Curse of Dark Hollow

For some reason, I always feel like I have an obligation to do well in any Michaux race. I don't know what it is, but I feel like I have something to defend, even though I don't. It's not like a kind of pressure that I get nervous about or anything too competitive, but it makes me ride faster and have more fun doing it. Sunday was the Curse, which turned out being a great race. While we were driving around to find a parking spot, we found Jay, Cameron, and the guys from Guy's racing...they saved us a spot next to their van. Thanks. That was good because we were able to get into the good parking lot and were close to everything. Got a short warm up in and rode off the the pre-race meeting. As with every Michaux race, you ride down a dirt road to where they tell you to stop, then turn around and ride back up to the trails. There was a bit of confusion as to where the juniors were going to stage, but we got it sorted out and I was luckily able to go with the Vets. I was really happy because that ment a lot less people to pass (usually we go close to last with the Masters). The start was really good. I was 3rd place, behind 2nd's wheel going up the road, but I jumped ahead to 2nd when the guy I was following backed off. Last time I did this race, I turned into the parking lot and slid out in all the loose gravel, getting passed by so many people. This year I didn't fall even though I felt it sliding out on me. Shifted into the big ring and followed a local from the Gettysburg Bike Shop team down the first downhill. That was good until he got out of my sight on a really short climb, but I caught back up on one of my favorite downhills in Michaux. After that, there is a really steep climb that switchbacks back up to the top of the mountain. He was out of my sight again, but I still pushed hard because I knew that I might be able to cath him on another downhill. Across a rocky ridge, and I was reminded of why I started racing. I started racing in Michaux, and ever since, I haven't been to any better races. After the ridge is another technical downhill, and I took some fun alternate lines for the fun of it. Eventually I passed the rider ahead of me, and really worked hard to get as far away from him as possible. Cleaned all the short technical climbs on that section, then dropped down to a lake. This is the same lake that is at Long Pine, and the course rides a fisherman's trail on the side of the lake, then takes a road around till it reaches the last short climb of the Long Pine course. Later was a steep climb full of loose rocks. It was faster to run most of it, but the Gettysburg rider was right on my wheel again. So I hopped on my bike as soon as possible and bombed another downhill. I was so scared because he was on my wheel, that I rode the downhill like the finish line was right at the bottom, and I was racing something much more important than a race in Michaux. At the long rode climb, he was out of my sight, so it looked like the downhill worked. But about 2 miles up the climb and on a gravel road, he was right there. He passed me with about 2 miles to go, and I was able to hold his wheel for a little bit, but he was a local and new the trail. It was a really soft and twisty trail, so it would be good to know it...anyway I ended up finishing a minute back, but still 2nd overall. It was a really good race and I'm happy I did so well because it is my last 25miler in Michaux...I'm racing the 40's (or if they ever go back to 50's) starting at Teaberry and going until I can't ride the distance anymore. Everyone had a good day - my dad and I got firsts, Bill Gardner got 2nd in the master class, and my mom got 3rd woman in the 10 mile race. Coming up is a bit of a break from racing, since I'm now going to the MASS race this weekend, and next is the Wilderness 101. I'll be there on the course. Next race is Neshaminy.

Today's Ride

So today, my dad and I got out on some of the lesser ridden roads of the Wilderness 101. Left from the house and rode out to where the W101 crosses 322, then took the route passed Penn Roosevelt and up Thickhead. Remember the killer climb from the Stoopid that was right after the 2nd aid station and baking in the sun? Today we had the fortune of riding it with the sun slowly setting behind the mountain. That was probably one of the best times I have ever ridden it. Then down the Detweiler trail from both the Stoopid and W101. Up a road climb to where the Stoopid turns off but continued to the top on the 101 course. Then we took a rocky trail that parallels the road to where the W101 later picks up the trail. Took the trail to the infamous 3 Bridges, and turned down to head back to the house. It was a good 36 mile ride that took about 3:15. Tomorrow we're going up to cut back a lot of the long grass on one of the trails for the Wilderness 101. It's a trail that would be wide enough to pass on, but with the grass, it is too narrow. It is the only trail here that isn't rocky or anything, just a little too narrow and hidden for a race to go through.

Fair Hill

Coming into this race, I knew that I probably wouldn't be able to get another win, but I wanted to try to keep the gap as small as possible. The race started off with a fast pace on the first dusty road and into the singletrack. I was 3rd into the singletrack, behind Noah's wheel. About 20-50 ft ahead of him was Manuel Caliz. On the second section of road, I think we caught Manuel, and then 2 others caught our slipstream. I drifted to the back of the group to minimize wind resistance, and I was going to get ahead for the next bit of singletrack. But on a tight turn, I slid out on some loose gravel. I was on the inside, and there were riders all around me, so I knew that I would hit someone if I stopped turning. I really hoped I didn't fall, but I did. I don't even know what happened, but I have cuts on my hip, back, hand, arm, and my finger and toe are black and blue. So I think I rolled a lot. Got up, and hopped on my bike, but the wheel wouldn't turn...my chain was stuck in the spokes. At first I thought it was broken, but I got it untangled and it was fine. Took me a while to get back up to speed, but I eventually passed a rider and ended up in 4th place. About 5 minutes back. I think I could have done better if I stayed with the group, because after the fall, I rode way to cautiously through the corners. But it's okay, because it wasn't a race that I was expecting to do well in anyway, and I did much better than in the spring race here. Next week is Michaux's Curse of Dark Hollow. I can't wait.

Long Pine

Everyone said it was going to be rocky. And the more people said that, the more pumped I got for this race. I was definitely going into this race for the win in senior 1, and although I didn't tell anyone, I had always been too close to first overall to not win that one too. So I came into this race with high expectations, but also knowing that anything could happen. We picked up my grandpa along the way down, so all 3 generations were at the race. He brought his bike to ride around a bit to different spots on the course. I let others set the pace up the first climb until Noah, me, and another rider broke away from the rest of the group. We were riding together for a bit, until I recognized trails from the Mash. It was then that I decided to break away. I knew how the other riders rode, and I thought that if I timed it right, I could take my chances and ride to the finish alone. I got it into my head that I just needed to go for it, and when the big boulder step up-step down came, I hopped it and off I went. I had a big gap at the bottom of that trail, but they were still within my sight up the big climb from the Mash. I just sucked it up and forgot about how much everything hurt, because I knew I needed to get out of their sight. That worked, and I had a reasonable gap again. But another road section and eventually 2nd place was right on my wheel. Worked hard to clean the steepest climb of the race, and dropped him at the top. At this point in the race, I had the biggest gap yet. I could still see 2nd place as a little dot far behind me, and that was too close. Accidentally turned into the expert course but I got back on track. I got confused on where to go at the powerline, and ran through grass and over rocks until I got back on the trail. I really didn't want to step on a snake. I knew that must be passed halfway, because I had already been passed the expert turnoff, so I kept in in the big chainring and cranked the flat, rocky, twisty singletrack. Gunnar warned me about the water bars at the end of the race, but I hit them too fast anyway. I didn't fall, but had a few close calls. Got to the road, saw I was 14 miles in, and started sprinting. Up the last climb to the top of the powerline, and the race was over. Top 3 spots were very close, and Noah ended up with 3rd overall. I never got a chance to talk much with the guy who got 2nd, but I don't think I've seen him at many races. After we got home, we got the bikes off the car and waited for my mom and sister to get back from picking up our new puppy. He's a rodesian ridgeback. When he first got here, he was a bit nervous but he's really playful now. So I'm looking forward to just getting through Fair Hill -- hopefully having a good race -- and racing Michaux's Curse of Dark Hollw, which is one of the best races I have ever raced. I missed out on it last year, and I really want to have a good time, because I barely finished in 2007.

12 Hours

Last weekend was the VisitPA festival weekend. I wasn't planning on going to it, but I was asked to be on the Cyclesports team with Gunnar and Jenny since they needed a 3rd person. I have my liscense now, so my dad let me drive to Marysville solo, and he rode his bike down with some other people. Their ride was about 110 miles. I'm really happy he came down, because there was no way I would have been able to drive back after the long day. Since I only showed up for Saturday, I was cornered into going first (everyone else did the NTT), and that ment running. I am really not that good at running, but I gave it my best so that I didn't have to pass that many people while I was riding. It was really hot and humid the whole day and the course was similar to last year's XC, with some of this year's 4-hour relay stuff thrown in. I'm really happy with my times because the only thing I really cared about was keeping them consistant the whole day. I ended up doing that well. 50, 48, 48, 48, 50 minutes. We were able to get another lap in with 10 minutes to spare, but at the last second, my light wouldn't turn on, and Gunnar and I had to flip helmets. The light was good and I was able to see everything, but the helmet was too big for me and so the light kept pointing too far down. We were worried that the batteries were going to die, so Sam met me on the course and I switched Gunnar's light for his. This, along with me being tired and not riding my fastest lap because I didn't really think I needed too, ate up a lot of time. Sam told me that the rider from the Mountainside team had gotten out on another lap. It took another 10 minutes after the light switch, but he eventually passed me. At this point, I knew that there was no way I could catch him, and we now had 2nd place either way. Later, I saw Jenny out on the course, and I asked her if the 3rd place team got another lap. She said that they didn't, so we just walked back to the finish. Coming through the pit area was a bit embarrassing, and the Mountainside racer flew by us again. I had a good day, although I felt that it was my fault that we lost. But then I realize that we all did our part to do so well in this race, and none of us expected to do this well. No mechanicals out on the course, and it was a really fun day of racing. Next weekend is Long Pine. It's a MASS race in Michaux, so that alone tells you that it'll be an amazing race. I don't think it'll get quite as many people as the other MASS races, but still go to it anyway.