Because even pumpkins love 29ers

Sometimes the less one says…

Another wonderful training ride with my favorite training partner Tony!!  Intervals.  Hills.  Creeks.  Chasing the weiner…

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As fall quickly approaches us here in Ontario, I have put my beautiful 29ers away and in hopes that I can keep riding until I pull out the snowshoes,  I pulled out my 26″ wheeled fully rigid, steel framed mountain bike for some fall riding. Every mile that passes I wonder ” WHY DOES ANYONE RIDE THESE LITTLE WHEELS WHEN THE BIG WHEELS ARE SO AVALABLE?. I mean, I love biking on anything with wheels but after a full season of big wheels, I couldn’t imagine having to go back to the 26″ bike full time. Now, I know I’m preaching to the choir saying this this to all you believers, but if there is a reluctant 26″ holdout reading this, you owe it to yourself to try 1. Whats the worst that could happen, you have a “bad” day of riding. (is there such a thing?) Sorry snowmobilers, but this year i will be hoping for a light winter, cause i want to ride.

I got out last Sunday for a wet and rowdy good time up in the Wolf Gap area of Virginia. At first we were excited to see the snow on top of the mountain as we ascended the forest service road to the bottom of the trail head. Once on the singletrack climb the temps were warm and the climbing pleasant. Halfway up we encountered a light dusting of snow, this light dusting very quickly turned into 2-3 inches a wet wet white stuff. One problem, when the leaves are still on the trees the branches lean quite a bit into the trail and we became totally soaked. Nonetheless, a good ride to kick off the cold ridding season. But it was made that much better by a WARM and dry ride on the Shenandoah Mountain Trail on Thursday. Beautiful overlooks and pristine singletrack led to an amazing day in the mountains.

Black Bear Rampage

         Wow! This post is way late, but whatevs. Marshall and I left early Sunday Morning September 13^th to race the Black Bear Rampage at the Ocoee Whitewater Center in Tennessee. The drive took about 3 hours and we arrived about an hour and a half before the start of the race. Really nice to roll up and see some familiar single speed faces, 29er crew folks as well as some good Asheville buddies.

         The Black Bear Rampage was on a really cool course with lots of climbing and lots of twisty sandy riding. Some bits were real technical and I loved riding beside the river that I spent two summers raft guiding and kayaking on. I had never been on these trails even with the amount of time I spent here. The race was hard. I chose to run a 33X20 and when we reached the steep climbing bits that we had already descended, I was regretting my choice as I got off and walked. I kept up with Ursula for about the first 15 miles, passed her on a technical rooty section, and then she passed me on a climb never to be seen again. That 50-year-old lady is FAST! I also met a nice lady named Rachel who also raced in the women’s single speed class. Whew, we were lucky. 3 ladies make a class.

         I placed second. Pretty cool. Something to look forward to next time. Hopefully the Black Bear Rampage will continue to get more single speed women and therefore more competitors. Nothing like racing single speed mountain bikes with other single speed ladies!  Thanks to the 29er crew for hooking me up with a spot! It was an awesome!

The hill climb season lasts about as long as a UK climb - not very. October was supposed to be the off season, but I still seem to be competing every weekend, something went wrong there then! You can’t really turn down the chance to take part though when the start line is within riding distance of your front door and the weather is kind. Hmmm. Does an uphill TT with riders starting at 1 minute intervals count as a race? There ain’t much overtaking or tactics!

I have to mention that the ARC-Pro has been generating inquisitive questions at each one. Gary Fisher? Road Bikes? They ain’t seen nothing yet, the new Cronus looks awesome! Damn, I’d love one of those. It is fun just rocking up to beast yourself up a hill (25%, nice and steep!) no pressure or expectations, just 3 minutes of flat out anaerobic suffering. A real short sharp kick out of cheese and wine mode and a reminder of just how quickly you lose fitness! Oh yeah and energy drinks / gels are not a good idea for sprinting. Water only, or your stomach will pay the price at the top…

This coming weekend will be my last race of the season. That just makes me sad…:(  Oh yeah, just did the sad face, like a teenage girl. But that’s how it makes me feel. I love riding, any kind of riding, but there is something pure and simple about racing. I make it a point to keep from “training” too hard during the season, because I feel like when I make an effort to do particular efforts or ride in a particular fashion I lose some of the fun of cycling. I always try and ride, because I wont keep getting faster unless I ride more, and I frequently give myself goals, but most of all I just ride…a lot. Racing is the chance to see the payoff though. All those long miles in the saddle, get their chance to come back with a vengeance, and not at me this time. The chance to pit myself against other folks who have worked hard too is a real treat. Especially since most mountain bikers realize the race is as much a personal challenge as it is a competition.  So I’m going to miss racing for a while. There’s always cross though…

But the moral of the story is that my season finale takes place on what I believe to be one of the best courses I have ever ridden, maybe one of the best race courses in the country: “Steve’s Race.” The Tidewater Challenge is part motocross, part flatland, part gravity, and all fun. If I could design a rollercoaster for 29ers it would be pretty much identical to steve’s course. The race is also SS state championship so that has my blood pumping. Every year I miss out on the victory for some reason. Two years ago it was a poorly timed flat, last year it was the race the day before, this year I am going to the bling*

This year Trek has been awesome enough to organize  demo day on the pre-ride day. If you are at all close to the Williamsburg area it will be worth coming out for. Some of the sickest singletrack in VA on some of the best bikes out there. Its a date!

Wish me luck! Maybe I’ll see you out there.