Grinding gravel and random racing

The past couple weeks have been an eclectic mix of fun rides, training and racing. It's that time of year when the road scene comes to an end, the long mileage is starting to take its toll and all i want to do is get out on trails and gravel roads. The relentless mileage that comes with road racing wears and tears throughout the spring and summer, and by the time August comes to an end i have trouble stomaching anything more than an hour or two on pavement. Add to the massive accumulation of miles the fact that my poor Fuji Altamira has been laid down, ridden through gravel, and in the five figure range of total miles. Don't get me wrong, i have been more than thrilled with my Fuji as it has served me well and gotten me from my first Cat 5 race last year (cone azalia) all the way to Cat 2! I've got a lot of memories wrapped up in that bike and don't know if i'll ever be able to part with it. Anyways, i digress, so i'm tired of riding on the road...
Among the assortment of bikes that I've procured through the always exceptional Freewheeler Bike Shop is my trusty Niner Air 9 RDO, which has recently seen a rapid increase in activity. I dabble on trails and gravel throughout the summer when i just need a break in training, but this time of year it's a complete roll reversal. My Fuji will get it's well earned break and rest comfortably indoors while my Niner takes the full flogging. I have had a particular itch to ride gravel at the tail end of August coming into September. I think it's a combination of the rural setting associated with non-paved roads, the minimal amount of traffic, and random seasonal roads interspersed throughout the countryside that pique my interest the most. There's something about hammering out some steady mileage as the sun is busy painting the skyline in iridescent tones that just screams "Fall is here!!!" to me (Fall happens to be my favorite season). It feels good to breathe in the cool evening air and just go wherever the dirt roads wind to. I find that i am in dire need of a break from structured training this time of year, and getting out on the MTB is just the cure.

View of the Lowell countryside with fellow Freewheeler Eric

My last road race of the season came in the form of the Pro/1/2 criterium which happened to be the State Championship at Birmingham. I came into it just hoping to finish with the main field, get a good workout, and end the season on a note that says "you can hang with these guys!". As expected, the race was a fast one, and frankly after the first few laps i had no idea what was going on. The field was splitting, people were off the front, groups were on the verge of lapping other groups, and there i was just riding along. I should clarify, i was hanging on for dear life to whatever group seemed to be upwardly mobile. As it came down to the final laps, it was self-evident that i was no where near the front so i decided to break away from the group i was with and push myself to finish hard. There were a few guys in the field i wanted to help out as i discovered they were in the top 20, and also from Grand Rapids. When they regained me i slyly sat up to disrupt the riders that were in pursuit of them. It felt good to contribute to someones day since i was destined for mediocrity. I finished in the dead middle of the field of just over 60, and was plenty happy with that to wrap the season up.

Notice the mismatched wheels, the matching front was destroyed at Gaslight

The weekend following Birmingham, Labor Day weekend, was set to be one full of fun riding and racing. Bissell is kind enough to make the weekend 4 days in length with the addition of Friday off from work. My work friends and i had a scheme to ride around 50 miles of gravel starting in Allendale at Scott's house, stopping at Lake Michigan for a break, and returning via a different route. What we didn't count on was the toll that the wind and savage heat/humidity would take on us. Starting the ride out we knew we were in for a more difficult day than any of us had desired. A third of the way into the ride we hit a season road that could pull double duty as a beach.

Joe assessing the road conditions thoroughly

Spirits were lifted as the Lake came into view and we set the bikes down to revel in the awesomeness of a day off spent riding to the lake with good friends. There was much anticipation of a tail wind on the return trip, which unfortunately for us never quite panned out. We weaved our way north and east up to the Bass River area to explore some gravel and two tracks. An unplanned hot lap around a pond was completed and we resumed our trip back to Scott's. The last 10 miles were a bit of a death march, few words were uttered and the pace was kept high to get back as soon as possible. Needless to say, arriving back at Scott's was nothing short of glorious, and a well water fueled hose was presented to cool the masses. The remainder of the evening was spent in good company consuming massive quantities of grilled meats and delicious fare. All those that rode concluded that next time we would ride far fewer miles at a less fervent pace as to stash energy for the evening's social activities.

A welcome timeout on the friday ride

Joe and Aaron practicing for the circus

I had nothing in the tank to ride Saturday so i executed my plan on being lazy and hanging out with my buddy Chris at some local establishments. Sunday rolled around and i managed to squeeze in a brief ride to recover the legs and then resume my lazy ways. Labor Day brought with it my second appearance at the Honeycreek Duathlon in Cannonsburg. This is a really fun race that helps to break up the usual bicycle hammer-fests that occur year-round. It's a run-bike-run format and is pretty low key which adds to the laid back nature of the event. I have to admit that i haven't been running very much, and wasn't particularly pumped about the 1.5 mile first run which is naturally blazing fast. I knew i could suffer through the 3.5 mile second run, and the only question was if i could gain enough time back on the bike to make up for how slow my pace would be! It went better than i had expected, and i knew coming in that it would be a battle for second place with Fast Jimi in the field. In the end i got overtaken on the second run with about a mile to go thus ending the race in third position. The real fun began afterwards as the live music started up, libations began to flow and good food was piled onto segmented disposable plates often associated with summer cookouts.

My tan lines, loud and proud! Photo courtesy of Julie McGraw

This week has been primarily filled with more gravel and single-track as i prepare myself for the Chequamegon 40. I attended my first Korienek Killer gravel road ride and had a blast! Those guys sure know how to have a good time, with plenty of dirt and sand to go around. It was the first time i've had the headlamp out in a while and it felt good. Last night was spent carving up some local singletrack in the cannonsburg area with an ascent/descent of the main ski hill thrown in for good measure. I'm looking forward to many more gravel group rides and singletrack shenanigans as Fall gets into full swing!

Cruising the beach in the Allegan state forest

View from atop the Cannonsburg ski hill

My first Pro/1/2 criterium complete with my first Pro/1/2 crash...

The Delta Subaru Gaslight criterium is one of my favorite crits for myriad reasons. First, I can ride my bike to the start since it's less than 3 miles from where i live. Second, The course provides a good spectating experience which seems to consistently draw a good crowd. Third, the payouts and primes are pretty awesome (and in cash i may add...)! I've raced all year as a Cat 3 and finally chose to upgrade a week or so before this race. I wanted to get a few Pro/1/2 races under my belt while i still had decent fitness and the desire to race my road bike (which is rapidly waning). I monitored the registrations on USA cycling which is a typical habit of mine to see who all is showing up on race day. I was impressed to see around 45 people signed up in pre-reg, but even more surprised to see the 60 or so guys that lined up at the start. This race would be my longest crit by far at 90 minutes in duration so i was anxious to see how my legs would hold up to the relentless accelerations. Prior to the race i decided to sit in with the pack and not follow any breaks that might occur. While i always want to place highly i also realized this is a higher caliber of talent and at the very least did not want to get dropped.

Keeping in step with the field

The first few laps went by smoothly as no one seemed terribly interested in the food prime that was up for grabs. As the laps ticked by though i could feel the presence of Bissell and Einstein pushing the pace ever higher. As always, the attacks started coming and the accompanying surges in the field. At some points there would be a single file line the length of a city block and at other times the pack would be 5 or 6 wide. I focused on keeping a smooth rhythm through all of the surges and making sure i didn't over compensate for every little jump. My legs felt pretty solid and it wasn't a problem keeping up with the pace in general. I started to get antsy waiting for the lap counter to start ticking down and finally around 15 to go the official started counting down.
The field must have been antsy too because i began to notice more aggressive tactics and maneuvers while teams were preparing for the final run in. While people were jostling i worked hard to keep my place in the pack and not get relegated to the rear of the peloton, and then it happened... On the last turn of the course before the finishing stretch of lap 13 i got pushed upright by a surging pack trying to take the outer line. At first i thought i could save it, but once my wheel caught the groove between the pavement and curb i knew it was curtains for me. I focused my attention on the curb as i lost control trying to protect my face from hitting. I went over the bars and in a flurry of limbs, carbon and spokes my chest hit the curb and my bike got catapulted by my legs over my body. I heard the tire get shunned from the rim on impact as it was marked by a loud boom. I rolled over the curb and up onto the grass where i immediately jumped upright. In one fell swoop i grabbed my bike and began running down the road towards the pit. I could feel the pain in my chest and legs from where i had done battle with the curb.
The front wheel was completely toasted and the mechanic began replacing it at once. I was afraid for what i might find under my jersey as the bib strap caused pain in my chest. I tried to calm myself, drink some water and not stare at the wounds on my legs. My bike was given a hesitant ok and after one lap i was lined up on the right hand side of the road waiting to get launched back into the field. The officials held my bike TT style and wished me the best of luck. I managed to latch on as they came through on lap 11 and worked hard to get my quads to push the pedals with the giant knots from the crash. I tried not to loose my edge which often happens after a crash, and forced my will to stay near the front of the group. The pace became intense with just a few short laps to go. My Garmin was chirping every two minutes to tell me that one mile had already zoomed by. In the last stretch near the lake i gave it my all and picked up a few spots. Once we rounded the turn i leapt from the saddle and went into sprint mode. I gained a few positions there and could see the leaders as they crossed.

Wondering if i still have my left nipple...

The adrenaline ran high post-race and i hardly noticed my battered body. I did a cool down lap and congratulated those that surrounded me on a race well done. I rode up to some friends and stopped at the far end of the course to get off the bike. I chatted with a few folks, including Ben Whitehead who informed me that my crash was spectacular and he was shocked to see my figure back in the pack afterwards. We was on my wheel when it happened and was thankful the bike flung clear of him as opposed to blocking his path. With all that being said i finished 15th, and managed to collect a bit of the cash that was forked out to the top 20. Unfortunately it wasn't nearly enough to replaced a wheel and pay for a gallon of Neosporin.
I was happy to see many teammates out racing in their respective categories, and those not racing that were there just to support and cheer. Every time i went by my family or the Freewheeler tent i could hear them urging me on, and for that i give thanks!

Beat up bike and rider

The guys at Freewheeler Bike Shop have their work cut out for them!

Here's the Strava link of the race

Mud, Dust and good times at Ore to Shore

A good friend of mine, Joe Perry, and i headed up to Marquette early Friday morning. We wanted to setup camp at Van Riper State park and head into Marquette to pickup packets prior to the race on Saturday. The weather was pleasant driving up, and we made good time to camp. After setting up the tents, we unloaded the bikes and ventured north from camp following the Peshekee river on a rough and tumble road. It felt good to breathe the cool north country air and stretch the legs out. The sights were enjoyable as well, with the river meandering close to the road for most of our ride.

Posing for posterity near the Peshekee river

Since my first time attending Ore to Shore in 2011 I've been itching to get back and race it again. Much has changed over the two years since my first time there, and it showed on this years edition. In 2011 i raced the hard rock on a single speed 26er, mid-pack start position, medium fitness and very little experience. Jump forward two years and I'm on a decked out carbon 29er 1x10, lined up behind the preferred start gate, much better fitness and feeling like a veteran. It's also nice to come into a race you've done before knowing what to expect, what the trail/terrain is like, and how the conditions will come into play. The weather this year couldn't have been more perfect, and the rain that was had in the area days before had done a good job of tamping down the nefarious iron riddled dust and loose dirt. The rain also did a nice job of stocking some healthy mud puddles and keeping the grassy areas slick.
The roll out was pretty much standard practice with one small pile-up near the front around a turn on the pavement. Per usual, people were drilling it to get into position and move as far up as possible. Once things left the road the dust began to rise and then sure enough, pile-up in the first large puddle. I managed to skirt around without having to dismount and was on my way. I slowly moved up to where i wanted to be, and just when i started settling in i felt a slight nudge from behind and before i knew it i was on the deck. The slick grass had gotten the best of me and racers were flying by as i was trying to collect my bottles. I wasn't down long, but i managed to go down at the base of the first large climb which was unfortunate. The adrenaline served me well in gaining the summit, and once i again i was able to settle in to a good pace and eventually form a group of a few strong guys to work with.
The ATV trails and two tracks rolled by uneventfully, and soon enough the power lines came into sight. For those that have done this race, you know what I'm talking about... For those that don't, just know that a climb titled "misery hill" is included in this section. The hike a bike went by painfully, and soon we were over the top negotiating some of the fine rocky terrain that Marquette is so well known for. The group more or less stayed together through the road section, and myself and Ryan Kennedy worked well keeping the pace nice and high. Some may see this section as a nice respite from getting work done, but i see it as an opportunity to hammer out a hefty pace and draw some time back.
It was pleasant racing with the familiar faces i had been battling throughout the season both on and off the road. Aaron McCready offered up kind words when i had slipped from the pack and later regained the group.I feel like breaking the silence while in a pack does a good job of distracting from the suffering that is taking place. As we got farther into the race, some began to drift backwards as they say and eventually our group was down to 4 near the finish. I took the opportunity to attack through a long sandy downhill and hammer through the conifers and up Kirby Hill. My pursuant were reluctant to let me go easy though, and soon they rejoined me on the trail. Things were heating up, and just when i was feeling in control with 3 miles to go down i went. I was coming around a slow rider from a short race and came in too hot on a soft turn. The two guys that were behind me managed to blow by and create a gap. Quickly i regained the bike and pulled them in with 2 miles to go. The rest of the way was just a battle of wills, and no one was willing to coast in. An attack was thrown with a quarter mile to go that i just didn't have the legs for. I sprinted my heart out, but came up shy at the line.
I was thrilled however to see the clock read 2 hours 35 minutes and change. My hope was to finish top 20 and withing 10 minutes of the winning time, and I'm happy to say i finished 17th and approximately 9 minutes behind numero uno! Joe had a strong race and posted a solid time for his first Ore to Shore showing. He managed an awesome finish, catching up to some of my Freewheeler racing teammates, and did so in spite of being stuck behind a train early on! I stayed near the finish to congratulate many of the folks i see often and to chat with my teammates about their respective races.

Finish line relief is one of the best feelings!

Here's a link to my race Strava if that sort of thing interests you

Joe looking relieved and satisfied with his race!

The remainder of Saturday was spent getting the car, cleaning bikes, cleaning off the iron rich dirt and getting some grub. We managed to score an awesome camping spot in Christmas which is just west of Munising. We put our tents down less than 20 feet from the lake, setup folding chairs on the beach and regaled each other with the events of the race. I always enjoy a good race, but it's that much better when you have good company! As always, i have to give props to my awesome sponsor, Freewheeler bike shop out of Grand Rapids, without those guys hooking me up on all the gear, nutrition and kit i need it wouldn't have been the same race. Special shout out to Curt and Jason for always keeping up with my many demands, and to my teammates and their families for the cheers, support and camaraderie that make these races so memorable!

View from Saturday night's campsite of Grand Island