Monday, August 31, 2009

Motolicious






Tim, Franco and I did some exploring on our motos. While the rest of the mtbers were doing long rides on their bicycles getting ready for the Shenandoah 100, I was out twisting the throttle. I want to be hungry when it comes to next Sunday, at least that is what I'm hoping for.

It was great to get some time on my Kawasaki. Its a great bike for me and very choked down. I got pretty tired at the end, but look forward to doing some more gravel roads in this incredible area that I live in.

Saturday, August 29, 2009

Six Pack Downhill Season has started









And the winner of the first round was...Collindish! Yes, Collindish has shown his lightning speed this season on the road and on the dirt. He was 10 seconds faster than last year's invitational winner, Tim. Trevor was third. Whitney and I dominated the women's podium. I rode the death chute no problem and was singing the praises of my Turner once again.

High Knob trail was in great shape and is one of the steeper downhills around. There were just a couple of newbies and they gave it their all giving blood and licking pepperoni thongs in the parking lot. Chase broke his bike(bound to happen) and Basil of course flatted. Kyle had a stellar run on his performance hybrid.

The Party was fun on Rock st. and roll and a decent crew got up early to do trail work on Dowell's.

Moto ride tomorrow.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Shenandoah 100 Trail Prep






Big long races need big long trail clean-up days. Its fun to go with a group of buddies, hang out in the woods and cut some stuff up. The men's leader/guitar hero was there as well as race director/mumbles, the grand contrarian, and sneezy, too. I got to run a weed wacker and a brusher for the first time in my life. It was fun, but of course I have some sore arms today. But its a good feeling to work on the trails, especially for how much that I use them.

Six pack downhill season starts Friday with High Knob in WV. Its a scary first round. And remember if you win you have to have the party at your house...including you Fawley, Chaz michaels michaels, nick pence, JB and etc. And if you want to do the Invitational you have to have 2 days of trail maintenance under your belt.

Monday, August 17, 2009

August riding in WV
















Matt Smith, Churtle and I rode our bikes over to Canaan instead of doing the century ride out of Snowshoe. Sorry, I wanted to support the WV Cycling Foundation's effort, but in the end the free ride over to the icebox was really epic. We went over Shenandoah Mt on 33 West. Then through Fort Seebert over Siple mountain to Upper Tract. Then through the Smoke Hole to Rt 28/55. Then the big gigantic climb up Jordan Road and Forest Road 19 into the Dolly Sods. It was the road to Wilderness. The climb took about 1:30 and was pretty brutal. Churtle didn't have a compact so she was doing some power training. The road off of the Sods was also pretty brutal on a road bike. We spend the day out there...all day and the funny thing is that it was only 94 miles!

The the SBC crew had a bike shop gathering at the icebox. What a good group of people and riders they are. Tim and Whitney, being the compassionate people they are, walked their bikes all the way down Lindy and some of plantation trail with a lost doggie. It turned out the dog was 14 1/2 and deaf. It had been lost a day already. The amazing thing is we called the park to tell them and by the time the doggie(Brandy) got to the Lodge, the grateful owner was there.

We scarfed down some Sirianni's pizza and Glen Plake extreme garlic chips and then went out for a State Championship loop.

It was a great summer weekend.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Riding Sweetly











Riding my new bike!

Wait didn't I just get a new bike this spring? Yes, its true. But now I have an even better one!

I finally got the new Turner Flux up and riding. It is still a four inch bike but has Dave Weagle's DW link, but it feels like a lot more fun travel. This is a really fun and amazing riding bike. I had some Kenda Nevegals on it for the last two rides, which gives it a real Super D and play riding feel to it. It gave me a good level of confidence the first downhill. To me, that is always a good sign. So I'm very curious to get some fast racey tires on before the Shenandoah 100 and climb some more with it. I believe it weights almost a 1/2 pound more than the old frame(which weighted the same as my 2008 top fuel frame). But the Sticky-E nevegals can make for some piggish smooth climbing, so I don't want to say if I feel the weight difference. I But, I really love my new Orange Crush!

Tim is out of town at Trek World, the Trek Dealers show checking out the latest stuff for SBC. Ruby was so cute last night thinking that he was coming home. Every sound that she heard she thought and hoped that it was Tim. She was a little sad that he is gone. I guess over the years she is used to me being gone , not him.

I got to ride at Massanutten yesterday which is usually not a pick in the middle of august because its too darn hot. But Chase and Foodles were heading out and I had to be witness to their filthy talk. I'm too prudish for their mouths, but its fun to hang with the boyz sometimes and hear other perspectives. Its great to see Chase out riding again after pulverizing his liver at Massanutten this summer. He's getting his Mojo back. And Foodles is loving his new Turner Sultan, which is the 29er Full suspension from Turner. He loves it, so I won't bust his bubble on how much better the DW link is. But he is happy, he just does wheelies and jumps the whole time.

Then today I got the privilege to ride with the Men's Leader of the Tour de Burg, who was also KOM the year before. It was hard keeping up with an almost pro, even on his easiest of ever days. He was plotting his every attack for the Shenandoah 100 as we rode Hanky, Dowell's, Bridge, Brawley, back up Dowell's to Dividing Ridge. He is going to destroy everyone, don't let his innocent friendly demeanor fool you. No pressure Fawley.

Nickyboy if you are reading this operation FM will work and indecision 09 will be ended.

Anyone doing the Cheat Mt. Challenge? 105 miles 10,000ft beautiful scenery.
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6:12:00 PM by Susan Haywood
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Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Alpine Loop









I finally got to do the Alpine Loop over into WV. It was so beautiful. 10,000ft of climbing in 90 miles. Yeah!