Monday, September 24, 2007

Sguirrels and Cows

You never know what you will see on a ride around here. Saturday's ride was in the mountains again (can't seem to stay away from them), we went from Erwin, over Tillson Mountain, Spivey, Indian Grave and back to Erwin. We had a great time. This time of year folks are more apt to stay together on rides and wait for slower riders. Riding along with guys you normally never see on rides was nice. It's amazing how as riders rotate around the different conversations you hear and are a part of. As we rolled along through Flag Pond we must have been interfering with the high paced lifestyle of the locals, since one of them in a big assed truck came around us with the angry roar that always seems to accompany accelerating loud vehicles. Looking to the left I saw a dog barreling down a bank barking at us on a collision course with the big ass truck. I cringed because I was afraid we were going to see a dog explode into a cloud of pink mist! Fortunately, the dog had good brakes because the big ass truck wasn't going to slow down for anything. That dog had to have grazed his whiskers on the tires of the truck as it went by. I guess the guy in the truck wanted to show us who was boss because he continued bloviating on down the road in the left lane till he was out of sight.

Tillson Mountain road makes a u-turn once you come off the main road, the first hundred yards rises so that you can see the road you were just on below you. As we were approaching the turn we heard a voice from above say " hello down there!" Was this the voice of god? I hope not because it sure sounded a lot like Bill Bridger and that's a scary thought. Once we topped Tillson Mountain and started down the technical top part of the descent Zach and I ended up in the front, as we rounded the last corner and started out into the flat there was a sight I'd never seen before. A beat up pick up truck was crawling down the road with a big black cow tied to the tailgate. I new what would happen as we went by but there wasn't a whole lot we could do at the speed we were traveling. There was no way to stop and I'm not sure that would have made things better anyway. We blew by the cow and it went crazy, bucking around and twisting it's neck, wild eyed like it was being lead to slaughter. Spun completely around the right side of the truck into the ditch. I felt bad for the farmer and his cow, but who transports a cow like that? Tillson Mountain had another animal oddity I'd never encountered before. We crossed the flat sections and started down the last down hill section when I looked up the road and saw what I thought was a pop bottle in the middle of the right hand lane. Zach veered toward me and I went closer to the center line in order to avoid it. As we got closer it began to look more and more like a squirrel. It was standing on it's hind legs, holding a nut in it's front paws, stock still. It just kept standing there. It must have never seen such contraptions before and suddenly realized at about 3 feet before impact that it should move. It zigged left, then right and off into the grass. I though for sure it was going into Zach's spokes. I don't think he would have fit through the forks when he went around.

The rest of the ride was sans anymore animal incidents, but was definitely hard since we raced off Spivey and along the Toe river where Zach and Perry handed out several fresh ones before we got to the store at Huntdale and regrouped. This is probably the one of the last long rides I'll be doing in this year. I'll miss the mountains till next spring, but now the real fun starts Cyclo-cross.

PS: I apologize for the butchering of the English language something which several people have pointed out to me. I know people who's native language isn't English and they do a better job than me. Oh well, I am from Carter County you know.

Sunday, September 16, 2007

The Mike Patterson MSG CX Camp

I've been kind of wondering who was going to be the first out of the gate with cross practice this year. Turns out Mike Patterson got the ball rolling this morning at Winged Deer. I showed up about ten minutes late (irritating guy in line at Starbucks kept adding things to his order, thought he was going to buy the whole pastry case) and felt a little let down to see only two other people. Plus, I was feakin' tired from the "ronde van hillengen" the day before. As I started dragging the barriers out of the truck and started setting them up people started trickling in, new comers and vets. Soon we had 10 people standing there eight of which had cross bikes, pretty cool. Eric and I made note of the fact that when he first started MSG it was only He, and I and my son Sean showing up for practice. Now cross is the shizzle (boy that sounds funny).

Practice was great, we looked like those little ducks going around in circles at the carnival. The ones
you grab up and look at their bottoms to see if you won a prize, except we were on bikes going around in circles jumping barriers. Really strange looks from the park goer's. Most of us were a little rusty but repetition like good techno brings it all back around, and after about 20 minutes it started coming back. Eric and Mike Seek paired off for about a 45 minute simulated race, man those guys are fast and smooth. The rest of us continued with skills for a few more minutes. Mike was very helpful explaining the finer points of mounting, dismounting, and clipping in and out to Jonell who will be doing her first cross season this year. For the grand finale we decided to ride a course so everyone would know which way to go and do a few hot laps before we packed it in. We were held up by an elderly man who couldn't understand why we just didn't jump the barriers on the bikes. He said he had a '59 Schwinn Panther with balloon tires that he could jump them with, and he was taking bets to do it. Anyway, man when we started it was like all thought went to the back of my mind and experience kicked in. Mike and I sprinted off the line first. I clipped in first try and started hammering. Rode two really fast laps. That charged me up I feel that cross excitement really kicking in , I'm ready to race. Like Eric said "this is to much fun" thanks for getting the ball rolling Mike. Cross season is here, baaaabeeee!

Saturday, September 15, 2007

Roze Lint: Ronde Van Hellingen

We rode the 50 mile ride for the Pink Ribbon ride, which is coming up at the end of the month. I thought that this would be a pretty easy ride, 50 miles, no mountains, and ladies along on the ride. Boy was I wrong! One rolling hill after the other, short steep ones, shallow long grades, one hill after the other, some with about 20 feet of downhill to recover before the next one. Plus, Jeff and I racing to the top of each one didn't make it any easier. 2 hours into the ride we were averaging 18 MPH. The temps were in the 60's and it was overcast perfect weather, CX weather, perfect for CX training.

Oh! and remember the ladies, four of the strongest fastest ladies I know! Janine, Jonell, Nicole, and Susi very strong riders. We were all especially proud of Nicole since she rode ten miles further than ever before. Since the ride was a group ride with no drop we always regrouped at intersections (once we all figured out were everyone was when one group took a wrong turn) and I still ended with a 17 mph average. This ride is so hilly it's great for building aerobic fitness not to mention very scenic. It has been renamed the "Ronde Van Hellingen" what a great ride.

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Baldman Blues

I hate running. As I mentioned before I quit running after discovering the bike. Athletics were never important to me when I was in high school. My career on the cross country track team we brief and uneventful except for my 4th place in the 880 (yards), then I quit when I found a job.

Backpacking used to be my thing and that's what prompted the reintroduction to running. In between backpacking trips I would do absolutely nothing and as I got older, strapping on a 30lb pack and walking 25 miles became increasingly difficult. So, running was my way of staying somewhat fit for backpacking. The challenge that I enjoyed from backpacking was replaced with that of cycling and so I said to self " self you are never running again, ever".
That was until I discovered cyclo-cross. Never say never.

Running still sucks and I suck so bad at it I get passed by toddlers and little chihuahua dogs. Yesterday was the first official day of CX training (following my excellent plan from Andy Applegate) I only had to run 15:00 minuites. Felt like a forced march by General Sherman on the way to Atlanta. My feet felt like lead weights and I couldn't quit looking at my watch "Oh' god it's only been five minutes". It's amazing at how specialized the body becomes. I can ride 5 hours at a good 18 MPH average, but 15:00 of running puts me down for the count. As my day wore on I actually bonked at work! Couldn't get anything done I was so glad when it started raining and I new the Pack Ride would be canceled. When I got home I was so hungry I ate anything available till supper was ready. Then I just sat on the couch staring into space. All over a 15:00 run. Today is CX skills / mow Grandparents yard day, tomorrow I gotta run 20:00 that's five whole more minutes and ride 1:30. Like I was told by Cara McCauley "You gotta work on your limiters" whoa is me.

Thursday, September 6, 2007

I Can Feel It Comin'..........

Cross is in the air folks, it's getting so close I've lost all motivation for anything else. Got the State TT next week and I don't even want to do it, and I'm one of the few who likes TT's. Plus I'm actually thinking about running, me the guy who hated running and quit when he discovered the bike! My friend in the video expresses it so well, click play and let my friend Jone's show you how I feel.

Monday, September 3, 2007

Paybacks

Paybacks are supposed to be hell, and I guess that depends on how your read it. Levi Liephimer stormed to victory with a 1.11 gap over the rest including team mate George Hincapie whom everyone assumed was helpin' out a team mate for the win at last years USPRO, but he seemed a little disgruntled afterwards. I won't bore you with to many details you can read those on the web.

Greenville, SC is a perfect place for a bike race. The city center is well kept and you can tell that the city takes pride in it's main street. Tree lined, providing a green canopy high above to shade the citizens below, wide side walks with manicured shrubs along the way, and brick pavers on the road. Great place to watch a bike race. The format of the race made it great for spectators to mingle through the downtown area. After 3 four mile circuits of the city the crew went out for four 21 mile loops across Paris mountain, so every 45 minutes the race would speed through town and go back out again until the final 3 circuits of the city. It was great to sit at a table along the side walk eating my lunch and watch the field come coursing through the turns right past me on their way through town. The finish was a monster with a climb of about 500m and an average of about 10%.

This race had a special feel to it, kinda like a hometown race and one that will live my memory. I guess it had to do with it being and American race with American fans, an American city, and 114 American racers. It was very special when the national anthem was sang and to hear the hush come over the crowd and the cheers go up when it was finished. It's great to be an AmeriCAN. I hope the USPRO Championships come back to Greenville next year.

Unlike other sports American cycling fans are participants, and understand the sport from a whole different perspective than other sports. Ever go to a football game and look in the stands. What do you see? Big-un's, acres and acres of Big-un's all living vicariously through some guy whom they couldn't get within ten feet of and probably wouldn't give them the time of day. Go to a bike race and what do you see? 90% of the people there are lean, healthy and fit, and enjoying a sport that most participate in at some level, be it racing or recreational riding. And the racers will actually talk to you.

There are a lot of negatives associated with the sport at the highest level, but there is more good than bad. I think American cycling is the place where the image can be restored. Why do so many Euro's want race in the US for less money? Because the pressure to dope is not prevalent as is in Europe. That's not to say all American cyclists are pure. There is always some rat fink dirty scum back cheat willing to do anything to win, and they should all be thrown under the bus. I'll put faith in the sport and which is still something worthy of our support. Judging from my experience in Greenville, AMeriCAN cycling seems very strong and I have hope for the future.



PS: look where the arrows are pointing in the pic. You can see my bald head above my wife's. We made the big time.