Feeling faster

5000->Spencer->Spencer->N.E.R.->Fletcher->Middle Fork->Upper Middle Fork->Big Ridge->Big Creek->Res. Rd.->Lower Trace->Wash Creek with Mr. and Mrs. BrownDay, Liz ?., and Maximus Supremus the Dog. 

A few very quick notes: 1. I had a VERY hard warm up. 2. The heat and lack of water consumption caught up with me quickly. 3. I felt MUCH faster on the descent today than on my last couple rides post-wreck. 4. We bumped into only two other groups of riders on this beautiful Memorial Day Monday, one was Mike R., Eric C. And Jerred C. the other was two newbies from Chapel Hill. 5. Liz is a relative newbie herself and was killing it. 6. Once I felt warmed up I felt like I could have gone another 20 miles but... 7. was very happy when we got to the car anyway. Thanks for the invite Mike and Kassi!!!

Late post

On Tuesday night I got out for a mountain bike ride on my road bike. Erinna told me she thought it was a bad idea but being hard-headed as I am, I did not listen and went for it.

I parked at the entrance to Gauging Station Rd and started with Gauging Station to South Mills River trail. I did have an motive for the ride, I needed to clean up the final bits of Kenda tape that marked the Pisgah 111K race course. I figured that the only section of real singletrack would be over quickly and that the bulk of the ride would be on gravel and pavement soooo.... the road bike was my best choice. Well, Erinna's words rang true as I tried to get a sip of water while on the singletrack. I was instantly down. Uuugh. Wake up Eric!

 I continued with more caution after that and picked my way all the way to Buckhorn Gap without a single knobby on my tires. I also picked up what felt like 100 pieces of tape along the way.

 It took me much longer than anticipated to get there because of those two facts. Once on Clawhammer road the Allroad bike was clearly the correct choice. I hauled down that hill with a smile on my face the entire way. Once at the Horse stables I took a little break and made a new friend.

 He was a little skittish (who wouldn't be when visited at 11:00pm or so by a smelly guy with a light on his head?) so I took off after just a few minutes. I had a decision to make once at 477. Up the gravel or down to the pavement? I decided the pavement was a better choice.

 Instantly upon arriving I noticed something that I did not like. The painted-on-the-pavement numbers that I followed a few weeks before now extended all the way to 477. I knew 1206 was at number 150. I was at 500. Every 100 feet or so I would see the number click downward.... slowly...

 The ride to 1206 was not very strenuous, just long. It seemingly took forever to get to my next turn. Once on 1206 I was wishing for a can of coke or a caffeinated gel or something, I was getting sleepy.

 I arrived back at the Jeep just after 1AM and texted Erinna to let her know I was off the bike and coming home. Thank God I didn't have a flat or light issue or anything like that along the way. The ride had taken much longer than I had expected and my first day back to work was the next day and as it stood, I had to be there 5 hours after I got home. However, I did achieve my goals: Get a big 'ole ride in on my last day of vacation and complete the in-the-woods Pisgah 111K cleanup.

2012 Pisgah 111K Mountain Bike Race Results!!!!

Thanks Everybody, for a great weekend of racing!

Overall:
1. Sam Koerber 6:57:15
2. David Wood 6:57:16
3. Garth Prosser 7:05

4. Morgan Olsson 7:08
5. Ross Clark 7:09
6. Derek Gentry 7:15
7. Art Odell 7:19
8. Adam Engell 7:21
9. Jason Morgan 7:23:06
10. Alex Hawkins 7:23:39
11. Rich Dillon 7:24
12. Dan Meigs 7:31
13. Peter Joski 7:34
14. Russell Henderson 7:40
15. Zac Avant 7:44
16. Greg Turner 7:49
17. Mark Sackett 7:54
18. Adam Steurer 7:57
19. Jason Willis 8:00:32
20 James Wiant 8:00:54
21. Carey Lowery 8:02:43
22. Andrew Jones 8:02:57
23. Scott Smith 8:04
24. Kym Schifino 8:06:12
25. Robert Peerson 8:06:20
26. James Pittman 8:07
27. Matt Lough 8:09:17
28. Watts Dixon 8:09:19
29. Jon Cartwright 8:10
30.Ben Barnard 8:12
31. Ryan Taylor 8:16
32. Scott George 8:18:09
33. Dung Le 8:18:15
34. Brian Hackathorne 8:20
35. Ben Poss 8:21:22
36. Steve Bennett 8:21:25
37. David Olson 8:22:48
38. Colby Waller 8:22:49
39. Van Mixon 8:27:24
40. Nicholas Kindt 8:27:39
41. Lisa Randall 8:28
42. Dennis ****z 8:34
43. Eric Sauer 8:35
44. Brian Nicholson 8:37:35
45. Matt Rice 8:37:37
46. Marvin Masson 8:38:17
47. Ryan Allen 8:38:25
48. Steve Schumaker 8:41
49. Dave Holmes 8: 45
50. Mike Tiano 8:46
51. Yuri Eliashevsky 8:50:07
52. John Dove 8:50:51
53. Curtis Burge 8:52
54. Ryan Cook 8:53
55. Elizabeth McCalley 8:55
56. Alex Harrill 8:57
57. Ryan Sigsbey 8:58
58. David Lamond 9:01:41
59. Matt Fusco 9:01:58
60. Nate Helms 9:01:59
61. Zack Morrow 9:02
62. Ross Dowswell 9:04
63. Britt Farthing 9:05
64. Patrick McMahon 9:08:04
65. Nevin Lambert 9:08:25
66. Alex Ransom 9:12
67. Elisa Otter 9:13:18
68. Andrew Martin 9:13:20
69. Tony Zaffino 9:17:11
70. Mike Brown 9:17:51
71. Matt Schumaker 9:23
72. Jim River 9:31
73. Mike Kennedy 9:34
74. Thori Wolfe 9:335:30
75. Jon Angermeier 9:35:57
76. Togie Gwyn 9:38
77. Barry MacDonald 9:40:02
78. Scott Ramming 9:40:17
79. Kip Clyburn 9:41:17
80. Behjamin Wiegend 9:41:34
81. Paul Stahlschmidt 9:42
82. Scott Sidener 9:43
83. Andrew Atkins 9:44:05
84. Stanley Crocker 9:44:07
85. Jeff Fodi 9:46
86. Crispin Del Nero 9:49
87. Chad Banner 9:51
88. Asa Marshall IV 9:53:07
89. Allison Grainger 9:53:41
90. Ted Stoddard 9:55
91. Katie Miller 10:00
92. Kevin Satterfield 10:03
93. Tony Diede 10:08:03
94. Joe Collins 10:08:26
95. David Vance 10:10:30
96. Britt Warren 10:10:31
97. Sherry George 10:10:33
98. Randall Tuttle 10:12
99. JD Daubs 10:16:38
100. Jerud Crandell 10:16:50
101. Leanne McCann 10:18
102. Jay Ferguson 10:21
103. Scott Mcgraw 10:22
104. Chris Neubert 10:25
105. Rob Coulter 10:26
106. Ryan Wilson 10:27
107. Joel Koontz 10:28
108. Laura Gleason 10:38
109. Francis Corbin 10:39:03
110. Blake Turner 10:39:48
111. Kevin Arnish 10:47
112. Scott Talbert 10:49
113. Kaysee Armstrong 10:50
114. Cameron Frasier 10:51
115. Mike Pierce 10:52
116. Brian Seedy 10:55
117. Zeke Lilly 10:58
118. Jenna Walker 11:00:40
119. Landon Poteat 11:00:51
120. Kevin McCauley 11:57
121. Terrence Gleason 11:16:17
122. Chris Joice 11:16:18
123. David Gerrer 11:17
124. Jason Leonard 11:20:02
125. Damien Rodulfo 11:20:04
126. Beau Bethel 11:20:32
127. Thomas Johnson 11:22:22
128. Scott Trenor 11:22:27
129. Trey Schwalb 11:24
130. Jana Morriss 11:25
131. Bruce Burgess 11:28
132. Luther Papenfus 11:34:43
133. Chris Davis 11:34:46
134. Nick Holshouser 11:39
135. Steve Hlinak 11:40
136. Mark Overby 11:42:35
137. Randy Jones 11:42:36
138. Layla Billowitz 11:47:44
139. Laura Geotz 11:47:54
140. Brian Bradley 11:54:22
141. Patrick Roberts 11:54:23
142. Greg Bell 11:57
143. Daniel Ballard 12:02
144. Tim Kingery 12:15
145. Michael Bucking 12:26:30
146. Kim Gorelik 12:26:31
147. Scott Lewis 12:26:32
148. Jarret Peek 12:41
149. Rob Keener 13:08
150. Angela Reed 13:11
151. Jennifer Jenson 13:17
152. Chris Dusack 13:25

OPEN MEN:
1. Sam Koerber
2. David Wood
3. Ross Clark


OPEN WOMEN:
1. Carel Lowery
2. Kim Schiefino
3. Lisa Randall

MASTERS over 40:
1. Garth Prosser
2. Morgan Olsson
3. Art Odell

SINGLE SPEED:
1. Rich Dillen
2. Zac Avant
3. Mark Sackett

CLYDESDALE:
1. Brian Nicholson
2. Mike Kennedy
3. Stanley Crocker

Feelin' Good.

Tonight I went on a fun fun fun ride. I started at the river overlook on the parkway, climbed to Bent Creek Gap, descended Bent Creek Gap Road, then meandered back to the Jeep via Hardtimes connector, the paved road, and 191.

 I felt really good for the entire climb. The mile markers (all 6 of them) clicked by very quickly. I had the ipod in one ear and the gps software was keeping me up to date. I climbed the first 5 miles in 35 minutes. The second 5 miles included the gravel road descent (which I took no risks on and took a photo break at the tunnel) and it was done in 25 minutes. The third almost 5 miles took 30 minutes. Not bad.

I cannot be trusted to stay on pavement

 Last night I got out for an excellent ride. I stopped by the Hub at closing time to talk 111K logistics with Sam then headed over to the Fish Hatchery to start. My route: Davidson River Trail->475->5003->140A->140->Summey to the Falls->140->NC215->Indian Creek->Davidson River Rd->475->Davidson River Trail. 28 miles with only a couple hundred yards or so of pavement.

PMBAR weekend!

Hey everybody, first and foremost I must thank all of the Pisgah Mountain Bike Adventure Race (PMBAR) racers, volunteers, and sponsors. Thank you. Thank you for making the 10th annual PMBAR one of the very best yet.

I got out for a couple rides over the course of my vacation from my 'real' job.
First, I set the South Mills River checkpoint on Thursday afternoon. That was just a quick out and back on 66 jumps to the checkpoint.

When I got back to the Jeep I drove over to 225, set that CP,

then drove over to Club Gap. I repacked the Dana Designs pack then headed up Club to Avery. This was my first real mountain bike ride since the crash over a month ago and I was off the bike and hiking almost all the way to the gap. Then on the way down Avery I noticed how gun-shy I am right now. I took it very easy down to the CP.

Once that CP was set I rode/hiked back to the gap then rode back to the Jeep. It took about 20 minutes to get to Club Gap from 477 and about 30 minutes to climb back up to the gap from the CP.
THEN..... PMBAR HAPPENED......

  

  

  

  

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

and in the middle of the day Mike B. and I got out for, incredibly, a route that I had never done exactly like this before: Up Thrift to the Sycamore connector->Left on Sycamore->all the way up and over and down to 276->Right on Sycamore->up to the Sycamore connector->Thrift back to the start/finish.

Thanks for getting me out on the bike, Mike. I needed that.