The Official Guide to the World between the Wheels

Still training

Last Saturday I meet up with Steve Twining and his friend Eric at Mohican Wilderness to ride the 25 mile single track loop that will be part of the Mohican 100 at the end of the month. Both Steve & Eric are top competitors in the OMBC series and getting the chance to ride with them outside of a race was really a good time. In case you've never ridden at Mohican let me explain that there is a marked loop just over 25 miles long of 99% single track. Thats right there are only a couple of road crossing and one 200 yard stretch that you travel pavement. Other wise you're riding man made single track and its awesome.

Past my Bedtime

The view of the road on my return trip from Ohio at 2 a.m. Saturday night. I spent the day riding, first riding with a few guys (Steve & Eric) at Mohican Wilderness (story to follow) then closing up the day at Ernie's with Bob Myers and a few of his friends on the Tow Path Night Ride.  Extremely exhausted and a very sore chest from over doing it left me laying around all day Sunday reminiscing of the prior day.

stork

Maximus 2008

Last weekend was the first of 3 Michaux races for the season. We have always enjoyed these and the turn out is usually really good so we packed up and headed out. All week I struggled with choosing my gear for the battle against the rocks. The maximus race is notorious for its razor sharp rock sections. Do i race the all carbon Superfly or maybe the Paragon? How about the tire selection? I'm loving the Bontrager Dry X but chances are the course could be muddy and the ACX works much better in a really muddy situation and on the rocks. eventually I made the commitment to the Superfly wrapped in ACX traction. Both turned out to be a wonderful choice. The Superfly rode great and handled the relentless rocks with easy yet enough authority to drive me over pretty much anything the forest had to offer and traction was at a premium with the knobby ACX. 

313 Pecan Valley Lane

Thats the address I had plugged into my GPS in the car on Thursday Morning. I was headed off to ride with my buddy Timmy and was quit excited about hitting the trails in his area. Just as I drove off and Megan (my GPS navigators voice) started instructing me on the proper route to Pecan Valley Lane I noticed a message on my phone. After listening to it I realized Timmy had called to notify me that a heavy storm was rolling through his 'hood and we had better reschedule. I had just loaded up my freshly built Paragon and was eager to show Tim its handling characteristics but that would have to wait until another day. A quick call back to Tim and we both felt bad because we've been planning to ride on a Thursday for weeks and something always gets in the way. Never the less I headed back home and did manage a short ride locally before the rain hit my area. Fingers crossed for next Thursday...maybe!

stork

Falling Behind

Coming with the warm weather has been a load of work. Recently I've been extremely busy on the work scene with little end of it slowing until after May. Sure it cuts into my time to ride and write posts but it gives me the money to play later. I have a few races planned which will require gas and lodging costs so the work is needed. Secondly I don't get paid to race or ride so in order to keep my heat on in the winter and the A/C on in the summer I really need to keep the day job.

I apologize for the lack of reading lately but little exciting has happened. I've been riding every Wednesday with TJ (from the 29er Crew Team) and still maintain a ride on the weekends until I get myself to some races. My rides with TJ have been tailored training rides so we haven't been stopping much to snap photos. Last weekend however I made a group ride with Timmy Lyons (my winter riding bud) and there were 5 Superflys on the ride! Everyone loves the big wheels as they should.

We rode for 9 miles before most of the others cut out and Tim continued on with me to finish up with 17 or 18 miles. I then carried on for a little further just because the day was nice and the trails here at Bavington would be grown over with brush rendering them un-rideable in another week or two.

One funny thing was my slight miscalculation of a tree stump as I descended a small drop. The stump grabbed my left crank arm and quickly took me to the ground. Hitting hard enough to puncture the Big Air in my jersey pocket. As i looked up at Tim who was following me I saw his look of disbelief to see me in a pile on the ground. I got up brushed the dirt of and continued but knew I had done something to the body as I could barely hold the grip with my right hand. I also had a tough time breathing very deep which may be caused by some bruised or broken ribs. Never the less we finished as I mentioned.

I'll let you know what the X rays tell later today.

Stork

Another weekend Off

Still fighting off the end of my cold so I opted to ride locally this weekend rather than over due it at a race. An early Saturday morning phone call to Timmy Lyons lead to me joining his small group for an entertaining ride at Frick Park. Tim, Moose, Eric and myself meet at the Shadyside Trek of Pittsburgh store and rolled out towards the park. After 20 some miles of pedaling around the pristine trails of Frick on what came to be the nicest day of the weekend we rolled down to one of Tims coffee shacks called "Jitters". Here we reminisced about the ride as if it had been months ago while sipping  cooled coffees outside the establishment. This is why I enjoy riding especially with Tim because he always follows up with a coffee (warm in the winter-cooled in the summer) Oh by the way 3 of us were rocking 29" wheels, but I won't mention who wasn't in order to save them the embarrassment, and those of us on the 29" wheels clearly had the advantage over Moose who seemed to be riding a kids bike in comparison to ours. All fun and I'm really thankful Tim invited me along.

Thanks to all 3 of these guys for the great time and a big thanks to Moose for the phone photo seen here. Shortly after moving out on our ride I realized I had left my camera in the car and without this one shot I wouldn't have anything for the post.

stork

Dinner again

Enjoying some food with Bob and Michelle after all 3 of us rode (seperately) at North Park.

Fair Hill 2008

Finished 3rd at the Fair Hill Race on Sunday. The rain held off and the race was a big success for the promoter with over 600 racers attending.

This event brought out a lot of people and I was happy get the chance to see everyone. Trek Demo Bikes were on hand and Dave O'Connell was setting them up for riders to try. Jon Posner (from the 24 hour Solo video with Chris Eatough) and his wife Tracey were there. Steven Hoover (East Coast Team Director) and several of the Trek East Coast team members attended.

Here's how my race played out.....

Waiting Paid off!

Over 400 hundred Pre registered riders for the Mid Atlantic Super Series first XC race of the year! Congrats to Howard from Bike Line and to John Miller and the others from MASS. Wonderful race! Full coverage to follow.

Waiting Game

Well we're sitting here watching movies in an Embassy Suite room somewhere near Newark DE waiting for the start of the first Mid Atlantic XC race. With weather warnings of thunderstorms the race still has chances of being cancelled. Fingers crossed!