Got Backbone

I missed the Devil's Backbone mountain bike race this spring but was glad to participate in the first Devil's Backbone Mountain Cross Aug 29. Cross bikes were lauded as the "best tool for the job" on this half pavement, half fire road 60 miler. I have done many mountain centuries as well as the self proclaimed longest cyclocross race in America (Ironcross), and this event had the best of both worlds.

The beginning and end of the course used the same sick, psycho 20% grade dirt climb that blew up the group the first 4 miles. The ride was true to the advertised 50-50 fireroad-pavement, and I estimate that there was more total climbing in those 60 miles than in Ironcross's 60 miles. The difference is that Ironcross has single track and long run ups that make the event take longer. The agonizing Parkway section from Irish Gap to Montebello reminded me of a road century, whereas the climb up Fork Mountain on fireroads had that back country Shenandoah Mountain 100 feel.

It catered perfectly to cross bikes, but there were still those who fared well on road bikes. Pete Tempest used a road bike with 25 inch tires without incident. There were a few on mountain bikes, though I would not have wanted to drag a mountain bike up the nontechnical climbs. I couldn't help but notice that a significant number of elite men and women participated, and sure enough pros Jeremiah Bishop and Deidre Winfield posted the best finishing men's and women's times.

From the Tripower women's side, Carol, Sally, Meaghann and I all completed the ride. I ended up with Sally and Jeff Brown for the last 15 miles. I was giving my full effort to the event ("racing" it) whereas the fact that I was riding with Sally at that point told me she was treating it a little more casually! We came upon Bill Gilmer and Meaghann McCarthy who were stopped on side of road. Meg looked as if she had just seen a ghost and Bill was adjusting a bike. They hollered that they were fine, so we kept moving.

On the last 3 mile climb (sick, sick) Sally was turning around to offer a generous pace, but I told her to go. She was out of sight pretty soon. Jeff pulled away from me also. When I was about a minute away from the top on the 20% grade section, I heard familiar voices--Meg and Bill were coming up behind me. Apparently I was talking to myself at the time (cussing or praying probably) because when Bill passed he asked if I was talking on a cell phone. Meg zipped past me also, and I thought, well, perhaps I would latch onto them after the summit since I figured Meg may be tentative on the steep downhill to the finish.

NOPE. I got to the top about 20 secs after Meg and they were GONE, sucked into the fast descent. I guess I should know better than to underestimate Meaghann who has ridden across the USA on a tandem! Jeff and I rode together on the last flat stretch to the finish, a minute or so behind them. We found out Bill had taken a scary face plant on the gravel on a fairly flat section, so luckily he was not going very fast.

The Devil's BB brewery is perfect staging place for the race. We finished and took meal vouchers inside for a great dinner! My camping comrades Mike, Lynn, Carol and Chris were awesome. Above images courtesy of Mike Park, Sally Tempest, Jerry Hadley and Liz Sorrell.

Not always about the bike

It's not always all about the bike. Well, ok, we all did get a ride in before coming to the beach. I calculate 520 combined weekend miles from this group prior to the beach party Sunday afternoon. (L-R, Jackie, Sharon, Brenna, Carol, Sally, Anette, Susan, Liz, Lisa, Meaghann)











Brenna checks out team cake designed by Jennifer.


















Carol hangs with the beach boa.














Jackie, Sally, Annete back from the best waves of the year thanks to Hurricane Bill.













Tripower's 2 omnium winners, Sharon and Sally toast their Swedish chocolate awards. Sharon won Virginia's 40+ championship omnium and Sally won the cat 1-3 omnium.











Our chefs Art, McMahon and Hosang.













Dinner at dusk.

Share the road from the road

Oh, the immediacy of mobile uploads from the Peloton to Facebook. There's Mike Park sending a photo during the Monday night ride.

Photos no longer are a shadow of what has passed but a stretched road marker telling us the sun lays low and moves toward the winter solstice. (Photo by Mike Park)

Like here, you can't help but think that the sun shining on these women at RAGBRAI is the same sun shining outside the office window, darn it. Are all mobile uploads even necessary? (Mike Park)

The question becomes is it more offensive to deal with those riding in the paceline in aerobars or with those sending mobile uploads from the paceline? (Photo by Jerry Hadley)

And what about the potential of Tim's wife finding out from Facebook he wiped out on the Bully ride before getting the call to meet Tim at Urgent Care? Do we need to add mobile notifications to rider emergency ID bracelets? (Jerry Hadley)

Or the expediency of earning nicknames, such as Michelle Dinsmore naming Kevin "the urinater" when she saw this mobile upload and banning him from her family vehicle while the team was 150 miles from home in said vehicle? Kevin's actually cutting edge since Virginia has closed several rest stops, but he's still banned from what I hear. (Jerry Hadley)

Back off bully

It's pretty tempting not to bully ride the cross bike outlaw on the gravel stretches where Norfolk is laying track for light rail. This section is between Military Hwy and Newtown Road.


















The Tues night Great Bridge "Bully ride" hosts the best riders in the area, including here Bryan Sorrell, Harlan Ward and Tyler Karnes.













Back off from Tristan because when she finally discovers the big ring we are all in trouble.










A clandestine committee is planning some signage and that's all I'll say about that so back off.











I can't even begin to express the sorrow I have for this scene. An awesome foot-cycling bridge over a pristine section of Broad Creek has been closed since residents raised hell, demanding its closure in 1996. Apparently, bullies found their way across the bridge on a regular basis, trashing yards and stealing crap. I asked one resident in the neighborhood why he let the bullies run the show--"don't you want to fish from that bridge, or walk out and enjoy the water?" He said the water is dirty so back off. I said salt marshes smell not because they are dirty but because they are busy cleaning. He said back off again.





This is about as close as any bully will come to seeing Carol Ennser's secret training log.














Pictured here is a super heavy duty camera identical to those used on the back of motorcycles to film pro tour races like the Tour de France. Wes has one wouldn't you know it, and he plans to ride stoker on a tandem filming with none other than Jerry Hadley as his captain. Believe me, we will want to steer clear when that mass of bully (ie, two fearless Clydesdales with a big camera) is barrelling down the road.