Race Day!Friday, December 25, 2009
Friday, November 27, 2009
Black Friday...TTM Style
Proper Attire for starters.
Add a dash of water.
One sprig of woodland finely diced.
Toss in a whole bowl full of friends.
Several ounces of shredded corn rows!(Which by the way is the only approved method for corn rows!)
Marinate in the sun for a few hours.
Keep marinating.
Careful now, it's almost ready.
Damn to much special sauce.
She is behind this I see.
ORDER OUT!
Marinate in the sun for a few hours.
Keep marinating.
Careful now, it's almost ready.
Damn to much special sauce.
She is behind this I see.
ORDER OUT!Saturday, November 7, 2009
BT EPIC
October 25 th 2009 was a bittersweet day... The last mountainbike race of the season... Not knowing if we had a sitter, Jim opted to ride the tour and I was going to do the race. Lining up Sunday morning, with the usual suspects, I looked at it as a group ride and set a goal of about 7 hours.. Deep down I wondered about my legs and what I could expect from them coming off the Burnin' just 2 weeks ago.. There was also a chance of rain to make things interesting.
After crossing the make shift bridge at the water crossing, thank you Scott, I knew the gravel would be tough on my SS so I just pedaled and looked forward to the singletrack. The trail was covered in leaves but otherwise in good shape. I reached Brazil Creek and saw a bike and a helmet, hmmm. Getting to the switchback I see a guy being carried down on a board. After about 10 minutes we are able to pass. The volunteers apologize for "holding you guys up". Not necessary. I said a short prayer for him and moved on..
At mile 21 I got to see Jim , who was surprised to see me so soon. Jim is an awesome pit crew, as many of you found out.. He gave me some liquid fuel, an apple and a bagel I shoved in my bra for later. He then informed me that my teammate, Mason Storm, was only a few minutes ahead of me. After crossing the Hwy I already knew I would be in for a walk on the longer climb, so I made sure to ride the steep short one. I came upon another rider and asked if he had seen Storm.. He had .. Storm was close. I started yelling " Storm, I am coming to snap your wrists.." Finally I caught him. He was " just chillin". I had the pleasure of riding with him until the road climb back to Berryman. My downhills arent very fast, but I can climb pretty well.
Jim pushed me through very quickly. Yea, finally to our piece of adopt-a-trail.. I know this well and was able to reach Beecher in record time.. The rain wasnt so bad until about now. Wet, cold, and tired I reminded myself that there was BEER at the finish. Keep going.
Around mile 43 I was surprised to see Jim and Doug Busken, who gave me a much needed jacket. About mile 45 I realized I had no brakes after I hit the first of 3 trees . I have experience with hitting trees and am tougher than I look. But, how am I going to stop on the gravel downhills ???
The mud was thick and took a lot out of me. I was thrilled to hit the gravel, or so I thought. I had wished I had a mask on to deflect the gravel from hitting me in the face and eyes. Finally , the last downhill . I squeezed my brake levers as hard as I could and was able to make the turn, screaming though. The guy behind me was not as lucky, and hit the fence. I dreaded the water cross but then realized I was already wet, so it was not a big deal.. I could hear the party and smell the beer by now. I finished at 7 hours and 49 minutes, with a huge smile. I felt great and wished there was 10 more miles left. I am confident that my 7 hour goal would have been within reach if conditions had been better. Next year!!
Special thanks to God, for my strength and safety, Jim for being so supportive, the volunteers for making it all happen,Jason Pryor for the preride pasta, Busken for the jacket which is finally clean,and finally to SHE-RA my bike {Specialized SS Rockhopper } that made it all possible.
Congrats to Loreen, Karen, and Christine for spectacular finishes. Way to go Kevin Bonney, at 17, was the youngest finisher. It was a pleasure talking to Clayton Bell and Garth Possner , who I think is amazing and want to join his " fan club" . And a high five to Mitch, Dwayne and Keeven for making the shirt. Thursday, November 5, 2009
Hijacked for a great cause!
There is still time for YOU to make a difference in the future. The future of hiking, trail running, and mountain biking in the St. Louis area can and will change this Saturday forever!
Are you willing to let it happen without you?
Can you rake leaves, nip a wayward branch, swing a pulaski, or tame a rouge hoe?
Can you spare 4 hours of your day?
Can you eat a free lunch?
Can you carry home some free swag?
If you can answer YES to any of the above then why not be a part of the change?
Change This!
To this!
Go put your name on the list and show your friends you are going to make a change in the future.
Make your way to the parking lot at the "Mound" as we will be shuttling into the worksite from there.
Directions
7295-7317 Missouri 94, Weldon Spring, MO 63304
Over 1 mile of new trail is waiting to spring forth from your hoe!
Bring a friend!
What to expect ?
Workdays are at the core of what GORC is all about. They are the reason the club was founded: to build trails that we are able to ride and enjoy for years to come. While the work is hard, you'll probably find that in addition to being very rewarding, you might find yourself having a lot of fun as well. At the very least, you will have a different perspective on trails when you ride over a section that you helped build yourself. You don't have to be a GORC member, and there's no experience necessary to participate. Workdays are led by experienced Crew Leaders who will explain trailbuilding technique and show you how to use the tools properly.Here's what to expect at a typical GORC Workday, which usually takes place from 9am to 1pm on a Saturday, including a few things you might want to bring to make the experience more enjoyable:General Items:-Water is sometimes, but not always provided. Most people either wear a Camelbak, or bring their own water bottle, just in case.-Snacks. While food is provided after the workday, it isn't usually available during the workday itself. You might want to bring an energy bar in case you get hungry.-Glasses. To keep flying debris out of your eyes. Glasses are sometimes provided, but you can wear your cycling glasses.-Insect repellent. Some of the parks where we work have loads of ticks, so it's a good idea to bring this.-Gloves. You'll definitely need these. A pair of work gloves is best, but you can wear cycling gloves too.-BootsClothing:The intensity of the work can vary depending on whether you're doing light maintenance with loppers, or benchcutting with digging tools. Most people wear long pants and dress in layers so that they can make themselves comfortable as they go along. If you plan on attending a lot of workdays, you might want to invest in a pair of gaiters.Tools:Tools are provided by GORC or the land agency we're working with. Many GORC members have purchased their own tools. If you have loppers, or a tree saw, you might want to bring them, but they aren't necessary.Children/Dogs:Most of the land agencies will allow you to bring children, but some have minimum age requirements to do actual work. If you want to bring them, you'll have to make sure they are prepared for getting into things like poison ivy, and alert for insects and other critters. You will also be responsible for keeping them away from any possibly dangerous situations where trailwork is going on. The same goes for dogs. You'll have to obey the rules regarding leashes which vary from park to park.Weather:Since the number of workdays is limited by season, we do our best to go through with every workday unless the weather tells us otherwise. Light rain and snow are not usually things that will stop a workday, but weather which makes it unsafe to travel, or makes the trails unsuitable for a particular task is. For example we've canceled a workday at Klondike to repair some switchbacks because the trails were just too muddy to get any useful work done on such a steep hillside. We got snowed on during the construction of the Rollercoaster at Castlewood, but it turned out to be a very productive workday, albeit cold and wet. Common sense usually prevails and the decision on whether or not to go ahead will be made by the Steward and posted on the forum, so if there is any doubt, check there before heading out.After the workday is over, food is provided by a donation from a sponsoring bike shop, and some schwag is usually given away. Weather permitting, a ride on the new trail then takes place so you can enjoy the fruits of your labor! If you have any other questions regarding a workday you wish to attend, don't hesitate to post it in the forum. Remember, GORC is an all-volunteer organization, and without your help we wouldn't be able to have so many great places to ride in the Metro St. Louis area. See you at the next workday!
Monday, October 12, 2009
Burnin' at the Bluff 2009
The blog title picture is the reaction you get when your name is called to climb to the top of the podium on your cherry poppin' trip to the Burnin' at the Bluff!
When you rock it on a singlespeed mountain bike for 10.36 hours covering 5 laps totaling 65 miles while rockin' one of your awesome sponsors swag and drinkin' their beer and over the speakers you hear 12 hour Solo Female ....1st place is ...... Team Seagal's own .... Wendy Davis you get the following picture!
From getting a jersey from the team in March as the biggest fan for your birthday, to rocking the podium in first place as a teammate, you can't get any happier!
....workin' like a soldier, dreamin' of said podium.
I think the burning sheep had the last word...
You awesome peeps at MESA Cycles sure throw down one helluva moutain bike event!
Thanks!
Special thanks to ICCC for the great pasta dinner and the 2 dozen chocolate chip cookies I ate!
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Monday, September 28, 2009
Just another TTM Friday!
Bet you wish your Friday's were like this...
I would show you Saturday and Sunday...
but, you couldn't handle it!
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Base Jumping beginnings and Binder Lake endings.
Once upon a time a little trail monster climbed a rock, and then another rock and another. 
Soon a little trail monster was bored with merely climbing rocks. So why not kick it up a notch and jump instead of climb down. Her form is perfect, never taking her eyes off her landing mark. Touchdown. I think a base jumper is born... please feel free to donate to her co-pay account.
Before you question her atire...think again...Daddy did not dress her...this was a solo mission and she rocks the hiking boots, pink socks, mini-skirt, and satin Mickey-n-Minnie shirt!
Binder Lake 6 hour Mariachi festival. I now fully understand why there are so many Mexican eateries in the great land of Missouri. The residents of Jeff City have taken to Mariachi music with a gusto. Thus, the sounds echo in the surrounding woodlands and I even had a sighting of trumpeter playing while tied to a large oak tree. It had the faint resemblance of a scene from Deliverance. All I know is "ya keep on pedalin' ur bike boy". To recover from visions such as this it takes a bit of time and therapy. Delicious Ice Cold PBR's help one to come back to reality. Ahh that's it...
Soon a little trail monster was bored with merely climbing rocks. So why not kick it up a notch and jump instead of climb down. Her form is perfect, never taking her eyes off her landing mark. Touchdown. I think a base jumper is born... please feel free to donate to her co-pay account.
Before you question her atire...think again...Daddy did not dress her...this was a solo mission and she rocks the hiking boots, pink socks, mini-skirt, and satin Mickey-n-Minnie shirt!
Binder Lake 6 hour Mariachi festival. I now fully understand why there are so many Mexican eateries in the great land of Missouri. The residents of Jeff City have taken to Mariachi music with a gusto. Thus, the sounds echo in the surrounding woodlands and I even had a sighting of trumpeter playing while tied to a large oak tree. It had the faint resemblance of a scene from Deliverance. All I know is "ya keep on pedalin' ur bike boy". To recover from visions such as this it takes a bit of time and therapy. Delicious Ice Cold PBR's help one to come back to reality. Ahh that's it...Race RECAP: Rain, mist, and very little sunshine with temps in the 70's. Perfect for a day of hard packed dirt singletrack. LeMans start, so I took the first lap, I had a great start near the front of the pack, but alas, not fast enough to pass the kid on the run. Upon entering the single track I could tell we were in for some aggressive riding to break this pack up. Brakes for every turn, and then...yup tires were rubbin' my back wheel. Given I am holding steady at 210, it would take a bit more to move me. Next thing I hear is "The gaps gettin' to big, move on" and then "Pass that kid!", and then "Somebody tell that kid to move or he is gonna get kicked in the ditch!" I almost fell off my bike laughing, until I felt the rub again and realize I may have bitten off way more than I could chew being in the front. Eventually the kid left a gap and I shot through the brush for the pass, and right on my wheel the one and only "pFoodman". Could it be the always gracious Ralph was ready to kick a kid in the ditch? I gave up the spot just to make sure he didn't kick me to the ditch. I was way over geared for the course. 34x20 was to much with the short steeps, I just couldn't keep the speed in the climbs and that cost me alot of extra effort. After the first few climbs and the view of Ralphs butt was gone, the trail opened up and I was alone and unmotivated to push on. I almost thought I missed a turn as I didn't hear even a chainslap. The ups were good grunts and the downs were very fast...almost toooo fast. I knew every downhill I would have to push my limits to stay in contention as the climbs were killin me. The first lap left one small bunny headless in the middle of a turn. Guess he zigged when he shoulda zagged. The grassy fields were my real downfall. Why is it that a climb in the woods can be tough but a climb in the open grass fields it is downright punishing? I seem to fall apart in places that SS should excel. The transistions went smooth, handing Wendy the baton and sending her out on a seek and destroy mission. We both ran the same gearing so I knew the battle she was entering. My first lap was 47 minutes. I think the heavy traffic early on cost me at least 5 minutes as my later laps were all in the area of 41-42 minutes. I was struggling to make a sub 40, but just couldn't quite hit it. I do beleive the fuel was getting better. The first lap I had Heed and Cytomax pre race and then water on the bike. The Heed was not friendly, so I switched up when Tamminator offered me some Perpetum. That was the trick. All laps after that went much better. I would only fuel between laps as I had about 50 minutes of down time. Wendy was rockin' out great times, but then lap 2 started having mechanicals. The damn dropouts seemed to start sliding when she would power up the steeps. That was the same problem I had with the Rockhopper. Guess it's time for a new configuration...or better yet a Kona! Ok, so the Kona is on hold until the new bike fund is replenished. Until then I will look at installing a spacer kit or wheel tensioner system of some sort.
My 4th and final lap, I went out about 5 minutes behind Coach. So my mission was to catch him. I went out with a good pace to do just that...until I rolled up on Sonya T...then my mission changed...why chase coach with the scenery back here. Soon she was having none of this tailing and forced me to pass on the rocky climb. In the distance I could hear a chainslap coming on fast, and I got a glimpse. White Mesa jersey...yup Christine Ford was moving through and a I felt I needed to stay away. So I pushed and pushed to keep away until I mentally broke down and just yelled out through the woods for her to "put me out of my misery". Little did I know that at that very instance I had snapped her wrists and she was dropping into granny for a spin to the finish. I guess my pleas fired up her carnivorous instincts. She closed the gap as we entered the big field, and as she passed I felt my own wrists snap and shame came over me for giving in with only 2 miles to go. Having left the start line without my Samurai sword I could not end it all right there, so I powered on and grabbed her wheel as we passed Conan pushing his bike with a broken chain. That is one big F'n mountain biker. Fear of falling prey to him I dug deep and hung on Christine's wheel until the second grassy field climb, and then when I heard the clicky things going off I knew she was dropping into spin mode, so I stood up and cranked for all my worth. Besides...that big F'n dude is still back there...and he was not going to take my bike...maybe hers but not mine. As I exited the field I realized I had opened enough of a gap that I would finish ahead in the battle and save face, thus no need for the sword and the final round of seppuku.
At transistion Wendy was standing there sans her bike...damn that means she wants to ride mine. She snatched it from hands and made a couple of adjustments and rolled out on her final lap. The above picture is her after finishing the race and her fastest lap yet. Not sure why but she agrees that my bike is much faster than hers. So fast that at one point she had to wrestle it to the ground in a sharp turn just to show who was in charge. It must have been an epic battle as they both returned with scrapes, bruises and even chunks of earth strewn about them. Of course with a few cold PBR's to toast our finish as teammates and members of the most respected team in all of mountain biking "TEAM SEAGAL", we conclude that all is right in this world.
In lieu of a podium appearance, Wendy chose to have her picture taken with the one and only Ralph "pFoodman" Pfremmer . I chose to keep my distance as I wasn't sure if he still had a kick in the ditch pheeling about him. Oh and a Nice round of applause goes out to Nick of Team Red Wheel and all of his assistants in putting on a Most Excellent race! (Lower left of the pic IN the boots)
At transistion Wendy was standing there sans her bike...damn that means she wants to ride mine. She snatched it from hands and made a couple of adjustments and rolled out on her final lap. The above picture is her after finishing the race and her fastest lap yet. Not sure why but she agrees that my bike is much faster than hers. So fast that at one point she had to wrestle it to the ground in a sharp turn just to show who was in charge. It must have been an epic battle as they both returned with scrapes, bruises and even chunks of earth strewn about them. Of course with a few cold PBR's to toast our finish as teammates and members of the most respected team in all of mountain biking "TEAM SEAGAL", we conclude that all is right in this world.
In lieu of a podium appearance, Wendy chose to have her picture taken with the one and only Ralph "pFoodman" Pfremmer . I chose to keep my distance as I wasn't sure if he still had a kick in the ditch pheeling about him. Oh and a Nice round of applause goes out to Nick of Team Red Wheel and all of his assistants in putting on a Most Excellent race! (Lower left of the pic IN the boots)
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Berryman Duathlon 2009
The long awaited post. 
Psst Check out the new kit! It's official Team Trail Monster are now members of Team Seagal!
The following picture shows just what lack of proper fuel can do to you in an endurance race. Our transition area is trashed, because I could not stay organized or focused.
Wendy took 3rd in the 12 hour Women's division and I didn't.
She won another pair of awesome Salomon shoes. Hardly looks like she just ran 18.6 miles and rode 48 miles at Berryman. 18,000 feet of climbing in 12 hours.
Psst Check out the new kit! It's official Team Trail Monster are now members of Team Seagal!The following picture shows just what lack of proper fuel can do to you in an endurance race. Our transition area is trashed, because I could not stay organized or focused.
Special thanks to Todd Holtman for saving me from a face plant bonk and sharing the top secret Rocket Fuel. Result of Rocket Fuel below.
10 minutes into this walk/run of the 4th lap, I found new legs and began my comeback. As I finished the run I felt awesome. I thought I could crank out the bike leg in about an hour which would put me in the running for a 5th lap. After 3.5 miles on the bike I realized that the 32x17 had taken it's toll. I settled for just rolling out to the gravel and waiting for Wendy so we could finish together. As I exited the jeep trail about mile 9 I saw Jason(race director) watching the riders exit the woods for the last lap. So I stopped to chat. You know I had time to kill. I figured I was in about 10th at this point, so no podium finish. After about 5 minutes of chatting we hear voices from the trail and I look over my shoulder and see the two guys I had been trading slots with all day. I couldn't believe it. I had passed them in the last transition. Makes since...as my last transition was 3.45 minutes whereas, all the others were in 10-15 minutes. Jason urged me to continue on and take my slot. I thought I would rather surprise Wendy with a rolling finish, a cheap token to make up for the fact I forgot that Friday was our 11 anniversary of our meeting. I hung a around for a minute or two and decided to roll on in toward the finish and wait...after a few minutes I decided to do it up right and roll through the finish and grab a couple Delicious Ice Cold PBR's for the finish line hand up. I made my way back out to the road in time to see Wendy rolling in, only 2 minutes behind 2nd place. I only wish I had a camera to capture the smile when I handed her the PBR. Very well deserved!
At the awards ceremony I learned of my mistake. Had I just finished and gone back out to meet Wendy, I would have taken 4th instead of 6th.
Next year 5 laps and no regrets!...maybe a different gear choice as well. ouch!
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Tree time, Pine Tar, University, and more.
Ok...warning...this one is not pictures as normal...let the words paint one for ya...
Thursday afternoon found 2/3's of TTM headed for Berryman in time for a little race recon and trail maintenance. Upon arrival, we hung the hammocks, gathered some firewood, and then I decide like always to do some bike maintenance before a ride on an epic trail over a hundred miles from home and most of the tools required. Everyone knows what happens next...
......so the plan change brake pads on "She-Ra"(Wendy's SS) and swap a cog on my Stumpy SS, etc. As always...things go perfect, Not!
For She-ra brakepads should be a breeze, and an easy training class...Right? Getting the damn pads out fo the Avid BB7 caliper was a huge PITA, then they appear ok, so why not stopy when I squeezy the brakey thingy? ...Hmmm, time to take more shit apart. An Avid BB7 caliper can be field stripped with a shit load of wrenches, pliers, cussin', and brute force, and more cussin'. Eventually, you end up with no less than 6 horsefly bites, pinetar stuck to your legs and a little springy thing that goes into a little hole behind a little silver thingy that looked like it might have been a washer at somepoint. So with all of that I side with Wendy and put it all back together, as she says she really doesn't need a back brake....for a night ride at Berryman (Eyes rolled back now)....Funny how when you put it all back together and change nothing they somehow work...(this never happens for my stuff). Now let's keep in mind that during the battle of the brakes, I am also working on my bike trying to remove the 17 cog. I tried everything to get the lock ring off and nothing worked. Not even the hammer side of my axe.(got the scars on the chainwhip and wrench to prove it.) I must have gone back and forth between the two bikes for over an hour. All I wanted was to swap my gearing to something more Berrymanesque, you know like maybe a nice easy spinner of 34x20, instead of the masochistic 34X17 initially intended for the Dirt crits at Castlewood. As the sun sinks behind the pines, I give up and decided to ride the macho gearing. Yes 34X17 at Berryman in the dark.
Off we go into the ever darkening treeline. Counterclockwise from the campground. Spiders are everywhere, and some of the webs are very strong, nothing like getting closelined by a sticky web and then have some crawly black and yellow thing swing off your helmet onto your nose. This was the first time I have ever ridden CCW from Berryman CG. Wow, what a great ride. The plan was to ride the 4.5 mile run loop of the duathlon course then retire for a couple cold Racer 5's. At the first mile I realize the 34x17 is perfect for this little excursion. Am I getting stronger? hmmm...I was rockin' it like DG, only about 10 MPH slower. Nothing to steep and everything super flowy. I stopped at the first mile mark...which just happend to coincide with the peak of a nice little climb to a forest service road. Wendy rolled in a few minutes after me, looking a bit out of whack. Apparently she took a rock the wrong way or was it the chainline issues throwing the chain and went down, as noted by the bloody scrapes on her legs...the fresh ones. She says riding a mountain bike is a weight control thing, you know, gain a pound, then go ride, crash, and peel a pound of skin off on some random rock or tree. After a brief inspection and tweak to the chain tension, she says it's superficial, just flesh wound, let's ride. Another 100 spiders later, I missed the turn on the fire road out, no big deal, we will just catch the next one (FS 2278). This one was easy to spot, and held a memory for us. A couple years ago this was the site of our 3rd nights camp while hiking the BT.(Berryman Trail) with Sydney. 1 mile later and we make it to Shirley Ridge Rd, aka Berryman Road. Make a left and a couple miles, then cold beer and ham sandwhiches from the Berryman General Store. A couple cold beers down and a handful of meteor's recorded. Saw an awesome meteor with a tail that seemed to last forever. I am pretty sure that John Roth skipped that one across the sky for us. 2 Racer 5's and it's time for bed, so we gathered up our chairs and turned the fire down on low, and headed for Hotel Hennessy. What a great nights sleep tucked in my own little pod swinging between a couple pines. Tonight we kept the rainfly's off and what great view of the moon and stars through the pines...all in bug free delight.
Morning rolled in all to fast as the first of a few riders showed up a daylight for a little Berryman lovin'. DG is not the only daylighter at Bman it appears. I slipped out the birthing canal of Hotel Hennessy and made my way to the cooler for my morning coffee in the can. Starbucks does make a nice portable cup of joe called Doubleshot with Energy(Mocha). Beats trying to boil water, especially when traveling light. I wandered over to the parking lot and met "Roc"(sp) who had slipped away from his family camping in Steelville for an early morning lap. Roc also managed to take their breakfast cooler...opps. Roc got himself all kitted up and headed out... He rolled off and then back again in 15 minutes. He just wanted to confirm he was on the BT as it has changed a bit. The spring rains over the past couple years have really put a hurt on the ol' girl in places. Time for some reroutes soon. Wendy slept in a few extra minutes, and is now awake. We prepped for our full lap recon. The plan run the run loop, then return grab the bikes and ride the bike loop. So I decided it's only 4.5 miles no water required....duh...trails are not the same as the neighbor hood runs I have been doing. I was managing 10-11 minute miles for the first 2 and then stopped to see if Wendy would share a swallow of water...damn I was thirsty. guess I will need to add a bottle for the run...or just not drink Racer 5's the night before. All in all we ran 5 miles, as I missed the turn again and added 2/10's of a mile, then ran back down the correct road to ensure the route was clear for the race. 1 hour for the run. Ok I'll take it...I did walk once or twice on an uphill slog and I have factored 1 hour for the run and 2 for the bike. As we returned to the campground we met Don(Enduro67). I haven't seen Don in 2-3 years since we last rode Bman with GORC. We gathered up our gear and the 3 of us headed out. Sweet ride progressing...then I was rejected at a creek crossing. Don passed me and we never saw him again. The gearing was unbeleiveably good only one tough climb and that rock step(2.5miles) I never clear...I'll post a picture with the race details later. The jeep road from the Artesian well is a hike abike for the first couple hundred yards for me. I am sure the experts can manage it, but I will save my legs for the long run and make this a recovery zone. As we approached the top of the climb on the jeep road the trees have covered the trail, so we just blast through taking leaves and limbs to the face and body....note to self...loppers required. At the gravel (Floyd Tower rd) we turn right and head back to Bman CG. A nice easy spin on the dust choked cooridoor thanks to a few trucks that rolled through without slowing or hardly sharing the road. The gravel highlight is the monster downhill about 1.5 m from the campground. I managed 35mph. Whatarush!
We finished up and headed for Potosi. Two items on the list...
1) Lunch! Dos Primos it is...the fuel of champions as we have been trained by our Superior Teammates. (Legend has it that the Dos Primos dip is filled, covered, smothered, chunked, chopped, topped, and diced with superhuman jenkem). So as new soldiers we passed on the dip as we were not fully authorized to accept such a powerful suace.
2)Next task, a couple loppers from the OTA HQ and headed back to Bman for some quick cleanup. The tree cover on the jeep road was cut back on the climb, and we highlighted the run loop by grubbing out the weeds for the first 25 yards or so of a nasty turn. A few signs, some tape and all will be good come race day. We finished our day with a short truck ride over to Bass Resort for a dip in the Courtois creek and to finish off the last 2 Racer 5's. ahh...what a great way to start a weekend...and it's only Friday....the odd part is now we take the 2 hour drive home...again it's only Friday.
Saturday...Nothing...lazy day, tweaking the bikes. Saturday night I slipped out about 9 for a test ride....QT/On the Run/ShopnSave....all in search of Cold single cans of Guinness. I managed to find a couple and spun around Winghaven to a friends house...drank a few more of his beers and realized...it's midnight..and I have to be on the road by 6. Sunday is a big day.
Sunday...Move In Day - UCM
Our oldest daughter has now been properly delivered to the UCM dorms. Not sure how I feel about this one. That's a long way from home...but I guess they have to move on sooner or later.
I will give the U credit for having the crew of kids to unload the cars...The rains fell as we rolled into town, and as we pulled to the curb in front of the building I was not prepared for what came next. A herd of "Mule Hauls" came rollin' out and converged on our auto's like a pack of rabid ants at a picnic. The stripped the minivan to the bone in mere seconds. All the gear and related beauty items piled neatly inside the building. A quick bit of paperwork and off we go...toting way to much shit up five flights of stairs to the second to last room in the hall....Hey where did those rabid ants go? Well all was settled and a few memories of my own days a school resurfaced...then I got nervous about leaving Julie without armed guards. 2 minutes into the hallway hauling and some dork ass hands her is digits...good thing I didn't see it or he would be minus one for sure.
We met the roommate...I'll keep it short, by saying...5 teddy bears on her bed covered in rainbow comforter, and the smell of a weekend full deadheads in a vw van...She must have been celebrating Woodstock, at which her grandparents surely attended.... Odds are good this roomy will be movin' on soon, or educated into the ways of a beauty queen.
So off for books and lunch. Mexican anywhere besides Dos Priomos is just beans, cheese and some bullshit chips with bottled salsa...Now I don't speak mexican, or spanish, or anything south of Arkansas and that includes Texan, but I will guess "El Vaquero" must mean "horse shit served here at a snails pace". Glad Pop's picked up the tab on this one.
Good Luck Jules.
Thursday afternoon found 2/3's of TTM headed for Berryman in time for a little race recon and trail maintenance. Upon arrival, we hung the hammocks, gathered some firewood, and then I decide like always to do some bike maintenance before a ride on an epic trail over a hundred miles from home and most of the tools required. Everyone knows what happens next...
......so the plan change brake pads on "She-Ra"(Wendy's SS) and swap a cog on my Stumpy SS, etc. As always...things go perfect, Not!
For She-ra brakepads should be a breeze, and an easy training class...Right? Getting the damn pads out fo the Avid BB7 caliper was a huge PITA, then they appear ok, so why not stopy when I squeezy the brakey thingy? ...Hmmm, time to take more shit apart. An Avid BB7 caliper can be field stripped with a shit load of wrenches, pliers, cussin', and brute force, and more cussin'. Eventually, you end up with no less than 6 horsefly bites, pinetar stuck to your legs and a little springy thing that goes into a little hole behind a little silver thingy that looked like it might have been a washer at somepoint. So with all of that I side with Wendy and put it all back together, as she says she really doesn't need a back brake....for a night ride at Berryman (Eyes rolled back now)....Funny how when you put it all back together and change nothing they somehow work...(this never happens for my stuff). Now let's keep in mind that during the battle of the brakes, I am also working on my bike trying to remove the 17 cog. I tried everything to get the lock ring off and nothing worked. Not even the hammer side of my axe.(got the scars on the chainwhip and wrench to prove it.) I must have gone back and forth between the two bikes for over an hour. All I wanted was to swap my gearing to something more Berrymanesque, you know like maybe a nice easy spinner of 34x20, instead of the masochistic 34X17 initially intended for the Dirt crits at Castlewood. As the sun sinks behind the pines, I give up and decided to ride the macho gearing. Yes 34X17 at Berryman in the dark.
Off we go into the ever darkening treeline. Counterclockwise from the campground. Spiders are everywhere, and some of the webs are very strong, nothing like getting closelined by a sticky web and then have some crawly black and yellow thing swing off your helmet onto your nose. This was the first time I have ever ridden CCW from Berryman CG. Wow, what a great ride. The plan was to ride the 4.5 mile run loop of the duathlon course then retire for a couple cold Racer 5's. At the first mile I realize the 34x17 is perfect for this little excursion. Am I getting stronger? hmmm...I was rockin' it like DG, only about 10 MPH slower. Nothing to steep and everything super flowy. I stopped at the first mile mark...which just happend to coincide with the peak of a nice little climb to a forest service road. Wendy rolled in a few minutes after me, looking a bit out of whack. Apparently she took a rock the wrong way or was it the chainline issues throwing the chain and went down, as noted by the bloody scrapes on her legs...the fresh ones. She says riding a mountain bike is a weight control thing, you know, gain a pound, then go ride, crash, and peel a pound of skin off on some random rock or tree. After a brief inspection and tweak to the chain tension, she says it's superficial, just flesh wound, let's ride. Another 100 spiders later, I missed the turn on the fire road out, no big deal, we will just catch the next one (FS 2278). This one was easy to spot, and held a memory for us. A couple years ago this was the site of our 3rd nights camp while hiking the BT.(Berryman Trail) with Sydney. 1 mile later and we make it to Shirley Ridge Rd, aka Berryman Road. Make a left and a couple miles, then cold beer and ham sandwhiches from the Berryman General Store. A couple cold beers down and a handful of meteor's recorded. Saw an awesome meteor with a tail that seemed to last forever. I am pretty sure that John Roth skipped that one across the sky for us. 2 Racer 5's and it's time for bed, so we gathered up our chairs and turned the fire down on low, and headed for Hotel Hennessy. What a great nights sleep tucked in my own little pod swinging between a couple pines. Tonight we kept the rainfly's off and what great view of the moon and stars through the pines...all in bug free delight.
Morning rolled in all to fast as the first of a few riders showed up a daylight for a little Berryman lovin'. DG is not the only daylighter at Bman it appears. I slipped out the birthing canal of Hotel Hennessy and made my way to the cooler for my morning coffee in the can. Starbucks does make a nice portable cup of joe called Doubleshot with Energy(Mocha). Beats trying to boil water, especially when traveling light. I wandered over to the parking lot and met "Roc"(sp) who had slipped away from his family camping in Steelville for an early morning lap. Roc also managed to take their breakfast cooler...opps. Roc got himself all kitted up and headed out... He rolled off and then back again in 15 minutes. He just wanted to confirm he was on the BT as it has changed a bit. The spring rains over the past couple years have really put a hurt on the ol' girl in places. Time for some reroutes soon. Wendy slept in a few extra minutes, and is now awake. We prepped for our full lap recon. The plan run the run loop, then return grab the bikes and ride the bike loop. So I decided it's only 4.5 miles no water required....duh...trails are not the same as the neighbor hood runs I have been doing. I was managing 10-11 minute miles for the first 2 and then stopped to see if Wendy would share a swallow of water...damn I was thirsty. guess I will need to add a bottle for the run...or just not drink Racer 5's the night before. All in all we ran 5 miles, as I missed the turn again and added 2/10's of a mile, then ran back down the correct road to ensure the route was clear for the race. 1 hour for the run. Ok I'll take it...I did walk once or twice on an uphill slog and I have factored 1 hour for the run and 2 for the bike. As we returned to the campground we met Don(Enduro67). I haven't seen Don in 2-3 years since we last rode Bman with GORC. We gathered up our gear and the 3 of us headed out. Sweet ride progressing...then I was rejected at a creek crossing. Don passed me and we never saw him again. The gearing was unbeleiveably good only one tough climb and that rock step(2.5miles) I never clear...I'll post a picture with the race details later. The jeep road from the Artesian well is a hike abike for the first couple hundred yards for me. I am sure the experts can manage it, but I will save my legs for the long run and make this a recovery zone. As we approached the top of the climb on the jeep road the trees have covered the trail, so we just blast through taking leaves and limbs to the face and body....note to self...loppers required. At the gravel (Floyd Tower rd) we turn right and head back to Bman CG. A nice easy spin on the dust choked cooridoor thanks to a few trucks that rolled through without slowing or hardly sharing the road. The gravel highlight is the monster downhill about 1.5 m from the campground. I managed 35mph. Whatarush!
We finished up and headed for Potosi. Two items on the list...
1) Lunch! Dos Primos it is...the fuel of champions as we have been trained by our Superior Teammates. (Legend has it that the Dos Primos dip is filled, covered, smothered, chunked, chopped, topped, and diced with superhuman jenkem). So as new soldiers we passed on the dip as we were not fully authorized to accept such a powerful suace.
2)Next task, a couple loppers from the OTA HQ and headed back to Bman for some quick cleanup. The tree cover on the jeep road was cut back on the climb, and we highlighted the run loop by grubbing out the weeds for the first 25 yards or so of a nasty turn. A few signs, some tape and all will be good come race day. We finished our day with a short truck ride over to Bass Resort for a dip in the Courtois creek and to finish off the last 2 Racer 5's. ahh...what a great way to start a weekend...and it's only Friday....the odd part is now we take the 2 hour drive home...again it's only Friday.
Saturday...Nothing...lazy day, tweaking the bikes. Saturday night I slipped out about 9 for a test ride....QT/On the Run/ShopnSave....all in search of Cold single cans of Guinness. I managed to find a couple and spun around Winghaven to a friends house...drank a few more of his beers and realized...it's midnight..and I have to be on the road by 6. Sunday is a big day.
Sunday...Move In Day - UCM
Our oldest daughter has now been properly delivered to the UCM dorms. Not sure how I feel about this one. That's a long way from home...but I guess they have to move on sooner or later.
I will give the U credit for having the crew of kids to unload the cars...The rains fell as we rolled into town, and as we pulled to the curb in front of the building I was not prepared for what came next. A herd of "Mule Hauls" came rollin' out and converged on our auto's like a pack of rabid ants at a picnic. The stripped the minivan to the bone in mere seconds. All the gear and related beauty items piled neatly inside the building. A quick bit of paperwork and off we go...toting way to much shit up five flights of stairs to the second to last room in the hall....Hey where did those rabid ants go? Well all was settled and a few memories of my own days a school resurfaced...then I got nervous about leaving Julie without armed guards. 2 minutes into the hallway hauling and some dork ass hands her is digits...good thing I didn't see it or he would be minus one for sure.
We met the roommate...I'll keep it short, by saying...5 teddy bears on her bed covered in rainbow comforter, and the smell of a weekend full deadheads in a vw van...She must have been celebrating Woodstock, at which her grandparents surely attended.... Odds are good this roomy will be movin' on soon, or educated into the ways of a beauty queen.
So off for books and lunch. Mexican anywhere besides Dos Priomos is just beans, cheese and some bullshit chips with bottled salsa...Now I don't speak mexican, or spanish, or anything south of Arkansas and that includes Texan, but I will guess "El Vaquero" must mean "horse shit served here at a snails pace". Glad Pop's picked up the tab on this one.
Goodbyes were brief, as I am sure Jules wanted us out of there pronto...so off we went. Oh and by the way...I have another pic for my book on American Folk Art. This fine piece was found on Hwy 13 outside of Warrensburg. Zoom in for the details...nice work and use of recycled materials. I really dig the chainring and goosehead necklace, however, pops dreadlocks look pretty cool.
Good Luck Jules.
A parting family pic.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
I ain't skeered to post it!
Maybe it's time to give up the SS for sum real performance!
Found this here: Everyday Athlete
Heidi offers me entertainment from a Twisted Sister kinda view.
Thanks Heidi Swift!
Found this here: Everyday Athlete
Heidi offers me entertainment from a Twisted Sister kinda view.
Thanks Heidi Swift!
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
It's on! Berryman Duathlon 2009
!Click it for a ticket!
TTM will go Head 2 Head this year!
12 Hours of Mountain Biking on single speeds and Trail Running on worn out shoes.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Come Join us on Missouri's only IMBA EPIC trail for a great day.
Volunteers are welcome!
Click the Berryman Logo above for a link to the race info, map below.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
It's the little things that make us tick...
A little cool clear creek?
Just a little jump?
A little higher?
Just a little jump?
A little higher?A little more smile?
Mostly it's "Just to stay a little bit longer..."
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Weekends just keep getting better!
A week ago I found the arrowhead while hiking around BnB Ranch, then today I found my way into first place in the Missouri State Championships MTB beginner over 40 class!
Wow!
Thurday night was the 2nd round of the dirt crit short track series presneted by Alpin Shop.
Thurday night was the 2nd round of the dirt crit short track series presneted by Alpin Shop.
My first ride a week ago left me with a 16th out of 34 "C" class aka Beginner. Round 2 I decided to take a demo ride on a Gary Fisher 29er hardtail, instead of my Stumpy 29er SS. The move paid off! I moved to 4th out of 43(still pending final results). I was even able to add some entertainment for the great crowd on hand! I pulled a beautiful wheelie across the finish line...I just wish I would have stopped with the wheelie and not with the back of the head plant in the dirt. I pulled up that lightweight Fox fork and and crushed myself all the way to the dirt. I haven't seen a picture yet, but I am sure someone managed a copy as there was 50-100 people at the finish area cheering. Alls well, I am ok. Nothing a beer won't fix.
Friday I took the day off work and went fishing with my Dad. We decided to head for Salt River for a little catfishin'. We loaded up supplies and headed for the ramp at the Louisiana, MO riverfront. I started backing the boat trailer down the steep ramp and all of sudden my brake foot went to the floor. Quick pump it, nothing damn...rolling backward and picking up speed! Shit! Slam it in low, and stomp the gas! Tires burning like Jimmy Johnson finishing a good day at Lowes Motorspeedway. Finally the tires hooked up only a few feet from the water, the boat and trailer are now sideways and only inches from a jack knife damage. I managed to get everything back up the ramp in one piece and we found that the steel brake lines had blown apart. So now that I have securely removed the seat from the truck with my ass, we took it home and swapped it for the S10. The rest of the day went off without any major problems(minus a the rain showers). Almost a dozen channel cats and a suitcase of natty light, and a nap!Even with the rain we had a great time.
So Saturday morning I woke with the alarm at 6...well if ya don't count the 2 snooze button hits. The mission...road ride with Granada Cyclery at 7. I made it to the store by 6:58AM...only a couple riders, but a lot full of cars....hmm...ride must have left early. I just pulled the (still unnamed) Bianchi SS out of the truck and prepared to ride. I rolled out with a couple other riders and we made our way to St. Paul where we caught the early group that rolled at 6:30...(New start time). I just rolled back to the store with Brad (Fixie) It was a fast spin for me, but I had a great time. In the range of ~22miles total. On the way home I remembered the local race today at Castlewood on Blue Ribbon. My previous thoughts on this course were to skip the race. It was a tough run back in December during the Castlwood 8 hour Adventure Race.{Team Trail Monster SS ;) }
Some twisted motivation appeared and I hurried home with the thought of making the race...It's 9am...Race starts at 11...(psst its 35 minutes to Castlewood from home) I sprung in the door with the great thought...."Lets go racin'." Wendy perplexed says "where?..." Castlewood for the State Championships. She agreed to go watch. Out the door and over to race with 30 minutes to spare. No need for a warm up...just figure out which race....I settled on Beginner 40+, even though I rode the race on a SS. I am still a beginner racer, well I was. I guess it's now time to Catup! Yes I managed 1st in 40+ and 3rd overall in the beginners. I lead out the race with the hole shot, and stayed there until a 1/4 mile from the tunnel. The hills on Blue Ribbon, forced me to hike a bike a bit and that cost me 2nd place to Cammeron....well that and the minor crash back at the tunnels...I couldn't unclip and just took a slowspeed fallover. I was super stoked with my results given the 20 Miles I did for breakfast. The course today was about 5.3 miles, and as a beginner I had one lap.
Now its time for one of the following:
Founders - Red Rye Pale Ale
Bear Republic - Racer 5 (Favorite)
Southern Tier - Imperial Cre'me brule'e Stout
and maybe a little nap.
Oh and Sydney got a treat today.
A train was stalled at the tracks, and the engineer let em' get a quick picture. 
Monday, July 6, 2009
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