18 Hours Scouts Honor

This was my first time doing this race and I originally planned on doing it as part of a 4 person team.  Jason B. (his first time too) was in and we put out a call to recruit 2 more.  Everyone who wanted to do it was already on another team, out of town, or riding solo, so we decided to give the duo division a shot.

I got to the scout camp at 2:30 pm.  I found the team and quickly began setting up.  I learned that you can make Joe really happy by bringing a table and agreeing to share it with him.  The pre-race meeting was at 3 pm and lasted quite a while.  I was getting a bit nervous about being ready to start because Jason and I had not really discussed a strategy yet.  When the meeting ended I asked him if he could start since my family came for a bit and I could spend some time with them before being gone for the better part of a day.  He was hoping I would start, but quickly jumped into his Jeep to get dressed.

Rolling Start

Unicycle Division?  Impressive! 

The race started with a rolling start through a start loop and then right onto the course.  While Jason was doing his lap I got myself ready and made my way to the transition area.  Jason got us off to a good start and I took over for the second lap.  I didn't get a chance to pre-ride the course so I wasn't sure what to expect.  The trails were extremely fun and fast.  They flowed really well, but I had to make sure I keep my speed in check on some of the down hills as I almost overcooked a few turns.  I was pretty sure I would eat it at least a few times when it got dark.   I loved the mile from 5 to go to 4 to go.  You could almost go flat out without brakes and carve through the turns.  I looked forward to that part on every lap.
 

Jason finishing lap 1.

When I went out for my 3rd turn we switched to double laps so that the other person could get some longer rest.  This was also my first night lap of the night and only the 2nd night ride in my life.  It was an absolute blast.  The big dips in the trail were a thrill at night because you could only see dirt when you went in and couldn't see the way out.  So far so good.  4 laps complete. No cramping. No crashing.

Erik finishing lap 2.

While Jason started his first double lap I put on some dry clothes and tried to decide on what I wanted to eat. I settled on a pre-cooked sweet potato that I stuffed with some brown sugar.  I had it wrapped in aluminum foil so I tossed it into the fire to heat up and laid down on a blanket near the fire to stretch.  After I ate I tried to sleep by the fire, but I couldn't fall asleep because of the camp fire conversation about Kylan's love of thongs.  I can't remember the whole conversation, but it was entertaining.

Jason finished his 4th and 5th laps and was starting to cramp up a bit, but he was determined to get some rest to keep going strong.  We were currently battling back and forth between 3rd and 4th place.  I took off for my 5th and 6th lap.  I was still worried about cramping, so I spun easily up the hills and tried to pick it up on the flats to make up for it.  I also stayed very conscious of my fluid consumption and made myself keep drinking.  The first sip on this lap actually caught me by surprise.  Some how I got my bottles mixed up and had mixed together Cafe Latte Perpetuem, Lemon-Lime Heed, and Grapefruit Endurolytes Fizz.  Not the tastiest flavor combination, but I was somehow able to stomach it.  As I was riding I was also looking for yellow rubber chickens that had been hidden on the trail.  Finding one and bringing it back to breakfast was worth $75.  At one point I slammed on my brakes because I thought I saw one hanging in a tree above the trail, but it was only yellow caution tape. 

The next lap was quite a bit faster than the first.  I latched on to another racer who was riding at a good pace.  He would lose me on the uphills, but I would catch back up on the flats and downhills.  I lost him about half way though when I got stuck on one of the uphill logs and had to push up the rest of the hill.  As I continued at a good pace I had slammed on the brakes skidding to a stop.....Rubber Chicken....no, damn caution tape again!  The rest of the lap was pretty uneventful. Somehow I still haven't cramped even though I had been pushing pretty hard and ridden quite a bit longer than any of my training rides. 

Jason took back over somewhere around 2am even though he wasn't feeling too well.  I got out of my wet gear and started getting everything ready for my next turn before trying to sleep for a bit.  When I went to charge my lights I noticed that I might have a defective battery.  The indicator light did not work anymore.  I wasn't sure if it would work at all, but I plugged it into the charger and hoped for the best.  I tried to hang my kit near the fire to dry it when Melissa (Jason's wife) told me a clothes drying trick she learned in college.  You can dry your kit on the dashboard of your car using the defrost setting.  The trick is to make sure you don't cover all the vents so you don't burn out the heater.  Apparently you can still hear her call into CarTalk about it when they play re-runs.

Now that I am lounging in the warm car I decide to try to get some sleep.  This proved difficult due to rider's lights shining right at me when they came back and an upset stomach.  Around the time Jason was going to finish his lap I decided to meet him at the transition area to see how he was doing.  Melissa was waiting for him with some food and water.  I ran back and grabbed a gel for him just in case.  When he came through he said his legs were starting to lock up.  I asked him if he wanted me to get ready to go again now, but he wanted to grind through one more lap. 

I tried to sleep again, but my queasy stomach made it difficult.  My alarm went off to let me know that I needed to start getting ready to go again.  It was about 4am and pretty difficult to get out of the warm car.  Jason came through the transition just as I was running up with my bike.  He said he was done.  He was cramping really badly now and had to walk all the climbs.   I told him about my light issue and he offered me his light.  I asked him to leave it in my car just in case.

I took off for laps 7 and 8 wondering how much longer we could go.  My triceps and lower back muscles were getting really sore, but no signs of leg cramps so I will take that as a huge victory.  My stomach actually felt fine when I was riding, but I felt a bit sick when I stopped.  It got pretty lonely this time because it seemed like there weren't many other riders out.  I think I only saw one other rider on the first lap.  I skidded to a stop again for the caution tape....damn it!  (Paul ended up finding one of the chickens.)  Shortly after that my helmet light went out.  This slowed my pace down a little, but luckily my bar light was really bright.  I started recognizing little things in the trail that gave me a clue about what was coming up ahead.  I would see a particular rock coming out of the ground and know instantly that I was about to hit a climb around the next corner.  I was really starting to grind slowly up the hills in my easiest gear and couldn't make it over any of the mid-hill logs anymore.  Thankfully I still had the fast mile of trail between 5 to go and 4 to go to look forward to. 

I got back to the transition area and made my way to my car to get Jason's light.  He was waiting with it and got me set up so I could grab a quick bite to eat.  His helmet light was really bright and made it look like daylight on the trails.  I started off with renewed enthusiasm, but it quickly diminished as the fatigue started hitting me even harder.  I gave up on finding the chicken so I finally got to ignore the caution tape.  The rest of the lap felt like I was going in slow motion.  I'm not sure I would have made it up all the hills on another lap.  I came back though the transition area as the sky was starting to get a bit lighter.  I went to check the current standings.  We were running in 4th and 3rd was out of reach.  The good news was the we were most likely out of reach of the 5th placed team as well.  I sat by the fire and trying to decide whether or not I wanted to go back out again and finally decided to call it a day since we couldn't improve our standing.  

I got some of my gear together and took the nicest hot shower of my life.  I joined the others that were now awake to watch the epic battle for first place between Joe and David.  Jeff gave me a lesson on making coffee in the wilderness and made some much appreciated good coffee.  Jim Fisher overcome some issues during the night and was now pounding out a couple super fast laps to try to take 1st place in the duo division.  The 4 person team was still going strong as well.  Unfortunately bad luck struck Dave H. as we saw him walking over the hill back to camp carrying his bike with another tube slung over his shoulder.  Double flat.  He was really disappointed because he had been looking forward to getting in a few fast daylight laps at the end.  After everyone finished we made our way to the breakfast buffet and awards ceremony before making our way back home.

Near the end of the race I was starting to wonder why I was doing this.  I was doubtful that I would ever do anything like it again.  After some sleep I can look back on it and actually get excited about next year.  Jason and I already traded a few "next time we should......" emails.  It was a fun learning experience and the time spent with our awesome team mates made it well worth it.

See you there next year!  


Results:

1st Solo - Joe Fish
2nd Solo - David Reid
9th Solo - Dave Hardisky
2nd Duo - Jeff Plassman and Jim Fisher
4th Duo - Jason Broussard and Erik Bleecher
3rd 4 person Co-ed - Matt Juaneza, Paul Leeger, Kylan Shirley, and Francine Rapp

Is it that time already???

Yes it is, cyclocross season has officially started!

I have to brag on Mason a bit.  Starting a new chapter in her cycling book racing with ALAN N. America Cycling - kicking it off with a win at Tacchino CX in her first race of the season.

On the top step of the Junior Girls podium!

Making her way through the field.

Working her way up to 9th in the womens 3/4 race...NICE!!!

Rumor has is I will be making an appearance at a few cross races this season on my trusty Giant TCX - we really do have the best sponsors out there!  Come on out to the CX races and have some fun.

Ford #2. A bag of ice, 2 Advil, and some rest

The Fredricksburg Offroad Duathalon was this weekend and anyone who was brave enough to venture was treated to all kinds of pain and suffering.  Turn out was thin, which seems to be the case for any end-of-summer or fall event.  My event went as planned and I took the overall win ahead of Powell Blackenship.  Jim Fisher was out representing DP Racing as well and finished a respectable 4th overall.

For me the ride home will be the most memorable part of this day. With whipping head winds on I-95S my 20 something year old bike rack reached the end of its useful life.  On 95 I watched, in my rear view mirror, as my dusty old rack with my bike still attached slid down the fast lane. I would tell you the speed I was going but my speedometer reached the end of its useful life that very same morning, I would guess 80mph.  I pulled over to the median as quickly as I could but also making sure I would leave space for on-coming traffic to avoid my dusty old bike rack with my bike still attached.  Next, I said some things that could get this blog shut down.  Then I ran, with my loafers and busted-up ankle, the fastest 100 yard dash of my life.  The whole time thinking, which and when will be the vehicle to nail my ride.  To my disbelief, that never happened, everybody was able to avoid it and I was able to quickly grab it and run back to the side of the road.  I quickly carried my long time friends back to my car and began to assess the damage.  First bike rack is junk, I throw that aside.  Wait A Minute?! This Can't Be Right?!  There is not a scratch on my bike. I'm not even kidding.

Well, I'm thanking my lucky stars and as for now...  a bag of ice, 2 Advil, and some rest, doctors orders.

SM100 2012

I look at my phone, "yep it's 4:30  in the mourning and somebody is playing Crazy Train as loud as possible. Hell yeah! I'm ready to my bike a 100 miles." Some dude rolls by hitting a gong on a 4 wheeler and Chris gets on the loud speaker "C'mon get ya some breakfast, it's black coffee kinda mourning." I get some pants on get three or four bagels and huge cup of unfinished coffee. Joe Fish is there and I talk to him bit. Then I rollout and change into the race clothes and all the other pre racing boring stuff.

At the starting line I find my boy Allen Campbell from Blackwater Bikes, we get rowdy almost too rowdy for 6:30 in the mourning. Allen and I start way in the back and pass probably half the field on the climb up to the radio tower. Then on the cookie trail nobody is riding the rocks and everything gets bottlenecked. Bradley Schmalzer passes me after his flat at mile 2. I find a train on Tillman Rd and latch on. Then begin the hike a bike up Lynn Trail. Finally the top of Lynn comes and sweet descent down Wolf begins. I rip past a few sketchy characters and some guy screaming bloody murder. Guess all the riding with the Plastic Man has payed off! I reach the creek at the bottom of the flowy stuff and pass mickey mouse, a hooter girl, some guy who said "Rider 555 (my number) your table is ready" and D Reid who broke his degaylleuer. Then on the flat road section, between Wolf and Aid 2 all the geared riders I passed on the descent come by in their big ring. I promptly give them the finger and tell em see ya halfway up Hankey. Not really but damn was I thinking it!

The awesome volunteers get me in and out of Aid 2 quick and the assault on Hankey begins. My legs feel good and I catch Davy from Blackwater in the little meadow before Dowells. Davy and I roll down the sketchy top portion and pass some fellas walking their bike down the drops. Davy skids off a little bit and lets me around. Halfway down I feel my water bottle hitting my leg, I look down to see my cage is broken. So for the second half I come down looking like an idiot with my bottle in mouth until I can get a zip tie at Aid 3. I hop into a geared train down 250 while some dark clouds roll up. Half way up Bridge Hollow the skies open up and I'm talking biblical rains. The rocks are near impossible to ride and I watch some dude ride his bike of the mountain. Bald Ridge, the Braley  downhill, isn't much better. You have to squint like an old man reading the newspaper to keep the mud out of your eyes. At aid 4 I see a bunch of people quitting. 

"Sup Dicky"

"Quitting" 

"You to J-Pok" 

"Yeah there is no point"

Damn this rain! 

On the road to the death climb I start shivering and can't feel my toes.  At the base of Shit Road I see Joe "Pro I've got them flashy yellow shoes" Fish who has the worlds biggest sidewall tear. He encourages me to keep riding. Actually he gave more of that WTF are you doing, stop talking, go ride your bike, it's race kinda tone. So I press on. Shit Road is this stupid 2% grade gravel road that goes on and on for 7 miles. If I sit down I spinout and it's not steep enough to stand. Man I want this to end! Finally I hit the base of the real "Death Climb." A lot of the geared guys looked shelled, I grind pass Mark Junkerman from RunRideRace halfway to Aid 5. Finally the much needed relief of pizza and candy comes at Aid 5. Then things got heavy. The little road up the Little Bald knob and the Chestnut trail is destroyed. It's the nastiest mud I've ever seen. Slow going really doesn't describe it. I rode through a puddle that engulfed my water bottles. Then the top of Chestnut was super sketch, peanut buttery and slick rocks.  Finally towards to bottom things smooth out and I make some moves past some fellas. At the very bottom I past two dudes on full squishy bikes, who tell me at Aid 6 "Didn't know you could go that fast on a hardtail." I was going fast!? Plassman, David and Joe must be moving at the speed of light then. 

I roll up Hankey the second time, walkup the Plastic Man dubbed "bitch slap." Roll up under the finishing banner to see David telling me I just got under 10 hours. Right on! 

Immediately I fill up my finishers glass and start my post race festivities. After a couple hotdogs and a dip in the creek and I start talking to Dicky and Parsons. Bishop comes over and Dicky starts making fun his "aero pads." Then Bishop tells us there is women's underware and little turds in people's drop bag's. I say his full of it but Thom and me go investigate. Check out my interview from that at the bottom. After a few flambongos, I start hanging out with the cycling and living legend Tinker Juarez. Yeah it happened. Not really but Garth Prosser is one of the coolest freaking dudes I've ever met. Things were drinked, words were said, and friends were made. Late late into the evening an angry mob of Nate Sheerer, Thom, Sideshow Bob, that lady from the WV Night Club, and myself all went on the Dick hunt. After much searching we found the little man, who everyone thinks is me, asleep in his fortress. Threats of sharpies were made, finally I went to bed after the worst merry go round ride of my life.

I'll be back next year sure. I made so many friends and hung out so many old ones. In fact I've got 100 mile-itis. Next year I'm gonna step my game up. Get ready for me, Mohican, Cohutta, Wilderness, Fools Gold and Lumberjack. Everyone on this team and everyone who reads this must try this race, it's a blast and well worth the entry fee. Anyone can finish all you gotz to do is pedal.

Oh yeah I ran a 36x22.

Watch more video of 2012 Shenandoah Mountain 100 NUE on cyclingdirt.org