Spring has sprung!

Seems to be harder and harder to try and find time to blog. I have a new phone maybe I can find an app for blogger. Yup upgraded to the iPhone 4. Sad to see the Nokia 2610 go away. Solid phone just needed an upgrade, the features with a smart phone are amazing. They have changed quite a few things for me. I am more flexible, but I still can't find time to write. I do seem to update facebook often. It's easy to post a pic. I will try that here.

Where did I leave off? Maybe just be fore LBL. What a great race! It was a another tough nav for me. I started us off with a wrong turn with in the first mile. It got worse for about the next 6 checkpoints. Jeff and I began to disagree with navigating....I offered him the maps several times and finally I turned and said Do Not Question Me. I was so flustered I wanted to give up. That was a first for me in a race. I did get us back on track and we made it to the paddle portion. The lake was getting beaten by 20knot winds I think. There were 2-3 rollers with white caps and spray. The paddle was shorted from 8 to 5 miles. I would have been happy with .5. It was tough. We took a rogue wave a bit crooked and I watched Jeff get launched over the side of the boat. Oh don't worry I was right behind him. You know there is always a turning point in a race. This was ours. Our packs and the map case had floated out from under the canoe as we are being tossed about, some 20 yards off shore. Jeff managed to his feet first but not before sucking up half of Lake Barkley. We managed to drag everything to shore and eventually flip the boat and drain it. My first reaction after hitting the shore was to get our rain gear on. the rain jackets did the trick and helped conserve what little body heat we had left as the lake temp was a nice chilly ~55*F. I think we spent about 5 minutes total on the beach getting reset and deciding to move on. Quiting out here still means you have to get your boat back to the take out...about mile and a half away.

We finished the paddle and my legs had stiffened and I was very cold. With the shortened paddle we would have to run about 2 miles back to the start line to get our bikes for the next section...thanks to our being lost first thing in the AM I was now familiar with our current location. We had been here about 4 hours earlier. The earlier run took a toll, and I was feeling it. Was it the BONK happening? Possibly. We got on the bikes and it was only minutes before I found my groove on the Hei Hei 29er. Jeff let me lead out and I was flossing the singletrack. I haven't ridden that well in a long time. We found our rhythm. We were right on from this point out and we got to enjoy some fine Kentucky singletrack. The canal loop is fast and lots of fun. If you haven't ridden LBL, find the time. It's worth the trip.

So at the finish my Bonk had set in. The last couple miles on the bike finished me off. We crossed the line and I was done. fell flat on back and managed to roll over and lay there for a bit. I had to be helped back over and then up to my feet. I kinda think running out of water as we got on the bike was a bad idea....My fuel bottles had been sitting on the bike in the sun for hours so they went bad...it was gross. Jeff gave me a few pulls on his bottle and whatever concoction he has turned my stomach. Thought I would die. This was the first race that I have ever turned down a cold beer. I could barely drink the cup of water someone brought me. Enough of my whining. In the end we managed a 6th place in the 2Person Male division out of 23 teams. Over all I think we had a top 10. The results I was sorting through seem to be missing a team or two. so lets just call it a top 10. Sweet! 2 races and now what? We have taken off some time from running so I could focus my training for the 200 miles of gravel roads in June. My birthday I have decided to take on the DK200. 200 miles around Emporia, KS through the remote countryside of the Flint Hills region. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flint_Hills This is gonna be a true test of personal; endurance. This race is about beating someone else, it's about persevering, and overcoming those personal struggles as I push myself to new boundary's. At 43, I think the thought of riding a bicycle around a loop in Kansas that is as long as trip across Missouri is pretty cool idea. 10 years ago I would have called myself nuts. So the sky is lighting up with the morning sun and I have an urge to ride my bike...I will try to find some time to put more on the blog. Until then, find me on facebook, always lots of pics of fun being a TrailMonster.

Can't seem to find the LBL pics....moar soon

Been Facebook'n and stuff.

Opps's sorry blog fans...FB seems to be my Blog of late...but it just doesn't retell the story 6 months or 2 years later. I will try to write more. While you wait for me to write more, take a little trip and click a few of the links in the text below and explore the world of a Trail Monster.

We found this little old bike while exploring near Council Bluff Lake...a mile or so from any trail.

Where to start? Castlwood 8 Hour - Wendy wrote that up. It was Awesome 3rd place 2p Coed victory for Team Trail Monster. Hopefully we stay after this one until we get a 1st! we have a 3rd, 2nd, 4th, 3rd...always flirting around the top...maybe, just maybe 2011 is the year. As Jason said to me following the race after party breakfast..."You know Jim if you trained for these races....". He has a point...so I am....Then Winter hit...

I got a new bike! Oh yeah I already wrote briefly about that! It has changed things for me. I love cruising on it. I hope I am going to love gravel cruising on it...I still have not had a gravel ride on it...and the DK200 is looming 12 weeks away. I have stayed with the bike and run more than usual this winter, so coming into spring I feel good. I could stand to drop another 10-15 but I am sure summer will take care of that.

Racin'> >? Yup Still at it. Adventure Racing that is. I talked Wendy's brother(Jeff) into joining me for the Bonk Hard Chill in February. We trained for it by taking at least one long run a week together...5-8 miles, and we did an orienteering meet at Cliff Cave Park. We had a great race. A couple learning points were logged. ummm Keep your fat Thumb off the MAP! and Do Not Change Your Route 90% through the course!!! Stay the line! Man a couple mistakes I know we dropped and hour +. In the end we managed 4th in the 2P Male division. Lots of strong racers! 12th Overall! Not bad for our first race together. Here is a pre-race shot w/ Stella hanging out in the background.

As for that bad compass..errgghhh, well I got to help it get Lost for once! I might also add....DO NOT MESS WITH YOUR BIKE THE NIGHT BEFORE A RACE! PERIOD! I felt as if I was pedaling up hill all day...well sorta...since I decided to let most of the air out of my rear shock. It sucked! Thanks for letting me ride your bike Jeff. My bike is now dialed. Middlefork and Council Bluff Lake last weekend was the perfect opportunity to reset everything. I even got to bag my first night of the year in the hammock, as seen below.

Before I miss this opportunity to throw a plug to our good friends over at Team Virtus, lets get this on the table! They got hooked up with a reporter and photographer for the Bonk Hard Chill race. If you want an honest insider view? Check this out...Article, Slideshow.

Then like a bunch of Jerks they are, they went rounded up some more jerks and had a little non-race of the Adventure style! Wish I could a been there...see pic above, you understand.

Yup it's 4am and I sitting here catching up the world on the life of a Trail Monster when I should be catching the last hours of darkness behind my eyelids. So what has been happening....? I must send Thanks out to Coach for setting up the most awesome of group road rides ever..."Death By Mostly Flat HILLS". I think that is what the MF was for in his email...I do have a video where riders passed me headed up to Cremini Green....I think at a minimum the F bomb dropped 9 of 10 times as they saw the wall of blacktop. I think it's 25% or better and it's a near standing start. Great race though. Check out this group of Jerks that got caught trying to steal a tomb stone....one of them even had to write an essay about it.

I started tracking my fitness activities over at Daily Mile and I have added a widget to the Blog for the stalkers out there. As you will see the training will pickup. Right now I am about 200 miles a month, either on the bike or running. Jeff and I have entered the LBL 12 Hour Adventure Race April 2 at Land Between the Lakes, Kentucky. We will look at the longer race later in the year...Berryman AR 36???Maybe!

UFD racing series is now underway, get out and getchasum dirt racin! I am trying to decide when I will race the dirt series. I would really like to do a few, ICCP and Broemmelsiek are up there because they are so close to home, maybe Greensfelder. Lost Valley Luau and MFXC I have volunteered to do race support....DIRT CRITS(hope to step up a level before it's over) !!! RIM is on the list, Burning at the Bluff 8, BT Epic 3, hmmm I think there are one or two more. I would like to add some more Adventure Races to the list. However, with the price of gas and race fee's, this hobby/fitness gig can get expensive. In the end I just like to ride my bike and run in the woods. So with that I would like to retire tonight before I see this...

I am half tempted to head out for a little pre-dawn dirt now...except it feels like the sleep timer is about to go off. Not to worry, I will keep training! If you are reading this as a mid pack rider...well keep doin' what your doin'...and this below is all you will see...

TTM is gonna get Faster!

‎"The point is though it really doesn't matter how you do it - just shut up and move yer feet!" - Matt Turgeon 2011

Game changer, life altering?

My I present- Jake the Snake - 2011 KONA!

One ride through the Lou has confirmed that this bike can and will do anything when I put the power to the pedals. Forest Park and beyond for the first ride, fresh snow falling, old crusty snow on the trails and streets, cyclocross course with 6 inches or more of snow, all capped by a sled run down Art Hill. Stay tuned for a full report, and then training rides until June 4, 2011 Dirty Kanza 200 (200 Miles of Gravel Roads, Emporia, KS)

Thanksgiving Vacation til now...2 days left...?

So it's been a minute since my last post....I prefer photo blogging and I have been without a camera for a while...but thanks to Pentax I am back in business. I Crushed!err Drowned my Olympus Stylus 770SW back in July, replaced it with the Olympus Tough 8010...it sucked in my book...toooooo many damn options and it seemed to always take low res pics... It's a point n shoot...com'on. Time to Test the Pentax...so W90 it is...had it for 3 weeks...realized I did not purchase the protection plan from BB...so guess what...I am SOL....because like all things ....I must break them. Crushed the front lens on a bike ride....So on a whim I sent it to the Pentax repair...Next thing I know...they are fixing it and a part was backordered....well luck was on my/our side...the part came in and the camera returned home in time for our Thanksgiving Vacation.

So it's been a minute. Burning at the Bluff was awesome, Hell it was so awesome our teammate Keith decided to do a lap and a half on a broken leg. Super StuD! Awesome fast course for sure!

So Thanksgiving Vaca went like this so far....

PS...New Photo Blog

Photo's from Stella

Just a statement that getting out there offers lots of different views..

Stitz, Busken, Pryor, Keevan, and TTM @ Middlefork

I had to explain the next...and yes I like sheep boots.

How else do you get the sheep to stand still...?

Oh and we signed up for the Castlewood 8 Hour Adventure Race 4th in a row for TTM. Best of all I found my most favored item, my Castlewood 8 Hour fleece cap. It was tucked away in my hunting jacket from Deer Season 2009. Yes another skunk....that makes several now...gotta get a better grip on hunting property options.

Burnin' is almost here.

Ah, at last!

Mountain Bike Season is on Full Tilt now!

Lake Loop lookin sweet.

Gotta Black Brew agein' in the oak chips and dancing with coffee from last years burnin'.

Summer has brought some new skillz and determination to the Trail Monster franchise.

I have felt the pain of recent weeks of ride time and trail karma.

Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, Sundays....and any other ...day

This pain train ensures I pull my share of the load.

Trail Monstering in full effect!

Rapture In Misery

The terrain of the trail twisted and turned through shadowy field edges, amid stretches of completely sun baked tall grass fields, then slipped into the woodlands for an immediate test with slime covered roots and rocks, with a good measure of climbing on mixed surfaces of pea gravel, hard pack dirt, and shady north side slopes of some grease like mud before dropping quickly off of the ridges with sweeping turns followed closely by more rocks and dips in creek beds with stone bridges interconnected with a sweet ribbon of soul sucking river bottom loam leading to a loose rock and wet root series of switchbacks ascending to the false flat open field roads from hell before paying back the pain with a final rip through young forest on contoured bench cut single track with a pump track flow, ending with a massive field cyclo-cross tests weaving through the coolest pit setup ever.

The scoring system was top notch. Barcode scans as you crossed the line with your time, position in your race group, and time to the racer in front of you. That was worth the entry fee. Nothing like dropping a $100 bucks or more at a race and have to wait a week for the final scores because everything is done on cardboard.

This is on my must do list for next year to improve on my 8th Place in the 40+ 6 hour solo.

PS I am not selling my bike just yet. We are still on speaking terms.

Obviously this is way before lap 3 of 4 of the 8+ mile course.

In other news Wendy got a podium.

3rd Place 12 Hour Women's solo....7 laps.

I think she rode a different course...

I am sure she will blog it up in a day or so...check her blog Pabst Smear.