I'm back!

I know I suck! I'm so sorry. I'm not going to lie...just call me LAZY SUSAN.

So many cool things happened this summer that I'm going to just skip right to October. October is the best month ever. I love it.u

HooHaHaHa

Harrisonburg and Massanutten did a fine job at the HooHa. The courses were really great and the competition very fast. I surprised myself and won the Super D. I didn't think that I had a chance against Kelli Emmett, but home course advantage paid off. JB was second to Sid and Carp was a hot fourth. Its hard to believe that Sid can win a rocky Super D on 1.9 tires pumped up to 40 lbs, but I guess that is what it means to be a pro. The Short track was unbelievable hell. How can I be blown after 5 minutes? I used to be good at short track? It was exciting seeing JB and Sid tangle. Sid is the type of guy that you ask, "Oh you are from Australia?(since he was wearing the Australian National Jersey) and he says rudely, "No, I'm not...I'm from Tasmania" WTF, mate! It was great to see JB and Nick put him in his place in the XC. I got put in mine by Kelli and new comer Anina. But honestly, I had tons of fun and rode well. I won $215 dollars for third place in xc.

Happy 10th Year to SBC

Tim and Thomas started The Shenandoah Bicycle Company ten years ago this week. As crazy Tom said today," They started on a shoetring and look at them now!" They have contributed enourmously to the cycling community here in Harrisonburg. They make their work fun and are so generous with their time and energy. Plus they have employed some good friends over the years.

Thanks SBC for the all the years, keep turning the over the gears and now its time to drink some beers!

Johnny Giro 2010

The Giro d' Ville is one of three Grand Tours that happen for my biking crowd. This is the first, then Tour de Burg which starts when the Tour de France does and then the Fall tour for the Vuelta d'Espana. This is a four day tour/race on mountain bikes. This year the theme was John Deer riding a bike being Johnny Giro and "I love it when you call me big poppa in honor of freshie baby Avery Quinn, daughter of Jordanna and Marty(Il Director). This year we were based out of Montebella Campground right off of the magnificent Blue Ridge Parkway. The Giro is all about style. And styled we were with showers, flush toilets and beautiful leaders and DFL jerseys. The only thing that was missing was lattes in the morning, but there was plenty of bacon.

The first stage was shortened due to a lightning storm. It packed a wallop anyhow dishing out 12 minutes of real uphill pain. My effort was good enough for the White Women's Leader's Jersey! Goldmember took the win and cast his bid for Pink. We then foot traveled up to Spy Rock Overlook. If you ever get the chance to go there, do it. Incredible 360 views of all green mountains. I forgot the camera that day, unfortunately.

The basic gist of the Giro D'Ville is Pleasure Pace(PP) ride to a destination where the timed section will start. The fastest people take the watches and then time themselves and all who come after. There aren't course markings or anything was you have to pay attention good at the pre race meetings or try and hang on Buschi's wheel. The racing is fast, but not too intensely crazy. Then we regroup, chit chat, fix flats, eat snacks and then PP to the next timed section.

I don't remember all the timed sections but the highlights were: climbing up Torry Ridge...brutal, brutal singletrack climbing. Racing across Whetstone Ridge, Flying down rugged jeep roads with nasty rocks and very poor visibility and the TTT. The TTT was a ladies team with one day poachers Fudala and Carpong. This was a mostly flat road time trial which typically would be boring, but for some reason this was a cool bonding experience. I was very impressed with FOOF A beating out an on paper winner of the JV squad. It must have been Brian Hall's effort. He is so uber fit.

Then to finish off the weekend we PP up Vesuvius which is only Catagory 1 climbing home to a barbeque. Goldmember was resplendant in pink, T-pain was in pain in DFL, Young Nick Pence was in red(climbers jersey) Pistol Pete in sprint jersey(watch out Collindish, he is coming to the Tour de Burg) and me in my dirty white bella donna jersey(Yes ladies lets have a rematch at the Tour).

Even though Il Director is moving to Golden, CO he says He'll be back for the Giro next year...what class, what style.

Women's Weekend on Spruce

PULP smoothie bar is opening!

The smoothie bar is a reality. Grand opening this weekend. Plus the bike shop has expanded too. Its all very exciting!. Tim did a creative build out and its fun and modern. So go by and get an acai bowl or quality Chinese tea.

I'll miss the opening because its a Girls gone wild weekend on Spruce Knob(grassy mountain) Three days of riding and chillin with the ladies.

Going big

This weekend is Chris Scottistan's annula STOKESVILLE-DOUTHAT-STOKESVILLE trip. Its about 100 miles a day for two days. It ends up being about 18 hours of riding with about 25 hours of trip time. It is trail and road with lots of climbing. We overnight at Creasy Lodge in Douthat State Park. Some sweet girls do lunch and dinner support. Its about 18 folks with lots of out of towners.

Here's a couple pics from last year. I still don't have my camera cord, so I don't know if I'll get pics this year.

This sums it up right now

Beside the Point Stephen Cushman, from The Virginia Quarterly Review

The sky has never won a prize.
The clouds have no careers.
The rainbow doesn't say my work,
thank goodness.

The rock in the creek's not so productive.
The mud on the bank's not too pragmatic.
There's nothing useful in the noise
the wind makes in the leaves.

Buck up now, my fellow superfluity,
and let's both be of that worthless ilk,
self-indulgent as shooting stars,
self-absorbed as sunsets.

Who cares if we're inconsequential?
At least we can revel, two good-for-nothings,
in our irrelevance; at least come and make
no difference with me.

Come ride with me in Slatyfork,WV

The Staff at Elk River has been offering women’s specific clinics and tours for over fifteen years. We have been fortunate to work with several of the top women racers and instructors in the sport. In a classroom of lush eastern singletrack, we’ll build on basic techniques, confidence and having fun!!

Dates: May 21-23, 2010 and September 24-26, 2010
Sue Haywood and Meredith Erlewine will lead these fun, challenging and pampering weekends!

Day One - Arrival Arrive in time to ride by 3pm
Arrive at Elk River in Slatyfork, shake the highway out of your system, and settle into one of our charming B&B rooms. If renting a bike, you will be fitted at this time. At 3 pm, we’ll get together to meet the rest of the group, swap a few stories about how, why and where each of us got into the sport, and try to learn each other’s name. We will check bike and helmet fit, and then try some instructional exercises: fun, informative techniques practiced to make the more complicated skills simpler. Then we’ll head out for a short ride nearby (6 miles) to put our newly learned skills into practice, and then back to the inn to clean up and socialize before dinner.

Day Two
Coffee and breakfast at 8am, and then we’ll load the van and shuttle to a local trailhead. We’ll ride a total of about 15-20 miles today, taking several breaks for rest and instructional tips. Lunch will be packed and carried so that you may snack all day at your leisure. We’ll finish out the trail and come back to the center by 4-5 pm, leaving you free to hot tub, nap, chat and clean up for dinner on the deck. Either before or after dinner we’ll discuss some of the basics of bike mechanics.

Day Three
Another tasty breakfast starts our day out right, and we’ll load the van to shuttle part of the way up the mountain. Climb up, drop in, and we’ll hit the singletrack. A fun downhill and ride back to the center will put us at about 10 miles today. Clean and pack up before getting together for a sumptuous lunch buffet, exchanging addresses and snapshots. We are usually finished and saying our goodbyes between 1-2 pm.

$359-$409/person double occupancy
15% discount when you sign up with a friend!
Call 866-572-3771 to register

Note: Due to the technical level of some of the trails, this tour is not suitable for complete beginners. If you have some biking experience and are game for challenge, it is for you. Please have your bike in tip-top shape when you arrive for the weekend. We have a mechanic on staff for any problems which may arise during the tour. You should have a tire of at least 2" to even consider giving it your best.

*Ride routes may vary due to weather, group ability, and trail conditions, etc.

To register, or for questions, please call 1-866-572-3771

girls love bikes!