So checking this world wide web thing Friday night and all the news type websites were talking about the hurricane. Good news is that it headed north, the bad news is that it is causing a lot of damage higher up on the east coast. Hopefully people evacuated when they were told to.
But since it did head north, that left the central part of North Carolina free of rain (at least of any real measure) and on a dark and windy morning my journey to Uwharrie for the Battle of the Carolina's started. Driving my box on wheels with a bike on top in high wings is always an adventure, but eventually me and my trusty pit crew, the Burrower, made it in plenty of time for the start.
After checking in and putting on my number plate (Number 2, this is the lowest number I had ever gotten, almost made me feel like a ringer) I headed to the start line for the pre-race meeting. These were the events in chronological order. If you notice there was no warm up. Im supposed to ride 50 miles, I don't see the need to ride 2-3 to warm up. After talking with the MaddSS, DirtyBikeLoveDave, the Mutt, and a few other of the usual suspects it was time for the race to start. I took my place in the back of the group and then headed off.
Now this course is no typical Charlotte trail, this is like the mountains, real climbing, rocky and rooty descents, and I would soon find out that I just was not ready for it. The course was a 5 lap 10 mile loop. It had been a while since I had ridden there, but I figured by the 5th lap I would know the course pretty well.
The first lap was pretty uneventful, just the normal hustle and bustle of people changing up positions and figuring out their pace. The climbs were brutal, but I avoided the granny ring for the first lap and was able to power through at a pretty good pace. After the brutal climbs comes the bone shaking descents. My body was not ready for these either. My bike and my body (which luckily was attached to the bike) were getting shaken up real bad. But lap one finished without incident.
The second lap was pretty much the same, touch climbs, still feeling good, brutal downhills etc. Nothing much to report there. It is when I came through on my 3rd and just happened to be final lap. There was a mild climb right after the fire road and my body was done. Legs just stopped working. No cramps, no pain, just no power. I back-tracked to the pit area and saw the burrower ready with her camera, waiting for me to come through. We talked a little bit and then my fearless leader Bart convinced me it was all in head. I went out on another lap. This lap was painful. I walked up most the uphills, (which was a lot) and then rode the brakes on the downhills hoping to smooth out the ride. It didn't work. When I dismounted the bike to walk, my vision got blurry. As much as I wanted to finish this race, I don't believe it was in the cards for that day.
As the burrower often points out, "you are closer to 30 than 20 right now". Physically that is true. I can't expect to go ride for 50 miles, when the most I had done all summer at one time is 20. This type of thing happens when you grow up I am guessing, traveling, weddings, time with friends, and I just didn't put in the miles I needed to complete this goal. I hate to sound like a Chicago Cubs fan, but there is always next year. Sorry for being long winded without any picture, but here yo go, the burrower set up shop at the start/finish line and took a few, at least while I was doing the last few miles of trail.
Me cruising through the last 2 miles.
The Mutt on Patrol
Chase cruising on through.
Daniel on a SS rigid, he regretted this lack of a suspension.
