Spartan Cross- Why am I doing this?

I've been pretty tired the week leading up to Spartan Cross. The wife was out of town and I've been playing Mr. Mom for the week and haven't had a decent nights sleep for quiet a while. So along comes Sunday Morning and I wake up at 6:53 and I'm meeting Justin and Jason at the shop at 7:30 which is about 30 minutes away.

I quickly throw on my bibs, some shorts, and a t-shirt all while brushing my teeth. Run out the door load the bike, bottles, pump, gear bag, and a extra large cup of coffee. As I'm loading the gear into the truck the thought crosses my mind "Why I'm I doing this? After all, I really needed some rest, the bed was so warm, I'm late, and I don't feel prepared at all to race today. I head out anyways.

I get to the shop and load up my stuff and grab some coffee and pastries from Starbucks and head to Spartanburg. We get to the race, register, and start warming up. It's a fun course with a lot of off camber sections, flowy single track, and a long stretch of flat pavement. AWESOME!

I do my warm up lap and head over to the starting line. The race was going pretty well except for the run up stairs. A guy falls just before the barriers, I go over the barriers just behind him. I basically sit on his wheel until........... I hear Ben yelling "Go Mike! Granted I was very happy to just sit on this guys wheel until the finishing pavement and out sprint him. But when Ben said "Go Mike", I did just that. I over took him just before an off camber section and took off as best as I could. I finished that lap with the bell ringing for the final lap.

I stayed on the power and didn't let up. As I got to the top of the hill I could see Justin a good ways ahead of me. I pushed harder, I thought I might be able to surprise him on the finishing paved dragstrip. Unfortunately I didn't see him again until after the race. We hung out and cheered on some guys from the shop in the Cat 3's race. Then we headed home after we found a decent Mexican restaurant and ate too much!

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Mountain Khakis - SQUATCH APPROVED!

Slippery Sasquatch would like to welcome their newest sponsor - Mountain Khakis. The team is proud to represent such an awesome company. They make really great products for an active lifestyle. Stay tuned to find out how you can get some awesome Mountain Khaki's swag. Visit their site here.

Green River Games Oskar Blues Enduro

This past weekend was the second annual Green River Games. I was lucky enough to get a spot in the Oskar Blues Enduro race on Saturday, but had no idea what I was in for. First off, the Green River Gorge in Saluda, NC is an amazing place. The kind of place that is so scenic and beautiful that it makes you look up in the sky and give a nod - kinda like saying good job big guy, and thanks for giving me the opportunity to enjoy this place. One thing that really gets your attention right away driving down into the gorge is how steep the terrain is.

Jonnynails Jr. at the top of Green River Gorge

These trails were a complete mystery to me as not very many people have ridden them and access to them just became available last year thanks to the folks who put on this great race. I believe they started as hiking trails and due to the nature of the terrain they are steep, burley, and raw. Besides being steep some of it was pretty exposed - the kinda place you don't wanna make a mistake or you go down the mountain for a ways. Due to some rain and the trails being really natural and not ridden much or "bedded in" we were in for a really slick ride as well. Unfortunately I was going in mostly riding the trails here blind, except for stage 3. I had never done the climb to the top and never got to ride stage 1 or 2. My main thought was just go have fun and learn it for next year. 

The alarm goes off at 5:30am on race day - those of you that know me are getting a good laugh right now as I'm the farthest thing from a morning person. We load up the family and get the whole crew down into the start/finish area. I'm really nervous because I don't know what to expect out of the first two stages. The race promoter doesn't make me feel any better as he talks about all of the dangers on course. Glad to find a few faces I knew - a couple guys from Faster Mustache, a few of the young pinners from the mountains, and some boys from Greenville.

The "OG's" pre-race. Cecil went on to a top 20

It's finally race time. We got sent off in one minute intervals and I'm at the very back of the group. I was told that I had 90 minutes to get to the top of Stage one. I was assured this would be plenty of time. Turned the Garmin on just to track everything so I know what's up. The funny thing is that I thought we would be riding the road out until it was time to climb up the mountain. This wasn't the case, straight into technical single track next to the Green River for the ride out and up. 

photo credit Jay Schultz GoJamMedia

It's not crazy techy, but for the "easy" part of the day it's taxing. Roots, rocks, creek crossings, skinny log bridges, exposure, hike a bikes, and it's super slick and muddy. It was a great trail, I mean this is a mountain bike race after all. The only thing is, there were zero easy miles and you had to power up a lot of stuff. It was tiring for someone who doesn't get as many chances as he would like to ride in the mountains. So I climb, climb, and keep climbing. An hour goes by and I'm still chugging. I pass by the hike into the Green River Narrows - you know the section with the ropes to get down? Yeah that one. I've only gone 4 miles in an hour!!! Map says 2 more miles to go and I've got 25 minutes. Things are not looking good. 

Finally down the mountain I get to go - all that climbing and I can finally enjoy some of it. It took a second to really get used to how lose it was. I was trying to push the pace, but not knowing the trail was tough. I had to shut things down really quickly a couple times - once near the top for a log pile that looked like an easy jump from far away, but as you got close there was no way. Again for a 90 degree off camber turn. There was a lot of high speed stuff, but then all of a sudden a tight turn. Rear tire sliding everywhere and the front getting way looser then I like it to. I see a little drop coming up so I wheelie off the end of it so that both tires land at the same time. A branch hits me in the face just as I'm going off it and I close my eyes for a second. Next thing I know the trail is going in the opposite direction then what I thought it was. I really tried hard to muscle it and stuff it in the corner, but it's to late. Funny thing is, I thought the Rhododendrems would stop me, but instead I punch right thru them like a hot knife through butter. Now I'm sliding down a really steep mountainside face first. Luckily I spot a small tree and hook my arm around it. Whew, glad that ride is over. Check myself out and I seem to be ok - a little bell ringing from hitting my head and my knee doesn't feel great, but nothing that appears major. To bad for me, my bike went twice as far down this super sketchy and steep mountainside. After 30 minutes or more I finally get my bike back up to the trail - I had to be careful not to fall again down the hill! I straighten some things out on the bike, but it's not to terrible. Now I gingerly make my way down the remaining trail. When I get to the bottom I had a choice to make - climb back up the climb again, show up late for stage 2, get a time penalty, and ride with probably no confidence, but get to know the trails. Or head back in on the trail you rode out on and DNF. I really hate to DNF, but it seemed like the thing to do as the bike wasn't shifting well due to a bent derailuer hanger, something was up with the rear brake, and I just scared myself _hitless!

Green River Games Enduro = 1, Jon = 0

I really enjoyed what I did get to ride (well over 2 hours - thanks garmin for making a bomber mount, still don't know how it stayed on my bike??) and I'll for sure be back next year. Thanks to the folks who put on the Green River Games! Next year I'll be pre-riding the course for sure, but something tells me I'll be up there well before then to ride! Keep the rubber side down Y'all!

Cyclesmart CX Camp

So I traveled to Ridgeway, SC located just outside of Columbia last weekend. Yes, cross camp in the SC in the middle of August. I'm not sure what I was thinking but it actually wasn't nearly as hot as it could have been. I had just meet BC, at the shop, and asked me if I wanted to drive down with him. I thought it would be fun to get to know a new friend and talk cross on the way down so I said "Absolutely-YES!". So we went down early Saturday morning, registered, and proceeded to kit up. We all gathered up in a picnic area and waited to hear what the weekend was going to entail. Adam was introduced and then we all introduced ourselves to the rest of the group. Attendees were everyone from newbies who just bought a cx bike to 3rd place finishers in CX Nationals. Needless to say a huge variety of backgrounds and skill levels. I'm not going to talk about what I learned, because I think you should go pay your own $300 and learn from Adam, It's well worth the money!

I was blown away by the 30+ people who sacrificed their weekend with family, friends, and rest to drive down to Columbia, SC to ride a bike 6 hours a day in the close to 100 degree heat. You see I thought I was the only that crazy! But as it turns out I'm not! The cross season is still 2 months away but don't tell a cross racer that. We typically start thinking CX a couple weeks after our last race. It's our fix, our addiction, it's our.......religion. It was awesome spending the weekend with other like minded people like me. See you all at the races!

Sunday FUNDAY

With the dog days of summer here the team decided to hit some local trials for some fun riding, good food, and talk a little team business. So we all headed to the US National White Water Center. I wasn't so sure it was going to happen. Luckily the weather man was wrong and the trails stayed open. We all had a great time riding some great trails and having fun on the trail. Sorry about the pictures the Squatches were riding faster than my camera would allow to take a clear picture.

Jon craving up some berms

Rodeny riding single and rigid

I told you they were fast - the big blur is Jack

Layla having fun!

Jonny Nails wheeeeeeely dropping

 

Sasquatch Freight Train

Everyone had such a good time- we gotta do this more often!

Way to go Ty

Ty Gibbs places 2nd in the North Carolina Criterium Championships

Race to the river

Our new kits arrived from Starlight apparel just as the mountain bike season started- with both of those things happening at the same time meant for the perfect storm. Jon and I headed down to meet with the rest of the crew in Columbia, SC for the Maxxis Southern Classic "Race to the River". When we got there we found our other teammates, Bob, Layla, Rod, and Jack. It was awesome to see everyone in their kits. And we came home with 2 podium's. Jon came in second and Layla grabbed the 3rd spot in the Women's Cat1 race. Awesome job!

Jon and Slippery Sasquatch Team friend Corbitt

Layla and Jack taking 3rd

6 Hours of Warrior Creek Results

AWESOME Job Layla!

Layla takes 3rd place in the Women's solo

 

Riding Dirty

First race of 2014 is in the books. I'm a big fan of the Winter Short Track Series. It's local (20 min from the house), they have a free kids race that Brock get's pumped up for, the atmosphere is great, always fun to see all my cycling peeps, and I get to show up to blow up. We got a shit ton of rain Friday and Saturday, but luckily the Short Track course is built to withstand the winter weather here in North Cack-A-Lack.

I got to the race early and cheered on some friends in other races. The bikes and people were looking pretty muddy. As it turned out the course was in a lot better shape then I thought it would be, but the top half was pretty sloppy. Rideable, but a little slick in places.

So I throw a Stinger Waffle down my neck, get to pumping some Hilltop Hoods in my ears, and start warming up. I'm racing in the single speed class this year, and in usual fashion I show up late to the start line. I wasn't gonna win this thing anyway, but I get sick of starting from the back row.

The gun goes off and I actually got a great start. I weave and bob in and around people and find myself about mid pack as we go into the woods. I'm pretty happy at this point, because I always suck getting off the start line. Only problem is that now I need to keep up with the group. The mud isn't bad, but it is just enough to get your attention. I push way harder than I wanted to just to stay in my spot in the train. As we head up the first hill, a gap develops between me and the 8 or so guys in front of me. I try to close it, but my legs and lungs politely say "no bueno señor". About this time I get to the "rock garden", which really isn't a rock garden, but it is full of a lot of hecklers. To bad for me, as I glance up, I see some familiar faces. Sure enough, the word is out and I'm spotted. Let the heckling commence.

photo cred: Street Ghost/Kevin Thompson

I also noticed a lot of beers in hands when I glanced up. This was bad as my legs are in anarchy at this point and they see the beer and start screaming at me for tacos and beer. Now I say to myself, why the hell am I thinking of tacos and beer on the first lap of this race. I actually start picturing sitting on the deck of El Torito in Santa Barbara, looking at the pacific ocean sipping Tecate and eating chips….WTF?!?

Suddenly, I get bumped by someone "on my left". I slap myself in the face and keep digging. I jump on Ritchie's wheel as he goes by me and hang on past the start line and back into the woods. This is when I notice the "problem". Is it a mechanical? A flat? No. The "problem" is that I haven't redlined my heart rate like this in a long time. I'm in decent shape, but I just haven't done much (any) high intensity. I start getting a cramp in my side. It gets so bad, that I have to back off and slow way down. Four or maybe five guys go past. I spend the next two laps trying to recover. The mud has made it necessary to pedal on the downhill section, where I'm usually recovering and not having to pedal. Mud is slow like that and likes to give you that gluey feeling on your tires. Just ask Gerry. In the pic below, I'm sure he is winning a 100 mile race somewhere…….

G. Pflug, photo AE Landes

The stitch in my side finally gives up and I actually start turning some good laps. I felt like I was getting stronger lap after lap, but it was to late. The best I could do now was go the same speed as the 4 or 5 that got by me earlier and my "problem" knocked me out of my goal of finishing in the top 10. I've got another chance in 2 weeks though. Big props to the "hecklers" in the woods at the rock garden. I looked forward to what you were gonna come up every time I went by. You even had me laughing at 185 bpm.

                                             photo cred: Street Ghost/Kevin Thompson