Spoiled one

Tomorrow 12/31 is my "spoiled one's" birthday. Actually it's the anniversary date of her adoption from the Roanoke Vally SPCA. She was born sometime in October but we don't know when..so we use her adoption date as her birthday. She'll be 8. Hard to believe we've had Gretta 8 years now...where does the time go? Here's a pic of her chewing on her "birthday treat" and then chilling out afterwards.

bucks, trees, graves, creeks, rock sculptures and trolls

Went for a ride this morning w/ Jen at the Cove. Temps were hovering in the high 40's, low 50's along w/ a bit of wind....It would be chilly on the road but we'd be out of the wind on the trails. I didn't feel like climbing so we stayed on the lower trails today. My legs are still feeling the weight workout from Saturday and riding at Panapas Pond on Sunday. We headed out the road and made the left onto Songbird. About 6 1/2 minutes into the ride we had to do some log clearing on Songbird. With all of the wind, there was a bunch of stuff down. We laid the bikes down & started moving the log. I'm such a weakling..Jen was using her brute strength gained by moving patients at the hospital to push this log off the trail. It took a little more effort on my part but we got the thing moved. Jen then decided to act like a tree, so we captured a photo.


































Onward we went...twisting, turning, through the leaves. We got to a point where a log used to cross the trail....I was getting ready to dismount when we discovered it has been moved! Woo Hoo. Down through the zoomy section we went...We came upon the tree that is across the lower section of the trail. I think Jen underestimated the angle to get around this log & here's the end result:














We decided to go up Arrowhead...before ascending we took a detour to check out the Confederate grave. I'm curious to know the history of this person...maybe one day I'll do a little more research. The setting is quite serene...with the minor exception of the crazy mountain bike chicks taking pics of the headstone.
















We got to the first crest on Arrowhead & took a short break. I had forgotten what a pain that climb can be. As we sipped from our water bottles, I could see a large buck in the distance. We continued down the trail. I tried to ride slow b/c I knew buck would be hanging out. I came upon him too quickly & he took off. He was around 4 -6 points.. and he was chasing a doe. They scurried up the other side of the trail. We plodded on. Soon we came across another buck which was larger than the first. He was afraid of us too & took off. Got to the creek crossings...I was able to do most of them.....I cleared the one at the end....Jen commented "Well aren't you special"...that's only the 5th time or so I've been able to ride that creek and I took a bad line. Jen walked it..the entry is a little sketchy so I don't blame her at all for walking it.














We came out on the fireroad..on to Schoolhouse & Little Bell. I was starting to fatigue at this point...not enough carbs a few days prior to this ride. We rode along and came up to the "vista point" there's not much of a vista b/c there's no water in the cove! We continued on..debated on going down Enchanted Forest...we opted for the fireroad for a little bit, then decided to dump back down to EF. I'd much rather do the logs, roots on EF than ride the boring fireroad.



















Once we jumped on Comet, Jen pointed out the rock sculpture in progress so of course I had to take a photo.


















We continued on..my legs were shot so no Four Gorge trail for me. We rode back on the road...I noticed 2 trolls on the trees....I had never noticed these in all the times we've ridden by them. We rolled back to the vehicles..Jen had to go to work...I headed home to grab lunch & hang out w/ the pooch. Fun morning at the Cove!

Ridin at the Cove

I decided to take a "mental health" break this morning & joined my friend Jen for a spin at the Cove. Weather was great...high 50's, low 60's, slight breeze. We had tinkered with the idea of doing Hemlock Tunnel aka Clownhead. Jen had not ridden this trail before so she was up to the challenge. We headed out the paved road then started up the 1000' climb. I forgot how tough the first part of the climb was with only 1 gear...we trudged on...I stopped once or twice to snap some photos but we got to the trailhead in roughly 30 minutes. At the top someone had added a nice rock formation to the top of the sign:

We were a little pooped out from the climb but we ventured on. The top of this trail is a little loose in spots and it's covered in leaves..although you're not knee deep in leaves just yet. I managed all the switchbacks this time around. Jen walked a few but they were a little narly...we proceeded down to the really steep section. There was a friendly little sign on the tree warning us to turn back...Ha.

I could see the line to ride in this section but I could not manage my bike to get there. I kept ending up in the rut and the leaves were a little slick so traction was a bit of a challenge. We hopped off & walked a bit. We had to climb over a big tree which has fallen across the trail but were able to get back on the bikes at this point.

We proceeded down to the bottom of the trail.

There was some old caution tape on the trees left over from the Commonwealth games race. Why this was still out there after all these months, I have no clue. We decided to be good stewards of the trail & clean up this stuff. We contined on, crossing a couple of semi dry streams. We picked up more caution tape along the way. As we came out to the fireroad, we turned left and headed up towards the trailhead for Comet. When we arrived at the trailhead we debated on continuing up the fireroad to Tuckaway or tackling this section of Comet. We opted for Comet...Jen had not ridden this section of trail yet so it would be a good challenge. We descended quickly. There are a few spots in the trail which are very technical..I stopped along the way to let Jen know which line to take. When we got towards the middle of the trail, it makes a tight left hand switchback with no where to bail..so once you commit to it, you have to ride it out. What was funny is when I arrived I blurted "Oh Sh#^"...I made the turn..then watched Jen try it. She also blurted out "Oh Sh#^"at the same exact point I said it. Too funny! She made the turn like a pro. We encountered more caution tape tied on the trees so we proceeded to take it down. We ventured on and at one point we inhaled the sweet scent of bear poop & decaying leaves....It was quite aromatic! Jen reminded me we were approaching the area where she encountered 3 bears earlier this summer...so we kept calling for the bears as we rode throught this section of trail....we also joked that we had caution tape & we weren't afraid to use it!!!! (ok..it's no so funny now but it was funny when we were riding)

We continued on to the end of Comet & dumped back out on the fireroad...we headed back to the cars...Jen had to be at work at 2 and I had to spend the rest of the afternoon to continue my job search. It was a great ride..Jen did very well on the trails...maybe next time we'll do Gauntlet???

Ahhhh..the rewards for a fun ride....mmmmmm Smoooooooothies...

more spoiled dog pix

Since Gretta had chosen her "favorite" toy from the many I brought home, I put the remaining toys back in some bags & took them to the basement. I went down the other day to get something and Gretta proceeded to rifle through the bags and pick out another toy. She brought it upstairs with her...later that evening....

she fell asleep w/ it in betwen her paws...once again..the cuteness factor was raised another level.

Spoiled Dog

So Friday was my last day at the paper.. did the whole cake, & cookie thing & we'll miss you schpeel....as I was conversing w/ some of my soon to be ex-coworkers, someone asked me what was up with my desk? I was not sure what they meant...but when I came back to my desk, a whole sea of stuffed animals had appeared. One of my co-workers brought them to me as a going away gift.

I bagged them all up, brought them home, and proceeded to dump them on the floor for my dog. It was like watching a kid at Christmas...she didn't know which one to pick so she proceeded to "mouth" all of them before settling in with a Frankenstein doll. It was quite cute! Here are some pics of the spoiled one:

Making lemonade

Have been really busy w/ personal stuff going on..sorry for the lack of blogs. Here's what's been happening. Towards the middle of the summer, my hubby was approached by his company to become a Territory Manager in Pennsylvania. His future boss told him it didn't matter where he lived, so long as business in the territory grew. We were thrilled b/c it meant we could move back to his hometown outside of Pittsburgh, PA. So we got the ball rolling and over the course of the past couple of months, we have done a whole bunch of work on the house to get it on the market, started looking at homes up north, informed the family up north we were returning, broke all the bad news to our dear friends down here that we'd be going. His start date was to be the Monday following Thanksgiving. I gave my resignation at work, blah blah blah.

So we're in Florida last week visiting my Dad and his lovely bride. Hubby's phone rings...it's his soon to be boss. Here's what he has to say...."Warren, Al Morris here....I've been in meetings w/ the CEO and National Sales Manager. They feel it's important for the eastern Pennsylvania area to grow so they want you to move to Philadelphia/Lancaster area....." Huh???? In all the dealings and conversations regarding this new opportunity, knowing we've been looking in Pittsburgh, this NEVER came up. Imagine my husband's surprise & extreme disappointment. It didn't take long to make the decision about the new position. The whole point of taking the job was so we could be closer to his family. Why the hell would we want to move to someplace we have no knowledge about to be only 5 hours from family vs the 6 hours it takes now!.

Warren called his old (current) boss back and fortunately can remain in his current position. I on the other hand did not fare as well. I had given my resignation at my current job b/c all signs indicated we would be leaving Thanksgiving week. My last day is Nov 9. I called my boss, explained what was going on...the reply was I'll have to talk to HR. I knew from the tone of my boss' voice it was not good. I called HR..they informed me they had completed the interviews for my position and had offered the job to someone. They do not rescind resignations and the only option left was to look on-line at the current openings in my company and apply for something that might be a good fit. In summary: I'm unemployed after November 9th. I'll go back to work these next 2 weeks to train my replacement, then I'm out of work. Ain't that something? I'm deeply dissapointed and understand completely where my company is coming from but it's still a real bummer. What's the old saying..When life throws you lemons, make lemonade.

So, for all of you fans who read this blog, if you know of any companies in the Roanoke, VA area who are hiring, let me know.. My degree is in Recreation, Sports Management...most of my more recent positions have been admin support type jobs...I'm open to exploring new opportunities. I can send along my resume, or if you're interested in seeing my resume, contact me pschimizzi at cox dot net and I'll send a copy along.

For the full story you can check out hubby's blog at http://www.bicyclesoup.blogspot.com/

For some cool Florida picks including the recent space shuttle launch check out http://www.skmeetzworld.blogspot.com/

Bedford - Falling Creek Race

Sorry.haven't had a chance to blog about the race. Here's a quick summary

1. Borrowed a bike (when we pre-rode I knew the full suspension would not be necessary) My other hardtail is still in a single speed state, so I borrowed a buddy's Kona Hot. It had v-brakes so that was a bit different!

2. Before the warm up I saw one of the Sport Chickys who I raced with last year...she had a horrific accident the week before the race involving an endo and losing her front teeth! It was bad...I felt horrible for her.... I hope she recovers soon!

3. Start of the race...not a big field..only one other expert chicky & she was in the younger age group. She raced derailer last year...really strong rider! My other competitor in my class was a no show so all I had to do was finish.

4. Start goes off....I immediately have an asthma attack...could not breathe..had to back off....the experts were gone.

5. Got passed by a whole bunch of people....even some junior beginners towards the end of my first lap. Caught back up w/ a couple of sport guys..really nice dudes..one told me I was a celebrity b/c I had a blog & all...He knew my name but I had to ask him his....Kind of scary when people know who you are b/c of your blog. Oh well..

6. Course was tons of fun..Bedford has done a phenomenal job in getting the trails & park constructed just in the past year. Roanoke should look at how efficiently Bedford gets stuff done! Definitely a place I would ride just to ride for fun.

7. Had a meltdown on lap 3...Hubby was the sweep & he came upon me sitting in the middle of the trail sobbing. Not pretty. Got myself back together & continued on.

8. Finished the race exhausted & dead last (or first in my class). Having an asthma attack at the start really made it difficult to ride this race....I just wanted to survive.

9. I think I'm done for the season. No time to train & I've done the hillclimb 2 times before and really don't need to prove anything for the remainder of this season. I'm pretty burned out on the whole race scene this year. I'm ready to get back into the gym & start on the weights.

10. The end.

Peaksview Park.......

Sunday was the Peaksview Park race in Lynchburg. I didn't really feel motivated going into this one. I guess I'm really tired of all the heat & dry weather. This time of year is really tough for someone w/ allergies to ragweed & grasses and with chronic asthma. Makes riding a real challenge b/c when you breathe, it feels like you're breathing through a straw. When you race, it's worse...

Anywho...warmed up a little big on the start area & finish area to get a feel for the trail conditions. Things were dry so the course would be fast. Lined up at the start. There were 3 chicky's in the expert woman's field. One younger chicky who was super fast, Kim, my fellow competitor from MW & Mountain Lake race & myself. All I needed to do was finish today. I wasn't feeling good in the warm up...had to race back to the car to do an inhaler shot before the start of the race, then race back to the staging area. When the starter released us, it was a super fast pace again. That's the big difference in racing in the expert field...these guys and girls are fast right from the git go. I'm not fast so I just about blow up trying to keep the pace w/ these guys. We went into the woods and sure enough it was a big cluster at the first switchback. Trying to dump 30 some odd folks into a 2' singletrack section is a joke. People were bobbling all over ther place. I tucked in behind Kim & let her pace the first section. She's a super strong climber & really smooth. As we started to settle into a groove I heard the single speed guys coming up behind. Skippy got right on my wheel and started taunting me. We were right in the woop section when they caught us...Skippy knew how much I love for him to ride behind me & he let me know about it..(it's a running joke with us....I hate it when he rides behind me...I get really nervous)...I was finally able to let the Single Speed dudes by..... not too much later a bunch of sport dudes caught us. Once again I had to let them by. Fortunately Kim let them by also, so there was not much of a gap between us & I was able to quickly pace back up to her. We continued to go & I knew more guys were back there. I made sure to shout back to them to let me know when they needed a line & I would gladly move. One dude was a total jerk though & decided to make his own path through the woods about 15 feet off of the trail. I shouted to him "hey..I would have let you by!" I didn't see his number..if so I would have said something to the race officials....I don't think he had a shot at placing..maybe he did but he was kind of riding like an idiot. Oh well

After the guys got past us, Kim started screaming...I looked up and a big black snake slithered under her wheels and into the brushy section next to the trail..Eee Gads....It reminded me of the snake in a West Virginia race last year. Then we encountered a turtle hanging out of the trail..He was probably wondering what in the world was going on!...As the first lap continued, I was descending and handling the technical sections quite well. Kim let me by 1/2 way through the first lap & we continued on. At some point some of the CLydesdales passed us. I can't remember if it was the first lap or second lap...I just could not get into a rhythm on this course..I start hammering on a downhill to have to gear down for some of the short uphill parts. I kept footing out on some of that stuff...very frustrating. With about 3 miles left on the first lap I came to an intersection where the course tape was torn down...I stopped & waited for Kim..we looked at each other & asked which way? We chose to go straight which was the correct choice. I came out onto the road...tried to keep a relatively high pace but couldn't breathe. Kim passed me so I tried to pace behind her. She got a little ahead going into the second lap. She started to pull away on the climbing sections...I just maintained a steady pace....as soon as we got to more of the technical down parts, she allowed me to pass..we sort of ping ponged the first 2 laps, she'd lead, they I would lead, then she would lead, etc. 2 Sport chicky's caught us..they were flying, but then again, it was their last lap..we still had another to go! About 1/2 way through the second lap, there was a section of trail which dumped out into doubletrack. It was a slight left hand turn with a tree branch sticking out. I took the turn a little wide & knew I was in for it. Sure enough I clipped my hand on the tree and down I went. OUCH! I noticed my left pinky sort of hurt but didn't think much about it. I picked the bike back up, checked to make sure everything was working & went on my way.

By the end of the second lap I was really laboring...my breathing was not good and it was really hot. I drank the contents of my camel back so all I had left was a warm bottle on the bike...Yuk..Cytomax is really horrible when it's warm..but it was wet & had electrolytes so I forced it down. As I was finishing the second lap on the road I saw one of the Single Speeders hanging out on a park bench..He was done! I still had another lap! *sigh*

Lap 3...I can't remember where Kim was at this point...I think I was ahead but not by much....just needed to race a clean 3rd lap. I wasn't moving fast which was frustrating for me...but I was moving. I came to this one trail which had 2 very small logs approx 3' apart from each other. I rode this part clean the first 2 laps...I brain farted this time...Got over the first one w/ my front wheel..then tried to stand up & pedal Nothing happened...I think I just spun the back wheel out on the log..next thing I knew I was slamming into the ground on the same side I had crashed on the 2nd lap. Yikes! I was pretty slow getting up but dragged myself back on the bike & plodded on. I was able to hammer the downhills but could feel my body temperature rising....I even contemplated quitting but figured I should finish to get points. I knew by then Kim & I were the only ones left on course. Even the marshalls left.

As I dumped out on the road, my hubby was waiting for me along w/ Jen, my fellow chicky riding buddy. He started to say something to me about my pace & timinig when out of nowhere, the Evil Pookie reared her ugly head. She blurted out "Protein shake...I need a protein shake!" I was tired & beyond frustrated. I did not know how far back Kim was..it was all I could do to keep the legs turning the pedals on the road. Jen rode out next to me encouraging me all the way..come on, you can do it! When I got to the finish area, there were 2 people there....very demoralizing..even the awards ceremony was done! I rolled back to the car, subdued the Evil Pookie with a protein shake & got cooled off. I downed a bunch of electrolytes to start the recovery process. I finally mustered the strength to see if there was any food left. Turns out I ended up getting first in my age group...so that was a nice surprise. Kim finished too....not sure how far back.

Gretta sporting the 1st place medal

As I took off my gloves, I noticed my left pinky where I hit the tree was pretty swollen & bruised. It looked like a sausage. I iced it down all night and now it's purple I thought I had broken it b/c I've broken fingers before & the feeling was the same. I'll probably just tape it ot the ring finger if it gets any worse. Hopefully it won't hurt my golf grip.

My hubby DNF'd the race..he had breathing issues too severe to allow him to continue racing. He mentioned he's done for the season. I'm gonna finish it out just to prove to myself I can race expert. I'm getting to old for this racing stuff. Hopefully it won't be stifling hot at Bedford in 2 weeks.

not risking it...

Saturday is the 2nd race in the Derailer series. It's in Danville. The forecasted temperature for Roanoke is 98 at last check...Danville's usuually a few degrees higher than us...so that means it will hover near 100. I'm not going...remember last year? In case you don't here's a quick reminder:

Pretty, huh? Not going through that again this year. If there's one suggestion I would have to the race promoters is to hold the series in the fall...start it in mid - late September and run through the first 2 weeks of November. You're less likely to have heat related problems.

Good luck to all those racing... remember to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. I'll be home fixing a leaky toilet!!!!

18 hrs on the Farm..

Friday morning I get a frantic call from my husband, then a copy of this email is sent:

We regret to inform everyone that the 18 Hours On the Farm Mountain Bike Race will not be held this weekend. The storm that hit the Goochland/Richmond area last night left the Boy Scout Camp looking as if Hurricane Isabel had been there. This decision was not made lightly and was in conjunction with recommendations made by all those associated with the host camp and the event. There is no power, thus no restrooms; conditions at this point are not sanitary, regardless of the trail conditions (trail conditions will be addressed by the work crew once we can get to them). We are doing our best to reschedule the race, as there is an incredible group of you riders that have pulled teams together/registered solo and duo/volunteered to help! Please watch your email for further information. We wanted to get this email out ASAP and sincerely apologize for not being able to control the circumstances. Thank you for your patience and please share the word with others!

so..no 3 and P team to race together ..oh well..I'm not too conernced...I look at is as though we were not supposed to race this event since it took an act of God to prevent it. Will probably ride down near Mountain Lake tomorrow.. then prep for Danville (ugh!) this coming weekend.

Off to wash the dog!

Va Derailer Series Race #1 MW Windows

Sunday Aug 12...
This was the first in the Derailer Series races. I wasn't even sure if I wanted to race this event. We spent all day Saturday at Roanoke County's Summer Blast event hosting kid's races...it was hot & dry...being out in it all day tends to sap your energy. Anyway, Ron & Skippy convinced us to race.

We headed down to Franklin County's Waid Park. The folks down here do a great job putting on this race...There's always a ton of volunteers & things seem really well organized.
Got registered for the series & did the whole pre race routine (food, drink, bathroom, warm up, more drink, bathroom, good to go!)

The field seemed much smaller than in previous years. This year I moved up classes to Expert. I'd have to do 3 laps instead of 2. I was up for it. We lined up at the start & there was only one other female in my division. She raced at Mountain Lake in the spring and I remember she was a really strong rider. I wasn't out to prove anything today..just wanted to get a good ride in with little mistakes. The starting horn went off & the pack flew off the line. The first part of the race climbs up this grassy hill..total pain. Everyone was gone. I tried to keep the other female in my sights but she was waaay strong. Oh well..time to sit in & do my thing.

I rode steady..I didn't feel strong but I didn't feel weak either. I knew this course from previous years and knew I needed to conserve at least for the first lap or so....as long as I kept the other expert chicky in my sights, I had nothing to worry about. As I descended down the gravel road to the first creek/river crossing, Skippy & Gordo passed me on their single speeds. They were flying...I just stayed in my steady pace & kept on going. I attempted to ride the creek crossing but ended up drifting away from my chosen line & finally had to dismount & run through it. Back on the bike, up the cornfields to the first hill! I managed to ride this hill with no problem. other expert chicky walked it..I thought it was strange for her to be walking so early but maybe she was conserving too. On we rode.

This course was really hard to get a rhythm going. Once you climbed, you descend a little, only to have to climb again. I kept riding keeping her in my sight....as we approached the 2nd river crossing, I caught up to her. We both looked at each other and asked.."are you gonna ride it?" "I'm not gonna ride it"....we pushed across. The river was much lower this year..only up to my hips rather than my stomach. Many guys were riding it this year...even the mud on the banks was negotiable....As we crossed the river, we remounted and I took the lead for the second half of the first lap. She stayed with me....I walked the rest of the climbs to try & conserve...many of them I realized I could walk/jog the cimbs quicker than I could ride them.

Second lap was much the same as the first.. expert chicky stayed w/ me....after the 2nd river crossing, I noticed I was starting to gap from her..I think I was making up ground on the descents. I rode the full suspension bike for the race..this bike just holds the lines on the descents and I am able to hammer on them. I rode hard the 2nd half of my second lap continuing to try to distance myself....I still ran the climbs. I passed a couple of beginners & shouted some encouragement to them....

The third lap was uneventful as well. I tried to ride the first creek crossing again, only to drift off line & have to dismount....I could not figure out this stupid creek. pedaled on up the first climb..continued on. I did not want to look back b/c I was afraid she would be right with me...so I kept my focus on the remainder of the course ahead.
I tried to ride as hard as I could on the descent to the finish line...hoping not to flat.My legs were starting to tighten but I continued to pedal hard. I threw a look back over my shoulder just to see..but there was no one back there. I cruised on to the finish line completing the race in 1hour 42 minutes & some change.

During the post race meal they had a raffle...I heard my name called..I got a nice gift cert to REI...sweet! I never win raffles or door prizes so this was a nice surprise.
They did the awards & I finished close to 10 minutes ahead of the other chicky...I asked her what happened...she said she blew up....It could have been the heat & the fact you're constantly pedaling on this course.
They did one final award...best overall male & female...I won that award (for the female) as well as some cash..totally unexpected!.... It turned out to be a productive race....got an award, got some dough & got a door prize...& to think..I wasn't even going to race 24 hours prior. Yeah!


Up next..18 hours on the farm race... I'm in a 4 person team Our name is 3 and P....It will be interesting!

Showdown at Sugar

Here are some random pics from the Showdown at Sugar last week. It's fun to watch the pros ride stuff that seems impossible to us regular folk. Enjoy.

women's pro winner Georgia Gould

5th place finisher Mary Mcconneloug

Sue Haywood heading up the climb

Weeee!

RANDOM B-DAY PICS

Happy Birthday part deux

So I get home from work and plan to spend a quiet b-day w/ my hubby..going out to dinner, no big plans. When my hubby arrives, he asks if I want to see my b-day gift. I said sure!..(in my mind I was thinking it would either be bike stuff or a new golf bag I've been eyeing) He can't get the gift downstairs so he leads me up the stairs telling me to keep my eyes shut. I enter the room & lo & behold....a brand spanking new set of women's golf clubs. Not just any old clubs..Adams Golf clubs..complete w/ the hybrid clubs, a big ol driver & everything I need to improve my game.....oh..the set came complete w/ a really cool bag.... I was floored! totally unexpected! I even cried a little....

So off to dinner we went. We ate at this new place downtown called Trio Bistro. I had many co-workers raving about this place so I thought we'd give it a try. It was pretty underwhelming. Places like this are quite fancy..high dollar menu items, blah blah blah..you'd expect the royal treatment when dining at this type of establishment...We ordered our entrees to find out they don't come w/ salad..you have to order that separate. So we ordered the $9.00 Greek Salad and split it. The salad was not so great...they didn't put any dressing on it. Next came the entrees. Hubby ordered a Salmon dish w/ a horseradish vinagrette dressing. The portion was huge and pretty tasty. I had crab stuffed shrimp...this was also good, very filling. The bill came to a total of ...well, let's just say I would never go back to this place. The bill was high for 2 salads & 2 entree's and water!...the service was lacking. When I go to places like this, I want to be wowed! I want to be treated like I'm the best guest ever. This fell far below my expectations. The waitress barely came over to ask how the food was or if there was anything we needed.. She didn't even recommend anything from the menu....underwhelming.

On the way home I got to talk to my dad & his beautiful bride..I told him about my day so far..getting the call from my brother to extend his deepest sympathies on the loss of my youth and so on. Dad asked if we had any other plans..I told him no..we were just going to go home & hang out w/ the dog & call it a night.

We got home & opened the door to the house. The light looked really weird...really dark and I thought something was wrong with the light bulb. Then the eruption of screams & "surprise!!" "Happy Birthday" It actually scared the crap out of me & I went back outside. I headed back in to a room full of close friends singing Happy Birthday!....Tears again...jeez I'm sappy...anywho, my sneak of a hubby planned a surprise party & kept it a secret for a week. Originally he was going to be traveling to Charlotte, NC for a trade show and would have to leave on my b-day. I was bummed out but understood. The plan was to go to dinner Tuesday night. Well Tuesday night came...the phone rang & he took the call outside. When he came back in he said "guess what?" I said "You don't have to go to Charlotte!" He said..I still have to go..but not on your birthday...so we can celebrate on the regular night. Little did I know that he had concocted this story to not have to go to Charlotte. and he had all of our friends in on it! How they kept it a secret from me, I'll never know. I kept asking everyone where they parked because I did not see any cars on our street.

What a great day!...I never expected to be getting a brand new set of clubs..let alone having a surprise party to boot! Wow! I'm still a bit overwhelmed but really enjoyed this milestone day! Once I get pics up I'll post em'

Well, gotta run..I'm tired & now that I'm older, I need my beauty sleep.

Hippo Birdie Two ewe

Happy Birthday to me
Happy Birthday to me
Happy Birthday dear me-e
Happy Birthday to me....

Today celebrates a milestone b-day for me. I've been pretty low key all day..then some co-workers found out & had to sing to me at the tops of their lungs. It was fun seeing the reaction on their faces when they found out my true age! Biking keeps you young.

Heading to Sugar Mtn NC this weekend to watch the pro guys and gals duke it out at the NORBA nationals. The course is 3 miles straight up & 3 miles straight down. I don't see how they handle the climbs..but then again they're paid to ride! Hope to have pics up after the event.

Off to eat some b-day cake!

Commonwealth Games Race Report

Carvins Cove…Sunday, July 15

Today was going to be a big test for me…it was my first single speed race ever! I tried to stay hydrated all week and rested as much as I could the day prior to the race. The morning of the race I was a bag full of nerves. I couldn’t figure out why I was so nervous…it’s my “home” course, I’ve ridden the trails tons of times, I was probably going to be the only single speed female so all I needed to do was finish.

I thought the nerves would go away during my warm up but they never subsided. I ventured out on the road and immediately noticed something was not quite right with the bike. I thought it was an underinflated tire…checked the tires..everything was ok. I rode a little further and discovered my fork had completely lost all of it’s air! Oh Crap….I spun back to the parking lot & had my hubby do a little last minute maintenance. We got it re-inflated so off I went to finish the warm up. The weather was quite toasty..high humidity and temps near 90 degrees.

I came back to the starting area where we waited for 10 minutes while the experts were escorted down the road in the neutral start. The nerves were still there & I was not having a good feeling about things. I knew I had to pace myself because I’d have to ascend the 1000’ climb in 1 gear….the “pace car” came back & off we went. I hung with the group for most of the way but I had to spin myself silly to do it. About 500 yards from the entrance to the Cove, the group got away from me. I was killing myself trying to keep up so I decided to let up a bit to save some energy.

Through the gate, onto the fireroad and hard left onto Songbird. I kept 5 riders in my sites through Songbird. I absolutely love this trail. It’s not too hard and has a good flow to it. I zipped through all the downhill sections, and came out on the fireroad to make the hard right to continue down to Tuckaway. I got really confused because I thought the trailhead would come up quicker than it did….In fact, I turned around & pedaled back about 20 yards before I turned back around to get my bearings. The worst part is I helped mark the course so I should have known where this turn was. I pedaled in the correct direction & saw a couple riders up ahead turn down Tuckaway. I thought I could still hang with them so no worries. Through Tuckaway to lower Comet. I was flying through lower Comet..starting to feel ok when all of the sudden WHAM! Somehow my handlebars clipped a tree and I went slamming hard into the ground. It happened so fast that I was still clipped into the bike. I landed hard on my left knee & shoulder. It took me a minute to get clipped out of the bike. I had to be careful with my shoulder because I hit the ground with such force I was scared I may have done some serious damage. I moved my arm & it felt sore but not broken. I got back on the bike but had bllood dripping from my knee & I was feeling a little dizzy (I think I hit my head but I’m not sure)…

I came through to the fireroad. Donny & my hubby were cheering for me…I was laughing at my crash & they said I wasn’t far behind . On to the dreaded 1000’ climb. As I started the climb I was feeling a bit tired and overheated. I tried to keep drinking all the way up. Out of the saddle, in the saddle,,,on I trudged. I saw 2 sport guys just up ahead..I pedaled on but I did not feel strong. I think the early morning nerves & the recent crash were sapping my energy..not to mention the heat. Tuesday when I prerode, I was much stronger….I caught one of the sport guys & asked him if he wanted to trade bikes….he said “no deal”…rats!!...On I went…I almost caught the second rider as we entered the trailhead for Hemlock Tunnel (aka Clownhead)…The top of this trail is loose and rocky & full of ruts. I was proud of myself because I rode most of the top. I only had to walk about 20 feet or so. Down the steep section, through the lower woods. My legs felt heavy…like I could never really get them going. Almost to the end of Clownhead, I had another crash. Somehow a giant stick got caught between my fork & front wheel & slammed me to the ground..this time on the other side. Ouch!! I sat there for a good minute, frustrated at my ride and puzzled how this stick ended up in my wheel. I hopped back on the bike but I could tell the rest of the race would be a struggle to just finish.

I turned up the road to head towards Comet. There’s a wicked climb along this road which I had to walk. I turned down Comet & descended. I rode this very clean. As I continued to plod on all I could think about was laying down and taking a nap…right there on the trail! I was sooo drained. I tried taking in my gel..but it never kicked in.
I just could not get it going today. The heat was getting to me to. I kept drinking. I did not want to have another Danville incident (heat exhaustion) I continued on, remembering the spot I crashed on the first lap & took care to stay away from that tree!

Back to the fireroad & up the 1000’ climb for the second time. I had to walk about 100 yards towards the top because I was just exhausted. I was dizzy & my head was pounding. I wasn’t having fun & contemplated quitting altogether. I stopped at the trailhead for the Four Gorge (connector trail) and drank some water. I just wanted to get it over with at this point. I hopped back on the bike & rode Four Gorge. There were spots I was walking because I had nothing left in my legs. I came to the bridge crossing where Smiley & Brian were doing bike passing duty. As I rode away I heard hammering..Brian was also doing bridge work!! Too funny! On to Hi Dee Ho for the last descent. I think this was the fastest part of my race…I passed my buddy Jen (who got a gold for beginner women –CHICKYs ROCK!) I muttered something about the race not going so well…finally to the finish. My clock had my ride time at 2:04:00 the timers had it at 2:07:00…must have started early from the gate or something. AWFUL.. I was sooo disappointed…I really wanted to do better than this but it was not my day. I was thankful to just finish. Heat & racing are not a good combination for me.

I went back to the vehicle & stretched. My buddy Jen came over & tended to my wounds..my hand was tender from the fall so she hooked me up w/ some ice. She also took a pic of my bloody knee for posterity reasons (I think)….ewwwww. Thanks to El Toreo for hooking us up with some wonderful food..thanks to all the volunteers who put in a lot of effort in getting the course marked & ready to and for cheering us on. I medaled but it was only by default….there were no other chickys crazy enough to go out there on a Single Speed. Oh well, at least I can say I did it!....

Commonwealth Games Pre ride

Chris Clark (fellow team El Toreo member) and I pre-rode a portion of the XC course in preparation for the Commonwealth Games Cross Country race at Carvin's Cove this Sunday. I wanted to see how bad the 1000' climb to Hemlock Tunnel (of death...aka..Clownhead) would be on the Single. The climb itself wasn't so bad.. We got to the top of Hemlock Tunnel in 25 minutes..that's moving for me. The top of the trail is very sketchy. In past years I have been able to ride it..this year..I'm gonna walk it. The trail is very washed out with lots of loose, big rocks. I'd be quicker running it than trying to kill myself staying on the bike. I was able to do the rest of Hemlock Tunnel no problem...we then ventured on to Comet...I forgot about a couple of the tough climbs on this trail. I walked those as well. We went back up 1000' climb to the Connector trail (Four Gorge)..this trail is a ton of fun running from the 1000' climb. I'll be able to make up time at the end given the flow of the trail. It wasn't too bad of a ride..but it helped me finalize my decision about the Omnium in the Commonwealth games...I'm only doing 1 of the 2 races. I'm gonna try the singlespeed on the XC course. There's no way I could climb for 30 minutes the first day, then ride 18+ miles the second on the Single. Today I'm exhausted and my legs feel like rubber. I think the heat also played a factor in my fatigue today. It was around 90 yesterday & high humidity when we rode. Hubby is going to race too..but he's doing the hill climb on his Single...So I guess it will be "team Schimizzi" on Singlespeeds..just different days. Stay tuned for results.....

Single Speedin' at the Cove

They’re trying to kill me!.....

That’s what I thought to myself as I ventured out on the Thursday night Carvin’s Cove Ride. I took the “Hottie”..that’s my Kona Explosif reincarnated as a Single Speed now. I’ve got a sticker on it that says “Hottie”…Anywho…we started out the road, on to Comet, through Enchanted forest, on to Schoolhouse/Little Bell, then Arrowhead backwards. I was doing ok for the most part but felt like the pace was really, really fast. At one point on Schoolhouse, I looked down at my average speed and it was about 9.5 miles per hour!..that’s cookin! I thought is was because I had the Single Speed & I’m normally faster on that..but not 9.5 mph average fast!...I was ok until we started heading up Arrowhead in the opposite direction!...the first part is really loose rock & sand..I was spinning all over the place. Then through a big creek crossing, up another couple of huge hills, more creeks, more hills. The group was long gone and all I could think was that they are trying to kill me. The hills are “doable” on my geared bike but on the Single Speed it’s a whole different enchilada. I walked a lot of the steep hills b/c I did not want to blow out any knees or anything. That would be messy.

I caught back up w/ the group..My hubby mentioned he wasn’t feeling too good. I said it was probably because of the hammering pace he was setting. I think it’s an innate thing w/ men that whenever they get in a group & ride, they have to go fast to outdo one another. They don’t even realize they’re doing it. It’s weird.. Oh well..

We continued on to Songbird in the opposite direction. This direction is fun but a bit more challenging because there’s more climbing involved. After Songbird we went back up the fire road, to the 1000’ climb, to Four Gorge, back to the vehicles. Phew! I was tired. I definitely get more of a total body workout on the Single than I do on the geared bike. I’m enjoying the Single Speed for the most part..I may even race it this year…stay tuned……

Frustrating

Been riding here & there but not doing the usual training reigmen I would normally be doing this time of year to be in peak condition for upcoming races. My hubby has been dealing w/ some mysterious health issues for quite some time but the severity and frequency has dramatically increased over the past month and 1/2. Check his blog for what's going on at: www.bicyclesoup.blogspot.com.
Needless to say, priorities have shifted a bit. The focus is on hubby & his health...racing/training will have to wait.

anywho..he'll have a few good days in a row, only to be sidelined & out for the count by the 3rd or 4th day after his "good days"....It happened again today. We were working on the sign project at Carvin's Cove...I could tell immediately he wasn't well...he gets this disconnected "dazed" look about him right before he crashes & burns. It's not pretty & the symptoms come on quickly. sometimes they pass quickly but more often than not, they linger. He gets really dizzy, dehydrates way too much, gets nauseated, and becomes extremely tired..to the point where he just sleeps all the time after an episode. He's also very irratible which makes things really fun at times. He's seen the heart doc...nothing wrong there, had an MRI which revealed he's the picture of perfect health. Fortunately he has an appt w/ an Endocrinologist but it's not until the 18th!!!...I don't know if we can do another week of this but we'll have to. We're thinking it's something to do with how his kidneys are processing waste...or it could be thyroid/hormone related.

It's been agonizing & frustrating for me because there's nothing I can do to help him. It's starting to take it's toll on me too. I got the creeping chest crud last week...still getting over that & this morning I noticed a rash on my torso....I had shingles about 9 years ago & it looks and feels just like that....I'll keep a close eye on it & get myself to a doc if it starts spreading. Shingles is extremely painful..usually ederly people get it but anyone who has had chicken pox can get it. Stress can bring it on. Lord knows I've been really stressed out worrying about all this stuff!

I guess we'll just have to take things day by day..still plan on doing the Chicky ride & the Thursday ride w/ the boyz...but that's about it until we can start to get an understanding of what we're dealing with. If you are a praying person...send some prayers our way....If you're not...just keep sending good thoughts & positive energy our way. We'll get through it.

feeling good

Thursday I ventured out for our weekly ride at the Cove. We had a small group and the pace was perfect..not too fast, not too slow, no hammering, no testosterone..ok maybe a little but not the high volumes we usually get ;).

We did basically the same loop as I did on Tuesday but we added the trail which I could not remember how to get to or where it dumps out when I did my solo effort. I felt really good (finally!) I think early in the season I was way overtrained and my body could not handle it. Ever since the Douthat race in early May, I've taken a break from the training regimen. I mainly ride 2-3 times per week. one ride I try to make a longer ride (+2 hours)..although that hasn't been going too well,,the other rides include climbing one night and recovery, easy pace the other.

Thursday's pace was perfect. Normally the boyz hammer from the parking lot onto the Four Gorge Trail. My heart rate usually is in the "you're a complete idot" zone the whole time. Thursday was different...I actually stayed in a comfortable zone...I was still working hard but I was more relaxed and not overtaxed. I actually did alot of my climbing in the middle ring b/c I felt so good. Maybe there's something to this rest thing. Also, I was really relaxed the whole night and things just flowed. I love when I ride like that b/c I stay in the moment and it's the most peaceful feeling. There are no worries, no distractions, just me on my bike enjoying the trails. Hopefully I will continue to have more rides like that. Just need to remember to be relaxed & have fun with it.

SOLO

Tues evening I ventured out to the Cove for a quick spin. I’ve been feeling a bit couped up so I needed to just get out. I was hoping to “tag along” with some of the Thursday crew who sometimes ride on Tuesdays. Unfortunately, that was not to be. I got to the Cove & waited until 5:40 for any familiar faces to show. None did..so I went solo.
I headed out Hi De Hoe, to Four Gorge (connector). I actually enjoyed it because I wasn’t trying to hammer from the start like I do on the Thursday ride. I was able to set my own pace & get a good warm up in. I then headed down the bottom portion of the 1000’ climb and on to the fireroad. Then a quick left up the newly re-routed Songbird Trail. This new re-route is sweeeeet!. It climbs for the first portion but then you get to some awesome burms, and turns and the flow is incredible. I was having so much fun that I almost took another rider out who had pulled off the trail but was behind a tree. I didn’t see him until I was right on him! YIKES!
Crossed over the smaller fireroad & completed the trail. Then it was on to Arrowhead. This trail climbs for a while…but I did really well on the climb. Kept it in middle ring and kept a steady pace the whole way. Then descended into the creek crossing..had to dab, climbed up the steep hill, then traversed my way over to the harder creek crossings. I walked these….descended down the loose section, then dumped back on the fireroad. I was debating on continuing on to the trail we normally do on Thursdays but I wasn’t completely sure where it would lead to. So I took the safe route. Back down the fire road for a few miles & up the 1000’ climb to the Four Gorge trail again.
I kept it in the middle ring again up 1000’ and for most of Four Gorge. I think I enjoy the Four Gorge trail better coming in from the 1000’ climb side rather than the parking lot. It could have something to do with being warmed up by then..but it just seems to flow better.
Back down Hi Dee Hoe to the parking lot. It was about a 1 ½ hour ride..almost race pace with little stopping. When I got back to the parking lot, I recognized 2 of the guys vehicles from our Thursday ride.
I guess I could have waited to join the “boyz” but I enjoyed the serenity of my solo ride. I was able to keep a steady pace with little to no stopping (I hate stopping) I kept a close eye out for bear & didn’t talk to anyone I didn’t recognize..(they probably thought I was a little rude..but you can never be too careful out there..esp being a lone female rider) Saw lots of deer & chipmunks.

I really did miss my riding partner. Just hope we can get him in front of a doc who will work with him & stop trying to diagnose his heart when it’s something else! Frustrating but we'll get it figured out.

Tues evening cruise...

Tuesday I met my hubby after work for a spin around Green Hill Park in Salem. This is a fun little park..not too many trails though. The trails which do exist traverse across private property so we had to be a little stealthy in our ride. I forgot how much climbing there was at this park. Had a good ride...suffered a bit on the climbs..but we got to eat at Mama Maria's afterwards so it was all worth it. Here are some pics.















MP this face is for you!! :O






























ok..Gretta didn't go riding w/ us but she got a new toy this weekend & carries it everwhere...Isn't she the cutest thing?















The hills are alive with the sound of wheezing!

"Have we done this trail before 'cuz it's really kicking my a@#"

That was the comment made on the trail as we ventured out for our weekly Chicky ride at Explore Park. 4 of us ventured for this week's ride. Since we've been doing the same trails for a few weeks I decided to mix it up a little & see if we were up to the challenge of the "Endurance Loop".

We skipped the beginner loop and headed out on the intermediate trail. There was an awful lot of grunting and moaning as we climbed the hill after the wooden bridge...that's when it dawned on me we usually do the beginner loop as a warm up. Having skipped that and heading straight downhill for the first part of the ride, no wonder the gals were making so much noise!...we headed on our way. I decided to do the endurance loop backwards so we wouldn't have the giant climb w/ the 2 switchbacks. As we descended down the fire road, there was a giant tree in the middle of the road. We hike a biked around it & turned on to the Endurance Loop trail. The first section is littered with baby heads (small rocks)..and climbs a little. I was worried about Kirsten with her hybrid bike and slick tires. She skidded quite a bit but was a trooper.

We contined to climb and twist and turn along the trail, as we journeyed farther, that's when Kirsten asked...."have we done this trail before because it's really kicking my a@#". We all chuckled...then I informed Kirsten..no I've never taken you on this trail before. We continued on..doing a little hike a biking as we went. Moe & Jannie were even trying log crossings that I was too chicken to do! Way to go gals! We eventually came back to the intersection of the endurance loop & the first intermediate leg of the trail. We descended back down working on our switchback skills. Finally back to the parking lot.

It was a great night for a ride..not to hot, not too cold, Just Right!..Hopefully the gals weren't too upset that I tried to kill them....we'll save the endurance loop for a little later in the season when we have more riding under our belts. Everyone did a fantastic job!

If I remember to bring the camera, I"ll post some Chicky ride pics soon!

Why do I do this?

Because it's fun...at least that's what I kept trying to convince myself at this year's 10th running of the Middle Mountain Momma at Douthat State Park. We had terrific weather for this year's race. Clear, sunny skies, light breeze, no humidity and temps in the high 50's low 60's.
We had some rain earlier in the week so parts of the course were going to be sloppy and downright slimy in one particular spot.(I'll get to that later)

We arrived in plenty of time to hang out, then warm up. I felt really good in the warm-up..legs felt like they had plenty of power, etc. Last Saturday when we pre-rode, I struggled up every climb..and could not figure out why I am slower this year (ever since I got the new bike, it doesn't feel like I get the power on my climbs as I did with the hardtail.) On the pre-ride, we figured out why I'm slower...because the rear cassette is configured as a 32, not a 34..which basically means I was running harder gears!!! So we ordered a new cassette before the race & had it on in time for today.

Warmed up for 40 minutes, then lined up for the start. We had some confusion w/ the Master Women's classes. These are not specified by ability (sport, expert) so we did not know where to line up at the start. Finally one of the other Master ladies & myself moved up to where the expert women were and asked the officials. They said..sure, you can race w/the experts. One of the other Master women did not hear him announce that, so she was 2 classes back with the other Vet and Sport women. Which meant she started 4 minutes back....(more on that result later)

Off we went...grinding all the way up salt stump. This is a fairly technical trail w/ rocks, roots and some stream crossings as you go. It's right at the start so everyone was on the gas. I don't do well with fast starts...might have something to do w/ my asthma and going immediately anaerobic in my efforts which in turn causes my heart rate to go above my lactate threshold of 184 beats per minute. Basically my heart rate was around 187 beats/minute the whole first climb..that cannot be good! I kept the other master woman in my sights and we both ended up walking quite a bit of the first 1/2 mile...getting passed by quite a number of the sport guys as we went. We turned left up the next trail where it smoothed out. I was able to put it into middle ring and spin much quicker. We continued to climb, and climb, and climb, and climb. We got to one stream crossing along the waywere I was able to pass the other master woman. More climbing..

I reached the top of the ridge in 1 hr 14 minutes..not very fast at all. had a great descent down Middle Mountain trail...I did have to bail to let 4 sport guys past..but that's ok because they were breathing down my neck. Hit the road to the campground and tried to get some extra fuel. I struggled to get my shot blocks out of my jersey pocket. so I gave up & tried some Hammer Gel instead. My race jersey fits very tight and the position of the pockets makes it very difficult to get stuff out of them...especially in a race. I lost some time messing w/ the stupid pocket

As I spun through the campground, I heard another female voice. It was the other master who started 2 classes back from us! She was riding incredibly strong w/minimal effort. When we made the left hand turn to do the harder side, I let her go. As I followed her, she was smooth through the streams and rocks and climb. I was in awe of her technical skills and a bit jealous. There was no way I could hold her wheel so I did not even try. She continued up the climb picking off many sport guys as she went! It was completely awesome!

As I climbed I could feel my legs losing power. As I got midway up the climb, I noticed my hubby sitting on the side of the trail. He said his race was over but he could not quit...so he thought he'd wait for me & ride w/ me the rest of the way. He also mentioned he lost his contact lens, but found it again...He was not having a good day. As we continued to climb...I had to finally get off and walk the bike. I was soooo frustrated. I felt like I had no juice left and I knew we had a ton of climbing left. In my mind I had quit...just given up completely. didn't even want to be there but knew the only way back was to finish this climb. Off and on the bike I went...I'd pedal 100 ft, then get off and walk, then get back on & ride, then walk....then curse, then pedal...vicious cycle......Finally we made it to the top & on to the descent filled w/ tight switchbacks.

I descended quite well with more speed than usually and was doing very well on the switchbacks...I could do the right handed ones but had difficulty on the left handed ones. I even toppled over on one of the lefties. On one section near the bottom, it was quity swampy...I thought I had a good line so went for it. As I pedaled, my bike just stopped...then I toppled over into shallow water filled with leaves and slime and God only knows what else. somehow I ended up sitting on my frame w/ my right leg stuck underneath!...Ewwwww..it was really gross & really cold. I got back on the bike and kept pedaling. Towards the bottom we ran into our good buddy Dale Heath (aka the "mayor" of Douthat) He had a device strapped on his helmet...I did not get a good look at the time but then realized later on it was a video camera...he was getting race footage all day. My hubby stopped to chat...I said I was still racing (ha ha) and continued on. Normally this section is rolling & you can get good speed towards then end. I was done...physically I was spent and mentally I had already checked out. I just decided to keep spinning at a comfortable pace. A couple of minutes later my hubby caught back up...we came to the last section of trail we had to climb at the start. I did very well descending this section as well. It was hard to get a lot of speed because my eyes kept watering...allergies.

As we rolled into the final 100 yards, my husband and I held hands as we pedaled to the finish....yea..we're pretty geeky but we had to make it fun since we both had crap days.
turns out I placed 2nd in Masters 40 and over class. The other master woman rolled up about a minute behind me......



I checked my time from 2005 and I believe I beat it by 5 minutes....so I guess it was not all that bad....well actually it was.... This week will be a light week for me.


Don't we look happy?

Explore Park Chicky ride

Monday, April 23, 2007

We had 4 chicky's (5 including myself) come out for the first "Chicky" ride of the season. Temps were a little on the warm side...close to 80 but dry conditions for the ride. We had 2 "newbies" on the ride this evening, one who I knew from the gym where I do my winter work-outs, and another new to Roanoke. We stuck to the beginner trail, completing 3 laps this evening. No crashes to report (always a good thing) and the ladies had fun. One of our gals had so much energy left, she decided to get a run in! Whew..that's too much energy for me.

A few of the boyz were there to do some trailwork also. I wish I had brought the camera because one of the guys had a chainsaw strapped to the back of his bike w/ the blade facing backwards. It was quite a sight.

I'll post pics over the next few rides if I can remember to bring the camera. Ladies, come on out, we have a lot of fun & it's a great way to meet other ladies & ride w/ out the intimidation factor of the guys!

No words

Not gonna do it

It's now 10:53 a.m. on Sunday, April 15. A little more than 1/2 hour until the start of Dragon's Back. I'm not racing today. Normally if I were racing, I'd be in the warm-up phase of my race day routine Weather has been cold, heay rains throughout the morning and high winds later today. So I lose my entry fee, no biggie. It's better than getting sick, injured, or breaking the bike trying to ride in this junk. Here's a snapshot of the radar at 10:34 this morning. The sun is starting to peek out as I write this entry. It looks like it will clear..but conditions will be quite nasty. Plus I'm quite comfy, with the dog at my feet. At least I can get caught up on some stuff at home. There will be other races.

Dirty Dawg

Sunday, April 1, 2007

Mother Nature played a cruel April Fool's joke on the racers and volunteers at the Dirty Dawg Mountain Bike race Sunday. As we ascended the mountain, it got foggier and foggier. No rain to speak of (that was to come later) but let's just say conditions were'nt exactly ideal for our first race of the 2007 season. No worries though. We've ridden in worse and the temps were hovering in the mid 50's so we should be ok. To the left is the view of some of the little shops at Mountain Lake. Nice fog huh? As we set up our tent, the rains started. It rained off an on until the start of the race. I was a little nervous but confident going into this one. It was my first "expert" race so I knew I'd be racing w/ the big dogs. I knew the pace would be fast & furious & only hoped I could hold on. With very little warm up time, we lined up at the start. The gals decided they would go at the same time as the men. As we started, the folks at the front took off. My heart went immediately into the "you're an idiot" range on my heart rate monitor. I hung w/ 2 of the expert ladies but the rest were gone. No worries..we've got 16 miles & lots of climbing so no one is going to win this thing in the first 2 miles.

As we barrelled into the singletrack, leaves, wet rocks and mud awaited us at every corner. It was very negotiable though. we then dumped out on a paved section which ran behind the hotel and up by the cottages as seen in the movie "Dirty Dancing" This is where most of the field blew up on this climb. I kept a good steady rhythm though I wheezed the entire way. We then went into a section of very rocky but negotiable trail. This was a great test for my new Full Suspension Kona King Kikapu. The bike did not let me down at all. I was able to negotiate the rocky sections like they were nothing. Woo HOo! my confidence was soaring & I was having a blast. Then came the Flat Tire Central portion of the trail. First I passed 1 dude..hollering "you ok?" Yup..cool keep going..then came another, then another, then a fourth, then a fifth, then my hubby!!, then a sixth...I thought..man am I lucky...I'm just floating through this section. All of the sudden....shhhhhhhhhhhhhh.......The sound of my tire going flat. Followed by the sound of shhhhhhhh.........out of my mouth.

Ok..no problem,,I can fix this. Flipped my bike over, got the tire off, old tube out, new tube in, tire back on..when up walks my husband. He could not believe I flatted! Since you cannot get assistance from anyone on the course, my husband shouted "HURRY UP" about 6 times to sort of lend encouragement. I just laughed. The 2 other experts I had pulled ahead of had caught & passed me. My race was over as far as being competitive. I inflated the tire, got it back on the bike & took off. My hubby's race was over...he sliced a gash in his sidewall which rendered his bike useless.. :(

I probably lost a good 15 minutes changing that stupid tire. So I decided to just ride smart & not try to catch the other 2 ladies. Rode through the rest of lap 1 fine w/ no problems. As I came back through the start/finish area there were lots of sport guys who had finished hanging around. I thought...wow that's a lot of people hanging around on such a crappy weather day. Then I also had the dreadful thought that I was probably the last one out there!...UGH

I zipped through the paved section back past the cottages. At one point I thought I saw Patrick Swayze hanging out in front of one of the buildings....oh wait..that was just the fog from my glasses creating a blurry line of site. Oh Well!....I pushed on & saw my teammate Bob O Taking some pics. I smiled really pretty for him, then informed him my hubby was out!

As I got up on the ridge, it was so foggy you could barely see 3 feet in front of you. pretty scary too when you could not see the trail...but the bike kept me going where I needed to be. Midway through the second lap the rains started. YUK!....I was wet and miserable & just wanted it over. Even the volunteers who were supposed to be at various intersections had abandoned their posts. I'd have to ride on memory and hope the turns I was taking were keeping me on course.

I came upon the rocky section and came across another guy who flatted. Unfortunately I did not have any air to help him so I kept on rolling. All the while I kept praying...please don't go flat, please make it through these wretched rocks. Phew..through safely, across the slippery wooden bridge & back on up I went. The second lap seemed like it would never end but I did finally make it back. Cold, wet, frustrated, tired..but glad I finished!.....
My overall time was 2 hours, 22 minutes. Which wasn't too bad considering I lost a lot of time fixing the flat. I was the last expert lady in :( but as least I finished. w/out the flat I probably would have placed in the top 4 -5 of the expert ladies...not too shabby for my first time.

Glad that one is out of the way. Gotta work on starting faster. Still had a great time though!
To the left is my trusty steed which carried me safely through those rocks. This bike ROCKS!!!!!

New ride

March 09, 2007
Congratulations! It's a slightly used full suspension Kona King Kikapu for the 2007 race season. My new little bike arrived on Friday evening. I'd been shopping for a new race bike..and found it! Well, actually Skippy found it.
This bike is HOOKED UP! I don't think the previous owner rode it very much. It was in superb condition as I unpacked it. Not a scratch, dent, ding, or spec of dirt on the thing!!! It has a Marathon XC front fork w/ a ton of travel (120mm)..I'll probably never need than much travel but you never know. It's got a Fox Float R rear suspension shock, all Shimano XT stuff, onyx hubs,Chris King Headset, blah, blah blah. It actually weighs a little less than my hardtail. We switched out the stem from my Kona Explosif hard tail..it was a little too long. Other than that, a few tweaks here & there, & I'll have it dialed in in no time flat.

I took it on it's first ride today at Fishburn. Wow was it smooth! Like butter! I bombed over stuff I usually hesitate down. I did dump it once b/c something tied up the back wheel on a climb. Speaking of climbing..I do have to adjust my position a little more forward when climbing because of the higher travel in the front fork. I think I'm gonna like it!

Climb on!

I've been a major slacker in the blog dept so I thought I'd post something. Been working on hitting the weight room and doing long base mile rides on the weekends. The past few weekends have really sucked because it's been really cold and super windy. Luckily this past week, we had a light week as far as workout hours. Our THursday ride has been canceled the past 3 weeks due to rain, ice, snow and overall cold. This past Thursday our regular crew traded their mountain bike gear for some indoor rock climbing gear. We went to an undisclosed location to hone our skills. When I lived in Maryland, we had access to an indoor climbing gym at The City of Rockville, Department of Recreation and Parks. My hubby & I climbed quite a bit up there. It's been about 10 years so I was a little out of practice. A quick refresher on belay techniques and top roping and we were good to go. I did more belaying than climbing but I still got a good workout...that is..until the stomach gremlins decided to rear their ugly heads. That cut the workout short. That's ok..hopefully we'll get to do it again. It's a great way to cross train.
Enjoy the pics!

strange encounters

Been slacking in the blog dept again so I thought I'd do a post. We're in the base miles phase of our training which means long rides (2.5 - 3 hours) but at a slow pace. I'm enjoying the slower pace and I think our Thursday night crew apprecitates it also. Last year it always seemed every group ride we'd go out & put the hammer down. This year we're more focused on getting a good base. The hammer rides will come soon enough. Our rides so far have been full of fun and adventure. Here are a few pics of some things we've encountered along the way
(no animals, trees, or humans were harmed in the taking of these pictures)