Slalom Trail Breckinridge Co.

I've been in kinda a life/riding funk since the FSC race.  The hot, wet, weather, and a general malaise, have conspired to bring my grumpiness to an unusually high level.  It's not possible to stay "up" all the time, I know that, you'd be crazy if you did, but still, I'll be glad when this dark cloud moves on.

Sooo, I decided to put this little video in here.  Just watching it makes me want to ride.  Not ride locally mind you, but ride none the less.  It was 68 with thunder when we started this run.  We'd been lost and had decided to turn back towards Breckinridge and try to beat the storm.  Having just climbed this we knew it was going to be an awesome decent, we were not disappointed.  You might be wondering if I was able to stay up with The Kid, the answer is no.  I rode at a pace that made me smile but with the thought that I was a long way from home.  Later in another video you can hear him mumble "where is Dad?" while he waits for me and the thunder rumbles in the background.  And no, we didn't beat the storm.

The Here and Now

Back in not so sunny Florida and the present.   I have big plans for this weekend.  So big, I wake up early like a kid on Christmas morning thinking about them.  It involves something I haven't done in years, plus riding.  It will be a no fam weekend.  I'm hoping it helps clear the cobwebs, at least for a couple of days.  Don't get me wrong, I love spending time with the fam, but sometimes it's nice to get out from under those responsibilities, if only for a day or so. 

Disclaimer

The above video is not up to the standards of  WB or DH.  I don't want to spend hours in front of this screen editing something that only I really care about watching. 

Anyhoo, I hope the weekend generates much blog fodder.  I'll be disappointed if it doesn't.

0 expectations+ local trails+ good racing= a good day

Yea it was a good day.  Did I win?  No.  Did I get on the box?   No.  Did I have a good time?  Yes.  Did I consume a large quantity of cold adult beverages?  Of course.

Who's this old dude?  Is that the way I look?

It was the first race of the Florida State Championship Cross Country Series promoted by Gone Riding.  It was also my first race in the 50+ expert class.  I had been whining to any body who would listen about getting promoted.  Even going so far as to email the promoter begging to be allowed to stay in the sport class.  But to no avail.  My pleas fell on deaf ears.  I was sure I'd just be a rolling chicane for the rows starting behind me.  So, convinced of my lack of speed, and not concerned with my results, I lined up with 15 other old guys at Tom Brown Park in Tallahassee last Sunday.

Big Jim chasing Mr. Bonn, thinking about doing 4 of these.

When the whistle blew for the start I was in no hurry.  I hit the multi use in last and was content to sit there to see how things would develop.  They (fortunately) had us running 3 laps instead of the 4 that the other expert classes were doing.  Big Jim was envious of this but he'll be in this class pretty soon and he can complain when he gets here.  I was happy not to be doing the extra lap.

Why am I looking at the parking lot?

Anyhoo, my old nemesis from the base class in the Georgia Series, Hambone, was in front of me.  Just like old times!  So when he started to go around people I just grabbed his wheel.  When we hit the first section of single track we were still in a pretty tight group.  As we came to the third split where you could go either way I took the easier path, passing about 4 riders who got bottled up on a root on the other path.  "Local knowledge!" I yelled as I got in front of them.  I'm sure they appreciated that.

Hambone passed me back in the feed zone with a big ol' goofy grin on his face.  He stayed just where I could see him for the rest of the race.  Funny, sitting here now I wonder why I couldn't just get out of the saddle and catch him.  But I didn't have anything left in the tank at the time.  He must have reminded me at least three times at the finish how it was the first time he'd beaten me.

Hambone passing me.  Too far away to see the grin but it's there, trust me.

At a section called Wally World the locals had gathered to cheer, beer, and jeer.  I started yelling before I got there so as to get a good dose of motivation.  It sounded like a stadium.  Awesome!


The crew gathered after the race for beer and pizza (thanks Guardian Automotive!).  We heckled the white wave and told race stories.  In the end I enjoyed the day much more than I thought I would.  I like surprises like that.

The Kid got off to a good start but faded a little.  Still got a 4th.

Another Day On the Clay

"If those bastards were 10 years older they wouldn't be hauling up that hill like that" I thought as I watched my four "riding companions" pull away from me.  But damn did they have to make it look so easy, leaving me back there with the yellow flies?

I had my excuses.   Big Jim had pulled me all over Gadsden County two days before and my legs were still feeling it.  But the ride had started out mellow and I knew the plan was to do efforts on the rolling hills of Sunny Side road.  Still, my legs were talking to me like Scotty did to Captain Kirk on board the Star Ship Enterprise; "I'm given her all shees gat Captain" (say it in an Scottish accent).

Then, on the second hill, right when I took another deep gulp of air, one of those aforementioned yellow flies flew in my mouth.  I tried to spit it out but by this time I was very low on saliva, so he just buzzed around at the back of my throat for a couple of laps.  It was a unique feeling to say the least.  I couldn't decide whether to just swallow him or keep trying to spit him out.  Right before I ran off in the ditch I finally got enough phlegm together to get him out. 

Anhoo, those are my excuses for getting dropped and I'm sticking with them.  It's not easy always being the slowest guy on the ride, but I'm getting used to it.  Besides, it's "good training".  Yea, but they just get faster too.

After eating Georgia clay for over 3 hours the cold mug(s) of beer at Momos helped ease my frustration.  It started raining after we had finished the first two so naturally we had to have another, you know, just until the rain stopped.  I was disappointed to learn that Big Jim knew all the words to all the bad 80's songs they were playing.  And that he didn't mind singing them.

The Bug

When it was first finished I was giddy every time I rode it.  I liked the old Red Bug but the new one was like a brand new trail.  I guess it is (was) a brand new trail.  I mean just look at the picture above.  Take a good look, because it doesn't look anything like that now.  A monsoon just weeks after it was completed combined with the incessant rains we had this summer have brought the old Bug back.  All you folk that "love the gnar" should be out there tearing it up.

I know things change as they age, it's inevitable.  When a trail is young it's bones (roots) are covered by a smooth layer of skin (fresh dirt).  But as time passes those bones start to show through.  Then the trail gets crotchety.  Just like some people.

Don't think I don't appreciate all the money you rich folks down there in Leon Co. and Tallahassee pony up out of your taxes to provide these great trails.  I'm amazed that during these tight times they still find funding to provide me with a way to get my single-track fix.

Anyhoo, just like Red Bug, I might be getting a little crotchety in my old age.  Like Monday evening.

The Discussion

As I was leaving my local gym in beautiful downtown Havana, after one of my awesome, super hard, nobody else can do this, workouts.  The owner stopped me at the door (as he usually does). 

Now keep in mind I was tired, hungry, and maybe not on my best behavior.  He knows I'm a cyclist, he lives on a local road the roadies like to ride called the Havana Hills route.  So he starts in on me about bikes riding two abreast in a long line, keeping him from passing while he's on his way home.  Then he says they throw stuff at his dog.  Plus he complains about them throwing trash in his yard.

Really?  Now the two abreast thing I get.  This particular road is narrow with limited sight distance, plus it has hills (duh).  But the dog and trash thing I just couldn't leave alone.

It Went Something Like This

Me: "You know you, and most of humanity, do a lot of things that piss me off, but you don't see me stopping you to complain about them do you?  Anyway, aren't you supposed to keep your damn dog in your yard?   Isn't it against the law to let him run free?"

Gym Owner: "Well they throw stuff at him.  And besides aren't you bikers supposed to ride on the white line?"

Me: "Yea, I know that's aggravating, but cyclists have a legal right to be on the road, and if we ride close to the edge you impatient butt holes buzz us.  Or scream profanities at us.  Imagine how it would work if every time somebody made me mad I screamed at them (I tend to do this anyway but that's another story)."

At this point Mr. Gym Owner starts to laugh. He's enjoying my little rant.  We have this type of discussion often so he's not offended.  Yet.

Me: "And what do they throw at your dog?  If that mean bastard came out and bit me I'd come back and shoot him.  Cyclists have a legal right to be on that road, your dog doesn't.  (I could never shoot a dog, I just talk big).

Gym Owner:  "They throw cups and trash at him and in my yard and that gets him pissed off."

Me:  "Wait a minute.  Cyclists don't carry cups or anything that you could throw at a dog, except maybe a water bottle.  Are you sure it's real bicycle riders?  What do they look like?"

Gym Owner:  "Well, maybe it's the kids from down the road that throw stuff at the dog, but still, you guys shouldn't block traffic like you do."

Me:  "You're an idiot.  I'm hungry.  I refuse to talk about this anymore."  This type of witty response is what makes me such a great politician.

Then he tells me about a lane widening project that's currently occurring on that very road that is supposed to have bike lanes included.  Plus, there is an effort to get funding for a mountain bike trail system close by.

Wow.  So moral of the story; if you snarl up traffic they will build extra lanes for you. 

As far as the MTB trail goes I have no idea where that came from.  I did volunteer to be a part of any further developments.  I should be good at that huh?  Can't you see how well I handle people?

I want?

I want to wake up and only be concerned with where I'll ride today.

I want to eat lunch out of my back pack.

I want to decide which of the 20 cool restaurants we'll eat at tonight and how many beers I'll have.

I want to wake up to 40 degrees and clear skies.

I want to feel 15% humidity on my skin.

I don't want to watch it rain again.

I don't want to ride on the road because the woods are wet.

I don't want to end the ride soaked with sweat.

I don't want to walk into my laundry room and smell wet cycling shoes.

I don't want to eat Mexican food along the side of north Munroe.

If there was any question about whether or not I liked Colorado let me settle that right now.  I freaking LOVED IT!  In fact almost anywhere looks better than Florida right now.  Damn I am tired of this place.  I guess it's the constant rain that has me in such a funk.  Big Worm calls me a grumpy old man and he's right.

Getting away is what a vacation is for but the contrast between the Rocky Mountains and Florida in August is just too much to bear.

Voodoo Saturday

Anyhoo, we had a big crew on last Saturday's ride, which started out as a road ride, but quickly turned into a MTB ride when the early morning rains hit.  Yea I know that sounds counter to what you would think but it turned out that Munson was dry at 10 but the road was getting flooded at 7:30.

I was so sure we were gonna get rained on I took the single speed for what I assumed would be an easy paced trail ride on wet sand.  I even wore baggies and my old Fox helmet.  It was all going as I had planned until Dirt Hippie got on the front.  I quickly discovered I was geared too low for our new pace.  The Twilight trail is mostly flat and I was spinning like a hamster in a wheel trying to keep up.  We never got any rain but in the end I was just as soaked as if I had been swimming.

 

Later we met at this bizarre hot dog/ hamburger place called VooDoo Dogs for an after ride celebration.  Many cold protein units were consumed and greasy food was enjoyed.  This group really loves a $12 hamburger and a $5 beer in a concrete block building on the questionable side of Tallahassee. 

Big Jim ate all of this.

The really big appetites had a hot dog wrapped in bacon and covered with macaroni and cheese.  Yea, it looked as gross as it sounds.  My cheeks still hurt from laughing when I stumbled out the door and into the cloudy afternoon sun some 2 plus hours later.  Good times.

Eclectic group of pictures on the wall at Voodoo

The Day Before

Part of this same group had met for lunch on Friday.  Some of them were not working that day and some of them suddenly decided they didn't want to work any more.  Beers were ordered by the not working crowd.  Afterwards we wandered over to Higher Ground.  I realized things were going down hill when I saw some of our group racing around the shop on kids bikes.

And Jim ate all of this.

Funny, after thinking about last weekend, home doesn't seem quite so bad.  I even feel better. 

And hey look!  The sun's shining outside!

Down Wiley!

 

I took the Fam on a trip to Colorado recently.  No, it wasn't cheap, but it was 36 degrees in the morning out there.  Not to mention the mountains!  It's really hard to beat the west when you want to get away from an oppressive Florida summer.

We stayed in a quaint town called Breckinridge.  All you rich folks have already been there skiing and snowboarding.  I'd never been.  In fact my first ever trip on a ski lift was when we loaded the bikes to do a lift run on the mountain.

Riding the lift for the first time was scarier than riding the bike back down.

 

 

 

We'd hike a day, then rent bikes the next.  The altitude was a struggle at times but not completely debilitating. 



 

 

 

 

 

Locally brewed beer for lunch. Doesn't a weekday lunch beer always taste great?

I thought the bike trails on the mountain would be groomed but they were mostly just cross country type trails that zig zagged back down to the base of the ski lift.  It was a zoo at the base, miniature golf, bungee jumping, a kiddie coaster, and a restaurant, made for an area packed with kids and parents.  Not what we had in mind when we started that day.

Trails on the lift run were less than we had hoped.  Still it was pretty.

The Kid just had to go play in the snow.  This is July?

 

The Lovely Wife had been training for weeks for this day, unfortunately the chain on her bike broke right after we got it off the lift, so she rode back to the base with no chain.  Once she made it down she'd had enough.  I was disappointed with the bike shop employees attitude, set up, and service on the rental bikes.  Did I mention Colorado has legalized marijuana?   The Kid and I managed to find some better riding off the mountain and rode till we'd had enough.

 

 

Downtown Breckinridge on a Wednesday evening.  I'm having 60's flashbacks.

 

They tell you to stay away from alcohol and caffeine at altitude, then they sell both on every corner in town.  Needless to say food and adult beverages were consumed in mass quantities after a day on the trails.  Restaurants were excellent and not terribly expensive.  There was a shuttle to take you wherever you wanted to go.  Plus we could walk from the townhouse to downtown.

 

 

Inside the saloon, supposed to be the oldest liquor license west of the Mississippi.  Sorry it's blurry, they mix the bourbon strong.

Anyhoo, the next time just The kid and I rented bikes and I was able to get things set up better.  The town of Breckinridge has built 100 miles of trail that connects to public trail on the national forest.  It was much more fun than the lift stuff.  We got run out of the woods early due to thunderstorms but still had a great ride. 

 

 

Hiking

The hiking was amazing.  Since Breckinridge is above 9000' you can get above the tree line pretty quick which makes for some killer trails.  I was surprised by the number and "condition" of some of the other hikers we encountered.  I'll just leave it at that.

I noticed that everybody has a dog in Colorado, and they take them wherever they go.  On the hike to Mohawk lake we counted 10 dogs at the summit. Of course out of the 10 there has to be one male who hasn't been fixed.  This was Wiley.  He'd sneak up behind the other dogs as they played by the lake and um, attempt to, well, you know.  Barking and growling would ensue followed by his owner hollering "down Wiley!".  Wiley would then sneak off only to pop up again in a few minutes on a new unsuspecting friend.  Wiley had himself a busy day.

Wiley is the brown dog in the back, preparing for another assault.

Coming Down

They only have 30 frost free days a year in that part of Colorado.  That means it's cold as hell most of the time.  I tried a long time ago to make a living out there and came home with my tail between my legs.  It can be a tough place.  But even knowing that, it is still hard to come home.

Ah Leadville, the real Colorado.

Helen

The town of Helen Ga. is a joke.  Maybe it used to be kinda cute but it has long since lost it's appeal (to me at least).  Traffic is terrible, it has gotten dirty, the paint on the buildings is faded, and the average clientele is, shall we say, not the beautiful people.



The view as you approach the finish line hill

But the surrounding countryside is still as pretty as it gets.  The trail system we raced on was devastated by a tornado a few years ago so the woods are thick, with not much of a view, but still, it's the mountains!

Time To Pedal

It had rained hard the Friday before our practice lap on Saturday.  Since the trail hasn't been very well maintained over the years it holds water in inopportune spots.  I had to walk a couple of short sections due to it being slick but fortunately the down hills weren't too bad.  The Kid didn't have any trouble and rode away from me easily.

What is it with these tall socks?

 

 

The Kid walks the creek crossing

 

Race day was bright and sunny, my class only had 6 in it.  I had to beat RJ to win the championship, which unless he had some trouble, didn't look too promising.  My race plan was to stay in my zones and just see what happened.  Well, it made for a pretty boring race.  RJ went out hard (as usual) and I ended up riding most of the 2 laps by myself.  He didn't have any trouble and beat me by a large margin.  I ended up second on the day and second in the series.

As I approached the finish line on my final lap I could hear all sorts of obnoxious heckling coming from the top of the hill.  It sounded like Big Jim and the rest of the crew had gotten into the beer cooler.  As Big Jim ran beside me hurling insults regarding my cycling abilities I got a happy feeling in my gut.  It was over!   Now it was time to celebrate.

Jim provides encouragement?

 

 

Yea, I only got second, but I had had a good time!  I can remember when just making two laps of Helen was beyond me.

 

 

Let's Get the Party Started

I grabbed a couple of beers and we headed back to the hotel to get cleaned up for the awards banquet.  We thought we'd be sneaky and pour our beer in Styrofoam cups and take them in to sip on while they gave out awards.  Being dehydrated and hungry the stuff went right to my head.  I almost fell off the box when I went to get my plaque.  Causing the Lovely Wife to remark that maybe the beer wasn't such a good idea. 

 

Can you tell by the look on my face I just got scolded?

Hey, I didn't get an award last year and had to sit there while everybody else got one.  I think I deserved a little extra celebration.

 

 

 



 

Now this is what the beautiful people look like!

 

After all it's not really the destination that's important, it's the journey.