One Off - Again!!!

What's with losing 3rd & ending in 4th place?? Cheq100 now Buck.

Most of the race I wanted it more than doubted it. A good race. Had a good start and although it hurt, kept it going. HURT: not like muscles - how to explian- it's hurt like being turned inside out. You know what I mean, going hard at Buck feels like a fish flopping between the lungs and a vise on the head restricting blood flow. What a painful rush. :) You gotta want it to hold off attckers right?

So the course was full climbing at the start, part way up road, down to woods then back up grass to top of road. Good challenge for SS. To my surprise I was able to hold 3rd or 4th all night. When Fisher popped his derailer I was in third. I saw Adam, Charlie and Matt charging for me each lap, Dave was on me. Somehow they never cuaght me. Well, Dave passed me late in the race. I was able to hold his wheel through most traffic until the end, and that was that 4th. Wa wha waaah.

Duncan had a good race but ended a bit slower in 9th. I think the SS tourture got to him (getting stronger). He will be done with school soon, that should lift some stress......

A Causual Wind Ride

The wind was ripping today!!! I ALWAYS think Ragnarok when it's blowing. The first Rag year was the best worst, period. 25-30mph per weather channel today gusting even more. So the motivation in a dark denial attractivness way - the wind. I decided to hit the greenway taking challenge if it came along, otherwise pedal lightly and check out the lakes scenery. Ah yes, the greeenway rat race after the rat race. The paths we're pretty quiet actually. Race on. I won in the end with cx tires but a real hammer against youngsters was had. Probably the biggest G W challenge this year. 

Buck#3

The whole fam hit it tonight. D-man's 16th b-day. Cake, fun, friends, family. All good.

My race was a big ? anyway we all made it. Family stress has it's pro's and cons. I did ok on the start rocking through a sand dune start position. After lap one I saw Ezra again & was after it. Owen passed going after the same carrot. I was feeling strong, POP, chain came off. I changed the fork back to rigid after Cheq100 but got lazy with the chain line. It took 8 riders worth to get chain back on. I was slow going after that at first. Mid lap two back at it passing people. Then POP again. Oh well 13th on a bad night. At least I know Cheq100 is out of the legs now. Still way fun.

Duncan had a good night. The kid just gets faster and faster on the SS 29'er. 4th in rec. 20 seconds off the leader. Mom, Leo had a good time racing too. Alta is all about soccer and track so no biking. All good.    ..........later enjoy the holiday weekend, H.

Chequamegon100 SS Kicked It!

Cheq100 was super fab. Organized well. Course well marked. Rain didn't hit til 3:30PM.

Leading up to Cheq100 was interesting. 10 days earlier at Buck I was toast because of this & this. The two prior weekends of self landscape work kicked my ash. Good hammy, back and arm beat down work. So leading up to Cheq100 my week was simply a few half hour rides and Buck Hill race. I scored a respectable improved 6th at Buck. Anyway the Cheq100 bike (with rare shock add-on) rocked!! Can you say Supercompensation? I basically kept firing all day long...ended 4th overall on my single speed.

The Race Re-cap:

• The Start seemed odd as I hit Rock Lake trail in 3rd!! Charlie, Joey & I went into Hilldebrant loop off the front. Larry, Jed & Todd somewhere behind. In Hillde Joey then Charlie dropped chains leaving me hammering up those two steepest climbs from near stand still. SS power, check. I actually led the race to Rock Lake road.
• On Rock Lake road to Telemark it was quite a spin fest to stay with Joey & Charlie. On Spider Lake close to Telemark they inched away. I was taxed.
• I went into Objibwe 3rd with no one in sight coming around to Telemark
• In Ojibwe Jed & Todd caught me. They we're ok just following. It was fun. Again fire roads chasing and spinning 34x18 was hell. But I hung on to Firetower and crested with them. Spent again!
• I chased but lost site of Todd & Jed before OO, I was in 5th position. Past OO the Makwa trail begun and later Hatchery Creek. So fun!
• At Hatchery Creek drop bag zone the one aid stop, I found my bag. I quickly changed out camel back, bottle and bars. I ate my peanut butter / honey sandwich pedaling, in 3rd with Todd McFadden.
• Todd pulled away on the uphills. I wasn't sure how my SS legs would hold on fire roads and Birke to OO. Yet I was on. No one ever came behind, the legs kept giving.
• Past OO Birke Hamburger Hill to Janet, Boedecker, Telemark & Rock Lake roads all the way to Pasty Lake Trail NO ONE WAS COMING.
• Still in 3rd on Pasty Lake trails to Namekagon, to Glacier and back onto Rock Lake trail NO ONE. I rode from Hatchery to Patsy through Namekagon to Rock Lake alone (4hrs?)
• Finally at mile 99-ish Jed & Joey caught me after hearing from other rec bikers I was near. Darnit!
• It started raining hard, it felt good. Joey didn't like my idea to ride in together, saying, "let's sprint for it"
• I was deflated but caught back on to them. Jed agreed to let me chase after Joey as he was trailing. I caught Joey but as supected the downhill gravel finish was too much for my SS gear.
• I ended 4th overall 30 seconds off 3rd place.
• Unreal day!!!

And I wasn't the only one that had a good day. I didn't hear a bad thing about the course markings or challege. Many people we're out there in the rain much longer....all good stories. All seemed happy with their experience. As the trails.....come on, they rock!



Buck #1 Bit O Pain

Duncan & I we're giddy to be back at Buck! Dreary day yet perfect weather for Buck. Met more of the Angry Catfish team and had fun talking with many familiar peeps.

Not hot and not cold racing, no dust, course condition great. The course had familiar sand boxes, climbs, twisty woods, hammering and not too loose anywhere...good you know. The coughing afterward was genuine lung bust not dust.
 
The start now contained at about 30ft wide. That's good. Off start my pedal didn't click in, so did a few rotations flat footed clicking mid-spin. I climbed the grassy climb moderate pace (breathing hard!). I watched not worring about who was going for gold. At that point Barry was off the front with Dave and Tri chasing (they finished 1,2,3). On first pavement climb after spinning 34x19 amped up passing many into 4th place. I'd repeat on lap2. Lap 3/4 a battling blur. Felt ok and held off many with climbing efforts. It will take a few races to loose the yo-yo & find the lungs. Happy with 7th. A handful of fast guys we're missing (cable classic).

Duncan continues to grow into his own placed 10th in Rec. It took him all year LY to do that. He's definetly faster. We both rocked our Misfit Psycles 29'ers SS. He said he got the lower hole shot. He wants a podium before moving up to advanced. Full family showing soon.

The Sting of Summer

We lucked out with all the cold weather!!  No bugs, no worms, no sweat until now. Easter I wore Winter boots & gloves!. What we got a few days of crusty sweat. You know the temp somewhere btwn 38.1-46.5 when sweat sticks and makes your helmet strap white. Today was all sting in the eye...85 degrees...hot. I won the greenway race - lost 10 pounds. Near baseball size hail. Ready for Buck Hill pain.

Serious Cross Training

 

Admit it vacuuming the house is cross training!

No time to bike or Gym time so cross train with...