Long Time No Post

A lot has happened since the last time I posted here. I've been doing other things with my time I suppose. Reading novels mostly, an old habit renewed, to the detriment of this blog among other things. It's too bad, as there were exciting and wonderful things to report. To recap:

• 12 Hours of Lodi
• A big ride - SkyMass
• Virigina Mountain Bike Festival
• 24 Hours of Big Bear
• A lot of being lazy

12 Hours of Lodi - May 6th & 7th
This was a fantastic race! The course was drier this year than last, though it wasn't bad last year. I just love this course! Twisty tight singletrack heaven! I brought both the geared and the singlespeed bike with me, not yet having the confidence that I would remain fast on the singlespeed throughout the race. My sport class teammates: Mike Scardaville and Matt Donahue, two fast guys and good companions. Matt got us going with the Le Mans style start, Mike pulled the middle leg, and I claimed old age and went last. It was clear pretty early that we were outclassing the rest of the sport class, which really surprised us. Sure, we were each near the top of the sport class in our age groups, but never thought we would dominate the class so thoroughly. Neither Matt nor Mike had ever raced expert, and I had just started in that class myself late last year. At any rate, with good luck and fast laps we prevailed and took 1st in men's sport, some 15 minutes ahead of the other City Bikes team with Mike Klasmeier, and an astounding hour ahead of 3rd place. I was able to put in four really fast laps on the singlespeed, my fastest being I think 51 or 52 minutes, and that was a real confidence boost. I knew then that I could definitely ride as fast on the singlespeed as on the geared bike in that terrrain. But how would I handle the rougher terrain of Big Bear? Or the endless, and endlessly repeating, climbs of the Wilderness 101 or the Shenandoah Mountain 100? Hmm.... that I don't yet know, but I suspect there will be a lot of suffering and a great deal of mental toughness required.

SkyMass - May 20th & 21st
Mike, Tris, and I went camping in the GWNF, at Camp Roosevelt, one weekend in May with a big SkyMass ride planned for Mike and I. It turned out to be a great ride for me. I felt awesome the entire 6 1/2 hours and 94 miles. I charged up every mountain and had a fast cruising speed on the flats. I could hardly believe how strong I felt. Was it the caffeine in the Espresso flavor Hammer Gel? For those not familiar with SkyMass, it is basically a route usually started in Front Royal, Va. that goes up Skyline Drive to mile marker 34, down Highway 211 to Luray, Va., then up over Massanutten to Fort Valley road basically back to Front Royal. In spite of finishing the ride strongly Saturday, Sunday I didn't have much energy for the mountain bike ride we went on. I was able to take the singlespeed up the big road climb and enjoyed the downhill, but we all agreed to finish the day lazing around in camp.

Virginia Mountain Bike Festival - May 27th - 29th
All of the old gang together once again, and it felt good. John and Jen, Vin, Mike and Tris, and myself (the newest of that group), spending time together around the camp fire, on the trail, and all the times in between. I really do enjoy their company. Many others from MORE were also there and I always enjoy spending time with fellow MORE members JoeP, Joe Foley, and Matt D.

Well, the timer has rung and it's time to get the laundry out of the dryer, and then go to sleep. I'll have to finish this up later...