Man, I'm slacking. Really doesn't matter as no one reads blogs any more. Apparently Face Book (and twitter) is where all the cool kids hang out these days. I'm going to hang out under the bleachers, smoking cigs, a little longer before I make the plunge. I really like to wait until a technology is on the down-turn before I embrace it. By my calculations, should be the middle of next week.

Outlaw ride and party a couple weeks ago was fun. Ricky and I switched bikes for a little. That old Specialized he stole is nice. The chopped down bars were squirrely, but other than that is was a sweet ride...and fast. We got razed by a bunch of bikers ( the leather clad, Harley kind) when we stopped for mid-ride beers at Daniel's. By the time we left, there were small groups of us talking story with the throttle twisters. One guy even stopped traffic so we could safely cross the street. That was kinda cool. Then there was the old guy in a pickup who cut in front of us and threw his door open. RiderX was all in his face ( never seen that before). Back at Jay's the beer was flowing and the food was abundant. We even got some business done in the way of jersey fittings. Fire pit in the back yard topped off a good day.

Let's see, the weekday rides have been moved to Thursday and we had a good one last week. Shed to Gambrill through the Valley of Death. Tough for sure. Nice to do an after work ride when the sun is still shining. This past Wednesday we finished off the Gambrill Graveyard Shift rides for the year. Only 4 in attendance, DKEG, RiderX, Victor and me. Fast laps, minimal stopping left plenty of time for brews at the Pub. No table this time, hung bar side, feasted on the buffet and got $2 dollar beers......sweet!

First day of Spring was today and I hit a "not-so-quick" recon of Schaeffer. Cleared a bunch of crap off the trails, tried to use the new "unbeleiveable saw" on some big stuff that kicked it's ass (and mine). Great saw for soft woods, not so great for 8" hard woods. I lost my GPS at some point. Went to check the time and it wasn't there. Musta has some good kharma working cuz I found it on the back side of a tree I hopped. Could have been an expensive day. Trails are in great shape and only have a few trees to cut. Need to take care of that soon as people have already created ride-arounds......on the first day. Geez!



Elizabeth Furnace with a strong crew on Sunday. I'll try to take pics and post something about the ride. Should be a stellar day.

2009 SSOPBE

Ah the pain, reminds us we are still alive.

The Outlaw hosted his annual event in the woods of Frederick on Sunday. The weather people called for sunny skies and temps in the mid 40's. A brief storm rolled through G-Town the night before and, fortunately, didn't didn't deposit much rain. Packing the car the next morning, the warm sun and dry ground implied a mild day and I packed accordingly. The drive up exposed one simple truth, the mountain does not conform to suburban Germantown weather patterns. Snow had fallen during the night and it got deeper as we gained altitude. Not a lot mind you, but, enough to give concern as my winter boots were safely nestled away......at home. My summer shoes and thick wool socks would have to do as we played in Mother Natures bounty.

The lot was packed and roadside parking was the only thing left. Camps and a few of the PA boys parked behind us and laughed as I explained my footwear faux pas. "It's February...and your in the mountains" or words to that effect was his response. True, but, it was nice in my driveway. Anyway, the word was out and there were at lot of people in attendance. A couple pros from the Trek team were there as well as the usual bunch of fast guys. Throw in a nice layer of fresh snow, to make things interesting, and today was going to hurt.

I didn't know how the day was going to shake out, but, I did well on the first stage (3rd) and thought I'd push it while I had the energy. Stage two up the cut-through and down Lawnmower was fun and I finished well enough for some more points. The Big Dog contested my passing him over a log, but, all's fair at the Punk Bike if you ask me. Third stage was over the rocks and up to the entrance for Rusted Bug, I got some points on that one as well. Fourth stage was the obligatory "bike swap" stage and I was lucky enough to find one with SPD's and sorta in my size. I grabbed Sweetcheeks Linsky and with the exception of being a tad tall, it rode really well. Tommy (Tomi Cog) somehow grabbed a geared bike and was unsure what to do with the multi-geared beast. The short climb before the Rusted Bug revealed the reason so many of us ride one gear as it slipped when Tommy tried to mash down on the climb. Seizing the opportunity I jumped ahead and never looked back. Home field advantage has it perks as I pulled my only stage win of the day.

Two more stages before the beer break. First one started on Knuckle Buster and went down Blue to the pond. The road climb before the trail revealed that I was loosing steam. My asthma was acting up and it was hard to fill my lungs with enough oxygen. Light headed, I pushed as hard as I could and the descent on Blue was a welcome section. I got some points, just barely. Last stage before the break and I did everything wrong. Bad starting position, not prepared for the start and poor line choice deprived me of any points for the first time that day.

***Intermission***
RiderX and James did an amazing job with site selection this year. On top of the mountain in a secluded nook; that was the perfect place for a campfire and a keg. Peg Leg Imperial Stout was the beverage du jour provide from team sponsor Clipper City. Walsh and his lady hooked me up with some Girl Scout cookies while we waited to fill our cups. About the only thing missing was the beef jerky I left in the car. Mel's fire was a great way to warm your bones on this cold winter day. I have to wonder what was going through the gravity guys heads as they stumbled upon our little group on their way down the hill.

Dab/No Dab was the next stage after our descent off the summit. I dabbed, no points on this round. The next stage, DeLauther Rd., was a brutal climbing stage that started off with the racers going through the ford. I pushed up the hill, with soaking wet feet, and was able to pick off a few people along the way. Seconds before the finish, Tommy prematurely raises his hands for some stage points as I swooped in and snatched them from the Outlaw. Always the good sport, he laughs it off as I apologize for the maneuver.



The lungs are now burning and I'm very light-headed at the conclusion of each stage. Stephen and I line up near the front and he takes off like a shot from the start. I'm in pursuit, but, I wouldn't call it a hot one. Before a short climb, I bounce off a rock and two or three guys pass me on the short climb. Back on I chase, but, can't make up the gap. I get a couple points, however, I'm cooked. The final stage was a short one and I made no effort to line up near the front. Therefore, I had a lot of traffic to move through. After the stream crossing, I get some encouragement from Spearman and tap into some reserve I thought was spent. A couple hard kicks later, I moved up three spots and ended with some points. In hindsight, I'm glad I didn't lay down on that last stage. "Leave it all out on the course" is the saying and my dry, hacking, uncontrollable coughs are a testament I did just that.

A long slow grind up Blue got us back to the cars and the points tally. I ended up with a respectable 59 points and was happy to be done. Jeff and Anna were to be the overall leaders for the day and crowned the 2009 Single Speed Outlaw Punk Bike Enduro King and Queen. I heard Jeff had accumulated 140+ points on the day. Insane! I'd love to see a breakdown of all the points leaders. Hopefully RiderX will provide that information. Win or lose, it was an incredible day and one I really look forward to. Good times with a bunch of friends in the woods. Just doesn't get any better than this!

Additional Photos from DKEG & RiderX

More

More snow and ice for the Wednesday night ride @ Gambrill. I brewed up some studded tires over the weekend and had to give them a go. Traction was excellent and really helped on the descents, however, the studs were like talons and held on to exposed trail debris. Cutting first tracks through Styrofoam snow wasn't a picnic either. Still, the 5 brave souls pick our way through the woods and had a great time. The Big Dog and Sweetcheeks were riding strong and made some nasty climbs.

Close to the finish Frank suggested the black trail and I was the only taker. The others made a bee line to the cars as we negotiated an exposed line on the top of the mountain being pummeled with high winds and low temps. First time I ever rode that section and hope to put it into regular rotation. PLB's were minimal as the temperature (13 degrees) did not encourage socializing.



M.O.R.E winter party was this past Saturday and (as always) it was a great time. Party organizer Liz did a fantastic job with the arrangements, JoeP produced another entertaining film and the beer selection grew with DFH stepping up as a new sponsor. Add the keg donations from Shenandoah Brewing and Outlaw sponsor Clipper City Brewing into the mix and it's no wonder my head hurt so much in the morning. There was also a short video produce by a couple young guys, like 17 years old. From the opening shot you knew these guys were talented. Everything from camera work to post production was phenomenal. Hell, they made Wakefield look good and that's no easy feat. I hear they are shooting in Gambrill and the Shed now. I can't wait to see that one.

More hungover than I have been in a long time, Sunday was slated to be a big, hard ride on the gravel roads of Frederick. I picked up DKEG about 8 and seriously thought about bailing, I was so bad off. I knew the group would show no mercy and I was looking at a painful day in the saddle. Cross bikes were the weapon of choice as the recent temps were sure to melt off all the snow we enjoyed just 4 days prior. All this melt-off was going to produce some sloppy trails. On the car ride up I labored to eat a banana and drink some Gatorade. Upon arrival RiderX takes one look at me and laughs as he says I have Ricky to blame. "For what?" I inquire. For the sufferfest he has planned as payback. Payback for Ricky's last minute ride bailout the day before, I'm told. Yeah, this is gonna suck.

As we ride, the pounding in my head starts to subside and the warm sun felt good on my face. Ricky flats twice before we get to any real climbs and we take the opportunity to drop a layer before the hard work ahead. As the grade increases, so does the mud. The gravel roads covered with ice the day before are now wet, soft and slow. After the first pitch my hangover is a distant memory and there is now work to be done. Joe and I pull away from the others and push the hill as it pushes back. At the top Joe comments how we should have packed some beers. I actually agreed with him. Some 43 miles and 4600 feet of climbing later, we did enjoy a couple cold ones at the Outlaws house.

Turning a corner

Been getting in some good rides lately of the bike and ski variety. Throw in a winter party somewhere in the middle and it's been a sweet couple weeks.

Two Wednesdays ago a few of us went to Liberty when a serious cold spell hit the area. With temps in the 20's the local resorts were pumping out as much snow as they could in preparation for MLK's birthday and the inauguration. The "snow from a can" as Camps called it was thick and dry and made for some fun runs. Not the best stuff in the world, but, it beats icy hills any day of the week. Joe, Jay, Larry, my brother Keith and I played on the backside most of the night. Jay gets special recognition for bringing a flask of GM. Unfortunately that small flask didn't last long when 5 guys are hitting it. After a few more runs we remedied that with a visit to the tavern. A couple Hop Backs later we finished the night with a few more runs and one more plb before heading home.

Saturday night Mr. & Mrs. Outlaw hosted a fine Winter Festivus. As expected, the beer selection was top notch, the food was yummy and the company was outstanding. DKEG and I were officially welcomed into the Outlaws, although the initiation ritual need to be postponed. Something about Stoner losing the gerbil..... Dodging that bullet we settled in with some beer sampling and conversation. As the night progressed, the artistic side of the inebriated guests came out and Joe's refrigerator was to be the canvass. Barb and I had to head out to relieve the babysitter just as things were getting interesting on the chalkboard. I really need to find the email with those pics.

The next morning DKEG, Sweetcheeks and I got in a short ride at the Shed. We did an out and back on Busted Knuckles, Rusted Bug and Lawnmower. Snow on top of ice made for some interesting climbs and sketchy descents. Busted Knuckles was riding very nice and it was good to get some tires on the young trail. Sadly, those 7 miles didn't make a dent in the calories we consumed at Il Forno. Best damn pizza around tho!

Wednesday night was another Gambrill ride and I was sporting my newly converted triple LED. Again the trails were covered with ice and snow and I learned that Kenda Karma's, while great race and rock tires, don't do so well in the snow. A few slides while driving into a turn meant I needed to ride a tad conservative unless I wanted another trip to the ER. The LED, on the other hand, performed flawlessly and threw out a spectacular beam. All I need to do now is build up a 4 cell battery to run on the helmet and that light will be perfect. The 6 cell pack I ran in my hydration pack is great and provides for long run times, however, I have now become spoiled and love the freedom of having everything helmet mounted. With temps in the teens we could only muster up 6 souls for the nights ride. The reduced number worked in our favor and we kept a steady pace with a singular mechanical. RiderX had a small issue with his light mount, it broke, but, we were close to the finish and it was repaired quickly. This ride was followed by the second best pizza in Frederick and beers at the brewpub. Gonzo Imperial Porter from Flying Dog on tap, that was a nice surprise.

This past Sunday we did another snow/ice ride in the Shed and we actually got in some decent miles. Did the southern/northern loops option and the trails were fast...and frozen. I think someone said it was 14 degrees when we started, sure did feel that way. However, it was a beautiful sunny day and the low temps didn't seem to bother anyone. Carlo's bike was another story and his rear shock didn't seem to care for the cold weather much. Try as we might, it just wouldn't hold air and he had to cut his ride short at the end of Dave's trail. While he took the road back to his car, the rest of us headed towards lawnmower. With the exception of a couple turns, the trail was in good shape and rode fast. From there we headed down an icy Rusted Bug and over to a very nice Busted Knuckles. That twisty trail only had a dusting of snow at this point and provided many smiles from the group. After it re-joined the Blue we headed down, over to little cannan and then towards Death March. Sweetcheeks was riding well and hot in pursuit on the climb. DKEG was looking particularly good and was only moments behind us with Liz and Greg close behind. We decided to stay on Blue and loop back towards Sand Flats. This should give us about 15 miles and a nice ride on a cold winter day. A couple icy spots on "Not Blue" made the climb impossible and a quick dismount was necessary. From the top we took the connector to Blue down into Crystal Clear pond. True to it's name the pond was clear as a bell with a thin layer of ice on top. Blue rode fast all the way back to Buck Flats and that rode well back to the cars. We did get our 15 in for the day and then a quick detour to 7th street for a little fridge re-stock. Road-runners were in order.

Last night a little more ski action as a small storm moved into the area. We pushed the Wednesday plan up a night do to the "wintery mix" forecasted for our regular night. I rolled out early to beat the traffic and get in some extra turns. Apparently everyone else had the same idea. With schools out and snow falling many people hit the slopes to enjoy snow not "from a can". After a slight altercation with some young punk, I head straight to the back side to enjoy Mother Natures bounty. Conditions were the best I've experienced in a long time and I was finally "feeling the back foot", hence the title for my post. Took a long time to get to this point, but there it is. I was feeling it last night and it felt good! Conditions aside, that was the best night I've ever had on the teles and I was stoked. I was actually driving the skis instead of being a passenger. Now, I wasn't driving them hard and I certainly wasn't popping out rapid jump turns down the bumps, but, I was able to trust them. I could ski the edge of the trail and not fear that I would blow a turn and end up in the trees. It's a great feeling when you turn that corner.

After a couple runs I see Camps and he's with a sizable group of locals, most of them freeheeling. Introductions done the group hits a couple runs and we had our own mini "telefest". Just as they are about to call it a night I hear some shouts from the lift and see Julie, Joe and Becky. Larry and I head up to meet them at the summit. Our group of 5 will spend the rest of the night together. Around 7:30 the people start to thin out just as the snow kicks up a notch. Sweet silent snow has replaced the sound of ice normally associated with these hills. It's a great sound....or lack there of. The night plays out beautifully as conditions improved. The legs are not feeling the burn I normally feel after repeated lunges down a hill. I guess that's another corner I've turned. Around 9 we decide a little refreshment is in order, a round (or two) later the drive home will be on icy roads as the snow has given way to freezing rain. Today things are a mess and most everything is covered by a blanket of ice. I'm glad we moved things up a day.

My aching knees

Spent 6 hours destroying my legs and knees at Whitetail today. The new planks are sweet, I just wish I could do them justice. Conditions weren't bad and were actually better than I thought. It basically rained down here all night and I wasn't expecting much. I knew things would be ok, however, when I saw snow in the tree tops as I crested the first mountain of Frederick. "Good things are happening at higher elevations" a friend used to say. Of course, he was talking about the Sierra Nevada's, but, the principle works here as well.

Whitetails "telefest" was going on and the hill was littered with tele skiers. Most would be attending the various clinic's happening for the 6th annual event. I got up too late to make the classes and truth be told, I just wanted to make some turns on my own schedule. I do, however, got to get me some schooling some day. Telepalooza at Seven Springs perhaps?? I eventually ran into Larry and Mike, just as my legs were ready to call it quits. Both these guys are good skiiers and I felt bad they had to wait for my sorry ass. Still, it is good to push yourself and follow better people. Chasing after these guys was a lot of fun and a little painful. Someday....hopefully.

Phase 2

An endless supply of snacks makes for a very nice day

You're never too young to lop.

You can't go wrong when you're hanging out with friends

First day on the new Kodiak's and they worked nicely. The Hammerheads kept things in check, the skis held a solid edge and turned with minimal input from the pilot. Everything I was hoping for and more. Now, all I have to do is work on some endurance and I'll be set.



I met Camps and Oliver at Whitetail and the Zen master showed me some cool tricks to improve my technique. Larry is trying to get me to do goofy foot turns, reversing the normal tele turn and to be honest, I was happy to just make clean runs. Meanwhile, Oliver, is ripping down the hill like a seasoned pro. Apparently a secret chocolate stash is the secret to skiing with kids.




Larry in the terrain park. New ways to hurt yourself.


Top photo courtesy of Camp