The Law of averages

It didn't take long to realize that 2023 was almost over. It seems like the second half of the year flew by. It was yesterday that it was Thanksgiving but then Christmas got here and now we are already pushing 2024. Wow.

So what happened this year?

A lot.

In usual fashion, my life was a roller coaster. Highs and Lows. Mostly highs thankfully. But I want to save the best for last, so lets look at a few of the low points.

LOWS:

Broken bike at LJ100. 

Sad day for sure. This was shaping up to be a close call as to whether I would make the cutoff or not, but a broken rear triangle punched the clock on that decision. Done and dusted. Long walk out of the woods to wait for a rescue.

GIANT.......

No need to beat this drum any longer. Just remember that I will never buy another bike from them, and I am in the market....

2nd Job 

This is a low just because it is such a time suck. Sure I get paid to watch hockey, but it takes me away from home.

Bike miles 2nd half of year....

Down. The bike thing hit me pretty hard and had me in a bad mood. I let it sink my miles for many months.

Ok, enough.....lets see some highs. :)

HIGHS:

I have a gorgeous girlfriend and amazing family and friends. Thank you guys for being who you are and for lifting me up when I need it most! Love you fam!

Health

While I still have a few derogatory marks on my medical chart I am healthier overall than I was in 2022. Not only am I down over 35 pounds, but my average weight is about 21 pounds less than last year. Also, My average weight is the lowest it has been since I started tracking in 2019. All big wins.

Overall I have learned a lot this year. But there is always room for improvement, especially on the mental side of things. I have learned that I let things start to cascade and pile up onto the next thing. Then a small thing can cause the catastrophic failure and mental breakdown. I have to compartmentalize all of the stressors and keep them where they belong in their respective areas. This way when McDonalds tells me "we don't have tea" it won't be a verbal assault on the clueless cashier trying to take my order. Yes, this happened. I was struggling that day. I just stopped to get Chris and I a tea and the girl states "we don't have tea" so which I responded "since when?" and she quite rudely states "we are just out right now" and I not politely ripped back "then fucking say that next time" and drove off. Yes, poor customer service....but did she actually deserve it? Yes and no. If her customer service was better and she had said "Sorry, we are currently out" I would have understood. But maybe my outburst will help her understand that customer service is important.

Where was I.....blacked out for a second.

That is what I am talking about though, the stress adds up. And unfortunately I let it get to me. Jay had to witness it on our ride at Warnaar too. Bike over shifted for the 2nd time, ramming the chain in behind the cassette and wheel. The bike took a little trip into the woods. Stress from work was boiling at the surface and the bike sent me over the edge. Need to make sure that the stressors are are separated and responded to appropriately. 

Registration for Lumberjack 100 is Saturday. I am going to sign up with pure faith that I will be able to sort out a mountain bike for 2024. I have the bike picked out and I have a plan, just need to get the funds aligned. Should know more about the income adjustment on January 15th. 2024 is setting up to another good year. Focus on being positive and continuing to grow. Come along for the ride.

And as always....keep moving forward.

That was rough....

 This past weekend it was fairly warm out, so I decided to load up a bike and head out to ride.  But first, lets go back a few weeks.

I started the Ride Your Way Lean program again. This type of a structured workout works very well on the trainer. In Zwift you can make custom workouts. If you follow me you probably see a RYWL Week 1 as a Strava title. This is a structured workout from the program. It was developed by Selene Yeager. There is a lot of good info in the book, but the workouts are easy to set up. And the book is written in basic English, so its easy to understand and follow.

Basically there are 3 bigger rides and a recovery ride during the week. Then the weekends are 90 minutes plus. That is why I decided to ride outside last weekend. The workouts are different types of intervals. But not the full out max intervals that will kill someone that hasn't been riding. They are basically a bump harder for a duration and then a rest. Then a regular ride in the middle with a bit harder interval set on the third. Then Friday is a 30 min spin. I wish I had done that last week because my legs paid the price on Saturday.

I am now in Week 3. I have 207 miles for December. This is fairly steep considering I have hardly any miles since June and the incident with the bike at LJ100. You can see the RYWL events that are blue and the single ride outside that is red.

And about that outside ride. I geared up and headed out. Temps were not bad but the wind was chilly. I met Jay and his buddy Josh down at Warnaar trails at Meyer Broadway Park in Three Rivers. We headed out and I figured out fairly quickly that I wasn't going to have a good day. My legs felt like concrete. I was just trying to spin and ramp up the hills. With the guys right behind me I felt terrible for barely getting to the top of a climb. Then I shifted and the chain over-ran the stop and popped off, jamming into the wheel. Fought that off and continued on. Then it happened again a mile or so later. At this point I was very frustrated with how I was feeling and how the bike was working. Both my own fault. I told the guys to go ahead, but they were willing to hang out and ride with me still.

 We forged ahead and the trail got super soft. There are some new areas that I wasn't aware of and they were super soggy. The tick in warmer temps must have pushed the water to the surface. This limited my day to a single lap, which was fine. Thankfully we were on Fat bikes and not doing any cookie cutter lines, but it was too wet for us to be out there. Had we known we would have passed.

Still, I got out and rode. It was a bit rough with the fatbike at Warnaar, but I survived. Was awesome to see Jay and catch up with him for a while. While I know my attitude wasn't the best I was still doing what I could. What I could do was better than sitting on the couch.

Work stress has been growing and I think that came to a head on this ride. Need to continue to develop that mental awareness. I know it now, but didn't really know it was bothering as me much on that day. So I learn, I grow, I move forward. 

Back on Whole30 again to restart the system before Hawaii. OH that's right, Christine and I got to Hawaii in January. There are some major things there that I plan to do and I will surely post pics and videos about it all.

Until then.....stay warm....stay safe....and as always....keep moving forward.

Fuck Giant....

 Yeah....still beating that drum.

FUCK GIANT BICYCLES. 

I really should be over this by now....but its still frustrating to no end. So yeah, you can say I am holding a grudge. Not only did I not achieve my goal of completing LJ100, but then I broke my frame and now don't have a mountain bike. So with registration opening soon I am going to take the gamble and sign up, with the hopes that I will be able to land a bike in the spring.

Main issue here is that Giant refused to honor their warranty. Well, partially. They made some stupid offer that would have cost me an additional $5500 to get into a functional bike. So thanks for that. I got a better offer from a rep from a different company. lol.

Second issue is....I can't drop that kind of coin on a bike right now. There are plenty of places with financing options, but I need to get thru January and see a few things. First, what bikes will even be available to buy in the spring. Secondly, will I even be able to afford something. 

I will let it go....eventually. But I swear I will never own another Giant for as long as I live....and I have owned a bunch....currently 3....one complete with a broken frame. Its bananas that their offer wasn't better.....

So where am I now. Sitting here watching the snow fly. I will ride in the basement. I will ride the fatty out in the snow. I will train with the intent that I will have a new mountain bike next year. There are so many options that I will be able to land something high end and in my affordability range. Here are some options:

Specialized Epic EVO. all the perks of the Epic with shock and fork that don't need to be serviced yearly. High end, big cost...but great bikes. My all time favorite bike was my Epic Expert that specially fell into my lap from Cross Country Cycle so many years ago. I rode that thing to death....then my son took over before he either sold it or it got stolen. Either way, I loved the bike and would love nothing more than to get back into a Specialized.

Canyon LUX world cup (or LUX trail) is another option. High end components on a proven winning bike. Price range is solid, and it has everything I would want. Right now the World Cup isn't available but the LUX trail is. The Trail has longer travel to take some of the abuse. Much like my Anthem SX, it has the race geometry with a bit more travel up front. Seems like a good choice.

Kona Hei Hei CR/DL is another affordable option. One drawback here would be that it doesn't have carbon wheels. As heavy as I am and as hard as I ride...and as spoiled as I have been.....I need/*want carbon wheels. So for the pricepoint, that is a hit. 

These are the main 3 I have been looking at. There is the Scott Spark, The KTM Scarp, the Niner RKT, the Cannondale Scalpel amongst others that I would consider. 

I won't really settle.....but it will have to be what is available this spring. So I find what is around and then I sort out how to pay for it. Hope my yearly review goes good ;)

That being said, training starts today. Will be getting on the trainer tonight and just doing what I can. Made it through the first holiday poorly eating everything I could find. Need to get through Christmas now. 

Clearly this topic isn't closed. There will be much more to come in the next couple of months. Just need to get it all sorted out so I can train on the bike I will riding for LJ100.....because I don't want it to be Albert....my 35lb fatbike. lol.

Hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving.

and by the way.....Giant....you can still suck it.

Where is your head.....

Here we are the day before Thanksgiving and I am mentally all over the place. Brain has gone from work to Thanksgiving to vacation to bills to family to what my potential raise will be at work to bikes to Lumberjack to family to Christmas to vacation to Red Wings tickets to Michigan football to vacation to bills to raises to holidays to family to bikes to what the hell am I doing here.....

Mentally.....checked the fuck out.

This is where I am right now. Short weeks are rough. Wondering if work will get busy makes it harder. And being in somewhat of an odd position and hoping for the best....its a very grey area for me. Of course, this time of year is kinda meh anyway.

Because of Covid aftermath I still don't really see my parents. That sucks. We all miss them, and I ask about plans and never really get an answer....so I stop asking. Just talk to them on the phone every few weeks. Its like we are across the country when we are only 90 minutes away. Strike.

Then...normal work stress. It comes and goes....but some things this year have made me wonder exactly what is going to happen. Won't really get into that....but its a lingering stressor. Strike.

Bills, sure I could blame inflation and the cost of living....but I have dug a hole. Bills are paid, but doesn't leave much for anything else. Strike.

This leads me to a new mountain bike. G really put a wrench in things by not honoring their warranty. This is where my year really tanked mentally. Riding stopped. Mentally tanked more. Overall, I am mentally doing pretty good....but the riding side of the mentality is where I think my biggest challenge has landed. I can deal with the rest.....

So I have to start over yet again. 

However, I am not really starting from the beginning. I am starting from where I am. That is a difference. We all know that we are on some type of journey to the end of our lives...and we can never go back to where we started. We can try to right the wrongs we have done. We can can try to fix those things that have ailed us. Modern medicine allows us to live longer lives than what we used to....all the time modern FDA regulations are allowing the world to shorten our lives with flavor. Its a weird place we live in....but where was I going?

The bike thing will sort itself out. I have a plan, but need to wait until the first domino falls in order to put the plan in motion. Fingers crossed the things come through the way they need to for that bike to be pat of my future. I am planning on attempting LJ100 again and it will be difficult if I don't have a bike to ride. So, nothing I can do now but dream about the bikes (notice I didn't say stress over it) and let the future unfold.

I signed up for Barry Roubaix again too, before it sold out. Crazy how fast an event that big sells out. So cool to see, and so cool to be part of. It will be another attempt at a rough 60 plus miles in the hills of Barry county. Another notch on the bike that needs to be achieved.

What else.....

Can you tell I am checked out? I can't even complete a thought. 

Just keep going, even if you have to start over. 

The plan.....the plan.....the plan....

 " Don't you just love it when a plan comes together" ~ Joker via Original Batman movie 1989

I failed.....that much is clear. We all do. My year was yet again a roller coaster. 

But looking back I was right where I wanted to be....for everything. Sure I had a terrible Barry-Roubaix because it was ten million degrees (IN APRIL) and I wasn't acclimated to the heat. Mentally I took a hit....and I tanked. I was just done that day. Takeaway....mental toughness wasn't there.

A few weeks after that....I started TOO early at Yankee and had nearly everyone pass me. As prepared as I was for that to happen....some people race like they drive....like assholes. And it was difficult to stay positive while getting run off the trail. The takeaway....just be faster and nobody will catch you. 

A while later I headed up to Grayling for the last Fun Promotions event ever, the Hanson Hills 50. The year before I had missed the cutoff, so I had the single goal of making the cutoff and then finishing. I made the cutoff. Even with taking a dump in the sand out in the boondocks...in front of people. lol. Thankfully it was a slow and funny crash...not a high speed spectacular body breaking event. But then I finished....and that is a rough race. But things were looking good. Takeaway.....keep trying.

When June it I knew I was getting close to the main race....the LJ100. I had 3 long events leading into LJ. Hanson 50, Dirty Donut, and Cowpie Classic. As I said before, Hanson was a win....but I took a pretty good hit again at Dirty Donut. Not sure why that event is so hard for me other than simply the heat. I finished, but slower than anticipated. Cow Pie was a great ride for me. I was so ready to be done, but I rode a decent race and didn't kill myself with LJ being the next weekend.

We trekked up to LJ...and everything was going fine until it wasn't. The frame breaking at mile 52 is where the train came off the rails. At that point.....I mentally tanked. I stopped riding. We moved into a new house. July was a super low month of miles. I did finish Fast Fitty in August but then riding stopped again. Fell off the wagon. 

Went 2 months without a ride. Lots of activity....just not riding. Stress levels good for the most part....just normal stuff. Just not riding my bike. But I did get my trainer set up. and I plan to ride outside Wednesday. baby steps.

The plan....will be to once again attempt the Lumberjack 100 in 2024. There are obstacles that I need to overcome. Mainly, I don't have a MTB right now. But I can ride my tank Fat bike if needed. lol. Other obstacles are a crazy busy year. There are graduations, dance competitions, along with some vacations and other events that we have planned. 

I did manage to get signed up for Barry-Roubaix before it sold out, so that is a start. I need to try the 62 mile course again....and accomplish the finish. That means I need to have a good winter of training and a very very good winter/spring of healthy eating. 

The plan....

...is to drop weight...

...is to get a bad ass mountain bike...

...is to finish the 62 mile Barry Roubaix course...

...is to finish Lumberjack 100...

....is to have 3650 miles...

...is to stay conistent...

...is to kick ass...

Who wants to come along for the ride? 

Tipping the scales....

 

I feel like 2023 has been the Tale of 2 Cities. On the first half of the year my mileage was steadily climbing and my weight was steadily dropping. Then June hit. The miles stopped and the scale started going the other way. 

Stepping on the scale this morning was a bit disheartening. Much of the work I have done in the first half of the year has disappeared. Not all of it, but enough that I know I need to get back at it.

I did have a ride a few weeks ago, but I flatted. At that moment I realized the entire level of mental toughness I had built up was gone. I was standing on the side of the road with a flat. Strike one. I pulled out my CO2 cartridge and spun it into the filler and reached for my rim when "POW" and the cartridge emptied. Ugh....strike 2. No pump, no air, no life in my legs and a long walk home. During that walk my mind wandered to The DUFF and Giant being dicks about the warranty. I was past it, but then I started to sink.

Christine picked me up and I told her "maybe I should take all of this as a sign that I shouldn't be riding anymore" and could just feel a heavy cloud sinking over me. That kind of feeling that actually had me contemplating just throwing it all in.....and finding something else. 

That isn't who I am though.

I am and will always be a cyclist. 

Yes I had a decent first half of the year. The second half hasn't been great, but that shouldn't define who I am or what I do. You know from my history that I let life sink in. However, in the past I used to let that shit sink in and bury me. Not anymore. Yeah, its been a few months since Lumberjack now. What better time to get back at it?

I fired up Zwift again today. Will try to get out and ride during this nicer weather. But I will have the trainer set up so I can get on there and burn off the crazy without worrying about anything other than turning my legs. Unplug. Check out and melt calories. Do better with eating (again) as this is always something that will be a hinderance. When I buckle down I do very good...but I lack discipline. 

I can admit that. And I am not afraid of starting over. This time I am starting over at a lower weight with some mileage in my legs from the first half of the year. Lets get to it. 

Fast Fitty Race Recap

 

I made the short jaunt over to Charlotte, MI for this years edition of the Fast Fitty. Here is how it went.

The morning started normally enough. I was up and out the door in plenty of time. I made a quick stop at the Donalds for an oatmeal. Normally I have been eating at home, but I honestly wasn't the best prepared for this morning. I figured a quick stop here was the best option, and I know the oatmeal doesn't mess with my system. With fuel in hand, I was headed East. Charlotte is kind of in the middle of nowhere. So its mainly 2 lane roads. The drive was pretty quiet and I got to Alive around 8:30. The front lot was already full so I swung behind the building to park. A change this year (maybe last year) was that the registration tent was in the Alive parking lot instead of over at the American Legion where it has been in the past. Not a big change, just something I noticed.

I got my registration packet and headed back to the car to get ready. The lot was filling fast as people were trickling in and parking was looking chaotic. Glad I got there early enough to not add that stress to myself. Eventually I was ready to do a soft warm up. 

I headed out past the American legion and turned onto the first road of the course. It had some fresh black top and was going to roll very fast. I just rolled a bit before heading back to Alive and looking for anyone I knew. I didn't really see anyone so I headed to the start line.

The Fitty starters

This is the back of the Fitty starters and the front of the Speedy wave

No I didn't do this....the glove was like this on its own. (if you know you know)

Now it was time to go. We all lined up and got our announcements from Dale before it go time. I lined up next to Jonas, who is Dale's brother. Kind of funny that we were talking at the start line very similar to how we did almost 5 years ago when I was on a borrowed bike from GRBC. He remembered and brought back that memory. Funny times. 

3,2,1...GO. 

The start was a rolling start because the road was narrow from some rain puddles that were filled earlier in the week. So we rolled under the banner and a rider in front of me slammed the brakes hard. Panic is an understatement. We were already barely moving and then this rider STOPPED. I had to swing wide to miss this person. Almost being taken out in the first tenth of a mile was not really what I had in mind for this race. I kept an eye on this person because they were very very nervous and wanted to be riding alone. So I gave space and eventually separation was there. (yes I say person instead of he or she because I don't want to call anyone out. This person was just very nervous and it as evident when other people were around).

Now that we hit the pavement the pace went up quick. Being towards the back of the pack is always different. This event had all types of people, and I tried to find a few that were riding my pace. We turned onto the first gravel and a few of us were still together. Jonas was pulling a good pace on this section. We turned to find the first climb and I told him I would do my best to pull him up the hill. We crested the hill and there were people just strung out everywhere. Jonas rode away and I couldn't hold his wheel any more. I was in my normal group of 1 riding solo with people around but not close enough to work with.

This course is pretty flat in the first half. Much of the climbing is back loaded. So you are cruising and feeling like a million bucks and then get hit with a small dose of reality as your average speed starts to drop. Well, mine anyway. Anyone else? lol.

Around 10 miles in a group of 5 caught me and I jumped in with them. It was a good group but I couldn't hang with them long. I got some help from them for a few miles and then they slowly creeped away. The miles were ticking away and I started to wonder why I hadn't seen the Speedy wave yet. I was in some rollers and carrying some good speed when I heard them coming. Well, I thought it was a car or two....but it was 40ish riders just smashing the course. I was rolling well over 20 and they passed with a high pace. Its so awesome and I can't wait to experience that some day. They blasted away and then it was a string of stragglers trying to bridge the gap again. This went on for a few miles. Single or dual riders passing. Many offering a "good job" or "keep it up" as they passed. I would offer the same back. 

I saw the first aid station and was craving a banana. Unfortunately all they had was water or heed. I thanked them anyway and pressed on. Here is where a group of us started together that would basically finish together. There was two women and one guy other than myself. We roughly formed a group and pressed ahead for a while. The guy eventually peeled off the front and went out of sight. The ladies and I stayed together for a while but eventually our paces differed and we all were spread out. Then we would reel each other in. We were working together the best we could. Different strengths. Good people. Once lady was from Indiana. The other was Waterford. We continued on....each of us leaving the others for a while before being caught and left again. lol. It was nice to have the company suffering in the same areas as I was for the entire second half of the race.

When the climbing started is when my issues started....again with my feet. Legs were doing surprisingly good and I was thinking I was going to hit my goal. But the pain in my feet just got to be too much and I finally had to get off and walk a hill. I could have made it, but my feet needed some circulation off the bike. One of the ladies caught me and asked if I was ok and said we are getting closer to the finish!

We pressed on and I was then riding with one of the ladies again. She said we have one more climb and then we are almost there. I cleared that climb and she was stopped at the top. I checked on her and she was ok, and eventually caught and passed me. She had a strong finish, Kudos to her! 

I rolled in very slow across the line to a group of cheers. lol. Tom and his girlfriend were at the finish as well as the lady I had been riding with and her husband. We congratulated each other and the other lady we had been riding with finished too. We all cheered for each other, told each other good job, and headed our separate ways. Nice to have people to talk to on a long race like this. Thank you ladies'! 

My finish time is shown below. I missed my goal by a few minutes, but I was happy to finish. Having only a handful of rides since the middle of June I really didn't know what to expect. Not taking DFL in the entire race was good, and finishing close to my goal was good. 

Overall it was a good day on the bike. Weather was great. The cause for this event is great. Dale is a good dude and he will always have my support for his events. I likely won't be racing anymore this year, but I will probably volunteer at his MTB race at Custer. Check it out here. Its the Custer's Last Stand. However, if no Sport Clydes sign up....you might see me out there on Albert doing what I can ;)

We keep at it....and we do our best. 

Fast Fitty Gravel Race Preview

 This is the last event I have on my calendar for 2023. Lets dig in.

Last I checked there was over 450 people registered for this event. It might be a smaller event, but it is one that I have enjoyed. Well, I didn't so much enjoy the first time I did the event....but the last time was much better. 

I don't remember much from the first year....other than it was during Covid and it was really hot. I also remember pulling off the road and sitting in the shade to wait for the SAG vehicle. After sitting there for more than 20 minutes and not being rescued I figured I better get back on and finish. Apparently there were people on the course behind me having worse days than me. 

The next year I came back better prepared. I shaved almost an hour off my time and had my 'redemption' at this event. 

But that was two years ago. I missed last years event for some cookie cutter excuse I am sure. I know I wasn't riding much last year so if I remember correctly I found a lame excuse to get me out of going.

This year has been different. Many more miles and better endurance. However, my fitness trend has been on the decline since June. Took the loss of The Duff harder than I thought. However, my last few rides have been okay....so we will talk goals in a bit.

EVENT:

Fast Fitty

54 miles

2300 ft of climbing

(only 42.6 feet per mile)

Overall this is a fairly flat course. Because it has been 2 years I don't remember if there are any nasty climbs....but its doubtful. With Charlotte being in the middle of the state, its pretty flat down here. I am sure when I get out there I will remember that its not as flat as I think. lol. Hopefully the gravel is good and I can muster up the energy to make it the 50 plus miles. 

This preview is not really a preview. Its just a quick note on what I will be doing Saturday. lol

Goals? Sure....lets talk goals. I need to be realistic about my expectations. Can I push for 50 miles and hold a good average...maybe. Can I be close to my time from 2021....unlikely. I rode that race hard with a belly full of anger. lol. Can I beat my time from 2020....I freaking better. 

Fastest time ever was a 14.5 average. This year I will shoot for a goal of sub 4 hours. I should be able to make it...but with my lack of riding I still need to focus and press for the entire race. I will do my best to find some people to ride with. I tend to ride alone because people don't know how to work together at my speed. Usually the back of the pack riders are used to riding solo. When you ride alone you get into a different mind state and you can check out. In a group, or even a pair, you need to pay attention to what that other rider is doing. And without history it can be nervous to ride with someone. I understand. I know how I ride. I know how my friends ride. I don't know how 400 strangers ride. You could have everything from a 50 year seasoned rider to a person riding their first race. No judgement on my end, I just don't want to ride with an anxious edge for almost 4 hours.

So my goal is sub 4 hours. It would be awesome to reach 3:45. Finishing and surviving is the first goal. Riding fast will be second. 

Weather looks good. See you there!

Fast Fitty on the horizon

 Good morning friends. 

Not riding has had its benefits. Riding also has it benefits. I prefer to ride.....

I got my TCX put back together over the weekend. Tom and I headed out for a nice gravel ride on Sunday. He asked how far and I said 20-30. It ended up being over 30 miles and was actually starting to get a little late before I finally got home. Whoops! The ride itself was pretty good, all thins considered. With the lack of miles in my legs the last 2 months I tend to get nervous about how I will respond to longer rides. I am able to hit the distance, but I can tell my endurance is lacking. We rode some pavement and some gravel on the north side of Allegan. At one point on a long climb Tom looks at me and asks "you regretting your decisions to not ride lately?". HAHA. Yes sir, I am paying the price for my lack of commitment. 

He chose a nice route with some rolling hills and we eventually turned back towards town. We hit a road that is under construction and I could feel my lack of riding. The surface was rough packed gravel that is getting ready for asphalt. The stretch of road was a brutal 3ish miles and I felt like I didn't have any power. We were barely hitting 10 or 11 miles an hour on this section. Eventually we hit blacktop again and got by Tom's house. He peeled off and I continued on to home. Thankfully there is a solid downhill where I could get some recovery before one small climb by my house. Ended up with just under 33 miles.

Tuesday I had a few errands in Kalamazoo and was invited to the TNR with R3 cycling. On these rides I have no idea what to expect. I don't ride down here and I am not familiar with the area. So its always a new adventure. This night we had a total of 6 riders. Taking a look at who was there I knew I was the weakest link. That adds to the nerves a bit for a few reasons. One...they won't leave me behind, but its easy to get dropped. If that happens I always feel like I am slowing down the group. While its a normal thing, I don't like being that guy. This gives me incentive to hold onto the group the best I can. 

I managed! We did a solid 25 miles at a brisk pace and I was able to hold on the entire time. There were moments where I was wondering if I could. I would get some space and force myself to draw back in. The rubber band was stretched a few times.....but it never broke. I kept telling myself....1 more mile.... 1 more mile....just hold on...just hold on. There were times when we were cruising at 20+. That might not seem fast for many, but for me its brisk. My last road ride was 16mph....so pushing upwards of 20 is stretching my fitness. I managed....but the nerves were high at times.

Overall it was a good couple days of riding. Having long jaunts between rides I always wonder how my body will respond. Right now....its ok. But there is a test on Saturday. I will head to Charlotte for the Fast Fitty. I am waffling on distance and I should just drop down....but I still don't know. lol. I made the commitment...so I should just follow thru. I will pay the price I know. But the course is relatively flat so distance is more of endurance. If Barry Roubaix was on the schedule I would definitely drop distances. lol. 

At any rate....I am out there. Will probably get another ride or 2 in before the weekend. Fitness is way down.....but I think I can build it back up pretty quickly. Keep the rubber side down friends. 

Riley trails

NEEDING to ride a bike I loaded up Albert and headed to Riley Trails.

Why Riley? one might ask. Well, I had to get to Cross Country Cycle to get some footbeds and Riley is just around the corner. So I was killing two birds with one stone.

 Tom met me and we headed off down the trail with our fat bikes. I was on Albert. My 35 pound tank of a fatty with 3.5" tires. Tom was on his Mukluk with 4.5" tires....what a massive difference. lol. 

I did upgrade my fork to a carbon Carver O'Beast this year. That makes a massive difference actually. I bought the fork a few years ago and finally got it installed this winter. I have had this fat bike for years and barely have any miles on it. I am learning that it is a lot of fun to ride.

If you have never ridden at Riley I can tell you this...its a 4ish mile trail that is relatively flat with a bit of sand and one kicker that can be a pain. We got started and didn't have any issues. Then we did. I was leading and I missed a turn as the trail kicks out of the woods to an open area. There were some people walking and for some reason I went that way instead of turning. So we made it a bit before I was like....eh....we missed a turn. lol.  So we quickly made the jaunt back and were back on the trail. 

Being on the fat bike means I am learning how to ride it faster. It handles like a tank, but it has traction for days. We were clipping along at a decent pace. Passed a few hikers. We reached that kicker and both of us cleared it. We finished the first lap pretty fast and took a little breather. 

Second lap we caught a guy walking same direction as us. I could hear his radio but I yelled "riders back, can we get around you?" and the guy didn't even budge. So I yelled ON YOUR LEFT and he finally looked. But he looked at me with a look like he didn't give a rip that we were there. He never moved off the trail. Never acknowledged we were even there. We pressed on. Didn't seem like very long and we were back at the parking lot again. This is the cool thing about short laps...you get back fast.

We decided on a 3rd lap and headed out. This time I was starting to wonder about fatigue. With minimal riding since LJ100 I know my endurance is gone. So riding at a decent pace on a super heavy bike was starting to take its toll. We chugged along and reached that last climb again. This time I took off and downshifted (one too many gears). I was almost to the top and I spun the rear tire, losing traction and momentum. Ugh. Having to put a foot down on an easy trail is disheartening. lol. Tom made it....chose a better gear than I did.

We finished with about 12 miles total. Not bad and I feel great today. I will get to riding more consistent again now that things are hopefully settling down. I got the Anthem in pieces and plan to start selling parts here soon. I also tore the crank off the TCX and figured out that I needed a new bottom bracket. I have that in my hands and will get it installed tonight. Hopefully get a nice gravel ride in tomorrow.

As far as the Anthem goes....well....I had a friend reach out and say someone else would be trying to get ahold of me. Haven't heard from them yet, but I am guessing that maybe they didn't get anywhere either. I am resigned to the fact that I will never get what the warranty states. I can guarantee that I will never buy another Giant Bicycle for as long as I am riding.

Health update. With the lack of riding and poor food choices I did put a few pounds back on. Chris and I are back at it to lose more weight and be thinner for Hawaii. Overall I am feeling good and we are doing great, just need to get diet and exercise back on track. 

Hope you all are doing well! See you on the road, gravel, or trails.

Back at it!

 After a 3 week hiatus I am back on the bike. 

Why have I not been riding? Well, its simple....LIFE. In order to move forward you have do to the work to move forward. Moving in with Christine is a big step forward. Taking two households and combining them into one is no small feat. Getting 90% of the way there in 2-1/2 days was how we did it. Thanks to the massive help from our friend Stacie we managed to empty my apartment completely, move massive amounts of stuff to storage, and nearly empty Chris's apartment. This included all the furniture, televisions, freezer, 5 total bedrooms, one cat, and one dog. We buried ourselves for 2 full days to get it all done. 

How did we celebrate? By going to Cedar Point for 2 days. It was a good way to 'relax' for a few days after some major hard work. I say relax, because I walked around 8 miles each of the 2 days we were there. lol. Good times!

When we got back there was still a lot of work to be done. Bathroom fixtures, curtain rods, and organizing continued for the next week. We are now mostly settled and enjoying our rental house. 

Whew.

Last Thursday I planned to ride no matter what. While still fighting with Giant and determining that they are going to be no help, I brought home my road bike. Tom and I headed out for a quick 18 mile ride around the lake. I told him it was going to be a slow ride because I hadn't ridden in weeks. He joined anyway because riding solo is boring. We met just down the road from me and headed out. Around 7 miles in Tom says "I thought this was going to be a slow ride"....as we were cruising down Monroe. I was feeling pretty good, so I was just riding. Thankfully the legs didn't leave me on this ride. We got back closer to Tom's house and chatted for a bit before heading our separate ways. Solid ride to get back on the bike. 

Last night Lisa invited me to the TNR that R3 Cycling team has. I used to be part of their team, and life just put me on a different path. Still, I had not been on a group road ride in many many years. Gravel and mountain bike groups...yes....road...nope. There was five of us riding. Started tame enough as we headed south out of Kalamazoo. The route turned us into the wind and we all tucked into our group. 2-2-1. D and J were pulling for a long turn and then it was time for B and I at the front. D tucked into the group and we drove into the wind for a while before I peeled out and Lisa took my spot. Overall it was a solid group of people to ride with. Some varying levels of fitness to make it interesting. Always fun to tuck in behind a wheel and ride fast a few inches from another wheel. I didn't realize how much I have missed it. We managed 25 miles and all went our separate ways. Most shocking to me was that I felt good the whole ride. Maybe I needed the rest after a hard first half of the year. 

Its good to be back and I will be riding more consistent again. Got a lot of time before LJ100 in 2024 but I have to get the work done now. More miles and less weight. With no MTB for the moment I will be riding mainly gravel and road. However, I will take the fatbike out too for some love. With the new fork its a lot more fun to ride.

My strava does tell me that I have lost some major fitness though. My level was over 65 at lumberjack. The ride last night it was 33. So, clearly I have some work to get back to where I was and I hope to raise that number before The Fast Fitty in a few weeks. Hit me up if you wanna ride, I will be around! 

The GIANT downfall

 All good things come to an end. 

For me, this appears to be my long term relationship with Giant Bicycles. I currently own 3 of their bikes. I know many people that ride these bikes and have been very happy with their products. However, while the company makes some great bikes...the warranty department and customer service has gone downhill. 

I remember a few years go when Giant had an excellent rep for our area. He is a great human and just all around good dude. He would have made sure that his customers were taken care of. Now, the warranty people are offering less and less and pushing their customers away.

First off, I get it. As a big company you just can't give away the farm when something goes wrong. My Anthem SX is currently 8 years old. But, that shouldn't matter when the company offers a lifetime replacement warranty. If Giant isn't going to honor the warranty....WHY DO YOU OFFER  the warranty? To me, it is a shady operation. They say they will replace your frame if it breaks, but here I am fighting with them to get them to replace the frame that broke. They claim "this is an upgraded frame" from what I currently own. But I still don't believe that dropping almost a grand for a frame is considered a lifetime warranty. 

Frustrated.

Because I wasn't planning on buying a new bike right now....I don't have a bike budget right now. This means, I don't have a pile of hundreds laying around that I can drop on a frame. Then on top of that, I would need new wheels, fork, etc. because the broken bike is a 27.5 and the warranty purchased frame is a 29er. While I don't have an issue going to 29er, I would still need to drop 4k more to get it rideable.

So this is where I am.....rock....hard place.

Since Giant isn't going to budge....they are forcing me to budge. I won't be buying a replacement frame that should be free (in my mind). Instead, I will ride the other bikes I have for the remainder of 2023 and I will go back to Specialized bikes in the spring. This was going to be my plan anyway. Giant just drove the last nail in the coffin for me to make that decision. 

Goodbye to Giant Bicycles. I will not buy another bike from you. I will continue to ride the bikes that I do own, but I just can't justify spending thousands of dollars with a company that doesn't want to take care of its customers down the road. 

Take care.

Lumberjack 100 Race Recap

 There is no joy in Mudville....

Christine and I loaded up Thursday evening to head north. We made a quick stop to grab Lisa and off we went. We arrived at our airbnb and got settled in. Easy and relaxing Thursday night.

Friday we got up and headed to Manistee to get some groceries. In hindsight, we were 5 minutes from The Dublin store and should have just gone there. Next year. But we got our stuff and headed back to Wellston. Then it was time to head to Big M and pick out tent spot. We pulled in around 2 and lugged our tent down the start/finish area a bit. A lot of people were around getting set up. We picked a spot right where the start loop kicked into the main loop. Once we got back Lisa and I headed out for an easy spin on some local gravel. We got 11 flat and easy miles and then just relaxed until dinner. 

Lisa and I on our flat cruise

Saturday the alarm went off at 5am. Grabbed a banana and a couple of eggs and we were off. Lisa and I got to Big M around 5:40 and it was already bustling. We got set up and started getting ready. It was brisk, temps were in the 40's at this point. For it being middle of June I was seeing way too many coats and hats. Pretty soon it was time to roll around a bit. 

Lisa and I before the start!

Wave 3 for the start.

We lined up and it was almost time to go. Lisa and I started in Wave 3. It was so cool to see Rick Plite lined up to race. For those that know, Rick started this event and this was his first time ever racing it...as far as I know. Still cool to see him at the line!

Time to go!

Final announcements and it was time to roll. Pretty chill start. Nice 2 mile pavement section. Everyone was just kind of chatting and rolling along. Lisa and I dropped in behind a few riders. Everyone made the turn off the pavement onto the 2-track back to the team tent area. It was a pretty solid string of riders moving along thru this whole area. People trying to settle into their paces. We hit the tent area to a pile of cheers and applause. This is where the race really starts.....

This first section is climbing for nearly 2.5 miles. The first part isn't terrible. A gentle climb. I settled into the group and watched Lisa ride away. She is a better climber than me. I was holding my own on that first part. I could see riders strung out ahead of me for a long ways. It is nice, because it gives you an idea of what is coming. However....what was coming wasn't very nice. There are some major major kickers in these woods. The first one had a conga line of people pushing their bikes. Just gotta do what you can here. Ride a bit, walk the rest. No shame. Everyone is in good spirits still.

Then another kicker. And another. The group is starting to get spread out now as the reality of what we are attempting is starting to sink in. I grabbed another wheel and there was a decent group riding together still. All this, less than 10 miles in. ugh. I was in for a long day!

After that first section of climbing the course is much more enjoyable. It is rolling hills and sections all the way to the aid station. Its fun to hear them cheering, hooting and hollering as people ride thru. I opted not to stop and just kept moving forward. The next few miles were not fun. The section after the aid station was more big hills. Nasty steep hills. Some people were able to ride them, and major kudos to them. Majority of the masses were walking. The people were starting to thin out and spread across the Manistee National forest now. At this point, the leaders had already crossed the finish line and were chasing us. 

I hooked up with a few guys that were riding my pace. We all walked the hills and then cruised the rest. Good guys to ride with as they were my pace. We rode together for probably the last 6 or 7 miles of the first lap. Around 4 miles to go its a bench cut trail and is just slightly uphill. A fun section with beautiful scenery. Rick Plite was with me again. We bombed the Bushwaker descent together. It was so fast that I actually used my brakes. Not knowing the trail and not wanting to die I played it safe. We kept pushing on and eventually I saw some tents. Lap 1 was done!

I crossed the line in 3:50:06. At is stands....that is exactly 1 minute slower than 2015. I am on pace to reach my goal of making the cutoff time. 

I roll into the tent to restock water. I am filling my bottle when I hear "Hey baby!" and I look up to see Christine! Her, L2 and Glenna were there to cheer on Lisa and I. It was good to see her, but I was in full race mode. So I blew her a kiss and was ready to go again. L2 asked where Lisa was, and I was 400% confident she had already come thru. I said my goodbye's and headed out to tackle lap 2.

Little did I know that somewhere along the way I had passed Lisa. I haven't looked at the video yet, but I am guessing she was at the Aid Station when I rolled thru. She came thru about 7 minutes after I did....but I would have bet 100 bucks she was still ahead of me. lol. Funny what you can miss when you are riding....

Lap 2 started with that super nasty long climb. I cleared the first (easier) part and had to walk the kickers again. No worries....just keep going. At this point the riders were very spread out. I wasn't really riding with anyone but I was starting to suffer. Legs were not liking the amount of climbing this course offers. Surely something to work on in the future. I pressed on. I wasn't very far into that lap when I heard "Rider back".....and it was the eventual 2023 Lumberjack winner Jorden Wakeley. I didn't even make it 40 miles into the race this year and got smoked. That guy has always been a strong cyclist...but I shit my pants that he caught me that early. His awesome race ended with the coveted 10 year Saw. So awesome for him as well as the others that got their saw this year.

I settled into my pace and started riding with a single speeder named Bruce. We went back and forth all the way to the aid station. We both stopped and grabbed a snack. I looked at him and asked "you ready Bruce?" and he goes "YEP, lets get to it". So we rolled out again. There was a woman that had been back and forth with us as well. We all kind of suffered together on the next miles. Bruce had his chain come off. Then a flat. Eventually I was riding alone until I passed the woman again. Then I heard Lisa behind me. I heard her call out a pass and took a glace back to catch her jersey. Apparently I owe L2 an apology! ha! Here she was.

When she caught me I said "HEY SIS" and she was like "how did you know it was me??!!?". lol. We rode together for a short amount of time before a nice descent. We were just ramping up the speed when I heard a horrendous sound and felt my bike let loose. It felt like the rear brake went out.....and when I stopped to look I couldn't quite figure out what happened. I wiggled my rear wheel and it flopped like a banana peel. Bearings? Did I just blow apart my rear wheel? Still not knowing I urged Lisa to press on. The lady I had been riding back and forth with stopped to offer her cell but we didn't have service. All I could do was walk. 

I walked for a bit before I decided to really look into what was going on. Maybe I can ride the flats. I rolled about 50 feet before I looked down and saw this....

Needless to say....my race ended the moment I heard the pop. I just had to keep walking. My phone had died at this point...so I was kind of stuck. Thankfully I remembered my gopro has the same plug as my phone and connected it to my battery bank. Eventually I worked with Christine, Lisa, Summer, and the promoters to get out of the woods. I walked around 2.5 miles before I finally found a spot where SAG could get me. Was a terrible place for my bike to break. Was a cool SAG pickup as he is a guy that I know. Allen and I had a great chat on the way back to the parking lot. 

So....clearly not how I wanted this race to go. Not only did I miss the cutoff time, but I also came home with a busted bike. I would like to say that the weekend overall was good....but we had some pretty serious ups and downs. It was great to see some old friends like Mr. Shaver, the Bartzens, the Ackers, the TenCates and Mr. Wheeler. All of the cheering and support is greatly appreciated! This event wouldn't be the same without you! 

I will have some videos coming and will be sure to tag anyone I can. 

Again, BIG THANK YOU to the Lumberjack promoters and their volunteers. Your time and efforts never go un-noticed. You guys are the best people I know and you will always have my support! 

Massive thank you to Lisa for attempting this crazy event with me! I am so proud of you sis! You did an amazing job! I am so thankful to call you and your family my family. I love you more than you know! It was great to line up and ride with you literally from the beginning until the end. Your relentless support, motivation and listening ears have been more help than you can ever imagine. So Thank you for being you!

Finally, thank you to Christine! My love, you are there for me when I need it most. You have been supporting my decision to try this crazy event from the start. You helped me lose the weight I have lost. You encourage me to ride. You even woke up at 5 am on Saturday to wish me luck! When my bike was broken your first words were "we will get you another" which is silly! ***(a moment of honesty here, Chris might not know how much we really spend on bikes :) She is very new to what we do.)  You help keep me sane when I am at my darkest. You offered me all your positive vibes on Saturday when you had bad news hanging on you. Thank you baby for being there for me and helping to push me forward. Of all of us, you were the one that said "you will do it next year". You know we are nuts, yet you give us your support anyway. Thank you woman. I love you.

Lumberjack 100 preview

 It really seems like this race got here too fast....

Fast....ha....extremely relative term.

For me, the LJ100 isn't about fast. Its about finishing. So there is a semblance of speed in that statement. With a cutoff time I have to be "fast enough" to make the cutoff time. But once that is reached....finishing is key. 

Lets take a look at the course. Not once, not twice, but 3 times around this track designed by Matt Acker. There is a solid mix of mainly singletrack with a few fire roads and some normal roads mixed in. What is not shown is the Start. We will start at Big M and ride a couple of miles out before looping into the woods and arriving back at the start of the lap below. I will have to make it around this lap twice in under 8 hours and 15 minutes to make the cutoff time. Yes, there will be a ton of people finished and on their way home by then. That doesn't matter....its my goal. 

Here are some of the segments on this course. 

I remember parts of the course from when I rode it in 2015. I know the climb out of the finish/lap area is brutal. It will be about surviving that climb. I know there are many others that will be tough. I also know this route is a bit different than 2015. The Fire tower section is different. There was a super nasty nearly vertical climb out of there that I only recall a few people ever riding. Most had to get off and walk...just like me. ;)

My guess is that this will be similar to the Hanson Hills 50 conditions....hopefully a bit less sand. Terrain wise....foliage wise....its close. I recorded over 82 feet of climbing per mile at Hanson. According to the info above the Lumberjack course will be about 73 1/2 feet per mile. So....less? No....but per mile its less. Sure the LJ100 is 2x as long, but here is why I bring this up.

I raced Hanson specifically to test for LJ100. What I learned is that I was solid for 25 miles. But I paid the price for starting and riding so hard....and my second lap suffered. It was a good simulation of what I would be dealing with on Saturday. Hills. I know what I am in for....a long awesome day on the bike. 

Does less climbing per mile mean I will be faster than I was at HH50? Unlikely. Its just a number. But it gives you an idea of how difficult this race will be. As with all the other events I have been watching videos to get an idea again of the course. With 30 plus miles...I won't remember it...but it might give me an idea of where I am on the course. I also have the course downloaded so I can get an accurate location. My computer showing my mileage will be a big enough indicator that I really won't need the course. I just need to focus on riding steady.

Steady efforts. That is what this race will be for me. Not jumping off the line and riding 20 plus mph on the pavement just to be with people. LP is coming and I haven't really talked to her about her strategy yet, but we will do that Thursday and Friday. I know for me the story of the Tortoise and the hare. In this story the Hare will finish long before me, but the slow and steady approach will get me to the finish line for my own accomplishment. 

I just had the thought that some readers might not know what the Lumberjack 100 is. Well, if you click here you can check it out. It is a full fledged 100 mile mount bike race in the woods of Big M recreation area in Udell Hills just outside of Manistee, MI. In 2015 it took me just over 12 hours to finish. The winners were much much faster. I have close friends that were in that 10 hour range. Strong riders. Its just a different type of event. Some of the beasts will crush it. Some will drop out. Some, like me, will be ecstatic with a finish. Its the journey that will define us.

So....now what. Well, I have a few goals. Lets dig in.

1. Make the cutoff time. This one has to happen for the rest to happen. I know I have plenty of time and I know I can do it...now I have to execute. 
2. Finish. When I make the cutoff all I have to do is keep going. The finish line won't go anywhere. So tick that first box and this box will take care of itself.
3. Sub 12 hours. This one is where the grey area starts. Not a hard goal, but I would love to be faster than I was in 2015. I was way on pace to do this at the HH50. However, I was tanking and cannot do that at this event. I plan to temper my first lap so I can finish strong...similar to how I rode the Cow Pie last week. 
4. Don't be last. Even if I am that will be ok....but I really don't want to be last. DFL>DNF....but man are these 2 close for me.
5. Don't tank mentally. After I make the cutoff time I will have 32 miles to have my brain fight me. I will focus on positive and little course goals to keep my motivation going. 

So there it is. The work is done. Now its time to put it all together and get a finish. It will be a birthday present to myself....as Saturday is my 47th birthday. If anyone is there, say HI. Hope to see some old friends and some new. 

Cow Pie Classic Long Haul Race Review

 How did the Cow Pie Classic go.....

It started with a trip to Ionia. I can say that in all my years in Michigan that this was the first time I had ever been there. My drive up was quiet. I liked the last part of the drive where the road dropped down to the river. I rolled in and saw where everyone was parking. I followed suit and parked before heading to the Ionia Theatre for packet pickup. Cool little theatre reminded me of The Regent in Allegan. Neat that the towns hold onto their culture still. I grabbed my packet and headed back to the car. 

Since I replaced my valve stems and went tubeless on the TCX I have had some issues with my pump. Not sure if its the pump...the stems...or a combo. But I had to borrow a pump. Big shout out to Main Street Bicycle Company for having a tent right by me and letting me borrow a pump. Much appreciated!

It was time to do a little warmup. With 63 miles ahead of me I didn't want to do a major spin, just a bit to get my legs moving. I know that this course has a few climbs right off the bat so I didn't want to start cold, just a little warm. I headed down the Fred Meijer trail that is right there. There is a really nice bridge here to ride over. I headed down the trail a bit just easy spinning. 

Legs were feeling pretty good overall. A ride earlier in the week they felt what I can only describe as "chunky". Like there were chunks of muscle that didn't want to work. Once I got further into the ride that went away...and this is what I was trying to avoid with a short warmup. I rolled back over the bridge and into downtown Ionia for the lineup. Heard my name and it was Dale saying Hi. Make sure you check out his events later this year. Either the Fast Fitty or Custers Last Stand. Great guy, great causes, fun events. 

Then it was time to line up. Looking at my number plate I was wave 1. There was a lot of confusion here as people were all mingled together trying to get to the front. A lot of Long Haul riders were trying to get to the right wave. I couldn't really hear the announcements but they were saying that Singlespeed and Clydesdales should start at the 9:06 wave....but my number plate said 9am. Not being able to fully understand....I started with the Elite Long Haul wave. They played the national anthem and a single prop plane did a flyover. Pretty cool actually. 

Then it was go time. I was towards the back and by the time I got to the Start/Finish line the group was decimated. There was the big group up the road and a string of riders all the way back and past me. LOL. I chatted with a few other riders and just settled into my pace. The first paved sections had more climbing than my body prefers that early in a race. Nothing like starting uphill. lol. But I managed to hold my pace until Welch Wall. I was halfway up when I heard a train coming. This was the wave that started after me and there was a huge group. They came charging past with a few even sneaking past on the right side of me. I was as far right as I could get...but some still found some room. By the time I got to the top...that group was gone too. lol. Strong riders for sure.

I settled into my pace and just rode how I wanted to ride. I made sure to drink every 10ish minutes. This was a big issue last week. I had to ensure to get my calories in and stay hydrated during this race. I made it a point to keep that intake where it needed to be. Twenty miles in I started to see a few people ahead of me. There were still some riders passing too. I was alone, but not completely alone. I eventually reeled in a few riders. So far, everything was going according to plan. I did catch a guy and we chatted a bit. This was his first race ever. He was shocked by the elevation...lol. I told him this was a flatter race....and he was surprised. I was driving into the wind on a paved climb and figured he would maybe take a pull next.....but I dropped him. As I was riding my own pace I just kept going.

I finally hit the Jessup Road climb. Worse than I imagined. lol. I climbed as far as I could and had to get off for a walk. My feet were starting to hurt, so it was good timing. The hill was steeper and longer than I thought it would be. It wasn't a very fun walk either....riding would have been better....but I it was time for a walk. I had caught a guy towards the bottom, but he cleared the climb and made a gap again. 

I settled back into my pace knowing the first farm section was coming soon. Around mile 40 I had caught that guy again. We made the turn into the first farm section right into a sandy 2-track. I heard "what the fuck!?!?" and it was my thoughts exactly. lol. He pointed out the grassy section on the side and we managed to get into some sort of rhythm. This wasn't even the worst part....but the 2-track was pretty long and it was very sandy. Then we kicked off the track into the woods and a bumpy grassy section before getting back onto normal gravel. Not a great section for me, but I made it thru unscathed. 

The next section of gravel was awful. It was pure washboard for what seemed like miles. I honestly don't know because I was so crosseyed from all the bumps. I was on the right side, the left side, back to the right, down the middle, left side again, right middle...middle...left....all the way to the right. There simply wasn't a good line anywhere. It sucked. But I made it....and managed to leave the guy that had been riding with me. I reached the second section of farm. The first part wasn't terrible. Sandy and rocky farm road leading into the woods. Then it was quiet and peaceful in the shadowed woods. Worst part....I thought I was back on my mtb and didn't plan for the abuse I would take. There were a few roots and rocks and I forgot I was on a full rigid carbon cross bike. I took a few hard hits and then remembered to right was I describe as "lite" on the bike. The trees gave way to the last section of open farm. This section was absolutely awful. I had heard horror stories, but riding it was so much more real. I wanted to walk....I wanted to stop. But I just put my head down and kept pushing the pedals slowly taking a total beating across the field. I finally got to the barn and managed to clear the entire section before hitting the gravel. Brutal. 

Took me a few minutes to get settled back into my pace. With about 15 miles to go I had to keep pushing to the line. I got to the point where the signs said "2nd time" with the arrows and I remembered another jaunt up Welch Wall. By now, 54ish miles in, I was slowing down and my feet were killing me. I rode part of the way up and just decided to walk and give my feet a break from pedaling. I got to the top and I got back on to finish the course.

One last farm section. I actually reached it before I thought I would. I made the right into the farm and about lost it in the big rocks. It wasn't gravel. It was big chunky loose rocks that they had laid for their driveway. Perfect for cars, hard for bikes with skinny tires. Thankfully it was pretty short and I was in the grass. This time the grass was smoother. The grass gave way to the woods and a fast trail thru. It was pretty fun for while it lasted before I kicked out onto the Fred Meijer trail again. This time it was peat gravel and it was just a nice calm part of the ride. Getting closer to the finish. One more left and back onto the gravel for the home stretch back into Ionia. 

I thought it was flat the entire way back. But there was one more kicker that snuck up on me. With 2 volunteers directing traffic at the top I didn't want to walk. So I stood and climbed until I reached the top. They cheered and said good job, letting me know it was only 3 miles to go. It was all paved....but I was running out of gas. A little false flat and I finally saw the pavement give way to brick...knowing I was almost there. As I rolled into the finish area all I could do was laugh. The barriers were being taken down and there were only a handful of people. Ghost Town. Everyone was over at the brewery around the corner for the awards and food. Done and dusted. Not last. 

I slow rolled to my car and just sat and relaxed for a while. I had done it. While I didn't clip my soft goal....I was only 11 minutes away from it. I took 5th out of 7 in my category. 138th out of 154 in the Men's category. Not a bad day. 

As this was my final test before Lumberjack I am very happy with how the race went. I started and finished exactly how I wanted I wanted. I felt solid the whole race. Yes, I was getting tired, but this is a long event that gets harder as you go. Most events do, but you add in those farm sections and you have to save some energy. At that 45 mile mark in Dirty Donut I was suffering. Here I was able to push thru a nasty field and keep going thru the entire race....slow or not. Making sure that I was getting my calories in was important and worked for this race. Mentally I was also in a good place. I enjoyed the ride and the struggle versus letting a tough section of gravel or a nasty climb get into my head and shutting me down. Win. 

Overall it was a good day. I felt wrecked when I got finished...just like I should have been. I was able to build my confidence in a race scenario with both my mental toughness and my nutrition plan. In just a few days I have my major goal for 2023 on the schedule. I will have an in-depth post on that later. For now, I am happy with my day and ready for the next challenge. 

Thank you to the promoters for the Cow Pie Classic for a fun event. Thank you to all the volunteers for your support. 

Keep moving forward!