8Hrs of Rapelje........?

uh ya, that's what it worked out to(maybe a couple minutes longer)thanks to Mother Nature...
(now for a longish recap for one of my shortest times on a bike)

Naom's, the dogs and I managed to get out of town around 6:45pm on Friday....kinda late considering a 7(ish)hr drive(not including border crossing/gas) and considering one of the 2 of us was going to be on their bike racing in roughly16hrs...we managed without incident(read: broken down Westy) to make it to Rapelje, Montana just before 4am Saturday morning...ended up in line at customs for better part of an hr(managed one of our quickest checkstops with the border gaurds ever though--amazing given we were in the Westy.....) popped the top on the van, and hoped the sun would wait 4-5 hrs b/f it dicided to come up--too bad the sky was already light...

Fortunately for us, I did the whole drive down, so Naom's was in a bit better shape(and mood) than me, a bonus as we decided she was going to ride the first six hours, while I pitted for her, and slept some. The race begaon at 11am w/a Lemans start(riders ran the better part of a block) and the course was a about 14 miles of fairly rolling terrain...

Naomi came in after her first lap a bit over an hr, said it was def a pedalers course and suggested a "big" ring for me....although we've been married the better part of 13yrs, we've never really talked gear ratios and what not, but Naomi's more of a Jan when it comes to pedalling rpms(for better or worse) so given my largest ring that I have brought was a 39t, it went on my 1FG along with a 16t cog). Laps 2 thru 5 were quite consistent for Naomi, I managed to walk the pups around town, get a couple of power naps in, keep her bike and food intake rolling and my kit sorted. It was around lap 4 for Naom's that the clouds started to really make a dash from the West. What made it a bit squirelly was that at ground level, the wind was stout and from the East. Over the next couple of hrs the sky went from full sun to fluffy clouds to this is gonna get sketch...

After Naomi's 4th lap we figured it'd be close enough to 6 hrs for me start my stretch. We were entered in the 3 person category(mixed)and it seems as though we were the only duo...during this lap I got myself kitted up, and a bit more stan's goop to my tyres, fed the dogs supper, and went for a bit of a warmup ride down one of the many side roads. The wind had picked up but it was nothing like back here so other than the sky really starting to get dark it(wind) wasn't really a concern.

Naomi and I tagged off without much else other than her telling me she'd sign me out...I took off after a couple a dudes that'd left moment b/f me not caring if we were in the same cat or not....I'm a sucker for that kind of thing, I guess it has to do with how I feel that not matter what category we're all in, we're all racing the same course...the course reminded me a bit of the trails back here crossed with Dirty Kanza--its what I know so we'll go with that...

My first lap(just like Naomi's) was also my preride lap. The course was extremely well marked with survey flags and tape and given the course was well used cattle and 4x4 trails, getting mixed up wood be really hard. I pulled my first 22.5km lap in at 59 minutes. By my second lap, the sky was black, I'd decided that rather than head back to the pit I'd bust out a second lap then pit and repeat the process to 3-4 and 5-6...if only...

The course was pretty much a big clockwise loop, cutting through a couple of ranches, some gravel road stretches and some not-overly tech-but fun twisty singletrack, pretty much a full-on fast pedaling course...39x16 felt good...about 10 minutes into my second lap I'd wished I'd stopped be the van if only to get lighter lenses for my sunglasses, otherwise, the rain was coming-it was only a matter of when, how hard, and how it would affect the course in terms of rideability.

Other than the start/finish, the only other part that the course was marshaled on was a gravel road crossing(by a couple of folks in a 5th wheel), at what seemed to be the furthest point from town. It was at this point the the skies open up, with rain, hail and wicked lightning..., I figured I'd push on past the shelter of the fifth wheel and take my chances....I'd rate the storm on par with the one that shut down 9 mile a few yrs back. Maybe not as windy, but def as dangerous with the amount of lightning and the openness of the terrain...the Sweetest jersey in the world doesn't do much to shield from hail either I might ad...the welts went away over night...

One of(the many) great things about SS is the drivetrains(or lack there-of) resilience to kacking out in mud and shyte. During the storm I came along a bout a dozen folks pushing their rigs thru the slop either because they were so packed with mud and sand(and cow shyte), of because their derailleurs and chains esploded trying to power thru it...I managed my second lap around 1:04...this was my last lap.....

Naomi was at the start/finish relieved to see me even though she saw from our sign-in sheet that's I'd been been in from my first and was out on my 2nd lap--and not kacked out on the course with a mech...I was pretty effin cold be this point, and was told my 3rd lap would have to wait until the weather sorted itself out...bummer that it never did.

The contigency plan was to hurry up and wait until approx 5am to see if the sky calmed down and allowed the ground to firm up, Naom's and I were in the Van at around 10pm watching the lightshow from the top bunk as the rain died when we both passed out, I awoke around 3am to a pretty solid downpour--headed over to the Stockman Cafe to get the word from the cheif commisaire that the race was done(big surprise) at around 4:30am--then back in the van, slept'till 8.

We stuck around for the impromptu awards, everyone was in great spirits, although this race is quite lowkey by today's adrenaline and granny gear standards its rad to see the hardcore out that still get it...sure I think most of us are bummed that a storm killed the race but that can't be controlled, not sure we we finished...the plus for us is Naomi got a solid ride in that has her head back in it, I'm psyched for that.

The drive home was pretty scenic, mainly due to Montana being an awsome state(and it was daylight)...nursed the Westy over Kings Hill Pass(a bit over 7000ft) kinda rad...the big orange brick's got some demon's I might need a shamen for...we'll see if $$$ and some elbow grease works first...all told 1400km on the big orange brick over the wknd...I think we'll keep her....

As for Rapelje...we're keen to go back next yr...awesome people/great community, great course, wicked views(if it's clear), well organized, not as many rattlers as people said...and it's only 13.5 hrs from Peg city...hint, hint...

24/2

final prep for 24 @ Rapleje is on...charging batteries, draining em just to be sure they work, repeat...Naomi and I are racing the 3 person category as a duo--first time racing this way as we're ussually both solo-so agreed team name seems to be 28spd(27 for her, 1 for me--I'm sure FGBC'll be tossed into the mix)...should be a good way to be see where we're at well before 9 Mile...should be a fun low-key race...bit of a drive tomorrow after work...more Sunday/Monday... packingthen sleep now...have a good'n

Back from K country...
Westy shakedown slash ride-hikeabike extravaganza
all is good.

A Post just to Post

no much other than riding these days...work too....meh!
Two-4 in MT next weekend, dif't as Naom's and I are gonna race it as a duo(in the 3 person Cat--all they got allegedly, besides big-ass teams and our usual fave solo)
Ordering some parts for the van--it's big voyage to the motherland(ie Wisconson) in July is coming soon--should be a scene....that's it for now kids.....

ps-anyone looking for some Hope brakes?

Giver8-updated

'raced the Giver8 yesterday up at C.O.P , it went pretty well, got in 12 laps(@7:47) of a 9km & change loop on my rigid Rig(overall winner Pat Doyle snagged 14 laps on a full squish in just over 8 hrs), my body's pretty knackered....more later...

Later:


so after some indecision(on my part) as to whether or not we'd head up to COP to the race I found myself up at 5am....25 minutes later I had my gear sorted and let Naom's know that I was gonna head up and give it a go...without any real breakfast(read: bagels) in the house I grabbed what I though were non-expired Boost out the fridge to tide me over until I found a Timmy Ho's or a Safeway...about 40minutes into the drive up to Calgary(and about 20 minutes after I slammed a Boost-from 07) my guts started to revolt...An emergency stop on the hwy and down into the bush revealed and interesting start to the days events. An hour later and two e-stops later I found myself in Calgary in the direction on COP and on the hunt for an open grocery store. Severely dehydrated by this point and in a bit of a panic I found some solid grub and forced down 2 bagels and the better part of a litre of h20. I managed to get up to the race withing minutes of the reg closing for the race, and 1/2 hr b/f the race. I set my bottles and other bits of nutrition sorted for the day, got my kit on and managed a quick bike go-over. By the time the race started I found myself near the back of some 100 solo and team riders, with really no expectations on performance other than to ride the entire race--riding in survival mode right off the gun kinda sucks.

Within the first lap I found myself up in the top 20 or so riders(I think), my lower back and my legs felt super tired and heavy early on. I realized as well within the first section of singletrack that my 20psi front and 25 psi rear were much to hard running 2.4 and 2.25's, on one of the steeper climbs(that I pushed up) later in the lap I managed to burp some air out of each tyre. Laps 2 thru 4 I managed to spaz out once per lap. Once over shooting a narrow bridge across one of the many stream crossings and endoing 3 ft off. Another time on a severely rutted gravel descent I overshot a corner and was rewarded with a snapping my bottle cage, and some solid raspberries on my left hip, elbow, and shoulder(+ a broken bottle cage)...I managed 1/2 a larger bottle of fluid per 9.5k loop over the course of the race, two can of (non-expired) Boost, four pieces of licorice, half a bagel, and about 12 succeed salt pills. The day ended with 12 laps for me(I just missed being able to head out on 13 by a minute I'm told...I found laps 5 thru 12 although punishing on my 29er(rig-rigid) that I seemed to recover from my gut revolt and rode at a consistent pace, never did I feel super strong, and I think the milder temps helped me remain pretty level from lap to lap...I suspect a hotter day would've DNF'd me...

My bike held together pretty well considering running rigid, and although the course wasn't the hardest race loop I've ever ridden, running rigid given my bodies state definitely thrashed my arms pretty good, there's been a lot of h2o and advil since Sunday.

overall, I'm thankful I did as well as I did considering..gives me hope for the rest of the summer, fingers crossed...

chinook

lotsa riding, no racing(yet), eat , sleep, work(at the shop and on the Van) have been the mantra.
got rained and snowed on todays ride on the Allison-Chinook trails and around Crownest, 3hrs/57k....
everything is coming together....

Sked 09

so here's what we're gonna be up to race-wise this season(besides all the epic riding we moved out here for) :

Giver 8hr Enduro, May 31(both of us solo, hopefully)
24hrs of Rapelje, June 21-22(racing it as a duo--both as a 12hr training ride)
Reach the Beach, July 5(both solo)
24hrs @ 9mile, July 25/26(both solo)
Wed Night Race #5(both-maybe)
Butte 100, Aug 1(just me, Naomi's working:( ...)
XC8, Sept 5(both solo)
Bow 80(just me, if I can get someone's spot)


that's a summer....


and then



CYCLOCROSS!!!!!!(maybe Moab)

Yeah Us.

so we've officially been out in Mountain Standard Time for one year as of today, kinda cool...'been a good year checking things out and meeting new people, definitely miss folks in the olde country though..otherwise a good year...'went thru more cars than bikes for a change....kinda weird....

wtf

We went from this on Sunday:














































to this three hours ago:






















gotta love living near the mtns

it's snowing here

what the crap?

Castle closed for the season on Sunday...sad, but we have our season's passes paid for for the 09/10 season, so that's rad...heading to Fernie this weekend for what is likely to be our last DH days of the season...plus Spirit of the West is playing there on Saturday so that can't be missed...the shift towards the bike is in full swing, other than the wrench that is today's(and likely tomorrows) weather...our season has been mostly nailed down to what amounts to likely 2 maybe 3 24's, one hundie(me for sure: Butte), 2-8hrs races, and a few of shorter races btwn 3-7 hrs...plus the continuing mission of searching out the trails just West of us...if the snow would stop....