Iron Cross a Weekend of First!

Saturday at 5:30 am it was damn cold out and I was just getting on the road for Carlise, PA to take part in the Iron Cross race weekend. My first race was at 10am so that's why I set out so early. The race was going to be my first cyclocross race ever. You are probably asking whats the big deal? Yes I have done many bike races in the past but cyclocross takes place in a small area and most of the time the entire course can been seen by the spectators. If that's not enough you have to dismount and remount your bike many times as there are barriers on the course that you can't ride over. Here is short video if you want to see an example. It's a great video so watch it even if you know what cross is. I could just envision myself falling on my face when trying to get on or off the bike at the barriers, but thankfully I went over to the Shogren's and got some expert tips out behind their house.

Of course we are talking about me here so I showed up at the race about 20 minutes before the start. By the time I signed in, put on my race kit and got the bike of the top of the car it was time to start. My field (Cat 4/5) was made up of 30 racers, who were all riding some pretty cool cross bikes which look much like road bike but with a little wider tires. I however rolled to the line on my 29er with some 700x40 tire on it. I didn't have time to feel out of place because it was time to race. I wasn't prepared for how fast riders start in cross. My legs were on fire with in one minute of racing but my only concern was the first barrier. Please don't fuck up, I thought to myself.. I am happy to say some how I made it over and it felt good. From then on I was good. I there was no way I could hold the pace but damn I was having fun. The course had a ton of tight turns which I love. Gunnar and Betsy got there just in time to cheer me on the last few laps. Thanks guys. In the end I was 24th out of 30 that started the race. I was happy for my first cross race. I am also total addicted to the sport. I had soooo much fun. I am hoping to follow Team Bi-atch east for DC Cross in two weeks.



After my race Gunnar, Betsy and Chris each took part in their own races. Check out the Team Bi-atch website for there recap. After everyone was done racing it was time to pick out our house for the evening. At the event they had bunk house for the racers to stay in. They where pretty sweet if you ask me after spending most of my weekends camping this summer. The bunk houses had power but not windows and not heat. I was wishing that the houses had windows half way though the night because it was starting to get cold, but then Gunnar kept farting and ventilation was key. Sleep was definitely not easy to come by that night. I should have brought my sleeping bag but instead I just had my regular blankets and I was cold as hell.



Sleep would have been nice because Sunday's event was the reason I came. The Iron Cross was a 63 miles mountain/cross/road race though the hills of eastern PA. Around 300 riders from other countries and all over the US showed up to try their hand at the ultra event. I start the morning with a really needed cup of coffee and a whole lot of complaining about my snoring throughout the night. Sorry! The coffee was good about waking me up after little sleep but it did nothing to claim the butterflies. Thankfully once again the there was tons to do before the race and it left little time to worry, plus Chris, Gunnar and Betsy keep telling me I could do it.

At 9am it was race time. The goal for the day was to finish and to do so I had to make it to Check Point 4 by 3:00 or I would be pulled from the race and not allowed to finish. Again the start was fast but it was it only took me five miles before I told myself to slowdown and ride my own race. Once I settled down I start to get into a rhythm and was feeling great all the way to CP 1. I still had a bottle and a half of water so I kept on cruising and didn't stop at the first check point. From CP 1 to there was a pretty nice section of single track where I passed six or seven people which made me feel even stronger. Things were going great and then I can to the hike-a-bike like none I have ever seen before. It was straight up hill for what felt like a 1/4 of a mile. I could only take 10 to 20 steps before I would have to stop. It was unbelievably hard. Once finally to the top it was another tough mile to CP 2. I made it to CP 2 just in time because I was out of water and needed some food. However CP 2 had other plans. They were out of water! WTF!!! They sent someone off the mountain to get it and he should be back soon they said. It took 10 to 15 minutes before the arrived. In that time I would guess about 10 people passed me because they had on Camelpacks (I cant stand them). I was also loosing time that I needed to get to CP 4 before. I was a little edgy. When it finally came I filled up quickly and was out of there. The course between CP 2 and CP 3 had some really long gravel road downhills. Thank fully I was able to pass a few folks bad on the them. Even though I was getting pretty damn tired it was a pretty ez ride to CP 3.

Once there I asked how far it was to CP 4and they said 5 mile. I could believe them. Most of the time it atleast 14 miles between CP's. Even though it was only 5 miles it was all up hill and pretty darn steep in sections. Then I asked what time it was. It was 1:30, so I had 1 hour and a half to get there so I was off like a shot but my legs hated the climb. It made my brain start to go wacky as my legs. I started to wonder if I could really finish even if I did make it to CP on time and I wasn't even sure I could do that. Even time the course started to go down it was only for a minute before it started climbing again. I was starting to think it was never going to end when I saw a few folks standing in the road. IT WAS CP 4!!! I had made it.. First thing I askedwas what time is it? The older women said it's 2:30. SWEET! I knew no one could make me stop rcaing now so I took my time and filled up on water and ate a ton of crap.

The trail out of CP 4 was a sweet trail section that I would really like to ride again but with a little more energy left in my legs. Then it happen at mile 53. I hit the wall. I was out of energy and there was nothing I could do but try to keep going. THe last ten mile were the hardest miles I have ever done on a bike, but I am happy to say I made it!!!! I finished the 63 mile course in 6 hours and 51 minutes. As I came across the finish line Chris and Betsy were there to cheer me on.. Thanks guys... Here is a link to my GPS info if ya want to see. Saturday was my first cross, Sunday was the longest race I have ever done and it was the first time I have ever done two races in one weekend.. So I am now tried and you can understand why! I going to bed!

Video from Tuesday Nights Polo..

Weekend of Bad Luck, but Good Friends!

At Saturdays Tour De Lilly around 40 folks showed up to take part in the ride. The weather was kinda cool but the sun was shining and everyone was ready to go. The tour started out by going up Son of Plantation which was kinda weird considering every time I have ever ridden that trail I was going the opposite direction. Half way up the trail the ride claimed it's first victim in the form of a broken derailleur only five miles into the ride. From there it was a right turn onto Plantation. With a pretty dry second half of the summer and some major trail clearing by the forest service the trail conditions were perfect. By the time we got to Davis Loop road everyone was starting to have a really great time, but we did loose two more riders who found the trails to be a little above what they were looking for.

The ride then took us up Pendleton Point trail which I had never ridden before. It was pretty darn technical even for Davis standards but was still fun. It was almost like a game when we rode up on hard sections to see who could do it with fewest or no dabs. About 3 miles into the trail I found myself following Matt Marcus when I saw him dab on one of the sections. I smiled and thought to myself "I can right that clean". I put a little extra pressure on the pedals and went for it. As I made it over the first few rock I knew I had it and then all of a sudden my back wheel stopped turning. I knew what was wrong even before I looked down. I had hit a rock a ripped my rear derailleur right off the bike.. I was pretty bummed to say the least. As I pushed my bike to an open part of the trail up ahead Ashland was standing there with looking at his bike. Turns out he hit the same rock I did. Lucky for him he only bent the derailleur a bit and was able to put it back into place. So for me to get back home I took a few links out of the chain to run it as a single speed. It worked well for about half a mile but then I noticed the cranks where starting to become hard to turn. Well it turned out that the chain hand jumped up one gear and caused the drive train to become really hard to turn. I tried everything to get the chain off but Ashland had the chain tool and all the others had taken off. I was in the middle of no where and had no clue which direction would be shorter to walk. I kept going in the direction we were traveling. Boy was that a wrong choice. After about 4 miles of pushing my back I made it to the road.. The rest of the day was spent in the shop putting my bike back together.. Maybe I get to finish the ride next year.

The next day I found myself in Charleston for the Creek to Peek race. Right after registration Steve Thorne came up to me and said Gina had just called and said there was a fire in the house. "Shit", I thought to myself. I didn't have my phone so I grabbed the first one I could find. I got Gina on the phone and she explained the house was full of smoke and had called Roger at the bike shop for help. Turns out the hot water heater had caught on fire in the basement. Thanks to Roger and Mikey for taking care of it since I was away. I decided at that point I better not race just in case Gina needed to talk on the phone again. Gina did call back and said everything was fine now, so I figured I could race again.

The start was fast and when we it the trails they were awesome! Things were going pretty well when all of a sudden I heard a snap. I had broken the rail of my seat. This was the second one I have broken this summer but unlike the first one this one was not ridible. Thankfully it was a short petal back to the start/finish area and didn't have a long haul like the day before. However it was the second day in a row that I could finish. I did get to spent time with the guys that make up the Charleston Crew (Larry, Steve, James), so that made up for a lot. I must say the Creek to Peek was a killer event and the guys went above and beyond.

Well I am back home now and the house smells like smoke but thankfully everyone is ok.

Lapse in judgment #2

Them damn Bi-atches! Well the folks over at Team Bi-atch have talked me into doing the Iron Cross race on Oct. 11 and 12. The race on the 11th is just your average old cross race. That no big deal, I'll just get pulled after a while. The race on the 12th is a 63 mile slobber knocker and features nearly 6,300 feet of elevation gain. My fat ass better learn to climb.. I must admit it really didn't take anything for me to be talked into the race. I guess I just like to make an ass out of myself and be in pain for 8 hours.

Until then I got a full weekend planned starting in the morning. Tomorrow is the 11th annual Tour De Lilly. The tour is a all day ride on the hardest trails that Canaan Valley has to offer. Roger at Blackwater Bikes leads the ride and out of his own pocket provides lunch to anyone who comes out for the ride.. Nice move for a grump! Love ya Roger! LOL! Right after the tour it is off to the Charleston area for the Creek to Peek race. Larry and the folks down there have out done themselves from what I here and I am super excited to see what they have planned.

Sunday night I am headed to Ohio to hang with the Athens Crew for a few days. Meredith and I have already talked about riding Monday afternoon and of course polo Monday Night. Exciting stuff!!! Wish me luck and if anyone wants to ride the Iron Cross I looking for a someone. So go register at Bikereg... Come on, if I can do it you can to...

Rattlesnakes & Leaf Peepers

Saturday saw the end of the Ultra series with the revenge of the rattlesnake. The race course took advantage of the trail up on Dolly Sods. I know it sounds crazy but I really had not had a chance to check out the riding up there since moving to Davis. However that changed when I spent yesterday morning up there taking photos of the race. The weather was not the best of days to shoot because we were in the clouds but every once in a while the clouds would part just for a second to see the beauty of that area. The leaves are really starting to change up here so that means it going to be sun up to sun down taking photos for me for the next week or two. After seeing everything that the sods have I plan on spending a good bit of time up there.




After about an hour of shooting in the sods it was off to the Plantation Trail area or Davis Loop road, what ever you want to call it. It was about 28 miles into the race and people were starting to look ruff. I wish the weather would have be a little more cooperative because I could have had some great photos but the rain kept coming and going.


At the same time as the race the leaf peeper festival was going on here in Davis. It also took a little hit from all the rain but it still kept the tourist busy with beer, music and food. I was able to snap a few shoots just before the 5k...



Stay tuned I should have some fall colors photos for you all soon. Just as long as the weather holds off.

I like bike!

Just like a kid on Christmas morning I've got a new toy and I super excited. I just got done building up my new bike! The new ride is a Cannondale F29 IFG. It looks like my other 29er but this one is a 32 x 20 single speed. As you can see it comes standard with a milk crate.


It's going to see a fair share of trail riding but I also plan on using it as my townie bike. Got to keep that carbon foot print low ya know!

Get out the sun dress and big hats for polo!

So tonight Jason Cyr, Sarah Deacon, Matt Marcus, Jeff Melnick, the Gusho's and I took part in the first bike polo match in Davis. It was a blast! Even Jeff who had played once before and didn't like told me afterwards that it was great and would be back. That good considering him hit the ground way more then anyone else.

So it has been a week since my last post and that because it been a crazy last few days. Saturday I was in Clarksburg, WV for the Jerry Dove 5k run. This event took place on the FBI center grounds. I had to fill out all kinds of paper before hand because I was bring photographic equipment onto the property. Once I arrived on Saturday I was told that I was only aloud to take photos in a curtain area. What the hell they doing over there? Seems like more then finger print stuff to me.

Do we really need the guns and bullet proof vests for a 5k?

Running from the FBI


Then Sunday it was off to Kesson, WV for the West Virginia State Championship Road Race. Turn out was low with only 38 riders. I am not sure what the deal has been with Thad's races this year. He puts on good events and he is a nice guy?! Well I got roped into doing the timing for the race and photos had to take a back seat.



Then on Monday I was off to Summersville, WV to take photos of "The Animal Down River Race" This was the third year in a row that I took photos of the event and every year I dread the hike down to the river. One of the only good spots to take photos on the gauly river and to get to it you must go down a 1000ft from the overlook to the river. It is a straight up and down trail and one little slip would make it a very bad day. Going down is hard but coming back up is terrible. I am in better shape now adays with all the riding I have been doing, but that trail is so steep that you have to take a break every 30ft or so.


So that was my week. Not a very interesting post but oh well!

A Push at Big Bear..

The weekend started on at 4:00pm on Friday for me. That was the time registration opened for the Big Bear Ultra. The rain was pouring outside and lets just say Friday's' registration was a little lite due to the weather. However 3 guys from Virginia did come in to sign up for the race and asked me the same old question I hear everytime it rains at a race. "Is the race still on?" The three must have thought I was an asshole because of the look I gave them.

After the Virginia guys left the WV Night Club guys showed up. Chris and Andy paid their fees and then headed out the door, but before exiting Chris said, "you coming over for the keg?" I knew the best thing for me would be to go back to my camp and get some sleep for the big ride the next day, but sometimes logic doesn't always prevail. After registration closed I found myself over at WV Night Club HQ. In the last week or so the Night Club has gotten some bad press for partying a little hard. Now a days I don't tend to drink all that much and stay up late. I did plenty of that growing up in Morgantown. However on Friday evening I found myself doing 3 keg stands (stated to be Ultra race training on Cycle Dumb Training)plus drank my fair share of Jagermeister and beer. At 2am it was time for me to head back to my camp and get some rest. When I finally crashed down in bed I half expected myself to just pass out, but then I started to think about the race. I was nervous now, and it was keeping from falling a sleep. I wonder how I was ever going to ride 50 mile of trail before tonight, and now that I am only going to get 4 hours of sleep I was doubly worried.

Sometime in the wee hours of the morning I finally fell asleep and awoke to the alarm at 5:45am. I would have loved to have hit the snooze bar and went back to sleep but registration opened in 15 minutes and I had to get down there and get ready. The folks over at Team Bi-atch gave me some advice on how to prepare for the race, one was eating a big breakfast. Well I really didn't have any food to eat for breakfast because of bad planning on my part. Thank goodness I was able to find a blueberry muffin and a bottle of Gatorade. It is not the breakfast that I was hoping for but it was least something. Registration was once again lite and sadly only 39 folks showed up for the race. I wasn't to surprised though do to the down pour of rain the day before.

After a few last minute people signed up for the race I had to get everything moved from inside the community building over to the finish line area and setup for the race. At most of the races this is a major pain in that ass because I don't get to warm up and I am a little stress about getting it done in time for the race. However this time is was a blessing because I didn't have anytime to think about the race and get nervous before the start. When I made it over to the starting line I got to hear a little of Mark's racer meeting then we were off.

Suck in that gut!



I watched as the others tore off down the trail and I was amazed. They started off much the same speed they would at a regular cross country event. I wasn't even think about going hard at all, if anything I rode the first 15 miles way to easy. My plan was to just go slow and finish. The first 8 miles to check point #1 I rode with a guy named Jim. He was not a technical rider and actually crashed in front of me a few times, but I always stopped and waited for him because he had rode in a few 100 mile events and kinda knew what he was doing. At the first check point I stopped to fill up my water bottles but Jim just kept going. I didn't need to stop but I figured it wouldn't be a bad idea to top everything off. It only took me a 1/2 a mile to catch back up with Jim and once again found myself slowing my pace. It was another 8 miles to the next check point with a few miles being on new trail. I have to say I really hated the new trail. Not the kinda riding Big Bear is famous for. One mile from cp#2 Jim got a flat. I asked him if he needed anything but he said he was good. I was not going to wait for him any longer. I rolled in CP#2 felling good but I knew it was 16 miles to CP#3 some I put on my camelpack even though I can't stand wearing them. I usually drink 2 bottles of water every 8 miles so there was no way bottles would work for me. I also tried to eat a little at CP#2 but it wasn't so easy. After stuffing a few bites of trail mix in my mouth I was off.

Look at me sweating out the beer at mile 4


Things were going pretty well I didn't fell tired, my legs didn't hurt and the big thing for me was that my ass didn't hurt. At about mile 28 I started realize that I didn't remember much of the last 2 or 3 miles. That's weird I thought. The 16 miles from cp#2 to cp#3 was a long haul. I saw no one the entire time and a few times I had wished I would have slowed up for Jim. When I hit mile 30 I couldn't stop thinking about what I wanted to eat at cp#3. I can't remember if it was Gunnar, Betsy or Chris but one of them told me to pack pringles. OOOOO! Once that popped in my mind I was so excited. PRINGLES!!! Once I arrived at cp#3 I had been on the bike for 32 miles. At that point I was on the longest trail ride I have EVER been on. I have been on my road bike for 82 miles and even rode my mountain bike for 45 miles on a rail grade but this was all single track. As I sat down for a moment with my pringles in hand, I smile that I had made it so far. I was starting to get tired now but I was only had 18 miles left to go and I figured I could do it. On a side note, the aid station workers told me that a few people had mention how good my pringles looked when they hit the cp. I WOULD HAVE BEAT YOU WITH THE EMPTY CAN IF YOU WOULD HAVE EATEN THEM! LOL!

I took off from cp#3 felling pretty good but then something weird happened. I started to break down mentally. This next part my be a little hard for those of you who don't know me real well to understand so just bare with me. For the last few years I have had some major issues with anxiety and most of it has to do with my health, or thinking I am going to die. OK I know that sounds stupid but there ant much I can do about it. So I am riding along and I started thinking to myself, "am I over working my body", "maybe this will cause me to have a heart attack!". I know that sounds crazy and it is but that what was going through my head. My riding started to suffer as well. I was having trouble with every obstacle that I encountered. I also started think I was done and could not go on for another 15 miles. Considering I was in the middle of no where I had no choice but to just continue to petal. Then after another few miles the thoughts just disappeared as quickly as they entered my mind. How weird! I was once again felling like I was going to make it, and my mind which had been kinda blurry was clear.. Again how weird was that!

Rolling along at mile 30


I rolled into cp#4 with 38 miles of riding under my belt and was feeling pretty proud when I got to the cp because iPlayOutside founder Don Parks and Mark Schooley of Big Bear were both there. Mark said he was surprised at how good I looked because he said some people had looked terrible. I told him I felt good also but that I had a melt down a little was back but was ok now. Mark said well I closing the course. "What?, NO, I got to finish!" I told him. I think he was a little surprised that I wanted to continue because at that point I had been riding for 7 hours. Also when I told him I was planning on riding a few days before I could tell he didn't think I had a chance of finishing. In his defence I don't think he knew how much I been riding this summer and that I had stopped smoking. He then told me he couldn't let me go on. I was super sad. I still had to ride another 3 miles back to the finish area and that gave me a grand total of 41 miles on the day, but I was kinda torn about it. Yes I did just go out and ride for 7 1/2 hours (41 miles) but I failed to what I set out to do. Ohh well! Mark later said I needed to be 30 minutes faster and I could have finished. I pondered the rest of the night what would have happened if I wouldn't have followed Jim for the first 15 miles. Because in the last 26 miles I put over an hour on him.

Rolling into check point #4


After getting cleaned up I was walking around the parking lot just chatting with folks when Betsy spotted me. She was acting like she was up to something. Her and gunnar kept walking to their car and back to the community building, and they would tell me go here, then go there. I couldn't help wonder what they were up to. They finally decided on tell me to go back into the community build where they presented me with a large cupcake cake (6 cupcakes in a circle with ten pounds of icing on top). They said it was finishing my first Ultra (kinda "my words"), stop smoking and for some other stuff. I heart the Shogren's. It was really touched, but I think gunnar knows by now that I not big on compliments especially in public. I think he likes embarrassing me. I later found out that Betsy and Gunnar had to drive all the way back to Morgantown after they raced because they forgot the cake at home. Damn, then I really started to fill bad about not finishing.. Thanks guys that meant a lot!

So now it Sunday and I feel fine. I must say I am kind surprised. I would have thought I be pretty sore today, but I am hungry! I am writing this post in Sirianni's and eating a fat cheeseburger at the same time. I think this was the last race for my this year maybe going to do the Creek to Peak in a few weeks, but will see. However I am really starting to get addicted to competition again. It not that I want to try and beat someone, it has to do something with competing. Every time I complete an event I am filled with a big sense of accomplishment. So with that in mind I plan on putting time in on the trainer this winter and doing a fair bit of xc skiing this winter get in better shape for 2009.

Photos of the night before with the WV night club

I think I can, I think I can!

We tomorrow is the Big Bear Ultra race and I am thinking about trying it. The race is 50 miles long with 37 of it being single track and 13 dirty road. I thought I would have maybe a 25% chance of finishing the event but it would probably take me 9 - 10 hours. Well as I sit here at Sirianni's and eat my pizza I am starting to worry. The rain is coming down outside and it not really going to let up all weekend. oooo! The Team Bi-atch! as well as the WV Nightclub crew keeps telling me that I can do it but dowlt has entered my mind.. I am still going to line up at the start come tomorrow morning at 8am but who knows what will happen after that. So I just do as my favorite kids book say, I think I can, I think I can! Wish me luck!

Ps.. I forgot to mention I going for the rockstar award by racing in a regular xc race the day after! LOL!

Summer coming to an end!

Well this past weekend was the final race in the WVMBA point series and to be honest I am sad to see it come. I am coming off one of the best summer I have had in my life. The traveling, all the work and little to no pay would make most people sick of things at this point but hanging out with friends and getting to ride every weekend made it all worth it. I can't even tell you how many new friends I have made this year at the races. Many people have asked me if I plan on being Director of WVMBA in 2009 and I respond by always saying they will have to kick me out. I am sure someday I will not be as excited to jump in the car every weekend but for now I am happy do what ever I can for mountain biking in the state of WV. It late so I am off to bed but I want to leave you with some images from different 2008 WVMBA events and some randem photos of friends.

Some of the peeps from this year