Finally Something to Write About

I guess, now that the racing season has started, that I have something to write about now.  It's been a bit of a bummer for the past month-ish since I last wrote something.  Just trying to squeeze as much riding as possible into my work schedule, and semi coming to the realization that it's not really enough.  I'm making progress, but in two weekends of racing I haven't been able to show it.  I own some Strava segments, which makes me feel good, but I still don't feel like I'm exactly in the place I want to be.  I know I'm doing better than I was a few months ago, so I'm trying to focus on that and press onward.  It's semi-working.

So three weekends ago, I traveled up to Michaux for the latest addition of the Mid Atlantic Cycling Development Camp.  It was a good camp, as it always is.  Due to the low attendance I didn't have to lead the kids ride, so I was able to grab onto the "fun" ride.  We packed in 30 miles of the best trails in Norchaux, and it was awesome.  Very awesome.  

Scottie trying to ride Joe's bike.  It was funny.

Most of the group, rolling up Bunker Hill.

Coming off 3 Mile.

The weekend after that, I was back in the area (-ish) for Zach's Tuscarora MTB Enduro.  This is the Michaux MASH reincarnated.  In the week between the MACDC and the Tuscarora race, I got sick.  Sick enough that I only made it through 3 laps (about 2.5 hrs) of the race.  I was sort of on the upswing, but since conditions were super wet and muddy, I didn't want to risk making myself worse.  Definitely not a good test of my form, as I couldn't really push hard up the climbs.  It was still worth the trip; hanging out around a campfire with friends is always worth the trip.

Last weekend, after picking Ms. Geology up at BWI from her week long trip to Indianapolis for a teacher conference (all expenses paid trip... flight, hotel, food, everything), we rallied down to New Castle, VA for Chris Scott's Dragon's Tale bike race thinger.  Everything was good.  The legs were good, the lungs were clear, and the course looked amazing.  My race started with a PSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS as I flatted on one of the many river crossings on Broad Run Road; the flat, super fast run-in to the first climb.  By the time I got the tire to seal up again, I was a bunch of minutes off the back of the back group, so I chased as hard as I could to find some people going my speed.  I hit the big climb, Grouse Trail, and started up.  The switchbacks (most of them required walking) yielded amazing views of the little valleys below as we grabbed a few hundred feet more elevation in just a few miles.  Once I got to the ridgetop, I was rewarded with some of the finest singletrack in the history of ever.  Unfortunately, a short time down the first descent (Deer Trail), my day ended.  With this:

Ouchies.

The culprit?  A switchback.  Me sitting far behind my seat.  Not making it around the switchback.  And this:

This is the remains of my seatpost mounted water bottle.  My leg was conveniently wedged between the pointy bit and the bottom of the cage and the tire.  There was, strangely, no pain, so I probably exacerbated the problem by pulling on my bike a bit before calmly assessing the situation, and getting someone to take the tire out so I could get back on the bike.  The Doctor, whose hands are pictured above, did an awesome job of patching me up, completely negating the need for a hospital trip, since were were easily an hour from one.  He stitched me up right there in the woods, complete with lidocane injections (two full syringes full) so I really didn't feel anything.  It was everything they would have done at a hospital minus the paperwork and the waiting around.  I'm very happy he was there, whatever his name is, as the wound is healing very very nicely now.  And the excellent race promoter that he is, Chris stuck around the whole time and filmed most of the stitching with his phone.  I would love to see it, but I don't think he'll release that onto the intertubes.  

I'll probably be back on my bike tomorrow to see how it feels.  I don't want to stress it too much, since I really want to race the Marysville Relay with my super awesome team this weekend!  I'll leave everyone on a less messy note.  Keep the rubber side down, and don't attach a waterbottle to the seatpost of your MTB.  Definitely not worth this.  From now on I will be sucking it up and pocketing it for long races.

The creek behind the venue.  It was perfect.

Ready for fun.

Long neutral roll-out.

Ms. Geology got a ride in the Chris Scott-mobile.  Oh hey, I guess that's me there...