5-0

I'm really missing labor day weekend in Spearfish this year. Everyone I know is getting psyched up for the Dakota 5-0. Eppen, Baldy and maybe even Miller are gonna get down. Calvert, Nick and I are going to miss out due to our geographic disabilities. Its a great race through the black hills, lollipop style. You start out of Spearfish canyon, climb climb climb your way up the Tinton and then go up and down through the hills until you come back to the Tinton.

Its a helluva race and considering the course record comes in at just over 11 mph and just about everyone walks a little on their way out of Seamore Gulch, its not your usual marathon style race. If you can make it home without cramping, bonking or throwing up you're doing well. Two years ago I wasn't in good enough shape for the race and last year I came in gunning for a sub 5 hr time, but instead bonked on the big climb out of the final aid station and got lost, taking a 20 minute detour (I know, excuses, excuses). If they'll have me, I think I'm make it a point to go to the 2008 edition.

As for 2007 winners? I dunno. The locals are always strong. John Rehorst is really strong and Jon Nelson is doing well this year. Phil Busching or Tim Lucking could win if they make the trip back to the state. H-wood always brings a strong group of racers with him from the twin cities and he himself could throw a winning time out there. Eppen will be top ten and could win, if he really is keeping pace with his bro, like at the Camden Classic, but he says he's bringing another Iowaian whos even stronger than he. All I know is I'm jealous of everyone who will be there.

As I was packing up to move to NY, I stumbled upon some old Mountain Bike magazines. I read the magazines religiously back when I was sixteen. It was a time when I was new to the sport, but craving any and all information I could get. I would pour over each new issue I got, memorizing articles I found interesting, while studiously reading even the most boring articles. Although my biking consisted of riding to the park and occasionally making it down the Minnesota river to do 45 minute of 'mountain' biking in basketball shorts, these magazines opened up a magical world to me where singletrack was heaven, everyone wore spandex and counting grams is was nearly as important as time on the bike.

The thing is, eight years later, despite that I rarely read cycling media anymore, these magazines are just as interesting as before. Maybe I'm overwhelmed by nostalgia or maybe its more a sign of the sport, but no one makes an interesting mountain biking periodical like there used to be. Certainly, a lot of it has to do the proliferation of the internet, where every magazine has their story beat by weeks, if not months. It also has to do with the shift from a sport focused on racing to one focused on freeriding, where emotions and pictures are more important than finishing times and bike specs. But part of me thinks that no one gets it like those guys used to.

In other news, how about that new SID?? http://www.cyclingnews.com/tech.php?id=tech/2007/news/08-28

Mountain Biking Forever

This week I took a couple days to drive out to R.C. one last time this year. It was a blast to be there for all of 24 hours. Grandma put me up for the night and I got to do some mountain biking the next day. It rained during the night, but C-Mill and I hit up Storm Mountain the next day. It was pretty awesome riding except down in Coon Hollow which was thoroughly soaked. After Chris had his fill of riding, I road up the Wood Porch Rd to see if I could find South of Heaven. Found the Bone Collector, check, Rim Rock trails, check, but no South of Heaven. The logging in that area has made navigating through the forest impossible, so I didn't feel to inept. All in all, it felt great to get back out in the woods. If I lived someplace like that year round, I'm pretty sure I'd have no use for a road bike.

One thing I could do without is the 8 hr drive across I90. I was able to get amazing gas mileage though. 35 mpg at 80mph is pretty exciting stuff! It takes the sting out of $3/gallon gas. I can't imagine why people drive SUV's and pickups across the country, it seems like flying would be cheaper.

The End

Well, my time at Edina Bike is over, for real this time. My last day was Sunday. They owe me a paycheck and I owe them like two grand for parts I bought over the summer. I'm not going to miss the long hours, low pay, disgruntled employees or angry bosses. I am going to miss bikes, great co workers, more bikes, putting a kid on his first two wheeler, doing something I love and the opportunities afforded for it. Grad school's gonna be tough, but I know I don't want to work in a bike shop the rest of my life, no matter how much I love it for a summer.

Running has been going well. I ran 10 miles with relative ease last weekend, which is by far the longest I've ever run. This week is a little hit or miss, but I think I'm on track for Philly. Wish me luck!

Reading everyone's blogs, it seems like I missed out last weekend. Not that I missed out on suffering in the mud or heat or missed out on devoting my entire weekend to 60 minutes of racing, but missed out on some good races. Mr. Zim came through with a stellar ride for Flanders, beating out Mr. StateCritChamp Aric Hareland on a very similar course. Jesse managed to win his second WORS this year on a singlespeed. Whats next, a Chequamegon winner on a singlespeed?

Racing's over

My seasons over. I was considering doing the Campus Crit, Birchwood RR, or the State Champs, but now it doesn't look like it. Its funny, the motivation to get on the bike and hammer just went, pfft!, like that. I haven't ridden really hard since the crash at Dakota Tech 12 days ago. The crash really wasn't the reason I ended the season, it was just a convient reason to. The same thing happened last year after I had a really bad race at Red Wing. Its been a good year getting to know road racing and I'm really looking forward to riding out east. Highlights include the two stage races (Peoria and St Cloud) and all the Summit Crits. I've really enjoyed racing with the club this year and now my only problem is finding a new team out east.

The last two weeks I've been doing a lot of sitting around. I woke up early these last two Sundays in an attempt to do something epic with the Brothers, but both times I found an excuse not to go and just fell back asleep. I've been running just enough so that I'm still on track to do the marathon, but that only means I've been running about two hours a week. Everyone needs a break now and again, so now is the time for me.

Last week I got a chance to go check out Stony Brook, which is where I'm going at the end of the month. I'd never been out there so this was just a chance to poke around and see what I'm getting into. It went really well, everyone was really nice and I can't wait to move (sorry Minnesota). My only concern? New Yorkers are LOUD. I'm not sure how badly I want to ride a century with a demographic that spends most of their time shouting, but I guess I'll learn to like it.

'Til next time.....

If you're really a cyclist, you know the feeling.