Another Race

But I didn’t get in on the action.  The River’s Edge Mountain Bike Marathon at the Uwharrie National Forest was this past Saturday, and I opted to skip the “racing’ and help out instead.

It all started with bike transporting.

Since I was going out there to help, I assisted the race promoter with acquiring some bikes for a corporate team.  I picked them up from a local shop a few days before, and delivered them to the race to be used and abused.

I even got to help set them up for the racers.

Photo credit:  Someone using Ben’s camera, I think.

The race benefited the Alpha 1 Village Foundation, which Ben Hund started.  He’s a great guy, so when I found out that I was helping folks that he knew; it made me feel all warm and fuzzy.

And you probably thought I just went there to stalk Dicky.

While the racers got ready to roll, I shot the shit with all my cycling people.  It was a good crowd, and it would turn out to be a beautiful day.

When they took off, I started with my volunteer duties.  First was to assist the racers with finding the entrance to the singletrack.

When they were off, I eventually made my way out on the trail.  I brought my single speed, and the plan was to ride the course and stop quite a bit to help the racers out there.  I took photos here and there, but mostly I provided encouragement. 

Well, maybe I was stalking Dicky.

I camped out in various locations on the trail while I did my laps, and didn’t run into too many issues.  I stopped to talk with some other course marshals at one point, and we all agreed that the event was going quite well.  I bid those guys farewell and continued on my way (they were riding in the other direction.)  I made it up one of the longer climbs, and all of a sudden one of the other marshals chased me down and said that there was someone down on the trail.  He suggested that I should check it out.  You know, since I’m a Bike Patroller and all.

I made my way back down the hill to the downed rider, and I discovered that I knew him.  It was the MadSS, and he was not doing well at all.  It seems that he hadn’t recovered from that big ‘ol race in Leadville he just did, and he was overheated.  We did our best to cool him down, and eventually we started the long journey out of the trail.  His day was done, but now the goal was to get him outta there safely.

It took us a little while, but we made it.  I’m always glad to help a fellow rider out in the woods, and getting a chance to take care of someone I know makes it even better.  He will be fine, but that day a finish just wasn’t in the cards.  He was doing quite well up until then too.

I spent the rest of the time patching up riders with scrapes, cuts, and the like, and eventually everyone finished the race.  We hung out and enjoyed food on the grill, and lots of beer.  All the joys of racing, without the effort I guess.

At least I got a chance to pedal around in the woods on my single speed for a while.

Maybe I should’ve ridden that bike in the last Southern Classic race.  One gear would’ve been tough at Dark Mountain, but at least the frame wasn’t broken.

Although I had originally planned to race the 50 mile event, I’m glad I got to lend a hand out there instead.  I do enjoy pushing myself on those longer races, but I think I enjoy volunteering just as much.

Any time spent on the bike is good, right?

Did I Say Monday?

Oops, I must have had a computer error. I meant that I would be back Tuesday. After having an extra long weekend, I should have plenty to talk about. The major this going on over the weekend was the Cackalacky Cup up at Lake Norman State Park. It was an eight hour and twenty minute night race, but I didn’t go there to race. It was a fundraiser for our local club, the Tarheel Trailblazers, so I decided to volunteer my Bike Patrol Services.


I don’t ride up there much due to the distance from my house, but I do enjoy the few times I get to go. This is one of those trails that you never get to ride at night, so I knew that I was in for a treat. As long as no one got hurt, I could ride around all night and enjoy the peace and quiet of the night. I had to wait for the race to start first, and then I could get out on the trail.






The race started Lemans style, which mean that the racers had to take a little jog through the parking lot before the hopped on their bikes.



I spotted my pal the MadSS doing his best Bruce Jenner impression:




I also saw my friends Billy and Mr. Ryde, and they were discussing the benefits of riding on a 29er (Billy really likes big wheels.)




After a little while, I took off. The plan was to ride until I found a few “Oh Shit” spots, and camp out there in case something happened. Those spots were usually determined when I had one of my own “Oh Shit” moments. I had fun riding, and really enjoyed being out on the trail in the dark. While I was waiting, I turned off my bike and helmet light and used my flashlight to check for critters.



Nothing…just me and the trail.


Wait, I think I spotted my bike out there.



Anyway, I rode most of the night, and didn’t have to patch up anyone. If there were any kind of medical needs, those guys must have toughed it out. I didn’t use so much as a band aid. That’s a good thing though.


When the sun came up, the race was over. It just started raining at that moment, and then breakfast was served. I got in over twenty miles, which wasn’t nearly as much as the racers out there. I was still hungry though.



After breakfast, it was time to honor the podium finishers. A quick peek at the prize table revealed something very familiar.



Yep, the good people at Backcountry Research provided some sponsorship love to the race, in the form of Awesome Straps and the brand spankin’ new Tulbag. I was very happy to see such Awesome love. Big thanks to them for supporting our local scene. I tried my best to tell everyone out there the joys of the Awesome Strap, since I was sporting two on my bike.




As for the podium, my buddy the MadSS got the top spot.



He rode all night on a singlespeed, and put in more miles than anyone. It was a tough course, and I was happy to see my friend get a win.


I had a lot of fun out there, and I’m actually glad I didn’t race. It’s nice to just help out once in a while, instead of trying so hard to be a racer boi. I might do it next year, but I’m not certain. I can’t even figure out what I want to do tomorrow.

Kids On Wheels

Sunday, we finally got around to having another Tarheel Trailblazers Kids Ride. With bad weather and my racing schedule getting in the way, it was nice to be able to get some kids out in the woods on their bikes. I say every time, but this is one of my favorite things about mountain biking. These kids are great as showing the adults how much fun riding a bike can be.


We ended up at our usual spot, Sherman Branch, and there was a great turnout. I think the promise of cookies and Gatorade really helped. It was a hot one, but the kids didn’t seem to mind. Since the usual ride leader, Lunchbox, was away on vacation, I had to pick a new leader. One of our regulars stepped up, and did a great job. We hit all the usual spots, and some of the kids tried stuff they wouldn’t normally do (with spotters of course.) Most importantly though, it was about being on the trail.





We had three Bike Patrollers on hand (including me), in case the little ones got hurt. Here’s our newest patroller, Jeff, hitting one of the jumps.




We gots more than first aid skills.


Not to be outdone, one of the little ones hit the jump.




We stopped often to regroup and rest, and everyone was having fun despite the warm weather.





Two of the kids were ready to keep going though.





This little guy wanted me to quit taking photos and start riding again.





On the home stretch, the kids flew through the singletrack.








They were all smiles.





Even Little Miss Sunshine was having “kid fun” out there.





This ride is just as much for the parents as it is for the kids.





Here’s Jeff again, happy that we didn’t have to fix anyone out there.





It was a great day in the woods. Everyone had fun, and the cookies were once again a hit with young and old. I love these kids ride, and can’t wait for the next one. Too bad I don’t have this much fun racing.

Don’t Know Where To Go

With this post anyway. I write this shit everyday, and lots of people read it for some reason. Some days the nonsense just spews out, other days it’s kinda like being constipated. Going with that analogy, today feels like I’m just sitting on the toilet waiting for something to happen.




Sure, things are happening around here, but they aren’t interesting to talk about sometimes. Last night, I gave a presentation at a meeting of the local women’s mountain bike club, the Dirt Divas. I got to tell them all about the National Mountain Bike Patrol (NMBP). If you’re a newbie to this blog, then I guess I should tell you why I would talk about such a thing.


In addition to being a below-average racer, I am also the director of our local chapter of the NMBP. Despite what you might think of me by reading the stuff I normally post on here, I really like to help people. First aid, trailside repairs, directions, etc. I do that stuff on local rides, and even help out during events. If something happens while I’m out there racing, I may even help out then too. Well, only if it’s someone that’s not racing against me. Maybe.,,


In other news, I saw some bike porn da udda day that has me drooling. You should know by now of my love for all things Diamondback, so you can imagine the excitement I felt when I saw that they have a new prototype out there.



Photo stolen off the Internets from MTBR


Yes, this is the Diamondback Sortie 29er, but it’s not yet in production. This prototype was displayed out at the Sea Otter Classic last week (but I wasn't there.) It is basically a cross between my two favorite bikes, the Sortie and the Overdrive. I am currently racing an Overdrive, and I still have my Sortie out in the garage. I don’t ride it much anymore since the wheels are too small, but having a big-wheeled version of that bike would be way cool.


Since I made the jump to big wheels, I haven’t given much though to having a full suspension version. Now that Diamondback is working on a 29er full squish, I may just have to rethink my thoughts about thinking about things I think about. The Knucklebox suspension is the best I have ever ridden, hands down. The low center of gravity makes a big difference, and that’s one reason why I loved my Sortie so much. I only wished that it’s wheels would grow, and now it looks like I may have my wish.


I’ll be back tomorrow, where I just might spill the beans about my partner for the Grind On The Greenway. I know I said that yesterday too, but this time I just might do it.

I Guess I’ll Play Roadie

I don’t care much for riding my road bike. Sometimes it can be kinda fun I guess, but I usually get pretty bored by it. Sure, it’s great “training”, but so is drinking beer (if you like to train the way I do.) Occasionally, I do ride skinny tires on the road though. That being said, it looks like I’ll be busting out the road bike this weekend for a nice long ride.





Yep, it’s time once again for the Tour De Tots. What is the Tour De Tots, you ask? Well, I can tell you that it’s not a ride with Napoleon Dynamite on a quest for tater tots. Here’s the info in case you were too lazy to click on the link I gave you above:


Date:

Saturday, September 11, 2010 @ 9:00 AM

Address:

North Carolina Research Campus
Located off I-85, Exit 60

Fees:

Individual Registration: $25
Family Registration: $40

Brief Description:

Over 300 cyclists are expected for the Tour de Tots, which will include a bike rodeo, 5K family ride, plus 31- and 62-mile tour courses. With a post-event celebration featuring food and entertainment, Tour de Tots has become a highly anticipated annual event!


Additional Information:

Carolinas Medical Center-NorthEast

Carolinas Medical Center-NorthEast is pleased to present the annual Tour de Tots bike ride for the Jeff Gordon Children's Hospital. The charitable ride through scenic Cabarrus County will be held Saturday, Sept. 11, 2010, promoting community health and wellness while raising awareness for the children's hospital.

The Jeff Gordon Children's Hospital

The Jeff Gordon Children's Hospital at CMCNorthEast offers a continuum of care for pediatric patients from birth to age 18 in a peaceful, serene environment where nature is the primary surrounding. Based on a hospital within-a-hospital concept, the children's hospital ensures that supporting services and a growing number of physician specialists will be maintained at CMC-NorthEast, allowing pediatric patients and their families to remain in the local community rather than being referred outside the region for these services. The Jeff Gordon Children's Hospital provides highly specialized, truly exceptional pediatric care, right here at home.

Event Schedule:

7:30 a.m. - Registration
8:15 a.m. - 9/11 Tribute
9:00 a.m. - 62-mile Metric Century start
9:10 a.m. - 31-mile Half Metric Century start
9:30 a.m. - 5K Family Ride start
11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. - Food, Festivities and Fun

Safety support teams, support & gear (SAG) vehicles, food & beverage rest stops with fruit, crackers and water, and route maps will be provided.

Rules for the Ride:

* This is a ride at your own pace tour, not a race.

* This ride is for cyclists of all abilities and ages.

* Cyclists must be at least 14 years of age to participate in the 31 and 62-mile rides.

* Helmets are required: All riders must wear an approved helmet and obey traffic laws.

* No headphones allowed.

* All registered riders will sign a Waiver and Release form on the day of the event.

Directions:

From I-85, Exit 60, head 3.2 miles northwest on Dale Earnhardt Boulevard. Turn right on South Main Street and travel one mile.



There. Did you get all of that? Good. I also need to mention that The Dirty Party Cycle will be joining me on this ride. He dabbles in roadie stuff from time to time, so it looks like I won’t have to ride this one alone. Lunchbox will be tagging along again this year as well. He’s nowhere near ever becoming a roadie, so he will be assisting the promoter with SAG wagon duties. Hopefully he’ll bring the camera along again to provide some quality photographs. Hell, I may even bring a camera along on the ride, since it’s not a race. Although it’s tricky to ride a bike and take photos, it’s a lot of fun. Anything to please my loyal readers, right?


I hope to get out on the mountain bike this weekend too, but I haven’t firmed up my plans as of yet. I would love to head back out to the DuPont State Forest again, but I don’t see that happening. Hopefully soon though, ‘cause I need my fix. I do know this much, I gotta do something to counteract all this roadie shit. A nice long fat tire ride is clearly in order over the next few days. But, will I find the time?

This just in:

Local Bike Patroller photographed in hot pursuit of injured rider at the River’s Edge Mountain Bike Marathon.



Photo credit: Doc

What About The Kids?

Good question I guess. Since I missed two days on here this week, I somehow forgot to squeeze in my report of the Tarheel Trailblazers Kids Ride last Sunday afternoon. I know, I was too busy talking about my visit to Defeet and my trip to Warrior Creek. No worries though; there’s no way I could forget about the kids.

Lunchbox and I headed down to Colonel Francis Beatty Park to get this thing started on what was one of the most beautiful days I’ve seen around here in a long time. Since the Kids Rides are just starting back up again after a long winter, I didn’t really expect a huge turnout. Once everyone arrived though, we had a pretty decent-sized group. Heck, even local wheelie legend/grill master Benson showed up with his doggie, Black. Everyone posed for the obligatory group shot.



We had kids of all sizes, ages, and abilities. We even had one little boy who had just gotten his first mountain bike that very morning. I was excited for him. After a short chat with everyone, we headed out on the trail. Lunchbox lead the way, and showed the little ones how it was done. The kids were all smiles:






Benson gave everyone a clinic on how to ride the trail with a leashed dog:



After winding through the singletrack, we stopped at everyone’s favorite: Beatty’s own Gravity Cavity. The kids (and the adults) practiced their jumping skills for a while:













We hit the trail again, and headed for the next trail feature. This one would be the little log skinny. I didn’t think the kids would find this one too interesting, but I was wrong. In fact, they circled around the trail to hit it over and over again. This gave me (and Lunchbox) the opportunity to take some photos:








Even I got in on the action:



Benson impressed us all with a wheelie on it:



We continued on the trail, stopping at the little rock garden so we could practice yet another skill:







All of this fun would not come without a price. One of our little daredevils got a bit too ambitious when he tried to do another skinny, and took a small tumble. Luckily though, our local chapter of the National Mountain Bike Patrol (just me in this case) was on hand to patch him up. Before I patched him up though, his uncle suggested we take a photo so he would remember it:



The little guy was okay, and he eventually was able to continue. All it took was a little bribe of cookies, chips, and Gatorade to keep him going. We all made it to the end, and enjoyed some snacks at the picnic area:



The kids had a great time, and so did I. I really love doing these rides, and I hope that we can continue this for a long time. I may have said it before, but I would give up the racing and all the other riding I do just for these if I had to. If you are local to the Charlotte area and want to come and and help (or bring some more youngins), let me know. If you haven’t been out on a mountain bike ride with kids, then you’re missing out on all the fun. Having fun is the reason we all should be riding.


With the weekend coming up, I have no definite plans (surprise.) I hope to get out on a ride of course, but nothing is set in stone. With the Charlotte Mountain Bike Summer Series and the 6 Hour Grind On The Greenway coming up soon, I’ll need all the saddle time I can get. Maybe I should just stick to the kids rides., because at least there’s no suffering for me there. Well, maybe I have a thing for suffering. Fun and suffering seem to go hand in hand for me on a bike. See y’all Monday.