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!

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.

LIST HERE!


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

Link: <http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=38.695693,-90.724068&sll=37.966362,-91.833472&sspn=0,0&ie=UTF8&ll=38.695257,-90.725355&spn=0.012778,0.019205&t=h&z=16&iwloc=A>


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!