Solistice Ride 2009

Well the winter solstice arrived in Michigan and the biking-gods were kind! Weather was perfect, freezing for the past week, fresh snow on the ground - who could ask for more? Having talked this ride up I even managed to convince to more Okemosians to join in the fun. Hard running Mark has been night riding before and wanted to test a new light he had bought, but Bob (with whom I had ridden once at Birchfield back in late summer) had never done the night thing. I lent Bob my "proper" light and mounted my old 10 w halogen bar light on by monocog (Big Dog).

8:30 pm and we meet at the assigned place then head (somewhat illicitly) onto the trails. They are in absolutely perfect condition! Just enough tracks to help navigation in the dark - with the small puddle of orange light provided by my halogen lamp - but the majority of the snow was crunchy goodness. First sections and we take it easy, all just settling in to the unfamiliar feel of riding in the dark me for the first time fixed! Trails are not technical but with the lack of coasting it it challenging enough not to be boring. Scoot alongside the river through some mildly rooty and bumpy sections until we cross the road Harris Park. Have to carry bikes over a chained up gate suggests that perhaps we shouldn't be doing this but what the hell! Its the Solstice and we are biking.

The trail here passes very close to several "MacMansions" and a persistent barking dog puts my nerves on edge for a while until the trail pitches back into the woods and we are alone in the quiet darkness again. At the half way point (close to Meridian Road) we stop and take the required "team photo". Then we head back along the lower (and slightly more technical) trail to the steps (which are negotiated with our bikes on our shoulders cyclocross stylee).

Take in some very nice tight single track on the way back to Van Atta Road and thence back to where we started - hung a right to take in the "muddy crossing" - half way along trail is a new fallen log, slightly at angles to the trail and covered in snow. A bit bigger than any log I've tackled on a fixie but I give it a go (or three) and fail miserably each time (this riding fixed is going to take some learning). Over the frozen muddy crossing and back to the "interesting" bit of trail. Bob nearly comes a cropper into the stream but manages to save himself courtesy of a tree branch he can cling to until he has disengaged himself from the new Time Attac pedals he is using (for only the third time). Up the hill, under the log branch and we are back at the trail head.

Suggestions of a beer are made and accepted so we cruise along Dobie to Dusty's Tap Room where in our snow covered biking gear (see photo) we bemuse all the ther patrons. Fortunately without my glasses I can't really see much so am comfortably ignorant of the strange looks we are attracting.

Trip home is a bit on the nippy side, having thawed out and gotten wet in the bar but "no-one died". Awesome ride! Good for the Soul!

Happy Solstice!!

DB

Ultramarathon Blues

"I've got those,
Can't get rid of those,
Ultramarathon Blues"

Big miles are totally failing to materialize at the moment - and this is an issue! The plan was to have a couple of 100 mile weeks under my belt by now, no such luck. Longest weeks have just about topped 60 miles. That being said I've had more long runs (over 20 miles) heading up to the JFK 50 than I've ever strung together in one training block. Trouble is that at the moment neither the mind or the body is holding up too well to the increased running milage. The early morning runs took their toll long since manifesting as tiredness/bad temper and general malaise - a real struggle in forcing myself to get up and run in the early am's. Weekend long runs have continued but mid-week efforts have gone by the wayside. Last four weekends have witnessed three hour runs and that will have to do it - with two weeks to go the right leg is painful as all hell, suggestions of a reoccurance of the muscle tear from the early season. Just trying to maintain fitness and weight and get some rest/healing so that come 22 November I will "toe the line" healthy and enthusiastic.

The long runs have generally been much faster than "ultrapace" (8-8:30 min/mile) but have left me worn out - one aspect that gives me hope is (as pointed out by a friends wife) I am not eating on my long runs and only drinking water. DOH! Almost certainly just hitting the wall due to lack of blood sugar -expecting the gatorade and food at the rest stops to sort that out come race day. This weekend did the long run at more like 'Ultra-pace" (over 9 min/mile) and took a gel midway - other than the right leg hurting felt damn good at the end.

Time to rest and heal!!

Biking has been good - last two weesk the nightride has been ACE!! All SS affairs (Brian now sporting a 29er Monocog) new trails and much fun. Latest edition saw six (count em, six) of us all 29er SSers hitting the trails - both HC and BC and riding for close to 3 hours, then berers at the cars. New trail BC side, (The Tunnel) all the good stuff represented, steepness, logs, kin great big rocks. Woo Hoo! Slippery as a slippery thing after light rain - glad I was wearing my pads cos I went down hard two or three times, but with the pads no real damage.

Sunday and MLW, Sean, Greg and DB hit the trails - Small Intestine, Ridge, and the old connector between Morning Choice and Ridge - looked like nobody had ridden the connector for a good long time, loads of virgin leaves. On a steep section MLW took a header over the bars, not too much damage but a few hours on the couch in the pm with an ice pack on a swollen knee!.

On well more running to do in next two weeks then I'm going to reast adn ride my bike(s) for a while.

Catch ya later

DogzBollux

And then there were five!

New technology is messing me about! The guys from the night ride have started using this new fangled texting lark to organize the time/launch point. Yes I get the texts, and can probably even access them and read them, but that is dependent on me actually turning my cell phone on! Not going to happen!



So I didn't find out until midday (when someone kinding emailed me) that the ride was on for that evening! Great and shit at the same time! Always great to be heading out for a night ride, shit cos I'd assumed there was no ride (missedthe frantic text messaging) and so had commuted to work on the fixie! Result i turned up a bit late for the ride and with tired legs! Guys had done a 30 min small loop before heading back to pick me up and......... there is a new face! Excellent! Brian has brought his friend David along! As we head off I notice immediately the ride is different. Looking round I realize everyone else is on a shifty! That together with David's desire to show what he can do and the other guys wanting to show david what they can do means that the pace is red-bloody-hot. I just try and holdon at the back and hope to the gods that the pace will slow at some point!



No Small Intestine tonight, but head down the Belmont Hill and up the steep slope after the water - I am gasping like a stranded fish and so no "extra point obstacles" for me tonight, just try to keep it simple and stay in touch. The group consensus at the four way junction is that the BC-side is a must and George wants to hit House and Pain and Double Drop. It is decided that the best route is along Ridge and down the fire road to the Swing Bridge. All along Ridge the pace remains absolutely sodding relentless - I am miserable and paying for the previous weeks excesses. The only thing that keeps me going is the knowledge that once we hit the bit climbs across the Swing Bridge we will all be pushing! By the time we hit the Fire road I am so far behind Todd has stopped to make sure I am not lost! Oh the embarrassment!



Across the bridge and George opts to go for the climb up Double Drop! We take the road to it's base and I let everyone head off in front in the knowledge that my pedaling time will be very short on this hill. As it turns out it is short for everyone, so within a minute we are all off our bikes and forming a merry little line of bike pushers! As the trail becomes more ridable we remount and soon I am riding in splendid isolation again - legs just don't have the kick needed to attack the combination of grade and obstacles. At the top of Sudden Impact Todd is waiting again to show me the way. I try (I really do) but this descent kicks my butt every time, steep as anything and with wicked drop offs that are just itching to catapult me over my bars. Add to this the knowledge that the trail always ends (for me) in the ignominy of having to walk down the last uber-steep section! I limp down, well last and almost a defeated man! Heading back along the road and as we discuss the next move a mad idea takes shape - up House of Pain and thence to Mission Impossible! Fortunately by the time we hit House of Pain I seem to have recovered my climbing legs, to a degree at least. Todd leads the way but I am able to hold my own in second - even manage the big step up at the base of the climb. At the top we regroup, for the first time tonight not for my benefit, and head for the Superhighway. Now Ladies and Gentlemen, for those who have not tacked this section, it is fun! It is a gradual down slope made fun by the fact that the surface is a mass of fist sized rocks. The effect is of a sadists cobbled street, rigid single speed anyone? Beats the living poop out of you!



As we enter the Superhighway George (who is on point) shouts to me that the new log that was built up isn't now. I didn't even know there was a new log! When it hoves into view it is a doozy. Big and lying over the aforementioned jagged cobblestones. George of course makes it look easy and there does in fact appear to be a reasonable ramp up made of small logs. Riding fast and feeling brave I give it a go - FOOL. Turns out the uphill side is ramped but the downhill side isn't! My front wheel takes a dive for the ground and I sail, not so gracefully, over the bars!Fortunately though the effect is quite spectacular the result is no more significant than a bruised palm on my left hand. David starts to mumble at this point that we may in fact be absolutely bloody mad!



On to Mission Impossible and the going is pretty good - David goes over his bars once as do I but no injuries and after our falls we decide to be more circumspect for the rest of the ride. At the end of Mission Impossible the ridiculous final descent (rocky, rooty and kin steep) is taken at speed by George (who clearly has his "foolish head" on tonight), Brian starts to take it on but aborts half way down when he realizes the enjoyment to imminent death risk ratio for this particular section is too low. After witnessing Georges performance, David is now confident in his earlier prediction concerning out mental state. The rest of us just walk/slide down the trail to the railway bridge!



Then it is time to head back towards beer. Back over the Swing Bridge and up the fire road onto Ridge. Just after the Cascade rock garden we regroup (Brian having some bike issues) to decide on the way forward - down the steep rock, or the "mans' route" up and over the rooty section. George doesn't give it a second though and launches himself bodily at the rooty section. George is on form tonight! Front wheel jams and he is thrown forwards and almost over the side of the trail down the 15 foot drop, fortunately one of his shoes doesn't come unclipped and his bike -snagged in a tree - stops him falling too far. After this little excitement the rest of the ride is fairly innocuous, Cascade, Lewis and Clarke and then New Trail for finishers. another solid 2 hours effort (2.5 hours for those who went before me).

Back at the cars and the party begins! Beers (as usual) but yet again the ante is being raised! Todd produces some cake and not to be outdone George has brought along two loaves of bread (one cheese and one garlic). So now the night ride is catered! Just settling down to our post-ride repast when we are joined by a biker riding home after his own night ride revelry. Jon (member of the SSOFT) is heading home from Columbia on his fixie after a night riding with a different group. Never met, but hey! Night riders and fixie riders are one big happy family - so he joins us for a beer and we spend the usual time chatting and plotting/planning future rides. Soon enough time to go home so we bid each other a weary farewell and head off back to reality!

Till next time

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

Two night ride week!

Just when life is looking a bit glum, out of the blue comes a two night ride week! Several of the "Sunday Group" have bought lights and have shown interest in night riding. To date this has been restricted to single nocturnal sojourn around the neighborhood trails but that was to change this week. "Dan the Man" stepped up to the plate and so we hit the trails at Patapsco for his inaugural night ride. It was a short loop - approx five miles but it dipped his toes into the waters of nocturnal insanity. Dan was amazed how different even the most familiar trails were without the ability to actually see where you are going - he rode several sections he normally doesn't clear just due to not realizing they were coming up and the fact that he was going too fast to do anything but close his eyes and hope! Love it.

The next night was the "main event" George and me again - the gruesome twosome. George announced that tonight it was 15 miles or bust! My kind 'o' guy! AS a consequence we set of out the gate like bloody greyhounds. After 5 miles and at the base of only our second climb and I was beginning to feel it. Two miles later and I was sat looking up the Soapstone trail climb and seriously doubting I would ever see the top. Fortunately a tree had fallen 2/3 of the way up so I got to stop, saved me from an imminent MI I think! But the fun kept coming, past the water tower, the usual route skirting the community college and down House of Pain. George then decides he wants to replicate the "circuit of hell" that was the last nightride with Rodger and Todd (the one that left George in hospital), well that sounds reasonable - especially as I am feeling (as Jon Posner would so poetically put it) "like complete ass" and am fighting the urge to barf on a minute to minute basis. Much walking up Double Drop, but a sweet decent of Sudden Impact (minus the last bit, which I still wuss out of every F'in time).

Across swingbridge and up fire road to Ridge and Cascade. Despite feeling crap there are no issues other than my Night Hawk starting to burn out. I switch it off on the non-technical sections to save illumination for where I need it most. By the top of cascade though it is shot and I am relying totally on my $24 light from Target! Hell what's the worst that can happen? The light is actually damn bright, but the problem is it is too focused - the illumination is restricted to a fairly tight circle with no peripheral vision allowed. Bit like riding in a narrow tunnel. The downside of this is demonstrated to me very vividly on the smmoth decent just after the Norris Road crossing. Completely non-technical smooth trail leading to a slightly raised bridge. Well I scream down the trail and suddenly I am lost! Off trail and don't know where I am, I steer left to get back on the trail and hit the side of the bridge. Consequence? Monocog and me part company and I reconnect with the trail helmet first. Fortunately the wooden bridge has a vaguely slippery sheen and I slide gracefully along it (on my head and knees) for about 5 feet before I slide off the other side and end up sitting in long grass. Fortuunately I made enough time on George on the previous hill that I can pick myself up. remount and be riding as if nothing has happened when George catches me 2 minutes later.

Too bloody cold to spend much time with the post ride libation and chat - even though George has brought chairs as a new element of sophistication. Next up is grill and sound system and the post ride will be more like a tail gate party - COOL!!

Weekend and MLW is away in Virginnia on a MTB weekend! So it is ride central at "Chez Bollux". Loose the daughters #2 and #3 to a playdate on Sat and head off for a spel of fixed wheel fun. A loevly ride thru the fall countryside. Riot of color and all that. 30 miles at about 16 mph average. Slight sore and tired legs, but tomoorow is the big ride with the Sunday Morning Boys - Meeting at PnR for a bit of a throw down.

Life is Cool

Bollux

The riding week started a usual with the Night Ride. Despite other "maybe's" it was just George and me again at the Park and Ride at 9:45 pm. Both on rigid 29er SS - my faithfull Monocog and George's Independent Fabrication.

At the Park and Ride we bump into two guys also with their bikes - we saunter over to "shoot the breeze" and ask if they are just heading out - thought we could join up (safety in numbers and all that). Tuns out they have just finished - they've been out since 6:30 and got lost, the ride was not intended to involve any nighttime action! When we explain we are just heading out they look at us as though we are insane - maybe they are right.

The route is a bit of a departure from the norm as we take in both BC and HC sides of the Park. Start the usual was up Soapstone but then head down Vineyard and take the road to the Other side. Head up Morningchoice fire road and then take Ridge to the Waterfall on Cascade. The whole way I am convinced there is someone chasing us down as I can see lights shining through the trees as I look back. Turns out it is the full moon shining through the trees! Just before the rockgarden on Cascade (at the waterfall) we discuss what we want to do and Georgw wants to have another go at "House of Pain". W decide the best way doen is the trail just prior to the major rock garden. I have run up and down this trail and found that to be challenging - so on my bike! At night! We both make it though even George (he of no fear) announces that it was a bit "butt clenching" at times. Over the Swingbridge and up House of Pain - fair bit of pushing again, I'm not sure that it is even in my ability level in the light with gears much less in the dark on a SS. Still plenty of fun. Then it's back to the usual, Old Santee Trail and Sawmill Branch (told you I'd look at the map) Then onto Buzzard Rock, where we take the straight route down that George calls "Double Drop" (and I call " get off and walk").

Back up Vineyard and down Soapstone then back to Park and Ride along Soapstone. We take a right turn at some pont o hit a more challenging uphill stretch, good fun - though with an impecable sense of timing my light burns out just as we reach it so i ride the last 10 min with just the light of my $10 Ever Ready LED headlight - just enough to aviod a major wreck.

Nice Ride - just over 12 miles, new trails, mixed it up a bit.

Couple of commutes in the week on the Fixie (here's a picture - isn't she a beauty?). I thought I

was pushing a reasonably major gear (52 x17) but I'm rereading Graeme Obree's Autobiography " the Flying Scotsman" again (a must read for anyone interested in biking - the man is a star) and he casually mentions that he road the British National Time Trial Championships (coming a close second to a certain Mr Chris Boardman) on a Fixie running a 52x12 gear!

Sunday and the group ride is going from strength to strength! Another good turn out at Landing Road for the 8 am start (O.K. 8:15 to 8:30 start depending on when we finally arive - sorry guys). A bit more competitive this week and we mix the route up a bit, Morning Choice to the derelict houses then left to meet the Ridge. Clockwise on Ridge to Rockburn Branch and back through Belmont. We were feeling so good at this point we added a short loop on Cascade, turning left after the first water and up the steep rocky hill. Then back down a nice gravely, rooty decent back to Cascade then back to the cars. Fabulous.

The only other thing to note was whilst we were waiting to set off on the ride I was asked by a lady who had just arrived if I could get her bike out of her car for her - No worries! But as I retrieve the bike I realize why she can't do it herself, she's heavily pregnant! "Wow - how long do you have left" I enquire incredulously "About three weeks" is the answer!! All I can do is ask her to be careful and wish her well. I hope she had a good ride and that everything is cool.

Cheers for now, lets enjoy the summer while we can winter and cold rides will be here soon enough.

Dogzbollux