Barbarians!

As I chased after a couple of faster (although younger) riders the other night at Munson I had an epiphany. Racing through the woods along trails is something that's rooted in our distant past.

First on foot as we chased after food. Then on horses chasing game. The fastest got the kill and therefore the first or largest piece of the meal. So we all want to be the fastest. I can just imagine tearing through the primal woods whooping and hollering. Dodging back and forth along the trails. Then celebrating at the end of the hunt with a meal and some kind of manly (or womanly) drink. Sound familiar? What do you think? Don't you get some kind of deep seated pleasure at the end of a particularly hard ride? How about the urge to grab something hearty to eat? I've heard the celebratory hiss of an adult beverage being opened at the end of a long day as we toast our successful "hunt". So we really can't help riding in the woods. It's a part of us.

Ok let's take it a step farther. Look how we separate into tribes when we ride. This was one of the first differences I noticed when I left moto and started cycling. We all get along but we seem to settle into groups and tend to ride with that group most of the time. Kinda like tribes see? We even wear "colors" (well some of us do) sometimes to identify which tribe we're most closely associated with.

I don't ride road bikes so I wonder if they get the same thrill as those of us who only ride in the woods. From the outside it all looks so clean, civilized, and orderly. Do their tribes get along or do they just try to kill each other? Do they have the urge to howl at the moon while they ride? Do they even drink post ride beers?

Both Rupe and I have hit the ground pretty hard this week. Me getting over a large (to me) root on Cadillac and him clipping an unseen stump with his pedal also on Cadillac. It was scary to watch him launch into the air, perform a 180, then hit the ground with a thud. He got up and walked it off but it took the edge off of him for the rest of the evening. I'm almost embarrassed to tell about my little ordeal. See, I have this one root that has terrified me since we started riding. Almost everybody else clears it without even thinking about it but not me. So I decided I was going to do it. The first time I sailed right over it. Ha! Nothing to it. So I turned around to make another run, pulled up on the bars too early and plowed right into it. My ankle found the chair ring about the same time my shoulder met the tree and I ended up in a pile. Being both stubborn and untalented I made two more runs at it and even though I didn't fall again I never made it all the way over clean. Maybe I'll take up road riding.

Six Days

I know cycling off road for 6 days in a row isn't any big deal. The longest ride was 2.4 hours with BJS and Rupe last Saturday and the shortest was the hour and 15 minute ride last night at TB with the crew. The week also included a family ride at a very sedate pace and a Felt test ride where I thought I had to pedal at race pace the whole time to get the most out of the different bikes I was riding. It must be wearing me down though.

Last night I was trying to stay with Lil Ball on his single speed when all of the sudden my legs just said "enough" and try as I might I couldn't make them continue to push. But that didn't bother me until I looked over my shoulder to see Rupe and DB catching me. I forgot all about Lil Ball who had already gotten out of sight and started marking their progress. Much to my dismay they were gaining on me. DB is so far above my skill level he could have caught me on a big wheel but Rupe catching me from behind is a different story (later Rupe told me DB said "let's catch your dad"). I commenced to trying to get my already dead legs to do something; snot and sweat started running down my face as I tried to reach the dog fountain at the MOAPG before I was overtaken. I made it but not by much. I tried to control my breathing so it wouldn't seem like I had been working but I still sounded like a cat choking on a hairball. Anyhoo that's my excuse and I'm sticking with it; 6 days in a row is too much for an old man.

Don't get me wrong, I don't begrudge Rupe his new found speed. I'm proud of his performance and glad he enjoys cycling. It's my performance that's sometimes frustrating. It seems like just last week he was having a melt down on that very same trail because he couldn't even climb the hills.

I did find out I love bike demo days. I really like the way the Higher Ground crew runs them. Having someone hand you a carbon fibre bike to ride one after the other in all kinds of different configurations isn't a bad way to spend a cloudy Sunday afternoon. With me these kind of things usually end with me wanting whatever expensive model they have. This time was no different as the Felt Edict has gone to the top of my never ending want list. I know an old base rider on a full carbon frame doesn't make much sense but then what about cycling and our toys does?

Oh, we made the right call on the GSC race last Saturday. It rained all night, quit right before the start, and turned cold. I hear bikes were ruined. Not my idea of a fun ride.

Picture not from the GSC race but good none the less

In A Funk

I have been looking forward to the start of the Gone Riding Georgia Series since I first heard about it last year. The trails sounded like something I'd want to ride and Rupe was excited about racing his first full series. I had pre entered, made hotel reservations, and packed when BJS called and gave me the weather report. 80% chance of rain and thunderstorms for both Saturday and Sunday. That would mean being in rain all weekend. We pulled the plug. Now I sit here looking at the newest forecast for the race site it and doesn't look as bad as it did last night. I knew this would happen. I've done enough races in my life to know that the feeling I get from backing out is usually worse that the punishment I'd have gotten if I'd have just gone ahead and raced. Oh well there's 5 more in the series surely it won't rain at all 5.

As part of my "training program" for the Ga. races that I was going to attend SteveA and I did the torture loop at Forest Meadows the week before. I followed that with a little vacation to the Ocala area which didn't involve anything physical at all. Then a couple of more days off with some very easy rides so I wouldn't have tired legs because I was going to be racing this weekend. All of this resulted in a gain of 2 pounds. My little non-cycling vacation was pleasant enough. We did some fishing and a little snorkeling (very little). The place we stay is a throw back to the 50's. By that I mean the house we rent looks just like it did in the 50's and 60's. The lake is beautiful and the land surrounding the house is one of the prettiest places in Florida. Unfortunately once you get outside the Ocala National Forest this part of our state has become a dumping ground for poor Yankees and seems to have attracted an excess of people who either don't know or worse don't care about the land or the water. They treat it just like they have treated the rest of the state South of here. When I first started coming here in the 60's it was hard to get here. You had to have a 4 wheel drive to launch a boat or get around in the forest. You could actually get lost on the lake or in the woods. You rarely saw another person in the woods and nobody had booming stereos on their boats.

The perfect example of all of this was presented to me when we went to Silver Glen Springs to do some snorkeling. The picnic area was full of people but the springs were empty. It seems a manatee had found it's way into the spring and it's against the law to harass them. I can see how if all of us had been in the spring it would have scared the crap out of it. Just beyond the rope separating the spring from the run leading out to the big lake was a flotilla of boats jammed bow to stern. I don't see how a fish could have gotten out much less something as big as a manatee. So there it was trapped with people all around it. I know how it feels.

Now I know I can't change any of this. I know I'm just an old man wanting it to be like it was in the "good old days" but damn people, let's show a little restraint and a lot more respect. Sorry for the rant but I warned you I was in a funk.

Is It Just Me?

I don't corner very well. Even Rupe leans it over with more grace than I do. I keep wanting to stick my leg out like you do on a dirt bike which doesn't work well with clip less pedals. In my defense nobody ever really taught me how to turn a MTB. I watch other riders and read all the articles in the magazines but I still find myself at least a bike length farther back at the exit than I was at the entrance. I keep thinking there must be some kind of a secret that nobody's telling me about.

After a weekend off the bike so I could catch up on my yard work (wouldn't want it to look like a homeless person lived there would I BJS?) I attended the first Munson Monday of the spring. It felt so good to be able to ride without lights. The group was not my regular crew but I was feeling froggy and was looking forward to a little bit of a beat down. I wasn't disappointed. Since there were some new riders with us that looked like they belonged on the FSU cycling team, it became apparent that some of the boys had to establish who was the alpha dog. I watched from the back as they disappeared. When I finally caught up at the stop they all acted like it was just a cruise but I knew better. It was on this ride that I had the revelation regarding my inability to corner. I noticed most of the riders ahead of me (which was all of them) continued pedaling through most corners whereas I would coast. I keep wanting to set it up like a moto turn, plus I'm a little skittish of hitting the pedals on the inside of the turn. When I did pedal through the turn I seemed to lose a little less ground on the exit but I had trouble deciding which turns I could do like this. Am I just retarded or what?

Rupe had elected to sit this ride out and I hate to admit it but it was relaxing not having him along for a change. I know, I know I shouldn't be like that but I still worry about him on rides; even though he should be worrying about me. Don't get me wrong I am overjoyed to have my son ride with us but every now and then it's fun to just have myself to worry about. Besides watching him fade into the distance like every body else gets a little depressing.

It's Over!

The things I worried about the most never happened. When I checked the radar Saturday morning it looked like it was flooding in South Georgia, I almost started calling around to send out a cancel message. We loaded up and headed to the ATV start anyway only to find it dry and dusty. After collecting some of the t-shirts the cyclists had ordered we went over to the MTB start and began setting up.

We had 130 ATVs registered and ended up with 30 cyclists. I should have had a riders meeting for the MTBs to go over the arrows, and I meant to include instructions in every body's bag but I only had 11 pre registered on Thursday so I didn't expect to need to be so detailed. I just went around to the groups that had gathered and told them which arrows to follow. I however neglected to tell the late arrivals and the one lady in the port o let about the arrows so guess which group got together and followed the wrong color.

There are so many stories to tell about this ride; Big Jim missing the first arrow, Bob Marley's group getting lost within the first 3 miles, SteveA etal following the orange ATV arrows and riding a freshly harrowed fire break for a mile, WB flatting, Mr. Silk and the Ice Berg doing 2 laps while most of us did one, Mickey and the honey buns, the lady who thought WB and LWB were both my sons because we were wearing BC kits, the same lady referring to Cowboy as "that country talking dude", WB, LWB, and Bob Marley getting lost within earshot of the finish, his call telling me "seriously dude I'm having a meltdown here, get me out", and that's just the stuff I saw or heard.

So for just a 28 mile trail ride it turned out to be an adventure. I think most everybody enjoyed it. We raised over $12,000.00 for Shands and nobody got hurt. I learned a few things which if I do this again I'll do different. I enjoy this type of event much more than a race format, even though many of us had little races going on at one time or another.

I was a little disappointed in the MTB turnout. I had hoped for 40. I think the weather had something to do with it. It turned out to be very popular with the ATV crowd as we had 130 vehicles and 150 people. That will be the problem in the future with doing MTBs as slots are limited to under 200 and as the popularity of the event increases the MTB side may get pushed out. We're just not that big of a recreational user which isn't a bad thing.

I want to thank my sponsors and everybody who came to ride. Cyclists are much more low key and appreciative than the moto folks were when I promoted events for them. Thanks to my lovely wife T who signed riders up and did the poker drawing for me. She stayed all day and even helped serve the food to the ATV crowd.

So for my first MTB event I will claim this one a success! I got to ride and had a great time even though I had to stop and answer my phone every now and then. Oh, and I lost the drag race to the finish to SteveA by a wheel. But the beers and food at the finish were excellent. All in all another perfect day.

Happy Day!

I had a whole lot more fun this past weekend at the local Stomp race than I did last weekend at Santos. There's a lot to be said for sleeping in your own bed and just driving 30 minutes to get to the event. It was a well run and well executed race which for everything that was going on at Tom Brown that day was saying something.

Big goofy grin, can you tell it was my birthday?

The 50+ class was the biggest of the day with 8 riders in it. SteveA took it to me and everybody else after making a block pass on Frank. I was content not to strain myself too much and rode to a conservative second. It must have been an "easy" day for me, yea, that's what it was. Really I had nothing for SteveA; he's at that Sport level now and has left me behind. But hey it was a great day anyway. Rupe won his class and finally got to ride with someone close to his own age. The weather was perfect and after a few Blue Moons T and I watched the sunset from the patio of Oscar's Italian Restaurant in beautiful downtown Havana.

They're Coming, Watch Out!

When you think about it it's the people that make the racing fun. The jokes and bench racing are icing on the cake of a good day. Going to big races where you don't know many of the riders is a thrill but to me it's not nearly as much fun as racing with folks you know. Even if the butt heads beat you it's still fun.

AMSTERDAM

The first of what passes for single track

Sunday afternoon T and I went up to put the finishing touches on the Tour route. By this time next week this project will be over. If it all goes well and the turnout is decent I may do it again next year but I'm ready for it to be over right about now.

Not My Cup of Tea

The Santos 12 hour race (or in my case 4 hour) wasn't what I was expecting. Yes it was hard, I didn't think they'd use so much of the expert only Vortex section, yes there were a lot of riders entered, and yes trying to ride 6 hours solo was tiring. But what really got to me besides these things was the bordom of riding the same loop 5 times. The temptation to stop as I rode by our sag was too great. I would have much rather just ridden the 38 miles in one big loop.





To add insult to my weak performance the kid managed to put in one more lap than I did. This is the first time he's ever beaten me in a straight up race and now he never fails to rub it in whenever the subject comes up. So there it is, the trail didn't really beat me, bordom did. Anyhoo that's my excuse and I'm sticking with it. As BJS said when I was whinning to him about it "well, now you know".





It took me a couple of days to recover from my little mileage. I can't imagine how it felt for those riders who did the 12 hour solo. Let me say I am truly impressed with the effort I witnessed, epecially as it got dark. IF I ever try one of these again I think the team thing would be more fun.

Amsterdam

I don't know why I do some of the things I do. What on earth possesed me to want to promote this poker run on Amsterdam? I've arrowed 27 miles of trail and worried about the logistics of this ride until I wake up at 4:00 in the morning thinking about it. Clever reminded me after listening to me complain that I've done this all before. Taken something I enjoy and made a job out of it.

Cemetary Hill

Oh well it's too late to worry about it now. If you've ever attempted something like this you understand the pressure to provide your customers with an enjoyable experience. Even though there are many variables such as weather, other events, and just the economy in general that you can't control you still hope everybody has a good time. That being said different people expect different things from their riding experience and with the diverse range of talent that I'm trying to appeal to it's difficult to make one trail fit everybody.

Just After the Old Railroad Headed Toward the Cemetary

After all it's all for charity, the meal at the end is great, and the scenery is beautiful. So what if the fast guys happen to catch the ATVs, or somebody gets a little lost, or if it's not challenging, or if it's too challenging, or it gets a little muddy, I hope everbody just sits back, takes a look around, and is just happy to be in the woods.