Happy Holidays

The very best to all over the holidays and a Happy New Year

Rosendale Crossfest - Blame It On Rio

Okay, let's face reality - 6 days in Rio on business working up to 17 hours a day, eating a lot of meat and consuming more alcohol then recommended - all in the name of business - is not a recipe for success. Add to that an overnight flight and 2 days prepping and painting the second floor of the house and you can expect to get your ass kicked on the race course. So, bored of the usual training rides and having just taken delivery of a new IF Planet X, I set out to see what the whole Cyclocross scene is all about. What I discovered is that the format was designed by Richard Jarvic solely with the intention of having racers blow up their hearts so he could sell more of those fabulous mechanical devices. Needless to say I didn't have all that much fun, chalked it up as experience and will no doubt do it again. End of the race standing....sort of, it was more like slumped over the handle bars knowing how seals feel just as the great white is about to eat them!

Dark Horse 40 - Revenge of the Killer Bees

Simply put, at this stage in the season I was burnt out mentally and physically but being that this race is in my home court I wanted to come out in support the local bike shop sponsoring the race. In true sandbag fashion I rode to have fun and entered in the sport single speed class. For most of the first lap I swapped places with the lead single speed until I burped a tire and had to pull off on a fast section to make repairs. Due to the tight racing I had to stand and watch as countless riders went by before there was a space to pull back onto the course and get going again. A bit further along the course I rounded a bend to find a swarm of pissed off yellow jackets clouding the trail. Surviving the "ride of death" through the cloud I realized that it was time to pack it in and go home to a cooler full of beer and call it a season. Sadly after 4 seasons of racing I finally had to put a DNF in the books.

Wilderness 101

THE FRESH AIR FUND - The Wilderness 101 has a soft spot in my heart as it is the first mountain bike race I ever rode and for reasons unknown to me I use it as my annual fund raising ride. This year the charity of choice was the Fresh Air Fund. To help out I recruited 2 coworkers to come down and join the fun, one of them having never been on a mountain bike before. Once again the gods had turned up the heat and humidity for the race (conditions I detest) and it was shaping up to be no fun, that was until one of my mates got a bit bold on a descent, flatted and went over the bars into the deep weeds. Unhurt and unable to muster the knowledge to change a flat meant it was time to get going or bail out as I was feeling the effects of too much training and racing over the winter. Despite bending a rotor at 75 miles and having to remove the rear brake, I managed to come home 24th in single speed with a new PR and along with my coworkers raised over $7000 for the kids to go out and have fun in the country......all in all a successful race!

12 Hours of Round Top

It was time to change the game and give the race against the clock another shot. It had been several years since trying one and the time seemed right to give it a go. The weekend weather turned out to be down right cold for June with the evening temps dipping to the low 40s and start line temps not much higher.

The course was a mix of fire roads (30%) and fast single track (70%) that had a real nice flow. The only downside was the laps were just a shade over 5 miles so there was going to be a lot of them by the time it was over.

By the time the dust had settled it was a good enough effort for 3rd overall in the 45+ solo category and 1st in the single speed (a no brainer as no one else dared to make the effort).

Greenbrier Marathon

South of the Mason-Dixon line the definition of "fast flowing single track" is significantly different then up North. Down here it means sections of single track mixed with rock gardens, roots and mud.

Never-the-less it was an opportunity to go out and  get in a 4 hour race, have some fun and drink a few beers. Still feeling the effects of the Cape Epic I rode at a conservative pace, running most of the race in mid pack. My finishing position looked secure until a flat less then a half mile from the finish along with a terrible job at changing the tire let 5 riders get by. The result - a beer immediately upon crossing the line, 20th out of 35 and 3rd in single speed. Not what I was hoping for but  not a total loss either, at least I brought a suspension fork and made life a bit more plush!

Took My Beating And Enjoyed Every Minute Of It

The taste of the dust from the Klein Karoo might never leave my mouth (and for that matter I really don't want it to) and the feeling of crossing the finish line in Lourensford, as with a good wine, will only get better over time.
To say I had a great time is an understatement and will never do justice to the race and all of the work that went into it. I can not praise the organization and staff of the event enough for all of the hard work that went into making such a good time for all of us riders.
And of course over all the days of riding the friendships that arise are plentiful and helped us all get through the day. To the entire peleton I want to say thanks for all of the support (pulls on the flats, etc.) that you provided to the insane single speed team. Knowing that the pack was pulling for us to make the finish was one of the best motivators one could have as we struggled through some of the tough sections of the course.
Stephen and Jeff, I never did get to buy you that beer at the finish but thanks for the fun when I rode my "Harley" along side that beast of a bike called a tandem.
Jasper and Natalie, you guys are the best and make it a relaxing time after the races.

Unleash The Animal Within

Well the time is at hand. Shaun has purged his knees of the gnomes and it seems I have finally rid myself of the cretins that have taken up residence in my sinus cavities.
Finally after 2 weeks of being sick I am able to focus on the final days of training and realizing that the time is at hand, take the bike apart and pack it for the coming adventure. Given that I have made it this far I can only wonder what the odds are of the baggage handlers managing to reroute my bike to the likes of Mongolia where it will do neither myself nor the lucky recipient much good (imagine Genghis Khan and the hordes attacking on bikes)!
Of course there is the Mrs, truly in line for sainthood for having put up with the slow transition to SA time which sees me getting up at 1:30am so that I will be in sync when I get to the race. At least the white noise generator (read that to be the indoor trainer) lulls her back to sleep and we manage to get a couple of minutes together in the morning before I head to the office and another couple after I walk into the apartment and head right off to bed. All work and no play makes jack a dull boy (but hopefully enables him to ride the single speed to the end).
With visions of the race dancing through my head I can hardly wait to board the plane and get the adventure under way. I am sure by the fifth day I will be cursing the hardship and pain that the race holds in store. Somehow up to how I have managed to avoid thinking about this aspect of it.
Good luck to all and see you in Knysna. IF SINGLESPEEDS RULE!

War Of The Noses or Sinus Of The Times Part Deux

Turns out the nasty sinus infection has a bit of military training and must have spent countless hours practicing on the parade grounds. As one would expect with so much practice this infection is marching along, first left and now right....without missing a step. Now it is deeply imbedded into the right side of my face and leaves it pounding every time I so much as bend over.
Well the hell with the Geneva Convention, this is all out war and it's time to bring in the chemical weapons. A quick ride to the doctor and I am ready to launch the mother of all wars on this infection. Fully equipped with vials of antibiotics and decongestants I am off to subdue the lousy bastard that is haunting me. There is room for only one teammate at the start and number plate 23-1 is reserved for Mr. Shaun Weber, not this nasty yellow beast!

Sinus Of The Times or As The Nose Runs Blow It

First it's the never ending cold that has we staring at walls while I train all week and weekend. Then just as everything is coming together and the final couple of weeks of preparation/training/taper are all set to occur.....WHAM it is the mother of all viruses that has a firm grip on the blood cells and just won't let go. After a few sessions of sleeping with as much clothing on and blankets, I finally club the little bastard into submission and dispose of him in the washing machine with all of the sweaty clothes.
Guess again, now it's time for a visit from his long lost cousin.....Sinus Infection! The right side of my face is pounding and I am filling Kleenex with disgusting mixes of yellow mucus and blood! Isn't there a break for the weary, isn't it enough that I will be killing myself over the passes each day with only one gear to choose from (actually make that 2 gears, the other being my feet when the hill stands up and the pedals stop turning).
Stop the sniffles, the never ending nose blowing and the raw skin around my nose, yeah I am getting "color" in my face but it's not from the sun! Bring on race day and let the true pain begin.

Survivor of the Plague

Phew, it seems the worst might have passed and after several nights of cooking under the blankets and soaking several sets of sheets in sweat it seems the fever has finally broken (or is it I have finally broken the fever?). Either way after missing 5 days of training I was able to plop my arse back down on the bike (on an indoor trainer  as usual) and get a bit of a ride under my belt and let the legs know what lay in store. I am sure Shaun will be please as I will no longer have to request that he be allowed to tow me for the entire length of the course. Perhaps it is true......that does not kill me only makes me stronger!

Better Now Then Later

The Gods seem to have their own cruel idea of fun every once in a while and this is one of those occasions. About this time we are all in the final stages of oiling that well tuned machine called our bodies, hitting peak fitness just in time for the start a scant 3 weeks away.
Well leave it to the close working conditions of the office and the superior ventilation systems that are employed in the skyscrapers of Manhattan to breed just the proper environment for your friendly virus to make a visit to yours truly. And this is not the typical chest heaving cold but rather some nasty thing that has planned a stay of a 7 to 10 days, making it's presence know 24 hours a day and leaving your throat feeling like you are an unemployed fire swallower from the circus. Just walking to the loo takes all the strength in the world, how the hell am I going to climb 15,000 meters in 3 weeks!
To try and find the positives in all of this I guess you could say that had it hit 2 weeks from now I might have considered jumping out of the plane over the Atlantic to end the misery. Instead I get to watch the clock ticking down and the dust gathering on the bike as it sits idle against the wall. Perhaps this is all designed to make sure that I have not overtrained and am properly rested....who knows but time will tell.

Smashing Your Head Against A Wall Is Less Painful

The cold is never ending and the heat of the plains seems to far away. What did this weekend entail.......4 hours on the trainer Saturday followed by another 2 hours on Sunday. Yes if you see me at the start and I am randomly babbling sentences that make no sense you will now understand. As for my teammate Mr Shaun Weber, well he will be the one with the dog bites all over his calves and the vulture circling his head.

Global Warming?

The buzz word today is Global Warming......could be, most likely is (especially when I go out for a ride in January in New York and it is 70F) but then a couple of weeks later and the temps have swung around and the mercury is hovering at 6F and the wind chills are -10F.
Still I plod on with the training, in front of the tele grinding out the mind numbing miles on the trainer, my mind being entertained with visions of the Klein Karoo and the entire series of Jackass (wonder if all of this training qualifies me for the show).
Well what to do.......go south, like in heading to the Caribbean for a long weekend to start on the tan for the race and try to get used to the warm weather that lies ahead. Well Al Gore what the hell is going on? Drum roll please.......... and the weather in Turks and Caicos is a balmy 70F and with the windchill it is in the low 60s (brrrrrrrrrrr). The only thing to do is run to the bar and fill my belly with rum and hope for the best.
Could it be that the cool weather is to follow me? Come prepared for anything because the way this is going I wouldn't be surprised to see snow during this race and lions and giraffes hanging out together!

Loose Fillings/Bruised Ass or Real Men Ride Rigid

So the training conditions have been less then optimal over the past several weeks but that does not preclude me from thoughts of the journey ahead and what lay in store on the course from Kynsna to Lourensford.
Why one may ask would any sane individual (or team for that matter) even consider riding the Cape Epic 1) on a single speed and 2) on a full rigid bike?
Well as a pair of creaky middle aged men we constantly find ourselves reminiscing on the "good old times" of our youth and looking for ways to recapture these warm and fuzzy feelings. Thus we find ourselves staring off into the abyss dreaming of the glory days of the repack races down the slopes of Mt. Tam in California when the likes of Gary Fisher were bringing mountain biking out of it's infancy and into the main stream of cycling.
So to those that are the forefathers of our sport, our hats are off to you and to capture the retro feeling we will mount our steel or Ti horses in full rigid set up and attack the mountains and roads of South Africa.
To take in the action up close look for the riders sporting the Independent Fabrication or Shell V-Power team uniforms.

Icicles From My Nose

And just when you thought it couldn't get any colder.......weekend temps were hovering near 10F (-12C) with windchill at -17F (-27C), just what one would view as ideal training conditions. I actually contemplated going out for a ride but the previous days snow, followed by rain, then snow and finally plummeting temps left a wonderful layer of snow on top of ice. Visions of crashes and broken collarbones kept me in the house on the trainer for the riding but I did venture out to practice the hike a bike sections by wandering around in the woods climbing hills and following trails until the cold won out and I went inside for a warm 18 year old (Single Malt) and a nice hot shower. The next week doesn't seem to hold anything better so it should prove to be a mind numbing week of trainers and rollers!

The Big Chill

The start of the weekend saw temps that will rival South Africa in terms of the extremes. Friday I awoke to temps with windchill of -26 F so it was another day on the trainer. Saturday did not fair much better but by the time Sunday rolled around it was a blazing 5 C so the mountain bike came out of the garage and I was off for a 25 mile ride. The highlight of the day was the sections of frozen waterfalls and rivers along with the snow covered trails. All conditions that I am not so sure will be of much use at the race.
A warm shower and a cold beer and everything was back to normal.

C-Dubs Goes To South Africa

New York City (mid January) - Finally after a rather warm start to the year with temps touching 70F and a few great mtb rides it is back to the grind of the rollers and trainers in the apartment in the city.
Nothing quite like the beauty of riding along and hearing the sirens blaring and the lights flashing......and all of this at 5am while I am trying to get my ride in before work. The only thing driving this insanity is the idea of mounting my Independent Fabrication singlespeed and rolling up to the starting line in Kynsna and the visions of rolling across the finish line in Lourensford for that big glass of wine.
These days it is all consuming....get up early, ride, work, come home and sleep. I think I still have a wife but I am sure that she sometimes wonders if she has a husband that is sane!