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| Majestic..... I really needed to get out on the bike yesterday. I hadn't ridden since the race last weekend, what with moving to a different place this week and all. It really had nothing to do with training, or any upcoming races, it was all about spending time doing what I love to do. We all need to have an escape from the pressures and mental grind of the day to day business of living. I had an excellent escape yesterday.
I started the ride from the parking lot of the Table Rock visitors center, like I do most times I ride in the area. Right at the base of all the mountains, big parking lot, restrooms (w/ air conditioning). Headed out at 1:30pm. It was a beautiful day, upper 80s, with very low humidity and a mild breeze. Took the round about way over to Caesars Head Mtn. Country roads that mainly follow the Saluda River, with a few good climbs and nice pavement. Then it was time to climb the mountain.
I wasn't really in a "type A" mood yesterday. I didn't go after the climb with full gusto, but the 7 miles it takes to get to the top are such that there is no such thing as taking it easy. With mild discomfort I made my way to the top. Once there I rewarded my efforts with the breath taking view from the top of Caesars Head. I've stood on that rock and looked out many times now, and am still humbled by the natural beauty of our world each time. I had a nice talk with a dad and his kids about the "funny pedals" on my bike, and about how much more fun it was gonna' be going back down than it was coming up. Then I was on my way to the next stop, to see something truly majestic.
Camp Greenville was another 7 or 8 miles up the road and into North Carolina. The three miles of road from the Caesars Head to the road the camp is on is a great stretch. Somewhat, but not all, down with mild twists and turns. Very flowing, almost like a nice mountain bike trail. The rest of the way to the camp was a mix of more flowing roads and some tight, steep switchbacks. One last turn, and I was there. Pretty Place, Camp Greenville.
I've seen some pretty cool views in my life, but the beauty my eyes were taking in at that moment brought me to my knees, literally. I was in a mountain top chapel, looking at a wooden cross with a background of mountains and valleys. To say I was moved wouldn't scratch the surface. It had been almost 2 hours to get there, but the sight of this place instantly made me forget about that.
After taking a few pictures, I turned around and headed back the way I came. The return trip was about 45 minutes faster, despite the 10mph headwind. My legs got a little weary in the final 20 minutes, but not bad for such a tough ride. I got back and ate a couple cold, S. Carolina peaches from my cooler-nothing could have tasted better at that moment. On the drive home, and at nearly every moment since, I've been replaying the tape in my mind. It was a majestic day.
 
 
pict 1, Don't recall seeing that kind of sign in MI :-p
pict 2, The Saluda River
pict 3, The view from Caesars Head
pict 4, Pretty Place Chapel, the view from the pews
pict 5, The view from the other side of the cross at Pretty Place
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| You Can Take the Yankee out of the North, But...:Raccoon Mountain Race Report I have lived about 99% of my life in the state of Michigan. That is fact I was made aware of yesterday at the race in Chattanooga, TN. My bike riding up there was all about sandy, smooth trails. Carrying speed on rolling terrain. Big gears on the singlespeed. Nothing wrong with that, I love MI trails. But yesterday I raced the most difficult race course that I've been on. Raccoon Mountain TVA. I had ridden here before, but at a leisurely pace, on a geared bike. Getting off to walk a few of the rock gardens. Spinning up the tough climbs. Stopping to take pictures. Enjoying the natural beauty as much as riding the bike. None of this was the case yesterday.
I took the weekend off from everything and went to Chattanooga on Sat. for the race on Sunday. I got there about 2:30. It was 95 degrees went I went out for a lap of the 13 mile race course. After only about 1 mile into the trail my heart rate was 178 beats per minute! I knew right there I was over geared. I had been told it was "Singlespeed friendly". But, being a little arrogant, I thought I would be just fine, and didn't bring any additional cogs, so 38x17 it was. I would go hard on the hills and on put time on folks on the few flat sections. I finished the lap, and after I was done my average heart rate was at race pace. I had just done the equivalent of a tough one hour+ time trial. In extreme heat Not smart.
In the process of this lap I also managed to cut a small hole in the sidewall of my tire. Not surprising. It was a super light tire, not at all suitable for this type of rocky terrain. But, I didn't have another tire. Luckily for me the Kenda/Hayes race team has there truck there and hooked me up with a tire, a pint of sealant and even let me use their air compressor. And charged less than retail. Very cool of them. Saving my weekend. I headed to the motel, chilled out and tried to recover for the race the next day.
When I lined up at the start line for my 9:30 start time it was already 88 degrees. There was a group of about 25 singlespeeders. They looked young, and they looked fast. This is one of the more popular mtb races in the SE. I was still confident, I still liked my chances. We had a neutral roll out for a quarter mile or so, then we were off. I turned over the pedals like a mad man and took one other guy with me. We had a little gap when we hit the singletrack. I let him go in first, and rode hard to stay on his wheel. I was doing ok, until we caught the pro women. Tough course for the ladies. A lot of upper and lower body strength was required.
We navigated through the first handful of women with no issues, but then we approached a big rock section with a drop off. The guy I was riding with got around a lady just before that and I was still behind her. She came to a complete stop at the drop off. She missed the route around and didn't dare go off the ledge. I got off the bike and ran around her, but I lost contact. I backed off and reminded myself that it was going to be a long, hot day in the saddle. Because of the big gear it was impossible to spin my legs comfortably to recover, but I let my heart rate drop a little when I had the chance. A few singlespeeders caught and passed me. I let them go and rode in my zone. Hoping to catch them later.
The next 90 minutes were just about me grunting and groaning up hills, recovering at the top, and wondering when I would start to catch the guys in front of me. I never did. In fact, a guy came from behind and caught ME with about 3 miles to go, he beat me to the line by 20 seconds or so. I was more than 3 minutes slower on my second lap than my first. About 3 1/2 minutes off first place. I just didn't have the legs I needed. I was able to suck it up and keep fighting. I was only 30 seconds away from 3rd place. Proper gearing could have got me there. I think if I had taken it easy on Sat. I would have been more competitive.
I rode the race like someone who wasn't from the area. Missed on my gearing. Was a little tentative on some of the singletrack sections, went too hard the day before and didn't ride the singletrack as aggressively as I would have liked. I did, however, have the perfect singlespeed bike (minus the bad gearing) for that terrain. The smooth and efficient suspension was able to help me make it though the tough stuff and scary downhills faster and safer than I otherwise would have.
It was a really great day of riding and an awesome personal challenge for a Yankee flatland.
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| I Really Hate That Sound.... Sorry I haven't written lately, not much in the way of biking to share. I'm not sure the last two days qualify either, but at least I was on a bike. Just busy lately, and maybe a little lazy.
Yesterday I went out to my local trail to get in an hour or so. Hadn't ridden all week and wanted to wake up the legs. Race day the next day and all. It was hot, even at 10:00am it was well into the 80s, but I thought it would also be a good idea to ride in that for a short time, to get used to the heavy air. I was having a nice little ride, feeling strong and enjoying the bike. I heard a faint noise, then I felt the rear tire go soft (I hate that sound!) It went soft pretty quickly. It didn't go all the way flat, so I thought I would just co2 it and get back to the truck. That worked...... for a little while! I walked the last 1/3 of a mile. I got in about 40 minutes, including the walk. Went back home and put Stan's in the back tire, it was pretty much dry.
Today I headed over to the site of the race, Fisher Farms in Davidson, NC, for the US Kenda Cup East race, sponsored by Specialized. The course was in great condition. Much better than the week before when I pre-rode it. The singlespeeders lined up to go off at 10:38am. It was pretty hot, but I like it that way-I was stoked. But then I saw former national cross country singlespeed and age group champ (on his SS), as well as NUE singlespeed champ, DJ Birch. If you haven't heard about him, he's fast!! On a singlespeed there are very few that can match him. Even though I felt good today, I don't ride for a living. He does.
But, then it occurred to me, he had raced 50 miles at the marathon yesterday! Yessss!! I might stand half a chance. All of us singlespeeders chatted it up at the start line, joking like only singlespeeders do. During that time I also was able to figure out that no one else was running a gear as tall as me. When the start lady said "GO" I put that big gear to work and got a little bit of a gap on DJ, and a big gap on everyone else. A few miles later DJ got around me on a false flat. I held on for a little while, and then t him go, just a little.
He stayed a few turns in front of me for a while, and I was liking that. It was setting up just like my last race. I following a pro rider, and not letting him get away. Making him think about me back there. Making him question himself. It was SO much fun! He was a little faster than me in the singletrack, we were real close on the hills, and having the bigger gear I could make time on him in the fields. I didn't know if his racing yesterday would take enough out of him that I could beat him or not, but I was glad that it was a possibility.
Close to the half way mark, with DJ only about 10 seconds in front of me we went through a cool section of singletrack. A fast series of downhill turns with a 3 foot drop off at the bottom-just the kind of stuff my Titus is made for. I launched off the drop, and came down a little crooked. The front wheel landed I heard that sound. The sound of the tire rolling off the rim and air escaping. I REALLY HATE THAT SOUND! Especially in a big race when I'm chasing down a professional rider. Of course, this could have avoided if I would have 1) put more air in the tire, or 2) redone the Stan's in the front when I did the rear, I'm sure the front one is dry to.
I learned two things this weekend. First I learned that if I'm going to try to race at a high level I need to pay attention to the little details. And, just as importantly, I have figured out a race strategy that worked for me. Go hard off the start, back off just a little, and outlast the competition....
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| A Little Reconnaissance Work.A little advance scouting I guess. Next weekend I plan on racing the next stop for the US Cup East series, sponsored by Specialized. The course is called Fisher Farms. It's near the very cool Southern city of Davidson, NC. The home of Davidson College. Very clean looking town, with bike lanes everywhere, lots of parks and Historic Davidson College. It took me a little over two hours to get Davidson, but because I had left my data card at home and didn't have directions to the trail head it took another 45 minutes to find the trail!
Right away I found two things out, 1) this was going to be a very difficult race course. 2) It was going to be even more difficult for a singlespeed!
There was quite a few slick spots and even puddles from a small amount of rain they had gotten Thursday. One of those places that doesn't drain or dry very well. My slick rear tire was good for not picking up and holding lots of mud, but provided very little traction. The course is always either going up on old two tracks or going down really, really technical (scary even!) singletrack. The course looks to be about 9 miles or so.
First lap I didn't like it much. I couldn't come close to making a few of the climbs, I didn't make a few of the technical sections and the ground was very slippery. The second lap I still couldn't make the two really tough climbs, but I made a few more of the hard sections in the woods. I stopped and took on a gel pack, got some cold water and went back out for one more lap.
This lap I didn't even try to make the two big hills. You see, it had been so long since I raced singlespeed bikes on a regular basis that I had forgotten something: You can get off and run with your bike any time you want to, no ones if forcing you to try and clear everything. In racing there are no style points. Running up the hills and over really hard sections is a weapon I used to use very effectively. Often running right by people on their bikes as they were struggling.
I ran a real steep series of uphill switchbacks and through one scary creek crossing as well. By the third lap I built up the courage to jump all the drop-offs, ride the skinny boards over the ditches and hit the tough sections with the momentum needed to make it. After that 3rd lap I felt better about my chances next weekend.
20 minutes of spinning around for a warm up and three laps in the hot, humid weather was just about right. Right about 3 hours of tough riding after more than 4 the previous day. The best back to back training days I've had in a few months.
I only snapped these two picts, but it will give you an idea of what the place is like. Not your average race course by any means.
 
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| Doing more before 9:00am than most do all day (or all week?) Today I let my neighbor talk me into leaving to go for a bike ride at 5:30am. He was sure it was going to be "light enough to ride". One thing about type "A" personality types is they are optimistic-often misguided-but optimistic! We rolled out a few minutes after 5:30am into the darkness. On the positive side, there was zero traffic and the weather was about 70 degrees. After a few miles of riding in the dark and hoping not to hit potholes or small animals we met up with two of his friends. The four of us took off toward the rural roads of of Pickens County, SC. It was still dark.
We started climbing the first hill and I got out of breath pretty quickly. I wasn't really warmed up and it was a good, long climb, but still. Then it hit me, it was close to 100% humidity. We had a little bit of fun at my neighbors expense for wanting to be on the road so early, but it wasn't bad at all, really. Before too long it was light out, and we had gotten away from any possible traffic problems of suburbia. It was just the four of us, some very cool roads, great climbs with great views....... and unleashed, unchained dogs about every two miles. The dogs didn't end up causing any problems, just a few spikes in our heart rates.
I hadn't ridden the day before, and the day before that I had gone mostly easy for about 35 miles on the road bike. So I was really ready for this ride. I hot all the hills pretty hard, many of them getting up out of the saddle and powering up and over. Of course, several of them were way too long stand up the whole time. I went hard enough that I gave myself time to recover a little before the other guys got there. They are strong riders, and I never had to wait long.
When the clock stuck 9:00am we were still 8-10 miles from home, but we had already put in a full days work. We had climbed up mountains, rode through valleys and been chased by dogs to the tune of about 4000 calories. The whole thing got me to thinking about the old Army commercial. I was pretty happy about things. By the time we got back it was 9:30am and I had done of the best rides I had done in weeks. Sweet. Don't tell my neighbor, but I really glad we did it like we did it....
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