Ridin' the Big Dog!!

So the Redline 29er Monocog was set up as a fixie not so long back and I've been riding it around the burg to get accustomed to the new feel of riding fixie on the MTB. Just so happened that this Sunday I had a couple of hours free! Meant to go for a road ride but with the snow decided an MTB would be a better option. Went for a night run Sat pm to check out the trails (bit soft in parts but mainly frozen) and then crossed my fingers for a nice cold night to firm them up. Sunday morning rose bright and cold - 25 oF lovely. Though the temp hardly warranted it I chucked on all my winter gear, in anticipation of slower than usual progress. The Big Dog!!

Hit the local trails off Dobie Road just after 8am and had the whole place to myself (pretty much). I rode EFI of trail - through to Meridian Road and back along the lower path - has been washed out but with the frozen conditions the trail was hard and perfectly ridable. None of the trails are what you would describe as technical but managed to negotiate my first log overs on a fixie - the second of which was a reasonable size and despite the snow I didn't come a cropper once. Took the trail to the "muddy Crossing" for the first time and it was frozen solid - rode straight across. Back closer to Dobie I took the more fun route back over the small stream and under the fallen tree. All went swimmingly.

Trails to myself!

Back on Dobie - headed to Harrison then as time was still available took in the Meridian Nature Area to the Elementary school - again nothing too challenging, but it was enough to just ride off road and resist the urge to coast when the trail got a bit bumpy. Think I'm going to get to like this.

Back home cold and happy - not until a lot later I realized how tired and sore my legs were - guess with all the fun I hadn't realized I was actually getting a reasonable work out -despite the slow pace.

Need to hit these trails at night now - definitely a viable prospect.

Monday and despite cold and potential snow managed a commute to work on the fixie - used the Light and Motion head lamp for a change - what a difference!! Actually able to ride at decent pace in comfort - a must in future - though the trip home was a bit dodgy in the snow which makes me wonder if the cycling commute should be be left for days when the weather can be relied upon to be kind.

Cheers


DB

Crazy Times!

Since the Massanutten debacle life has failed to get any more sane.

Seems that the only time I get to do any real training is when the sun is nowhere to be seen and the bloody moon is out! One single solitary mtb ride - yep you've guessed it, a night ride. Initial plans were for a fairly major turn out, but as it transpired there was just Brian, Jon (from SSOFT) and DB. Still with Jon on a 29er SS it was good to have the SSers outnumber the gearies for a change. Changed things up a bit - Small Intestine, Ridge, Cascade then up to the old railway ties. At the junction hung a left down the shaley descent to the road. The results of the hours running in prep for the JFK 50 are becoming apparent, legs and lungs are fine but my bloody technical riding is (as Sean would describe it) "pants". As a result I'm up front pushing on the uphills then playing the "rusty wheel" on all the downhills.

Head across the swinging bridge and the pattern continues, fine up the climbs but hating every minute of the technical descents. Finish off up the water bar and backwards on Small Intestine for a nice 2 hour ride before we adjourned to the cars and a couple of beers - Blue Moon Pumpkin Ale - not as bad as it sounds!

Most of effort currently running though - trying to put in miles wherever they can be inched into my schedule - lunchtime runs and early mornings. Oh the joys of being an ultrarunner, Saturday morning and the 5am alarm call. On the road for 5:30am and 15 miles done by 7:30am. Home in time to take MLW a cup of tea in bed and make the children pancakes before the sun is even up properly! Sunday night it's another 10 miles in the dark and Tuesday morning another 5:30am start to get 10 miles in before work. Still only another 9 weeks to go! In all honesty I'm going to need every second of those 9 weeks if I am to get my fitness level to anywhere near where it needs to be, weekly mileage (even with early starts) if topping off in the 40s, and I need to get up to the 80+ mark pretty damn soon. Wish me luck!

Cheers

DogzBollux

FULL HOUSE!

With the weather still seemingly in schizophrenic mood opportunities to ride have been few and far between of late. Despite this the regular(ish) night ride was convened and as luck would have it, for the first time in many months it turned out to be a "Full House". Todd, George, Brain and yours truly DB all present and correct. Launch site was PNR for a change and George announced early there were "trails out there that needed riding". So we were on a mission!

Todd took the lead early and lead us down one of the many Soapstone options. Despite me having freshly installed batteries to maximize my lighting there were a couple of dicey moments early on when lines that would probably been either avoided or walked in daylight were taken on at full speed because I didn't see then in time! With each avoidance of disaster my confidence grew and by the time we hit the bottom of the opening descent I was in gung ho mode!!

Up the fire road climb to the road and thence to the water tower where a quick regrouping was called for before the descent to the Community College loop - we were crushing! Big surprise was the removal of the big log just before the wall gap! whoa those chain saws are hungry at the moment! Although my early form was good by the time we hit the rocky climb to the road atop House of Pain I was "out of my zone" and the others had to wait for me at the top! Todd was having a few seat post issues again! So waiting for me was not completely lost time.

Here began George's mission! Super Highway and then a funky little left turn onto Pig's Run. Never done this so another inaugural ride in the dark. i knew by reputation that this would be challenging but as it turned out with the exception of a couple of sections most of the trail was navigable. Course George considers any trail 100% navigable and throws himself bodily (several times on occasion) at all sections, even though tonight he is sporting the 29er SS rather than the Nomad. Indeed Brian is the only "shifty-demon" tonight as the other three of us eschew the "new fangled trappings of multiple ratios". Having survived a virgin ride down Pig's Run there is only one option - UP the ANTI! Or rather up Mission Impossible! MF this is a tough trail! Much pushing - the sign at the bottom announcing it is "Hike Only" is redundant as I can't foresee anyone actually riding their bikes up the first section - vertical bloody rooty climb! Once we gather on a trail that has some semblance of ridability we mount up and push on. First log and George hops over - me? Not so much! Make complete dogz breakfast of it and complete a rather spectacular endo, just about managing to stay on the trail rather than disappear headlong down into the stream far below. There is silence for a couple of seconds as I gingerly extricate myself from both my bike and the vegetation I end up in - then Brian asks "can I laugh now?" I'm fine! Grins all round - no harm no foul. We pick our way to the Eatough log crossing then George announces he need to change his left crank! Yep he just happens to be carrying a spare. He removes a very nice - but clearly knackered White Industries crank and replaces it with his spare. What to do? Decide that this piece of used/abused but still beautiful biking flotsam deserves a special resting place. At the base of Patarini Hill I install it in the Log Shrine that overlooks the stream.

Up the hill and I take the lead deciding on Double Drop as a way down rather than Sudden Impact. Just as we hit the final sketchy downhill we meet two female walkers (with very inadequate flashlights) ascending! Fortunately they see/hear us before we see then and we pass in the night without incident and no more than a quick "hi there".

Along the road - quick jaunt up Vineyard and then Brian takes over, instead of back to the Water Tower we skip left down the hill and up what possibly forms part of Bull Run. Some pushing, some riding, fun downhill along the ridge and we are back at the base of the Mile Smile. Over two hours riding under our belts and close to 10 very challenging miles covered with no real damage. At the top of the Mile Smile the third "mechanical" of the evening occurs as Brian snaps his chain - resulting in us pushing him along the road back to the PNR.

Back at the cars, beers and much discussion of the power of the text message! This may well end up the dominant route of communication betwixt us night riders - HUM! All I can say is "Spr?"

BB4N

DogzBollux

Slippery When Wet!

It's been tough to get out there and ride since the "Lodi" debacle. I've been raring to go but the weather here in Md has really not been playing fair. We've had pretty much the wettest May on record and the trails have spent much of the month as "no go-zones". Despite the weather last week we did have a few dry days prior to the weekend which allowed a ride to take place with a clear conscience. Turned up at Landing to be greeted by, not only Sean (Mr Regular) but also Doug (Mr Irregular). The aim was to try out the "Six Hours of Patapsco" route (wwwsixhourspatapsco.com). Fromthe map it looked like it took in mainly the best drained trails and should be easily ridable. Let me tell you guys (i) it was not as well drained as I thought and (ii) if the course we rode was actually the race route then I'd like to meet (and shake the hand of) any "Sports" rider who can do that loop in 40 min (as the website suggests). A solid ten miles taking in all the Ridge and Cascade fun, some milder Morning Choice and Old Loop Trail sections and for good measure the fireroad decent (and climb!) from the valley floor! Great loop but for mere mortals like me I think 4 to 5 laps in six hours is going to be a push rather than 6-8! We'll see.

Since then I have tried to be good and restrict my biking to Fixie-fun on the roads but at times I've felt like a recovering alcoholic watching all his ex-drinking partners getting hammered whilst he sipped his soda. Every time I have driven past Landing Road there are cars there with bike racks!! It's been killing me. As the call of the trails got louder so the call came from George for a night ride - what was the option? There wasn't one - I'm "in".

Met usual time, usual place - me with my now botched light set up (having lost my bar light at Lodi). Brian turned up just to say Hi (2 weeks post surgery, so no riding yet) and to laugh even louder at my lights. As it turned out lights performed absolutely bloody great - Small Intestine, three times (once out and twice back) a never ridden trail to the road, the fire road up from the parking lot (a'la 6hrsPat) and loads of other fun stuff. Rode for over two hours, not finishing till midnight. Coupl of quick beers before home and bed (to be followed by a very glased day at work)

Weekend and I weakened again - supposed to guide MLW round "sixhours" course but that didn't happen - another story! So just Sean and DB again. Rode Small Intestine to initiate Sean and then took on a trail neither of us had seen before! We looked for signs as to whether riding was permitted - no signs - so he went for it! Short interesting loop couple of sketchy sections, clearly not ridden for a considerable while so lots of potentially slippery leaf litter. Good fun - turns out (when we hit main trail again) it is "Hike Only" but signage is only from one direction (DOH). Still no harm no foul.

On the trail back to the car bump into Brian on his "comeback" ride - 3 weeks post-surgery and he handily makes us look like the amateurs we are as he rides fluently and without breaking sweat over trails that have Sean and me struggling. Nice ride again probably in double digits for milage so heading in the right direction for June 7.

Cheers for now - enjoy the warm weather, summer heat/humidity is just around the corner.

DogzBollux

12 hours of Lodi Farm 2008 (Race Report)

So this was the biggest weekend of the year so far..



Friday and I took advantage of daughter #2's lacrosse practice to take a final re-Lodi spin around Patapsco, just to make sure pedals and cleats were in good communication. An hour having fun HC side (including Small Intestine twice - in the light for the first time!) and everything is A.O.K. With this confidence booster Friday night was a more relaxed affair than previous years (this was my third year at Lodi Farms, second in solo SSer class), I decided that I was going to just take it easy and chill - so a couple of beers Friday and a bit later to bed than probably justifiable.



George arrived at the Bollux-mansion at 3:30 pm on Friday and by just after 4pm we were rolling south on 95 towards Fredericksburg. George had his Nomad as his "go-to" bike and his IF single speed 29er as a back up for both of us. For me it was the 29erMonocog obviously. We were at the site by just after 6pm and took full advantage of our relatively early arrival to (i) get a good camping spot and (ii) grab some of the wonderful free beer from the keg at the registration tent - this is how life should be. Once registered I put up the tent and inflate the blow up mattresses. Georg was a bit sceptical about this set up - a bit "flasher" than we have done in years past but I figured if one of us had a disaster (mechanical or physical) at 3 or 4 am we would be more than happy to have a tent and sleeping bag to crawl into.



After checking all the gear - setting up a feed station in the back of the van we watched the live band (and had another couple of beers) for about half an hour. Then at 9 pm in a flash of sensible thinking (not a common occurrence for solo riders) we decided a couple of hours kip before the off would be a good idea. We settled into the tent and drifted off to sleep with the bass guitar and drums from Annapolis's finest "the Cheaters" reverberating around the tent. Actually found sleeping, or at least achieving a semi-conscious fugue-state, surprisingly easy and woke up shortly before the alarm was due to ring (at 11pm) with several nagging issues that had been spinning round my head resolved - funny how the brain sorts stuff out while you sleep. Main decision was "Yes wearing the dress and bunny ears was a good idea". I have been thinking of repeating last years dress wearing escapade for a couple of weeks - but in the cold light of a pre-race gathering, when everyone else looks so much better equipped and fitter I was a bit worried that I'd just look like a Jerk! Well my "sleeptime" revelation was that I didn't really care what I looked like and my kids find it kind of amusing that their Dad wears a dress when he races (Philip Larkin wrote a poem about what I'm doing to my kids I suspect - check it out, it's called "This be the verse").

George "togged up" and race ready

Second epiphany was concerning racing strategy and I'll get to that a little later.



At 11;45pm the pre-race meeting convened - George decided he would also partake of a bit of cross-dressing tom-foolery (I must say his prom dress put my little cotton summer dress in the shade!), so we stood there together, only to be joined by another guy with the same idea - fabulous! A rousing chorus of "I'm a Lumberjack" Monty Python stylee was in order but thankfully for everyone in attendance didn't happen. The race meeting dragged on till very close to start time and as George and I had neither our bike shoes, helmets (or indeed our bikes) with us we missed the last five minutes going back to the tent and finishing our preparations.

DogzBollux modelling the "2008 Walmart Transvestite Truckers Clothing Collection"

The course itself was similar to last years with a couple of changed sections. Personally I break the course down into sections that allow me to track where I am. The initial portion is hilly and leads to a meadow that you scoot out onto a number of times between dropping back into the woods for more technical sections - lots of rooty climbs and off camber sections with a few logs thrown in. One grassy climb is one of the toughest on the course. Once you leave the meadow behind you descend on a section of single track that takes you alongside the railway line and over the campsite access road (onto the section that was used for the parade lap). The campsite is skirted for a while then the trail dips and traverses a raised boardwalk over a boggy section (looked like a new boardwalk this year). After the boardwalk is the famed "twisty bridge" that slopes up and to the right. Over the bridge and a sharp right takes you to a new section that was fresh cut single track, flat but soft and with a couple of bridges to navigate. The route then rejoins the old course for a decent rooty climb that lead to a section that mixes climbs with rooty decents (several of which lead to short narrow bridges across stream beds - a bit nerve-wracking the first lap). After one screaming decent the course cuts right up a hill onto an off camber section that bumps you on a bridge leading to the only section of the course I walked every lap. It's a tough rooty climb that is just (in my mind) not worth the risk/effort to climb - this was my walk and rest section every lap. After this climb the rest of the course was 100% ridable a twisty, bumpy soft section that was interesting but hard work then a fun rooty downhill section leading to a completely flat very twisty wooded section, no real obstacles, few logs and a couple of bizarre "moguls". Then there were three tough but very do-able climbs followed by a very short steep downhill and the rest of the lap was a fun piece of cake. Some nice ups and downs along the river, off camber section leading to the last bridge and then the section through the derelict buildings including the "up and over the oil tank" and a bumpy ridge thing - no effort but fun riding - then repeat!!!



Every ones 12 hour solo race experience is completely different and so I can only take you though how the next 12 (and a bit hours) unfolded for me.



Lap One

Starts with a "parade lap" through the woods adjacent to the campsite over the raised boardwalk and then back to the start/finish. Very slow progress, not bothered! Just shooting the breeze with some other riders and trying to relax (long way to go yet). Then it's out onto the course proper, within minutes we see the first riders with their bikes upside down fixing tires/chains - that's harsh luck. First lap is a matter of scoping the course, working out what is new/difficult/ridable or better just to walk. Rode with George for a while then he nipped ahead and I let him go - first lap just a matter of controlling the nerves, avoiding disaster and settling in for the nest 12 or so hours. The course was fun but not as difficult as I remember previously - although much of it was a repeat of last year (I suspect the wet conditions last year made benign sections more treacherous) there are no really tough sections and I would say it is 95-98 % ridable. The one pleasant surprise is the last steep downhill, which I fell badly on twice last year and ended up walking every lap, was a doddle this year. I think this was new last year and age has mellowed her somewhat. So I finished lap one felling pretty bloody great! Course was very manageable and I was happy with my set up. The disc brakes on the Monocog were a major upgrade since last Lodi and I had Todd's light this year (Light and Motion -LED lamp, I used the dim setting to prolong battery life - still brighter than my Nite Hawk). With the Nite Hawk bar light as back up I thought I was prepared for anything - oh yeah like you can ever be ready for everything in a 12 hour solo race. End of lap one and time to put my "pre-race sleep-game plan" into action. Last year I had been 3rd in the solo SSer category until the last two laps! Then the guy behind me snuck in a double lap effort and overtook me whilst I was sat at the car taking a between lap rest/refuel! So I finished fourth! Nearest I've ever been to a podium finish on the bike - BUGGER. So this year I decided I would ride double laps throughout! I regularly ride 2+hours with the guys so resting every lap seemed an unnecessary luxury and skipping the rest would save me 10 min every two laps (as long as I could hold mind and body together). So Lap One finished and straight out for lap two



Lap Two

The lap of nightmares! Just when I thought I had every angle covered the Mtb-Gods just decided to play with my head!! First on the first hilly section I notice a rattle on my bars - first though is that my headset is loose. I stop and check, nope it's firm. But the rattling continues, then I notice my bar light mount has loosened and spun round and is rattling around. O.K. no major aggro I plan to stop end of this lap so I'll tighten it then, I toy with the idea of removing my light and sticking it in my pocket but (i) with the dress on access to pockets is difficult and (ii)I fear I will take a tumble and land on the light damaging either it or me irrevocably. So the light stays on the spinning mount. Five minutes later I fall on a rooty section and notice my bloody bar light has gone!! I retrace my route for about 200 yards but no joy. So now not only have I lost my light I use weekly for night rides but of more immediate concern, if Todd's light goes down I am stuffed, with no back up. But it's only lap two so I put these thought behind me and just bloody well ride. Settling into a nice rhythm when, just after the last steep down hill I go over an innocuous bump, I hear a loud crack and my saddle slumps backwards! Closer inspection confirms that i have broken my seat post! Fortunately my saddle was kept in place by the saddle bag that I have attached between the saddle rails and the seat post - if the saddle had dropped off the bike and I'd come down hard on the broken seatpost life would have looked very bad! Obviously no fix is possible on the trail so I velcro my saddle bag with saddle still attached to my (now light deficient) handle bar and hold the seat post in my hand as I complete the lap standing. End of lap two and after finding the guy at the "bike shop" tent is walking his bloody dog and won't be back for a while I give up on replacing the Monocog's seat post (26.8 - not the most obvious size either). Head back to the van for my planned break and as luck would have it George is in residence. I confirm I can use his IF SSer and we change the pedals from Georges Time Attack to my spd. George helps, loosing about ten minutes of his race time (cheers George) - the Mtb gods will be kind to him later, so it must be karma or something.



Lap Three

Longer inter-lap break than expected, but at least lap three is happening. On paper the Monocog and the IF sound very similar (except for the price tag) - both 29ers, steel frames and very similar gear (32x20 on the Monocog, 31x21 on the IF). The bikes even have the same tires!! Only major difference is the IF has H-bars. But the bikes are chalk and cheese to ride! Completely different feel, the IF feels so much lighter and responsive (guess this is what your money gets you), I struggle horribly for pretty much the whole of lap three - I'm sure it's comedy to watch. For the first section I simply cannot keep the back wheel on the ground and I spin on every root I find and the front end is popping up at every opportunity. This could be a very long night.



Lap Four

No break so straight out for Lap Four, by now I have mastered the IF (the Monocog will probably never feel the same again) and the laps are beginning to settle into a routine. The first couple of sections with the majority of the hills are hard work but the second half of the course allows you to rest and get ready for the next lap. On the flat soft section at 3 miles I ride with a lady for awhile until she falls emitting a very loud shriek. Having confirmed she was O.K. I ride off into the night only to her another half dozen or so shrieks within a matter of minutes (guess she was not having a great time). Rest of the lap goes fairly smoothly, but then the seeds of doubt start creeping insidiously into my mind, is my light dimming? Is it about to burn out? I've been riding now for over four hours and Todd said he thought he could get four hours burn time! What to do? The original plan was to just run it down then switch to the bar light - easy! But with that plan nixed potential problems exist. I have no choice but to finish lap four but the I could either risk Todd's light or switch to my emergency lights on my other helmet. These lights are in reality just no up to the job so at the end of lap four I decide to "throw the dice" and chance Todd's light. At the end of lap four the guy at the desk says "you've been out a long time now are you going to take a rest?" Yep I confirm, give him my tag and head back to the van. Re-lube the private bits, change gloves to short fingered one (getting too hot) and change my sweat catching bandanna. Then a drink of water, refill the camelback with Gatorade some Pringles and a Fig Newton and I'm all set. Ten minutes and I'm back at the desk asking for my tag - the guy looks at me incredulously and says "I thought you were going to stop for a while?". "Just did" I reply, grab my tag and go. Guess he found it hard to take a guy dressed in a pink dress and bunny ears seriously - go figure!



Lap Five

This is the best lap of the race - the lap when the sun comes up and you can stop worrying about lights. Odd this year because I noticed the sky getting light above the trees before the birds started singing. Happy times! It's amazing how different the course is when you get your peripheral vision back and you can see beyond 50 feet in front of you. The light creeps back but by the time I hit the last flat section day is hear and life is good. Finishing lap Five about 6:30am meant that planning the rest of the race started to factor into my riding. Pre-race targets were - 6 laps to avoid embarrassment, above 8 would be great and 10 if all the planets aligned. With 5 laps done and over 5 hours left 6 laps was in the bag and 8 was looking comfortable (assuming no further technicals and no bodily malfunction).



Lap Six

After the best lap of the race comes the worst! It's light, your knackered and you've still got 5 hours to ride for - mentally it's a killer! The hills are steeper than they were last lap and it started to be a bit of a mental battle for me. Around this time people had noticed my unusual racing kit and a few shouts of "Hey it's the Bunnyman" were heard. This kept me amused for most of the next lap or so as I sang the few words from "the Killing Moon" and "Bring on the Dancing Horses" that I could muster in my befuddled state - wondering if (i) anyone would actually recognize the songs and (ii) even if they did would they put my somewhat tortuous joke together - the stuff you do to get you though a 12 hour solo ride.

Somehow the words

"First I'm gonna make it,
then I'm gonna break it till it falls apart,
hating all the faking and,
shaking while I'm breaking your brittle heart"

seemed strangely appropriate for my physical and mental state. Magic stuff

If anyone is wondering what the F**k I'm talking about search "Echo and the Bunnymen" on YouTube and your ears will love you forever - I'm listening to them as I type - Lovely).

Lap Seven
Tempted though I was no break between a lap 6 and 7 I plowed on. Fatigue was set in good and proper and I was becoming increasingly clumsy. I think lap 7 was the only lap I had a decent fall during. I just completely screwed a rooty section on the first mile of the lap, my pedals and cleats had started not talking again (like an old married couple) and I face planted pretty damn good. Fortunately the ground was pretty soft and with the exception of my dignity nothing was too badly hurt. Lap 7 was also when my fagile mental state allowed minor body pain to be an issue - my right hamstring started to give warnings and my back started to howl like a dog! Fortunately the H-bars on Georges IF were perfect to stretch out on smooth sections and releave the back strain. Every steep hill I was expecting the quads to wave a little white flag and give up, but it just didn't happen - in fact this was the first lap I took some of the steeper climbs - just too tired to get off and walk.

Riding is so much easier when it's light!

Lap Eight
O.K. so life is now getting seriously fuzzy, the fantom people among the trees have started to appear - happens every year so I'm not too spooked. Think it is the peripheral vision going again, a couple of times I see people running toward the trail ahead of me, look to see and there is nobody there. Pass a guy on a cheapo mountain bike, wearing jeans and no helmet (not a clue waht that was about). A little later I catch and pass a couple of guys in "Single Speed Outlaw" jerseys. The second one I recognize as Ricky D - now Ricky is a super strong rider so I figure if I'm passing him I must be doing O.K. and this morale boost sees me though the rest of the lap. When I finish lap eight it's time for a break, new gloves and bandana and a wipe down with a towel. At the car I meet George, just heading out for his lap eight - he is psyched to the max cos eight is the most he has ever done at Lodi and with 2 h left he is a certainty for nine this year barring disaster. I decide that I'd better start takinmg this racing lark a bit more seriously and with the sunrise the temperature has risen by now - so unfortunately the dress that I wore the whole 12 hours last year ad eight this year is sacrificed in an attempt to keep my body core temperature in the "viable-zone".

Lap Nine
All I can think is that this may well be my last lap! With that though I seem to gather some extra strength. Hills are less steep and I'm feeling pretty damn good. Half way through I bump into the SSO guys again (they must have forgone the between lap rest - as they were in a race to the death between themselves) I chat with them both but as before they eventually drop behind as i am feeling strong. As I chat with Ricky he mentions that he has done perhaps 9 or10 laps - Bugger that's one more than me and if they are racing each other that means I can be at best third - respectable! So for the reat of the lap I am trying out different scenarios, either the two SSO's are on their lap 10 - in which case I can't catch them and if there is anyone else ahead of me I'm off the podium orthe SSo's are on lap 9 (with me) in which case is I stop after lap 9 and they make the cut off (as was likely) and go out for lap 10 then I drop two places. I decide that I will keep things steady (knowing I will make the 12 cut off with time to spare) then check the standings and if I am out of a podium finish it's time to hang up the bike shoes and get a beer. When I finish lap nine I ask the timekeepers and the initail news is devastating - three guys in front of me! Oh well beer time! Then they say "check for yourself" and I scan the read out - only to people in front od me! I confirm this is correct with he timekeepers (who confirm that I am in fact in third). This is perhaps even more devastating as it means I need to keep riding!

Lap 10
I am perhaps a quarter of a mile into lap 10 when the realization that if the two SSO's are the guys in front on me I'm possibly doing a lap more than I need hits me. I forgot to check the status of the guys behind me! Bugger. Oh well at least I will be able to say I rode the whole 12 hours. THis lap I know all I have to do is not be overtaken by another solo SSer and I will ahve managed my first ever placing on a bike - it may not be a big thsing for you guys, but for me it would be something special! The first big hill I just give up on and walk, but after that I feel stronger as the lap progresses. I ahve afew scares when guys on SS blast past me but I figure that if they are going that fast now they are either part of a team or have rested a lot. In any case there wasn't a hope in hell of me staying with them so it didn't really matter (I'd done all I could and I would have to be satisfied with that). I counted the "landmarks" of the course - distinctive rooty climbs, logs and fun downhill sections and bid them farewell for 2008, knowing that I would not be seeing them again until next year. Down the last steep decent and I knew the lap was essentialy over and neither SSO had gone past me. Through the derelict buidings and before I knew it onto the campground! Woo Hoo! "Yo Bunnyman" someone shouted and I actually dared to lift both hands from my bars in a faux roadbikers salute.

At the table I ask tentatively what the standings are and it was confirmed - DogzBollux 3rd in the SS solo class!! For a moment I felt almost like a real biker! Then I noticed the SSO's were already in camp - turns out they were riding fixed gear bikes!! Whole different level of crazy! I thought it was odd that I could ride with them (let aone ride past them) all is revealed!

George finished at around 1:30pm as the last rider to complete the course - resplendent in his prom dress that he had donned for his final lap - a man with real class! He was chuffed to bits that he had bagged 9 laps, on more than previous years - seems the 10 minutes he lost helping me get the IF ready to roll hadn't come back to bite him. The Mtb-gods were kind all round.

12 Hours of Lodi Farm, more fun and pain than you can normally cram into a Saturday night/Sunday morning. Organizers deserve medals (if not sainthoods) and all the riders are stars - no egos anywhere and the politest race I've ever encountered. How often in a competitive setting does someone come up behind you and ask "excuse me, do you mind if I pass on your left?" of actually get off the course when they hear you approaching. Restores you faith in humankind.

Cheers

DogzBollux

The Monocog Rides Again!!

"The Monocog is dead!"

"Long live the Monocog"

Yep as they promised the Bike Doctor in Linthicum got me a new frame (2008 model) ad rebuilt my Reline Monocog29er in exactly a week! fantastic service both by the shop and Redline! Thanks to all concerned.

So how excited was I to get my bike back? Think Bill Clinton interviewing a slightly overweight intern with a cigar fetish whilst Hilary is way on the election campaign! Well O.K. maybe not quite that excited!

So midweek bought the prospect of an inaugural ride on my new baby - and it semed fitting that this ride would play host to a whole range of other firsts too. Todd has installed his new hot tub, so we had to check that out, I had new shoes (in preparation for Lodi) and as we were riding from Todd's house all the trails we hit we completely new for me! Now I'm as excited as Bill!

THe ride itself (once started - after a slight delay caused by me locking my keys in my car - DORK) was a bit of a damp quib! I am still pretty sore where I banged myself last week and the thought of another smack in the groin was unthinkable so I was being mega conservative. I wussed every obstacle pretty much. My pedals and shoes were not talking at all so I couldn't get clipped for a good 80% of the ride, adding to my feeling of insecurity and the trails were (as Todd described them) "more rustic" than Avalon. Lots of leaf litter/debris on the trails, falled trees and super muddy stream crossings that just wanted to suck your wheels down and stop you dead. Exactly the kind of trails that would have been BIG FUN if I hadn't been sore, my pedals were working and Lodi wasn't just a few days away. Hopefully I can ride these trails again some time under better conditions cos they looked fantastic.

WE rode for best part of two hours (George and Todd being very patient with me - again - as I brought up the rear) Light issues slowed me more toward the end so we finally gave up the technical stuff and took a paved and fireroad route home.

Hot tub was.... well hot! And the beer was good and cold. Perfect set up we lounged around and chatted as we finished our beers not gettig home until close to 2am.

Since then all attaention has been getting ready for Lodi - pedal/shoe issue dealt with (hopefully, will confirm with a short ride tonight). Borrowed Todd's ligt so illumination shouldn't be an issue. Washed and packed pretty much all the bike gear I own (4 pairs shorts, 4 jerseys, 3 baselayers, 5 pairs socks, four pairs gloves, two pairs shoes, two helmets, numerous bandanas, and a partridge in a pear tree).

Psyched as Norman Bates on a bad day!

Seeya after 12 hours Lodi Farms!!

DogzBollux

Monocog's Last Stand!

Weather is perfect!

So the mid week nightride was a no-brainer this week, the usual email circular went round and the time/place was confirmed as same as last week. Everything as normal - expecting the usual trio, Todd, Brian and Yours Truly BD but when I got to the launch site what dio I find? Four other cars already there! George has turned up to give the new Nomad it's inaugural noctural outing and Brian has coerced a frien (Mike) to join the marry throng! Spot on - the ride was already looking to shape up to be a classic. Mike it transpires has never riden at night before and is sporting his LW's light that she uses for early morning road rides.

What is more there are murmurs among the group of a "New,New Trail" all hush hush so as not to spoil the surprise for those of us who have not experienced this yet! New riders, new trails and a damn near full moon, am I dreaming?

Head of along the New Trail and then just after the stream crossing we take an unexpected left turn onto (for me) virgin trail. This new section is ace! Very different to much of Patapsco, it is very narrow, twisty and hellaciously loggy! No big obstacles but a considerable struggle to keep the momentum going. Fun trail and we will be visiting it again on a regular basis. Due to it's tight windy nature the New New trail is almost christened the Small Intestine, we'll see how well that monica sticks. The Small Intestine dumps us out at the top of the Belmont hill and we Whoop and Holler our way down this section catching air at every little drop off. Up and over then the decsion is made that we have to cross to the BC side, so down the fireroad and off to Soapstone.

We came we saw we conquered Soapstone climb for second week running geared guys leading out with Todd and me on SSers bringing up the rear. Then continue the climb past the water tower and then the loop past the Community College. Climb #2 just after the CC is also dispatched (almost with disdain - wow the summer legs are kicking in) and we regroup at the top to discuss what to do next. Mike is having a great time, riding like a seasoned night rider, though he does admit to the fact that he is finding some of the sections a bit on the terrifying side. Group decesion to hit House of pain down then Vineyard up. George is George and screams down House of Pain on the Nomad at suicidal speed. Rest of us take it a bit more sedately. Riding to base of Vineyard and we ride as a loose pack taking the chance to chat, I recall my first nightrides with George and (the now entirely absent Spence) and how I spent the whole time terror stricken praying for it to end. Mike concurs that this is a similar experience for him.

Up Vineyard - god I love this climb, no real tough bits but just a steady grind which is absolutely perfect for SSers, as a result Todd and I lead this section and the "Shifties" trail behind in granny gears chatting away. At the top we take a group decesion to hit another new peice of trail (Bloody hell what's gotten into us), so instead of heading to the tiop of Soapstome we cut left down a sketchy downhill which meanders down eventually drops us on the section of Soapstone leading to the Park N Ride. This section is notable for two reasons, (i) the kin enormous built up log that we try (I fail) that leads to a dead end trail and (ii) just after said kin enormous log the Todd man concluded it was time to go stealth!!!! Big moon, probabaly the last time with no leaf cover till nect fall so their was no good excuse. Off went the lights and the rest of the decent (sketchy in places and completely new to me) was done stealth.

By the time we hit the carpark at the base of the Soapstone fire road climb Mike was campaigning so heavily for beer that I suspect beer could have beaten both Obama and Clinton if the Pennsylvanian electorate had been with us! So instead of another climb up Soapstone we headed back HC side and up the fireroad. Here we "lost" George - amazing jow easy it is to loose a ride in the dark. We looped back to find him but nothing doing so eventually we headed back towards the cars assuming we would find him at some point.

In the absence of George we didn't hit Small Intestine backwards as had been the plan but headed straight for home - just as we approached the cars we encountered a very large group of deer on the trail, which we took as a fair sign that George hadn't come this way in the recent future. This was confirme when back at the cars there was no sign of George - few minutes thinking what we should do, go and look for him, give him a few minutes or Sod him lets just drink beer when some bright spark suggested "Hey whay don't we just call him on his cell" DOH! George doesn't actually answer but before we can discuss next best idea his light hoves into view and we all let out a communal sigh of relief.

With the group back together it's out with the chairs and beer and the social aspect of the night ride kicks in. Turns out we have ridden for over two hours and covered probably in excess of 15 miles! A truly classic ride, new trail, new rider, stealth riding.

As it turned out this was to be a fitting final ride for the Monocog!! Few weeks back I noticed a ding on the top tube, closer inspection last week whilst washing the bike suggested it was more like a crack than a simple ding. Called Bike Doctor (Linthicum) and was told, yep covered by warranty (good news) and "NO I shouldn't ride it" (bad news). Well with no option the night ride was a risk but a fitting end - inspection after the ride showed the crack had extended significantly and the next day I took her in for inspection. Knackered after the previous nights exertions and the wrench in the Bike Doctor doesn't endear himself to me when he announces the damage to the frame suggests it's been crashed (i.e. voiding warranty). I decide to simply smile and point out the obvious - all original parts (in good nick) and even the wheels are still true (not a crashed bike). In the end the Manager comes over and doesn't even bat an eye - "leave it with me" she says and I'll phone when I know more. She called less than an hour later and my new frame will be in next week!! Good show! Hopefully the ne Monocog will be back in action in time for 12 hours of Lodi farm (3-4 May).

Shame about the Monocog - loved that bloody bike! And the frame is supposed to be bombproof - ironic that the components all the reviews question - seat post, bottom bracket, headset - have all kept on keeping on through thick n thin and the frame should have an issue. Guess just a dodgy peice of tubing, and Redline/Bike Doctor have made it right so I have no complaints.

RIP my old green Moncog - it was good while it lasted!

DogzBollux

Back on the Monocog (at last)

It's been far, far too long, but at last me and the faithful Monocog 29er finally got a couple of rides in in the past week. The last time I had ridden her was at McKeldin with Todd and George so it was fitting that the first ride was a night ride.



Lovely night - warm and dry - it won't be long before the night temps will get so high that we will be sweltering and won't be able to remember the bitterly cold winter night rides when the ice covered the bike frames and shoes after the first water crossing and the post-ride beer was curtailed due to the fear of frost bite and hypothermia. Best make the msot of the current lovely weather rode in shorts and summer jersy for the first time in 2008 and was absolutely comfortable.



The conspirators this week were Brian and Todd (George off climbing or some such daftness - even though the Nomad is back in action! What can I say?). As it's been so long we headed of on what had been the "usual route". Up over Belmont (where the trail is seriously boggy!) and then down the fun downhill. After the usual climb to the cossroads at Ridge, Mrning Choice, Rockburn Branch and the fire road the decsion was made to hit the BC side. Smashing! Over the road and the Soapstone climb beckoned us. I was the "rusty wheel" as so often but in a blazing show of defiance (to my early season lack of fitness) I crawled my way to the top without cracking! That is one serious climb, just when you think it is nearly done the trail just keeps getting steeper. So a fine start to the ride with all three up the climb and pushing on. Past the Community College and climb two was likewise vanquished by all three of us - turning into a classic effort this ride. At the top we were so full of exuberance that we decided to take the long route home so straight on down the Superhighway (first time in ages) and onto the Charcoal trail. Nearly lost here cos it's all been redirected but with Brian's local knowledge the correct trail is identified and off we head toward the big decents! Just as we head to the top of the decent we rather startle a young courting couple! I think they assumed that at that time of night they would be fairly safe and undisturbed deep in Patapsco State Park. So they were probably a bit shocked when three lycra-clad guys on bikes with lamps attached to their heads came bombing down the tail. That'll learn em! Get a room!

The decent (sorry forgotten it's name) was steeper and far more skethy than I remember - a bit of the but clenching side at times - and the back wheel was felt to rise a bit on the high side on a couple of occasions. Fortunately I got my arse back far enough behind the saddle (normally a shortcoming of my riding) to avoid disaster. As always by the time I got to the bottom I was a bag of nerves and the final steep drop was an obstacle too far and I bottled it! Needless to say Todd and Brian were sat at the bottom of the hill getting cold by the tiome I got down - those two having bombed down the trail at fearsome speed!!

Over the swing bridge and traverse the waterfall back to Casade - nice ride back past Landing Road - cleared both the Big Rock (first time in bloody ages) and the Rooty Stump - before taking the rail back to the car via the "New Section" with the big obstacles - by the time we got here my bar light was gone and I was relying on my helmet set up only! Makes life interesting.

Back at the car and it was all smiles! Great ride, beautiful weather and no-one is in a rush to get home. Few beers loads of chat and plans for a ride from Todd's house in a couple of weeks to celbrate the grand opening of his new hot tub!

Sunday and despite some bad weather late in the week the trails are deemed ridable - Small group - just Richmond and me! Richmond turs up having forgotten his helmet and despite my pleas otherwise he insists on riding without one! His dreaa sense is a little left field as well! Jeans and a sweater! Makes me feel a bit stupid in all my bike gear to the point where I forgo my shin and elbow pads and hope for the best!

First big climb and two bikers are far less than happy to be (i) overtaken by me on a rigid single speed and then (ii) to be overtaken by a guy with no helmet and dressed more for church than a Sunday moring ride.

We organize the ride to avoid the bits of trail likely to be boggy so it is a series of small loops on the HC side - take in the Big Rock on cascade twice (the "yip" is history) and all the fun bits of trail. Ride for about 80 min then time for Richmond to go to work and me to head home and prepare for the "Mommies Gone Wild" Roadride #2. Same course as two weeks ago similar issues with bikes and nerves - consensus appears to be forming that everyone wants to get road bikes and dispense with the hybrids - so a deal of time will be spent on CraigsList in the next week or so trying to find decent roadbikes at sensible prices!

Cheers for now - enjoy the nice weather!

DogzBollux

That was the week that was!

Finally........ my lack of blog activity is not a result of inactivity and bugger all to write about, but instead a symptom of an embarrassment of riches and no bloody time to sit in front of the old computer tapping away.

Late last week the weather gods finally relented and gae us a night cold enough to allow a night ride. One was rapidly convened and Todd, Brian and "Yours Truly" met up at the usual spot. Things have gotten a little predictable lately (as predicatble a night riding in winter can) and with me reaching a state of panic about the upcoming Hat Run - and my fitness level being lower than a limbo dancers arse - I decided to try and mix things up a bit!!

So instead of the usual anticlockwise direction we started in reverse for a change. Nice loggy sections and challenging riding onto Cascade. Then after the first water we hung a left up the hill past the old railway ties. At the top a left turn onto the steep decent to the raod - with Todd "Mr Rim Brakes" mutterings of discontent ringing in my ears the whole way. Half way down I bottle an obstacle and hit the floor in such slow-mo that Brian (who is right behind me) almost wets himself laughing. The whole sketch is not helped by the fact that I can't get unclipped so spend embarassing seconds flailing around attached to the 29er moncog.

Once safely at the road, over the swing bridge and up House of Pain. My legs start giving notice and I push a good deal, but Todd (on his monocog!) crushes the hill with Brian in clse pursuit! Wow! At the top, once my heart rate has decreased to a rate where I am actually capable of conscious thought we head padt the tirepark and cut right down the rocky downhill, past the College and thence up and down to the Soapstone descent. By now the bar light has gone but my "combination headlamp" (the Princeton Tech Yukon plus my highly focused led lamp) give me enough light to descend with some degree of confidence.

Back to HC side and up the fireroad - my legs are found wanting again, but Brian and Todd are as indefatiguable as ever and make it look easy (and me feel inadequate). Back over the usual trail top the cars for a beer or two, 11.3 miles covered an a fair old clip! At the cars despite all having major cold gear, after about 45 min chatting and drinking the cold drives us home to our loved ones and the real world.

Sunday brings the usual "group" ride - as it looks like just Sean and me again I decide it is time to christen the "Tomac" Rockhopper on Patapsco. As it turms out Greg shows up unannouced so we are three for some fun! Head from Landing along Morning Choice and the connector onto Ridge then the short loop (anticlockwise) back to Cascade. Then we loop back to take on the loggy sections and the "new" section before a maiden voyage round the Old Loop Trail for good measure. Conditions are great (ie frozen) when we head out but are thawing and as slick as a slick-thing by the time we finish. For me personally the ride was a story in three parts (i) me being Mr Nrvous on the Rockhopper and taking no chances (ii) finally getting to grips with the front heavy geometry of the bike and feeling comfortable and (iii) getting over confident and becoming "Mr Fallioff Uselessbugger". Fortunately Greg and Sean were gracious enough to put up with my foolishness and just laugh at my stupidity. Cheers Guys!

Sunday is also my first day back running - a very ginger 3 miles - all is good, no pain. Followed up with 5.5 mile runs both Tuesday and Wednesday and the Hat looks more likely (though leg is giving a bit of notice at the moment).

Finally got the fixie wheel into my LBS (Princeton Sports) - looking dodgey for a second as the mechanic isn't sure he can fix it - then all is good as he spots a broken spoke that explains the lack of tension eleven buck later and I'm really to roll again, fan-bloody-tastic.

Life is good!

Cheers

Dogzbollux

Inactivity is expensive!

It's an interesting paradox that the less time I spend actually riding my bikes the more money I spend on them! Not that I ever spend a lot of money but relatively my purchases recently (during a real period of inactivity) has been high.

First of all I used my cycling inactivity as an excuse to finally finish building up my old Specialized Rockhopper. This old beast is a classic! Biopace chain ring, rigid fork, spectacular - probably dates from late 80's. This was the bike I converted to a single speed when my transformation into a SSer was in it's infancy. With the purcahsee of my beloved Redline 29er Monocog the poor old Rockhopper was consigned to a roof hook in my garage - and there she lay abandonned for nearly a year now. But I always wanted to emulate the great John Tomac and the "drop bar" Yeti he rode in the 1990 MTB World championship.

John Tomac in daredevil mode in 1990 on his Yeti

With my free time off the bike now seemed like a good opportunity so I set to work assembling my homage to John Tomac.



And here she is! I must admit as soon as I finished her I realized what a terribly bad idea it probably was - she has the potential to be the mother of all endo's but I love her just the same. The final touch in getting this baby ride ready was the bar tape - so I sneaked down to my LBS and to my amazement who was I served by? Only Jon Posner himself! Trek team manager, best supporting actor for his role in 24 h solo (inexplicably overlooked at last nights Oscars) and now bar tape salesperson extraordinaire - is there no end to this man's talents. Having put the finishing touches to her on Friday pm (MLW ws out) I was icthing to take her for a test run. So Saturady afternoon when an unexpected "free" couple of hours cropped up I didn't need any persuading. On with the cold weather gear and I headed off from the "Bollux mansion" for a exploration ride around Columbia's bike trails. If you know where to look even in a suburban setting like Columbia there is a fair amount of unpaved trail you can hit. I managed around 15 miles of which perhaps 2 miles was on roads, 8 miles was on paved trails and the remaining 5 miles was on either single track or power line tracks. Fan-bloody-tastic! A few minor adjustments were made but on the whole I was very pleasantly surprised how she handled! The decision not to travel to patapsco was justified as sections of the trails had the consistency of overcooked rice pudding - the top layer moving over a soggy underneath. Finished tired, muddy but happy, especially as "the leg" held up and showed no adverse effects.

The going was a bit muddy on the inaugural ride!

Sunday, as the weather had not been cold enough to freeze the trilas that were still recovering from the winterstorm that hit the previous Friday, and Patapsco was still a no-go. However MLW has signed up for a ladies triathlon so needed some roadbike time. Having disposed of children #2 and #3 to a friend we had just over an hour to hit the road. As MLW does not have a road bike and to even things up, MLW took my roadbike and I tagged along on the Rockhopper! We were joined by one of MLW friends and so we heade off into the Maryland countryside. It is a reasonable undulating ride and it soon became very apparent that my 38/20 gear and 26 inch knobblies (oo er missus) were not really up to a roadride. MLW had a great time and soon disappeared into the distance whilst I span like a mad bugger just trying to break 16 mph.

Taking a break at half way on MLW's first Roadride of 2008

The whole ride was just 12 hilly miles but MLW and I were both suitably worn out by the end. She acquitted herself admirably for her first proper road ride and I was left pondering the prospect of switching out the 20 tooth cog for an 18 tooth on the Rockhopper to make her more "cross-friendly"







Cheers all







Dogzbollux

Biking with Sore Legs!

My lack of posting has reflected my general lack of activity. To some degree this has been forced upon me by work related stuff and by injure (of which more in a minute), but as always the truth is that my own bloody laziness has also played a huge role.

With the Hat Run fast approaching some miles needed to go in running - and so of course right on track I get bloody injured! My sore leg (right calf) has been playing up big stylee and really hindering my efforts to get in any kind of shape. Then after a modicum of rest all appeared to be fine and dandy! To celebrate Biker Sean and I headed out on a recent Sunday for a good old fashioned MTB show down. I was up for it big time but family commitments for Sean meant we couldn't head to the Baltimore County (BC) side of Patapsco but instead decided to do a "balls to the wall" effort on the "Long Loop" HC side. Good fun and a pretty reasonable pace maintained all the way round. Then bloody disaster! Last sodding obstacle (the large rock on Cascade) and I come a cropper - been having trouble with this lately, balls it up more often than clear it - with the conditions being a bit muddy I don't get enough speed up and trying to hop over the tiop of the rock I pull the handle bars to hard and the front whell takes off! I fall like a F'in lemon and smack my right knee on said rock with a right old clout. Hurts like heck for a minute or two then subsides and I assume everything is cool. And so it is for the remainder of the ride and a couple of hours after. But then as I try and get up from the dinner table later in the day I can't! Bloody knee is locked solid and swollen to twice it's normal size. No pain but it takes til Wednesday for swelling to go down.

Following weekend I am in Belgium (land of the "cross cyclists"). Being at a loose end on Saturday morning i try and do a long trail run behind the hotel - well, I manage 45 min and my calf is completely shagged again! the last two miles I hobble around like an old man. A gentle effort on Monday confirms that all is not well in "calf-land" so off to the "Docs" it is. Good news - no real damage, bad news - torn calf muscle which will only get better with rest! "You can do anything that doesn't hurt" is the Doc's summation. But with hat only 6 weeks away he gives me less than 50 % chance of being fit! Bollux!

But then there is some good news - On the night of the lunar eclipise a night ride is scheduled with George (back from hand surgery), Mr Todd and fast riding Brian! I'd need to be dead to at least not try and go along! So just as the moon is starting to disappear behind the earth's shadow we hit the trails, snow on the ground, well below freezing and all is well with the world. Calf gives a few twinges but no real pain. We bounce around checking out conditions - a few tire tracks tell us we are not the first (only) folks out tonight. Obstacles taken head on are fine, but the occasional small log at angles across the trail cause a degree of chaos that needed to be seen to be believed. Frozen gears for Brian and George, frozen brakes for Todd and frozen pedals/cleats all round.

The "Three Amigo's"

End up doing the Long Loop again, plus some bits and bobs at the front end. My Nite Hawk (still trucking on like a real trooper) packs in mid way along Cascade so I have to rely on the limited illumination of my Princeton Tech Yukon for a good deal of the way back - just about enough light, but would be challenging on trails I didn't know well.

Finished off with the "new(ish)" section over the big logs and a fantastic time was had by all - after a dodgy start I was overjoyed that the leg held up - and i can feel the cahnces of the Hat happening creeping up!

Back to the cars for a couple of relaxing beers and a good amount of chat (it's been a while since we were all together) before the biting cold finally drives us into the sanctuary of our cars and back to reality for another week. I LOVE NIGHT RIDING!

the guys enjoying a beer post ride - bloody freezing

Summers nearly here guys

Dogzbollux

If a tree falls in a forest........

Q. If a tree falls in a forest and there is nobody there to hear it - does it make a noise?

A. Of course it does you silly arse!!

But in the same vein, if you send an email and no bugger can be arsed to answer it was it worth sending! The email group for the Sunday rides is getting longer, but the bodies hitting the trails on a Sunday morning are getting fewer, interesting paradox. Is it just cos of the weather (bloody cold) or is it something more sinister (pause for dramatic organ chord!). Maybe people feel seeing that there are so many people on the list they can not show and it won't make any difference. Maybe people having riden for the best part of a year are getting a little dbored with MTBing. Maybe no-one likes me!!!!

Whichever way, come Saturday night I have received precisely no takers for the Sunday morning ride. MLW decides that she doesn't want to go if it is just her and me. So Sunday morning it is just me hitting Patapsco for a "Billy No-Mates" solo-ride on the Monocog 29er!

On the trail by 8:20 am start the usual anticlockwise "big loop" but decide to have a short detour around the "Old Loop Trail" just to see if there are any new fallen obstacles to liven things up - alas no. Once back on the big loop I scuttle around till I hit the crossroads at the start of the Ridge trail. As previously I try and take on most of the optional obstacles - the exception being the lengthway log at the bottiom of the Belmont hill - still too snowy for my liking but I can see some hardy soul has riden it - Great job! At the crossroads I decide that as I am by myself I have no excuses, so head down to the road (which is majorly slick) and traverse to the BC side of teh park. I attempt the Soapstone ascent but fail! Make it about 80 % of the way but a 'kin huge new(ish) log built up on both sides is just a hurdle too far so i push the last bit. Then down Vineyard and back to the HC side. On the way I stop to attempt the small wall in the grassy area by the old campground. Rodger mentioned this in passing and it looks completely ridable. Just a bumpy wall that starts at geround level and as the ground falls away leads to a foot and a half (or so) drop off. What can go wrong eh? All the time I am thinking "keep the front wheel up" but do I buggery and end up over the bars and flat on my back like a dying fly! Fortunately (i) no damage and (ii) no witnesses. Back on HC side I take on the fireroad back to Ridge and fail again (0-2 on the climbs).

From then on a same old same old ride. The Northern facing slopes are still very icey and result in some pushing, but onthe whole a nice little ride. I'm back to the car at 10:00 am so a solid 1hr 40min ride - probably over 10 miles covered some old haunts revisited and a yearning for longer rides stirring in me.

Only bad news of the week was reading in Bicycling Magazine that Saul Raisin (http://www.saulraisin.com/) has had to abandon his attempt to rejoin the pro-cycling ranks at the advice of his doctors. Sorry mate all the best for your future plans - I'm still wearing the Ride On bracklet!

Ride On!

Dogzbollux

Back in the Saddle!!

Well..... mtb rides have been like buses lately. Having waited bloody weeks to get one, two come along straight after each other.



But lets not get ahead of ourselves and go through recent efforts in chronological order. Lst Thursday saw a nice little winter storm blow through Maryland, the forecast was for barely an inch of snow, but it started falling mid morning and by mid afternoon there was a couple inches of the white stuff on the ground and the sky was still heavy and snow laden! Despite my best last minute efforts (emails, phone calls and even personal berating of work collegues) I could not round up anyone who wanted to head off out for a nocturnal snow ride. Turns out this was fort he best as by 6 pm the temperature had risen sharply and the nice snow had been replaced by a very wet winter mix. Oh well with mtbing out of the window there was only one thing for it, pull on those running shoes and hit the pavement for my scheduled long(ish) road run. Dragging myself through the snow-laden streets made me feel very self satisfied and to be honest was great fun. Progress was slow, I did a quick mental calculation as I ran (based on known landmarks) and figured that the conditions, and me taking it easy) resulted in a minute a mile slower than normal pace. Oh well still managed a respectable 80 minute run, the last twenty of which were pretty cold as the temperature plumetted again and me wearing wet clothes by then.



Come the weekend and the weather gods were feeling more happy with us bikers and with nice freezing temperatures the trails were always going to be ridable. So Sunday am (8:15) saw MLW, Sean I and me launching from Landing Road. Seriously cold! Temps were barely in the 20's so we donned as much warm clothing as possible and headed off. The new fallen logs I saw the previous week (running with Sean II) were intact (guess "the Man" and his trusty chainsaw were detered by the weather - long may it last) and we ahd a fun ride. Hands were very cold for first 20 min but as the engine began putting out some heat things were all fine and dandy. this was my first real test of the disc brakes and they excelled! Sean I had serious issues with his rim brakes almost immediately after the first water crossing that resulted in him riding down the enxt hill with this feet dragging on the trail to slow himself down. Second water crossing and Sean I lost his gears!! We cut the ride shorter than most due to the temperatures and the fact that the trails wer a bit slick in places, still first ride for over a month and it felt great to be back on the trails.



Nxt day was MLK day so decided to play hooky from work. in the afternoon I arranged to hit Patapsco again but this time on foot for a trail run (in preparation for the Hat run) with James. We actually ran furter than we had rident he day before, completing the whole "big loop" from Landing clockwise (the hard way) - even took in the extra hill after the first water (up past the old railway ties). Turned out the decision to cut the ride short the day before was wise cos some of the trail that side of the park was very slick. James is a pretty seasoned road runner but a novice on the trials. He was quite shocked at the steepness of the hills, if these hills surprise you prepare to be amazed at the Hat run I warn him, and he adds half a minute a mile to his estimated time for Hat! Nice run, both fell in at the middle water crossing. A bit bizarre because the water was much warmer than the air and didn't feel cold at all. Nice frozed trails and more fun!



Then just when it appears life can't get any moe fun!! It bloody well does! Todd goes and organizes the first night ride of 2008. Fan-bloody-tastic! then unfortunately has to abandon due to family commitments but leaves me and a "new guy" Brian to hit the trails together. I've meet Brian before and know he is a real kiss ass roadie and am a little concerned about how it will go. Brian could certainly pull my legs off if he decided to but, being a nice bloke, takes pity on me and we have a nice ride (long loop anti-clockwise). No incidents, both stay attached to the bikes the whole way. Even with the slippery conditions many of the "extra point" obstacles were taken on and cleared. As the Ridge trail progressed so life got more icey and although Brian, with superior skills (and gears), crushed all the hills, me - well I had fairly major back wheel slippage at times, so some degree of pushing was called for.

By the time we tackled the rockgarden at the bottom of the Cascade trail, I was pretty much fried (a nice feeling after too long being idle). When Brian offered to take in some extra hills I had to pass. Could be that my knowledge that there was a six pack of Peter's Wicked Ale waiting for us at the car weakened my resolve! But whatever the reason the decision was to head straight back to the Bolluxmobile for a well deserved beverage.

About 1 hour 20 min riding, brilliant fun and the first "heart rate raising" ride in a while. Brian seemed to have a good time and I suspect he may become a regular fixture on the noctural adventures.

As Gary Glitter once said (in the pre-child porn days) "It's good to be back"

DogzBollux!

Snow Ride - WOW!

Riding through the snow,

on a rigid singlespeed,

can't get my feet clipped in,

frozen spd's

having lots of fun

whole world is so bright

Oh what fun it is to ride,

on a night ride with no lights!


Chorus



Oh...

Single speed, single speed,

Singling all the way,

got no shock

just 2.3s totake the bumps away - HEY!







Yeah the ride the other night was so good I had to sing! Good rides have been a bit on the thin side lately, and nightr riding a complete wash for several weeks. So last week given that Doug was a definate "in" it was going to take more than a poxy 3 - 4 inches of snow to stop me. After checking conditions all day, and for much of the day things were not looking good, with the less than one inch of accumulation forecast slowly crept up over the inch, then to two with no sign of abating! MLW was less than enthusiastic about the ride proceeding - something about "breaking my bloody neck" was part of the reason, but I must admit I wasn't really listening.







By 5:30 the final decsion was made - with much phone tag - and it was a go! Yip-bloody-pee! The roads heading to Patapsco were pretty treacherous and with the snow still coming down Doug and I were pretty confident we would have a cold and lonely ride, just the two of us being foolish enough to attempt riding. Oh how wrong could we have been!!





At the carpark are six (count them .... SIX!) other guys just about to hit the snowy trails. A quick chat and it is soon realized that we met (and indeed shared a camping spot) with these guys at 12 h of Lodi Farm (http://www.rotorsport2.com/lodifarm/) this year. Small world. We join forces to form a "massive" peleton of eight and hit the trails, most of us on SSers of some description. Less than 5 minutes into the ride and we grind to a halt as someone up front (I'm skirting the back of the group so I can judge the line in the snow) has fallen, the first of many. As we regroup the decision is made that lights are not needed. So...... off with the lights and for the first time ever I ride in the snow, at night and with no lights!!!!!





The snow (still falling) does such a great job of reflecting the moonlight that visibility is really exceptional and the fresh fallen snow whilst a bit greasy is not as slippery as I would have thought. No heroics tonight, just keeping things moving in a straight line, downhills are fun - just a matter of trying to stay in some kind of control, uphills are a waste of time (just get off and walk). Stream crossings are adrenaline fueled with the realization that a fall will relegate you to riding in wet gear in below freezing point temperatures. Several stream crossings are encountered and no victims to report! There are several victims on the downhills, "Yours Truly" included, but no injuries and everyone spends the whole ride wearing big goofy smiles - it's like being kids again. Spend a good deal of the ride spinning and talking to a guy called Jim who happens to be riding another Monocog 29er! This is only his second ride on the beast but he is aready in love! Both of us are suffering though with our pedals - both riding spd's and afyter the first 5 minutes neither f us can clip in as both pedals and cleats are frozen solid - HO HUM! makes control over logs interesting, but I am still amazed how much stuff was traversable.





After about 90 min (and one very close encounter with deer, who presumably didn't see us coming without lights) we head back to the cars, tired, happy and remarkably warm! Most fun I've had on a bike for a long while - a ride I will remember probably forever. Loved the ride and learned a couple of things - need to uopgrade my pedals (Time Attac or Crank Bros I think) and it's time to take the leap and progress to disc brakes. The latter is in hand as I bought myself some Avid BB7's as a birthday present (from MLW to me) and have them installed as I type (though not tested out yet).





My next ride will be a biggie - first with discs on the Monocog and first as a Master, as the birthday has taken me into my fifth decade and well and truly into middle age. Bring it on!





Dogzbollux

Post-Turkey Day Ride

The call went out for the post-Turkey day ride but the uptake was pitiful - even given the announcement that it would be the first outing this year for the DogzBollux "holiday helmet". People out of town visiting the folks I guess. With MLW not feeling well at one point Sunday looked like it could turn into a solo ride. But then Greg came to the rescue! Bedecked in his new "cold weather-tights" and feeling a little silly (cos he usually wears baggies) he and me are the only takers. Pity really cos the weather and the trails were beautiful, mostly a golden lawn of freshly fallen leaves all over Patapsco.

A little cold when we hit the trails so I had the foresight to jam an extra pair of gloves into my back pocket - what a fabulous decsion, second water crosing (and I have just gotten feeling back in my fingers) and I make a complete balls up of the approach and end up off the bike and in the water. Fortunately not too wet cos I got my hands down, but the gloves were gonna's - totally saturated. Now.. were it not for my extra gloves the rest of the ride would have been bloody miserable, but as it was - fantastic!

So did lots of trails that we don't usually do - or rode trails we often ride but in the opposite direction. the highlight is still the new loggy section near Rockburn park entrance - did it twice, once in either direction. Took in the derelict houses section that I haven't done in an age. All in all 90 min (ish) of pretty sustained effort and plenty of time to try lots of the extra point obstacles. Fun ride - missing the night rides which haven't happened for the past three weeks and feeling fat (sepecially after turkey day excesse).

Next few weeks should be some prime riding - gor to check out the new Princetontec Yukon helmet light (report will follow) and have just ordered the first upgrad to the trustly Monocog - decided it was time to go disc, so Avid disc brakes ordered from Pricepoint and will be counted as an early Birthday present.

Hope all had a great Thanksgiving and have as much to be thanskful for as Yours Truly.

DogzBollux

Mission Impossible!

Been away for most of the week, so no night ride and only the Sunday am ride under the belt. MLW spent the weekend in George Washigton State Park on a ladies MTB/yoga retreat! She came back after a couple of big time technical and long (3+h) rides to annouce she wants a new bike. Needs full suspension to achieve her full potential apparently - we'll see.

Without MLW the Sunday ride launched from the PnR - fairly low turn out just Sean, Dan "the decider" and me (DB). After the usual decent into the park we climbed the trail up Soapstone rather than the fire road - that wrmed us up plenty - the new fallen tree was still in situ so at least we had an excuse to stop 2/3 the way up. Then the usual BC trail past the Community College and then the rocky uphill. Instead of down House of Pain we hit Superhighway and ended up on Charcoal trail - all rerouted the other week so the mission (if we chose to accept it) was to find the new link to the trails leading to Mission Impossible/Sudden Impact/Double Drop (all trail names changed to protect the guilty - and cos I don't actually know the real names). Mission accomplished when we found the new Sawtee [sic] trail and eventually found ourselves at the base of Patarini Hill with a choice to make. Even Dan "the decider" was unsure so in the interests of stupidity we took the hardest possible option and headed down Mission Impossible.

Just as the trail started to get tough who should breeze past like he was cruising asphalt but Eatough himself and team mate (second Eatough sighting in two weeks). He even stopped to mention to Dan (sho was a little way back) that the trail was the toughest in Patapsco. His meaning was probably "hey you guys have no business being here, get back on the nursery slopes", but he was too polite to say this and we were/are too stupid to take the hint.

All goes swimmingly - with a lot of pushing of bikes - until after the now legendary "24 solo-log" which Dan actually doesn't even want to walk over much less ride over, though we could clearly see the tire tracks from Eatough et al (smart arses) over the log. Shortly after however disaster strikes. Sean gets a bit optimistic on a steep downhill, Dan is in his way, Sean dabs his brakes and..... next stop crashville. Sean comes down HARD on a nasty rocky section and my first though is "well that's his shoulder F**ked". Fortunately I'm not completely correct and after 5 min or so lying on his back groaning and allowing his body to carry out a "systems check" Sean says he is pretty sure nothing is broken and is ready to continue. It becomes obvious very quickly that his shoulder is an issue however and he can't pull on his bars. So in the interests of being sensible (a one time thing only I promise) we take the road back to the base of the climb to the PnR and head back to the cars.

Sean is bemoaning being "stupid" for trying something he shouldn't but hell! Stupidity is what is is all about! If we wanted to be sensible we would be tucked up in bed with a cup of tea at 8:30am on a Sunday morning (especially when the temp is in the 40's) not throwing ourselves and our bikes down (and up) the Patapsco trails.

Till next time

Stupidity rules!

DogzBollux