Haulin on the Bike: September 2006

What a great weekend, started with the long drive, got to Bubba's around 5:45am with Mark and we ran over to pick up Rick and off we were, after the long ride we got to the resort and got set up in the house and it was awesome, right off the lake and it even had it's own lagoon. It was so great it had four bedrooms, 3 1/2 baths, two kitchens and two living rooms. We had enough room for all 12 of us and still had a ton of space.

So we meet Greg and were off to meet Jay and the Hayes clan to do a little riding at Telemark. We get to the condo and were off, well kinda, it was a asskicker of a trail and my back was killing me so I was on and off the bike all day. Got done and we were off to dinner, we went to this corner bar and had dinner and had a great time hassling the bartender and goofing around.

Friday I got to sleep in a little, ate some good food and worked on the bikes for a little. A bunch of us thought it would be a good idea to go ride a short section of the course and then we had to hit a local bike shop to get Bubba a water bottle cage. When I rode the trail I had a hard time trying to figure out what gear to run, it was either the 17t or the18t, it was like I just couldn't make up my mind, after a lot of back and forth I went with the 18t and as I would find out I was glad I did.

Friday night we just sat around, had a great dinner made by Jim and Bubba and got all set up for the next morning, before the end of the night we loaded up all the bikes into Bubba's, Greg's and my car so we could get our bikes right up front at the start line and then it was off to bed to try to get a good night sleep.

Saturday it was up early to finish getting everything ready, we left around 8am to get up close to the starting line and we were glad we did as they changed some stuff and told us we had to be at our bikes by 9:20 and if we weren't they were going to pull our bikes out of the gates(ya right you could barely get in there). So we sat around for awhile and shot the shit and then it was time to go, by then the stomach was in knots and the cannon goes off and away we go.

A short burst of speed and it all came to a stop and then start again. We went down the road ,well should I say they went down the road, I felt like I was going backwards. At about a mile in some guy right in front of me blows a tire and the tube shot right out I thought it was all over but the guy saved it and rode it to the curb, another mile in and there was a huge crash, as we go by I see like 5 bikes in the rode and a girl down in the middle, come to find out Zeke
was in the middle off the thing and ended up breaking his arm all because (in he words) "who in the hell reaches for a bottle at 30 mph?". Off to rosies field and it was like people never rode a bike, at one point I was holding onto some other guys barend when he rides right into me in the middle of the field like I was never there. Though the field and into the rollers, up,down,up,down and up again.
As I'm climbing I look up and Mark is standing on the side of the trail I pull over and he says he got a flat so I stay with him till he was done, as we were ready to get back on Candy rides by and asked if we were ok , we say ya and were off again. Mark is pissed because we were so far back but I figured its a long race and we can pick off a lot of riders if we just keep riding at a good pace.
We get going and I can't believe how many people are out there, we pass Candy and ask how she's doing and were off, Mark led in the flats and I tried to pull up the hills, we were HAULIN and passing people left and right and feeling good.

We hit OO in 1:33 and keep cranking passing more people and trying to make up somemore time. Hit the flat road around mile 23 and into Martel's pothole, we get stopped and have to walk around the pothole cause someguy took a huge digger and had to be carted off on a back board, off we are again and to the fire road, time to refuel and spin out the legs. We run into Rick looking for Bubba, he thought he was behind him but we never saw him so Rick was off to try to catch him. Mark and I stay in sight of each other and most of the ride side buy side.

We hit the next water station and I had to refill and Mark was starting to get back cramps so we get what we need and Mark does some stretches and were off, some good fire roads and were still passing people and we are keeping some good speed. We got to "Fire Tower Hill " and I look up and think well this isn't that bad, well I didn't know there were three tiers, and I was off and walking. Mark started to pull away and I was trying to catch up, we got to the top and I see Mark, we grab some food and off we go.We ride together till around mile six when the ski trails start and Mark pulls away and I just can't push any harder on the hills so I let him go in hopes I can make up more time on the down hills.

Those last six miles are killers, it was like ride as hard as you can down the hill and then I would try to get up the next as far as I could, then get off and walk as fast to the next. I finally get to a huge down hill road and suck some guys wheel that was crankin it and just sit in, the legs still felt good but not great so I wanted to save a little for the end. I get to the last rest stop grab a banana and kept going I round the corner and some lady says 2 miles togo, I'm think, I'm going to do this, I can't believe I'm going to do this. The next corner some guy tells me there are only two big hills left, Thanks Buddy. I grunt the last two hills and I see 1/2 mile togo, time to use the last amount off gas I have. I see the finish gate and I give it my all, passing people and trying not to blow up in the last 1/4 mile and then I hear some guy announcing my name and where I'm from, that was so cool and then I was done. 3:54:44 I broke the four hour mark and that's what I was going for . I still can't believe I finished that race. See Yaa

Shit,Shit,Shit those were the words that came out of my mouth as Coop and I were racing at the ridge,
so off the bike, kill the bee but the f'in stinger was still in my arm, so I pull out the stinger and away I go for about 2 miles. Up craters and the arm feels a little like pins and needles. By the time I hit the top the arm is total numb and starting to swell, So off the course I go and back to the van were the wife is sitting and the look on her face was like what the hell. I have her grab the first-aid kit and use some sting stuff and hit it with a cold pack, yank the wedding ring off as the hand is swelling and sit and try to calm down.
Now I have only been stung once before and never had act like this. The arm was still a little sore today but better. I swear what else could happen.
I am looking forward to the 40 next week as it will be my first one,I'm still trying to figure out what gear I will use but I guess I'll bring a few along with some different tires. Looks like we will be leaving early on Thursday morning to try to hit some of the local trails for some fun and then some rest on Friday before we race on Saturday. I hope I don't make a fool out of myself out there.
Well got to go and get some stuff done around here