Moronacity Cycling Journal » Racing
Racing the Yankee Springs Time Trial
“Go!” The guy next to me took off and I got rolling. I started down the course for the Yankee Springs time trial having no clue what was in store for me. I heard that there were some bad climbs, and that the trail was notorious for sand, but I really had no clue what was up ahead. The first things I noticed were some sandy spots and a couple of small drops that looked like the result of erosion over roots. The singletrack was clean, winding, and flowy. The uphills were gentle and the downhills created opportunities to open up and fly through the woods. To say that the uphills were gentle is not to say that they were easy. Maybe they seemed gentle because I … Read entire article »
Filed under: Racing
Attempting to Miss the Yankee Springs Time Trial
Yesterday was the first Championship Point Series race for the MMBA. I signed up on Friday after arranging a carpool. My stuff was packed and ready to go. The morning went flawlessly. I actually arrived to my carpool location on time and moved everything over to Jon’s vehicle. Jon is a Mid-State MMBA person who is starting to witness some of the issues I am beginning to have with races. For example, at the Barry Roubaix, I forgot to bring my pedals. Jon and I got started on the road to Yankee Springs. As he drove, I got on the Trek web site and tried to build the most expensive road bike, kind of at his suggestion. I ended up creating a road … Read entire article »
Filed under: Racing
The Bear “NN” Down U.P. Fat Tire
The Bear “NN” Down U.P. Fat Tire 25/12 Mountain Bike Race will be held for the first time in Crystal Falls, Michigan on Saturday, June 12, 2010. Crystal Falls is located toward the Michigan/Wisconsin boarder northwest of Iron Mountain. Click here for a registration form. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Racing
2009 Ore to Shore Recap
This year’s Ore to Shore was held on August 8. The course was the best! Yes, it was even better than last year. Thunderstorms moved through the area, Friday night, so the sandy course was packed. This was a year for personal records if they were to be had. Unfortunately, that wasn’t exactly the case with me. Since I haven’t been riding very much, I came in over 10 minutes slower … Read entire article »
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10.46
Copperman Triathlon Having had only four hours of sleep due to unforeseen circumstances, I headed to Copper Harbor with a coffee and a Coca Cola for my pre-race meal. I arrived to the Copperman start area at 8:30, a half hour before the commencement of the race. My teammates were freaking out and demonstrated an obvious rush of relief at my arrival. I got my race packet, headed back to my vehicle, detoured to the general store for two chocolate milks, and back to the start area to join my teammates. Let me make this clear. My pre-race preparatory ritual was four hours of sleep, a late arrival, a few sips of coffee, a bottle of Coke, and two chocolate milks. Let me make it clear that … Read entire article »
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Chain Drive – Setting the Record Straight
Two responses to my Keweenaw Chain Drive post were somewhat hateful and seemed to take it quite personally. It seems like some of you have taken that post the wrong way. One person remarked that it was a tirade-type post. That wasn’t the case at all. I clearly expressed how the Chain Drive did not parallel my personal preference, which I clearly described. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Don’t take it personally if I am not happy with the changes to a race. I am entitled to that opinion. One person remarked that there wasn’t more climbing because the elevation change remained the same. Elevation change and distance traveled are not the same thing. The elevation gain from the … Read entire article »
Filed under: Racing, Uncategorized
2009 Keweenaw Chain Drive
The Keweenaw Chain Drive took a rather brutal turn, this year. There were some sections of trail that were excluded and replaced with brand new singletrack. The singletrack was masterfully built and offers some different views and some interesting riding opportunities. My race started off well for the 16-mile competition. I began climbing, as is always the case, and kept climbing. There was an occasional downhill, but it was usually short and … Read entire article »
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Spring Is in the Air – The RASTA Rally
Spring is here… The RASTA Rally in Rhinelander, Wisconsin is a surefire sign that spring is here. Mountain bikers from Wisconsin and Michigan, particularly the Keweenaw, showed up for a brutal ride on a perfect day. The RASTA gang offered seven and a half miles of hell followed by some swooping singletrack. The new section of hell featured fun little rock gardens, tight turns, more ups and downs that I care to acknowledge, and no … Read entire article »
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Grrrr, Phhhtt, Scratch, Claw, ROAR!
It amazes me how the Iceman Cometh manages to single-handedly ruin the year of countless mountain bikers who are denied access to this November race. It brings out the worst in people. It really does, and I don’t quite understand it. This year, I finally get to witness the event as a racer. Actually, I’ve never been there, before, so I get to witness the event, period. I’m not looking forward to it as the greatest race ever, because I know it’s not. I’ve been told that it’s not my kind of race. I like technical singletrack. This race, I’ve been told, is essentially the anti-technical singletrack. Last year, I didn’t make it in. Like all lotteries, I lost. “Oh, well,” was my … Read entire article »
Filed under: Racing
