Feb. 18, 2017

The inaugural Mayodan Mountain Bike Classic. 

I was happy with my race. I entered the woods in 5th place and was right with 4th until one of the bigger rock gardens, I didn’t pick a good line and was launched from the bike.

Luckily I landed on my feet and started the hunt again, this picture is when I caught 4th on the dam.

On the podium!

I was able to ride away and rode hard the last lap, catching 3rd riding home a very low pressure tire.

My laps times: 19:17, 18:50, 18:49 and 18:18 – negative split each lap to finish 3:23 behind the winner! My first MTB race in over a year and the first on the Scott Scale!

Feb. 15, 2017

Chasing sunlight home…. can’t wait for longer days.

Jan. 14, 2017

Crossing Low Water Bridge in the Uwharrie National Forest.

My friend from my Fayetteville days Chris ask me to join him scouting roads for a gravel grinder ride/race in a couple of weeks.

Not all of them worked out as planned, a little hike a bike, but a great day in the woods!

Dec. 5, 2016

I knew it was cold but wasn’t ready for the fog. I hate 40 degree rides, not cold enough for my real cold weather gear, and my medium gear doesn’t do enough. Still great to get out in the morning!

Nov. 25, 2016

I love riding in Harbison State Forest in Columbia, SC. A couple of years ago I won my only Southern Classic MTB Series race on the course and a couple of year’s later clinched a State Mountain bike championship on it. Today was no different, even after I snapped a chain (I had the parts and tools with me for a change) , I love the flow!

Nov. 22, 2016

What an afternoon for a ride!

Nov. 20, 2016

Came home and went mountain biking in Greensboro.

The family came and enjoyed a walk in woods and the dog park for Kodak.

Nov. 13, 2016

Back to ‘cross. The season is half over and this was only my 3rd race. The first two showed I had no speed, but today was better. I love the course at Salisbury and after starting next to the last row, I climbed through the field to finish 30th of the 49. With the talented racers in my field, I was happy, had a great battle with several guys I used to race around, and even caught and passed the jerk (work friendly term) that rammed into me on the first lap.

 

Nov. 7, 2016

Bike Love. I have an hour loop (really diamond shaped) that I ride on weekdays, it’s 16 miles and rolling hills. The past few weeks I had been getting close to averaging 17mph for the loop (in fact the last couple were 15.9, 16.6, 16, 14.8) but I really thought I could break 17mph for my avg. Today I took my 1997 Trek 5000 OCLV for the ride, the bike is set up as a triathlon bike, including race tires and classic 90’s Spinergy wheels.

Through mile 15, I was averaging 19mph and the last mile uphill dropped my ride to 18.7. (Damn a new goal -19?) but very excited after today’s ride.

I bought this bike in 1997 after I signed up for my first Ironman (1998 Ironman Canada) and it took me to all 8 Ironman finishes, plus dozens of Half-Ironmans, and who only knows how many shorter races. It was my only road bike for years and if I had to guess, has well over 10,000 miles on it…. easy.

Oct. 15, 2016 (The rest of the day)

The day started before dawn for the drive to Lenoir and the first race of the 2016-17 North Carolina Cyclocross Series. Turns out tennis does not help one bit for cycling – I finished about 5 from dead last, but this picture from Sam captures the moment… this is the last lap and coming out of the last turn, the lap before I had caught this guy but took a beer hand-up (illegal, but it’s ‘cross) and had to work to catch him again, as I started my sprint, the chain slipped (why I am about to go over the bars) so no fun sprint to the line for us.

Then Sam and I visited Henry River Mill Village (it’s own post) and headed for a hike a part of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail to the Upper and Lower Gragg Prong Waterfalls and Hunt-Fish Falls. We got a late start, and I decided to turn around before it got dark, as it was it was after 5:30 when we got back to the truck.

Cruising along dirt roads in the mountains

Finally we got on the foggy Blue Ridge Parkway and headed for a campground for the night.

Dinner, a small fire, a quick card game and off to bed!