As Close to Transrockies As It Gets

Since there will be no "unofficial FireWater 50 ride/race" this year, Zeke and I decided to tackle the course yesterday. I had ridden every trail on the course save for Mountaintown. From the stories I had heard, it wasn't going to be pretty.

From the get-go, it was straight up for a mile or so on the lower section on Windy Gap. This immediately brought back memories of the "3 Bitches" from Day 6 of TransRockies. You know, the kind of climbing where you really have to lean over the front of your bike to keep the tire in contact with the ground.

Milma was no biggie. Tibbs, on the other hand, was an uphill rocky grunt of two miles. I had ridden this once last year and walked several areas. But this time I was determined to clean it all ... and I did. With the heat and humidity soaring, I had a steady drip of sweat from my nose. I even had to take my glasses off as the flow of sweat overran my eyebrows and started running down my lenses. Nice!

From there we took the fireroads over to Mountaintown. Now, from what people have told me, it was a slick, gnarly, rocky, multiple creek crossing kind of trail. At least it was mostly downhill. I enjoyed the hell out of it! I think most people tended to blow this way out of proportion. Or maybe it was due to the fact that the creek was low, but most (80% for me) of it was rideable. I did have some dabs, falls, and walked the "slicker than snot" algae covered rocky creek crossings of which I do believe there were two.

What I do believe has happened is that my perspective for riding in Tennesse and Georgia has changed since TransRockies. After riding, slip-sliding, and hike-a-biking Canada's singletrack, the trails here are a lot more doable.

After Mountaintown, it was then on to Bear Creek and Pinhoti, relatively smooth and flowy. Then the grunt back up Potato Patch. Definitely hurting here; probably due to the fluid outflow exceeding the fluid intake.

Finishing off the ride was the descent down Windy Gap. Whoo Hoo with a pucker factor of 9.5! I was able to clean all of this save for one dab and one short walk through two large boulders. I just could not find a line that would spare my derailleur and tibia. The pucker factor occurred where the trail started moving underneath you on a pitch of about 15%. Lots of loose cat-head rocks that were trying to slowly push you off into the ravine.

We ended up with 50 miles and 7500ft of climbing. Now that's TransRockies style of riding!

The Windrock 100

If you have any legs left after a long season, you need to check this "hundie" out. http://www.mattstegall.com/windrock100 This one is being put on by the guys at The Bike Zoo. So if you want to suffer some more, climb on board.

As for me, I have an excuse. I will be riding the Virginia Creeper trail with my daughter and a few girlfriends.

Hmmm ... perhaps next year.

Marvelous Mallie

I'm so excited ... and I just can't hide it! Mallie is going to design my up and coming webpage. You see, I won this wonderful gift by contributing to Mallie's efforts during the 24 Hours of Booty. I have had some sneak peeks into Danielle's and Namrita's websites and they are FREAKIN' AWESOME!

As you are all well aware of, my blog (content notwithstanding) is blah. It definitely needs some TLC. Now, I will not have to buy the book Blogging for Dummies.

Hopefully, my new website will be up and running in time for Interbike. I am going to try this ol' sponsorship begging thing this year.

Is it true that what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas? If so, watch out Sin City because here I come!

Thanks Lisa

Last fall, I was approached by Kim, a friend and adventure racing partner of Lisa's. She said that Lisa was interested in doing TransRockies with me. At first, I was a bit unsure as I knew that Lisa was a tough competitor with a strong personality (as in, she could get in your sh!t pretty quick). But then I also knew that this was a chance of a lifetime and my best possibility of getting on the TR podium.

And so began our adventure. We did not get to train much together as we both had hectic off the bike lives and lived 2 1/2 hours apart. Most of our communication was via e-mail.

As we started started the first stage, I was praying that we would be pretty equal on the bike. I had heard the horror stories of TR partners having fights on the trail or DNF'ing because of personality conflicts.

Let me tell you, Lisa was a tremendously strong partner. My hardest day was Stage 6. My legs just felt crapped out that day and I had a bad case of "PP," Pulverized Perineum. Lisa stayed strong and pulled my a$$ all the way from the first control station to the finish in Blairmore. She even shoved Cliff Shots into my mouth as she grabbed my bike and hiked it up the rest of the mountain.

Lisa, this was the race of my life! Nothing else can compare to the time I spent on the bike and racing with you! Thanks for an awesome week and an outstanding victory!

And no, I am not interested in doing an adventure race ... yet.

Priceless Moments of TransRockies

1. Collapsing at the end of each stage knowing that our bikes would be taken care of by our awesome support team.

2. Eating two pounds of spaghetti and 5 pieces of garlic bread with never a thought of how many calories I was consuming.

3. The look on my face the moment I realized I (along with 100 others) had just hike-a-biked an extra 700 vertical feet on Stage 2.

4. Regaining the lead on Stage 2 as we passed the 2nd place team on the final climb. (They were far enough in the back and so did not do the extra hike-a-bike.)

5. Watching the full moon rise over the Rockies.

6. On Stage 4 (2nd place was just a couple minutes behind us) hearing a long-ass train come down the tracks just moments after we (but not they) had crossed the tracks.

7. Watching a male racer endo into a 2 foot deep mud bog after I had let him pass me because he was rubbing my rear tire.

8. Fists in the air as we crossed the final finish line in Fernie!

Canada Bound

Hopefully, there will be no "white-knuckling" the airline seat ... just a smooth ride to the wild blue yonder.

You can keep tabs on Lisa and I at www.careyandlisaattransrockies.blogspot.com.

A Wing and a Prayer

Dear God,

I pray for a safe and speedy passage to Canada. Safe ... as in arriving in the same number of pieces that I was boxed up in and speedy ... as in arriving on the same plane as my rider.

I understand that the airport gorillas oftentimes have a thankless job, but I seek their mercy as they load/unload me onto the plane. Please show them the righteous path. Let them know that my rider is appreciative of them working all hours and in all types of conditions to ensure their luggage (and me) is reunited with them upon their arrival.

And if I do have the misfortune of falling off the airplane onto the tarmac, I pray that #1 I am noticed and #2 that my layer of foam padding, two layers of bubble wrap and two blankets offer me a protective cocoon.

If I am given protection under your angels' wings, I will do my best to be strong for my rider and propel her to victory.

Amen

-- Pinky