My New, Favorite Hill

The title of this post changed in my head. Last Thursday I was already thinking of "Anger Management" when my mountain bike ride @ BCSP went all wrong. No, I didn't crash. No, I didn't get hurt. No, I didn't have to walk out of the woods. And that's why I changed the title post.

Going on little sleep and a little cranky already, I decided to try out my new 1 x 9 setup; Heather graciously agreed to go with me. Little did Heather know the foul language she would hear that night every time my chain skipped up and down the gears. I made it around the North Tower & Aynes loops before succumbing to frustration. (Sorry, Heather!) If you're like me, this "annoyance" makes concentrating on technique, form, cadence, and looking ahead nearly impossible as my brain starts focusing on the negative. BAD ANGELA!

While reading Three Cups of Tea that night thinking about the children in Korphe, Pakistan, I came to the conclusion - again - how much of a spoiled brat I am. Wah--my shifting isn't perfect. The kids in this region fortunate enough to attend school once a week literally do math problems in the dirt with sticks! Having not finished the book, I'm anticipating the fate of a new school that Greg Mortenson promises to deliver.

I also calmed down on the way home when I realized that's one of the reasons I went to BCSP that night--to get the kinks worked out. Yes, there will be kinks; identify them, fix them, and move on! Granted, once every couple of years, the red-headed temper flares up.

Many who know me have heard me say, "There's only 1 hill worth going up--Bear Wallow Hill--because the downhill is SO SWEET!" Most descents in this region have a 90-degree curve or a stop sign at the bottom mandating caution while slowing momentum. Bear Wallow lets you ride out that momentum with some nice, sweeping curves.

Anyway, I have a new, favorite hill now. I never thought I would say those words. I set out yesterday with one goal--to do that hill. Riding past Gatesville, the road takes a 90-degree left turn. After a mile or so, the road just starts creeping up--very gently, in fact. A creek filled with flowing water and cool rocks accompany the rider through dense leaves. There is no steep grade; I can accelerate on this hill! While there's no downhill on the other side--well, not immediately, it is truly a pleasant climb. OMG--another phrase I never thought I would say.

Without clearly checking maps, I ended up missing a turn and found myself staring at a Dairy Queen in the distance. Huh? Where was I? The signs indicated Trafalgar. Not knowing my way home through Morgantown backroads, I doubled back in search of the missed turn. I missed it again. My map showed a named road while road signs displayed county road numbers.

Knowing storms were looming, I turned back the way I came and descended the awesome hill on Sweetwater Trail (N. Peoga) Road. It was worth it! Boring, I know, but I returned the way I came making for a 60+ mile out-and-back. I had some options, but the skies were getting darker and shorter/faster won over exploration this time.

I walked in the door 3 seconds before it started pouring. I helped myself to a bowl of chocolate ice cream (who am I kidding? I didn't use a bowl.) and watched the delayed Little 500 race on HDNet. Some days are bad, some days are good.

Knobscorcher - North Carolina

Another mini-vacation! I just want to say how extremely fortunate I am to get to do such exciting things. Last Thursday, Mr. Wonderful and I packed up our van and headed to Bryson City, NC to the Tsali Recreation Area to embark on some trail riding. In addition to our goal to get in some trail time, I wanted to test out the new bike (frame) build on a race course.

It's awesome when the bikes ride inside the vehicle.

Getting a late start on Thursday, we came upon 2 traffic snags that delayed our travels. Historically, I've been like George Costanza in the Seinfeld episode (I think Bubble Boy) when George loses Jerry because he wants to make good time. Perhaps my nonchalant attitude about traffic jams came about because of technology's distractions, specifically my iPhone.

I hate Pigeon Forge. Yet, there I was stuck--for 45 minutes--looking at all of the offerings this tourist trap has to offer. Hubby and I started discussing the origins of the name of this city. With my Wiki app, I learned the population of this town with the lone stretch of road is 5,083.

SERIOUSLY?!?!? Seeing more cars than that at 2 stoplights, I wondered if the unemployment rate was near 0%. Apparently other people DO like Pigeon Forge and want to see everything it as to offer.

Anyway, tourist town behind us, we continued through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It's beauty stuns me every time I drive along that path. I could live here. Eastern KY, TN or Western N.C. It's breathtaking.

So, we arrived at the campsite a little late after stopping by the grocery; quickly set up the tent and made some dinner.

Now I want to share with you how much I love car camping and why. Above was our abode for the next 4 nights--The North Face Trailhead 8 (an REI dividend reward for dutifully using our credit card.) Yes, it's supposed to sleep 8 people, and we enjoyed it all to ourselves. I can fully stand up in this tent!!! We took an air mattress and slept on it! It sure beats carrying your tent in your backpack--along with the thermarest to sleep on.

And can I mentioned the food now? We ate real food since we had a cooler and a gas stove. By real food I mean, bacon (not just on the first day), pancakes, fajitas, pasta, etc. No freeze dried crap. (As if I eat that stuff anyway when backpacking.)

That night, as the temperatures dropped into the high 20s or low 30s, I went through my usualy ritual of getting up in the middle of the night to pee. Brrrr! The covers weren't quite keeping me warm. At O'dark-thirty, I broke out the sleeping back and snuggled in. Ahhhhh--warmth!

We spent the next two days riding, riding, and riding. The trails are phenomenal. Early Friday, I learned I had worn out some of my bike parts when I got chain suck 3 times. YES! I am riding enough (or not changing the chain often enough) to have worn out the front chain rings. I really, really, really, wanted my granny gear for this course and was lucky that some Columbus folks could bring me some new rings before Sunday's race. THANKS to Jacob, Amanda (riding for Shamrock Cycles), & Emily for bringing these to me.

The boys changed these out for me, and I was good to go.

Sunday's race was HARD. I knew it would be. In 2008 I did the Knobscorcher and cried at the finish. No kidding. I hurt so bad and was so thankful that it had ended, I cried. There has been only 1 other time this happened; it was last year's 6-hour race in Kentucky when I had to pee so bad.

The 30.5 mile race had over 2500 feet of climbing, which also means it had some phenomenal downhills. I felt good about my descents and cornering. I was loose and focused--a difficult feat for 3-hours. But best of all, this was probably the first race where I didn't have the demon voice in my head saying, "Gosh it hurts so bad I should just quit." I stayed racing the entire time; and did so happily. My reward was catching 2 girls at the end. Sadly, I had enough gas to pass only one while the second finished ahead of me. Still, I had to give it my all in the last mile to ensure I wouldn't get passed back. EXCITING stuff!

I know I lost much time stopping to let the Sport men go by and, um, walking up the really steep, rocky hills by the Overlook. But I was having fun. The weather was perfect and despite already sore legs, I felt good. Race day was the final day of a hard, 3-week training block; I didn't have grand expectations with or without being sore. But I did want to feel good. Despite placing 18th out of 23, I was happy with my effort. In looking back, I shaved off 15 minutes from my 2008 time. This made me ecstatic! While the course and conditions were a little different, I'm going to credit some of that gain by consistent training.

Other lessons learned. DRINK, DAMMIT! For the two days prior I didn't consume much water and ran out on the course with about 45 minutes left to race. 70 oz in my camelback and 25 oz of Heed in the bottle. Gone. My upcoming XC races won't be as long as this one, so I shouldn't have that problem again. But I can help prevent dehydration by drinking a lot prior to the race.

Some people are just total buttholes. A couple of Sport guys impolitely asked (told) to get around me on a flying descent. I wasn't about to stop (as there was no place to pass) to let them go by at that particular moment. They would have to wait for a better place. So, I was heckled, again, impolitely for a few more seemingly long seconds. So much for being good sports. I'm glad I didn't let it bother me too much; it was much too beautiful where I was to let words get to me.

Still need to work on muddy sections. I hesitated too much in puddles and creeks. Plow through it! There weren't many muddy sections, but I did slow down too much losing precious seconds (or minutes?), especially when I needed more juice to get back up to speed. What happened to all my skills drills from earlier in the year? My reality check tells me I need to start incorporating them again--frequently!

In a nutshell, that was my North Carolina trip. There's so much more to say; you'll have to trust me that it's a beautiful place. It's certainly worth another road trip. Any takers?

More pics.....

The Thomson trail littered with Rhododendrons.

The happy couple...

The overlook...


Group shot

Lake Fontana

Bike shot on the Thomson trail

Leftover fajita that went into the omelet the next morning.

3 Bicycle Station team members for the Knobscorcher

Noah & Sierra

Never too old to learn

After having a warranty frame sitting in my house for a few months, I finally got the urge to build it up. With a superb day for trail riding, Saturday offered me an awesome ride followed by 2 days of guidance in tearing down my old GF Paragon and building up the new frame. Deciding to race Big Wheel again this year, I'm stoked about all the new stuff! More explanations later on my recent expenditures. But for the interim, pics are below.

What I learned in a nutshell:

1) No matter how careful, when doing any kind of mechanical task, you will bang your knuckles/fingers on something.

2) 5 mm is the most popular allen wrench size for the bolts on my bike.

3) Don't take too many parts out of the shifter when installing new cables. Oops.

4) Being told while building a bike for the first time, "Use some common sense" should, apparently, not spark any frustration. Granted, for the most part, Mr. Wonderful was super patient with me.

5) Some bolts get greased; some bolts get loc-tite (sp?). I still don't know which bolts should get which goop. When I asked, the answer was along the lines of, "Loc-tite the ones you don't want to fall out."

6) Last year's green ergo grips don't necessarily go with the new color scheme.

7) It's best to have your own tools and know how to use them. (This is my second endorsement of expenditures on tools!)

8) 3M tape is quite handy to prevent cable rub on the frame.

9) Having a husband that rides bikes makes for good component options from all the spare parts. (Note Bontrager xXx Lite seatpost. It wasn't mine originally.)

10) The shop is totally worth it.

Exploring new roads

Many times I like to have a destination when cycling versus doing a loop. Knowing I'm going somewhere instead of in a circle gives me more of a sense of purpose. I know, I know--It doesn't serve a greater purpose unless I'm commuting and using my bicycle for transportation instead of my car. Nevertheless, I set out to ride to Columbus on Saturday since hubby would already be over there for his own exciting adventures. And since he was taking the, um, mini-van, I could easily fit my bike in the back and get a ride home.

After getting lost last year on a quest to go to the bike shop, I knew which turned I had missed and vowed to get it right this time. Just after Gatesville, I was looking for Hoover Road. Yep--it was right where the map said it would be with the street sign turned so drivers and cyclists couldn't read it from the approaching angle. Classic.

And then I was on new roads. Well, the roads themselves weren't new; rather, I had never been on them before. I was honestly smiling from the singing frogs in the morning. It was supposed to rain, and I hadn't felt one drop. (Forgetting to throw a bag of clothes in the van before Jason left, I had a camelback on with spare clothes in zip lock bags--just in case I was poured on!) I saw some geese flying North and gobbled at some turkeys in an empty field.

The next turn was Grandview road. Matt B explained that it's gravel for only a mile or so, and I would have no trouble on my road bike on this section. What he failed to explain that this was a long, steep hill! OUCH! I was a little worried about getting a flat, but my only other option at this point was to ride the highway; and I didn't really want to do that. The steepest part seemed like my own Brummetts Creek Rd hill, but it leveled out some mid-way up and kept reaching towards the sky. Was it ever going to end? Geesh.

As I was nearing the top, I saw a sight that I thought I would NEVER see. Two road cyclists were making their way DOWN the hill. WHY???????? Why would anyone want to descend this beast? As I got closer, I heard my name. I could now see it was Jacob & Amanda. We stopped to chat. It turns out the road did turn to pavement just a few feet ahead. Jacob was showing Amanda some new routes; their plan was to go down the hill, check out the intersection, then ride back up the hill. I was invited to join them. AS IF! I think I've explained that I'm the one that always wants to take a shortcut or NOT tack on extra mileage--let alone another steep, gravel hill while on my road bike. They must be smoking crack.

Before I knew it, I was following them down the hill. My forearms hurt from braking. With the previous night's rain and some of the gravel washed away, our tires were sinking into the mud.

I brought the wrong bike, I thought.

And as promised, we turned around at the bottom and climbed up it again. My guides showed me the way to Columbus via the bike path and escorted me to the Bicycle Station. It was fun talking to them and hearing the excitement in their voices as they talked about their upcoming wedding. They are certainly a cute couple! And, I got to hear all about their new team for local (Indy) bike builder, Shamrock Cycles. I have been admiring Tim's frames for a long time--they are truly artwork with excellent craftsmanship. If you get a chance, click on the link and view his creations.

To top off my good fortune, as I was pedaling through Columbus, I saw Hubby at a stoplight on his way to the Bicycle Station to pick me up. Awesome timing.

Unfortunately, Sunday's weather didn't cooperate and I opted for an indoor ride. Boo. Hiss. But I'm patting myself on the back for doing extra work twice this week! Looking forward to Summer and dry trails. Have I mentioned that yet?

Life is good.

Ar-Kansas

House renovations, building erection, and husband's job curtailed our Summer & Fall vacation plans last year. So much to do; so little time. Thankfully, we recently bought our house--again, which diminishes the urgency of above renovations. The big projects are done--for the most part. As one of the girls on this weekend's ride asked, "So, no more going home to paint after a bike ride?" NO--the painting is done. Now it's all the loose odds & ends to really clean up. I imagine that will take another 7 years.

The house looks FANTASTIC. Mr. Wonderful really came through.

Through all of this, I was getting restless. I wanted to go somewhere--somewhere different. I'm not really in to exploring wilderness in another state on my own, and I couldn't talk hubby in to going with me. Therefore, I chose a race. With February being way too early in the season for a race, I chose a 6-hour venue and approached it with more of a "training ride" feel.

The benefits: New trail, already marked, other people will be there, guaranteed a longer ride than I'm used to.

The cons: Long drive, hubby wasn't interested in going, and I have to pay money to do it.

The benefits outweighed the cons.

Thankfully, Mer went with me; someone else was as crazy as me!

Leaving on a Thursday, we departed for the 9.5 hour drive to Hot Springs, Arkansas via Terre Haute to I-70 to I-57 to I-55 to I-40, etc. This drive was SO easy--no big cities, no traffic. What we did see was birds--particularly, hawks. Seriously, we saw a hawk for every mile we were on the road. (Ok--maybe I'm exaggerating some.) But people we have talked to since the trip recognize the I-57; I-55 segment as Hawk Alley. After a couple of hours, we were no longer phased by seeing the bird of prey.


But we did go on and on and on about the most enormous bald eagle we've ever seen also sitting in a tree along the road. It made the otherwise boring drive a little more enjoyable.

Arriving in Hot Springs, we quickly learned this place was not the tourist destination it once was. Two things bring tourists--spas & horse races. We later learned that all but one of the natural hot springs have been funneled into the bath houses, where one can pay big bucks to get skin treatments. Woo hoo! Mer & I decided sweating through 6 hours on the trail while drinking as much water as we could would do our skin just fine.

Friday we were able to pre-ride the course despite the threat of rain that never came. What a superb 10-mile loop! Most of the trail meandered through pine forests and offered a little bit of everything as far as mountain biking goes. With over 1,300 feet of climbing per lap, it was 80-90% single-track with rocks, roots, fast sections, twisty sections, uphills, downhills, & pine needles. It was some of the most fun I've had on a mountain bike.

And, yeah, that's a landfill in the middle of the course. We were riding around a landfill.

Anyway, Friday afternoon allowed us to "tour" Hot Springs. Sadly, there was nothing we really wanted to see. We strolled up and down the historic district declining cheesey opportunities such as "The American Gangster Museum" and the "Hot Springs Aquarium." While these sounded neat, the buildings themselves were quite sketchy lending no credibility to their attraction.

We stopped to see The Arlington Resort & Spa, a hotel we snubbed our noses at in favor of The Hampton on the other side of town. I snapped a pic of the Al Capone's car in the lobby.






Just a block away was the sole hot spring in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

But one of the weirdest and admittedly the creepiest attraction was the Wax Museum. Quite honestly, we didn't care to venture in here either. But I did snap a couple photos for the pleasure of my readers. Granted, the URL above is probably a lot better.

By now, enough time had passed to go back to the race venue to register. Serendipity fell upon us when we met Robert, who specialized in massage therapy, chiropractic services, Active Release Technique, and many other designations. For $20, I was relieved of all the aches from tender spots associated with training. For me, this is my right shoulder blade and left ITB. Without telling him where, this master proceeded to troubleshoot and heal, at least temporarily, these aches. In addition, I received some kind of massage from a vibrating device that looked more like a belt sander. INSERT JOKE HERE. Say what you will, this was AWESOME!

Afterwards, we both praised Robert and lazily headed for the van, we decided to get some grub. Near the hotel, the dining establishment below fulfilled my meat cravings when I ordered both Beef Brisket & Pulled Pork. Instead of the usual ketchup and mustard condiments, the tables all had containers of 6 sauces with which to douse the selected meats. Mmmmmm.

Finally, race day was upon us. From a local's recommendation, we decided to hit the Pancake Shop which supposedly had the best pancakes around. Negative, Ghostrider. Straight from the 50s (or some other parallel universe--much like the rest of the town), this diner was strange. When the waitress brought my plate she says, "Darlin', you're gonna wanna butter and cut that pancake before you put syrup on it. Otherwise, you'll have syrup in your lap, and I'm gonna laugh my butt off."

How--HOW--how does one respond to that? Doing as instructed, I was disappointed to see and taste the worst syrup I've ever had. Perhaps I should have stuck with the Cinnamon/Brown Sugar pop tarts in my race bag.

OK--so, now it's race time. Lemans start. Yes, we get to RUN to our bikes before starting the lap. This helps break up the field before entering the singletrack. Again, negative. I was towards the back and still had a traffic jam at the first bridge crossing. I spent the next 3 miles weaving my way up through people. It was a super fun lap and also my fastest.

Not knowing how to pace myself for 6 hours, I slowed way down on the 2nd and 3rd laps; Meredith and I rode together most of the time. At the end of the 3rd lap, I downed half of a Pepsi and tried to cram as much food as I could at the pit stop area. Sadly, my 3rd week of coughing came through and I started spraying the area with half chewed pop tarts. Yes, I was sick for a week, the cough continued. It only happens when my heart rate is up, so I wasn't too worried about it. The cold never lodged in my lungs, and I was lucky to not get a sinus infection. Water, water, water!

I carried on for a 4th lap and picked it up a bit again since I knew it would be my last. Sadly, I didn't meet my goal to get 5 laps (results), but I did meet my expectations of riding medium hard, riding consistently, and having a blast! The trail was SO MUCH FUN, I was smiling much of the time. I also wasn't ashamed to get lapped by 3-time 24-hour world champion, Rebecca Rusch. It was a great, well-organized event, and having the sun out made my weekend complete.

Topping off the trip, on the way out of town, we spotted the only thing I would have paid money to do. If only......

Catundra

After a very short day at work Friday, Jason and I had some extra time on our hands. We skipped out on Friday night Pizza Night w/ the grandparents and visited them in the morning before making our way towards home. With a filling lunch at Upland Brewery, I suggested we visit the animal shelter. He agreed!

Note to self: load him up on a couple of beers next time I want anything.

Our fence is not yet fixed, so we looked at the cats. Without expecting it, we were filling out an application for "Patches." And wouldn't you know it, we could take her home right then! So we did.

Patches is 4 years old and was given up by a family who was moving. She came with an upper respiratory infection and already hates me after shoving a couple of syringes full of antibiotics into her mouth. This is starting out great! Nevertheless, she's a cutie and is quite affectionate. Hopefully we'll complete the family with a dog, but in the interim, we're going to let Patches become acquainted with us and the house.

We're thinking of a name change, though, and I'm laughing at Jason's suggestion: Catundra. The cat is a little overweight reminding him of a children's book of the same name he had many moons ago. The main character of the book is an overweight cat who lives in the forest after being teased by the other critters. I'll have to find that one at the library.

Scarce O' Fat

It's just fun to say. "Scarce O' Fat" This is the name of a gravel road in Brown County. This road connects Hwys 45 & 46 through Yellowwood State Forest. With temps around 18 degrees in the morning, I opted to do a gravel road ride on Big Wheel.

This is a ride I've been itching to do for a while. It's not that the ride itself is that spectacular; I guess I've attached some sentimental value to it. Scarce O' Fat road has given me plenty of "Firsts." It's the first place I took Max on a hike; it's the first place I went cross country skiing; and it's the first ride I did on Big Wheel.

Angela's Mountain Biking History: In 2003, I went to visit friends in Arizona where we rented mountain bikes. Mine was something like a Specialized Enduro with buttloads of travel and suspension. I WAS HOOKED! I knew I would be a mountain biker during that ride.

Megan and I riding in Sedona--my first mtb ride!

Upon returning to Indiana I bought an entry-level Cannondale. I started riding with my current neighbor at Wapehani and a couple of other trails. THIS WAS AWEFUL! The trees, roots, and layouts were nothing like Sedona. I hated it. After only a handful of rides I retired the bike. Three years later, Mr. Wonderful decided he needed a new mountain bike. Out of spite, I joined in this "team" purchase of Gary Fisher Paragon 29ers. My childish reasoning, "if he can spend money, I can too."

These bikes were beautiful. The Pearl Yellow had gold flakes that glittered in the sun. Having never ridden it, I knew I would love it--because it was pretty.

So, Jason suggested a ride through the forest, and I happily agreed. We packed a lunch and embarked on a non-technical mountain bike ride--the one I did today. We ate lunch on the dam of Yellowwood lake then turned for home. I thought I was going to die; the hills at the end were excruciating! But the bike was awesome.

Having got in on "the deal" with the bikes, I was "required" to race at least 3 races for The Bicycle Station. I entered the local race, my first, and won the Beginner category. I've been hooked ever since.

Today I found myself doing the same ride only with snow and lots of sun. THANK GOODNESS for the sun. I've missed it lately.

Turning off hwy 45 onto Tulip Tree, I questioned my sanity. The road had been plowed--good. The now packed snow seemed to have a glassy look in places. Ice? Riding alone, would I fall, break a bone and be left to freeze until my husband figured out I should have been home 59 hours ago? Just do it. I kept riding without problems. That is, until I reached the gate. The gravel road ends at the forest where it becomes a fire road. Snow plows don't traverse fire roads. Within 10 feet I knew it would be difficult. Hikers & skiers made the crusty snow produce an odd path that bumped me every which way. When I wasn't getting bogged down in snow I was getting bucked. This would call for some skills practice! YAY! After more than a half hour (slow learner), I realized it was best to blaze my own trail on the fresh snow instead of trying to ride over partially frozen foot/ski prints.

The little chain ring was quite useful in providing easy, even cadence for the rollers. I still had to pay careful attention as my tires were sliding all over the place. Again, I was ecstatic to get in some practice while keeping my HR at a somewhat acceptable level. As I type, my arms don't hurt--tomorrow may be another story.

I had estimated the fire road to be 3 miles. I think I was way off, but I have no way to tell since I didn't bring the GPS. On the Google map above, I sketched the red line in where no road showed on the map.

The instructions given to me were, "the trails that go off to the left are hiking trails. The roads to the right do not take you where you need to go. Also, don't go on any of the logging roads to the left or right. At the Y, go" AHHH. Go which way???? I didn't remember. I got to the "Y" and couldn't remember which way to go. I stopped to look at some trail signs that were over 300 years old. Best I could tell, I should go right b/c left takes me to the lake.

After miles and miles of nothing, I finally came upon a sign for Scarce O Fat & Tecumseh. I knew I was where I needed to be.

The rest of the ride was snowy gravel roads. Even the hills weren't as bad as I remembered. After reaching Lanham Ridge, I was even short on time. So, I turned at the next gravel road--County Line Road taking it to Southshore. By this time, something had frozen and seized on the bike leaving me with only my middle chain ring in the front. I was happy to have gears in the rear but worried about Richardson road as it's kind of steep and was covered in snow.

It was no problem. Well, no problem when I'm supposed to keep my HR down; I could just slow down with a reasonably good excuse!

The ride was awesome today. I downloaded my HR data just to see how many calories I had burned. My own theory is HR monitors severely miscalculate calories, so I knew the number I was looking at was at least 13000 too few. So, I enjoyed my new favorite ice cream: Edy's slow churned peanut butter cup. MMMMMMMMMm.

Happy Saturday and Happy Sunshine! I'm ready for Summer. Have I mentioned that yet?