FatBike Fest 3+Hour Race

Baseball cap under hole vent drilled snowboard helmet,
duct tape pants in boots to keep snow out. Can't clip in!

What a workout!

Good turn out of people. Off the start hit the woods in 3rd after parking lot track(i think). I ran past Kevin Ish and think I was behind Brendan, not sure why such a blur from the start. Maybe because it was snowing hard and it was 3-4 inches on top of 3-4 earlier in the week. Yeah did I say snowing hard? Awesome. 

I knew it would be a long day, just didn't think it would be the longest Winter xc race yet. There are many memories like these from 08' even 0 degree days and 2hr35m hike-a-bike races. This race was 3hrs 10min for me.

Anyway back on race. In section 4 we all came together again as Brendan decided leading the whole race through 4 inches of fresh on mush was insaine solo. I knew better and everyone who led said whoa! The bike is heavy enough already for me. Mike, Brendan Bellow, and finally Richie led a big section of Sec4. Colbert after flat, and on race packed carpet caught back up as we we're hike a biking a lot. Slow snow leaders! Ice on cleats made it impossible to clip in too. It was terrible bad, good, frustrating, challenging, tiring, just frack'n swell. Someone said to Richie, let's call it at 1. i said no way, it will get better. We've done long races here before. Someone said with tentitive agreement slash sarcasm, "i like your optimism..." Ughh. Slogging clowns we're we.

I stayed 2nd, 3rd or 4th. Once Colbert went for the gold in sec2 Brendan ran by and chased. It was game on. I got into 3rd started pulling away from others chasing Brendan & Jeff. Jeff dropped out of race. Ish caught me start of lap two but he never passed. Lap 2 two power line climb. Brendan was not far ahead.

The rest of the race was mighty tough but I could pedal up many climbs. Jeff Young and Dominic went by somewhere chasing Brendan in Sec4. It was like many long log skinny climbs. Footprint steps up every hill from previous lap classes with just one line to ride aside foot prints (bike pushers). I rode much and hiked too. 2.5hrs into race, whoaaaa. I caught back up to Dominic and passed late in sec 4. I caught back up to Jeff Young in last section of race but couldn't pass. I ended just 16 seconds behind Jeff Y in da money for 3rd place. My calves hurt from hiking and pushing so much! 

After the race I sat in my car for 15 minutes coming back to life eating donuts and drinking juice. Almost cramping etc. Hurt so good... That was a huge beat down!!!

Put on 29t instead of 32. Paul keeper on inside, 32t as guard too. 1x9.

FINALLY. Tried SS tugs, super tight QR's, and sanded paint off frame...
still had hub slip!!!  No slip thanks to 3 zip ties around frame/axle. HA!!

Thanks Hillside Peeps.

Some pictures, videos and other stiff in this MORC thread
Awesome Pics Here Too Chris Gibbs

One Track Mind

Commute Home

AM COMMUTE

HaHa Creek 22mi

Single digit temps, 3.5hrs outside non-stop playing around. 22mi 99.9% on creek, no road crossing. Angle deep water a few times, 4 inches crunchy snow in many spots, ice bowl dimples, rocks and riddles abound. Thanks for the call out Jack.

Been There Done That

Iced Like It's Meant to Be

Snow on the way, should be plenty tired by fbfest.

Backwards Leb Day

That Race is On

I would never race it.We'll never say never, but I'll just watch again this year.

http://www.arrowheadultra.com/index.php/blog/current/92-arrowhead-2013-update

What's Slowing You Down?

I was going to name this post, "Only in Minnesota!" or something of the likes. Oh yet alas we change perceptions. So today was a tid 10 degrees high temp. Still, I saw many people on lakes fishing, skiing, skating, wind skate'n and walking. Yeah, a dad walking his infant in a front infant carry pack too "on the lake" (10 degrees outside!). Huh~ It's cold with slight chill wind too boot, but people OUTSIDE. You?

Nice ride from my house through brownie trail, up to the parkway then back down onto brownie lake, across cedar, to Calhoun across Calhoun and back across again all three. Scary, ice was 10 inches min thick but such a trip crossing a lake over ice. Cracks, air bubbles, clear ice, cloudy ice, deep lake under. Just weird....but intriguing and very enjoyable. I'm not an ice guy like all the peep out there today.

Nice ride to flush out what I've been asking of the legs. Wind in face a treat hammering across Calhoun. I finally have helmet vented right, also face mask situated for face and ears proper. Before my forehead would get sweaty. Ears would get cold at speed or below 15 degrees. No more. Pics tell equipment story better..

so exciting i know

What's slowing you down?

Fatbike Race / Gear

Why not a post about some fat bike gear and chime in new year with 2013 Race#1? Hillside Sunday was fun. It's been a while since doing the race pace thing. Finished 4th of 37. My goal was top5. Feeling my age but not bad. I've been enjoying the Fatbike much this season. I built a second fatbike. That way Amy can use my 2007. She's been out and it's fun to bike with momma sqrl. No, no, how dare you say I built a second bike to have one bike for deep snow, tom foolery likes of this and other bike for racing. Why would you say that! :)

Ok it's true. Two fatbikes is awesome. My second bike is a surly necromancer. I wasn't going to spend top dollar like my summer carbon machine. I did get the bike under 30lbs which isn't bad. 5lbs lighter than my old pug. I kept the big bash guard and until I get the new clutch style derailleur system I used my summer SS chain keeper in a creative way. No issues at Hillside or any other day, chain trapped btwn bash and keep. See pic.

Additionally on bike to note is lighter Nate up front and Escalator rear. With Nate's only on other bike I sorta took a chance w/Escalator. Nates work, period. Who cares about drag, Nates work. I must admit. The Escalator has not let me down. Soft lugs are a little trickier to get pressure right, but they work well for the race situation at 90% of the Winter races. What else. White Industry hubs of course. Carbon bar from crank bros works. I agree with B Moore. Fat rims are not better for any condition for winter xc. At my weight, 65mm is fine. Why plow? Fatbike pizza cutter!! The marge lites are the 4th set of rims I've been on. Original marge 65mm, speedway 70mm, darryl 82mm and now marge lites 65mm. But skinnier yet would be cheating right?? Oh yeah, 1by9 32x11/34 works great. My deep snow/tree bike will keep the granny gear.

The race was fun. Course was packed and quite predicable. It was fun to see Dave Oachs, Tom Miller and the masses finally getting on Fatbikes!! Chris Fisher is biting. Everyone who doesn't is saying they will. It's over folks, everyone will have one. Wait til they figure out the fat bike game.... Winter will be Summer. Rumor has it, and I won't name names, big brands are coming. Standard bb, carbon, ti and never ending options. More tires. Again, just like Summer, you never have the right gear cause it just keeps getting better. I'm done typing. Guess I won't talk much about the race. 

Ok a few bullet points about the race:

• bmx course through parking lot for prologue and each lap
• powerline climb each lap
• Colbert thru bmx then I led in woods for most of first lap
• Legs worked ok but racing is hard (I forgot how!)
• Catfish team mate Dominic won
• 1:40min with p-lot prolouge and two powerline climbs
• bonfire, beverage, relaxing outside in the sun with racers

See you at Murphy race, maybe.