Aint No Double Nickel

Well, I got a solo entry transfer late for Old Pueblo.  It was in the Solo Male category instead of SS.  They were supposed to change my team name to Lumberyard FORM but it didn't happen.  So instead I raced as Double Nickel the team name of the dude I got the entry from.  No big deal.

The race went great!  I was hoping for 16 laps but it didn't happen.  I didn't get in from my 15th lap in time.  I was pretty stoked getting 6th Place riding a single speed in the open category.  I would have been 4th in the SS category but none the less I was happy with my performance.

Sara and Cody both pushed hard but had little bouts of sickness during the race.

I love the OP!  Great people and a great vibe!

I just wish I could feel my hands.  "Stranger"

SSAZ

Lots of Fun had by all!  Thanks Dejay!

The Blog is Back (12 Hours of Pagago)

With the van packed up early Friday night and Layla dropped off at our trusty dog sitter Scotty, we hit the hay for a short night of sleep.  We left Sedona around 3:00 a.m. so we could make it down to Tempe and have plenty of time to set up and be ready for the 7:00 start time.  We made it down to Pagago Park right as they opened up the venue.  As we pulled in we found Cody waving us down to show us where we would be setting up the Lumberyard FORM solo pit area.  We drove the van of some curbs and rocks tucking it away right next to port-a-potty row.  Cody’s parents were in attendance also to help us out in the pits for the day.

Once the pit was set up, multiple port-a-potty visits were accomplished, and cold weather gear was strapped on, it was time to head to the starting line.  I look at the temperature gauge on the van right before we headed to the starting line and saw it read 27 degrees.  Not really what you think of when thinking of racing in Phoenix. 

I was happy to find that it was a fairly short Le Mans start because I really didn't feel like running that early in the morning.   As the race started it was the normal sound cleats slapping on the hard ground and the jingling of CO2 cartridges and multi-tools in jersey pockets.  Once we were on the bikes it was a pretty short time before we on the dirt with the trail narrowing.  I didn't go out as hard as I should have so I got caught in stopping and going with the standard bottle necking that occurs when you are not with the front group.  Things spread out pretty quick so I just settled into my pace in preparation for a long day.   One problem that Sara and I both encountered on first lap was frozen water bottles.  I wasn't thinking when I put a couple of filled bottles on each bike outside the van before the drive down.  This caused an unplanned pit after the first lap so that we could have some drinkable bottles.

It was great having Cody’s parent at the race.  They helped us with our pits and kept us updated on results.  It was a weird day as far as nutrition goes for me.  I didn't eat anywhere near as much as I usually do but felt great all day.   Most of the day, I rode in 3^rd place in the Single Speed Solo category and around between 6^th and 8^th place Solo overall.  Sara moved up through the ranks over the first few hours of the race until she got into 2^nd place overall.  Sara rode a total of 16 laps and held on to her position for the remainder of the day for a 2^nd place overall Women Solo finish.  

Around 9 hours some things changed for me.  Cody who was sitting in 2^nd place ahead of me started feeling sick.  I could see that I was making up time on him but was surprised to see him sitting in a chair with his helmet off when I came into the pit area.  The entire day Hunter Keating was dominating, and I didn't feel like I was going to catch him with him being over a lap ahead with 3 hours left.  I just wanted to continue riding steady and hold on to 2^nd in the SS.  Things were going great until lap 17.  I had to slow it down a little due to some cramping. On Lap 18 things got a lot worse.  On the climbs the legs started seizing up.  I had to stop for a quick stretch at the top.  I continued on for most of the lap without issue.   It was with about 1.5 miles left to go when the cramps came back.  I stopped to stretch one more time but was very surprised to see 3^rd place go past.  This guy was over 9 minutes behind me only 2 laps ago.  I must have really slowed along with my stretching stops.  I jumped back on my bike and gave chase.  I got on his wheel right before one of the last climbs.  I sprinted past him on the climb and put a little gap on him.  Once things leveled out it was evident that he was pushing a bigger gear and was feeling stronger than I was at the time.  Despite being bumped down a spot on my last lap I was happy with a 3^rd Place Solo SS and 8^th Overall Solo Finish.

Big thanks for support from Lumberyard FORM and Sedona Bike & Bean.  Also, thanks to Cody’s Parents for help the whole day and help from Cody after sickness forced him to bail out.  Some other highlights were Rob showing up and riding a partial lap checking in on the team and definitely the kiss from Kaolin in the staging area as I lapped through kept me going.    

Thursday Ride 11/18

Meet at Thumb Butte parking lot at 5:30

Cool Stuff

Check out the article in Bicycle Retailer

FORM Cycles Offering Titus Repairs

Thursday 11/11/10

Thursdays ride will be leaving from Cayuse at 5:30 followed by refreshments at Park Plaza Liquor and Deli.

Changes

You will see that there are some changes on this blog. There was no falling out between us and the Vassago peeps. We still love Vassago and everything they do. I would like thank Vassago again for everything over the last few years.

It just seemed like it was time to support and ride for our friends and local frame builders. Daryl Roberts (Founder & Chief Designer), Sam Davis (Welder), and Shawn Morra (Machinist) make up FORM Cycles . Daryl with the support of his lovely wife Melanie base the FORM Headquarters out of Sedona, AZ. These guys are building some beautiful bikes!!!! Here are mine.... THANKS GUYS!!!

STEEL















TITANIUM

12 Hours at Night

Well, no need to do a race report since the local paper did it for me.


Here is the pre-race article


Here is the post-race article


Articles were cool but they didn't put my props to race organization and sponsors

Back in the Saddle

This past weekend I did my first solo 12 hour race since the whole bloody pee incident. This was also going to be Sara's very first solo 12 hour race as well as her first race since the fall. The race that we attended was 12 Hours of Temecula a race in the SOCAL Endurance Series

Friday morning we embarked on the beautiful drive through the mountains towards Temecula, CA.
























We made some stops around Temecula to pick up some dinner and burgers for the race and made it to the venue around 2:00. Jason the race promoter who is one of the nicest people you will ever meet was there to greet us. He gave us rock star parking with the vans being parked right by the demo/staging area where Daryl was going to set up the Form tent and display.


Once we were set up, we set out for a pre-ride. Sara and Daryl had never been here before and were amazed with the views and some of the wild sections of the course. Here is some footage I found from the January Temecula race to give you an idea of the course.

The course ended up being 9.3 miles with 1,100 feet of climbing per lap. After the pre-ride we ate some dinner and got to bed early.

The morning went smooth. We had the Vassago Solo pit area set up and it was time for race prep, racer meeting, and to the start line shortly before 9:00. Sara's started to get a little nervous before the start in trying to figure out if she had everything she needed in our pit area and realizing she was going to be on her bike for 12 hours.

The race went great. No bike issues. I felt great all day. I didn't quite have as much high end as I usually do in the early laps but all in all I felt good. Probably the high point of the race was when another solo guy yelled at me for fumbling in a techy section so I let him go by. We then got to the big switch back climb and this dude couldn't climb for poop. So I knobby rubbed him up the entire climb. He even got off his bike and told me to go by and I said "No, I'm fine." He got back on his bike and went and gave him a couple of more rubs right before I went past when the climb opened up. I think he got the point.

Another exciting point was the big rattle snake that said hello to me around one of the turns. He was far enough off the trail but still made a little poop come out.

I was happy with 12 Laps and 4th in the Pro Solo Class for my first 12 hour race in almost a year. Sara ended up 3rd in the Womens Pro Solo Class but would have been 2nd if she realized the results had shorted her one lap and had the times for 2 laps combined.

























Daryl had a great race finishing 1st in the Expert Solo Class. Tom Ament was having a great race until his broken ankle forced him to stop ridding. Tom Stack hammered out 11 laps and wins the award for the dirtiest legs.

Whiskey 50

I wasn't quite sure how this year's Whiskey Off-Road was going to shake out. I am only half way back into shape and we got some wind, rain, and snow the days before the race and I hate racing in mud. Regardless of how the race was going to turn out for me the weekend was going to be a blast! Sara decided she wasn't ready for the 50 and decided she would do some volunteer work at the event. She is setting her sights for Temecula in June.

We had a big group coming into town to stay with us Friday night before the race. After packet pick-up and some dinner, breakfast prep for the morning, and some minor bike maintenance all nine of us were off to bed. (In separate rooms)

We all rose for some pancakes and sausage around 5:30. We did find some pieces of sausage in Sara's pill case the night after the race. I think it was compliments of Tom and Evan. Tom had a busy morning preparing for the race, playing hide the sausage, and hiding my shoes. Thanks BGT!!!

The day of the race couldn't have brought better weather. It was a little cool getting ready but perfect temp of 45 degrees for the start.

Evan and I getting Vassagos ready for the start.


















Evan sporting the vintage Straight-Up Cyclery jersey.















Here is me trying to sneak my Optimus onto a display stand in the Form Cycles tent without Daryl noticing.

















Once I got out there and got warmed up the race went great! I felt better and better as the race went on. A lot of people went out too hard and had problems on the big climb. I passed a ton of people on the 12 mile climb up from Skull Valley. It actually got pretty warm during the race. I wound up barely breaking 4 hours (3:59.25) which was slower than last year but still respectable and better than I had hoped. It is a sure thing that the Whiskey is no longer a small race. More and more freakishly fast people are showing up each year. Going to take a lot of work to try and get back into the top 20 next year.



Me at the finish




















Tom at the finish





















Tom saying something stupid
















Despite his stupidity Tom had a great race finishing 4th in Single Speed.

















I had a great day on the bike and a giant step in getting my body and racing back into shape. Thanks to Kris, Misty, and Vassago for the continued support!