PMBAR Race Report

Riding Blaze, my Top Fuel

I had not planned to do this race, but when Kip's partner had to bail, I jumped at the opportunity.  For one, it is one of my all time faves, and two, Kip and I have partnered up before (Double Dare) and he is THE BEST team mate: strong, supportive, and always positive. The weather was un-Pisgah Productions like:  warm and dry.  I did not have to layer up, I only packed a rain jacket because it was a mandatory item, and I left my shower cap at home.

No stupid pet tricks and no prologue, Thank God!

I leaned heavily on Kip's 14 years of PMBAR experience and trail knowledge.  While I knew the forest pretty well, Kip knew it like his back yard, especially since he just raced it last fall.  It was nice to plot out our course at the Start/Finish (with a HR of 70), as opposed to racing up Black and then stopping at Pressley Gap (gasping for air at a HR of 160+). With well oxygenated brains, we decided to to for Squirrel Gap first.

Most everyone else was in front of us, so we took a leisurely pedal up Black ... if you can call an average HR of 155, in the granny gear, leisurely.  Halfway up, I heard a voice from the dead call out my name from behind.  It was Scott "Smooshie" Harper, partnered up with Eric "Dirty Diesel" Henderson.  It had been several years since I have enjoyed Scott's company.  Seeing him gave me all sorts of good energy.  They were on SS and so only had one speed:  hard AF!

We were silent as we headed to Pressley Gap, immersed in our own thoughts about 4 or 5 CP's, do we skip Bradley and just go for 4, or do we go for all 5 and hope we have enough energy at the end to make the 5th one productive.  By nabbing 5 you get a 2 hour time bonus, but you don't want it to take 2 hours to get the 5th one, or the time just cancels itself out.  When we hit the top, we decided to go for Bradley Creek/FS 5015 next, followed by Trace Ridge, and Fletcher Creek.  Then at that time reassess going for the 5th one at Pilot Cove.

South Mills --> Buckhorn --> Squirrel seemed like a more funner way to CP #1 as opposed  to South Mills --> FS 476 --> Funnel Top --> Horse Cove --> Squirrel Gap.  We were not sure if it would be any faster, but at least I would get to ride more of my favorite trail, Squirrel Gap.  Fast forward 30 minutes later and I was giving all the roots on Squirrel a good cussin.'  Having not ridden technical trail since The Snake Creek Gap TT, I was definitely rusty.  Kip probably got a chuckle here and there, at me cussing my favorite trail. 

We nabbed the first CP at 10:30;  2 1/2 hours to cover 16 miles. Pretty standard for Pisgah. We had been yo-yo'ing with several other coed teams, none of who I knew.  All I could say is that they were all podium contenders, for this race relies heavily on navigational skills, overall fitness, and just a downright doggedness to finish. 

We then rode Squirrel Gap over to Laurel Creek.  I let Kip take the lead here, as I knew this was a tricky and often times sketchy, muddy, descent riddled with slimy water bars.  And I didn't want anyone behind me giving that NASCAR push.  Two-thirds of the way down, I see Kip unwrapping himself from his bike.  Apparently a guy was walking down "the line" and Kip decided to hit the alternate, which when he dropped his front wheel over the water bar, it sunk up to the axle in mud, catapulting him down the trail in a somersault fashion.  Fortunately only his pride was hurt and with a quick wrench of the handle bars, he straightened everything out.

It was tight riding to the intersection of FS 5015 because the rhododendrons had enveloped the trail.  I took it conservative, since I was riding blindly through the thick underbrush.  We arrived at CP #2 at 11:24 am with 21 miles in our legs. We got our passports stamped, took a nature break, and shoved some food down our pie holes. 

Bradley Creek/FS 5015 CP

Kip could have refilled that bottle by wringing out his shirt.

FS 5015 was off-limits, so we were afforded the opportunity to see the trail work on Bradley Creek the local horse group of Pisgah did, taking out 30+ trees (or was it 60+?).  Despite the work, we still had to push our bikes for a majority of the trail and there were still about another 30+ trees down to negotiate.  At least the 11 creek crossings were only knee deep and the water was refreshing.  Rich Dillen and Watts Dixon passed us during this walking section (they were hauling ass!)  How were they behind us?  

Since we had so much time on our hands to think, while walking, we were trying to do the math on our competition.  Some teams we had passed (we thought), and we were leap frogging one on this section. We saw a couple teams coming down Bradley Creek:  were they coed or female?  As good as we could surmise, we were at least in the top 5 (there were 13 coed teams).  Kip seemed to be in a more competitive mood than I. I was just wanting a good day playing bikes ... that mindset would change later.

Once up on FS1206, we motored over to North Mills.  Just 30 yards before the bath rooms where we were stopping for water, there was a team filtering water from a creek. 😆😆😆... poor rookies! Here I refilled my CamelBak, took a modern nature break in the rest room, re-lubed with Chamois Butt'r, and ate some more food.

Saving my ass one race at at time

Then we began the arduous climb up FS5000 to Spencer Gap to Trace Ridge, CP #3.  At 5 miles long and 1000 feet of gain, we had plenty of time to make small talk.  This section brought back the hilarious story riding the North Mills area trails with only a front brake.  You see, several years ago, my friend and I did a bike-cation here.  Prepping for the trip, I was in somewhat of a rush to remount a tire on my rear wheel in which I just had the rim replaced.  Fast forward to starting the Spencer Ridge descent and the rear brake didn't seem to have any power. Upon stopping and inspecting the issue, I had forgotten to put the brake rotor back on 😝.  Oh well, I must have survived, because here today I was going to experience that descent again, with full stopping power!

We arrived at the Trace Ridge CP, our 3rd one, at 1:28pm, and 33 miles ridden.  Allie was manning the station and had trays of homemade goodies.

Oasis at top of Trace

Holy moly!  So scrumptious!

I ended up eating 3 of the chocolate chip/peanut butter/oatmeal/coconut balls.  Kip was enjoying all the food, what with a wrap in one hand and a ball in the other.  He made a sad face when I told him the picnic was over and that we needed to go go go.  The racer in me, now with a belly full of goodness was ready to haul butt to our next checkpoint.  

The Spencer Gap descent was sh!ts and giggles all the way down.  I think Kip wanted to go faster, but after the Laurel Creek mishap, the mother hen in me made him follow me.  As we were railing down Spencer, we had to slow for two racers HAB'ing up.  WTH?!?  I am not sure that was the wisest of route choices.  "Bless their hearts."  

At the intersection of Spencer, Fletcher, and Middle Fork, we had to head south on Fletcher to get to the next CP.  We both had a confused look on our face, trying to figure out which way to go.  We decided to follow the the section that appeared to have more traffic.  Fortunately we guessed correctly and soon arrived at our 4th CP, at 1:50 pm, 36 miles into our day.  Looking back in hind sight, I don't know why we had such a hard time deciding which way to go on Fletcher.

Fletcher Creek CP

No sooner had we had our passport stamped when Lea and TJ rolled up.  Where the heck had they come from?  Kip knew this team and had told me how strong they were.  We had leap-frogged a little with them in the beginning, but had not seen them since the second CP.  With my racing blood now reaching the boiling point, I was anxious to take off.  Meanwhile, Kip was giving away our tactics as TJ asked questions about how we getting to the finish.  I gave Kip the "stink-eye," motioning him to c'mon.  However, it did make me ponder on whether or not they were going for Pilot Cove, since they didn't ask how we were approaching that one.

Finishing the descent on Fletcher, we came upon another team hiking up ... poor newbie souls.  Once we backtracked down FS5000, we began climbing back up to Yellow Gap.  Even though the fatigue monster was grabbing at my rear wheel, I dug deep to find every available watt to try and put as much distance between us and Lea/TJ. Once at the top there was a bit of a reprieve as we continued on FS1206, bypassing the first entrance to Pilot Cove.  

We were going to do an out/back at the west entrance.  Our only question was to stay straight on Pilot Cove-Slate Rock or right onto the Pilot Cove Loop, once we entered the single track.  Kip saw a team ahead of us and rode up to them to gather some intel.  Based on what they told Kip, we opted to just stay on Pilot Cove-Slate Rock.

I have only ridden this trail twice in my life so I forgot about the nice but short meandering path that led to a 10-15 minute HAB.  Now, I don't mind HAB's as it gives me a break from sitting on the bike.  However, today this one almost made me cry for Mommy.  I don't think Kip has seen this side of me before, but even a former QOP (Queen of Pisgah) can have her low moments. 

My calves were shot, especially the left one.  I felt a couple twinges of a cramp coming on; fortunately it never happened, but oh, they were tight!  Finally we crested the top.  I was thinking we were there, but we had to descend a couple hundred yards to the CP.   It was now 3:45 and we had gone 48 miles. Bryan, the one manning it, was filtering water for everyone.  That was a life-saver, as we were both running on empty.  A quick refill had us turning around and HAB'ing back up.  The descent back down was not easy and required more effort than I wanted to give ... me tired!  It had taken us an hour (just as Kip had predicted) for us to nab that final CP, so that was a small victory in netting an hour to our advantage.

Now all we had to do was make our way back to the finish.  Having not seen TJ and Lea, we assumed they didn't try to nab a fifth one.  So that just left us thinking about any teams that might have done the route clockwise.  Bryan had told us we were the first ones with 5 CP's in the CCW direction, but that two teams had come through his check earlier in the day in the CW direction.  

We went FS1206 --> FS476 --> South Mills --> Buckhorn --> Clawhammer --> Pressley --> Black.  We figured it would be a 2 hour push to the finish.  I was poop dog tired, but kept trying to rally.  At the intersection of Black and Clawhammer, I waited on Kip as he stopped to filter one more bottle.  There was a fellow there, didn't see his partner, but he was debating going up and over Black or taking the gravel over to the final descent on Black.  He also told me he was 60 miles in and only had 2 CP's ... ouch!  I advised the gravel back.

The climb back up to Pressley involved tales of rattlesnakes and what's for supper.  I was now smelling the barn.  And with the new re-route on Black, there would be no more HAB.  I let Kip take the lead down Black, but mothered him to riding safely within his means.  Together we crossed the finish line at 6 pm, 65 miles and 9700 feet of climbing later.  

Eric told us that we were the first coed team to get all 5 CP's.  We nearly knocked each other over leaping and hugging one another.  That was a mighty fine, but hard day playing bikes.  We were both stoked, as this was Kip's first PMBAR podium, and the top step at that.  Mr. Positivity pulled my sinking spirits upwards more than once.  And for the first time ever, I got all the check points and had ridden the most efficient route to get them.  We only took the map out twice during the day, which made me feel that I finally earned my Pisgah "stripes."  I do believe this was Kip's first time finishing in daylight.  

We were both a little disappointed that buckles were only given to the men's podium.  Not as much for me, but for Kip, so that he could proudly wear a Pisgah Productions buckle.  Because those are hard fought and hard earned.

Kip, I had the ride of my life.  This was the "easiest" PMBAR yet.  But how could it not be, with you at the helm.  Thanks for the support, friendship, the laughs, the ponderings, and telling me about your little 💜issue AFTER the race was over 😲.  If you need a pinch hitter for 2023, count me in.

Eric, thanks for doing what you do.  Your events are the hardest ever (in my book) and constantly challenge my mental fortitude as well as my physicality.  The day after was one of the worst bike hangovers ever.