My Baby Just Keeps Givin'

Just when I thought I had gunkholed every trail in MCSP, I found a brand spanking new single track in the park (picture of sunrise at the park entrance). I liked the new single track so much I rode it 3 times (up, down, then down again toward the end of the ride).

During by first down on this new trail I heard someone bombing the Rocky Climb but I wasn't able to circle back in time to see who it was (typically not many riders at that early hour). Was that you Sebastian? I am pretty sure it wasn't Mr. non-committal-that's-how-I-roll-drunken-bike-shop-guy (not mentioning any names) because his garage was buttoned up when I rode by at 6am.

Anyway Kudos to the enterprising soul who laid in that new single track - it is awesome.

Chris

One Weak Moment

The first Midnight in Milford Mills night race is this month. Should I follow my heart or follow my brain?

Heart: Imagine the carnage of a night race. The stories, the bragging rights, and maybe even the t-shirt! The run-up to race day, riding the course every other night and watching my split times drop. Carb loading the night before, suiting up, a driving to the start area with the sunroof open and AC/DC cranking. Registration. The jostling as we congregate at the starting line. The race starts. The mad acceleration across the open field and into the woods. Trying to find the right spot in the pack - too fast and you'll explode - too slow and you'll get stuck in traffic. Now in the groove and riding race pace...

Brain: ...pushing hard, harder than on any of the practice rides. Bombing the twisty downhill section a little faster than I should, on the ragged edge of disaster. Now climbing again, legs burning, lungs heaving. Then down. And up again. Down. Up. Getting a little bit tingly - is it nerves or is it oxygen deficit due to the race pace? Time to choke down some energy (Shot Bloks are my preference) but breathing so heavily it just turns into a thick gluey mess in my mouth. Wash it down with some water just in time to start the next climb. Why am I doing this? I have a perfectly good time riding this course hard during practice or just for fun, but this is starting to seem like work. More up. More down. Yes, definitely work. Just make sure nobody passes me. Try to catch that rabbit up ahead. Up. Down. Finally drag my sorry self across the finish line, mid-pack assuming no major mechanicals.

Heart: That was awesome (now that it's over). The buzz after the race. Put on some dry clothes. Checking the finish times as they are posted - how did I stack up against others in my riding group? The appetite starts to crank up. One hot dog. Two. Three. Comparing notes with fellow riders - remember that sketchy turn, did you see that poor bastard who bonked on the last lap? What a blast, can't wait until the next race.

In my case the brain usually speaks loudest, but I have found it just takes one weak moment for the heart to break through and make a commitment that the brain can't undo. Stay tuned.

Chris

Symmetry in SEPA

While the rest of the world was hitting the snooze button I was being treated to the sights, smells, sounds, and stimulation of yet another perfect-10 morning in SEPA. In Sunday's blog entry I promised I would do a better job with the camera on my next outing, so I made it a leisurely ride with time to take some pictures.

I still have plenty left in the tank (actually charged up from this morning's ride) so I think we'll make it a double header today - head out after work and experience today's sunset to complement this morning's sunrise.

There seems to be a nice symmetry to that.

Chris

"If you're not having fun, you're doing it wrong."

-anonymous

LeMond May be a Roadie, But He Got It Right

We tore up Fair Hill today.

I mean like, we TORE IT UP.

We opened by ripping the Fox Pen and then decided to try Crackhead Bob backward (CHBob would be proud). The start was rough - long uphill grind for a group that was already gassed - but soon we were rewarded with the most awesome twisty never-ending punch-the-gas-and-rail-the-turn single track I have ever had the pleasure of riding (and that's saying something after last Thursday's White Clay adventure). Finally we wrapped with the root infested trail adjacent to CHB and then the long grind back out of the park.

Sorry the only picture is of four sweat soaked riders in parking lot after the ride, but this ride was all speed with no time pull out the camera. I'll do better next time.

Ride telemetry credit goes to Andy. It is hard to believe we only burned 3 Big Macs worth of calories on that ride (frankly I don't believe it).

Chris

"It never gets easier, you just go faster."

– Greg LeMond

Thursday Burn at White Clay

Oh my God what an awesome ride we had at White Clay last night! We elected to start early since night riding is prohibited there (and apparently enforced) and we mountain bikers are all about "peace and love."

We ended our 2hr ride with a totally awesome 15-minute non-stop high-speed in-the-groove zen-like bob-and-weave descent on the sweetest stretch of single track I have ever had the pleasure of rolling on. We ended at dusk, drenched in sweat, high-5-ing in the parking lot.

THAT is the way to burn a Thursday evening.

Sweet Jesus, Please Stop the Rain

I am thinking the unthinkable.

I am thinking of getting a road bike.

It has rained for 13 of the last 19 days. The last dry spell was 3 days and the trails had just begun to firm up to a soft tacky consistency when the rain returned. Today's forecast was partly cloudy (it would have been the 2nd dry day) but it is now 5:00 pm and it has been raining - steadily - since 8:00 this morning.

Would anyone blame me if I went to the dark side?

Chris

Bloody Season Ending Trip to the ER, NOT

This morning's ride was well attended and included a lost soul in search of salvation after a few months of weight training. Apparently his regimen of daily 16oz Guinness curls was no substitute for turning the cranks on a mountain bike.

We also earned the dubious honor of resetting the crash counter. This one was about 6 inches away from a bloody season ending trip to the ER for one of our riders (not the Guiness drinking one). I know the dirty sheet rock screws jutting out of those slimy logs by the Creative Playthings crossing are galvanized (i.e., not rusty) but that would have been little consolation as they would have ripped through the hand attempting to break the fall into the manure tainted muckpit next to the easy to underestimate log crossing. Wow, that was close. To paraphrase a famous song lyric, that was a "big 6 inch."

The latter part of this week looks wet, so maybe one more sunrise ride before the weekend. Father's day is Sunday, I am thinking a road trip to MD or DE on Saturday.

Chris