World Tour Week Two: Hellhole Pre-Ride

Look! A 47! It's blurry and I don't care. It was early. 

4:00- Alarm. Snooze
4:09- Alarm. Fine, I'll get up. It's Hellhole pre-ride day!
4:35- The car, mostly packed the night before, leaves the driveway in route to Francis Marion National Forest, a mere two hour drive from Columbia.

Look! A picture of me! I was happy to be riding despite the early start.

I've been looking forward to pre-riding the Hellhole course, or at least getting an idea of what to expect for a while now. So while I wasn't exactly excited that the ride was leaving at 7:30 that morning, I knew it would totally be worth it to make the drive.

A merry group of six set out for our 65 mile trip traversing the gravel roads of the national forest. While we weren't exactly riding the course on which the race will be held, it was still super sweet because 65 miles of gravel! Seriously. That's a lot of dirt road. It was awesome. This also gave me opportunity to test out the equipment I plan to use for the race.

My wheels of choice for the gravel stage race in September are my Myerson sell-me-down Kazane road wheels. The wheels aren't exactly big and beefy, but they've held up to all the abuse I've put them through in the past few years and they're relatively light. They'll be wrapped in 35 millimeter Kenda Happy Mediums. I've been riding a Happy Medium on my front training wheel on my 'cross bike for well over a year and raced on this set at the May 'cross race, but I was excited to see how they would work in a long gravel setting like this one. I'd say my random ass pressure choice was good. The dirt on which we rode wasn't super rocky. There were a few sections that had large pieces of gravel, but for the most part I'd say the roads were just as smooth as most Richland County roads. Yes, I mean the asphalt ones. I ride on the service roads at Harbison Forest pretty regularly, and have a history of pinch flatting on pieces of rock there and that wasn't TOO much of an issue in Francis Marion. However, there are a metric shit ton of pot holes out there, so pinching would still be a threat.

Being more concerned with not pinching than being super comfortable, I went a little bit high with my pressure. The tires still felt really good though. I never felt like I was getting beat up by my bike, and I didn't have a flat (there were a few flats in our group Saturday morning, but luckily I dodged that bullet). I MIGHT (depending on whether or not I can drop these pesky last three pounds) take a few pounds out of the tires come race day, but we'll cross that bridge when we get there. I was pleased Saturday, so it's probably best not to test my luck.

What really impressed me with the tires was how well they gripped, even at such high pressure. While there wasn't a lot of turning on the ride, and even less turning at speed, the numerous holes put tire grip to the test. If you're riding behind someone and see a hole at the last second, you're going to want to not hit it and probably swerve... hard. Every time I moved to avoid a hole, the tires stayed firmly connected to the ground. There were a couple of times I TRIED to break them free, but they stayed put.

Most of our group taking a break from the gravel

As far as the actual race is concerned, I still have next to NO IDEA what to expect. I at least know that my stuff works, and that I should probably consider a third water bottle, and that I should bring bug spray (a ton of bug spray) but otherwise, the event is still pretty cloudy to me. Racing in the men's open category means there are going to be a lot of guys there that are way stronger than me. So I'm approaching it more as a long training race, plus a really fun event, double plus an excuse to go to the low country. 

One final thought- outside of pure strength/fitness and bad luck, there's not a lot on the course to force a selection in the race. There's going to be a lot of small groups riding together. Riding in a group on a course like this is wacky. You've got to trust the person in front of you a lot and be ready for them to move sideways rapidly or slow down rapidly. Riding behind someone also means that you won't be able to see the awful stuff in front of them (namely, pot holes) so you have to constantly be on your toes and ready to not break your wheels and ass. One of our group learned the hard way that if the rider in front of them slows down or hits a hole, you need to react or else you'll make a blood sacrifice to the gravel gods. 

Thanks to Anne and Chris for inviting me down to ride. And for not holding it against me that I didn't ride with them this morning. I'm stoked for September!

Pack some spare tubes and a lot of food and register for Hellhole in September. 

"This song is about fear"

This will be my last introspective blog post... for now at least.

In regards to writing, I completely fell off the face of the earth. In regards to real life, I kind of did the same thing last year.

Exactly three months after my last post in this here weblog, my family's house burned down. For those of you lacking math skills, that means on Christmas Day 2011 I woke up to a burning house. Most of you know this and many of you were there supporting me in a lot more ways than I ever expected (thanks) but it's worth mentioning again for the sake of setting up the story of the past two years.

Pretty much everything has changed since that morning. I spent most of 2012 in a drunken haze. I moved twice. Started and ended relationships. Started playing soccer again. Changed cycling teams... twice. Ostensibly quit racing bikes competitively. Don't get me wrong, I had a lot of fun. Probably too much, but things have definitely settled down and have gotten back to my version of normal.

2012 'cross season was a complete wash for me in a competitive sense. I did fewer races than I've ever done in a season, and only really took one weekend seriously. Luckily for me, I actually had decent results that week in Charleston. In my defense, it wasn't simply a lack of motivation that kept me away from racing last year. I was putting more time into school and work than I had before and trying to focus on a long distance relationship. 'Cross just wasn't my primary partner that fall.

The lack of racing  left me feeling sort of unfulfilled at the end of the year and, in its own way, left me far more motivated for 2013. I got a road bike again. Actually trained rather than just riding. Dropped 10lbs. and started signing up for races again. The biggest part of my 2013 bike revival was the (second) new team. Joining KindHuman was really the biggest spark that started the fire. I've found a team that motivates me to be a happy and healthy representative of their brand and has a mission with which I identify (like what I gave up at Cycle-Smart) but keeps the local element I had last year with the shop. Racing for Adam and KindHuman has not only been a great motivator for getting fit but he's also grown into one of my best friends.

As usual, the road season was just about scratching a competitive itch and hanging out with my some of favorite people. Results weren't great. I had some decent weekends but I also had near emotional break downs at crits because I just wasn't cutting it. 'Cross is different. Or at least I hope it is. I've been training seriously for 'cross since mid-June, my bikes are dialed and my schedule is set. I'm motivated and I (except for right now since I've done four 12+ hour weeks in a row) I feel fit. Not just fit but nearly violent. I have high hopes for this year (you've heard this story before). I don't expect it to happen immediately but I'm looking for an upgrade before nationals comes to Asheville and I'm hoping to get the collegiate team organized this semester, race competitively in the SECCC and hopefully make a trip out to Denver for nationals in January.

All this comes at a price, though. And, going into my fifth season of cyclocross, it is something that I still struggle with nearly daily. Taking cyclocross super seriously again means that a lot has to go into it. Hours on the bike and an almost equal number of hours behind a windshield. Nights on couches and floors. Solo dance parties in the van. And, ya know, equipment and entry fees... those are the least of my concerns though.

Leaving sucks sometimes. I don't know if it's something I'll ever get used to. It becomes the theme of every playlist I put together at the end of August. Shit, it even inspired a tattoo on my leg (that I got the week before I left on a 500 mile trip for a pair of races). It makes me wonder what I'm missing out on, what I'm skipping to chase this wild ass dream of being a mediocre bike racer. I think the scariest part though, is how much I know it's really worth it. Without this, I know I'd feel like I was missing something.

It's all up from here. This is going to be a good year.

Week 1: CX2013: 0 nights on couches, 2 nights on the floor.

(When I saw Band of Horses, he introduced this song by saying "this song is about fear")

Helmet Camera Take One!

This past week I got myself hooked up with a Contour HD helmet cam. I've been playing around with it on my rides. Haven't quite gotten it dialed in yet. The resolution was set a little low (that may have also had something to do with how I "edited" and posted the video), and it was a little tilted. I was called a dork at the race for wearing it, but that wasn't the first time... and it won't be the last.

So enjoy a little video I put together from today's race!

A history nerd goes on a bike ride-photo dump

The past few days have been unusually fall-like here in Columbia! I figured I'd take advantage of it and head out for a nice bike ride (on Sunday... jeez it took me like 14 years to finish this post). Started out at the Broad River side of the River Front Park, shot up through campus, across the river to Cayce, and back through downtown. 90k later (!) I did lots of exploring, and a ton of pictures!

Started out at one of my favorite spots on campus- Cool Beans! Lemon poppy seed muffin and machiato, plus some chocolate covered espresso beans for the back pocket!

I took advantage of the early hour, plus post-football game hangovers, to ride through the Horseshoe without running over or into anyone. I love riding on the Horseshoe, but when I'm walking to class with 2000 other kids, I hate every single person who nearly kills me on their bikes between classes.

It was also quiet on the Cayce side of the Riverwalk. Cool temperatures and tree covered river paths. It was a good morning!

Always one of my favorite signs! My old ghost hunting friends may recognize this!

Welcome to Old State Road! Former Indian trail, turned trade route between Charleston and the upstate. Sherman marched this road on his way to capturing Columbia. Lot's of history out here. There are other portions of the road heading south that are actually paved and usable. Our section, sandy, rocky and... haunted?

It's a nice, but bumpy, jaunt through the swamp. As teenagers, we drove down here in the middle of the night looking for ghosts. Legends on the road feature stars such as the KKK, Peewee Gaskins, Red Eye, and my personal favorite, the ghost of a murdered girl walking down the road. If you stop before the church on the curve, you can see the shadowy silhouette of the girl walking and as you get closer she disappears. Some people may also call this apparition a tree branch.


The unfortunate reality of this road is that it freaks me the fuck out. I'm fascinated by ghost stories, but let's face it: they're not real! However, I'm a 145lb dude wearing spandex riding down a dirt road in the swamp. There are lots of things out there with bullet holes in them, and I've been chased off the road in a car... can't imagine what happens if someone decides to give me shit on my bike. It was never the ghosts that scared me... it was the hobos and the crazy people in the woods.

I enjoy riding out there, but it might take a few rides before I can do it on my own. There's too many opportunities for riding out here with the side roads and trails, plus extra riding back in Lexington. I don't want to pass it up!

Does this happen everywhere or is it just a South Carolina thing?

I love our historical markers. I'm a bit of a history nerd... duh. So it's great to be somewhere and get a history lesson on that exact spot. It works better than reading it in a book.

I decided from here that I was going to reenact Sherman's march toward Columbia. Except instead of artillery, I was on my bike. And instead of foraging, I was eating gels.

Song stuck in head intermission: "See, I'm just a factory worker's son from a railroad town.
And yeah, I can feel the steel mills rust." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZePV9kswemE

So, back in the day we would just take State St. in West Columbia to Old State Rd. You can't do that anymore since they closed the railroad crossing in Cayce. So leaving Old State I decided I didn't want to go back to the Riverwalk, and took off straight for West Columbia. I rolled slowly to the railroad crossing to make sure I wasn't going to get plowed and ran the track cyclo-cross style. I took off through Cayce expecting to get chased down by some CSX official.

Luckily, I made it through Cayce and West Columbia unscathed and rolled toward the Gervais St. bridge toward Columbia. In person it looks like we have a decent skyline.

After this I ducked back onto the Riverwalk... hooray.

Even though the weather has been great, cooler temperatures make the "view" on campus and at the Riverwalk a little less appealing, well except for this shot of the river.

I left the Riverwalk and popped out in Lexington, and set up camp to begin my final assault on Columbia.

Ventured over to Owens Field for the first time in ages. I was looking for the B-25 that they used to have out next to the road, but apparently they cooped it up in this ratty hangar. Shame.

Holy crap!!!! Sweet trails at Owens Field!!! I never knew these existed! In between shredding and/or ripping this trail I took opportunity to reminisce on my soccer career and watch some kids ripping and/or shredding at the skate park. I know skateboarders are rebellious, but I thought it was pretty funny that there were mandatory helmet signs, but not a single helmet in attendance. I also thought it was ridiculous that these kids had their parents out there coaching them. Like, angry little league parents screaming from the side of the bowl. I think that's doing it wrong.

Best mid-ride lunch stop ever. Virgil's Cream Soda and a chocolate croissant at Earthfare. I don't think I was going to pick up any cute Earthfare girls wearing my kit... mainly because I smelled like West Columbia.

USC's Koppenberg. In front of Capstone. It's short, and fairly steep (I don't go uphill well), and not exactly easy to trudge up one-handed.

So, the star marks where one of the aforementioned artillery shells struck the capital building. I didn't have a flag, so putting my bike on the state house was the only real way I could complete my capture of the city.

Ride was pretty sweet. It was nice to head out without really worrying about anything. I basically just took off and then stopped riding whenever I ran out of stuff to look at. Even when I was back at the car, i thought about riding around a little while longer... ya know, just cause. I don't usually do long rides, but it was cool to be out ALL day. Even if there were multiple stops involved.



P.S.- Midweek I'm really lame photo-op: Cycle-Smart got our new kits! I'm super stoked! I had to show it off!

And so it begins-- Asheville Cyclo-Cross

Giving myself the award for best dismount technique (leading into the stairs). Does no one else coast on their downtube?

School has started, temperatures have cooled (from the lower 100s to the upper 90s), and the fresh smell of glue is in the air. It's fall... soon!

With the coming change in weather means a change in tire size. 23mm slicks have been swapped on almost every wheel I own and replaced with treaded 32mm beasts. I've ruined a pair of shorts with Continental tubular glue and pulled the skinsuits out of the closet... it's time for some racing!

This year's season opener was held at Bent Creek Park, just outside of Asheville, NC. A glorious city nestled in the mountains (through which you're apparently not supposed to "swan") that has been referred to as "a nice oasis in the south". I like it there, but I'm afraid I'll catch the hippie-itis everytime I go.

Cycle-Smart fielded 3 men in the C race, myself, Steve "le belge" Noiret, and new 'crosser Warren Owens. I went into the race with high hopes. Like "planning my victory salute" high. Christy Blakely said I may need to respect the competition/sport more, I just think it's confidence.

The course was... interesting. Potentially better suited for 29'' wheels than 700c in some areas. There was some tight single track, a short gravel climb, some pump track, a set of stairs, fast dewy downhills, but unfortunately, no barriers.

I test rode the Grifo XS open tubulars in the morning, but with the moist off cambers and the roots in the woods, I opted for my tubular mix (a Fango front/Grifo rear), and prayed that I glued them well.

This may have been the best start I've ever had in a race- second going into the first corner... exactly what Alec Donahue and Shawn Adams taught us at camp. I was super stoked. After one or two turns, the kid (seriously-- kid) in front of me tangled himself up in the tape, and I bombed down the long descent in the lead and took the pack into the woods.

I looked over my shoulder once and saw that I had a small gap- nothing significant, but I was happy that there weren't 19 dudes on my back wheel waiting to run me over. I knew that when the trail opened up, someone was going to come around me. I planned for it, so that I could jump on their wheel. This was MY race, after all.

So the kid (seriously, KID) comes around me like a ROCKET. Ever watched a soccer game where the goalkeeper just points as the ball goes by him (I've done that), that was how I reacted. There was simply nothing I could do. Shortly, Belgian Steve came around me before the pump track. I figured we could ride together and lay the smackdown on these other fools. Naw, Steve did a 100 mile mountain bike race the week before... he's fit.

After a lap, a guy on a 29er was on my wheel. My goal was to keep him behind me before the single track, because I knew he'd ream me through the woods. That didn't work... there went my podium appearance.

So I rode on my own for a few laps. Over my shoulder I could see a group of three guys behind me. I fought to stay away from them until I knew it was a losing battle. I settled in behind the first guy (Daniel Jones, my nemesis from Greenville). He and I have always been fairly evenly matched, but I hope he never gets a real 'cross bike, because then he'll have power and handling to beat me with.

I rode his wheel until the last lap. Waited until the last few corners to try to make a move, but he had me covered every time. I waited too late, and followed him in for 5th place.

So, weekend one is in the books! I'm not satisfied, but I'm not unhappy with the way it went. It's obvious that Steve is WAY stronger than I am, so I'm not going to be unhappy if I'm in a situation where I help him win the next race. I've always fancied myself a Renshaw, not a Cavendish.

I was super happy for Warren (not for his rolled tire). He rode and finished his first race with crappy tires, and probably entertained quite a few people sliding around wildly. All without any sort of emotional incident. That's more than I can say for myself.

Also great to see Christy, of Cycle-Smart Grass Roots fame, she's good company, even though she double spaces her periods. Myles and Lindsay were great travel partners and Aaron Casey was also in attendance, but he still owes me beer. Next time, dude!

I got a little emotional last night when I had to shut down my computer before the start of Cross Vegas. It's here! It's really cyclo-cross season! Results will be good this year. Categories will be upgraded. Maidens will be saved. Evil-doers vanquished. All in the name of cyclo-cross.

Did not get sweet air on the pump track... maybe next time

Back to our regularly scheduled programming

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I'm a terrible blogger. Awful. Where did we leave off? December... fucking DECEMBER?! SHIT!!!

Well, my road and mountain bike season were pretty inconsequential. And this is a cyclo-cross blog. And I'm a cyclo-cross racer. As Twitter may have told you, #crossiscoming. So, it's time to start updating again.

Last season ended well. I scored a brace of top 5's in South Carolina in December and top tens in all but one January North Carolina race. Highlights included: scoring sixth at Durham and securing the last upgrade point on the day (missed the last turn on the course, got passed and beat the dude in a sprint with a bike throw), and podiums at North Wilkesboro and Greensboro (many thanks to Adam Myerson for that last one).

So, the season is right around the corner. Five days away, to be exact. It's an exciting and terrifying time of the year. I still have tires to glue!

So, here's a quick look at what I'm hoping to do this season (outside of go fast and smash). Hopefully, it's a great year. I've high hopes.

2011-2012 Cyclo-Cross Schedule

September:
9- Asheville Cyclo-Cross (Asheville, NC)
17, 18- Charm City (Baltimore, MD) (Maybe?)
24- Asheville Cyclo-Cross (Asheville, NC)

October:
1, 2- Va Du Mar (Spartanburg, SC)
8- Pisgah Brewing CX (Asheville, NC)
15, 16- Greenville Spinners CX (Greenville, SC)
But if that doesn't happen => Mud Sweat and Gears (Unicoi, TN)
22, 23- Georgia CX Series (Savannah, GA)
30- North Carolina Cyclo-Cross Series #3 (Boone, NC)

November:
5, 6- Cycle-Smart International (Northampton, MA)
OR if that doesn't happen (because I'm poor) => 6-NCCX #4 (Salisbury, NC)
12- South Carolina State Championships (?? This is a complete guess. It's not posted anywhere)
12, 13- King College (Bristol, TN)*
19, 20- North Carolina Grand Prix NCCX# 6&7 (Hendersonville, NC)
27- Thanksgiving 'Cross (Boone, NC)

December:
3- Mars Hill (Mars Hill, NC)*
4- NCCX #8
10- Kingsport Cup (Kingsport, TN)
11- SECCC Conference Finals (Banner Elk, NC)*
18- NCCX #10 (Tanglewood, NC)
31- New Years Resolution (Chicago, IL)**

January:
1- New Years Resolution (Chicago, IL)**
4-8 US National Cyclo-Cross Championships (Madison, WI)*
OR (assuming I'm too slow) => 8- NCCX #11
21, 22- NCCX # 12, 13

*Collegiate races with the mighty University of South Carolina Cyclo-Cocks
**A boy can dream

Under The Barriers Episode II: The Legend Continues

Since I'm a lazy blogger (and a busy (but newly single) truck dispatcher, student, team manager and occasional bike racer), I'm going to allow Kim Bailey and Under the Barriers to tell the story of my winter season.

Episode II is set in the frozen tundra of Salisbury, NC. The Nomadic New Englanders: Jeremy Powers, Alec Donahue, Mukunda Feldman (a.k.a. JAM http://www.wheelhouseracing.com/j-a-m-fund/), Jeremy Durrin and David Wilcox all traveled down to North Carolina to partake in warm southern weather, the last UCI race of the season and barbecue.

Little would they know that awaiting them at the course was a New England native's worst nightmare: snow! The day was cold, but the snow faded right about the time I pulled into the parking lot and there was none on the ground at all.

You can tell it's cold, and thanks to Mukunda for being such a great sport and sticking it out for the interview. Listen closely in the background and you can hear Jeremy Powers getting fan-girled... yo Jeremy, you've got a girlfriend. Pass me those numbers you got!

Powers powered to a win in the P1/2 race and Alec Donahue proved that he's tougher than everyone and unzipped on like the first lap. It helps when you've got a natural base layer. It was a mediocre day for me. Got stuck behind a crash on the first lap, had anger in my stomach and motored back up for like 11th or something (check the schedule/results page for more accurate details). The following day in Fayetteville was way better. Ninth on a course I hated- my first top 10 in an NCCX race and a foreshadowing of events to come!

UnderTheBarriers #2 from Kim Bailey on Vimeo.