer. See Runkle and the Cruikshank - umm beer. Go to change, chaffed. Wet for 10 hrs, what do you expect? More beer. Food. Friends. Tommi jokes that I got 'chicked' at the end. It's all good. Hang with friends. Other finishers - Sam, Rach, and finally the Rockstar known as Leah!!! Biggest cheer of the day, deservedly so. The W101, it will be legend this year.
Looking back I never felt good the entire day. I actually decided I wouldn't do it next year. But oh the short lived discontent. I'll be in, I know I will. The singlespeed is calling...
It started ok, then we climbed into mist and stayed in the mist. I was soaked. I couldn't see. F'in spectacles. Down the dangerous fire road descent. Take hand off handlebars to move glasses so I don't see through them. Bad vision is worse than no vision, right? Ok climbing and moving up, maybe I'll hook up with Todd, Josh, etc. Good there they are! Jump on the train with the friendlies! Miles pass, not feeling it. The little up on crowfield spits me, I'm alone, me and the fork. Stop for a drink before thickhead. Climb it well, can't see tho. Detweiler - blind - omg. Rider in front - LOG! Praise the saints I would never seen it! Up Bear Meadows, f'in fog, I can't tell how steep. Then down, take lead on Lonberger and drop the group - expected. 3 bridges, 1st bridge ok, prudence tells me to get off the second. Haven't walked them in years - bike tries to drag me off 3rd. On for Hollywood, sending it while singing 'Billy Jean' by MJ. Guy wrecks at end and I foot/push/dab to avoid him w/o losing momentum - classy Rothrock move. Up Laurel, hang on to group - hard, mist going. Down Lil' shingletown, muddy. Hard guy pulls everyone until Aide#2, stupid. I don't look good, don't feel good, no energy. 2 sandwiches, banana, and seat adjustment. Go time.
Greenlee, Pooh and I start up, beer station!!! Drop him, but not feeling it. Mathews catches me by top, tires are over-pressured for Croyle so let him go. De-pressure. Croyle sucks, not fast. wet. Onto seager. stop for a dip in the stream. Climbing. Legs coming around I think. A fan up ahead in costume, Centurian? He's going to hit me with his sword. NO! It's CHIP! Hi-five, bro! Huge push, he's the man. Groups coming back, yes! Shit, the climb ends. Down telephone, better than expected, across spenser to aide#3. More sandwich, one for the road.
Push bike (savvy vet move) up Sass-crap. Finish sandwich and get on. Behind grannies but refuse to pass, stupid as I probably burnt more energy instead of saving. Ditch them to go in first on upper. Rippin' it. Picking off riders. Downhill, Nord at turn, then to Lingle, hard, slippery, fun. Up the road, more riders come back. Josh - doesn't look good and cramping. Adios at Beautiful, scorch it. Kikapoo, horrid, endo and stove finger. Endo again. Paying for tiny front tire. Make it down. Alone on road. Love that section - into the 'town', aide #4. Eat, drink, say Hi!. Clay asked for time check. Overhear Eric tell him 10 hr pace. F*ck, can I do it? Put it out of my mind. Long way to go.
Up Stillhouse and find a pace, catch people. SS passes me - barely can turn pedals, I pace behind. Top is there before I know it. Legs are feeling iffy, mind is tiring. Wet clothes. Put it behind you. Good downhill then familiar trail, out to road and see Jim and Mike! I pee and we chat. Bad trail ahead - what? I've been ripping singletrack, might be good. Send Little Poe, absolutely kill it. Hit re-route, f! this is where I got lost 2 years ago! Granny climb, guy ahead tells me rattler is on left. Nothing there, no his left. Biggie, wants to cross in front of me but I sprint ahead, I'm not stopping on this climb. Logging road, good. Then see right turn to follow deer fence, more up! Granny again, down, up, granny two, down up, off bike, f'in ridiculous. Catch group and ride into #5.
Coke! Cookies! Eric lubes bike so I have excuse to stay. Girl from VA punches me and tells me to get on my bike! WTF? She's tired of me passing her - ha! Get on the last leg with J. Williams (master). Nothing left in tank so we don't even work together on the rail trail. Road to Old Mingle I drop the group I'm with. Stop for leak at bottom. It ain't gonna be pretty. Jump in with group and two of us pace together. He's going to walk, I tell him to stand and he gaps me! At top, not bad just nothing in legs. Down to fisherman's path, mojo is gone. Still catching people but ride it worse than I ever have. Back to rail trail, catch VA girl and sandbagger. He leads but drops her, I don't care to bridge so we trade pulls - tired. Over bridge, good photo! Through tunnel, wait for her (gentleman). Pull her on road. Round turn, IS THAT THE FINISH??? Yes, I reply, my GRIN bursting from my face, can't you see my GRIN! I see hers. Its worth every minute of the 10 hrs. Into Coburn, go ahead I tell her. Into the park, Kim shouts 'Oh no' as she wasn't ready with the camera. No matter, get the pic later, I'm done. Happy. Congrats back and forth, Jimbo tells me I finish under 10hrs - 9:56. Did it. Take my glass. Tough day, ready to change and for beer. See Runkle and the Cruikshank - umm beer. Go to change, chaffed. Wet for 10 hrs, what do you expect? More beer. Food. Friends. Tommi jokes that I got 'chicked' at the end. It's all good. Hang with friends. Other finishers - Sam, Rach, and finally the Rockstar known as Leah!!! Biggest cheer of the day, deservedly so. The W101, it will be legend this year.
Looking back I never felt good the entire day. I actually decided I wouldn't do it next year. But oh the short lived discontent. I'll be in, I know I will. The singlespeed is calling...
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