tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2464440365844876372024-03-13T16:07:41.941-07:00Jill Martindale BillFartindalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04581092364521279774noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-246444036584487637.post-62189242412492157842020-08-07T10:12:00.008-07:002020-08-08T13:44:06.258-07:00The Crusher EX<p>Due to the pandemic, I wasn’t planning on doing any races
after I got home from the Iditarod Trail Invitational. I was going to take a
whole year off. I was going to spend the year reflecting on myself, figuring
out how I could be a better person, learn how to manage my time a little
better, doing cool things around the house. I wanted to go on more adventures
with my husband and our two dogs. I wanted to landscape the yard and make my
own soap and to organize all of my camping gear.<br /><br />Things never go exactly as planned, and I'm okay with that.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglbvn1qH9cSUgTKeJljw8MRp2XZSUdjeFh2NTj3b0L06XS6Rb57GhBAIZRQaLkiVEwlFuOuvRRaUVbSA8n3gJABvdMlwMK545Dh5T6YvzPz0pbvxwpzhNSXj03ogMCUubkEgG1_1eePB-g/s959/117112582_650555935558545_589642789392458134_o.jpg" style="display: inline; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 1em 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="959" data-original-width="720" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglbvn1qH9cSUgTKeJljw8MRp2XZSUdjeFh2NTj3b0L06XS6Rb57GhBAIZRQaLkiVEwlFuOuvRRaUVbSA8n3gJABvdMlwMK545Dh5T6YvzPz0pbvxwpzhNSXj03ogMCUubkEgG1_1eePB-g/w246-h328/117112582_650555935558545_589642789392458134_o.jpg" title="Chelsea" width="246" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chelsea<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal">
Enter my good friend, Chelsea Strate, who suggested that we sign up for the Crusher
EX in the Yoop. All my plans for taking it easy this summer were hucked out the
window and I agreed to do the race with her pretty much instantly. I love
Chelsea and I would go on any crazy adventure with her! The Crusher is a 225+
mile “enhanced gravel” race that loops out from Marquette’s Forestville
campground. Chelsea and I have ridden Dirty Kanza 200 together and we
had both raced other endurance events, so I knew that she had strengths where
my weaknesses were but also that we worked well together and that I had
strengths that would come in handy, too. It’s important to find someone that
you jive well with when planning a big ride like this, and she is basically the
most perfect person you would ever want to ride around with.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">About the “Enhanced Gravel” aspect of the race, though: Don’t
be fooled. The Crusher is not your typical gravel race. The Crusher has more
technical riding to it than some of the endurance mountain bike races that I’ve
completed in the past. It also has water crossings and places where you have to
lift your bike up and over giant rocks. Sure, it can be done on a gravel bike,
but theoretically most mountain bike races can be done on a gravel bike, right?
It all just boils down to how comfortable do you want to be and what areas of
the trail you want to be fast on. I love picking through rocks and roots and
bushwhacking and scrambling up and over things and I love barreling down
descents and feeling my heart beat in my head when I get to the top of a climb.
For me, I want to be fast in those sections because it’s fun. I don’t mind
dialing it back a bit and snacking and chatting on the chill sections of gravel
and pavement – so for me, a gravel bike was out of the question - I wanted something burlier as I was
incredibly intrigued by the photos of rocks and mud surfacing on the Crusher’s
facebook page. We began to hear that the race distance was actually closer to
250 miles, not 225 as it had been promoted. Sneaky, sneaky, Todd Poquette – but
I love shenanigans and this seemed like the ultimate shenanigan adventure with
Chelsea. Everything about it sounded great!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Chelsea and I had a lot of discussion as to which bike would
be the right bike for the Crusher course, and she settled on her
full-suspension Salsa Spearfish whereas I settled on my Salsa Beargrease – a fat
bike – but with 27.5 Velocity Dually’s and a suspension fork. It’s a bike I’ve
spent a lot of time on and I absolutely love the “summertime” wheels set up on
it. It’s a snappy little hardtail and I have a smorgasbord of frame bags for
it. I thought it was important to carry as little weight as possible on my body
so that I could be comfortable for a long ass day on the bike. </p><p class="MsoNormal">With an Ergon
women’s SR pro saddle and the Ergon GA3 grips my booty and paws would be
comfortable and I knew I wouldn’t deal with the saddle sores or numbness that
other participants have been dealing with out there. I have been riding chamois-less since my recent stint in Alaska and I've found it to be more comfortable because everything dries faster and there's no chaffing. Chamois Butter sent me a tub of a new endurance cream they're testing out and I brought it with for this ride. (Verdict: it was nice. I cannot believe how fresh my bits felt after finishing this ride!) I had 27.5x2.6” Teravail
Honcho tires on the Dually’s leftover from my botched Marji Out and Back
attempt last fall, but decided to shake things up a bit and to pop some
27.5x2.3” Teravail Eh Lines on my wet blue rims. Dang, my Beargrease is a
beautiful rig, and those skinnier tires paired with the wide Dually rim made
for a fast, yet reliable, little rocket! I seriously LOVE playing around with wheel size on a bike and this ride just super reinforced that!<br />
<br />
I used my Three Toes Threadworks feedbag, top tube bag, and framebag, as well
as my cheeseburger saddle bag and my Osprey 50oz hydration vest. I like the
vest because it doesn’t bounce around and it has all of these secret pockets along
with a whistle strung in an easy to reach spot. The whistle was one of the
items on the recommended gear list and although I never used it while on course,
I felt safer carrying it. Other recommended gear items included 3,000 calories,
3L of water carrying capacity, a GPS unit (I used my Garmin ETrex 30 – that thing
is dependable and has over 35 hours of AA battery life!), cell phone, rain jacket,
a pocket knife, headlight and taillights, money, spare tubes and flat repair
kit, chain tool and master link, multi-tool, a snorkel, water filter, extra
layers, emergency blanket, extra batteries or a usb power bank, first aid kid,
brake pads, zip ties and tape, chain lube, derailleur hanger, and extra socks. <o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_tcK_9exn68RNa5BRQnt01bS8wU9atn3GVUq1V6Xl675EzBnIyWsAvJl1RooBC5PetDEQq41UScpkwwMGO_oyYB1B31jqvm6zZU3WaZCGwivvzzZ7yBO9auc7i3tp3enrGRKr3M1qnex/s608/IMG_4020.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="608" data-original-width="456" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_tcK_9exn68RNa5BRQnt01bS8wU9atn3GVUq1V6Xl675EzBnIyWsAvJl1RooBC5PetDEQq41UScpkwwMGO_oyYB1B31jqvm6zZU3WaZCGwivvzzZ7yBO9auc7i3tp3enrGRKr3M1qnex/w365-h486/IMG_4020.jpg" width="365" /></a></div>
<p class="MsoNormal">I neglected to carry the emergency blanket, rain jacket, and
the snorkel with me – though I did get myself a full-face snorkel this spring thinking
that the recommended gear would actually be surprise mandatory and that we would
have a gear check. I was happy that I didn’t have to carry that bulky item with
me, and even happier when we arrived at the mouth of the Huron river as it spit
out in to Lake Superior and the water was only as deep as my waist. At 6am when
we laid down on the side of the trail to take a 15-minute rejuvenating dirt
nap, I did kick myself for not bringing a jacket warmer than my 45nrth Torvald
windbreaker and for not bringing the emergency blanket. You bet I immediately ordered
an emergency blanket as soon as I got home from this trip!! That thing would have
been luxurious when temps dropped as low as 41 degrees Fahrenheit on July 31<sup>st</sup>
in the backwoods of northern Michigan! <br />
<br />
Before the Crusher and afterwards, we stayed up in Marquette with our friends
Evan and Grace Simula in their 4 year old’s dinosaur bunk bed, and Evan was kind
enough to let me borrow one of his Ovaja Negra feedbags since I decided to carry
an extra water bottle the night before we started. Evan works at one of the
best bike shops in the world, the Sports Rack, and we popped by to pick up some
brake pads when we realized people were going through them on the hilly course
like hot cakes. Due to Murphy’s law, since we had obtained the brake pads, we
never needed to use them. If we wouldn’t have scooped them up, we would have been
in a jam! I will always prefer to be overpacked than under packed when heading
out for an adventure, and I was happy to have those little bits just in case I
needed them.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Due to the pandemic stifling out-of-state travel plans, Matt
and Jenny Acker wound up being in Marquette the same weekend that Chelsea and I
were planning to be up there. A week or so before our slated Crusher stint
rolled around Jenny asked if she could join Chelsea and I out on the course. Of
course we wanted her along! Our nervous twosome became a party trio and we
were stoked to have Matt and their dogs, Beaubandy and Pedro, as a support crew
out there on the course. Jenny was on her full suspension Salsa Spearfish and
she had packed a few bonus items with her: a special bikini top for checkpoint
photos, cold pizza, and a superb understanding of the course and familiarity of
some of the route. She and Matt had been up in the UP for a few days and had
done recon of some of the tricky sections and she had also finished the race, previously
called the HAMR, in 2018. The Crusher route this year was completely new from
years in the past, but some of the route utilized the same areas. Jenny is also
one heck of a rider and Chelsea and I were thrilled that we would have her
along as company! <br /><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyJWYW7zStK6cBuuWtc6TXLNJks4eZdOVCe8mWK3ulGqWEAiDV8uQ-pb-XptNHxaDlj7yTg_okPHQVK07C-FKPgU1VqNgt14WrNaj2Igge70aYf714854u-OKBw7zfBGo1PQxD1n0yYI4B/s480/116717478_217254106267796_1169866172654183570_n.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyJWYW7zStK6cBuuWtc6TXLNJks4eZdOVCe8mWK3ulGqWEAiDV8uQ-pb-XptNHxaDlj7yTg_okPHQVK07C-FKPgU1VqNgt14WrNaj2Igge70aYf714854u-OKBw7zfBGo1PQxD1n0yYI4B/s0/116717478_217254106267796_1169866172654183570_n.jpg" /></a></div>
<p class="MsoNormal">The three of us started our adventure at 6am on Friday, July
31<sup>st</sup>. We had perfect weather, no rain, and the bugs were mostly non-existent
the entirety of our ride. I still feel like we were incredibly lucky to have
had such a great window, especially when a storm rolled through Saturday night
after we had finished. It seems there is a storm every Saturday up there this summer. Through out the 33 hours of our elapsed time from beginning
to end on the route, we continuously thanked Chelsea for choosing the very best
day to ride the Crusher course! The 70 degree mostly sunny day paired with 14
or so hours of daylight meant we would have the most fun out there hands down.
I dare anyone else riding out there to laugh harder than the three of us
laughed while together out there! <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5g4orxj8Oz2s7z_NHig7-BXVsOXgYn_uog8Z-hAzPSkothFwcGPn93zV4lyqpeGUt0PSZpfZ7nZKj75q3CDBmwnPu9TI9VRTupx41g8BcbZrfxnjeVcW92KwX07mkcfVP5FDc0nwfOCv_/s888/IMG_4024.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="888" data-original-width="666" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQcG7GWQd6FvTKdHWnVW_caD7-KBtllecwfa-ZWWV8Ewb9_WocN2X6T9Tg81oS7SRzX-b_eTzxz_9MQTka3gLr2gRlyXkTn_5eWjvoWey97sUDed7sQHQOb4COjzh5wPIUV98Z-SPbLnSW/s640/IMG_4012.jpg" /></a>
When we got to the first checkpoint, the summit of Hogback mountain, two
runners on the 50k course helped us haul our bikes to the top. “You can leave
your bikes here and hike to the top, or you can bring them with you. We brought
ours to the top only because we were riding the course with Todd.” “If you did
it, we have to do it, too.” So, we made a human assembly line and we got all
our bikes to the top! As we asked the runners if they’d take our photo to prove
we made it there, Jenny pulled the bikini top out of her hydration pack and we were
overcome with laughter – it was a flesh-toned top with nipples on it. Chelsea
and I didn’t have matching bikini tops but we stripped off our jerseys anyway
for our photo. Thus, our checkpoint photo theme was born and we joked about it for
the next 245 miles. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGdtSzmRJbMqxstvLl42AxfHLYfHflwJ7Lh8WCF-VdKUElDBDkTRxwdsf7GC9FDARdD75h_wuUtEq8zzHfVOkU9J384yH8e-F2H4fJ0qWrjby9ekthIiL4yfMiEAZ44p4S3VSiJZ9lSyLx/s1184/thebest.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="888" data-original-width="1184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGdtSzmRJbMqxstvLl42AxfHLYfHflwJ7Lh8WCF-VdKUElDBDkTRxwdsf7GC9FDARdD75h_wuUtEq8zzHfVOkU9J384yH8e-F2H4fJ0qWrjby9ekthIiL4yfMiEAZ44p4S3VSiJZ9lSyLx/s640/thebest.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">
After hauling our rolling suitcases up and down Hogback mountain, we climbed single-track
to the Top of the World. We snickered as we rode past some folks sleeping in
hammocks smack-dab over the trail and cruised down the technical descent. At
the first creek crossing, Chelsea splashed through, I followed her line, and
Jenny opted for taking a different line. Jenny crashed in the middle of the
water, soaking the Jimmy Johns turkey sub that she had stashed in her back
pocket. We joked about how she wanted to get a crash out of the way and
continued onwards towards our next checkpoint: a water spigot some 30 miles
ahead.<br />
<br />
I saw some riders ahead of us on a mucky service road that we were navigating,
and excitedly tried to catch them. I pedaled around muddy ponds and squished over
dried up puddles keeping my eye on the folks ahead of us, and put my tire right
in a squishy, mucky hole. My bike stopped suddenly and I had a slow tip over into
the water. I told Jenny that I wanted to make her feel better about her water tumble
some miles back and after laughing I hopped back on my bike and we continued forwards. Some distance later, we caught up to the people ahead of us on a
climb, “Who are you?” I shouted at them. “Don’t blame me!” Danny Hill, a RAMBA
volunteer notoriously known for designing difficult race courses, and friends
were out riding the 100-mile Crusher course. We rode with them for a bit before
passing and making our way to the water spigot. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVNfaL0GsVJlAYTZlrJm70EbQYcTAuihhYgO4CN20cUwn8Xun7VEhEaNc7R3W-mnvcNCJkOoabe0ZDJW6-GN3vPnslDIUJZu3Nz7cg0NcZS-dVzpwBpG7CrN-Jlcoi0jQHipSJx67GZ-ly/s1024/116058423_218812819452340_3717392590589384443_n.jpg" style="display: inline; padding: 1em 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="888" data-original-width="666" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5g4orxj8Oz2s7z_NHig7-BXVsOXgYn_uog8Z-hAzPSkothFwcGPn93zV4lyqpeGUt0PSZpfZ7nZKj75q3CDBmwnPu9TI9VRTupx41g8BcbZrfxnjeVcW92KwX07mkcfVP5FDc0nwfOCv_/s640/IMG_4024.jpg" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal">We all had to go to the bathroom and we knew that we didn’t
have long before they caught back up to us, especially because we stopped for a
few minutes at a tree that had bras and panties strewn in its branches, so we
pedaled hard and dropped our drawers as soon as we spotted the spout. As the
first to arrive there, I didn’t even bother sneaking in to the woods, and I squatted
as quickly as I could in the road. Jenny squatted after me, and Chelsea delicately tried to
find an adequate spot to relieve herself. Once her shorts were down, she
stumbled, and she stepped backwards into some mud which quickly slurped up past
her ankle. As she screamed and struggled with her shorts down, Jenny spotted
Danny and his entourage and shouted, “They’re coming!!” We all laughed so hard
we cried, and Danny and his group waved hello as they cruised past – they didn’t
stop at the spigot and we could have waited instead of scrambling as we had –
whoops! After they disappeared down the road in the distance, we prepared for
our next checkpoint photo as we ate our Jimmy Johns subs. Jenny, who said that
her soggy sub wasn’t that bad, propped her phone up on her helmet to take our picture
as Chelsea and I positioned ourselves behind trees. A truck quickly approached
and we panicked and tried to crouch down, because we were uncouth, but the
driver just sped past completely unaware of cyclists dying of laughter half
naked in the woods. We snapped our photo and quickly hopped back on our bikes,
excited for our next checkpoint further down the trail.</p><p class="MsoNormal">
The next checkpoint was an abandoned snowplow on the side of the road kind of near
a house. We had volleyed back and forth with another rider doing the 100-mile
course, and he stopped when he saw that we were stopped at the snowplow to chat.
We jokingly asked him if he would take our photo for us, but then sheepishly
said, “There’s one stipulation….” He blushed and said he’d keep on pedaling. We
wished him luck on his ride and watched him pedal away as Chelsea and I jumped
behind the blade and Jenny MacGyver’d her phone to take a photo of us. We were
dancing on a thin line between wanting to move quickly because we didn’t want
anyone to spot us topless climbing on a decrepit snowplow and needing to
inspect the photo to make sure our bits weren’t showing because we’d be
submitting the photo to Todd to acknowledge that we had finished the route. After
zooming in and making sure that we were sufficiently covered, we continued
on to the highest point in Michigan and our next checkpoint, Mt. Arvon.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkQ95TgsYN9dPJ2FzWHl_t0FLxXqdLVCgZhDkMBIbkbtfcm13ZyQL2Otd4SqVp0A08Q1aax0aOmzMuPvGtRCl7q1bjZPMM5Gs2EoH_9bmCI5rjczfG3CecRQhy5e5fZCUuHYAcz1YxTLRJ/s1184/IMG_1466.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="888" data-original-width="1184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkQ95TgsYN9dPJ2FzWHl_t0FLxXqdLVCgZhDkMBIbkbtfcm13ZyQL2Otd4SqVp0A08Q1aax0aOmzMuPvGtRCl7q1bjZPMM5Gs2EoH_9bmCI5rjczfG3CecRQhy5e5fZCUuHYAcz1YxTLRJ/s640/IMG_1466.jpg" width="640" /></a>
<br />
Holy cow, Mt. Arvon had a lot of hills leading up to its peak. There were
several times that I asked Jenny if we were at the top, only to have her laugh
and tell me no. We finally saw a blue mailbox with names written on it and cheered
– we made it! There was a sign that said “View” off to the right of the summit
but we dared not ride down it because we didn’t know how far it’d be and we
didn’t know if we’d have to climb out of it. We saw a hiker and told him to
report back to us on the view and if it was worth the trek. While waiting for
him to come back, we snacked at the picnic table and signed the autograph book
inside of the mailbox. Upon the hiker’s return, he said the view was okay and
he wished us luck on the ride. We lazily decided not to scope out the view and I
am truthfully a little regretful that we didn’t – but I mentally made note to
come back to the route, as there were so many neat little roads, waterfalls,
and places I wanted to revisit with more time! As soon as the hiker disappeared
down the road, we prepared for our checkpoint photo. In the process of posing,
Chelsea accidentally tore the Mt. Arvon sign off of its post and we scurried shirtless to
duct tape it back. After laughing at our misfortune and hopping back on our bikes,
Jenny told us we’d want to unlock our forks for the terrifically fun rapid descent.
That was worth the climb! Partway down, I remembered that I had wanted to grab
a rock from the top of Mt. Arvon for Dan, so I skidded to a stop and snagged
the first rock I found. I shrugged and told Chelsea and Jenny not to tell Dan
it wasn’t from the very top and we chuckled as we continued on.<br />
<br />
We found our way through gravel roads to a gully riddled with mud, fallen
branches, and rocks. Laughing as we picked our bikes up and over things, we
felt like explorers finding our way through for the first time. Chelsea swooped
past a branch and I was following too closely – the branch ricocheted back and
smacked me in the face – I was glad that I was wearing sunglasses! We were cruising
along at a good pace and realized that our water was getting kind of
low. We had been able to refill our hydration packs and bottles at the water
spigot and we still had about 15 miles before reaching a campground with a
water pump. As we came to a turn with a church on the corner, Jenny suggested
that we stop to see if there was a hose outside that we could use. There was,
and we happily snacked, filled our containers, and stuck our arms, feet, heads,
and hands under the cool water. <o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVNfaL0GsVJlAYTZlrJm70EbQYcTAuihhYgO4CN20cUwn8Xun7VEhEaNc7R3W-mnvcNCJkOoabe0ZDJW6-GN3vPnslDIUJZu3Nz7cg0NcZS-dVzpwBpG7CrN-Jlcoi0jQHipSJx67GZ-ly/s1024/116058423_218812819452340_3717392590589384443_n.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVNfaL0GsVJlAYTZlrJm70EbQYcTAuihhYgO4CN20cUwn8Xun7VEhEaNc7R3W-mnvcNCJkOoabe0ZDJW6-GN3vPnslDIUJZu3Nz7cg0NcZS-dVzpwBpG7CrN-Jlcoi0jQHipSJx67GZ-ly/s640/116058423_218812819452340_3717392590589384443_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<p class="MsoNormal">I found a stinky garbage can in the parking lot and unloaded
the trash from my pockets, accidentally tossing Dan’s “top of Mt. Arvon” rock
in with my wrappers. I instinctively began to dig through the trash bags to retrieve
the rock, but spotted a few maggots crawling on the bags, gagged a little, and immediately
ran back to the church to wash myself off. I picked up another rock from that
parking lot and put it in my framebag. Luckily, I remembered to bring that
rock, along with another from the mouth of the Huron and a sparkly rock snagged
from the Yellow Dog River, home. Dan loves collecting rocks as souvenirs when
we’re out on adventures and he magically remembers where each specimen has come
from. Before leaving Grand Rapids and heading to Marquette, Dan pridefully
showed Chelsea a baseball-sized rock that he had fished out of a puddle in a
glacier while I was pedaling through Alaska in the 350-mile Iditarod a few
years prior. He made her hold it for good luck. I was excited to come home and
to play show and tell and to share the stories of our ride as I presented Dan
with the rocks that I smuggled for him.</p><p class="MsoNormal">
Since we had already retrieved fresh water, we rolled straight past the
campground and continued onward towards the mouth of the Huron. We got there
relatively quickly after the church and cheered as the gravel road we were on
gradually turned to sand and then to the beach. All along the course we kept
seeing amazing campsites and this place would definitely be a rad place to post
up! A small group with kids had snagged the amazing spot on our side of the beach,
but across the river there were cars lined up to camp with the families sitting
in lawn chairs enjoying Lake Superior. A whole lot of people here meant that we
got a glimpse of civilization, but it also meant that it would make our
checkpoint photo more difficult to maneuver. We hung around for a bit teetering
on the plan but saw that the family swimming closest to us was not really
paying attention so we just went for it! Checkpoint photo obtained, mission accomplished.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOXqlDmAl_Omb5-KwilbOsEayrUAjjcOwkq7-T-q_m4ekOdmZw7p6912kaYFf9SYsC3DUYOrrt_2K0BzEu7N4oSfMHOpz3r9d7vVr9_UA1PKDmvltAqDpaxaAGiQebtqBgt0H1WlwEDvkH/s1184/IMG_1473.jpg" style="display: inline; padding: 1em 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="888" data-original-width="1184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOXqlDmAl_Omb5-KwilbOsEayrUAjjcOwkq7-T-q_m4ekOdmZw7p6912kaYFf9SYsC3DUYOrrt_2K0BzEu7N4oSfMHOpz3r9d7vVr9_UA1PKDmvltAqDpaxaAGiQebtqBgt0H1WlwEDvkH/s640/IMG_1473.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal">
We had heard horror stories that the mouth of the Huron could be chest deep –
or deeper for someone like myself who stands 5 foot 3 inches tall on a good day
– so we were thrilled when we came upon the river and that it didn’t look that
deep. We watched some kids splash around and saw that there was a sandbar a bit
further out. We took our shoes and socks off and hoisted our bikes up so we wouldn’t
get water in the frames and waded across to the other side. Once across, we spotted
Matt and Beaubandy headed our direction! Matt greeted us and walked us to the
van where he quickly lubed our chains and topped off our water. Spirits were
high and we knew that we had pavement and firm gravel all the way to our next stopping
point, L’Anse. Chelsea accidentally left her tiara in the van and we joked for
miles about how pretty Banders would be wearing it.</p><p class="MsoNormal">
A few miles beyond the big lake, Jenny heard air hissing out of her tire. She
had an old bacon strip in the tire that had finally failed and we quick popped
another in and used Chelsea’s CO2 to inflate her back to business. Somewhere
between the mouth of the Huron and the flat my taillight had fallen off of my
bike. Chelsea had a spare on her, but when she went to strap it to my seatpost
the strap got all bungled and it broke! We duct taped the light to my seatpost
and I was quite surprised at how quickly we got through our “mechanicals.” Seriously,
nothing makes me feel as strong and as invincible as the confidence that fixing
our own bike problems makes me feel! I
was so proud of us for already making it this far and for our unwavering courageousness
heading out in to the night as the sun was setting. I had a NiteRider 1800 on my handlebars and a 1200 OLED Lumina on my helmet, both have roughly 6-7 hours worth of battery life, with a spare 1200 in my framebag - by riding to L'Anse with only the handlebar light on, I was able to stagger my light battery life and was able to finish with plenty of power left. Since we were hitting the route in July, we only had 8-9 hours of night to ride through, which made packing lights a little simpler than if we were riding in September. We were all feeling good
but we were definitely starting to feel some strain on our legs especially
after stopping.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKL5nh8RdGDSegGecMfJICjvgwzaUagMcknRoDpDiVguCrmkqs1XDTD9RP5ZyNW2bDA1oghVJd6piMdSKLHFkMcthlrpzBdYSLnpt-dyDFB2c5da4HLiPrw9yhr2-MeXMpMhE9O5YLcXUH/s872/117263538_295209441820964_7526556654405215993_n.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="662" data-original-width="872" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKL5nh8RdGDSegGecMfJICjvgwzaUagMcknRoDpDiVguCrmkqs1XDTD9RP5ZyNW2bDA1oghVJd6piMdSKLHFkMcthlrpzBdYSLnpt-dyDFB2c5da4HLiPrw9yhr2-MeXMpMhE9O5YLcXUH/s640/117263538_295209441820964_7526556654405215993_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<p class="MsoNormal">I love coming up to a town in the dark. The sun had gone
down and we were riding along with our lights brightening up the road – we were
so thankful to have chosen that particular night to get after the Crusher
because the sky was clear and the moon was big and bright! Thanks to a long-paved
stretch heading in to L’Anse, I was able to stare up at the stars as we pedaled
towards the building lights. I swear we could see them 5 miles out! It was such
a perfect night and my face felt as though I had been smiling for hours. Matt
found us just outside of town and asked if we wanted to picnic there or if we
wanted to meet him at the gas station on the way out of town. We chose the gas
station and pedaled a little further to it before taking off our helmets and
relaxing for a moment. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Inside of the gas station I snagged chocolate milk, an ice
cream snickers bar, and a couple sticks of string cheese. Outside of the gas
station, Matt surprised us with chicken burritos! I swear, that was the most delicious
burrito of my life. We happily sat at a picnic table munching on food as Matt
filled our bottles, asked us what we needed, and basically gave us some top-notch
all-star service. There comes a point in any endurance race where you’re just
as happy as can be and you’re so grateful for the people who help you keep
going, and I was definitely hitting that spot there in L’Anse. It was a high point of the trip for sure. By time the lights
had turned off and the gas station had closed at midnight, I was completely
full, cozy, and content. We still had over 100 miles left to go and although it
was somewhat equivalent to what we had already ridden for some reason I felt
like it was going to get easier. Matt told us that the route wasn’t as hilly from
here on out and we chirped with excitement as we pedaled out in to the night. <br />
<br />
Matt lied. The last 100 miles of the route are hilly. They could actually be
just as hilly as the first 100 miles, but instead of scrambling up punchy stuff
like Hogback, Top of the World, and Mt. Arvon, the route has longer climbs that
are spread out for further distances. We realized quickly as we climbed out of
L’Anse that this would be the case! The course basically takes you almost to
the top of Mt. Arvon again and this is where we saw something peculiar bounce
out of the woods for a brief moment! <br />
<br />
We all gasped and hollered when we saw it, a playful looking creature a little
larger than a fox. The thing had a thin, long tail, pointy ears, and the face
of a cat. Reddish gold in its hue, with faint stripes around its tail, we
joyfully referred to it as a kitten fox. It bounded out of some shrubs and
flopped along the road the direction that we were riding and then it bopped
back in to the woods. At roughly 3am or so, it never crossed our minds that
what we saw could have been something dangerous, in our heads it was cute and
our friend! It wasn’t until daylight, when we found Lisa Thompson with iced coffee
around mile 220 or so, that we were told that people were claiming to see a
baby mountain lion in that area. There’s a shroud of mystery surrounding that
critter sighting because according to the DNR the cougar population in the UP is not a
breeding population, though in those deep, dark woods I’m sure anything could
happen. We spent hours after finishing the Crusher route googling creatures
that could look like the animal that we saw and we’re 50% sure it was a young
mountain lion but also 50% convinced that it was an ill fox with mange. The
world will never know.<br />
<br />
The nighttime temperature was dropping cooler than forecasted and we found
ourselves able to see our breath in the air. Wearing only baggy shorts, wool
socks, my Salsa jersey, and my Torvald windbreaker, I found myself wishing that
I had brought my rain jacket to wear for warmth. We made it to the McCormick
outhouse and were too chilly to completely undress, but we were able to flash
off in to the distance as Jenny took a photo with her bikini top. Inside of the
outhouse felt 15 degrees warmer than the outside, and after I peed, I found
myself fantasizing about napping in there, just for a little bit. I was getting
tired from being up all day and from not getting much sleep the night before our
start. Jenny was also tired, and I easily persuaded her to huddle up inside
there for some rest. Chelsea quickly shot down the idea and refused to let us
sleep there, so we begrudgingly continued onward in the dark, awe struck by
how silver the underside of tree leaves looked in our headlights. We began to
lose focus and rode on a trail for a ways before realizing that we were slightly
off course. Inspecting our computers, we went back to the spot where we were
still on track and looked in the direction that the line went: there was no
trail, just some brush. We dutifully got off of our bikes and walked through the
tall grass before finding another trail. Luckily, between the three of us with
varying GPS computers and phone apps that worked on airplane mode, we were
quick to see when we were off course! For the hundredth time on this adventure,
I was happy these two were with me. The entire route we joked that Jenny had won
the Navigator-Extraordinaire award because she was so knowledgeable with the
route and it’s elevation. Having our mama duck along on the route made things
seem less intimidating and more obtainable, I was so glad to have Jenny’s and
Chelsea’s company out there.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJaxFsIp45LoMUJ8EsqH9p9sOF07Prw2RHGM8EvjH2wQEWpjgGDNPY_HKr6jqq2jpFWMTm0zdBtdY1iKoJKkExb3GMs7Nz2Ss_FfYVEoETTDkFcirHhVXcSfourE0HbQCPtOWVaGBiusPS/s888/IMG_4047.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="888" data-original-width="666" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJaxFsIp45LoMUJ8EsqH9p9sOF07Prw2RHGM8EvjH2wQEWpjgGDNPY_HKr6jqq2jpFWMTm0zdBtdY1iKoJKkExb3GMs7Nz2Ss_FfYVEoETTDkFcirHhVXcSfourE0HbQCPtOWVaGBiusPS/s640/IMG_4047.jpg" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">
The lower we got in to the McCormick Wilderness, the chillier the night became.
With no cloud cover, the dropped elevation, and fatigue from riding all day, our
energy was getting zapped as we pedaled around bright green puddles with algae
and 1,000’s of frogs. We decided that as soon as the sun began to rise we would
stop and take a dirt nap for 20 minutes on the side of the trail. With a little
sunlight, the temperature would rise just enough so that we could somewhat
comfortably just curl up and get one good REM cycle before continuing forward.
Chelsea won gear-packer-of-the-trip award because she brought the tiniest
little inflatable camp pillow, knowing that it would boost morale when we
stopped to rest. I was jealous of her pre-planned luxurious amenity, and tried
to use my helmet as a pillow. It was not comfortable and I just set my face on
the ground. Just as I was about to drift off to sleep, a red squirrel began chattering
at us, angry that we were in it’s clearing. “Cha-cha-cha-cha-cha!” We laughed
and yelled at it to shut up as we dozed off.</p><p class="MsoNormal">
Twenty minutes feels like a long time when your body is exhausted. The alarm
went off and we all popped up, bright eyed and bushy tailed – a little nap was
exactly what we needed and we felt rejuvenated. The dawn light had turned to
bright daylight while we power napped, and we were surrounded by some really beautiful
and dense greenery. After some snacks we were ready to keep rallying;
we had roughly 20 more miles until our next checkpoint, the Yellow Dog River,
and the morning went by sweepingly quick as we rode through some absolutely
beautiful woods.<br /><br />One of the games that we played while out there was a game in which we saw a lost item on the side of the trail and we listed off all of the survival things that it could come in handy for. We would see a singular sock, and then we would list all of the things that we could do with it: use it to filter coffee, use it to help keep you warm, you could put berries in it, use it for toilet paper (which is probably how it wound up in the woods in the first place), etc. It kept us entertained FOR HOURS. I am convinced that we would all do incredibly well if we were ever on one of those Survivor shows. Seriously, we'd win.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj173MNhmmaWfaLG5vIqQUb-PtTqfInCZnBlPlO6LIg9grGF_ERhImC92FbfUDXII5AmWUNss4Ng1UbyDWdkS9rKYhLeVCb5FAqy_mnKk6jImOBggEqOb2U32yavi5bglsaLTj8tVNMDAQj/s1184/IMG_1504.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="888" data-original-width="1184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj173MNhmmaWfaLG5vIqQUb-PtTqfInCZnBlPlO6LIg9grGF_ERhImC92FbfUDXII5AmWUNss4Ng1UbyDWdkS9rKYhLeVCb5FAqy_mnKk6jImOBggEqOb2U32yavi5bglsaLTj8tVNMDAQj/s640/IMG_1504.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span face="" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We made it to the river and laughed as we scooped
up our bikes and waded across. By this time on the route, we were professionals
in scrambling, wading, and maneuvering over obstacles. With less than 40 miles
to the finish, we decided to trek across while still wearing our shoes. I had
put my feet in dog poop bags during the night to help keep my toes warm (cheap vapor barriers, lol!) and the
water spilled in through the top of them. When we got to the other side of the
river, I sat down to take them off, laughing and making fun of myself for
wearing them. The thought of trying to ride through this river amused us, and we
chatted about how funny it would be to watch people try to pedal through, or
how much work it would be to get a raft out there just to forge across. A lot
of our motions felt autonomous at this point, and we prepared to take our
checkpoint photo casually and as if it was a completely normal thing that ordinary
people did on bike rides. Totally standard. Everything about this ride is perfectly
sane and normal. It wouldn't be weird if people saw us out there doing that at all.</span><br /><br /><span face="" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="888" data-original-width="666" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-7BgCGLF08cqRdkYiVNDwkkc5paAuPS1P0k-YcHgvU2l3_5hvLMhDxyq4C5KxLGYwrALw6V3EniMB8YdAhPpjUY7oD0IAiWWZzOplHa24K1AcRvIHWemF8Dv83yq2Ba-dFCKLm8c-ljVP/s640/IMG_20200801_083309389.jpg" /></span><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">
Between the Yellow Dog River and the Snowmobile trail 12 miles from
Forestville, we hit some long, exposed stretches of pavement and gravel. We
were lucky with temps in the 70’s on Friday, but Saturday’s forecast was
climbing and beginning to get warm. The gravel sections before the snowmobile
trail were dusty and there was more traffic than the previous stretches, and I found
myself getting grumpy because everything felt so dry. As we turned one corner,
we saw Lisa Thomson parked on the side of the road, and all of my grump dissipated
in to thin air! She poured us some icy cold brew and was just the happiest apparition
that we needed exactly at that moment. After laughing with her for a bit, moral
revitalized, we continued on. Jazzed up on caffeine, I wanted to get to
the finish before overworking myself in the heat, and I continued to ride
forward imagining refreshing beverages and hammock-times in the Simula’s backyard.</span></span><div><span face="" style="line-height: 107%;"><br />
<span face="" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="888" data-original-width="666" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQal_-nTbS_uJCUEjFI3ZBiLOu4tCiz8C3-W_jOCP_dv1r0doj76fo52-c3viVpXRp3ru4AOFoRW1hBRaS0PX0FxhOK9vOqBCGYMEP0DtjzaaEr9XggnIaD8q4gNpbmF2L6Bjz5FGdwwP5/s640/IMG_20200801_101617234.jpg" /></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">
Historically, I do not do well in the sun, and as I was hammering up hills
trying to hurry to the shaded snowmobile trail, I was a little bit worried that
I might make myself nauseous. Last year at the Marji Out and Back, my stomach
got upset and I found myself unable to ride and barfing about 65 miles in. With
the time cut off for that race, I knew I wouldn’t have time to settle my tummy
and continue onward, so I disappointingly said good-bye to Jenny, who I had been riding with, pulled the plug and rode to Rippling
River to catch some sleep. It was so sad not to finish that race, and I felt
somehow being out at the Crusher and feeling strong and good – I was getting my
retribution. I hate scratching from races, but the more I’ve had to do so the
more comfortable I become with doing it. There’s no shame in quitting a race if
you are sick, injured, or at risk of putting yourself in danger. I heard from a
friend once: you can’t quit if it’s dark, you can’t quit if you’re hungry, you
can’t quit if you’re tired, and you can’t quit if you’re in a bad mood. Those
are all things that can be fixed with time. At this point in the Crusher, I
was not feeling unwell, I was just grumpy because I wanted to be done with it.
The sun and the dust were getting to me and I impatiently wanted shade and to take my shoes off! <br /><br />
Once again, I was so thankful that I had Chelsea and Jenny as my cohorts:
rather than make me feel bad for being ridiculous and mad at the dust, they
cheered me up and pointed out all the fun things that we were riding past. We
finally turned off of a road on to the powerlines, and the sand began to
deflate me. I wanted more of the fun two-tracks and rocky, muddy trail! At the
bottom of the powerlines we saw an RV with some folks out cheering: Barb and co.
were parked and had coolers full of ice cream sandwiches and coca cola. Holy
hell, that ice cream sandwich perked me right up!! Sand? We didn’t care about
any stinkin’ sand, we had ice cream smooshed between two M&M cookies AND we
had some nice sugary soda! Ready to tackle the final homestretch, we thanked
the crew and charged away – only to turn back around to ask if we should
continue on the powerlines or take the road. Everyone shouted “the road!” and
we were off! </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
<br />
At the end of the last dusty stretch on 510, we turned for the snowmobile trail.
Lisa was parked there again to cheer us on and we sped past waving and
shouting, “We’re finishing this thing!” "Triple Crown!!! Triple Crown!" It felt very good to get in to the
shade and to get back to the type of riding that I love to do: chonky, rocky, wild.
Earlier in the ride, I had mentioned that I typically get a second wind after
riding through the night when the sun comes up – and that I get a third wind
when I know I’m close to the end. I had also mentioned that sometimes when I’m nearing
the end of a long adventure like this, I get sad, because I really am happiest
on a bike, stinky, surrounded with good people, and exploring. I was feeling
both of those things, especially because it had been such a rough spring with
2020 just being dumb. I had been so happy riding with my friends and I pedaled - craving another adventure with these two nerds. </span></span></div><div><span face="" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span face="" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As I was feeling
nostalgic, Chelsea pointed out that we were riding on the Noque trail, and it
made me really happy because years ago we had all become better friends racing
at the Noque fat bike race! That was the trip that Matt and Jenny had gone on
as their third date, and the race that people were getting pulled from the course
due to frostbite. It was one of the first winters we all spent traveling and
racing fat bikes together, and I could not help but smile thinking of those
good times and of where we were now. As the warm fuzzies were in my belly,
something darted across the trail: A RIVER OTTER! How freaking perfect. Two
more of its friends scurried across the trail and we could not stop laughing.
If we had been just a few feet further when they decided to jump across the trail,
we could have easily been taken out by one of those little beasts! They were big and chubby!! Feeling complete, we turned on the final trail through Forestville and
cruised up to Matt and Jenny’s van. Matt and Lisa had been waiting for us in
the woods but had missed when we cruised past – they had adorably made a “finish
line” for us and we missed it! After some good laughs, we sat on a concrete
block in the parking lot snacking heavily, pleased to be done yet still hungry
for more.</span><br />
<span face="" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif;"><!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--></span><br />
<span face="" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif;"><!--[endif]--></span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiROZ65n_Eu4U5c4-4tgLHsBQPt-7QRuZ92RV9ZuV-rUUHyE26Hg2qBttJp4io9Bwbe52YrZB8Zr52OskP_EYaGTPyzVVwoNiOstcmGZXuRWsmFVZwgCHNjyLxIqgBDCjqmV1Lc0UPzeKSs/s960/116877692_10222557358747504_3061346370792327595_n.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="958" data-original-width="960" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiROZ65n_Eu4U5c4-4tgLHsBQPt-7QRuZ92RV9ZuV-rUUHyE26Hg2qBttJp4io9Bwbe52YrZB8Zr52OskP_EYaGTPyzVVwoNiOstcmGZXuRWsmFVZwgCHNjyLxIqgBDCjqmV1Lc0UPzeKSs/s640/116877692_10222557358747504_3061346370792327595_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div>BillFartindalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04581092364521279774noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-246444036584487637.post-64486018342381265282018-12-28T08:40:00.002-08:002018-12-28T08:48:44.883-08:00Pre-Tuscobia 160!<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Tomorrow marks the first winter ultra of the season – <a href="https://tuscobiawinterultra.com/">theTuscobia 160</a> - and also the first of the <a href="http://orderofthehrimthurs.com/">Order of the Hrimthurs</a>. I’ll be
working hard to make sure I finish all three of the races in the Order so that
I can hopefully enter the realm of the frost giants! What is the Order of the
Hrimthurs? It’s a winter triple crown series, for racers who have completed the
Tuscobia 160, Arrowhead 135, and the Actif Epica. I’m a sucker for series. There’s
a camaraderie that comes with seeing and racing with the same group of people
at each race. With my focus on winter ultras, I will admit I’ve missed seeing
my 45nrth teammates. I hope I get to race with them soon. In the meantime, it
makes me happy with the group of friends that I’ve made through ultras and I am
excited to spend more time with these folks this winter. <br /><br />FOLLOW OUR BLUE DOTS HERE: <o:p></o:p></span><a data-ft="{"tn":"-U"}" data-lynx-mode="async" href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Ftrackleaders.com%2Ftuscobia18%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR1LH5Y5zznt4-M-g_9xin0c9JHEecnssK3ImvRA2I__3pjqJewrun-6T1U&h=AT0pc0s1_r07fzo1YPhNaTCFEOEEqWaiXBBaLh4rN0YCcYfmQqg_04OMTKYV9v1NhS5SnbbYu43ccit_ooOmA1ev-k0RCvTbUk0IkI6eQIMBDK6cGybHvcsFMG4jKm26e_P5elde7HIDOpFOmox_rHcMoWrce5zTfHwe-46Pu8XxdMoyHBsPrb8JyvhwGURWXusgIGXGL1Qo0jKTmAkdBNgRR8ejfJWEuY0Mpv4E92Mbt-TtcD2EHt1iSteCUrWF2Ua43Xfhj9NXGdXaOS6OoVcBztgcOE1WS5Epz4LV-AoabB3EsLlaA_ofm4MmBOfHbMj2Vhr9p5SthxvFAe6OauDDcQK5iW_8MLNOJzK-xmFXzny1GRL6hI7i6wkRkfdjWi2LvaV05-ai6CXkI63UHZN6Y5CzP0DMDximugYFqefCT7WgdwKV_MPzAbKBqfaSFSa6yspLfrZoRArYt6DueGq8zxfyYPc2s_IJT6GzAzUu174pK8pfLoe5-8FpYSNrgGklUOzPGBnrq3srMaa62XZuZZuRBy2vjXisb-Y2R4jMmp0QbqUV5GXw6n54F6A6pcXaeH71WamTs3YwPtv5q3cVjVkMFC8D77GIAzw5VNdEH65013MPA5iwkpjJWjUA1g" rel="noopener nofollow" style="background-color: white; color: #365899; cursor: pointer; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" target="_blank">http://trackleaders.com/tuscobia18</a></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I’m also super stoked that Salsa is a sponsor of
the Tuscobia 160! The first time I raced Tuscobia I was on my Beargrease, and
while I was planning on racing Tuscobia on my Mukluk, there have been some
changes to the </span><a href="https://salsacycles.com/bikes/beargrease/2019_beargrease_carbon_x01_eagle" style="font-family: inherit;">Salsa Beargrease</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> that make me want to test it out – rear rack </span>compatible<span style="font-family: inherit;"> being one of them? Yes, please! Salsa knows their stuff with fat bikes and I trust
so much in my bike. Knowing that Dan gave my bike a race day tune and knowing
that I’ve got the Salsa folks cheering behind me will mentally make it a much
better race for me. Trusting in your bike and your gear takes a lot of worrying
out of it. My friend Leah Gruhn pointed out that the women's course record at the Tuscobia 160 is 21 hours and 52 minutes. My goal for every ultra is always to finish with a smile. This other goal seems achievable this year... maybe. If not by me, maybe another strong woman this year (psst LEAH!) Fingers crossed!</span></span><br />
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Joining the Order of the Hrimthurs means joining a group of winter ultra
legends, many of them people I’ve met and seen the last few years through these
races. They know their stuff. Taking up three ultras in a winter series is
rough, but I think Tuscobia will be the hardest mentally, because it is so
redundantly straight, and because it beat me up so bad the first go around. I
also feel like I haven’t had a good solid long push on my Beargrease loaded up,
and there’s always that moment before a race where I feel under-trained and
wish I had gone on a few more long rides. There’s never enough rides! I am also
hearing other racers talk about needing studs for the course, as it rained
pretty steadily yesterday and with suddenly cold temperatures there’s most
likely more ice on the course than snow. I am banking a lot on my experience
this time around and I am looking forward to the adventure.<br /> </span><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 115%;">
Tuscobia was the<a href="http://jillmartindale.blogspot.com/2015/01/holy-wah-tuscobia-150.html"> first winter ultra I ever did</a>, and I finished the 150 mile
race a little over 25 hours (it’s now a 160 mile race!) I made a lot of
mistakes and I learned a lot from them. Making mistakes and learning, changing
how you pack things, working on what to wear, and dialing in nutrition – it’s a
work in process with every ultra and if you aren’t making mistakes you aren’t learning.
At least that’s what I tell myself. </span><span style="line-height: 115%;">😉 I was in a dark
place near the end of the Tuscobia 150, the miles ticked away slowly and my
lack of upper body work meant I was too fatigued to be able to steer the bike
with one hand, so any time I wanted to eat or drink I had to come to a complete
stop. I was too tired to unclip my boots from my bike and fell over every time
I wanted to grab a drink. I was a sorry mess. I think I finished the Tuscobia
just by sheer luck. After crossing the finish line I had vertigo and couldn’t
sleep and Dan and I began the drive back to Michigan… then we flipped the
mini-van on some ice. It’s funny to me that I kept racing winter ultras after
this experience, because the Tuscobia trail chewed me up and spit me out! It
took months to recover my upper body (thank you Train out Pain!), we had to
scrap the mini-van up in the UP and catch a ride home (thank you again Scotty P
and Rick!), and I was mentally so fuzzy for weeks afterwards. I am really
excited to go back and to fight those demons. I’m looking forward to 10
additional miles and to see how this race has grown. The year I went, I was one
of three women. This year, there’s four of us. I want us all to finish! I’m
really excited to gauge how I’ve grown as a cyclist and to see what I’ve
learned these past couple of years. I’m also very excited to be carpooling to
the race with my GRBC teammate, Johnny D and his buddy TJ! <br /><br />
The temperature forces me to be more strategic about my gear, keeping water
from freezing, and what I’m wearing. Sometimes the moisture in the air and the
cold temperature creates a hard-packed, super fat bike highway, and everything
is firm and fast rolling. The sun will come out and warm up just a few degrees,
and suddenly, you’re pushing through mashed potatoes. I love the variety of the
trail and it makes me feel more alive when I’m navigating through different
conditions. Sometimes you must be patient and soft pedal through the snow when
it’s mushy, or you have to stop to put more air in your tires when it firms up.
It isn’t all about hammering on the pedals and riding fast through a course –
it’s learning your environment and adjusting your set up to ride better through
it. I feel out of practice in terms of the temperatures but I am hoping
everything comes back to me within the first few miles of the course. <br />
<br />
The biggest decision I’ll be making this weekend is what tire option to run.
With the Salsa Mukluk and the new Salsa Beargrease in my line up, I have a set
up for any type of winter riding: fast and hard-packed, slow and sloggy,
carrying minimal gear, carrying everything but the kitchen sink, icy
conditions, somewhat icy conditions, no-snow-conditions. I’m really happy that
the new Beargrease has the same rear spacing as the Mukluk, so I can have
additional wheelsets set up for what I want to do to easily swap. Many times I’ve
brought a spare wheelset with me to a race so I can choose the perfect tire
night before the race. The weather changes so quickly that it’s hard to make
the call from home. This time, I didn’t bring a spare wheelset. I am doing my
best to wave off the uncertainty of choosing the wrong tire, but am also hoping
that following my instincts works!</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuXmhUM983bZg25HU4Hv7MgPLIzb2mtF6PustRLV_VNE42UVHa3k-8vXKPJmHdasPVZI9IliIYd0Xp7vpswZ-66s5pIae0xWQxpqw3ptGKjaFZ0ty0UQ0YrTj_-LptFOr_zPhNeVj6rY3-/s1600/beargreasedontcare.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="960" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuXmhUM983bZg25HU4Hv7MgPLIzb2mtF6PustRLV_VNE42UVHa3k-8vXKPJmHdasPVZI9IliIYd0Xp7vpswZ-66s5pIae0xWQxpqw3ptGKjaFZ0ty0UQ0YrTj_-LptFOr_zPhNeVj6rY3-/s320/beargreasedontcare.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo shared on the Tuscobia page Thursday night.</td></tr>
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I’m picking the <a href="https://45nrth.com/products/vanhelga-27point5">27.5x4 45nrth Vanhelgas</a> for Tuscobia because the course is very straight and relatively flat. I am hoping that if there is mushy snow, I can cut through it with the aggressive knobs on the Vanhelga. The Vanhelga tires are also has triple-siped shoulder knobs for better traction on ice. It’s an all-rounder favorite tire of mine and I have a hunch it’ll do just fine. Ideally, a firm course would call for fast-rolling action and the larger diameter of the 27.5’s will roll easier for me over the duration of the trail. With no big technical sections or big downhills, I don’t feel like I need the better handling of the 26” fat. (Although, if the snow is mushy, all of the ruts will make it technical – that’s the risk you take!) Plus, the Beargrease is the newest fat bike to my stable. I haven’t had a chance to ride it in snow a whole lot but I love how fast it naturally rides. It fits me well. The new frame allows me to put a rear rack on it and it’s got fork mounts. It’s shiny and I’m excited to race it! My Mukluk is set up to carry larger loads and to be a workhorse – my multi-day rig. The plan is to ride Tuscobia straight through. At the risk of making a mistake and choosing the wrong set up, I am looking forward to experimenting and to trying something new. I’ll let you know how it goes. 😉<br />
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As for nutrition for Tuscobia, I think this is the first time I’ve ever had it dialed. We made Christmas Tamale’s at Dan’s sister’s house and I have a large stockload of tempeh and habanero cheese tamales. It’s taken all of my mental prowess not to eat them all before this weekend. I literally just paused from writing this to go snag a tamale. YAS!<br />
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Good luck to everyone racing!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim0ItU_rbanObYJOf5OVApMDC6ggBYsLWoyeVU-Ow1RfQLHgeF_7Q8FCDD8A9cuokdTOuk_lodFN1zgiMQMIFOYVpVUyW5jryD26nKBVnceKN6H42ZuZ3hazM-IL2SYLOi_HzWT6EaDxb_/s1600/beargreasefood.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="572" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim0ItU_rbanObYJOf5OVApMDC6ggBYsLWoyeVU-Ow1RfQLHgeF_7Q8FCDD8A9cuokdTOuk_lodFN1zgiMQMIFOYVpVUyW5jryD26nKBVnceKN6H42ZuZ3hazM-IL2SYLOi_HzWT6EaDxb_/s320/beargreasefood.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Food pile, counting calories. Still lacking some items. And those TAMALES.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span>BillFartindalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04581092364521279774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-246444036584487637.post-90865244551097110972017-11-28T11:57:00.003-08:002017-11-28T11:57:32.106-08:00What's coming up?The past few months between when the snow melted and now has really flown by incredibly quickly. It seems like just the other day Dan and I were in Emporia with a bunch of our friends preparing to ride 200 miles of gravel. Now it's 60 degrees near the end of November and I'm finding myself wistfully gazing at photos of friends riding fat bikes in snow out West on social media. I'm going to go out to ride today and I'll enjoy the sunshine, but I'm antsy for snow!<br />
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Whaaaaaaaaaaaaat? Where did the summer go?!<br />
<br />
I set myself a timeline with Dirty Kanza - as soon as my toenails returned to normal: I'd write about it. They're still getting there, but they're close enough.<br />
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Back in October the purple/green toenail on my big toe finally chipped off. I had gotten blisters under my toenails out in Kansas because my feet had swollen in the heat and I wasn't expecting it. I just kept pedaling despite the discomfort in my shoes. The funny thing is that I've experienced discomfort like that before (thanks, roller derby) and mentally prepared myself for the loss of a toenail. I didn't realize it'd affect 3 of my toenails and that it would take nearly half a year for my feet to go back to normal. Whoops!<br />
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There was a theme with not writing a post about my first Dirty Kanza. I couldn't sit down on a computer to save my life because we were out having fun. At the shop, I found myself on the computer answering emails, putting in orders, and ringing customers up. I'd get home and it'd be nice out and it'd be so hard to sit down and to open up the laptop. I stared at a screen all day - shouldn't I go play outside? That's important, isn't it? The <strike>worst</strike> *best* thing that Dan has rubbed off on me is to live in the present and to put the phone away. It felt like DK had just happened and I was still catching up on sleep. Put the cell phone away and get your hands in the dirt. Ride the bike. Take the dog out. Figure out that the new dog likes swimming. Go sleep out in the woods. Squeeze as much as you can in between working and sleep and heading back in to work again. We talk about bikes all day long and then go home and talk more bikes. Dirty Kanza was amazing and incredible and a really great experience. Why sit down when you can ride, swim, or play? The funny thing is that once summer is over, Fall is beautiful and everything gets reinvented and rides to the beach or to the woods are even more beautiful. Winter is incredible, too and I'm really looking forward to <i>this</i> winter. Whoops! Am I already making plans for Dirty Kanza next year? Did I already register for the Margi Gesick 100?<br />
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Although my first DK will be held safely and close to my heart, I really want to take a moment to recognize the strong women that I rode with out there for the most part of 200 miles. The #200women200miles campaign really resonated with me and I was really proud to be part of it. The race itself became less of a race and more of a movement, it was about solidarity and being a part of something and taking up space and being there with so many other women who had found themselves at the start line through different experiences and in different parts of their lives. Endurance events build bonds and I've met some incredible human beings at races that take longer than 8 hours. DK took me over 16 hours and I'll forever (albeit selfishly) keep those 16+ hours worth of memories in my head and I'll pull them out when I need a pick-me-up.<br />
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It really meant a lot to cross the finish line with my 45nrth teammate, Chelsea Strate. We spent all spring training in our hometowns and texting about DK. We compared how long it took for us to race our bikes 100 miles on gravel at races to try to gauge how fast we would do 200 miles. We chatted about nutrition and our lives and I picked up the same handlebar bag that she used in the Almanzo 100, because it could hold my snacks and because I trust the gear that receives the stamp of her approval. We asked questions like, "Will we race together? What if I'm slowing you down? What if you have a mechanical?" and "What are you going to wear?" We had no idea what to expect, both of us attempting DK for the first time, and the experience was definitely richer spending so much time with her, getting to know her better, and being encouraged to keep going when things got a little dark for me. It was great riding in short sleeves and shorts with her, we typically only see each other in the winter! Turns out I melt in the heat, a lot. She was patient and I couldn't have finished without her.<br />
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It also meant a lot to have found Andrea Cohen out in the great unknown and to have reeled in the second check point with her. Then we kept reeling in the miles until we crossed the finish line. It was Andrea's 1,000th Dirty Kanza mile and she received a special chalice for finishing 5 DKs. I'm inspired by her and want to complete a race 5 times. That's a lot of years of racing and miles under her belt, and the fact that she's a few years younger than me definitely puts a pep in my step and makes me want to push myself harder. For a lot of the miles beyond the first 100 I found myself feeling nauseous and over-heating, and Andrea kept it fun and stopped with us when I needed to hurl. The spanse of gravel between the second and third checkpoint was really hard for me and I sent Andrea and Chelsea on without me so I could slow it down and get my body back to functioning normal. Seeing Andrea and Chelsea at the third checkpoint brought tears to my eyes. I was so happy to see my friends again and so happy to finish with them. It was some good shit for my soul, believe me!<br />
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I read somewhere once that our brains distort memories each time we recall them. The more you think about a favorite memory, the less clear it becomes. I don't know if that's true or not but I can't bring myself to write about experiences this summer because I'm still holding on to them. They mean a lot to me and crossing the finish line with Andrea and Chelsea was really magical. To be at Dirty Kanza with 200 other women, reeling in the last mile with two women that I really admire, being with Chelsea for her first DK finish and being with Andrea for her 1,000th DK mile, meeting our friends at the finish line and watching strangers hug with smiles on their faces... It was really, really special. I'm definitely planning on more long-distance gravel events in hopes of earning some of those feelings again.<br />
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<b>What's on the docket?<br /></b>I'm really, really excited to have joined <a href="http://salsacycles.com/people/jill_martindale">Salsa's team</a> of riders! The first brand new bicycle I've ever gotten from a legit bike shop just so happened to be a Salsa Vaya - aka the little buffalo. I bought her from the shop a few months after I had begun working there. She's since moved homes and keeps a former roller derby teammate company, but she was brilliant and amazing and comfortable and fun. We rode around a few Great Lakes together and the little buffalo was steady and reliable. It makes me really happy when I see her around. I'm over the moon excited to be representing a brand that encourages adventure and exploration.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little Buffalo near Niagara Falls. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The El Mar at Merrell Trail. I NEED another single speed ASAP.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baby's first fat bike - My 1st Mukluk at the Lowell 50</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Faygo Soda - my Fargo on the way to a campground after work.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqB3VMvxeqvRlM2N67L0nuvmZzx8dmViCsu-cyO5Nr3YaWho7ec65tcZTUJqWXXz3_MRTx8sjXqLeGlg8H1IC4YZKoNn46DIbUGbTLxzGBSXJIS2-p9i2JEllfyI8ezWA98htIdh_NgNRz/s1600/beargrease.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="582" data-original-width="960" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqB3VMvxeqvRlM2N67L0nuvmZzx8dmViCsu-cyO5Nr3YaWho7ec65tcZTUJqWXXz3_MRTx8sjXqLeGlg8H1IC4YZKoNn46DIbUGbTLxzGBSXJIS2-p9i2JEllfyI8ezWA98htIdh_NgNRz/s320/beargrease.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Miami Vice made it into our engagement photos. RIP Ninja, the best doggo ever.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgukUkv7y08K2rv6vyE_qDAooytEm-qZ5xMRwugsRvyOys2HgPU6jJWXlWeEnbGq9E_DBU4J42X36y4MDoVM0_iI25mJ5rJFUH2Sn38PDomeq33dsCgYhSKInxMaUNR-LcIl-6HAGI8o15K/s1600/spearfish1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="639" data-original-width="640" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgukUkv7y08K2rv6vyE_qDAooytEm-qZ5xMRwugsRvyOys2HgPU6jJWXlWeEnbGq9E_DBU4J42X36y4MDoVM0_iI25mJ5rJFUH2Sn38PDomeq33dsCgYhSKInxMaUNR-LcIl-6HAGI8o15K/s320/spearfish1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The day I forgot a helmet at Merrell trail so I bought one across the street at Meijer. The Fish is fun!</td></tr>
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbHQCiRu_QMBi5sfgn_quqJfa0CTqViT2kp1DGqOXOfCqEjp6elI9xVvcTc9TrVxIEM77XpQjcSEfDI47rgcj33QrvPhqGmYmICxDHPPU2SivvTYlED-qydp279fNmKvNETz4miL_qStYG/s1600/23634851_10104790137358355_2001829858_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbHQCiRu_QMBi5sfgn_quqJfa0CTqViT2kp1DGqOXOfCqEjp6elI9xVvcTc9TrVxIEM77XpQjcSEfDI47rgcj33QrvPhqGmYmICxDHPPU2SivvTYlED-qydp279fNmKvNETz4miL_qStYG/s320/23634851_10104790137358355_2001829858_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">NEW thanks to Salsa - the Bowling Ball! This baby and I are going to spend a lot of time together this winter!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBNw_UjhKIKCTRtYjNKEF7Gu95e1_XFHA7KWPeVMDnkUQxCVGp70Gbu1f-QgJRgpi8IXsoBTmtJW0mE2GNxm1nQak-eMsIlw_UqLS_e5Ku1vkfFFeBcDRiGlmaZUL0WAbdgdovQrLbBD0V/s1600/warbird.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBNw_UjhKIKCTRtYjNKEF7Gu95e1_XFHA7KWPeVMDnkUQxCVGp70Gbu1f-QgJRgpi8IXsoBTmtJW0mE2GNxm1nQak-eMsIlw_UqLS_e5Ku1vkfFFeBcDRiGlmaZUL0WAbdgdovQrLbBD0V/s320/warbird.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Also NEW thanks to Salsa - the Snack Machine 2.0. Making me test more of my limits outside of the winter season. <3</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
<br />
<u>2018 Adventures:</u><br />
Winter: <a href="http://fatpursuit.com/">JP's Fat Pursuit 200 mile</a>. <a href="http://www.arrowheadultra.com/">Arrowhead 135 Unsupported</a>. <a href="http://iditarodtrailinvitational.com/">Iditarod Trail Invitational 350 mile</a>.<br />
<br />
The rest of the year: <a href="https://landrun100.com/">Landrun 100</a>, <a href="http://micoasttocoast.com/">Michigan's Coast to Coast 200+ mile</a>, <a href="http://barry-roubaix.com/info/100-mile-psycho-killer/">Barry Roubaix 100 mile Psycho-Killer</a>, <a href="https://dirtykanza.com/">Dirty Kanza</a>, <a href="http://marjigesick100.com/">Marji Gesick</a>. Woof.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Also hoping to bike-pack with Dan and Oso as much as I can. Racing rules, but sometimes the best adventures are taken more slowly. Definitely stoked for the next year!<br /><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUWVbOBKnsbD1IIKk7ZUql3OVeN74rZbWP9nX63e10K2vhjUW504BjYy24ALxhGAJA_QAirYrfu-vx8wLlhnphXlTOUYSKuIn1r9jr1h-JIu4DYpfMtcGTFWELhajTNv4QPubb2NUZ_3Tj/s1600/23722052_10104790137208655_1689844217_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUWVbOBKnsbD1IIKk7ZUql3OVeN74rZbWP9nX63e10K2vhjUW504BjYy24ALxhGAJA_QAirYrfu-vx8wLlhnphXlTOUYSKuIn1r9jr1h-JIu4DYpfMtcGTFWELhajTNv4QPubb2NUZ_3Tj/s320/23722052_10104790137208655_1689844217_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">more of this, please.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /><br />
I definitely couldn't plan for all these miles without <a href="http://www.grandrapidsbicycles.com/about/suspension-services-pg172.htm">Dan</a>, <a href="http://www.grandrapidsbicycles.com/">Grand Rapids Bicycle Company</a>, <a href="http://www.45nrth.com/">45NRTH</a>, <a href="http://www.velocityusa.com/">Velocity USA wheels</a>, <a href="https://www.niterider.com/">NiteRider Technical Lighting Solutions</a>, <a href="http://trainoutpain.com/">Train Out Pain</a> fixing me when I get my body out of whack, and without <a href="http://www.salsacycles.com/">Salsa</a>'s support. I'm biting off a little more than I can chew but with all of the right gear I'm at least confident I'll be warm and on rad bikes. ;)<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />BillFartindalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04581092364521279774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-246444036584487637.post-73868727470916530872017-06-02T20:48:00.000-07:002017-06-02T20:49:10.497-07:00#200women200miles<div class="MsoNormal">
I have no idea what I’m getting myself in to – and this is
the feeling that I’m after.<br />
<br />
The draw Dirty Kanza had this year for me was mostly the #200women200miles campaign - a
lot of female friends were signing up, and the general mentality of a lot of
the ladies signing up was pretty great: friendly, excited, a little nervous but
really, really supportive. I’ve heard a lot of great things about DK and now
that we are in Emporia, it’s finally beginning to feel real: I get
to be a part of something really cool. <br />
<br />
I love the feeling of the unknown, the feeling of something big and epic, and
not being able to comprehend what I’m chasing after until I’m there. With 200
miles of gravel in a state I’ve never been in before, I think this pretty much
fits the bill. <br />
<br />
Without wanting to ruin any discoveries along the route, I truthfully haven’t
done a lot of research on the course for DK! I know it’ll be a harrowing course
with rough terrain and sharp flint. I know there will be stretches of gravel in
the sun and that I better pack sun screen. I know if it rains, it’ll get mucky.
I know Dan gets to replenish my water and snacks at a few checkpoints and that
this race – he gets to work on my bike if something goes haywire. I’m basically
counting on my knowledge and experience of getting lost on long rides to get me
through. My goal is to finish with a smile on my face – and to do it with 199
other smiling women.<br />
<br />
I’ve fallen in love already with Dirty Kanza. The event organizers have
done something really cool and racing isn’t the top reason why I’m in Kansas: it’s so important for bike event organizers and brands to support
women in cycling. Yeah, it’s great to see more fast women compete and it’d be
great if I had a perfect race, but truthfully, I’m just happy to be here the
year that the Dirty Kanza has a record showing number of women. I’m stoked to
see so many more women on bikes challenging themselves and falling in love with
pushing their limits and wandering into the unknown. It feels really good to
stretch your comfort zone. Completing something difficult makes me feel
accomplished and the group mentality heading into DK makes me feel excited.
Like I mentioned before, I am so stoked to be included in this year’s
#200women200miles event! I love that spaces were held for women. I love all of
the excitement about this year’s race.<br />
<br />
My legs and lungs feel pretty decent – I’ve been able to get some good rides in
this year – whereas last year I went until November before riding a complete
century. Time got in the way. I had enough time this year thanks to a stellar
staff at the Fulton shop, but the mental aspect has been rougher than I
remember the last few months: there are some pretty old-fashioned dudes who
come in to the shop who put up a fight when they’re being helped by a female
staff-member and it makes me frustrated and sometimes a little anti-social around bike events. I want to spend my time around the people I love and with people I know who don't have a problem with women in the cycling industry. Sometimes you still run into those old-fashioned dudes at bike races.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We’ve got some new women at the shop and I absolutely love
their positive attitudes and work ethic, their drive to learn hands-on and to
be taught mechanics, and their ability to go with the flow. They’re smart. They’re
awesome. They don’t deserve some of the egos that they’re met with to their
face or over the phone. I know, I know, this is their first year in a
bike shop and they still have a lot to learn: but they’re fucking rocking it
and we’re in an industry where we need to retain women. Getting beat up day
after day in the retail industry gets harrowing, just as the DK course will
probably be. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Packing for Dirty Kanza, I found myself procrastinating. We had just
gotten especially beat up by guys second-guessing us just at the sound of our
voice answering the phone – men who refused to even tell us the reason why they
were calling (primarily, it’s to see if we’ll work on their bike or if their
bike repair is finished). I had one man hang up on me 3 times, who finally got
through to a male mechanic, who wanted to ask if we could refurbish his 1958
vintage bike – only to get told the same thing I told him 3 times: “Bring the
bike in and we can assess what shape it’s in and if we can get those parts.”
The guy didn’t know what brand the bike was or what style of bike it was, but he
knew that he didn’t want to talk to a woman – and this isn’t an assumption, he
flat out told me. Dan sent me out on a ride that night after work. He told me
to forget about these jerks. I can’t forget about their stubbornness because I
want to break that thought process. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is why it’s important for races that sell out to hold
spots for women. This is why it’s important for me to keep a positive outlook
on the bike industry. This is why it’s important for me to hold my head high in
front of my female coworkers and to bite my tongue when I want to yell at a
dude for being a complete jerk and for assuming I don’t know anything about
bikes. We need more women in the bike world and leaving spaces for them to sign
up is a great step to take to work towards that goal. How fast we’re able to
race and to finish isn’t the most important angle at the big race this weekend:
it’s being there, it’s taking up space, it’s encouraging other women to hop on
their bikes and to ride, it’s empowering by putting yourself in to a situation
where something might break and limping through to fix it, and it’s setting an
example for other women out there who want to step in to the bike world. It’s
creating a safe place for women to feel confident without being doubted just
because we’re girls and it’s hopefully getting more guys comfortable with the
fact that a woman may someday ride with them or work on their bike.<br />
<br />
It’s tough and it’s going to be gritty – but we’re all in this together – and it
will definitely get us out of our comfort zones. <o:p></o:p></div>
BillFartindalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04581092364521279774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-246444036584487637.post-21955643147143953482017-03-06T17:52:00.002-08:002017-03-06T18:11:38.896-08:002017 Arrowhead 135<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWLUmru41dgsHujjbuMIo0guoHxZ5LyUK43qJaahsu6y4xD2sAnFOoxGLAFBiAynEoRMKNeCFopeV7jJslf7ZfHX3fC3KjM4VKMWsPCga-hSwDE8CMVh00iTPYhdqXdYHSouh1mZ1YJgHp/s1600/Arrowhead+135-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWLUmru41dgsHujjbuMIo0guoHxZ5LyUK43qJaahsu6y4xD2sAnFOoxGLAFBiAynEoRMKNeCFopeV7jJslf7ZfHX3fC3KjM4VKMWsPCga-hSwDE8CMVh00iTPYhdqXdYHSouh1mZ1YJgHp/s320/Arrowhead+135-2.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Fast dudes! Photo by 45nrth//David Gabrys</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">My favorite thing about the <a href="http://www.arrowheadultra.com/">Arrowhead 135 Winter Ultra</a> is that everyone is
drawn to the race for a different reason. Some show up for the adventure, some
show up to challenge themselves, and some show up for the camaraderie. Some show up for all three. Attempting a winter ultra makes each competitor dig down to contemplate why or how
they’ve found themselves at the starting line. Even after finishing as second
place female in last year’s race, I found myself digging and wondering if I had
it in me to finish swiftly to the finish line at the Fortune Bay Casino. I had
been training all year for the Arrowhead, but with a more concrete work
schedule than in the past, I found myself squeezing work-outs into smaller
windows of time with a higher intensity training plan. I was a little nervous
because I didn’t have as many hours on the bike as I did the year before. A
busy summer, a busier fall, a DNF at Fat Pursuit, and boom – here I was all
bundled up and blinking like a UFO at the starting line with winter ultra
legends like Jay and Tracey Petervary and Todd McFadden! All of us at the start
a little nervous, more than a little excited, and definitely crazy and wired
differently than the average endurance athlete. Each year I find myself knowing
more and more racers at the start of these winter ultras, and I was eager to
take the line with <a href="http://45nrth.com/">45nrth</a> teammates Kurt Barclay and Evan Simula. I wanted to
race this year because I needed the adventure, the challenge, and I most
definitely needed the camaraderie!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibrAK1vz7aqXt61qYqDiky7XdvVNpDEK9oXJ1ltuqu8AeOAmr3r4bTSSgfxz4zRI_QNAYyan4WpA-8vbvuGQCAm4p1595DQuavRX1oYfe5yov-7C1wIBOs4m88i_BXOZAqJ_8PGkZsK6OQ/s1600/17197723_10103982842363995_1478560136_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibrAK1vz7aqXt61qYqDiky7XdvVNpDEK9oXJ1ltuqu8AeOAmr3r4bTSSgfxz4zRI_QNAYyan4WpA-8vbvuGQCAm4p1595DQuavRX1oYfe5yov-7C1wIBOs4m88i_BXOZAqJ_8PGkZsK6OQ/s320/17197723_10103982842363995_1478560136_n.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Goofing off before the start of the Arrowhead</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">A week before the Arrowhead, I went through a slump back at home when we had to
put my dog down. I had that silly dog for over 10 years and the two of us had
been through a lot together. After going on one last hike with my
furry buddy and saying goodbye, I felt weak and shelled and sad. I told my
husband, Dan, that I didn’t want to go to Arrowhead. He rubbed my back with
sympathy and reminded me that I didn’t really mean it. Like any adventure, you
have to keep moving forward. Don’t worry about what’s behind you. Just go. We
packed our things and snagged a rental car with AWD and headed out for International
Falls, Minnesota. Ninja’s name tag jingled on my keychain and I knew I’d find a
place for it on my bike before heading out on the Arrowhead trail. He was a
clumsy dog, but his heart belonged out in the snowy woods. I knew that the
Arrowhead 135 would beat me up and that it would hurt, and I knew that the race
would go one of two ways for me: I would feel slow and sluggish and cry the
entire time – or – I would ride my little heart out and do well. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Dan and I rolled in to International Falls later Saturday night. We got a room
at the Falls Motel, unloaded everything and got my bike put back together
before we fell asleep, exhausted from making the 14-hour drive in one stretch. Gear
check was on Sunday and the race start was 7am Monday morning. Getting out
there a little earlier was pretty great; it gave me time to stack all of my
clothing options out and to re-pack a bin with all of the mandatory gear so
that gear check would go as smoothly as possible. This year I would have enough
time to pre-ride the first few miles of the course, and I think this is one of
the things that helped to give me an edge right from the get-go! In chatting
with Kurt and Evan at gear check, I heard the first few miles were firm and
hard-packed but that there was a lot of ice at the road crossings. As soon as
we got back to the hotel room, Dan and I worked quickly to swap the tires on my
fat bike – I had planned on rolling with the 45nrth Vanhelga tires, but due to
conditions I wanted to opt for the 45nrth Studded Dillingers! Wiping out on ice
at a road crossing was definitely not something that I wanted to experience on
my Arrowhead adventure!</span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">For the pre-ride, I met up with Kurt and Evan and the three of us rolled
out to Kerry Park, where the start of the Arrowhead 135 takes off. We took off
at a pretty good clip and before I realized, we had already ridden for about a
half hour and it was time to turn back around. The course was firm, crunchy,
and incredibly icy at the road crossings. Studded Dillingers were going to do
great for the first 30-or-so miles! I knew that the course was going to
deteriorate past the second checkpoint at Melgeorge’s, but if I could start the
race quickly then all I had to do was keep going and to keep my transitions at
check points short.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyx2IzLW88dP5ZRVjZ7skT1aSpm1h_Ec0rUOumksxy0-DtEB72I7V08I-ZcWDEn97JH_Tc7tQYBBvRH-Qdix9lyaCjuEyhdJc5_w1ih3X9cM7E8ZbO7y-8Cmy6J5QOUDMpw0wTjTWnY_xU/s1600/17161040_10103982842553615_522236501_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyx2IzLW88dP5ZRVjZ7skT1aSpm1h_Ec0rUOumksxy0-DtEB72I7V08I-ZcWDEn97JH_Tc7tQYBBvRH-Qdix9lyaCjuEyhdJc5_w1ih3X9cM7E8ZbO7y-8Cmy6J5QOUDMpw0wTjTWnY_xU/s320/17161040_10103982842553615_522236501_n.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Dinner with friends before the start of the race. Happy 1st birthday, Calvin!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">My plan for checkpoints was the same this year that it was
last year – completely bypass Gateway, the gas station that’s approximately 35
miles in. Melgeorge’s is somewhere around 70 miles from the start and that
would be where I’d refill on water, use the bathroom, grab a grilled cheese,
and to change in to dry layers to head out in to the night. This midway point
would be where I’d want to spend the most amount of time, but I still wouldn’t
allow myself to get sucked in. Ski Pulk, the Surly checkpoint, would be where
I’d top off my water and chug a cup of coffee before the final 25 mile stretch
to Fortune Bay Casino. If all went according to plan, I would spend less than
an hour total during my race while at the checkpoints. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The funny thing about the race is that the beginning took
off a lot faster than I could have wrapped my head around! Fireworks rocketed
into the sky, I shouted good luck to as many friends as I could, and we heard
the well-known words, “Release the Hounds!” I took off hammering. I got in a
line with some guys, but quickly dropped off from them. I scolded myself for
taking off too hard. The last thing I wanted to do in this moment, so early in
the race, was to get too sweaty or to burn all of my matches. I pedaled easier as
my breathing steadied and then picked up the pace just a bit. A train of fat
bikers came zooming past on my left and without giving it much thought I
hopped on the back of it. As a self-proclaimed drafting rookie, this was an
incredibly lucky and smart choice for me! I immediately got nervous because I’d
be spending a few hours (hopefully) with these folks, and I didn’t want them to
think that I was free-loading. So I rung my bell, cheered for the riders that
were pulling, concentrated insanely hard on providing good pulls myself, and I
introduced myself to the riders that I was with. Morale was really good in our
train! A few folks looked pretty frosty but everyone was riding strong. We came
up on some other riders who had fallen off of the first train, and as soon as I
recognized the jerseys I started dinging my bell and shouting to them – it was
Kurt and Evan! I didn’t expect to see them at all during the race and it made
me really happy to see them and to snag them up in our group. We excitedly
chatted as we rode and we happened to hit Gateway a lot quicker than I had
anticipated! Evan and Kurt slowed to check their tire pressure and the rest of us kept rolling.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYk4COoxvtvPXn58nG_cyQuoYupLBYAcPt7ilVc4QmIECeme423-R9JsRMkuQbW7d56_UKY0XRmOAsrzKZtSqmh_FMu2hz1LZZspf7rF7CkAl7VyBVeINFb-UPTy-BAjviVzIv2UyIRVeT/s1600/Arrowhead+135-18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYk4COoxvtvPXn58nG_cyQuoYupLBYAcPt7ilVc4QmIECeme423-R9JsRMkuQbW7d56_UKY0XRmOAsrzKZtSqmh_FMu2hz1LZZspf7rF7CkAl7VyBVeINFb-UPTy-BAjviVzIv2UyIRVeT/s320/Arrowhead+135-18.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Riding with my 45nrth teammates Evan & Kurt!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Photo by 45nrth//David Gabrys</span></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The terrain between Gateway and Melgeorge changes from primarily flat to
increasingly hilly. Some of the guys from our train were able to tackle the
hills quicker than I was and I dropped off the back of the train. I found
myself riding with a guy named Pete from one of the Dakotas. A lot of the
course came faster than expected, and before we knew it we were coming up to
Elephant Lake for the lake crossing before the rapidly approaching second
checkpoint. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">A majority of plans for my stop at Melgeorge’s got thrown
out the window when I realized it was still so early in the afternoon! Yes, I
needed water and I needed a grilled cheese, but I didn’t feel cold and I didn’t
feel too sweaty. I had planned on wearing a long sleeve base layer under my
45nrth team jacket from the start, but in the bathroom at Kerry Park I had taken it off and
replaced it with a short sleeve wool jersey. I had also planned on wearing my
Naughtvind Pants over the knickers, but race morning I had opted to head out in
just the knickers. Both of these decisions meant I didn’t overheat and I didn’t
over sweat. Combined with my 45nrth Wolfgar boots, wool glove liners inside of
my Cobrafist Poagies, and my Greazy cap… I don’t think I’ve ever actually
nailed my clothing quite as well as I had in that moment! The wonderful
volunteers at Melgeorge’s filled my insulated hydration pack while handing me a
warm grilled cheese sandwich. I wolfed down one half of the sandwich while I
geared back up and took the second half with me. Kurt and Evan had arrived at
the checkpoint as I was preparing to head back out, and I joked about seeing
them again on the hills – the course gets hilliest between Melgeorge’s and Ski Pulk,
the last check point of the race. I rolled out of there in really good spirits,
with a full stomach, and a little astounded that I would be riding the next
part of the course in some daylight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixrLGVM43ZkjJC8QKdgaH5kPxUurJg80f4TyobAncLsMBhVnr_qrcrydWdCn-0xBeMIozLQ8u_kI-tPyss4tnDHJbjgsKLotUyTQQEQIYVCOiVQV94XypDnfFR3guhfrk0owAcjBGDk9IS/s1600/Arrowhead+135-33.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixrLGVM43ZkjJC8QKdgaH5kPxUurJg80f4TyobAncLsMBhVnr_qrcrydWdCn-0xBeMIozLQ8u_kI-tPyss4tnDHJbjgsKLotUyTQQEQIYVCOiVQV94XypDnfFR3guhfrk0owAcjBGDk9IS/s320/Arrowhead+135-33.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Grilled cheese! Photo by 45nrth//David Gabrys</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The hills got wild! I remember walking nearly all of the
hills last year at the Arrowhead. The snow had been mushy and my feet had hurt
and I pushed my bike as soon as I saw footprints from other riders. Last
year had nothing on this year. This year was so much easier! There were still
hills that I walked, but thanks to more favorable conditions, many were
rideable. Before I knew it, Kurt and Evan came cruising up
behind me. I latched on to riding with them as best as I could! Evan is a billy
goat and I’m pretty sure he can ride his bike up any hill in the entire world.
Seeing him effortlessly climb made me work harder at climbing behind him. I’ve
got to thank Evan because I was climbing stuff that I would have thrown the
towel in on my own! Seeing foot prints on a hill will oftentimes deter me from
riding it, but seeing Evan easily braap up gave me a little more confidence to
stick with it and to try it. Riding with others is great that way because it makes
you scrappier and gutsier.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsTCV27z4w6l304lF6WzzfxNpfHF6GOGX22JEMS9FO141CLoSp71Pniw5NElNsf11jxXhitPaZYYTssABwr8HSaaVk8FOzzifj47gVpHddNaDJUi8wHKy1WR0WJ9sMCElb6P5vYNdDucLH/s1600/Arrowhead+135-28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsTCV27z4w6l304lF6WzzfxNpfHF6GOGX22JEMS9FO141CLoSp71Pniw5NElNsf11jxXhitPaZYYTssABwr8HSaaVk8FOzzifj47gVpHddNaDJUi8wHKy1WR0WJ9sMCElb6P5vYNdDucLH/s320/Arrowhead+135-28.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Racer crossing Elephant Lake</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">photo by 45nrth//David Gabrys</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We made it to Ski Pulk by 8pm. Dan was waiting at the check point, lighting off
fireworks and heckling the Surly guys at the stop. I stuck with the plan and
topped off my water while chugging some hot coffee before heading off to climb
Wakemup. Ski Pulk was hard to leave this year, especially hard to leave because
everyone looked like they were having such a good time! When I was offered a
beer I wanted it so badly! I knew I needed to keep moving, especially because
at this point I came to the realization that it could be possible to close in
on the existing course record. I joked with Kurt and Evan that they'd catch me again, and rolled off in to the dark to finish the last 25 miles
of the race.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie2av9g3OOwakTqVJsPLBgXeUUAOz3GS5uGQD0g_I0JvtTrxipEC51gr4kwj83pV2wp746rviTjlWbWCOMY_eYnlWv6XHbCHWQeyog8MzkAEcN2TmYayY-vu0UUTYe3U7geyG3gjsXSh9d/s1600/Arrowhead+135-40.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie2av9g3OOwakTqVJsPLBgXeUUAOz3GS5uGQD0g_I0JvtTrxipEC51gr4kwj83pV2wp746rviTjlWbWCOMY_eYnlWv6XHbCHWQeyog8MzkAEcN2TmYayY-vu0UUTYe3U7geyG3gjsXSh9d/s320/Arrowhead+135-40.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Ski Pulk. Photo by 45nrth//David Gabrys</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Once again, the climb didn’t seem quite as big as I remembered it being. It's funny how a whole year can make you believe a climb is 100 x's longer than it really is! It wasn’t until I got up and over Wakemup that the real difficulty of a
deteriorating trail started to frustrate me. I was having a hard time keeping a
straight line and keeping momentum on my bike. The trail was mushy and after
getting spoiled by such a fast pace in the beginning, I found myself muttering
under my breath and telling my bike to frig off. I was starting to get
negative, which is definitely not a good place to be when you’re in an endurance
race. I forced myself to stop and to collect myself. I stood silently for a few
moments, enjoyed the dark woods, ate a snack, and then I started making my way again. "This is fun." I told myself. "I only have a little bit of this course left, I better enjoy it!" Just as I started smiling again, I heard some
snowmobilers up ahead and made my way over to the right of the trail. About 4
of them came zooming by dangerously close! I hadn’t worried about snow mobiles
before, but after these 4 came through and destroyed any sort of a trail that I
was half-able to hold on to, I definitely did not want to see any more of them. Woof! I couldn’t ride through the mush and was
haphazardly zip-zagging, inching my way along. There was no way I was going to
come close to the course record at all the way I was carrying on! I was doing
my best to fend off more frustration when I heard some voices behind me. When I
looked back, I saw lights and this is when I became worried that another woman
might have caught up to me. I started pedaling feverishly, but it was pointless
and the other people quickly caught up to me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">This is where I become the luckiest person in
the entire world: those voices behind me belonged to my 45nrth teammates Evan
and Kurt!! I think this is the part of the Arrowhead where I found exactly what
I needed: camaraderie and my friends! I was starting to get down on myself and I was starting to slow down,
and my friends found me and cheered me up! Evan and Kurt powered on through and
let me tag on behind them, riding in their tire tracks. At one point, Kurt even
pointed out that my math was wrong and that if I wanted to beat the existing
course record that we needed to be at the casino at 1am, not by midnight like I
had initially thought. I was beginning to get nauseous due to straining myself
and I wanted to slow down. Evan wouldn’t let me and the three of us kept
pushing forward. The last 8 miles went on for forever! The trail was so soft
that riding required both hands on the bars, which meant we had to stop every
time we wanted something to drink. Kurt shared a nearly frozen red bull and we
kept moving, making jokes and rooting each other on. The most special thing for
me about the Arrowhead was being able to reel in the last few miles of the
trail with my pals. I never would have been able to imagine crossing the finish
line with those two in a thousand years, and having this adventure is
something that I’ll remember my whole life. David Gabrys snagged a photo of me
crossing the finish line <a href="http://www.arrowheadultra.com/index.php/results/2017-results">12th overall</a> and as first female, with a new course record, in 16 hours
and 40 minutes. By the looks of it, Dan is just as happy as I was! Being able
to share my finish with my 45nrth teammates and my husband was great. I could
gush all day long about it!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl3L7pL3vxcJK_2CCQv2FKqYeGWt1wzX4h99xIlko8eMEeO3WONjGrmfPbFlCwlTWfRFUab8DzRVqdpuKbB0Zeq_hjgci4AxcfNydLNnyk91-fw6LF9AfeOztTl24MV15AjMbl_EuUyEZe/s1600/Arrowhead+135-46.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl3L7pL3vxcJK_2CCQv2FKqYeGWt1wzX4h99xIlko8eMEeO3WONjGrmfPbFlCwlTWfRFUab8DzRVqdpuKbB0Zeq_hjgci4AxcfNydLNnyk91-fw6LF9AfeOztTl24MV15AjMbl_EuUyEZe/s320/Arrowhead+135-46.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Finishing 12th overall and 1st female</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Photo by 45nrth//David Gabrys</span></td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I spent the night puking due to straining myself so hard in the final stretch of the Arrowhead 135. Dan was incredibly sweet and got us a swanky room at the casino with a Jacuzzi, but it made me nauseas to sit in it. He got me some juice and he patiently waited for me to quit yakking. Volunteers were making grilled cheese sandwiches in the hospitality room and other racers were finishing, but I couldn’t bring myself to get dressed to leave our room to hang with everyone. I wanted to congratulate each finisher, especially some other friends that were out there, and to thank all of the volunteers! Despite feeling so ill after the Arrowhead 135, it was one of the happier moments of my life. I’ll make it to the party next time. ;) </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOYK5zDXEaI4IVGP3a8OqZ9WbeZBMouconjO2t8T2_M0piY0oAyr_tKPv9AIYpTKz3VuIHmaiHL0wKbJY5VPLqn3nyYxZcG27qhgej0VmjB1yEL5ZkQy3ibk84kIJlzNN9snU7T5mkR1wy/s1600/Arrowhead+135-49.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOYK5zDXEaI4IVGP3a8OqZ9WbeZBMouconjO2t8T2_M0piY0oAyr_tKPv9AIYpTKz3VuIHmaiHL0wKbJY5VPLqn3nyYxZcG27qhgej0VmjB1yEL5ZkQy3ibk84kIJlzNN9snU7T5mkR1wy/s320/Arrowhead+135-49.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Myself, Evan Simula, Kurt Barclay<br />Photo 45nrth//David Gabrys</span></td></tr>
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<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I’m also looking forward to trying my hand at racing the Arrowhead 135 unsupported, too! Ahhhh! This winter has been a great one for inspiring me to push harder and to set higher goals. There are so many good things I've got to do. Kurt has since gone on to win the 130 mile <a href="http://iditarodtrailinvitational.com/">Iditarod Trail Invitational</a> on his fat bike and I couldn't be more proud of him!!!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU74XAJUgmx2io_3t1WFemY1XC_Bdb90RnI4m4ZhUy_lGDH91jviddPHUek87_kwyIucGCqHHUdWetPOGekhMZ65ILkq6S_dISe-pJkSuijBGBuZu59p327V-ozgloFEOXLwBTtmLmZ78r/s1600/17160310_10103982842403915_2136412566_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU74XAJUgmx2io_3t1WFemY1XC_Bdb90RnI4m4ZhUy_lGDH91jviddPHUek87_kwyIucGCqHHUdWetPOGekhMZ65ILkq6S_dISe-pJkSuijBGBuZu59p327V-ozgloFEOXLwBTtmLmZ78r/s320/17160310_10103982842403915_2136412566_n.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Till next time, Arrowhead</span></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">P.s. Superstitious as it may be, Ninja's dog tags are now a staple in my bikepacking set-up. It's worth it to have the silly little things that brighten morale along the way.</span></span></div>
BillFartindalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04581092364521279774noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-246444036584487637.post-69119473489585773042017-01-15T18:18:00.001-08:002017-01-15T20:26:39.618-08:00Pursuing the Fat Pursuit<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBDSKCa8-K8zOr2SX-6_3s_Iys-m5cTvUM8cuB-gcNS1dnh0wRA7CRFAaslc9Rmz22WMVAYvHOYqKPe89gzMArVL6Rp7FWEPYLyCPOqdgr9V_ll9_djshU-W5yYMbd7ne4JqgCZCscfWwR/s1600/start.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBDSKCa8-K8zOr2SX-6_3s_Iys-m5cTvUM8cuB-gcNS1dnh0wRA7CRFAaslc9Rmz22WMVAYvHOYqKPe89gzMArVL6Rp7FWEPYLyCPOqdgr9V_ll9_djshU-W5yYMbd7ne4JqgCZCscfWwR/s320/start.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Start of the 200 mile Fat Pursuit</td></tr>
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<br />
Fat Pursuit didn’t exactly go the way that I had planned. I
don’t think it necessarily went the way that anyone had planned. I think a lot of people signed up for the 200 mile Fat Pursuit expecting to endure on through to the finish.<o:p></o:p><br />
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Only one person, Aaron Gardner, was able to cross the finish
line. His family had come out to surprise him at the finish, and one of his
young kiddos ran excitedly with him for the last few yards. It was incredibly
emotional! I get teary eyed recounting the event. I am unbelievably glad that I
was able to witness that moment. <br />
<br />
Truthfully, I’m also really glad that the Fat Pursuit wasn’t at all what I
expected. I knew going in to it that it was going to be difficult. I knew it
was going to be cold and I knew it would push my limits. I think that’s almost
the best thing about the whole epic adventure. It tossed me out of the known
and hurled me at so much unknown that I came out feeling stronger and more
accomplished than I knew was possible (so much more than I thought I could feel
after a DNF, too!)</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3lwNdJW8vlCYC3BxA1Iy-0LWZ9Ccm3ce35u7UthO4mWBMVmbXRTybYVVguE9QetJo3iI0HsP9pkUEeTsCppPIkQnimHkqUh5dZw0_MjR7l9Z2WmY35At0KTlhd_pwE4HyXWmmullm0GEV/s1600/before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3lwNdJW8vlCYC3BxA1Iy-0LWZ9Ccm3ce35u7UthO4mWBMVmbXRTybYVVguE9QetJo3iI0HsP9pkUEeTsCppPIkQnimHkqUh5dZw0_MjR7l9Z2WmY35At0KTlhd_pwE4HyXWmmullm0GEV/s320/before.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bright eyed and bushy tailed after the rider's meeting</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
The funny thing is that as I sat shivering in my sleeping bag in -40 degree
weather in the midst of a seemingly relentless climb; I was happy. Just over 12
hours after the start of the race, I had successfully done so many things! I
was able to make it out to Idaho, I was riding bikes with my friend Leah Gruhn,
and I had warm boots and gloves and I felt like I was winning against the cold.
I was able to meet and to hang out with cyclists that I’ve admired from afar
for many years, and I was inspiring friends back home. Despite a few set-backs,
I was happy with myself for making smart choices and for getting out of my
comfort zone. Survival mode made me feel alive and very thankful for the
opportunity to get out there and to give it a shot.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjzxRGP4IXiijWbK9rrmO592VF34NfOOZDI1J5OTpFxKPDqs5gDpShaeNrbFCTHGtAGfVkHCEukV9GladnazC8C2nY1RcmKcwE_EuCsXPkG0o38xUl6vOd7SHSOzTpupn3KtPw66WBQwmB/s1600/fp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjzxRGP4IXiijWbK9rrmO592VF34NfOOZDI1J5OTpFxKPDqs5gDpShaeNrbFCTHGtAGfVkHCEukV9GladnazC8C2nY1RcmKcwE_EuCsXPkG0o38xUl6vOd7SHSOzTpupn3KtPw66WBQwmB/s320/fp.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After Sunday's toast - myself, Leah Gruhn, Tracey Petervary, Rippin' & Chillin'</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
Before I had signed up for Fat Pursuit, I had a conversation with Christopher
Tassava about the race. I was weighing my options because I wanted to do my
best to prepare for a future goal of mine: the Iditarod Trail Invitational. Fat
Pursuit was intimidating not only because of the course’s difficulty and the unpredictable
weather, but because of the financial investment it would take to get out
there. I worried that pushing myself with it and the Arrowhead 135 in the same
month would be too much. I worried I wouldn’t be able to afford the travel and
logistics for both races… but Christopher got me really excited for the race by
dangling the promise of a fun party cabin at the Pond’s Lodge with some really great
winter ultra goofballs! How could I stay away? ;)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiToewkO7nRT2EiYoHTfcC1pDkLv5-_dNGfyUyf_M39C2qIBZ-dAU7i7x2heOEFKjikM6ZnWQuYKtm_bhsVasn8iYBvkFiXi8hyphenhyphenNxFoBKvchVU4-l8cyi1QWzg3A34CNXnlfh0iukCmWZFO/s1600/cabin25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiToewkO7nRT2EiYoHTfcC1pDkLv5-_dNGfyUyf_M39C2qIBZ-dAU7i7x2heOEFKjikM6ZnWQuYKtm_bhsVasn8iYBvkFiXi8hyphenhyphenNxFoBKvchVU4-l8cyi1QWzg3A34CNXnlfh0iukCmWZFO/s320/cabin25.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Every person on this list is a rock star</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
The people staying in cabin #25 at the Pond’s Lodge were all amazing. I wanted
to add up all of the miles everyone had collectively traveled during the winter
at events like Fat Pursuit, but with all of the excitement of gear check, a
pre-ride, getting ready, the racer’s meeting, and eating good food, I got
incredibly distracted. I’ll shoot for collecting data next year! Anyways,
hanging out with such a friendly and knowledgeable group of people and talking
bikes and winter gear was well worth the travel in itself. I picked up a lot of
good tips and tricks that make me really excited for the Arrowhead 135 – and Fat
Pursuit next year!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3EvuVRiUZKXQSDsRzv4hp1O1rJGNDfn6tpju8-wS1ZuKNMz4TjcZgkOKPZ1JYSO2wZy33qjFN7HhOk4-6ztMz9cGdB_832aFK9SZDtPCbiPc4qvNsReRGGWRa64F69tuHTlYWKxE2jvBn/s1600/preride1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3EvuVRiUZKXQSDsRzv4hp1O1rJGNDfn6tpju8-wS1ZuKNMz4TjcZgkOKPZ1JYSO2wZy33qjFN7HhOk4-6ztMz9cGdB_832aFK9SZDtPCbiPc4qvNsReRGGWRa64F69tuHTlYWKxE2jvBn/s320/preride1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">pre-riding before the start</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
The race for the 200 milers started at 5pm on Friday night. (7pm Michigan
time!) I tried to take a nap after the racer’s meeting, but I failed pretty
miserably at dozing off. I opted for a hot pot of coffee and had planned to
fill my thermos and to take it with me, sipping warm coffee in the middle of
the night sounded like such a delicious treat! It wasn’t until the first 5
miles of the race that I remembered my thermos was sitting back at the cabin
next to the coffee pot. Doh! Regardless, I felt pretty good. I had a lot of
food on me, I had plenty of fuel, and in a pocket next to my heart I held a few
packages of instant coffee. I’d be fine!<br />
<br />
The first several miles of the race were on a snowmobile trail. I was feeling
eager and excited and I had an eye on the lead group of folks riding not too
far ahead of me. I looked down at my Garmin and saw that the cold had zapped
what would normally have been a 7 hour battery life….down to less than half of
that. Whoops. Christopher Tassava had saved me earlier in the day by giving me
a spare tips sheet he had made with approximate mileage between turns. My plan
became to charge my Garmin once the battery died in my coat pocket and to save
a borrowed Garmin as a last-resort option once snow covered the tire tracks of
those ahead of me. Between two Garmins, a compass, the map, and my tips sheet,
I felt confident I’d be okay. I saw flickering red lights ahead of me turn off
to the right and I was excited to ride groomed single track through the woods!
Despite being dark, it was still very beautiful! I’m really happy that I began
Fat Pursuit with my 950 Lumina NiteRider light mounted to my helmet, because I
was able to glance out in to the woods in search of critters! With negative
temps, it didn’t seem like many creatures were outside… but there was evidence
in the form of foot prints! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5jrknUf1dd1Ykq5R-ObBM3ireHvwGqVW0E64w-v7L0bQfjfzegujEknwK-TU6FyC9HwxOtjZTQNWlTd_JryrhWADKymUSfs30fvB2MZ7qwiub306gKsxQsYJvIiNuo4VjcMNL9RHoOkxM/s1600/preride4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5jrknUf1dd1Ykq5R-ObBM3ireHvwGqVW0E64w-v7L0bQfjfzegujEknwK-TU6FyC9HwxOtjZTQNWlTd_JryrhWADKymUSfs30fvB2MZ7qwiub306gKsxQsYJvIiNuo4VjcMNL9RHoOkxM/s320/preride4.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pre-riding with Leah after the racer's meeting</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
The climbs didn’t seem like anything too steep and yet I was
beginning to huff and puff up them. Beat, a new friend who
inspired me pre-race with stories of completing the Iditarod on foot, rode up
behind me and began talking about how crazy we were for being outside in such
negative temperatures. Truthfully, at the start I was cold so I began by
wearing my insulated puffy jacket, but at this point I was overheating! I pulled
aside and let Beat continue on ahead of me, he said he was going to go find
Jill Homer and that he’d ride with her. After a while, I rolled out of the single track and came upon a
glowing beacon in the dark. There was a heated bathroom and it looked like a
few cyclists were taking refuge inside of it. It looked like a good spot to refill
on water: my camelbak’s hose was going through spurts of freezing despite being
inside of my jacket and I wanted to refill the insulated bottle I had been
drinking out of. As I hopped off of my bike and rolled to prop it up against
the fence… I noticed a weird, knobby/dragging noise coming from the back of my
bike. “Brraaaaaaaaabbbble!” I looked at my rear wheel and saw that it was
completely flat! What perfect timing finding a well-lit bathroom to change my
flat in! I was pretty bummed that I would have to use my spare tube so early in
the night, but I was really glad that I had found a place to fix it that was so
convenient! <br />
<br />
There were three men inside of the bathroom. Two were debating how far they
wanted to ride, and the third was waiting for Rebecca to come and meet him. My
ears immediately perked up at the mention of Rebecca. The only Rebecca I knew
of that was in the race was Rebecca Rusch! Part of me wanted to hang out in the
bathroom to meet her, but I knew I needed to keep moving forward. The flat had
set me back a little further than I wanted and I knew it was in my best
interest to keep going. I said my goodbyes to the folks in the bathroom and
stepped out in to the dark. Immediately I couldn’t remember if the bathroom had
been on my right or on my left when I approached it. I looked at my tips sheet
and considered turning the Garmin on, but I swear Greg’s bike had been on my
right approaching the bathroom so I took off in that direction.<br />
<br />
It wasn’t too long before I saw a light ahead of me. At first I thought it was
someone heading back towards the comfort of the bathroom… and then I recognized
the rider: it was Leah! She was walking with her bike and I stupidly asked her if
I was going the wrong direction. I was. Leah’s rear tire had also gone flat and
I was so excited to tell her that there was a warm spot to fix it just up
the way! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Leah had made sure her valve stem was tightened suuuper
tightly so that none of her air leaked out of her tubeless set up. It’s a great
precaution to take to make sure your tire doesn’t slowly loose air, but it
sucked with cold hands, wet sealant, and during the Fat Pursuit! Between Greg,
myself, and Leah scrambling to find the correct tool in the bathroom, none of
us had a pair of pliers to loosen her valve stem! How would we remove it to put the tube in? Leah was about ready to
call it quits, but I was able to grab some paper towel from the bathroom and
use it to get a good grip on the rubber bushing on the inside of her rim. Roaring
applause from the inside of the bathroom, we were back in business!! We tossed
a tube in, Greg helped fill it, and we began to pack our things quickly. Lucky for us, Rebecca Rusch
made it to the bathroom before we were ready to take off! It was so great
meeting her! She was cheery and had frost collected on her face like big,
white, costume eyelashes. We joked around with the two of them for a minute
before slipping back out in to the night.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7A5_oTux06x_KBLZDjgSDAlMrGIgrHCakEJEn7gAuR3vvUzlRKuyXb73P4mrhxofzodTL_APcx6540WDdRPWrA8-hyTmVjKPqHnstSbs58uJ4Y-pUUCvwueoV5pacT-PcyvNRjryURfUk/s1600/teamwork.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7A5_oTux06x_KBLZDjgSDAlMrGIgrHCakEJEn7gAuR3vvUzlRKuyXb73P4mrhxofzodTL_APcx6540WDdRPWrA8-hyTmVjKPqHnstSbs58uJ4Y-pUUCvwueoV5pacT-PcyvNRjryURfUk/s320/teamwork.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Teamwork makes the dream work!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
Lucky for me, Leah had a Garmin eTrex. I made a mental note
to save up to buy myself one of these battery operated Garmins as soon as I was
able to. (Worrying about the life of a USB rechargeable Garmin out in negative
temperatures is one stress I am happy to leave behind before my next Fat
Pursuit!) Leah and I made plans to finish the race together. Our best chance
was to keep each other awake, to keep each other accountable, and to help one
another to make good choices. With sub-arctic weather falling well below zero, it’s
easy to forget to drink or to forget to eat. It’s easy to zone out and to keep
pedaling without noticing if a body part is going numb from exposure to the
cold. Neither of us wanted frost bite and both of us wanted to cross that
finish line more than anything, and our best chance was to help each other out.
I was really happy to have company and riding with Leah made the cold so much
more tolerable! Plus, Leah began riding in the correct direction after we left
the bathroom, and that was really, really important. ;)<br />
<br />
We began making jokes and started making some great time. We saw a light headed
towards us, Missy Schwarz, one of the other women in the 200 mile, was turning
around and heading back to the start. Her lashes were covered in frost just as
Rebecca’s were and she asked if we needed anything before parting ways. Leah
and I were both down one spare tube, but Leah had one left and we were
optimistic that we would be fine. (In retrospect, if any other racer ever asks
me if I need anything during a winter ultra ever again, I will always ask if
they have another spare tube!) Immediately after Missy’s light disappeared
behind us, I had the exciting and sinking feeling that we were heading out on
our own. Being trapped beneath the night sky, a rolling sea of snow illuminated
by the moon, and seeing that my thermometer had stopped working because it was
a colder temperature than it was rated to… I was excited because we were still
making our way and despite two flats between us we were still pedaling forward
and we were still in this adventure! It felt a little eerie, knowing that at
this time the riders would be stretched out with vast distances between them
and knowing that we had so many miles left to just the first aid station/water
boil.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKKo0FDN2Bui83pVhNqn2LYwaRjllixhblr2dEWdOpCGf9zxMS5-RJX9_7OkOCWyy7o3DSNUMzZYD2UwJ-YhKD2g1cJOFX91wEraTAcnf9TBZO0uEw-VlqDmJDYVn7lUNubWsEcm9uhLrG/s1600/moose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKKo0FDN2Bui83pVhNqn2LYwaRjllixhblr2dEWdOpCGf9zxMS5-RJX9_7OkOCWyy7o3DSNUMzZYD2UwJ-YhKD2g1cJOFX91wEraTAcnf9TBZO0uEw-VlqDmJDYVn7lUNubWsEcm9uhLrG/s320/moose.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My first moose sighting! <br />
En route to the grocery store to buy all of the food after getting back to the cabin.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
There were a lot of moments during Fat Pursuit where I began laughing at how
absurd a hill or something about the course was. It happened a lot at a lot of
hills! I was having a blast and although it was incredibly cold, we were out on
an adventure and I loved it! Well before the first aid station/water boil,
there was an out and back where we needed to grab a mysterious piece of candy.
Leah and I spent a lot of time speculating what type of candy we thought it
might be. Truthfully, I was expecting something like a Payday bar - which I LOVE
on long bike rides - that would test our abilities to not eat it while out on
the course. We needed to bring the candy – although I’m sure the wrapper would
have sufficed – to the end of the race (or to the water boil, I can’t remember
which…) There was a long descent, which made us cheer as we rode down it.
Foot prints on the opposite side of the road meant we’d be walking back up, so
we enjoyed it while we could! Once we got to the bottom of the road, it looked
like there was a packed down foot path leading to an overlook. We laughed some
more, made fun of the glowsticks which had long stopped glowing, like a party
we showed up to 5 hours too late, and bounced down the path to find out which
elusive candy Jay Petervary loved the most. The view was spectacular, even in
the dark. Jay’s candy was surprising, but it made us laugh for the rest of the
weekend…<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ6ph5_UaynFgmFMHjS7hMEDTqgKIep4Du330nBMfJ_tqAjp-rn4rwTdbYXUMuNsvQ9sDjQKJvGpTNVsQdni15cmmss7zPC1Ogr8SHvqqxaZwacMqNT_5ejWhuTL6eAuslmTw3E9s1gHNX/s1600/cordialastbox.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ6ph5_UaynFgmFMHjS7hMEDTqgKIep4Du330nBMfJ_tqAjp-rn4rwTdbYXUMuNsvQ9sDjQKJvGpTNVsQdni15cmmss7zPC1Ogr8SHvqqxaZwacMqNT_5ejWhuTL6eAuslmTw3E9s1gHNX/s320/cordialastbox.jpg" width="284" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A bag of these candies hung dutifully at the end of the dead glow stick pathway.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
We theorized that there probably weren’t many riders behind us and that
Rebecca, Missy, and Greg had headed back too early to retrieve their candy, so
we each took two pieces!<br />
<br />
We walked/rode back up to the top and kept rolling. The course took us through
some rollers, through some parks and across bridges, and then to Warm River.
Once we started climbing in Warm River, we just kept climbing. There was a combination
of walking and riding as we kept climbing, as we tried to stay warm and to keep
the blood moving in both our feet and in our hands. At this point, we were
excitedly talking about bivying up for the night, preferably once we got to the
top of the climb. I started breathing very heavily and it seemed like no
matter how long I walked or how easy I pedaled I wasn’t able to catch my
breath. I hypothesized that I was feeling sluggish because of the elevation and
the extreme cold. I got off my bike to walk and as I pushed it up the
neverending hill, I heard the all too familiar noise that I heard back by the
heaven-sent warm bathroom, “Braaaaabbbbbbble brabble brabble.” Ugh. That might explain the heavy breathing!<br />
<br />
My front tire was flat. Oof. There was no heated space safe from the bitter
cold this time around. I immediately kicked myself in the butt for not taking
the opportunity to put a tube in the front when both mine and Leah’s rear tires
went flat. I also kicked myself in the butt for not asking Missy for a spare
tube. I was out of spares and Leah only had one left – what if she was going to
need it!? A little over 12 hours after the start of the race, I couldn’t catch
my breath, I was miles away from a road and even more away from the start of
the race, and I was out of spare tubes. <br />
<br />
I’m pretty sure Leah Gruhn saved my life out there. ;)<br />
<br />
She selflessly offered me her second spare tube. I was hesitant because I knew
that her front tire was also set up tubeless. The frigid cold air caused the
sealant to freeze and for the seal to weaken, causing the tires to
leak air. I’m pretty sure Leah
played the role that I play often when I’m on a trip and things are heading
south: tell lies to someone to help them calm down and to keep them moving
forward. I’m not sure how much Leah actually believed that she really wasn’t
going to lose the seal on her front tire, but she made me believe it! It’s very
possible that her logic was spot on - theorizing that my HED rims lost the seal because they were metal and they got colder than hers, which were carbon - but it’s also very possible that she was
trying to keep me from doing something stupid, like trying to walk back down the
hill in the dark with a flat tire after being up all night. She wasn’t going to
let me split up from her at that point and for that I feel really grateful! <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBYgJXZu3T45-WU0YBADGqeLBmqpcJGsItU2Z7wM-I9_1SW6fYih6lgi5nh__UrGici4Pk29dBnilCy2ZExao2UeAm0RHcFZfikLQ4Q4bqBpNfwLlZM7VaYZzfMNugg-wGpEf6bsdhiWAY/s1600/chinesefood.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBYgJXZu3T45-WU0YBADGqeLBmqpcJGsItU2Z7wM-I9_1SW6fYih6lgi5nh__UrGici4Pk29dBnilCy2ZExao2UeAm0RHcFZfikLQ4Q4bqBpNfwLlZM7VaYZzfMNugg-wGpEf6bsdhiWAY/s320/chinesefood.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I would have given anything to have saved some chinese food from Jackson Hole to eat out on the trail.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
We fixed my flat tire with her second (and last) spare tube in stages: I pushed
my bike up the hill and she got the spare tube and pumped it up with some air.
I prepped my bike so that we could pop the tube in as quickly as possible as
soon as Leah got up to me. Leah rode up to me with the spare tube around her
neck. I really am quite proud of us! We had great technique and once we got the
tube in and started pumping it up I felt so victorious!! That is, until the
tire wouldn’t seat on the rim. We pumped the tube up so high that it felt rock
solid and started bouncing it on the ground and kicking it with our boots. We
were starting to get cold so I put the wheel on the bike and we commenced
walking uphill to stay warm. Every once in a while I’d give the wheel a bounce
and kick it a bunch of times, trying to get the rubber from the tire to slide
over to get a good seal. It wasn’t budging, it was too cold. Despite anything I’ve
ever told any customer about not riding their bike if the tire wouldn’t seat… I
hopped on my bike and starting riding it. “Friggin’ A,” I muttered to myself,
frustrated that I didn’t foresee it being too cold for a tubeless set up.<br />
<br />
Shortly after fixing my flat, we decided to bivy for the remainder of the
night. If we were going to tackle the incoming snow near West Yellowstone on
this adventure, we would need as much energy as possible and that meant saving
some now. Stomping down a spot to rest and unloading some gear in -40 degrees sounded
more ideal than trying to re-pack snowy gear caught in a snowstorm! (most fun
game of “would you rather” ever!?) We also theorized that it would be warmer
when we woke up, and the thought of temperatures getting to 0 – or even above?!
– was awesome! We crawled into our bags wearing all of our gear and I tried to
focus on steadying my breathing. Leah can sleep anywhere - which I later found
out at cabin #25 when she told me she took several trailside naps after we
parted ways - but I was having problems falling asleep. I got all twisted like
an uncomfortable cork screw in my sleeping bag and no matter how I tried to
catch my breath I still felt like I couldn't. Occasionally, Leah would
ask if I was alright and I would tell her that I was, but in my mind I was
worried. I’m sure the stress of not being able to catch my breath just caused
the inability to breathe even more! I forced myself to
drink and to eat snacks and hoped that it would help like Leah said it would. Eventually, the sun came up,
and Leah asked if I was ready to keep moving. Although I wanted to lay in that
bag until my breath returned to normal, I wanted to get moving, too. I couldn’t
wait to get to the aid station with the grilled cheese sandwiches! <br />
<br />
We began packing our things, and as I reached to put my 45nrth Wolfgars back
on, I noticed there was a ton of frost inside of them. They felt really, really
stiff. I went to put my foot in them - planning on throwing them on and then darting
around frantically until my feet warmed up - but they wouldn’t budge! A lot of
swear words, attempting to hold them over an open flame on my Esbit stove, and
a lot of shoving my foot in the boot that I had since brought in to my sleeping
bag to help warm up, finally got my foot in one of the boots. I recreated that
recipe for the second Wolfgar boot and we were ready to pack up and to get to
that water boil!! <br />
<br />
I lifted my bike to attach my sleeping bag to the handlebars, and I heard that
sickening noise again. “Brabbbb.” Damnit! Not again! The cold had prevented my
tire from seating, and all I could imagine was that the cold had also caused
something to puncture my tube. As we fought the tire with a hand pump, we saw a
snowmobile come our way.<br />
<br />
It was a race volunteer on a snowmobile checking on people still out on the
course. Chatting with him about the weather, I sadly decided to head back to
the start. If Leah had any chance of finishing the Fat Pursuit she’d have to
continue on without me. I tore the tips sheet from Christopher Tassava off of the
cockpit of my bike and handed it to Leah. I wanted so badly to have more stuff
to send her off with for good luck – even more to have another spare tube to
send her with! We hugged good bye and we took off on our separate ways.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgihN8BdrbHuytUYYnJyHc7IbfCw-AicKCBzumP4Mnbu7emr8VOwcc3Ydir4rnA8GnBawscR1iU-pjB8qZWkGCxqLhQmk80ch1hRC7jv3N3aSCDKzmlS7vGiFrvcVUu6OR1GCf8CkNCxtcI/s1600/watermelt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgihN8BdrbHuytUYYnJyHc7IbfCw-AicKCBzumP4Mnbu7emr8VOwcc3Ydir4rnA8GnBawscR1iU-pjB8qZWkGCxqLhQmk80ch1hRC7jv3N3aSCDKzmlS7vGiFrvcVUu6OR1GCf8CkNCxtcI/s320/watermelt.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I am now a champ at melting snow</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
We were able to fill my front tire with air before splitting up, so I
was able to ride for a bit downhill before having to stop and to put more air in my tire. The funny thing is that the night before it seemed like
we were endlessly climbing. On the way back down, the terrain seemed to have
shifted and there were a few spots where I had to climb again! All of my water
had frozen while I was focusing on getting my boots back on, so I stopped to
melt snow a few times to get something to drink. It was absolutely beautiful
out. Everything we had ridden through the night before was stunning. When I got
to Warm River, I stopped to take photos of the scenery. Although I would have
a DNF in my first attempt at Fat Pursuit, I was still really glad that I had
given it my all. Like I said, I learned a lot, and it’s only going to prepare
me better for next year! <br />
<br />
Our friend Ann drove to Warm River to pick me up. She did a lot of driving
over the weekend, helping folks in cabin #25 where she could. It was really
nice of her, and I am so thankful I didn’t have to ride all the way back to the
start on my wonky wheel! Thanks, Ann!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmDtN2B5o0eTQzoTO3anw040C77yIlZ9K7A61o2eYsGWlYKlCJ3MwF-6_iHb5MC1tkv1_Q0S5s11CAwJviuH_8RA3r9LAcebfS3_vgZ8RAH-cm8tNwByHnZ5IUQAaXd5nddQzY9y8wyC3X/s1600/warmriver.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmDtN2B5o0eTQzoTO3anw040C77yIlZ9K7A61o2eYsGWlYKlCJ3MwF-6_iHb5MC1tkv1_Q0S5s11CAwJviuH_8RA3r9LAcebfS3_vgZ8RAH-cm8tNwByHnZ5IUQAaXd5nddQzY9y8wyC3X/s320/warmriver.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enjoying the views in Warm River</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Leah made it to the water boil before she rode back to the campground.
Unfortunately, the weather was getting pretty sketchy and with all of the hang
ups we had early on she was running behind schedule. She spent the most amount
of time out on the course out of any of the women racing the 200 mile, and she’s
pretty much reached super hero status in my mind.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh57Vu_j76YtCEvqKkow5XPsZS4Ym-tDnZvZBLhwR_6ROhYGPY7U8XgKxvXHLlyyj8omvho_U285ViJSy7ged0KkZxxEP3GkOilhm6qmqUTAj8A_1MLICUxGOcg5zd3wTH9jWGfL0FhsR_/s1600/rippinchillin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh57Vu_j76YtCEvqKkow5XPsZS4Ym-tDnZvZBLhwR_6ROhYGPY7U8XgKxvXHLlyyj8omvho_U285ViJSy7ged0KkZxxEP3GkOilhm6qmqUTAj8A_1MLICUxGOcg5zd3wTH9jWGfL0FhsR_/s320/rippinchillin.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dogs and beer making DNF-ing better! ;)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Christopher Tassava made it the furthest of any of the riders in cabin #25! He
had an amazing attitude and won the well-deserved perseverance award from
Fitzgerald’s bicycles. I’m not sure if that award existed before this year’s
crazy weather, but I really hope that it continues onwards from here because it
was a very meaningful gesture. Christopher is basically the poster child for a
winter ultra; he’s got a great attitude, he’s willing to help, he perseveres
through conspicuous weather, and then he drinks a beer with his breakfast! ;)<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhztR1rc7vrqaNbHy-RKiGc5vCRceh2nDO_XqpbgU-_bGW46LTqjH55s-XeaT-VP_uiwkwcTFLYx9yu-Pj8MRqaqgu_EKnIgQND04beSndzSTQ2qNWwT2q42um317s49OHfnlL4GgCi1mZC/s1600/cabin251.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhztR1rc7vrqaNbHy-RKiGc5vCRceh2nDO_XqpbgU-_bGW46LTqjH55s-XeaT-VP_uiwkwcTFLYx9yu-Pj8MRqaqgu_EKnIgQND04beSndzSTQ2qNWwT2q42um317s49OHfnlL4GgCi1mZC/s320/cabin251.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waiting for Christopher to finish persevering...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
Everyone who attempted to finish Fat Pursuit inspired me greatly; it was a huge
honor to have my name on the roster next to theirs. I’m really looking forward
to Arrowhead 135 after this event, and even more so to Fat Pursuit 2018.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6dtEkmSYjneHiBHpWx_4TNdhksDHYRzBLSfAoAAadgFBMujCK9O_9G17ifBCg5kkAUWAgNHeaQf4VPO0nx_aexLnp1VqNNfh0FSgPfoHkLByUPe2orrEb3FMLtjMGeTkqw4xi-dYxDegf/s1600/snowmobile1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6dtEkmSYjneHiBHpWx_4TNdhksDHYRzBLSfAoAAadgFBMujCK9O_9G17ifBCg5kkAUWAgNHeaQf4VPO0nx_aexLnp1VqNNfh0FSgPfoHkLByUPe2orrEb3FMLtjMGeTkqw4xi-dYxDegf/s320/snowmobile1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My first snow mobile ride!! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhukfDdm-7V8CN7HvwG5r1c8aBZtcOTj6HZRvYvfrFWYlj4wxqWwfe69jkR4xjumWowdfw8NTfp22JoLT6TEMTMEAKOV3I4KJfEFVC9kaPsXN1r5oMObkLFrFdBBzqRQJ2ZfnFNs8MIozQF/s1600/snowmobile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhukfDdm-7V8CN7HvwG5r1c8aBZtcOTj6HZRvYvfrFWYlj4wxqWwfe69jkR4xjumWowdfw8NTfp22JoLT6TEMTMEAKOV3I4KJfEFVC9kaPsXN1r5oMObkLFrFdBBzqRQJ2ZfnFNs8MIozQF/s320/snowmobile.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">AND I'm looking forward to more snow mobile rides!!! <br />
Thanks for taking me on a joy ride, Mike Riemer!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
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<br /></div>
BillFartindalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04581092364521279774noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-246444036584487637.post-46618654737626547862017-01-03T20:57:00.001-08:002017-01-03T21:15:48.152-08:002016 in Review / heading to Fat Pursuit!!!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6yWQw7qmGngFqUFrh8vbpyWFhG_I_lAia0RlflORSMHWbK1GyVB-j1zVDynlj2y3LvLWWHarHLSMaAuXL4QHVml1kcCoXTO_jl4AZXab9czJNRAv8_Sdpy4DBBIrNKGE1Oj2Rq0G0_Lep/s1600/dantar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6yWQw7qmGngFqUFrh8vbpyWFhG_I_lAia0RlflORSMHWbK1GyVB-j1zVDynlj2y3LvLWWHarHLSMaAuXL4QHVml1kcCoXTO_jl4AZXab9czJNRAv8_Sdpy4DBBIrNKGE1Oj2Rq0G0_Lep/s320/dantar.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hope everyone had as great of a holiday as these two had!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I am having all of the feelings right meow.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRVMQ6eU6X8RpMzv8zveWHgzJrH4AmfeTlTIoGPavE0xEt1S4BcFvj6gwNc9R9to0hD8EjDq5EYTWyCZ8IZJOeneBF7nXOY6iueLzkfc5pEB6fszE4_wBwzAt_HsWIBOvIMmedliW07QJ6/s1600/solsticechase.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRVMQ6eU6X8RpMzv8zveWHgzJrH4AmfeTlTIoGPavE0xEt1S4BcFvj6gwNc9R9to0hD8EjDq5EYTWyCZ8IZJOeneBF7nXOY6iueLzkfc5pEB6fszE4_wBwzAt_HsWIBOvIMmedliW07QJ6/s320/solsticechase.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The 45nrth crew is the best!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
In 2016, I spent over 5,000 miles exploring the most fun gravel, single-track, fire roads, groomed fat bike trails, secret trail, forest service roads, and city streets. Before making you read through my favorite moments of 2016, check out what's going on this weekend:<br />
<br />
I'll be traveling solo (which is terrifying, actually) to Idaho for <a href="http://fatpursuit.com/">Fat Pursuit</a>!!!! I'm really geeked because I get to share a cabin with some amazing cyclists that I've met through fat bikes! Riding in a beautiful place I've never ridden with some good buds I've made from doing winter ultras... YESSSS!!!!!!!!<br />
<br />
Check out the vimeo about the Fat Pursuit <a href="https://vimeo.com/189831996">here</a>.<br />
<br />
This year is the year of big ass rides. The goal is to prep for even bigger rides in 2018! (#ITIorBust)<br />
<br />
To whip my butt into shape, I'll be racing 200 miles in the Fat Pursuit! I'm so stoked and nervous for this race!! Stoked because I've never explored in that area before, because I've never been so close to Yellowstone or the Tetons, because I've never raced at elevation, because I've never traveled so far away from home alone before, and so many thousands of other reasons! Nervous for all of the same. It's really exciting to be in over your head and to trek into the unknown. I have no idea what to expect and I know it's going to be hard... but I also know it's going to be awesome!!!<br />
<br />
I have a spot tracker! Follow<a href="http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0IVKtx7k5Q6CeA7AGjkdk3RNPxBP62cEk"> Lumpy</a> to check out how I'm doing! All racers are required to use GPS tracking at Fat Pursuit, so it should make for an exciting internet dot-watching race!!!<br />
<br />
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Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh this doesn't seem real. I leave Thursday morning! This adventure is going to be amazing!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmQaGzPOoqc3EaLtG78kVCMThfgm7UTTAYHrBwRVEGo0jGJyDb7AzT_lYuBoLdI7phHSuISyB7TbUzM73ECsNZghBi7cBSFcpkqHC_P0lSQp70AN3gcx9kuJDLb7nFSJe7I7aZ-RoNzFUM/s1600/45.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmQaGzPOoqc3EaLtG78kVCMThfgm7UTTAYHrBwRVEGo0jGJyDb7AzT_lYuBoLdI7phHSuISyB7TbUzM73ECsNZghBi7cBSFcpkqHC_P0lSQp70AN3gcx9kuJDLb7nFSJe7I7aZ-RoNzFUM/s320/45.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">April Morgan, myself, Chelsea Strate.<br />
in Marquette <3</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Reflecting back on all of 2016 and all of the kindness, support, and encouragement that I experienced, I'm in awe. So much awe. I'm humbled, I'm overwhelmed, and I feel like the most loved girl in the whole world! Starting out 2016 with the Arrowhead 135 was definitely a high point of <strike>the year</strike> my life. The whole year took me on a pretty wild ride!<br />
<br />
It's been a real long time since I've written a blog post. I'm going to try to do justice to the last 10 months. The Birkie is the last race of the Great Lakes Fat Bike Series and I can't believe I haven't updated this thing since before then. Woof.<br />
<br />
After getting hilariously lost out on a frozen lake after the Birkie in March with my <a href="http://www.45nrth.com/">45nrth</a> teammates, Matt Acker and Brian Geshel, this is how the year has gone:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv-zdGcqXrUobxCIRbaM-7RjdtSoFd6c01KLVVhv5nmRW1PxKGA89Pvp3DOCbMZlTrGoJ4sejIPrB4c07wTaKyQwwML2QnJC5Nmmv0YAuxKqnFMBJ3VgcEAXjVwW8bTb6ePRdcLFk9GxMI/s1600/jilldan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv-zdGcqXrUobxCIRbaM-7RjdtSoFd6c01KLVVhv5nmRW1PxKGA89Pvp3DOCbMZlTrGoJ4sejIPrB4c07wTaKyQwwML2QnJC5Nmmv0YAuxKqnFMBJ3VgcEAXjVwW8bTb6ePRdcLFk9GxMI/s320/jilldan.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Official Katy Batdorff engagement photo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEtnZ32sr2ZxoF4ads8P1RthGc6i0gCWClArzMPpmL0ITTBHYxsNAamHdvjUvAe-U2UfUVSPMboC2M-l6-YYfVE_NIfKfhE3EtlD1WEfc5Ouft2CXGBFptFxMn8wjJCc4ij5hLaDAyvone/s1600/engagement.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEtnZ32sr2ZxoF4ads8P1RthGc6i0gCWClArzMPpmL0ITTBHYxsNAamHdvjUvAe-U2UfUVSPMboC2M-l6-YYfVE_NIfKfhE3EtlD1WEfc5Ouft2CXGBFptFxMn8wjJCc4ij5hLaDAyvone/s320/engagement.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Official Bill Fartindale engagement photo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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1) March 21st. Dan proposed to me on the first day of Spring! Dan has been my biggest fan since we met working at Grand Rapids Bicycle Company. He is my best friend, he makes me laugh, he makes me want to get shit done, he makes me feel fierce and strong, and he makes me want to learn as much as I can learn. Spending the rest of my life with him is not enough and there is not enough time in the world to adventure everywhere I want to adventure with him. Sappy sentiments over. I'm sorry to have put you through that.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6lN1gQJ33xqzBw2RlYHsAUAFAaG2ONvR5_OVvMbMz14j4fHAVtUzg2i6PgLrDiRivkoXBpWafvTP-qnvrrvt6d6dqK7R_Qfd31o-hOC2ZvoELuxU2F2O_GdcXuHOaclbuQDDU8qVMS0sA/s1600/slate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6lN1gQJ33xqzBw2RlYHsAUAFAaG2ONvR5_OVvMbMz14j4fHAVtUzg2i6PgLrDiRivkoXBpWafvTP-qnvrrvt6d6dqK7R_Qfd31o-hOC2ZvoELuxU2F2O_GdcXuHOaclbuQDDU8qVMS0sA/s320/slate.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">GRBC has demos - try 'em out!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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2) April 2nd. I raced the<a href="http://www.thelowell50.com/index.html"> Lowell 50</a> spring edition on a Cannondale Slate demo from the shop. The same weekend that I found out my Grandma's partner had died. A rainy and cold race was definitely fitting for the overall vibe of the weekend. That race beat me up and the whole weekend beat me up. Maybe it was the recent engagement between Dan and I that tore me up about it. Maybe it was the fact that my Grandma had been married twice before she met the love of her life and it broke my heart that she had lost him. Either way, I was pretty bummed about it. I needed something unfamiliar and some mud to help me process the whole thang. Bikes are good like that. I hope that my Grandma has something in her life that helps her to put things into perspective and to put her mind at ease. She's an amazing lady.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY-a_S3ZRMk8TT60p-jmks6IuBXA9p7we9H6MZgznczIURVqt6PRkx7LHME9cxIOGdShFdAV5HOnI4Xa1F0_ONlJCDOEtkAk1yKa8oIqp2JB5XJrb9XVej8ROObl5S9snAbHk5pHa4fBy2/s1600/pizza.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY-a_S3ZRMk8TT60p-jmks6IuBXA9p7we9H6MZgznczIURVqt6PRkx7LHME9cxIOGdShFdAV5HOnI4Xa1F0_ONlJCDOEtkAk1yKa8oIqp2JB5XJrb9XVej8ROObl5S9snAbHk5pHa4fBy2/s320/pizza.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pizza crit for my birthday</td></tr>
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3) April 16th. We skipped the <a href="http://barry-roubaix.com/">Barry Roubaix</a> to go bike-packing for Dan's birthday. I was super sad to have missed the BRX, because it is always a ton of fun, and am super looking forward to racing it this year!!!!! We had a rad time bike-packing through <a href="http://www.singletracks.com/bike-trails/red-bridge-section.html">parts</a> of the Manistee National Forest, though, and getting lost and having an adventure was most definitely the right choice!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgu4BfXg41G8VIeqJI7G1kuje4cp4ALozKFWEaf-svyeyoXGu0qHkSilVKmDt8x5AvM6jGQN15nK4oyO9JfsaXfTyHbL63OgdUkLE5T024tVZ9a9pjOxYnQ0xuwGTRSB1vVhf0Q6BhJmIc/s1600/manistee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgu4BfXg41G8VIeqJI7G1kuje4cp4ALozKFWEaf-svyeyoXGu0qHkSilVKmDt8x5AvM6jGQN15nK4oyO9JfsaXfTyHbL63OgdUkLE5T024tVZ9a9pjOxYnQ0xuwGTRSB1vVhf0Q6BhJmIc/s320/manistee.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy birthday, Dan!</td></tr>
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4) May-ish. I got a promotion at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/grbikeco/">Grand Rapids Bicycle Company</a>! I no longer do social media, events, the website, or the email newsletter. Scratch that, I still do the newsletter. (<a href="mailto:jillm@grandrapidsbicycles.com">email me</a> to join if you're not already on the list!) I still help with events. However, NOW, I get to manage the Fulton location! So the events that I help with are incredibly biased in that they're held at my favorite shop! (Jen took over <a href="https://www.facebook.com/grbikeco/?fref=ts">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/grandrapidsbicycles/?hl=en">Instagram</a>, and she's the best at it!!!)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBEyGr1D7DiewEQRvUJMDzNhtaVGYbn8vXFKHlmbDqDMAHTw2qLwXlxHmYgTBLFUaZ-8lhIYmW8DvExIZ8Ge98HkURpw_BS7xOAuy1LH9Q2QR9V6rPz3nwntFGQ0jD5DYduXFh1e-LpMoc/s1600/fulton.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBEyGr1D7DiewEQRvUJMDzNhtaVGYbn8vXFKHlmbDqDMAHTw2qLwXlxHmYgTBLFUaZ-8lhIYmW8DvExIZ8Ge98HkURpw_BS7xOAuy1LH9Q2QR9V6rPz3nwntFGQ0jD5DYduXFh1e-LpMoc/s320/fulton.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A little loopy from Active Commute Day</td></tr>
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It was a lot of work in the beginning. I've never managed before (other than the student-run radio station at Grand Valley State University a THOUSAND years ago! - okay, not that long ago.) and it has definitely been a work in progress. I am so thankful for Tom Smith and Chris D's patience in giving me the keys to the shop and to the amazing, talented, bad-ass staff that I get to work with. Not everyone can say that they work with their husband and awesome friends and I am most definitely the luckiest bike shop employee in the whole freaking world!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhioKZhViLUvzXhY8qBNWMXNkUR4aNnHFmckjqSPn-0yNw3ZuHW1c8bjpE76VVVSYlp0VbWO4WMy0YEbZ__aYwLWNyn8OVMQDONaUMT47lnm8ETtelXymag_29WIIRlR9SY40kl1p_MffxC/s1600/zoo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhioKZhViLUvzXhY8qBNWMXNkUR4aNnHFmckjqSPn-0yNw3ZuHW1c8bjpE76VVVSYlp0VbWO4WMy0YEbZ__aYwLWNyn8OVMQDONaUMT47lnm8ETtelXymag_29WIIRlR9SY40kl1p_MffxC/s320/zoo.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#nerds at the Boyne Highlands</td></tr>
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4) May 21st. <a href="http://www.zoo-de-mack.com/">Zoo-de-Mack</a> with the family. Fun, social ride! My dad always rallies to get a group of family together for this ride and I absolutely love going! We get into shenanigans and it's always a hoot. My sister fielded wedding questions and created a buffer. Wedding questions are stressful. I'm glad she was there to defer any/all questions and to keep Dan and I focusing on goofing off. After finishing our ride, Dan and I drove to the Jordan River Valley Trail for some car-camping, fishing, and exploring. I found a teepee in the woods. Then I saw Dan in the river without a shirt on. It ruled!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSnae0hSTopv8zzxHGckqRVn4TEcrbvZaIPXwvPUBQATDYs6j03oJ_d42EBDpCagwH2gnpVAX_3mpVlWyzn17bnYMkhm6HStBxI-cTEmGTt6xOF5b1uICuCidjJ_Z19kxkJQJ0L1Rz5eLI/s1600/bc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSnae0hSTopv8zzxHGckqRVn4TEcrbvZaIPXwvPUBQATDYs6j03oJ_d42EBDpCagwH2gnpVAX_3mpVlWyzn17bnYMkhm6HStBxI-cTEmGTt6xOF5b1uICuCidjJ_Z19kxkJQJ0L1Rz5eLI/s320/bc.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another place we need to go back to,</td></tr>
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5) June 18th. Dan's nephew got married near Indianapolis. It was a beautiful wedding! We rode <a href="http://www.browncountymountainbiking.com/index.html">Brown County</a>. Dan's family is amazing and riding Brown County was challenging and such a blast to ride! Technical stuff, especially technical climbs, is still one of the things that I struggle with. I definitely got some climbing Brown County bucks on this trip!<br />
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6) August 20th. I raced the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/X100Race/">X100</a> in Traverse City for the first time ever and I will most definitely be back!!! I got to stay with the Doerr family at their cabin near Timber Ridge Resort and am so, so, so, so, (a thousand so's) glad that I've become friends through racing with Megan Doerr!!! Megan is funny, smart, and super freaking fast (and getting faster!!!) and being able to rally with her was amazing! I love racing so much because of all of the strong and amazing women I get to meet in the sport, and Megan is most definitely one of my absolute favorites! She is also one who will undoubtedly kick my ass over and over again, whether we're riding for funsies or racing. Becoming better friends with her this year has definitely been one of the highlights.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN84apPrILW1Mss3H3LArhYS1yIP-6aGz5W1LpTDmO3Rkdz1jTn0lYu9u_sPEjalSDQ7Vn3u53PpftrfUy6rGpDvy1Exu05Ccw103-WPNsBckl01A2NxXkOuxd8mlsu3Pu-iIu-kUTsrH8/s1600/x100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN84apPrILW1Mss3H3LArhYS1yIP-6aGz5W1LpTDmO3Rkdz1jTn0lYu9u_sPEjalSDQ7Vn3u53PpftrfUy6rGpDvy1Exu05Ccw103-WPNsBckl01A2NxXkOuxd8mlsu3Pu-iIu-kUTsrH8/s320/x100.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Women's podium at the X100</td></tr>
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I just got sappy again, I apologize.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkjenDeEpBMYfMOQw-MqNCTGL1nviH2IYupUi2hIEx4-F_4ykDaMzlryt7z0DzEgz2ba71jxLzmbX0X2kaBntseZXpQ3xcT6k8Q9sbQJKxvfWp-fBkw83fseLphjMJaPxNJnfLi0JOcYTK/s1600/skirts1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkjenDeEpBMYfMOQw-MqNCTGL1nviH2IYupUi2hIEx4-F_4ykDaMzlryt7z0DzEgz2ba71jxLzmbX0X2kaBntseZXpQ3xcT6k8Q9sbQJKxvfWp-fBkw83fseLphjMJaPxNJnfLi0JOcYTK/s320/skirts1.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Julie Whalen, myself, Sophie Kinkle</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3CIjHyTXlpV_ZCeXON35CqLlK-r3K4KYV__2c3AUiYNC3Z_FkgCMwAw23z0ZnDHyQONT6G9r9xfT0lZNHimEYjJgw8BRGMAkKsfg3JK-5vZNIzbomJOe-PFN5y_iY151w4DgEVDi7wFoM/s1600/skirts2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3CIjHyTXlpV_ZCeXON35CqLlK-r3K4KYV__2c3AUiYNC3Z_FkgCMwAw23z0ZnDHyQONT6G9r9xfT0lZNHimEYjJgw8BRGMAkKsfg3JK-5vZNIzbomJOe-PFN5y_iY151w4DgEVDi7wFoM/s320/skirts2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Petra and I raced in the Double Diva category! Hilarious!</td></tr>
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7) August 28th. <a href="http://www.skirtsinthedirt.com/">Skirts in the Dirt</a> at Cannonsburg Ski Hill. Heads up: sap-city, USA! Super sappy. We're talking suuuuuper-duper sappy: In our third year of organizing Skirts in the Dirt, a women's only mountain bike race, we saw so many women improving on their mountain biking skills! We saw incredible support from Grand Rapids Bicycle Company, Cannonsburg Ski Hill, the mountain biking community, other sponsors, and from all of the folks that came to the race! Leading up to race day is always incredibly stressful. I feel like myself, Julie Whalen, Danielle Musto, and Sarah Jaromin are always running around like mad spending more than 24 hours a day (how is that possible?!) getting last-minute stuff figured out. Come race day we are always sleep-deprived, exhausted, and incredibly, incredibly in-love with the whole event. I am so proud of seeing all of the first-time racers cross the finish line with smiles on their faces and am really looking forward to Skirts in the Dirt 2017!!!!! (Sunday, August 20th, 2017 FYI - save the date!)<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhomtxtxhybv4jQFSN0lHzQkT45QrCyc4aQp1F_3qbGbD9u6RvMnjJRwGHxcdGAboF-cR28rmAIXrRzNEHinJrwB2lcaFoqlq0Hc3vMFxNtkJi6tYNXRX8uJxmanVKkAA4pAWW0yrGwfsk2/s1600/skirts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhomtxtxhybv4jQFSN0lHzQkT45QrCyc4aQp1F_3qbGbD9u6RvMnjJRwGHxcdGAboF-cR28rmAIXrRzNEHinJrwB2lcaFoqlq0Hc3vMFxNtkJi6tYNXRX8uJxmanVKkAA4pAWW0yrGwfsk2/s320/skirts.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Skirts in the Dirt pre-ride and clinic</td></tr>
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8) September 30th. We went on the <a href="http://fargosub48.com/">Fargo Sub-48</a> at the end of September and got to spend more time bike-packing through Manistee National Forest! It's absolutely beautiful up there and being able to peruse around with some cycling friends was exactly what Dan and I need to relax from all of the stress of wedding planning! Melissa Werkman got the well-deserving nick-name "Tank". Dave and Petra Taggart, Dan and myself, Tank, and our friend Andy aka "Dozer" got incredibly lost. (After having gotten lost in the woods the night before with Dan and Dozer trying to light off fireworks in the rain.) We ate gas station pizza, we cheered each other on, we laughed hysterically at being so off of the map that we were in the Salsa logo, and we rolled into camp near nightfall, dinging our bells, while receiving a standing ovation from all of the other riders, who had just finished eating tacos. Hilarious! I am so excited to do this ride year after year!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6W6tTBCGwGfK0uzmIwmq39K8V1Cy1Ys3T8ZKUwlqbXljPoToZxtYZHO6Emm3AvcRCmeZumA4WA5O5qsacxDWLFizym5-bpnG90Inddon08BranSPQxE6ngxeGutKT56IYIXTdz9o5PbAL/s1600/fargo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6W6tTBCGwGfK0uzmIwmq39K8V1Cy1Ys3T8ZKUwlqbXljPoToZxtYZHO6Emm3AvcRCmeZumA4WA5O5qsacxDWLFizym5-bpnG90Inddon08BranSPQxE6ngxeGutKT56IYIXTdz9o5PbAL/s320/fargo.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dozer and Dan. I wish Dan were shirtless...</td></tr>
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9) October 8th. Dan and I got married. More sappiness. Most fun day of my life. Most of our favorite humans in the entire world were there. It meant a lot, especially from those who traveled from out of state to Grand Rapids to give us hugs. Knowing that people were gathered just to be sappy with us was pretty surreal. I'll never experience anything like that ever again. I want to blow up all of the photos from the wedding and display them everywhere in the house forever. Nobody told me getting married would make me this sappy!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyy-NDpJWSqoLwFqZRSt5EdR41dTkjJkoAVi2sdVipACimXy3nnUtDz0gaFkteN6-ZZZUQbZDskaSTG3KDq7cCTQyz-xvHIsV42VaVSaglpcQvMXQVX4E8JCP_vkU1LfFQRJLYvSuBWoui/s1600/_KCB3183.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyy-NDpJWSqoLwFqZRSt5EdR41dTkjJkoAVi2sdVipACimXy3nnUtDz0gaFkteN6-ZZZUQbZDskaSTG3KDq7cCTQyz-xvHIsV42VaVSaglpcQvMXQVX4E8JCP_vkU1LfFQRJLYvSuBWoui/s320/_KCB3183.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thank you so much to Katy Batdorff photography for capturing the best moments.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2NAdT2TRpqIzwskUA1u52iqPEuBbGVMvRtGFjTwnl14gOV3aRqgChgqTVWDaWHbF9mV4v8OWmwyM18W-SvbvI_jzIvam98sOGohvta6XIRY0tn0gvXVNVxOB-jiYYEwHpugJnHsbOOmFm/s1600/_KCB3273.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2NAdT2TRpqIzwskUA1u52iqPEuBbGVMvRtGFjTwnl14gOV3aRqgChgqTVWDaWHbF9mV4v8OWmwyM18W-SvbvI_jzIvam98sOGohvta6XIRY0tn0gvXVNVxOB-jiYYEwHpugJnHsbOOmFm/s320/_KCB3273.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Side note: Dan made that bad ass arch!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTOaS45TiKSY_WxPDt7Z1OchvtraFKdg2PLDPKpAaB3-e80pVl2f8os_QRVy8HQOUyqQQPI5PyEi-prockzweNxalSNqOgWeDUMpVKWIFApNrN-Bho5OQK_uXnpVn9IyejvPSl5Chv6NSj/s1600/_KCB3284.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTOaS45TiKSY_WxPDt7Z1OchvtraFKdg2PLDPKpAaB3-e80pVl2f8os_QRVy8HQOUyqQQPI5PyEi-prockzweNxalSNqOgWeDUMpVKWIFApNrN-Bho5OQK_uXnpVn9IyejvPSl5Chv6NSj/s320/_KCB3284.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So many awesome people in one place!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCyb0-fQkmvGMjLITzG7u1GGs9r_meaYpyQ99nwbqeWZO5j3yGUqmOsSkedkCmdwv8Fz4myE22oKVpgnqTZsvFSbIqQm_r-w8wc95AB1H-PdUwaeNkWWGh5cn-R0VivjrjaxirDWKrAeEw/s1600/_KCB3525.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCyb0-fQkmvGMjLITzG7u1GGs9r_meaYpyQ99nwbqeWZO5j3yGUqmOsSkedkCmdwv8Fz4myE22oKVpgnqTZsvFSbIqQm_r-w8wc95AB1H-PdUwaeNkWWGh5cn-R0VivjrjaxirDWKrAeEw/s320/_KCB3525.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My favorite tree at Cannonsburg.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Our honeymoon turned into a mountain biking/exploring/hiking/adventure-a-thon and it was a complete surprise! I had thought we were going to spend a week and a half camping up north (which would have still been AWESOME). Instead, Dan whipped this trip up:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgteYw7340LyT7OnmJItNP_uYlWtDh0ov_nyNUI_xsbi54KJDuY30MIAV9i1JNkdDu24cF8VmQmTSn0wQb2UZW4N6LZvJrLVEZTW3knbcSbtg4g7k06nZlkU-YLGNEP_v3bsmK_acTPDlfK/s1600/hm1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgteYw7340LyT7OnmJItNP_uYlWtDh0ov_nyNUI_xsbi54KJDuY30MIAV9i1JNkdDu24cF8VmQmTSn0wQb2UZW4N6LZvJrLVEZTW3knbcSbtg4g7k06nZlkU-YLGNEP_v3bsmK_acTPDlfK/s320/hm1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poison Spider's shuttle to Burros Pass</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUxw-19cOBdceYHfBWFsYrxaGgAFvQ5RYdvcN75-4pNvV_xqGWMBqsQr0m4qSiMQzT3O_zxriqogXcetZtRwiQCs3P5kbsowDt3IFvsXxAYdbcx5QHalONTXTtDnXNyQN3M4IalDaCrDrY/s1600/hm2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUxw-19cOBdceYHfBWFsYrxaGgAFvQ5RYdvcN75-4pNvV_xqGWMBqsQr0m4qSiMQzT3O_zxriqogXcetZtRwiQCs3P5kbsowDt3IFvsXxAYdbcx5QHalONTXTtDnXNyQN3M4IalDaCrDrY/s320/hm2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So much stoke!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghmEJDplf59xNhqvXJcO-ud-zQ8g0eQUv81I2I5-tppY3hbIdRXO5MRw94aDwWj1h9vgLD9oOBFCP1HTnU93XcDfQ05S2XPMSAp7pLO8kkaL7Dl6f3oEJLGAF6Dx4QZktkceBXYadbdkJa/s1600/hm6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghmEJDplf59xNhqvXJcO-ud-zQ8g0eQUv81I2I5-tppY3hbIdRXO5MRw94aDwWj1h9vgLD9oOBFCP1HTnU93XcDfQ05S2XPMSAp7pLO8kkaL7Dl6f3oEJLGAF6Dx4QZktkceBXYadbdkJa/s320/hm6.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ColoRADo</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs7kdyWqC1n4B1DTdQG1wr_0mjeqgHLMtE6tP2eLrmmYrOch7Y9YZMPm48gnap0hEexyVFCm5K85FW0eeq1M3Pi5s54xg07GD0v9jbUmn-RiFP_M63uZBgUmkfWbrm03rZsWwyN5NAxBmp/s1600/hm5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs7kdyWqC1n4B1DTdQG1wr_0mjeqgHLMtE6tP2eLrmmYrOch7Y9YZMPm48gnap0hEexyVFCm5K85FW0eeq1M3Pi5s54xg07GD0v9jbUmn-RiFP_M63uZBgUmkfWbrm03rZsWwyN5NAxBmp/s320/hm5.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arches National Park</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEoFGUw8dR16IrmhQNMpfHHw7WYIRIFPjW6gRDgvsDG-Ql4gOA_wpP01oJY1dGnsMFHkgh5fIFN12ebi_ttl3AUt4oyIvS0nOwk6cSm8MA4azxgHFQq0s2Sh8fK7a938x1Sb-wr4jnyc-f/s1600/hm3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEoFGUw8dR16IrmhQNMpfHHw7WYIRIFPjW6gRDgvsDG-Ql4gOA_wpP01oJY1dGnsMFHkgh5fIFN12ebi_ttl3AUt4oyIvS0nOwk6cSm8MA4azxgHFQq0s2Sh8fK7a938x1Sb-wr4jnyc-f/s320/hm3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kokopelli trail</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9MFiQBRVEhCCSpuGDr1fsQDA53_JrxxymcQvil3LZyVQ6sK5yHE9LnvXsPQHcpFuGMYskc_aeOMnbV9vUeMfmVrWy4Cm79-LPC6RsDCCPQWoNeaz6A6uCSFNrJLS8-VXVLX4K2sghSe5L/s1600/hm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9MFiQBRVEhCCSpuGDr1fsQDA53_JrxxymcQvil3LZyVQ6sK5yHE9LnvXsPQHcpFuGMYskc_aeOMnbV9vUeMfmVrWy4Cm79-LPC6RsDCCPQWoNeaz6A6uCSFNrJLS8-VXVLX4K2sghSe5L/s320/hm.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I want to go back!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
10) Despite having a pretty relaxed year (in terms of bike racing) everything else was pretty busy. Sadly, I didn't have as many miles on my bike as I wanted and I was feeling a little anxious because of it. Riding up to Traverse City with Danielle Musto and Julie Whalen was exactly what the doctor ordered! Although our electronics died and we had gotten a <strike>little</strike> lot lost, it was one of the best bike rides I have been on! We left Danielle's house at around 3am and hauled straight up to the <a href="http://www.iceman.com/">Iceman</a> expo in one day! Over 150 miles in one straight shoot! Definitely the longest ride I had been on ever! The fun didn't stop there: we got to help Tank at the IMBA booth at the expo and I won the women's fat bike category at the Iceman! My dad raced on his fat bike for the second year in a row. Like the Zoo-de-Mack, the Iceman is now becoming a family tradition!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8MmNFfxx-r11oipr2OkoDQqQjnl7-MvXzf5dQJ8ZYmBZwkIl_rAE7FsYFC38nbhxt7_CJjAwIUDUrrQ9HHBeXRHP_upZyihtJ1mgJfCB2OYy28EbPj4cF-dcDWocIBkrtLymxzDXdyPlp/s1600/ice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8MmNFfxx-r11oipr2OkoDQqQjnl7-MvXzf5dQJ8ZYmBZwkIl_rAE7FsYFC38nbhxt7_CJjAwIUDUrrQ9HHBeXRHP_upZyihtJ1mgJfCB2OYy28EbPj4cF-dcDWocIBkrtLymxzDXdyPlp/s320/ice.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So proud of my dad for finishing his 2nd Iceman! Beist!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlf4bLxVSR1i-Sw7VGfjjivezr2SHvVJn_lL0zk0NmYH8ZTERGRXgJ2hzmneQ8AhxatKws8jmPOstHnrqUMJ1r0JjgkDGeymonvzZ7LnkVoZmQQhzRUxFTFoFGYB7WqZHkCbadNSGr0nSd/s1600/tc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlf4bLxVSR1i-Sw7VGfjjivezr2SHvVJn_lL0zk0NmYH8ZTERGRXgJ2hzmneQ8AhxatKws8jmPOstHnrqUMJ1r0JjgkDGeymonvzZ7LnkVoZmQQhzRUxFTFoFGYB7WqZHkCbadNSGr0nSd/s320/tc.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">midway from GR to TC!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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So many other incredible things happened in 2016. Personally, it was a pretty good year. There are a lot of other things going on out there that aren't so heart-warming. Being surrounded by such incredible humans makes life pretty dang great. I'll try to keep things less sappy in 2017, I swear! ;)<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqfckKPw0L6X7fwdxU_B57jhtLQKwvcdcfga2Y34tv6notFe7XwbYUuPZIM_yAYOyu5UAWmlUWwOeBXyRvp03UmdUFYYn9-R77dhynDI6ubinxswmKSBI1EAwXBrjoSAlaaHgmUGW55p_1/s1600/cats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqfckKPw0L6X7fwdxU_B57jhtLQKwvcdcfga2Y34tv6notFe7XwbYUuPZIM_yAYOyu5UAWmlUWwOeBXyRvp03UmdUFYYn9-R77dhynDI6ubinxswmKSBI1EAwXBrjoSAlaaHgmUGW55p_1/s320/cats.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Courtney Joesel and I enjoying Art Prize via bike!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Huge thanks to the following:<br />
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Dan. My parents. My friends and family. All of my coworkers. The folks that serve on the board of directors for the <a href="http://www.wmmba.org/">WMMBA</a>. These rad companies: <a href="http://45nrth.com/">45NRTH</a>. Grand Rapids Bicycle Company. <a href="http://grdogadventures.com/">GR Dog Adventures</a>. Tank and Petra at Moxie Wild. <a href="https://www.velocityusa.com/">Velocity USA</a>. <a href="https://www.niterider.com/">NiteRider</a>. I'm humbled to ride with some of the most fun people in the entire world and it's awesome to be friends with all of you!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbbhxU_o9kc92hz-Lv0Le4dSGL5PeHd6R0_BYjHqgKZNU2U_lVBNaE8hg3jv66WGXPGqyD97wQwMD7HHNvytx4psnNsqH-aHeoIsOKNMD03aNBmgC6qR2Hgih2Mh_XvOq3ZWL5SIknLqy7/s1600/tank.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbbhxU_o9kc92hz-Lv0Le4dSGL5PeHd6R0_BYjHqgKZNU2U_lVBNaE8hg3jv66WGXPGqyD97wQwMD7HHNvytx4psnNsqH-aHeoIsOKNMD03aNBmgC6qR2Hgih2Mh_XvOq3ZWL5SIknLqy7/s320/tank.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tank makes an emergency shelter</td></tr>
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<br />BillFartindalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04581092364521279774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-246444036584487637.post-69053298606790765982016-03-02T20:29:00.001-08:002016-03-02T20:35:23.573-08:00My first Arrowhead 135<div class="MsoNormal">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg9WJ5VZulMVe-qF8eaZPzx7YWc7NuKZSQIGjJNrqAjLk9mDXHiO1msjSraPLDHLcLH-yDLQdQo_EF4ta3dPifMgDTod5hjaWSpV9cviVw3M8cy7YqBNBcf1NwIWDoT_sQS4MYSrmQXtjR/s1600/12784626_10103086759361515_2003131660_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg9WJ5VZulMVe-qF8eaZPzx7YWc7NuKZSQIGjJNrqAjLk9mDXHiO1msjSraPLDHLcLH-yDLQdQo_EF4ta3dPifMgDTod5hjaWSpV9cviVw3M8cy7YqBNBcf1NwIWDoT_sQS4MYSrmQXtjR/s320/12784626_10103086759361515_2003131660_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lucky number 83!!!</td></tr>
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I started watching the <a href="http://trackleaders.com/iti16">Live Tracker</a> for the <a href="http://www.iditarodtrailinvitational.com/">Iditarod Trail Invitational</a> at 2pm on Sunday and I am so excited for everyone finishing and participating. What a cool event! It entirely blows my mind that some folks are out there who have done other winter ultras this season. I cannot wait to hear their stories and to pick their brains once they've finishing the Iditarod! I'm full aware that the human body can do amazing things, but I want to know how their body fares after pushing it race after race and still getting out there and getting it done. It's awesome. It's inspiring. It makes me want to keep pushing and working towards being able to do what they do.</div>
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The <a href="http://www.arrowheadultra.com/index.php">Arrowhead 135</a> was over a month ago and I’m just now
starting to feel back to normal. I did a race a few days after the Arrowhead
(<a href="http://theironline.com/fat-bike-race/">the Iron Line</a>) and felt really good. Three weeks after the Arrowhead I did
another race (<a href="http://frozen-events.com/frozen-40/">Fatbike Frozen Forty</a>) and I felt like I had just gotten off of a
100-mile ride. This past weekend I raced again (<a href="http://www.906adventureteam.com/polar-roll-2016/">906 Polar Roll</a>) and I felt
nearly back to normal, still fatigued, but in way better spirits. The common
theme to all three of these races has been “Perseverance.” I know it takes time
to heal after doing a long race like the Arrowhead but I wouldn’t trade the
experiences of the Iron Line, the Frozen Forty, or the 906 Polar Roll for
anything in the world. I love the racing, the people I meet, the women I get to
race with, and I feel like a kid in a candy store – stuffing my face with as
much as I possibly can because it’s awesome and I love it and I can’t help
myself! This is my third year participating in the <a href="http://www.greatlakesfatbikeseries.com/">Great Lakes Fat Bike Series</a> and I couldn't miss out! The GLFBS races are just TOO MUCH FUN!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoTsP0b23cuZLJ4UTFnBpS53isl31jneqpFR5IHXW0wkhfA5Nv-yHEWihWnIq9xBlGTmhe23zKQqZQcwkcPaQyBWLjWnHHJe1ENaaWX61BHjXyJDRNlvIielegO3gS0ljZHCeV2ZWWlxF4/s1600/12825162_10103086758183875_2130259051_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoTsP0b23cuZLJ4UTFnBpS53isl31jneqpFR5IHXW0wkhfA5Nv-yHEWihWnIq9xBlGTmhe23zKQqZQcwkcPaQyBWLjWnHHJe1ENaaWX61BHjXyJDRNlvIielegO3gS0ljZHCeV2ZWWlxF4/s320/12825162_10103086758183875_2130259051_n.jpg" width="256" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Iron Line in Iron River, Michigan. <br />
Myself, April Morgan, Chelsea Strate.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4iDosi7H7vekRw4P_8L_hnUy-XxR2HUslA1NVhv9o2qyybkmlM9WSGEbTPsVm82CwN6_qrJyCETCmniWnHjUx05vQhCeG4JXXQoivMv-m91-5oFrxjUBdjyyI2_us-M5iHpkn8VJS2mUm/s1600/12782163_10103086765778655_2105756043_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4iDosi7H7vekRw4P_8L_hnUy-XxR2HUslA1NVhv9o2qyybkmlM9WSGEbTPsVm82CwN6_qrJyCETCmniWnHjUx05vQhCeG4JXXQoivMv-m91-5oFrxjUBdjyyI2_us-M5iHpkn8VJS2mUm/s320/12782163_10103086765778655_2105756043_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These ladies killed it at the Fat Bike Frozen 40 - I, however, did not.<br />
Chelsea (2nd), April (1st), Pam Nielsen (3rd)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2qFYQauRUus3wG53pVVw8naGVTGh7Z3HuwPuv0FfEfm6KeGghVAc7gr0kZV2rGz2tnk3kDo4isOUIs_ha3KsmWX5quTQZUKZ_TS7-6C_CbPqcrgNugdwjdqggx99tl5oDm8Clw7Ci3NfK/s1600/906+Polar+Roll+2016-185.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2qFYQauRUus3wG53pVVw8naGVTGh7Z3HuwPuv0FfEfm6KeGghVAc7gr0kZV2rGz2tnk3kDo4isOUIs_ha3KsmWX5quTQZUKZ_TS7-6C_CbPqcrgNugdwjdqggx99tl5oDm8Clw7Ci3NfK/s320/906+Polar+Roll+2016-185.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">906 Polar Roll threw really mushy conditions at us. <br />
So happy to share the podium with April Morgan and Danielle Musto!<br />
Photo by Ryan Stephens</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Dan drove with me to the Arrowhead 135. As a surprise, he rented a jeep with
AWD, so we didn’t roll the vehicle on the way home like we did after the
<a href="https://tuscobia.wordpress.com/">Tuscobia 150</a> last year (very thoughtful, Dan!) I know I thank him all of the
time but I cannot thank him enough! This guy got me a set of Paul Love levers to use with
mechanical BB7’s because he thought they'd work best for me out in the cold (better than roses) picked out which color aluminum HED
wheels he thought I’d like best (he nailed it), built them up, built up a
spare wheelset for me to use just in case I needed them, and when I decided I wanted to run
the 4<a href="http://45nrth.com/products/tires/vanhelga">5NRTH Vanhelga</a> tires he helped me get them set up tubeless and he trusted
my judgement, despite hearing that a lot of other Arrowhead racers were running
the <a href="http://45nrth.com/products/tires/dillinger-5">Dillingers</a> (I am so happy I had the Vanhelgas!) Dan had me laughing as he used the luggage rack at the
hotel in International Falls as a bike stand to run through my bike. He’s a great mechanic and my bikes
are always working well, and I think the final run through was to put his mind
at ease more than my own; he worries about me when I go out on these grandiose
adventures and wants to make sure I roll through the finish line in one piece.
I’m really lucky to have his support and wouldn’t be able to race as much as I
do without him! Knowing that everything is in tip top shape and not having to second-guess my own mechanical abilities at the start of a race gives me one less
thing to worry about and I can spend my time obsessing about food that I want
to eat, trying to decipher what type of animal left those footprints in the
snow, and focusing on moving forward.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDw9acApkgqUW1oky_vuK7z9pkAKiQtJnLWzaOFmoPQ6BcYeJdtZBX_kuTspiF-FhH40Sy5Zpea8ct_UPzjikJ1luyVCXIYw9NMF3Cbz63KYfu6Gi8Rn8EdhpFP28nRHn9sh1IbWv3ttFp/s1600/12825341_10103086759236765_896489236_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDw9acApkgqUW1oky_vuK7z9pkAKiQtJnLWzaOFmoPQ6BcYeJdtZBX_kuTspiF-FhH40Sy5Zpea8ct_UPzjikJ1luyVCXIYw9NMF3Cbz63KYfu6Gi8Rn8EdhpFP28nRHn9sh1IbWv3ttFp/s320/12825341_10103086759236765_896489236_n.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He's resourceful.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The drive up to Minnesota was an adventure in itself! My
minivan is from 2001 and the jeep had a leather interior, heated seats, a
heated steering wheel, a rear-view camera to help with backing up, compartments
hidden all over the place, and headlights that were a bazillion times brighter
than my Pontiac Montana’s! Dan drove and I got to put my feet up and keep
myself entertained by making fleece neck warmers for some friends. Like I do
with a lot of other things, I turned it into a competition soon after driving
out of town: how many fleece neck warmers can I make before the bridge? Well, I
guess I was trying too damn hard and the universe decided to help me set a new
world record: just as we drove up to Mackinac City we saw a billboard, “Bridge
closed due to falling ice.” Whaaaaat?! We made
a lot of jokes about how I had willed the bridge to close so that I could make
all the neck warmers. We were sad that we might
miss the pool at the hotel I had booked in Duluth, Minnesota. Then we realized
we had forgotten to pack swimsuits. Being the opportunist that I am, I made a
bikini and some swim trunks for Dan out of leftover fleece. The bridge was
still closed. We played around a putt putt golf course that was closed and
tried breaking icicles off of the side of a building with snowballs. Still
closed. We went to the Keyhole Bar to grab some food and a beer and lo and
behold – once we ordered, we heard a ruckus outside – people were running
through the streets yelling, “the bridge is open!!!” We quickly grabbed the
bill, slammed our beers, and took the food to go. It was like mass exodus
leaving Mackinac City. Luckily we were able to hit the bridge before the long
line of vehicles and we were again on our way. Side note: once we made it to
Duluth the fleece swimsuits WERE NOT appropriate for public use. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg3e0hBvWqSQ3IW3L-axhJUgFO6BwCdMB7p1TilUVlV11UzJRHEy5aeuWzWBC1A9ZObX8R4kOxxWWa1v3QGg5b-pp1zFAAttF_JpiHLUiivuYdyrQA9sD5eNByT3F5uPDLlqhOflR-UMB_/s1600/12825635_10103086765998215_1406848606_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg3e0hBvWqSQ3IW3L-axhJUgFO6BwCdMB7p1TilUVlV11UzJRHEy5aeuWzWBC1A9ZObX8R4kOxxWWa1v3QGg5b-pp1zFAAttF_JpiHLUiivuYdyrQA9sD5eNByT3F5uPDLlqhOflR-UMB_/s320/12825635_10103086765998215_1406848606_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I won't quit my day job to be a swimwear designer.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We made it to Duluth around midnight and were surprised to
see so many people walking around town. Wait, were they high schoolers in
floor-length gowns? I don’t know why a bunch of 17 year olds walking around
without jackets was so funny, but Dan and I kept chuckling about it. I asked a
group of kids if it was prom or something and they started snickering at us. Touché.
I had been all excited because I had booked a fancy room at the Radisson
downtown Duluth and I was looking forward to a bed made of clouds, a giant bath
tub, and to a view of Lake Superior. Apparently I hadn’t noticed that I booked
a room in “the tower” and there were no corners in the room which was weird, we
had a view of the side of a building, the bathroom shower head screamed when you
turned it on, and aside from the high school dance there was also a hockey
tournament in town – we were sharing our floor with a bunch of drunk hockey
players who were running around the circular hallway and leaving their plethora
of candy bar wrappers and cases of empty red bull outside their room doors.
What?! We got a solid night’s sleep anyways and headed to International Falls,
Minnesota in the morning. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3RdC1ZJRjanpLzm5WzBczzKpB5maOGQ2w74OKL1UKvEu0N2qIcdOUa1axCqoFXFmPX9iSrr9g0N852qH-kO9udOiVGu-_elVsRgU2xuybi1YZ-qbhGO5dSAG3TmRmz6Vj49d2JwdSy10p/s1600/12784262_10103086766157895_569756881_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3RdC1ZJRjanpLzm5WzBczzKpB5maOGQ2w74OKL1UKvEu0N2qIcdOUa1axCqoFXFmPX9iSrr9g0N852qH-kO9udOiVGu-_elVsRgU2xuybi1YZ-qbhGO5dSAG3TmRmz6Vj49d2JwdSy10p/s320/12784262_10103086766157895_569756881_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Candy, cool shades, even cooler pizza robe. <br />
Compliments of Jenny Scott before we left town.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The drive was really pretty and I was getting really excited
the closer and closer we got to our destination! We made it to gear check-in in
record time and I was a little embarrassed to run to the car three times to
grab required gear while volunteer’s checked off my checklist. I didn’t pack my
things smartly and had stuff thrown in bins and bags and had to rummage through
everything in order to find the items on the list: headlights and a bazillion taillights,
-20 degree sleeping bag (thanks for letting me borrow yours again, Dan
Jansen!), insulated sleeping pad, bivy, 3000 calories (a jar of hazelnut butter,
some gels, and a snack bar), firestarter, stove (I usually take an MSR pocket
rocket camping, but took an <a href="http://esbit.de/en/cs585ns/">Esbit stove and fuel tablets</a> to save on weight and
space), insulated water container (<a href="http://shop.camelbak.com/gambler/d/1337">Camelbak’s 100oz Gambler </a>winter pack
and an insulated 24oz bottle), reflective material (I used a sticker-like crazy
reflective material that I stuck all over the front and back of my jacket,
all over my Camelbak, and all over my bags and bike!), and a whistle.
I also had on way more batteries than necessary, extra base layers, headwear,
gloves and socks, duct tape, a <a href="http://www.jtreelife.com/products/winter-stick-spf-15">Joshua Tree winter-stick</a> to smear all over my
face, a glow-in-the-dark compass/thermometer, reflective triangles for the
front and rear of my bike (seriously had so much reflective stuff I looked like
a UFO), and a whole lot of ziplock bags.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7jFs4a3pZOqYmuEKnrWxMuEBaY7YK2D_sXpC_Fy9xRCx1pgCMsaBH_7Oai3m2MrBzzFuz0s6qGiuVhcyHeqUWmhXhyLzmgBuWdZnwFRAajGO99Ue4shUZdB5MWWd91IpDKVzCrJKOkaXM/s1600/12784424_10103086759002235_725713496_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7jFs4a3pZOqYmuEKnrWxMuEBaY7YK2D_sXpC_Fy9xRCx1pgCMsaBH_7Oai3m2MrBzzFuz0s6qGiuVhcyHeqUWmhXhyLzmgBuWdZnwFRAajGO99Ue4shUZdB5MWWd91IpDKVzCrJKOkaXM/s320/12784424_10103086759002235_725713496_n.jpg" width="256" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First task completed: passing gear check</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I had wanted to rent a Spot Tracker but had some
weird issues with trying to rent one – I made a rookie mistake and didn’t rent
one from Track Leaders, who would actually <i>be</i>
at the race, but from a different company who had to mail the tracker to my
house. I was excited to play around with it for a while before the Arrowhead
and to go out on a few trial rides, but it actually never came. By time I
realized I could rent one at the race it was too late and I didn’t get in my request
in time. You’ll be happy to know that immediately after Arrowhead I managed
to snag a Spot Tracker that I now own and will be able to use in the
future. You live and you learn, right?! <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyT5mjABjCkreyI2VbKJV5weI6mGfyFDkzroZRHJEqTmD3EdzumXNGzbWYScfIQkn0gekxhgD1WneL3DzHpOWhKqWBrsp1PkCfAQ317gA8n2mJVaImpcbpMwZ0lMapjMUuxoW0W320zbGJ/s1600/12782106_10103086759082075_554752583_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyT5mjABjCkreyI2VbKJV5weI6mGfyFDkzroZRHJEqTmD3EdzumXNGzbWYScfIQkn0gekxhgD1WneL3DzHpOWhKqWBrsp1PkCfAQ317gA8n2mJVaImpcbpMwZ0lMapjMUuxoW0W320zbGJ/s320/12782106_10103086759082075_554752583_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Piles everywhere.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The whole drive I remained pretty chill, probably because I’ve been traveling
to so many races recently that it felt normal. Once we got to gear check I
started FREAKING OUT. It wasn’t nerves, it was sheer excitement! I was so
stoked to be there! I wanted to take pictures of everything! (Total tourist.) I
tried to play it cool but I wanted to say hello to everyone, thank the
volunteers a million times, and gawk at the gear that everyone else brought. In
one part of the room a 26” Trek was propped upright by a kickstand, with a
knobby tire up front and a semi-slick in the rear and a department store headlight
perched on its handlebars. A handwritten note on a cardboard sign read, “2007 +
2008 Finisher (Ken Krueger)”. Talking to Ken’s wife, Jackie, I learned that Ken
cut 20 hours off of his finish time just by getting a fat
bike. That’s awesome and respectable in so many ways! Ken and Jackie now own
the Arrowhead and do a fantastic job putting on this race.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7JF8eE7isYa8Y25R-Mi4CYju9ZdCqS-p9igmeEouN5OFQomG7Py_gy-wpzZwl0QVIdzGkULRVw8Uc7J7i1FOM1Ty4jtHLgE5StSEbaJ_lU_YV4junIgGyPPYLEjatzsuniV5NOaem-Bqk/s1600/12576091_10103086765983245_28336393_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7JF8eE7isYa8Y25R-Mi4CYju9ZdCqS-p9igmeEouN5OFQomG7Py_gy-wpzZwl0QVIdzGkULRVw8Uc7J7i1FOM1Ty4jtHLgE5StSEbaJ_lU_YV4junIgGyPPYLEjatzsuniV5NOaem-Bqk/s320/12576091_10103086765983245_28336393_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ken's bike.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
After gear check, there were a couple hours to kill so we checked in to the
hotel and my stuff exploded all over the room. I could tell Dan was a little
tired and wanted to lay down, but somehow I had accidentally managed to spread
my gear over both of the double beds… and all over everything else. He sat in a
chair and watched as I made tiny piles of things, combined piles, made more piles,
and sealed things up in ziplock bags. A pair of merino wool liners and socks in
one bag. Headwear in another. Firestarter, emergency blanket, a first aid kit,
and waterproof matches in one, snacks in another, extra batteries and a
portable USB charger in one, a long sleeve wool base layer in another, and a
spare pair of cycling shorts in the last one. I packed things on my bike in
order of how likely I’d use something, putting the most important items in an
easy to reach spot: sleeping bag got crammed inside of the bivy and got packed
in a compression sack (with the 3000 calories I needed to finish with) on my
handlebar bag. Sleeping pad got crammed in the bottom of my seat bag, followed
by wool leggings, a pair of my <a href="http://45nrth.com/products/gloves/sturmfist-4">Sturmfist 4’s</a>, my pot (with the camp stove,
esbit tabs, waterproof matches, tinfoil, and fire starter packed inside of
that), and another wool long sleeve base layer got piled on top of that. The
plan was to not even open these two things during the race, but I had
everything I needed in case I decided to bivy up easily accessible so that I
wouldn’t get cold while setting up camp. In my frame pack I put hand warmers,
snacks, the ziplock bags full of extra headwear and gloves/socks, a pocket
knife, emergency blanket/first aid bundle, and my insulated water bottle. If I
was super cold and in a pinch I could wrap up in the emergency blanket while setting
up my bivy, or wrap up in it for extra warmth if I needed to repair something
on my bike, or lend it to a friend, or whatever. In my insulated hydration
pack I put the extra batteries and lights, long sleeve base layer, spare tube
and flat kit, duct tape and more snacks. Snacks were loaded in my gas tank bag
on my top tube and inside of my <a href="http://45nrth.com/products/gloves/cobrafist">Cobrafist poagies</a>. Snacks were basically hidden in every nook and cranny on
the bike.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMOzp_G7qYo827vJFx_-FZ2xNT4urg9aQf_zA4mbh0U0KFsz8X33-Z9DEUfqNAxEyX7aDEn1l8s0ZSY6-8Lk6ySFZuk1K-jWFK9T5pod-RfEK6GN3WGnk7JJoS81Ye6TDPovgYsAcbkI0N/s1600/12782012_10103086759396445_922867372_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMOzp_G7qYo827vJFx_-FZ2xNT4urg9aQf_zA4mbh0U0KFsz8X33-Z9DEUfqNAxEyX7aDEn1l8s0ZSY6-8Lk6ySFZuk1K-jWFK9T5pod-RfEK6GN3WGnk7JJoS81Ye6TDPovgYsAcbkI0N/s320/12782012_10103086759396445_922867372_n.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fat bikers, skiers, and runners. All in one gymnasium.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We went out to dinner after the racer's meeting with our
friends from Surly and laughed about a bunch of things unrelated to the race,
had a couple beers, and made our way across the parking lot back to our hotel.
There was a Rocky marathon on TV and I was pretty convinced that it was a good omen. I made a few more piles of
things, obsessively checked the weather to make sure it wasn’t going to change,
and ate a couple more snacks. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The alarm went off at 5am and I bounced out of bed to make
coffee. All I had to do was
slap my riding clothes on, eat breakfast, throw the bike in the car, and head
over to the start. The fact that I was about to hop on my bike and ride for so
many hours kept dancing around in the back of my head and again instead of
nervousness I just felt extreme giddiness. I wanted to see wildlife, I wanted to make new friends, and I wanted to ride my bike! I also wanted Dan to ride with me because I love adventuring with him, but I knew long-distance bike races aren't his thing and I kept telling him I'd see him in a little bit. ;)<br />
<br />
I had read a few race reports from previous years and I had
memorized how far in between checkpoints, but I was really looking forward to
discovering the unknown by myself.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpa-02IrM_fQzw_EnynzF44hakjcTVLLvArlWsUZMrMbjvf174bpSsfo03ulgqwr5_JAYYnAcWb7VLt-PNtQumwtTbKx_UM4lI0JSrID3IM3cB9fEAb_yagQFj0_PPzK7mGst74vlIu2bE/s1600/12782487_10103086758742755_1288124293_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpa-02IrM_fQzw_EnynzF44hakjcTVLLvArlWsUZMrMbjvf174bpSsfo03ulgqwr5_JAYYnAcWb7VLt-PNtQumwtTbKx_UM4lI0JSrID3IM3cB9fEAb_yagQFj0_PPzK7mGst74vlIu2bE/s320/12782487_10103086758742755_1288124293_n.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tracey and Jay at the start - 2016 Arrowhead champs</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFs5DLLH_oLzGYLr9qw5GFBdZDuNxIDadMvj5GNWA2W0oJTXWV8RTLN50qx4lIvz21UEeXezoS_f8fttWIFmu_DeifGlzlwTVThyeBKGhMTtD0GIagKe8waz_bTqRs8dUdNOs6vDdQz5fD/s1600/12825558_10103086758932375_1972388559_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFs5DLLH_oLzGYLr9qw5GFBdZDuNxIDadMvj5GNWA2W0oJTXWV8RTLN50qx4lIvz21UEeXezoS_f8fttWIFmu_DeifGlzlwTVThyeBKGhMTtD0GIagKe8waz_bTqRs8dUdNOs6vDdQz5fD/s320/12825558_10103086758932375_1972388559_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dan and Jill at the start - also feeling like 2016 Arrowhead champs ;)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSkfCJmBiEv9gxb2jrw9Yf3-EFd4pFzWqVJr8JcIx1FQSSnP_c4vc3bGnZrqVUJqPSnAXvLVNCLDF89dW2sgP0kuxGtK1AV8_Guu69hu7cOz_LqXnaQL4VX9NsFSgnDLTnfl73O2CrmSN0/s1600/12784326_10103086758812615_850685283_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSkfCJmBiEv9gxb2jrw9Yf3-EFd4pFzWqVJr8JcIx1FQSSnP_c4vc3bGnZrqVUJqPSnAXvLVNCLDF89dW2sgP0kuxGtK1AV8_Guu69hu7cOz_LqXnaQL4VX9NsFSgnDLTnfl73O2CrmSN0/s320/12784326_10103086758812615_850685283_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm so lucky to be on team 45NRTH with this lady.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At the start of the race there was a freezing, drizzly
rain. I felt confident because the temperature was around 20 degrees, but also
worried because I didn’t want to overheat during the race. A lot of
participants were hanging out outside, acclimating to the weather, adjusting
their eyes to the dark, and excitedly chatting with other racers. All of the red
blinky lights were dancing everywhere and I was trying to pick out the people I
knew by the silhouettes of their packed bikes. I saw Jay and Tracey Petervary
inside at the check-in table and wished them both luck, eventually found Kurt
from 45NRTH, and saw Pam Nielsen and Leah Gruhn, both ladies I had come to know
through other fat bike races in the Midwest. It wasn’t
long before I heard a gunshot and someone yell, “Release the hounds!” and we
started pedaling! Luckily I had positioned myself near the front, and because
the trail was soft from the get go racers formed a pace line, saving energy for
the 135-mile journey by riding in the trail of packed down snow instead of charging
through the slop and tiring their legs. I knew a few of the ladies I was racing
against were behind me and that Tracey was ahead of me, and I wanted to put as
many people between me and them as possible without pushing too hard and burning all my matches – so I picked off a
few people, one at a time, and pushed my way a little farther ahead in the pace
line, even finding Tracey at one point and passing her. Eventually things started spreading out and I could only make out a handful of riders in
each direction. A rider came speeding from behind me and passed me; it was Tracey. "Well, that was short lived," I thought in my head. ;)<br />
<br />
The first checkpoint, Gateway, came up pretty quickly and I
reached back to check how much water I still had in my hydration pack: it felt
pretty heavy and I knew there was still unfrozen water protected in my frame pack,
so I just rang my bell, waved, and cheered as I rode past. Just another 30-some
miles to the next checkpoint. That’s just another 30-some mile ride.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmqSxtOrNDjXJIMWzi3OD0NyJ1F6X-sX6EPHQOVRHn0qPemmcSdFzcrML32w2adBbo2lV_RArwlZJAIUoQOS7O3His-8-mMqGmxw-diUABIoHfu0eile3520Z4w0ZcvzcL_QWWpx8yy5b5/s1600/JM_18milesin_2_DSC_0844.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmqSxtOrNDjXJIMWzi3OD0NyJ1F6X-sX6EPHQOVRHn0qPemmcSdFzcrML32w2adBbo2lV_RArwlZJAIUoQOS7O3His-8-mMqGmxw-diUABIoHfu0eile3520Z4w0ZcvzcL_QWWpx8yy5b5/s320/JM_18milesin_2_DSC_0844.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">18 miles in, totally got caught and passed by Tracey<br />
Photo courtesy of Salsa Cycles/Mike 'Kid' Riemer</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I think one of the tricks to a long-distance ride or race is breaking it up in to
portions. The first checkpoint was 36 miles in – that’s the <a href="http://barry-roubaix.com/">Barry Roubaix</a>. I’ve
done the Barry Roubaix fat bike 36-mile category plenty of times. I’ve been
able to finish with enough energy to keep partying and hanging out afterwards
until 2 or 3 in the morning! The next checkpoint, Melgeorge’s, was 35 miles
away from the first one. I still had enough water and food easily accessible
for another Barry Roubaix, or so I thought, so I just kept rolling through
Gateway. The course at that point was tolerable and although mushy in spots, it
wasn’t that bad. I didn’t realize the next 35 miles would be incredibly
different from the first portion and it took a little longer than I
anticipated: mostly because of the hills. I ran out of water barely before the
first checkpoint, and was so happy to have hit the frozen lake signaling Melgeorge’s
existence just as I heard the gurgling from my empty hydration pack! Holy wah,
that was cutting it close!<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The funny thing about the Arrowhead 135 is that a few months
beforehand I had been in Marquette, Michigan with the rest of the 45NRTH crew
and Jay and Tracey had said “it’s not that hilly” regarding the course – I had
also talked to a few friends who lived in the Midwest (where I live) and they
had said “it’s really hilly.” I decided to worry about each hill when I got to it. The hills on the
Arrowhead trail were a little steeper than I was used to and that the snow basically made the hills a whole different
animal. On a lot of the hills, you could see a deep tire rut to the right and a
man-made stairway to the left: the snow was almost too soft to climb on and a
lot of the folks were walking them. As typical with other fat bike races, the
more people start to walk, the harder it gets to ride because of the foot
prints. On a few of the climbs early on I started off trying to ride them. My
legs burned and my rear wheel would frequently spin out. I gave in and
decided to save some of my matches for later use (I knew it was
hilliest in the mid-portion of the race) and to walk those hills. I got passed
by a few riders while walking up these hills and felt like I was moving like a snail, but judging by all of the footprints on the climbs I figured I wasn't moving <i>that</i> much slower than the people ahead of me. By time I made it to Melgeorge’s I saw Tracey preparing leave and I was really surprised because I wasn’t expecting to see her
once we left the first stretch of trail. I knew I had to make my transition
time at that checkpoint as quick as I could because I wanted to stick close.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7UUVt5aZkF4d4DMoAiPi6E3GhckfUkG7BMAfqTg0-WO_yewHktDPrIdRWwpDC3LCoLSU2dSEqrHb075TzIPFzJj8bHKh3CGUIb53QlR2mdsCOOQgyyMrd0pv9YzNtIOqzw8onadSAnIIX/s1600/JM_bike_melgeorges_DSC_1415.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7UUVt5aZkF4d4DMoAiPi6E3GhckfUkG7BMAfqTg0-WO_yewHktDPrIdRWwpDC3LCoLSU2dSEqrHb075TzIPFzJj8bHKh3CGUIb53QlR2mdsCOOQgyyMrd0pv9YzNtIOqzw8onadSAnIIX/s320/JM_bike_melgeorges_DSC_1415.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The second check point, Melgeorge's<br />
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Photo courtesy of Salsa Cycles/Mike 'Kid' Riemer</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I had decided before the race start that at Melgeorge’s I would stop to change
in to some dry clothes before heading out into the night. I wanted to change in
to warmer gear, to have a fresh set of lights, to fill my stomach, and to head
out with a fully-loaded Camelbak bladder and water bottle. I wanted to spend a
little time warming up and taking care of myself, and I wanted to treat the
next 40-miles of the race as a new ride. It became harder to treat it that way
when I saw Tracey getting ready to head out. I wanted to just keep riding and
to chase her: but I knew I needed a little bit of self-care before tackling the
next leg of the race. So I ate two grilled cheeses, went to the bathroom twice,
I changed from a short sleeve base-layer to a long-sleeve, put on fresh socks,
grabbed some dry headwear, re-situated some snacks, laughed when I saw Tom and Scott wearing the fleece neck gaiters I made them, and went to put on my dry gloves, excited that I had been there
for less than a half hour – only to realize I had packed two left-hand merino
wool liners instead of a right and a left. Shoot!!! A really nice volunteer at
Melgeorge’s saw my disappointment and asked politely if I wanted to wait for
him to dry my wet pair. I <i>almost </i>got
sucked in. After a quick moment to contemplate the situation, I decided to wear
both left gloves and to ride out in to the night looking like a goofball – two left-hand
gloves made more sense to me than waiting 20 minutes for a proper pair to dry
and I didn’t want to give up those 20-minutes to chase after Tracey. Besides,
my <a href="http://45nrth.com/products/gloves/merino-wool-liner-glove">45NRTH merino wool liners</a> didn’t have much padding on the palms and there wasn’t
much difference between wearing the right and left glove, I told myself. (After
the adrenaline from the race wore off and I found myself in the hotel room at
Fortune Bay Casino, my palms got whiney - they were complaining from
being trapped in wet gloves for so long -I think I should have swapped for
dry gloves a few more times throughout the race – whoops!) I rode off cheering
and dinging my bell from Melgeorge’s, hoping to stay ahead of the women behind
me and hoping to close the gap between Tracey and I.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoo_HCs-DJni4NCfJujkoQ7qQ2A8UxuLv0zecRlBkD_STBWUjd2e2RJJXo0Zi2Gtq0tzoWZOrhb1_qt_2rdsCbhP-q3G9arPlmxvw5u4nsyNdTXKvmfzmr2DvzUc_mFZHJktHjmZLYU74U/s1600/12784328_10103086758458325_2054281626_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoo_HCs-DJni4NCfJujkoQ7qQ2A8UxuLv0zecRlBkD_STBWUjd2e2RJJXo0Zi2Gtq0tzoWZOrhb1_qt_2rdsCbhP-q3G9arPlmxvw5u4nsyNdTXKvmfzmr2DvzUc_mFZHJktHjmZLYU74U/s320/12784328_10103086758458325_2054281626_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside Melgeorge's<br />
Photo by Tom Morgan</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The gap between Tracey and I grew. I can only imagine that
every hill I walked up she managed to ride up. She’s magic like that. At one
point, Christopher Tassava passed me on a climb, and I was both really excited
to see him and a little bummed to see him. Chris and I have been internet
friends for a while, and I wanted so badly to hang with him and to keep
chatting as we rode, but he was moving faster up the climbs than I was and he
eventually left me in his dust. I came upon a rider walking on the side of the
trail and asked him if he was okay – it was Steve Cannon, who I’ve since
learned is an endurance athlete tackling many other endurance feats (running
around Lake Michigan, as an example). Steve’s pedal had completely exploded. Just this past summer, someone had helped me with a blown up pedal mid-race (Thanks, Sarah Temby!) and I made it a point to stop and to help Steve. I had
some duct tape and thought maybe we could somehow rig a platform on to his
spindle and we could make it work. Although the final product <i>looked</i> decent, it lasted approximately 37
seconds. When Steve caught up to me on the trail I was bummed for him but I was
also really excited for me - I was getting tired out there and had started
talking to myself and shaking my head to stay awake – finding someone out there
to talk to was sort of awesome! Although I could pedal on the straightaways
better because my pedals were intact, he caught me on the climbs because his
long legs could walk faster uphill than my stubby ones could. We stopped at a
few hilltops to eat snacks and to celebrate making it up another hill, and it
made the time between Melgeorge’s and the Surly Checkpoint go quickly. Although
there were a few mirages (I’ve never hallucinated so many igloos and teepees in
my life) by time we finally saw the Surly Checkpoint and I heard Dan howling
like a wolf, I thought only a few hours had passed!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhutIpV8HuHbdOvXgYnfnMT-7bVpsIqIEALNYhdoRgfhAtIPLohWS52QASMfibSKBtxJYinF-KrVrOOvSiUa0fXn_L2XsSi96iiIvbvN16JiJS3pfNxFzyWhRxie-c1KOdO0t2wdfDXZA7g/s1600/12804438_10103086758428385_416369218_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhutIpV8HuHbdOvXgYnfnMT-7bVpsIqIEALNYhdoRgfhAtIPLohWS52QASMfibSKBtxJYinF-KrVrOOvSiUa0fXn_L2XsSi96iiIvbvN16JiJS3pfNxFzyWhRxie-c1KOdO0t2wdfDXZA7g/s320/12804438_10103086758428385_416369218_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Someone posted this item they found on the side of the trail on facebook.<br />
WHY would Steve leave this piece of work behind?!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Dan, “I’m glad you’re safe, it’s getting pretty late.”<br />
Me, “I know… it’s got to be like, what, 1am?!”<br />
Dan, “Jill, it’s quarter to 5…”<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4QhketaJ9SBY1wQQaDCZHUQwVtdwLZR9rLIOoDiknSUT8cg2r_ybVZwNV53szgxZpLTjt9m-31o_xHCsIK-jU2hdvZ2bVn_obUm0Z5zfo8gxmeeKTqLLYtvbx5ePoRNDNBW8r_T-kD848/s1600/12646764_1555538904762316_7588382922982190606_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4QhketaJ9SBY1wQQaDCZHUQwVtdwLZR9rLIOoDiknSUT8cg2r_ybVZwNV53szgxZpLTjt9m-31o_xHCsIK-jU2hdvZ2bVn_obUm0Z5zfo8gxmeeKTqLLYtvbx5ePoRNDNBW8r_T-kD848/s320/12646764_1555538904762316_7588382922982190606_o.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Surly CP3!! Thanks for all the fun and encouragement!<br />
Photo by Christina Julian</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At the Surly Checkpoint, I knew I had to change my
headlight. At Melgeorge’s I had put a <i>really
</i>bright <a href="https://www.niterider.com/">NiteRider</a> 750 lumen light on my helmet and according to my math once we made
it to the last checkpoint I had zero hours left to ride with it – it was a
surprise that it had actually lasted all the way to there, considering I was
four hours off from how late in the night/morning I had thought it was! I had
used a battery operated 200 lumen light up until Melgeorge’s and had stored it away for the night wanting
a brighter one to carry me through the eerie night. I laughed because I didn’t
expect the 750 one to have lasted that long <i>in
the cold</i>! My chilly, fatigued hands tried twisting the top of the 200 lumen
light off and I couldn’t do it. It was too tight and I was too much of a baby.
I used my teeth and the top of the light came off, but it wasn’t the right part
and the light bulb and shiny metallic cone that reflects the light stayed
in-tact, taunting me. Dang it! Dan’s usually so used to helping me that I knew
it was torture for him. The Surly folk also knew they couldn’t help me, so they
started cheering for me and jumping up and down. Steve Cannon had gone inside
of the teepee and I knew I was all on my own: so I started yelling at the light
and bashing it against the log pile for the bonfire, trying to knock something
loose and to try to magically fix it. FINALLY, the piece I needed popped loose
and we cheered our brains out! I put new batteries in triumphantly and kept cheering as the top clicked in
place. Yes! I chugged the rest of the hot coffee that they had poured for me
and headed out in to the darkness towards the finish. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Immediately after leaving the last checkpoint, I had to go
to the bathroom. Dang it! Steve Cannon was close enough behind me to where I
was worried it’d be awkward if he caught me with my pants down, so I hauled for
a while until I couldn’t see lights behind me and stopped to go as quickly as I
could. Luckily Steve didn’t catch me while I was peeing, but he caught me
as I was clamoring back on to my bike. We had a laugh and started riding, about
to climb the next hill. We hiked up it, knowing that it was the last
of the climbs, and I wanted to stop so badly at the top of it and to take a
picture – the view was beautiful! Tons of lights were sparkling down in the
valley below and it was such a good feeling knowing that the rest of the course
lay below us. Instead of whipping out my phone, I snickered at the
top of Wakemup Hill and started careening down the side! Seriously, the downhills
on the Arrowhead trail were a blast – especially with my velcro-esque 45NRTH
Vanhelga tires gripping and tracking the way! I couldn’t help but smile,
knowing that there were less than 20 miles to go to the finish. That distance
is literally less than riding to my favorite mountain bike trail and back home –
I was so excited! I’d be to the end in no time!<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It was actually bittersweet once the last hill was over and I
knew I was on the homestretch – after all the training, the riding, the
worrying, the excitement, and all of the other emotions: my first Arrowhead 135
was nearly over. I had spent a lot of time wanting so badly to make it to this
race, and despite how many fat bikers were ahead of me the biggest victory
would be to finish it! I was really stoked
to finish my first Arrowhead, to finish without mechanicals or without injuring
myself, and I was especially stoked to finish behind Tracey Petervary! Dan had
told me she was walking with her bike when he saw her at the Surly Checkpoint,
and I don’t know if it was all in my head and that I had imagined it or if it
were real – but I swear there were Dillinger tire tracks and <a href="http://45nrth.com/products/footwear/wolfgar">Wolfgar</a> prints
growing fresher and fresher ahead of me! <o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On the last bit of the Arrowhead trail, nearing the casino,
you ride down these long corridors towards a sharp turn. On the Arrowhead
spectator map it looks like this segment of trail is a straight shot towards
the end – don’t be fooled! I’d sprint down a corridor towards the turn and
my excitement would grow, only to see that it sharply turned and there was
another straight corridor bordered by trees ahead of me. The sun steadily began to rise and despite the frustrating never-ending corridors, I couldn't help but smile and think, "I <i>love</i> the sunrise lap!" I raced down a few of
these corridors for a while before seeing a cyclist ahead of me. Luckily my
legs felt fresh, and I can only assume that it’s because I walked up so many
hills in the middle of the night instead of burning all my matches and trying
to crush up them. I’d pick off that cyclist and keep moving. Eventually, I saw
a guy ahead of me that looked familiar - Christopher Tassava! It made
me really happy to see Chris and I started dinging my bell like crazy mad. He
started moving off of the packed trail towards the slop and I immediately felt
bad for ruining his groove, “You’re good! I’ll pass you! On your right! You got
this!” I was so excited for the two of us to be nearing the end! I couldn’t
wait to high five him at the finish line! (Check out Chris's <a href="http://www.tassava.com/blowing-and-drifting/2016/02/05/arrowheadata/">Arrowheadata</a> here.)<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBuJtBA4MaCkYRgcnCgnk_rL7lWwALdw5R5UEkjajLJzEkfIcqmB8R_lGnJe8clYMDMKGV6UWyav1MChdq0_j6Rml7DLsi3-N-ms_MRh86Z5gjA55zED_TvNIYfKSucfltiCrVg6etMMj2/s1600/12782291_10103086758488265_1651758493_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBuJtBA4MaCkYRgcnCgnk_rL7lWwALdw5R5UEkjajLJzEkfIcqmB8R_lGnJe8clYMDMKGV6UWyav1MChdq0_j6Rml7DLsi3-N-ms_MRh86Z5gjA55zED_TvNIYfKSucfltiCrVg6etMMj2/s320/12782291_10103086758488265_1651758493_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Scott Patterson from 45NRTH</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Shortly after passing Chris, I got hungry. I reached in to my Cobrafist Poagie
and realized my snack supply in there was empty. I felt bad for passing Chris
and for having to stop in his way so I started pedaling like mad to put the
space between the two of us so I could stop and snag a snack without
obstructing his way. By time I stopped and looked back to make sure there was
enough space between us, I didn’t see him at all. “Woah.” I thought. “Where'd he go?” Those Dillinger/tiny Wolfgar prints were still appearing on the
trail and I didn’t want to spend too much time worrying about what was behind
me, so I grabbed the last of my snacks from the frame pack (marshmallows and
yogurt covered raisins, obviously not my first choice but they’re there so I’ll
eat them...), dumped them in my poagies and kept riding towards the end of the
current corridor.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Eventually, after a few of these never-ending corridors, I
saw some orange temporary fencing. Pedal, pedal, pedal! The orange fencing kept
going. What? Ugh. Longest. Corridor. Ever. There was a turn in the orange
fencing and I was so stoked – except it led to more orange fencing. Finally, it
led up another hill (ugh) and I saw an arch and a few people hanging out
underneath it. Then I realized, “that’s the end!” Tracey was posing beneath the
sign for photos and Mike “Kid” Riemer was with her. There was a
bonfire, a few other folks, I could see the Fortune Bay Casino, and it seemed
so surreal to be at the finish line!! I almost didn’t believe that I was there!
The funny thing is that somewhere in the middle of the night I had made it up
in my head that the finish line was this big elaborate loop around the main
floor of the casino, through an elevator, and up to the top floor. I
immediately started laughing at the finish line because I realized I was full
of crap and that I had made that scenario up! I don’t even know how I got that
in my head!!! I came through the finish line at 25 hours and 53 minutes after I
had left the start – only 3 minutes behind first place female, Tracey
Petervary, and 16<sup>th</sup> overall.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8-bSAI79YUZmdup-lSk1xnW3vbpiOo1AnZo0dSq7Z-ltotvoaepksgQz9NKau8zqyzaZtvXq2bEkAI-kpR-U76vb0tcMDrl1CznaBd68Zufm9Xw84FMUJ7AtnwGWfcEO7HUsEEBMb_Wdm/s1600/12825393_10103086758722795_1514165378_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8-bSAI79YUZmdup-lSk1xnW3vbpiOo1AnZo0dSq7Z-ltotvoaepksgQz9NKau8zqyzaZtvXq2bEkAI-kpR-U76vb0tcMDrl1CznaBd68Zufm9Xw84FMUJ7AtnwGWfcEO7HUsEEBMb_Wdm/s320/12825393_10103086758722795_1514165378_n.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two left merino wool liners.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After high-fiving <a href="http://salsacycles.com/culture/2016_arrowhead_135">Tracey and Jay</a> at the finish line and congratulating them both on their wins, cheering on a few other finishers, and making my way inside, I found a very
surprised and stoked Dan, who wasn’t expecting me back in that soon. I got the finisher’s
trophy (it's awesome!!!), snagged a photo in front of the banner, and Dan took me to our room for a nap – nearly 26 hours earlier we had
discussed what time we’d thought I would finish and that we would immediately
start driving towards a friend’s house in Minneapolis. I was REALLY happy to
have a bed beneath me within an hour of finishing and so, so happy that there
was a refrigerator there to hold all the snacks that I had left in Dan’s care. (I
inquired about my cooler and didn’t learn until later that Dan had put wolf
poop in it to take home to our friend Ted, which is both funny and disgusting –
I will never use that cooler again.) Pulling really old sweaty and wet
socks off of my feet is a feeling I wish upon no one, and the stinging shower
afterwards was also a punishment that I didn’t expect. After getting out of the
shower and feeling like I didn’t want to put clothes on for days, Dan told me
that some friends were coming by our room to congratulate me – yay! I was
really excited to see Scott and Tom and shoved snacks in my mouth as I got ready to welcome them at the door. There were a lot of hugs and
high-fives once they found our room and we were all so excited to meet down at
the finish line arches to see Kurt roll across the finish– he had bivied up
with the crew he was riding with and would come through in a few hours. I
crawled back beneath the covers, set my alarm, and had such a hard time
sleeping because I was so excited to cheer for Kurt. Eventually I gave up on a
nap and scoured the hotel for a balloon to congratulate him with at the finish
line. I drank a few whisky & cokes while decorating his Fortune Bay balloon
and waited for him. I was so stoked to have finished my first Arrowhead, super
hooked with wanting to come back again, and a little sad that it was already
over. I was also so excited to share this feeling with a friend who was also a
rookie finisher!<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzop_1UGxO1Rcx7CpbVbetIUhdNyFcj4nKVFgHudVAsRpNPY8Ay5WJ9OEe5DxUSILOahYP9VFRHbwUyT6wr3Qs3j-uy2cx3mbnzWg3WryHugVbilnBnsNZrxyWQ4IUd22I_w0c5hdtRGXI/s1600/12825458_10103086758613015_587501614_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzop_1UGxO1Rcx7CpbVbetIUhdNyFcj4nKVFgHudVAsRpNPY8Ay5WJ9OEe5DxUSILOahYP9VFRHbwUyT6wr3Qs3j-uy2cx3mbnzWg3WryHugVbilnBnsNZrxyWQ4IUd22I_w0c5hdtRGXI/s320/12825458_10103086758613015_587501614_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I can't wait to come back again!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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I will tell you: the Arrowhead trail did not disappoint! The
woods were thick and dense, big clumps of snow hung to branches, the snow was
beautiful, the people were amazing, and there were footprints spattered all
along the trail (I think I even saw a spot where an owl caught a mouse beneath
the snow – that’s so cool!) At night the woods got a little eerie, and although
sometimes I got a little creeped out being by myself in the dark, I just rung
my little handlebar bell and imagined all the scary animals running away,
terrified of it. Ha! It’s all a mental game, right?! I still can’t believe
it’s over. Thanks so much to <a href="http://www.grandrapidsbicycles.com/">Grand RapidsBicycle Company</a> for encouraging me to chase my goals and to 45NRTH for sending
me out in to the wilderness with warm and cozy boots, gloves, and poagies, and
for making the best tires for the course. As always, a bazillion thanks to Dan
for being my partner and mechanic and for believing I can do it, and to all my
friends and family back home for being the best and rooting for me through the middle of the night. I don’t know how I got so
lucky to deserve you all, but somehow I see you smile and it makes me want to
keep pushing towards stuff like this. Gah! <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzrTQHsFV7HAiHrTeINp6FpGK8bcfwXArL5kN1WEoduzJaIiRkRnSfQB-781kArdicRaWE7TbMfYZCOvmYA7HoEWnUhZj1PgkhFNrH1f-_yDD0uUDBYlwnbOCxmg9Rne5UO1M0zlXBJdZ3/s1600/12821956_10103086758054135_1587633894_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzrTQHsFV7HAiHrTeINp6FpGK8bcfwXArL5kN1WEoduzJaIiRkRnSfQB-781kArdicRaWE7TbMfYZCOvmYA7HoEWnUhZj1PgkhFNrH1f-_yDD0uUDBYlwnbOCxmg9Rne5UO1M0zlXBJdZ3/s320/12821956_10103086758054135_1587633894_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It feels good to be back home riding with friends.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDyowbeKR3v4XSA3aThReN9szUO3OnvW92DTnytybCUVFri49ADFzfF44MXJK73P0Kxw3fIKwiYFHsSGCVLG9-lJVnqH6HXnWe28bGqaqC5kYzoaZLm8DutjtDUGy2MyHJJm_hPNyvGvQU/s1600/12782021_10103086757615015_44581032_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDyowbeKR3v4XSA3aThReN9szUO3OnvW92DTnytybCUVFri49ADFzfF44MXJK73P0Kxw3fIKwiYFHsSGCVLG9-lJVnqH6HXnWe28bGqaqC5kYzoaZLm8DutjtDUGy2MyHJJm_hPNyvGvQU/s320/12782021_10103086757615015_44581032_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">and gettin' into trouble with Dan around town.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7wqVqutl1hkumqeMg_JSyzahYvTBfBO9TB6wLgeVsdT8651q5rtxN2ZjkG4B255_a-uTdJ8zRExjQoK4jzEy0boCpBWjNkrOQXmjg0uht8WbDnrvqNAttNoqwhbRB_y-Rm4_Grl4B_pLL/s1600/12769536_10103086757959325_1259947231_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7wqVqutl1hkumqeMg_JSyzahYvTBfBO9TB6wLgeVsdT8651q5rtxN2ZjkG4B255_a-uTdJ8zRExjQoK4jzEy0boCpBWjNkrOQXmjg0uht8WbDnrvqNAttNoqwhbRB_y-Rm4_Grl4B_pLL/s320/12769536_10103086757959325_1259947231_n.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">and having relaxing Sunday afternoon strolls. ;)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
But for real, I can't wait to do it all again.</div>
BillFartindalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04581092364521279774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-246444036584487637.post-28161832112954752502016-01-20T20:06:00.000-08:002016-01-20T20:06:15.622-08:00Brewery Vivant Farmhand Fat Bike Race<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh63UXi1P4-6jUhyphenhyphen_CzRN2cuCUQLTwiOK0_GTXJ2FK16jlv_ZOcO9lT41qOMdeDMJY2A2k-rIT1C6BWq4tvKaBu3vBbNNQod4QOU1ZQO21rCNybxcA_plQkDzqHmf0QW_g8-PbttSkY-ksE/s1600/untitled-1103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh63UXi1P4-6jUhyphenhyphen_CzRN2cuCUQLTwiOK0_GTXJ2FK16jlv_ZOcO9lT41qOMdeDMJY2A2k-rIT1C6BWq4tvKaBu3vBbNNQod4QOU1ZQO21rCNybxcA_plQkDzqHmf0QW_g8-PbttSkY-ksE/s320/untitled-1103.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: Rob Meendering</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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</div>
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Holy. Cow. HOLY. COW. I don’t even know where to start in my race report about
the <a href="http://www.farmteamracing.com/p/farmers-fat-bike-race-2013_19.html">Brewery Vivant Farmhand Fat Bike Race</a>. If this is any indication as to how
the rest of the fat bike season is going to go… it’s going to be one super fun, super awesome, really great season that’ll wind up ending way too soon! Chelsea Strate got to town Friday evening and stayed at my house until Tuesday morning. Now that she’s left for Traverse City (race #3 of the series is the 23<sup>rd</sup> in Traverse City!) I miss her. Boooo!</div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqnmLglhgS5txxrH490OFEz2RO57TUItJoynnHcbnERqmqgMB3H5w1_JJxZV4jxxmJOXXln2T2N8gJwVy7Nowb6z9UseI8t6NR9Q6yrEYtQnXu1pexOTWDZEeBgs4uhLwFRez8oHITAXJ8/s1600/jscott.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqnmLglhgS5txxrH490OFEz2RO57TUItJoynnHcbnERqmqgMB3H5w1_JJxZV4jxxmJOXXln2T2N8gJwVy7Nowb6z9UseI8t6NR9Q6yrEYtQnXu1pexOTWDZEeBgs4uhLwFRez8oHITAXJ8/s320/jscott.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thanks for this pic, Jenny Scott!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Anyways – the Farmhand race was race #2 in the<a href="http://www.greatlakesfatbikeseries.com/series-schedule-1/"> Great Lakes Fat Bike Series</a>, and
quite frankly it’s one of my favorite races hands down. I could be biased since
the Farmhand race is pretty much in my backyard, at one of the local trails I
ride year round, put on by friends on the Farm Team, and because it’s sponsored
by the <a href="http://www.grandrapidsbicycles.com/">Grand Rapids Bicycle Company</a>, aka my favorite bike shop and my place of
work. ;) <br />
<br />
Albeit probably biased, I have other reasons for loving the Farmhand Fat Bike
Race. The first fat bike race I ever did
was the Farmhand Fat Bike Race, the <a href="http://www.farmteamracing.com/2012/01/farmers-fat-bike-race-results.html">inaugural year</a> where they held it at
Versluis Orchards. I didn’t have a fat bike and I didn’t know how to ride fat
bikes in snow, but a fellow coworker and I signed up to do the duo category
together. We shared a demo bike, we were over dressed, we laughed hysterically
the whole time, and we weren’t able to stay on that bike for the life of us.
The second year I wasn’t able to race because I had had knee surgery. Yada
yada. Here we are this year, in the 5<sup>th</sup> year of the Farmhand Fat
Bike Race, and it’s incredible to see how this race has grown and how I’m lucky
enough to be in a place that I had no idea I’d find myself in when I was
pushing a demo fat bike through an apple orchard in my first winter working at
the Ada Bike Shop – now GRBC. I was really looking forward to this particular
race this year because I knew there’d be a ton of awesome people there, I knew
there’d be a fat bike fly-over, and I knew my dad and sister would be racing it
this year. (more on the two latter in a bit…)</div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKiv8XIJVDcgGiPq_CMX3S0M97H0a8q8ufsoImGLgvIQol8DxQSgpBxss0oqbejUsLtskz6z61GMTs7rUVONl3ua9vZ_SqIJoa-QXIgipIF9afCnsYYzJR9J282gWS9fBtEQG1fJlHMOCA/s1600/12607333_10103019302600405_359191530_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKiv8XIJVDcgGiPq_CMX3S0M97H0a8q8ufsoImGLgvIQol8DxQSgpBxss0oqbejUsLtskz6z61GMTs7rUVONl3ua9vZ_SqIJoa-QXIgipIF9afCnsYYzJR9J282gWS9fBtEQG1fJlHMOCA/s320/12607333_10103019302600405_359191530_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thanks for always getting my bike dialed, Dan!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Nostalgia aside, the course this year was one hell of an awesome and fun
course! The last couple of years we were subjected to mushy snow that grabbed
your tire and pulled you down and a bunch of climbing. I knew there was a
fly-over, I knew there’d be groomed single-track, and I knew there would be a
climb up the tubing hill. I was ready this year with my <a href="http://45nrth.com/products/tires/vanhelga">45NRTH Vanhelga tires</a>. I
knew the course wasn’t going to be all mush, but I was prepared for it with a tire
that would be fast and grippy. The day before the Farmhand race it rained. I
was super expecting sloppy conditions for the race… but when I showed up at
<a href="http://cannonsburg.com/">Cannonsburg Ski Area</a> the morning of the race, I realized I should have gone
with my <a href="http://45nrth.com/products/tires/dillinger">studded Dillinger 4’s</a>… whoops!</div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXS4A4mJZGTddUFiZ2vgJ-mCHdqeYHuHDadho_DJyT8Y6QYX7AB21kaWBXFA8nqi5U64Xp6nhFOgR3HwGkPju8oKjyXOGFvqj_4Skl_aSSOS78SA2LbDMG0LBOz8i64GHQojow3IDo6geS/s1600/12575717_10103019302520565_684493264_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXS4A4mJZGTddUFiZ2vgJ-mCHdqeYHuHDadho_DJyT8Y6QYX7AB21kaWBXFA8nqi5U64Xp6nhFOgR3HwGkPju8oKjyXOGFvqj_4Skl_aSSOS78SA2LbDMG0LBOz8i64GHQojow3IDo6geS/s320/12575717_10103019302520565_684493264_n.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That bike is tiiiiiiiiight!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Side note: Dan had given mine and Chelsea's bikes look-overs the night before the race, and when he had asked if we wanted him to help swap our tires, we instead opted to take some goofy photos.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0qmPxZ3qGcYpjoh3UMOTsjdyOaHAVZRNXdyW2-DS9QBHoDtIqMCAa8o2TVhado50eCo1m8tWk2HaPfguRoQbKKCb05_aT3ZWMDg4NpGPeeA9AysB7MlmN8-ULEghoRu7lxUlz142fvx-f/s1600/12204909_10103019302540525_554539756_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0qmPxZ3qGcYpjoh3UMOTsjdyOaHAVZRNXdyW2-DS9QBHoDtIqMCAa8o2TVhado50eCo1m8tWk2HaPfguRoQbKKCb05_aT3ZWMDg4NpGPeeA9AysB7MlmN8-ULEghoRu7lxUlz142fvx-f/s320/12204909_10103019302540525_554539756_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zubaz: Embrace the awesome.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Looking around at the competition (aka my friends and teammates) I realized we
were all on non-studded tires. At least we were all in the same boat! I think
we had all anticipated sloppy conditions, because, well, the Farmhand Fat Bike
Race had sort of become known to us as that. Boy, were we wrong! We were super
wrong! Matt Acker had pre-rode a lap before the start of the race, and he
warned us that the course was very slippery. I let some air out of my tires and
helped a few other friends let air out of their tires too. Before I let air
out, I had about 8psi in my tires… so by my calculations… I started the race
with some psi in there. <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span><br />
<br />
I foolishly didn’t get any warm up in before the race start, and on the first
climb I cursed myself for not doing so. It wasn’t very huge, but it was a climb
right off the start and I could see fat bikers bottle necking and turning to
the right in to some single-track. I fell in behind some riders and wished that
I had gone out harder to get ahead of more people. I could see Danielle Musto
and Kati Krikke a handful of people ahead of me and wanted to get as close to
them as possible - but it was impossible! The single track was so icy that
everyone was crawling through it. Good job, Farmhand Fat Bike Race, you got us!
Four years of mushy snow, of course it’s hard-packed and icy this year! ;) The
single-track spit us out to a wider section with some of the only sloppy snow
on the course and I passed a few riders safely before dodging back in for more
twisty, icy, groomed single-track. Then it spit us out again to a wider segment
where we rolled past the pit area and – ahhh! – we were pointed at the first fat
bike fly-over I have ever ridden! (and may I add the only one I’ve ever
ridden!) I didn’t get a chance to practice it, I heard it was steep, and I
aimed my front tire at the fly-over, shifted into a lower gear for balance, and
pedaled, pedaled, pedaled! There was a brief moment of victory where I paused
and thought to myself, “How cool did that just look?!” while I was on the top
of the platform before I veered back down. Every time I came upon that fly-over
I had all of the feelings of being excited, nervous, stoked, worried, and
relieved. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ui4a0zTu51QryzkLb5rSK0RKwA9NaZMoajU9pPwqSbcpLpZI2qCZn5_-JJ_cynEZ8jnvkNrAzhwMBqc_iyyc4pPnF0obdgVImUQhOUZum7Ie7rZxvvwmO_4_AF-0D3hsuWOYO0bOcTnr/s1600/untitled-1099.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ui4a0zTu51QryzkLb5rSK0RKwA9NaZMoajU9pPwqSbcpLpZI2qCZn5_-JJ_cynEZ8jnvkNrAzhwMBqc_iyyc4pPnF0obdgVImUQhOUZum7Ie7rZxvvwmO_4_AF-0D3hsuWOYO0bOcTnr/s320/untitled-1099.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I LOVE THIS BIKE! // Photo: Rob Meendering</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
After the fly-over, there was a little more mushy snow
before you had to attack the tubing hill. There were families, kids, and really
cool looking teenagers riding a conveyor belt tow up the tubing hill. They were
moving up the hill faster than some people were riding it. Uh oh. Here is one
of the spots where I was actually really happy that I had my Vanhelga tires on
my bike! Here is also one of the spots of the course where I was really happy
that I had been training for the <a href="http://www.arrowheadultra.com/">Arrowhead 135</a> with a fully loaded fat bike and
at the same time really bummed that I had been training for the Arrowhead 135
with a fully loaded fat bike… I had done some longer rides earlier in the week
and ended on a 6 hour ride Thursday with all of my gear. I had purposefully
gone places where I knew I’d have to push my bike up steep hills in preparation
of Arrowhead. My bike felt incredibly light (especially with my new <a href="https://hedcycling.com/fat-bike/alloy/big-deal-alloy">HEDAluminum rims</a>!!! – I’ll post on those later) and I was stoked at how fast it
climbed! My legs, however, felt a little heavy, and I knew that if I had gone
in to the race with fresh legs that I could be climbing faster. I couldn’t stop
laughing while climbing that stupid tubing hill. Any time I’d start grunting or
breathing hard, I’d look up and realize there were people on the tow watching
within reach of where we were climbing. I’d start laughing uncontrollably,
which made climbing harder, which made me laugh more. Ha!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisS4MnNCfimZT5XGiF96b7SkKULnQKc6BShPKfu4pKm599y_vYuZIr40XhACLXuVuB7C4JAetSEZRamOsXabK0johX2_RuUYg3mYYQqmO4WdjhX94uzMWqiw69FUyouSa24-psR2jCUgXz/s1600/12510448_10206584766510793_1465221756069350631_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisS4MnNCfimZT5XGiF96b7SkKULnQKc6BShPKfu4pKm599y_vYuZIr40XhACLXuVuB7C4JAetSEZRamOsXabK0johX2_RuUYg3mYYQqmO4WdjhX94uzMWqiw69FUyouSa24-psR2jCUgXz/s320/12510448_10206584766510793_1465221756069350631_n.jpg" width="256" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love this pic!!! // thanks Rob Meendering!</td></tr>
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At the top of the climb, you pull a 180 and start careening down the other side
of the tubing hill. Then immediately at the bottom there’s a 90 degree turn to
the right and you head over the last segment of mushy snow on the whole 4-mile
course and head in to the woods. Once in the woods, you find yourself on glare
ice once again. Chelsea Strate and I rode a lot of the 3 hour race together,
which was actually really awesome to ride with one of my <a href="http://45nrth.com/">45NRTH</a> teammates. She
would pull away on the climbs and I’d catch her again on the single-track. I
tried to pass her once and got wiped out by a patch of ice that was disguised
as regular snow. Chelsea hollered through the woods, asking if I was alive, and
I shrieked back that I was going to make it! Mid-way through the single track
we hit the sand bowl – usually a sandy, open area on the back of the ski hill.
This year it was all ice. Once through the sand bowl, there was a sharp left
hand turn that dumped you down a slick, steep descent. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRlK5N2ym7uDmDEKO9GZqXrM9fNlDnSwdaCDGGj1ymWOWNfjFhdI0kk9KLjdegNozNz-FAMU0X51ettcH4NH3e1gqQYDCMSSKy0IFiaikoyN0Kx9i17A4tkd3icCTbIIeok-HsMrFvEGqS/s1600/untitled-1237.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRlK5N2ym7uDmDEKO9GZqXrM9fNlDnSwdaCDGGj1ymWOWNfjFhdI0kk9KLjdegNozNz-FAMU0X51ettcH4NH3e1gqQYDCMSSKy0IFiaikoyN0Kx9i17A4tkd3icCTbIIeok-HsMrFvEGqS/s320/untitled-1237.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Women's Solo Podium: Danielle Musto in first, Kati Krikke in second, Chelsea, myself, and Kim Thomas in fifth.</td></tr>
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On my fifth lap through
this part of the course I felt the rear end of my bike sliding sideways, so I
released on the rear brakes and tried to grab just a tiny bit of the front. My
hand didn’t get the full message from my brain and clamped down hard on the
front brake. Vwoop! I went over the handlebars and slid down a little before
regaining my ground and hopped back on the bike, laughing. On an earlier lap, I
had seen my sister off her bike in that spot - this was her first fat bike race - and I had
tried giving her tips as to how to ride on the ice. Imagining her there to see
my crash made me giggle as I tried to ride as fast as I could on the ice to try
to catch up to Chelsea. Once I hit the last segment of single-track, I knew I
had to play it safe so as to not kill myself (or wreck my bike) on a crash
before Arrowhead… but it’s almost like my brain doesn’t get how to “play it
safe” and I still tried to dab through the single track to make up for my lost
time. Alas, I couldn’t catch Chelsea, but I am still incredibly elated to have
made it across the finish line with 5 laps as 4<sup>th</sup> place female! I’m
really, really proud of my 45NRTH (and GRBC) teammates for how we all did in
this race! </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzoEtFmVLURxKuHjZo89-qLhyphenhyphenhCH2GT3V8Hi2_TwzdMokwFz3pNNJ3MOeOS4nwjYZsc3ELQaowuY8Wlqs4dPlawy_1V5rvnvdH2jlkZAlS2CjHA7WSBA_yRK3j3oQ0_t_CsD80erOIxOMy/s1600/12495217_1179913602037112_2334435052530520183_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzoEtFmVLURxKuHjZo89-qLhyphenhyphenhCH2GT3V8Hi2_TwzdMokwFz3pNNJ3MOeOS4nwjYZsc3ELQaowuY8Wlqs4dPlawy_1V5rvnvdH2jlkZAlS2CjHA7WSBA_yRK3j3oQ0_t_CsD80erOIxOMy/s320/12495217_1179913602037112_2334435052530520183_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Sister, my Dad, myself: Fatty Martindale(s)</td></tr>
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I’m also really, really proud of so many other people who were at the race! My
dad had raced Iceman back in November, and the Farmhand Fat Bike Race was his
second race ever and his first race on ice/snow. It was my sister’s first fat
bike race (she had only raced the Never Ever! category at <a href="http://www.skirtsinthedirt.com/">Skirts in the Dirt</a> prior) and her first time ever riding on conditions like we had. New GRBC
teammates and ambassadors had raced Farmhand as their first fat bike race ever,
including my old roller derby teammate Jess, who had only ridden her new <a href="http://salsacycles.com/bikes/beargrease/2016_beargrease_carbon_x7">SalsaBeargrease X7</a> once before race day! Seriously, everyone went in to the race with
such excitement and such gusto that it was one of the most fun races I’ve ever
done! Everyone from the hecklers to the racers, the solo and duo categories, to
the volunteers had smiles on their faces. What a blast. Thank you Farm Team
Racing for putting this race on! You can find full race results for the <a href="http://www.breweryvivant.com/">Brewery Vivant</a> Farmhand Fat Bike Race <a href="http://georesults.racemine.com/Igniteyoureventcom/events/2016/THE-BREWERY-VIVANT-FARMHAND-FAT-BIKE-RACE/results">here</a>.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicOj-I1k8ZIuZxGo2ld0XwYoRGY7QlYK2q6_VMQl4TyOzyPDQr716u8OVvgROGhva9gHiyrcjAV1Tk5EHnOtAOlyWWoT2c8ajlcFQAwXOPpnfTVmn4p0yaRIO_MiaAx0hO6wzc7p3fL8G1/s1600/12584067_10103019302375855_976262241_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicOj-I1k8ZIuZxGo2ld0XwYoRGY7QlYK2q6_VMQl4TyOzyPDQr716u8OVvgROGhva9gHiyrcjAV1Tk5EHnOtAOlyWWoT2c8ajlcFQAwXOPpnfTVmn4p0yaRIO_MiaAx0hO6wzc7p3fL8G1/s320/12584067_10103019302375855_976262241_n.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunday, Chelsea and I headed to Merrell and we found the new WMMBA groomer!! Best weekend EVER!</td></tr>
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BillFartindalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04581092364521279774noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-246444036584487637.post-57560548073235751412016-01-07T08:49:00.000-08:002016-01-07T08:49:01.790-08:00Chasing the Solstice, Running Away from a Cold<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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With December leading up to the Solstice Chase, the first race of the <a href="http://www.greatlakesfatbikeseries.com/">Great Lakes Fat Bike Series</a>, I could feel myself getting a little sick. It’s been relatively “warm” in Michigan, and although I love the snow and the cold, it was sort of nice to not have to worry about my water freezing or whether or not the gravel roads would be covered in ice. Sure, it rained a little bit, but nevertheless my lungs felt warm and I felt like I was in a pretty good spot in my winter training. Everyone at work seemed to be getting sick and I was desperate to not catch what they had. I started taking two, sometimes three, packets of Emergen-C a day, I started sleeping more, I started eating more greens and drinking more water, and I kept training.<br /><br />Danielle, our friend Steve Bartzen, and I carpooled out to St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin for the<a href="http://www.solsticechase.com/"> Solstice Chase</a>. The three of us had talked about how we hadn’t gotten sick yet, the measures we were taking to make sure we weren’t getting sick, we talked about avoiding our friends who were sick, and how excited we were for Christmas, New Years, and for fat biking all winter long! Bartzen was thinking of adopting a dog, and truthfully a lot of the drive was finding adoptable dogs at the Humane Society or the <a href="https://www.petfinder.com/pet-search?shelter_id=MI296">Kent County Animal Shelter</a> and showing them to Bartzen, ooing and awing and imagining how great it would be to give a pup a home for the holidays. (He has since adopted Pezzo, an adorable pittie mix and they are inseparable!)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQf3nmgz58GJJEDHJs1Dzg1bpejZ8xky-n2ec5Wq_zHmIMhYhMhZJNyxcGZFDAwSoHKN1drLBDV98c6UG9z0cT4l0uRzYcH3d_w9Xmeg0WOq5Pxxi-YGUfR6DRHJ-DahCY5la-qrn-s3N5/s1600/1935403_10153868180586095_4630704323810502374_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQf3nmgz58GJJEDHJs1Dzg1bpejZ8xky-n2ec5Wq_zHmIMhYhMhZJNyxcGZFDAwSoHKN1drLBDV98c6UG9z0cT4l0uRzYcH3d_w9Xmeg0WOq5Pxxi-YGUfR6DRHJ-DahCY5la-qrn-s3N5/s320/1935403_10153868180586095_4630704323810502374_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Selfie game was tight this trip.</td></tr>
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The cold weather once we stepped out of the van in Wisconsin felt like a slap on the face! It was about 7 degrees and it felt SO cold! With a shocked expression, I looked at Danielle and said, “If THIS is cold, how am I going to do Arrowhead?!” We both started laughing nervously and ran back to the van.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS9CX7r7tKBPpIrvqwhjEFtTd6ienGl5pzS6HO1kgycq89encIGjI7y5WfyiAe3cc0DesF_0KryIj7BQf00MGcZcaUh8eETpaAnj9RrOjlK5enGLUKQmsismRK6t_OTHD03eOKDg5ok_Pq/s1600/12391177_10107008680350330_3033593357160952689_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS9CX7r7tKBPpIrvqwhjEFtTd6ienGl5pzS6HO1kgycq89encIGjI7y5WfyiAe3cc0DesF_0KryIj7BQf00MGcZcaUh8eETpaAnj9RrOjlK5enGLUKQmsismRK6t_OTHD03eOKDg5ok_Pq/s320/12391177_10107008680350330_3033593357160952689_n.jpg" width="256" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Chelsea Strate</td></tr>
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There wasn’t a lot of snow for the Solstice Chase, but it still felt like a fat
bike race because of the cold temperature, because of the atmosphere at Big
Rock Creek Retreat (big, shaggy cows, bonfires, white lights, etc.) and because
of nearly 300 fat bikers showing up for the race! It seems at the start of
every winter I have forgotten how to dress myself for the first race. I’ve been
doing a lot of training for long-distance stuff, and the issue I ran in to last
year at this same exact race was overdressing. I wind up riding faster than I
train, exerting more effort than I’m used to, and getting drenched in sweat.
Did that happen this year at the Solstice Chase? Yep! I nearly had it this
year, I was in a long sleeve base-layer, a long sleeve thermal jersey, and a
wind-stopper vest with my <a href="http://45nrth.com/products/wool/greazy">45nrth greazy cap</a> when I looked around and saw that
everyone else was wearing more… so I ditched the vest and thermal, put on my
heavier jacket and added a buff… It wasn’t long after the first couple of hills
that I regretted that decision! Everyone’s internal temperatures run different,
and I should have known better! By time the race was over and I took my jacket
off to change in to dry clothes, my wool base-layer was sopping wet with sweat
and steaming! I should have gone with my gut decision! Despite over dressing, I
was really, really happy with how I did at the Solstice Chase! I got to chase
after Jenna Rinehart, April Morgan, Danielle Musto, and Kyia Anderson…all super-fast,
super great ladies! There was a total of 23 women who did this race, and I am so excited about how many strong, awesome women were there! It made me so happy to see so many friends there! Huge difference from the first year at the Solstice Chase when there were only 3 women on the long course! I also caught a glimpse of Scott Patterson, from 45nrth,
just as I was climbing the last hill of the race and tried so hard to catch
him! Alas, I couldn’t catch that speedy guy. Maybe next time. ;)<br /><br />You can find full results <a href="http://www.gopherstateevents.com/results/fitness_events/results.asp?event_type=3&event_id=0">here</a>.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from Solstice Chase</td></tr>
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Huge thanks to Tom Morgan for giving me Danielle’s insulated water bottle with
CarboRocket in it for my second lap! Despite having an insulated hose, all of
the water in my hydrapak froze. Chelsea Strate suggested I try shoving the hose
in my jacket to thaw it out, so on a big climb I hopped off the bike and shoved
it in there. It never unfroze. So when Tom handed a bottle in my direction I
was surprised, but excited, and then also worried that Danielle would need her
water! Tom assured me she didn’t want it…so I took it, thinking, “Thanks,
teammate!” Apparently Danielle had told Tom she didn’t want it on her first
lap, so he assumed it was fair game, but as she came through again for the
second half of the last loop… she reached for it and he was so, so sorry! Whoops!
(I’ll bring you an extra bottle next time, Danielle! Thanks again, Tom!!!) </div>
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We hung out a little while after the Solstice Chase and took off to drive straight back home. Blech! There were some things we wanted to get to on Sunday and we theorized that waking up in our own beds would let us be more productive. So we loaded up and started driving… and then we saw a black Ford Transit behind us… It was Matt Acker and Jenny Scott! Danielle started driving slowly and I started unbuckling my pants. Steve started giggling uncontrollably in the back seat. We hit a passing lane and took the left-hand side… Matt and Jenny started to pass us on the right. BOOM! I got them! Moon-city USA!! It wasn’t long until I had gotten some texts from Jenny… “Nice fake butt!” “Emily looks good!” “Do you want to stop for pizza in 15 minutes?” I love traveling to races to meet up with friends who don’t live in the area, but I also love traveling to races because I get to do shenanigans with my friends from home! We stopped at a small-town pizza place and ordered some food with those two, and then headed out for the trek back home. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo and costume compliments of Jenny Scott</td></tr>
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Sunday afternoon, Danielle and I, and our friend - the head trail coordinator for the <a href="http://www.wmmba.org/">West Michigan Mountain Biking Alliance</a> - Ben met with the<a href="https://www.facebook.com/DirtyHerdGrandRapids/?fref=ts"> Dirty Herd</a>
running group at <a href="http://www.robinettes.com/bike-trail">Robinette’s Apple Orchard</a>. We wanted to start cross training…but
also wanted to meet the people who had been maintaining the trail at Robinette’s
to see how we could help. Turns out
we had shown up to the Dirty Herd’s annual Eggnog run, and some runners were
drinking an entire quart of eggnog out on the trail. We were dressed to
impress, so obviously the three of us couldn’t say no! Five miles and a
bazillion calories later, we were told that we needed to sprint to the finish. You
can imagine how that went. So in case anyone was wondering, the best way to
make friends with runners is to run with them and to make big, big fools out of
yourselves. ;)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Please... no more eggnog!</td></tr>
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Then there was Christmas. Then Jenny Scott had a birthday
pub-crawl bike ride. Then it was New Year’s Eve and the Hair of the Dog Ride on
New Year’s Day. Pair all of that with training and you have a recipe for one
thing: congestion in your entire face. Despite doing my best to keep my immune
system bumping I caught the cold that everyone else has had. Doh! Too much
brapping. <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">L</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgao2kSn3xEe0mKbSLUg46lLqPnvFcatrdikQrYE8rq_veKvaveWfjSPZ6vuYvrk5mTtDHS4_SupA0TDMZouy7EBaaOEggpCPN_HEPoQZvGKICbtGciqcVZmq7qCZj4wPieT5GAvauPso6q/s1600/treedown.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgao2kSn3xEe0mKbSLUg46lLqPnvFcatrdikQrYE8rq_veKvaveWfjSPZ6vuYvrk5mTtDHS4_SupA0TDMZouy7EBaaOEggpCPN_HEPoQZvGKICbtGciqcVZmq7qCZj4wPieT5GAvauPso6q/s320/treedown.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This tree was too big for my folding saw.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT4y2BT6AzsflWy0qODGFO3rfOPgBE3NZ6TG_XTsIdUKA_Bw0xGS-GFURK9tzQA8mNX4Ks5o-wwZDCEB_VqN25X5k6iU7V0VX8t44AzFTqeWqYQL9wjS5WXubNv15j2yXEZ5YaYl_IxrXi/s1600/12476061_10102999268473955_1458400489_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT4y2BT6AzsflWy0qODGFO3rfOPgBE3NZ6TG_XTsIdUKA_Bw0xGS-GFURK9tzQA8mNX4Ks5o-wwZDCEB_VqN25X5k6iU7V0VX8t44AzFTqeWqYQL9wjS5WXubNv15j2yXEZ5YaYl_IxrXi/s320/12476061_10102999268473955_1458400489_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2 riders 1 bike // Hair of the Dog mid-ride-race // pic by Jenny Scott</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEPqM_uH4hFyt3IM3jszfiZtRed2tqRTUEdFxGCCfglOuUG4XCy5Pig1fLitnLZHVGSyY8COcpqFf1V4saDk7k91IkQNScWWaQ_hlskVDNOnMd3CKLzGmmN1Etml4-DEz6N99RojdmSEP-/s1600/biketree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEPqM_uH4hFyt3IM3jszfiZtRed2tqRTUEdFxGCCfglOuUG4XCy5Pig1fLitnLZHVGSyY8COcpqFf1V4saDk7k91IkQNScWWaQ_hlskVDNOnMd3CKLzGmmN1Etml4-DEz6N99RojdmSEP-/s320/biketree.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bike Parking</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnYlQhQSRg_m62vW43JDoNJT0LiWYV1xaRHJ6DwnuUL2-sPM1PfxHq4cZTluC1RxQWlq4w0C6WQK9SZABhdDNt98FjkS5oDJbia3Z9_-oBH5ZGAYvS705gXcThmwNR-yBCgLDVanEZagDt/s1600/fort1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnYlQhQSRg_m62vW43JDoNJT0LiWYV1xaRHJ6DwnuUL2-sPM1PfxHq4cZTluC1RxQWlq4w0C6WQK9SZABhdDNt98FjkS5oDJbia3Z9_-oBH5ZGAYvS705gXcThmwNR-yBCgLDVanEZagDt/s320/fort1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scouting land for fat bike trail</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgTSINP60a4L02WSJnmF6zNS940ZwfkNOhXSn5_3dRQPqab5VdUihJlZQKH7hMReJpO21YjHcqQFWPCCVVKduDBH2cRKgbo3FFdSkQ0D8P20VxVakak6spAJniRhdNr5COakhp5gPfhFJc/s1600/horsemanning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgTSINP60a4L02WSJnmF6zNS940ZwfkNOhXSn5_3dRQPqab5VdUihJlZQKH7hMReJpO21YjHcqQFWPCCVVKduDBH2cRKgbo3FFdSkQ0D8P20VxVakak6spAJniRhdNr5COakhp5gPfhFJc/s320/horsemanning.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thanks to Jeffrey, we learned what "Horsemanning" is</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUU5Pb2jMJykvBHljzV7bP7c5Sjl5Pdy8hb2pS2yi-xoVrORg8atoVfunNiEpsSlyUfYkRsHPybcOLvo92rHncSTXw-r4EmyFpYd-2cXUDxIDisUOA5KwN6WsHD-D-yQ_Z1oluI4l3vpXv/s1600/fort.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUU5Pb2jMJykvBHljzV7bP7c5Sjl5Pdy8hb2pS2yi-xoVrORg8atoVfunNiEpsSlyUfYkRsHPybcOLvo92rHncSTXw-r4EmyFpYd-2cXUDxIDisUOA5KwN6WsHD-D-yQ_Z1oluI4l3vpXv/s320/fort.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"This counts as a bivvy, right?"</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFJIcuEzYScpxZjKH761Urvhov-4uU-EoA_a3VbCRrsBsKnf7KhjmvVgpXYGLtKcaXFLjaMbWmzhXdMrMus2jdoR8obp4r88Ba_IjlIANjR2KaWXn4LCCJK7xI7QyRHU7Ed-EF_4WlKDau/s1600/12476501_10102999269826245_508192404_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFJIcuEzYScpxZjKH761Urvhov-4uU-EoA_a3VbCRrsBsKnf7KhjmvVgpXYGLtKcaXFLjaMbWmzhXdMrMus2jdoR8obp4r88Ba_IjlIANjR2KaWXn4LCCJK7xI7QyRHU7Ed-EF_4WlKDau/s320/12476501_10102999269826245_508192404_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Thanks for the meme, Scott Spoo)</td></tr>
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So I sit here, on the couch with a space heater on me, surrounded by orange
juice, tea, water, cranberry juice, and ginger ale, covered in blankets. I was
supposed to do two long rides this week fully loaded as a last training push
for the <a href="http://www.arrowheadultra.com/index.php">Arrowhead 135</a>… buuuut I took extra naps and got ahead on doing some
computer work. Doh! If I can kick this
thing by the weekend then I’ll do the long rides Monday and Tuesday and I
should still be fine. Good luck to everyone racing the <a href="https://tuscobia.wordpress.com/">Tuscobia 150</a> this
weekend! Feel better, everyone out there who has a cold! Fingers crossed I kick
this crud!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLZcQnMZtgyM4__JFyTDWXy5AU5Q6yEXLQdGNw9wzCkSp6Lq6O9l8xNoOksRt7A4zeJdV8NleKeX4xGMsuRioBrwmpHSq3cZ808zdIIEZK4ExoQdEnGxTlv0A_82Si8CE_8nbodK-TihLT/s1600/12516033_10102999268768365_89194248_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLZcQnMZtgyM4__JFyTDWXy5AU5Q6yEXLQdGNw9wzCkSp6Lq6O9l8xNoOksRt7A4zeJdV8NleKeX4xGMsuRioBrwmpHSq3cZ808zdIIEZK4ExoQdEnGxTlv0A_82Si8CE_8nbodK-TihLT/s320/12516033_10102999268768365_89194248_n.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Race #2 of the GLBFS, the Farmhand Fat Bike Race is next weekend! <br />Are you ready? My dad and sister are! ;)</td></tr>
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BillFartindalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04581092364521279774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-246444036584487637.post-29983258173041686202015-12-17T18:12:00.001-08:002015-12-17T18:12:22.788-08:00Getting ready for Winter ;)So the last big race I actively trained for was the Fool's Gold 100. It was the last race of the <a href="http://nuemtb.com/">NUE series</a>, and quite frankly I was really relieved when I crossed the finish line. I had basically jumped right in to racing the NUE series immediately after the Great Lakes Fat Bike Series finished. The last race of the fat bike season was in March, followed by the Barry Roubaix (which GRBC sponsored -- and I HAD SO MUCH FUN AT!), and then it was April, and the start of my 100 mile mountain bike races...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_gc0a4eNm_q4wYlhzoPynlUFeESRncioUMGbbu6NwOR2gLnROIh1Bawiieg7dI1OrvKwhI0nsNFY2-LH5ibZAJBzbOz8yJcCuttfmk_G4EGuL5ISuNnWMngS_1vhlE_AYrKwHi5jGLqz-/s1600/jillpizza.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_gc0a4eNm_q4wYlhzoPynlUFeESRncioUMGbbu6NwOR2gLnROIh1Bawiieg7dI1OrvKwhI0nsNFY2-LH5ibZAJBzbOz8yJcCuttfmk_G4EGuL5ISuNnWMngS_1vhlE_AYrKwHi5jGLqz-/s320/jillpizza.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pic by Jenny Scott. Pretty much what all my dreams are made of.</td></tr>
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Fool's Gold ended in September and I remember getting home and crawling in bed with Dan and telling him, "<b>I'm done racing until December, I promise!</b>"<br /><br />That was a lie.<br />
<br />
I couldn't help myself. It's an addiction, I swear! I seriously can't say no, especially when my friend Earl dangles a Cannondale tandem in my face and I've always wanted to try a tandem bicycle! It was quickly decided that we would race the <a href="http://www.thelowell50.com/">Lowell 50 </a>on his 26" tandem bicycle (complete with a fenders, a rear rack, a bell, and his family's Burley attachment...)<br /><br />Earl and I did one shake down ride on the tandem before race day. We went out for a 30 mile ride from his house and I laughed hysterically the entire time. Riding a tandem is SO MUCH FUN! The Lowell 50 is a gravel road race that takes off outside of Grand Rapids, and they have two distance options: 34 miles or 57 miles. While we were out on our test ride, we decided to hit up some single track at Cannonsburg Ski Hill. Both of us were literally shrieking, screaming, and giggling with joy! Earl is a super fast dude who races for the Founders team, and I am so lucky he let me ride with him! What a riot. Race day came around and we had a good laugh at the start when we looked around and realized we were the only tandem on a 26". We were definitely the only tandem with a banana peel hooked to the rear rack, most definitely the shortest duo on a tandem, and most likely the shortest two people straddling a bike at the start line. One other tandem team, in a matching kit, asked us how many races we've done together. When we cheerily answered that it was our first race we could see them thinking, "aw, how cute!"<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsJZgqvCYOehvXCFe4fGhLSuyW9iMGEMrzm627kn3BheM2dPVohxlF-SoL6w3k4RVei1bW45tGHAvVMWxNAz7lmg-33kTjje3-YqlEYI2t9hc86TineXcXBdEbF8K10gXfAxqtSg9C4r3T/s1600/tandem1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsJZgqvCYOehvXCFe4fGhLSuyW9iMGEMrzm627kn3BheM2dPVohxlF-SoL6w3k4RVei1bW45tGHAvVMWxNAz7lmg-33kTjje3-YqlEYI2t9hc86TineXcXBdEbF8K10gXfAxqtSg9C4r3T/s320/tandem1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thanks for the photo, Jack!</td></tr>
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Oh yeah, the Lowell 50 was on Halloween, and although I had rush shipped a Mario and Luigi costume, they sadly hadn't arrived. I wore a dinosaur helmet as a last resort.<br /><br />Earl and I somehow managed to maintain nearly a 21mph average for 57 miles. We came in 17th overall at the Lowell 50 and 1st place tandem by over a half hour! Needless to say, I LOVED IT, I loved dinging my bell, and I cannot wait to race another tandem race with Earl! (Barry Roubaix, perhaps?!)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0AKFiosa2-9qqeU823ymM23AFDN3HIUmowr4VW_aZCzmZNefsfmKnIXXC7EA2ZKdqVxJ-BcFMb-2be2JxseSZJCZWcC-ZsWsiCFhwE2t2gvrymfanUminqPZhH-fv1O0CSUU_kEZPpKck/s1600/tandem.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0AKFiosa2-9qqeU823ymM23AFDN3HIUmowr4VW_aZCzmZNefsfmKnIXXC7EA2ZKdqVxJ-BcFMb-2be2JxseSZJCZWcC-ZsWsiCFhwE2t2gvrymfanUminqPZhH-fv1O0CSUU_kEZPpKck/s320/tandem.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">team QUADZILLA</td></tr>
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The day after the Lowell 50 I raced the Grand Rapids Bicycle Company's sponsored <a href="http://kisscross.com/">KissCross</a> race at Manhattan Park. I'm incredibly terrible at cross racing. I come to a complete stop before hopping over barriers.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrswAK3K-J40Et89xLfJmU-ateo3C3NLexUiSagDLitxSGMgSR9-Ep2UkjvkwVGNBIFq9f3rQ9XvIPLQiZtK5lO9zQ3Gzpm8PzKtwE15bnjVEs35E220Tbxm-DClhGRl5LxJHpLKF02YZM/s1600/cross.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrswAK3K-J40Et89xLfJmU-ateo3C3NLexUiSagDLitxSGMgSR9-Ep2UkjvkwVGNBIFq9f3rQ9XvIPLQiZtK5lO9zQ3Gzpm8PzKtwE15bnjVEs35E220Tbxm-DClhGRl5LxJHpLKF02YZM/s320/cross.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Terrible at barriers.</td></tr>
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I also can't resist the beer/fireball hand ups. I magically came in 3rd place at the race for B women, and I was really happy to bring some Pro Gold Bike Wash home as a prize for Dan. My poor Salsa Beargrease was COVERED in mud. :(<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSG5UAmUjyidPNzMMe7aqJPIX_bEguZq9LAc2FzW6N2WN49VIrj4_oG3dZ-9AY2TIR1poQjiWNl6JSeNztXT7b2K_83PcIQm5nurpBRrad3aBoe1v1xVL6KIQDmYxMnIK2syIpqwGIHz6J/s1600/12190905_10206062319136863_6751590553296908332_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSG5UAmUjyidPNzMMe7aqJPIX_bEguZq9LAc2FzW6N2WN49VIrj4_oG3dZ-9AY2TIR1poQjiWNl6JSeNztXT7b2K_83PcIQm5nurpBRrad3aBoe1v1xVL6KIQDmYxMnIK2syIpqwGIHz6J/s320/12190905_10206062319136863_6751590553296908332_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Patrick Helsel</td></tr>
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I had told Dan I wasn't planning on racing the Iceman, but when my Dad got a Surly Pugsley and said that he wanted to race I couldn't resist that, either. (I might have a bike problem...) I'm really happy I did race the Iceman because I had so much fun! I was seeded in wave 5 and managed to snag 2nd female fat biker behind my GRBC teammate Kati Krikke! GRBC had a really awesome campsite with Gravel Bottom Beer, some snacks, and a bonfire at it, too! The Cannondale truck was nearby with a vat full of yummy spiked hot cider and I got to see a ton of familiar faces at the after party. The Iceman was my Dad's first fat bike race, and when I saw him coming through the finish line shoot in a GRBC Lumberjack jersey and heard all my friends and teammates cheering for him... I was so incredibly proud of him! It makes me so happy to see him loving the same things I love.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieWUOuf38Ai9Drz0zzmZvCB6q3q9JvWq263kOC8F5OKQOdgAgDMgElZJXGwhi0eSgIu3gJaFnMuWrZSAXQr0nKbN-yns9fDTalKj9gg8NpdtbAWd9FcbCLow0eNZCNcaPHoJ-WtZwqFQ94/s1600/icemanpod.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieWUOuf38Ai9Drz0zzmZvCB6q3q9JvWq263kOC8F5OKQOdgAgDMgElZJXGwhi0eSgIu3gJaFnMuWrZSAXQr0nKbN-yns9fDTalKj9gg8NpdtbAWd9FcbCLow0eNZCNcaPHoJ-WtZwqFQ94/s320/icemanpod.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kati rules.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFnusNtWR7KThshqN88vageLfNNjRuDxIOqGhxg5zScoFuiwzOq7RNgMxOf9rdG2p1V9tRiwJTBN6fhvBKE_mAnzznQkQMVICPsbKiUmfmHKdcNVVFsqahKO2-yPFyab2DtPObRH0hRayg/s1600/icemandad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFnusNtWR7KThshqN88vageLfNNjRuDxIOqGhxg5zScoFuiwzOq7RNgMxOf9rdG2p1V9tRiwJTBN6fhvBKE_mAnzznQkQMVICPsbKiUmfmHKdcNVVFsqahKO2-yPFyab2DtPObRH0hRayg/s320/icemandad.jpg" width="176" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What a BEIST!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnLNQfPnz1M82XnITksJPuFyXEStvQNjVIqc_seogFYbMnd05lWf0sV-FOOnPUY-T_HMiPHfj5YCKOApSj80WosDfqn03camCliG3sOubI2V9yCakAZluwQt8fYGWggsqtMLncD7ODa5-x/s1600/bikepack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnLNQfPnz1M82XnITksJPuFyXEStvQNjVIqc_seogFYbMnd05lWf0sV-FOOnPUY-T_HMiPHfj5YCKOApSj80WosDfqn03camCliG3sOubI2V9yCakAZluwQt8fYGWggsqtMLncD7ODa5-x/s320/bikepack.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">FAT BIKES</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I spent some of my "off season" doing bikepacking trips, too. Dan and I went on a trip with packable fishing poles and our fat bikes and we rode part of the North Country Trail. We walked our bikes across a suspension bridge and camped on the Manistee River Trail. I did a 200 mile round trip with a big group of friends in two days and we stayed in a hotel that was also having a sorority party the only weekend that we've had snow in Michigan this winter so far. <div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7pUWcDLiU5L-zMjOGEoveGXd09HnTT6hsRMn2bVCLBisyn4ehBmIYEqbj92ptxYT0ZCfYu5FTlkplgYrZuIm2W2i1KrLoKi_YYyX0ZKacLa_Geh-Kt9wTNOKfif6ohZI87fCINgPRTrFJ/s1600/ladies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7pUWcDLiU5L-zMjOGEoveGXd09HnTT6hsRMn2bVCLBisyn4ehBmIYEqbj92ptxYT0ZCfYu5FTlkplgYrZuIm2W2i1KrLoKi_YYyX0ZKacLa_Geh-Kt9wTNOKfif6ohZI87fCINgPRTrFJ/s320/ladies.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jane Van Hof was <i>totally </i>there.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Dan and I rode a lot together, too, which is typically rare when I'm trying to get some training rides in. Instead of worrying about getting a work out in, I was able to explore with him and to go on other group rides, like the <a href="http://wmmba.org/">WMMBA</a>'s last organized group ride of the year, the Turkey Burner ride at Yankee Springs. I've never been on the Turkey Burner ride before (I've always had to work Black Friday) but this year Grand Rapids Bicycle Co. had closed for a long weekend so that anyone who wanted to travel or ride could do so! (Thanks, Tom Smith!!!) I loved it. We got to ride with teammates, coworkers, friends, and new acquaintances, and we got beer and nachos at the Sand Bar afterwards. The community of mountain bikers in West Michigan is a lot of fun and I'm so lucky to be around them.<br /><br />Speaking of the community here, we had a <a href="http://45nrth.com/">45NRTH</a> Ride Groomed event at the GRBC East Paris location and we were able to raise quite a bit of dough for the WMMBA to earmark towards <a href="http://groomedsingletrack.com/">grooming fat bike trails</a> this winter! The amount of pride I feel when I think about GRBC and 45NRTH and all that they do for the community is ridiculous. It feels so good to be in cahoots with such incredibly brands and shops (including all the good folks at <a href="http://www.velocityusa.com/">Velocity USA</a> - thanks you guys for organizing group rides, for all the hangs, and supporting <a href="http://www.skirtsinthedirt.com/">Skirts in the Dirt</a>!) and I feel incredibly lucky any time I think about who my teammates, coworkers, or sponsors are!<br /><br />I was able to do an interview with Andrea Pirkey on <a href="http://mountainbikeradio.com/agirlwhorides/jill-martindale/">Mountain Bike Radio </a>recently about fat biking and winter riding, too. Thanks Ben, Andrea, and Mountain Bike Radio!<br /><br />Last weekend, Dan and I headed up to the Upper Peninsula for <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1020978951258452/">45NRTH and Blackrocks Brewery's Winter Kick Off Party</a>. We drove up and met up with all of team 45NRTH and a few other friends up in Marquette, Michigan. <b>Holy cow</b>. I've never had six pack abs before in my entire life, but I'm pretty sure after laughing so much this past weekend that I'm the closest I've ever been to having one! We did team photos, we hung out, we drank beers, we goofed off, there was a<a href="https://www.facebook.com/UPCross-235186753207410/?fref=ts"> UPCross</a> cyclocross race, we rode incredibly rocky single track that had me laughing out of nervousness because it was the most technical stuff I've ever ridden (the UP is a whole other animal of riding! I can't wait to go back!) and we got to hang out in beautiful Marquette, Michigan.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGQlPcfHrsco-00l8btOMnAfL6dwFl23_ZG6f9YtfzBxpUzsX9E0ZYm2Tnawe37UBijG3427T9yqVfudGWaXaewfMpWeKlT35QLZi_5daI_iSjykudtpa_BUmcvjGNwdCi2B7gjbv4Iwlp/s1600/upcross1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGQlPcfHrsco-00l8btOMnAfL6dwFl23_ZG6f9YtfzBxpUzsX9E0ZYm2Tnawe37UBijG3427T9yqVfudGWaXaewfMpWeKlT35QLZi_5daI_iSjykudtpa_BUmcvjGNwdCi2B7gjbv4Iwlp/s320/upcross1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">30 mins of cross was enough for me after having had a few beers...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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It completely blows my mind because my brother and sister-in-law went to Northern Michigan University for FOUR YEARS and they NEVER mountain biked! It's incredible up there!!! Beautiful, scenic, great people, great beer, great everything. I <strike>want</strike> need to go back! Thank you so much 45NRTH for bringing all of us up there. It made me so excited to get home and to help make our singletrack as amazing as it is up there and to work really hard on amping up my technical abilities. Next time I come up there, I <i>will</i> be able to ride so much more than this time around!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZqW6l4WXtMODLw03ntXyzhiE4S_Y82fnYEwPVOcUIPft7UGFM7D1SL7Pew8sW0JYQxIfB_L_IfLp-6pwVNyzlMHQW8dut_3ZZYGL7-Wg35rQhzO8RfhBevPZCvn0SNZUEOlx-xDcBvqwm/s1600/upcross2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZqW6l4WXtMODLw03ntXyzhiE4S_Y82fnYEwPVOcUIPft7UGFM7D1SL7Pew8sW0JYQxIfB_L_IfLp-6pwVNyzlMHQW8dut_3ZZYGL7-Wg35rQhzO8RfhBevPZCvn0SNZUEOlx-xDcBvqwm/s320/upcross2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by 45NRTH</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Tomorrow morning, there's a few of us caravaning up to St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin for the FIRST FAT BIKE RACE OF THE<a href="http://www.greatlakesfatbikeseries.com/"> GREAT LAKES FAT BIKE SERIES</a>! I cannot believe it's fat bike season already, and I cannot believe that <a href="http://www.arrowheadultra.com/index.php">Arrowhead</a> is a little more than a month away! Ahhh! I'm so lucky!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOIK3tXgJ9G8vfdQLjp5a8XjzH98ZsA5q99D9Ql2fbsO0_c3wdRj_kZd_VV3EsZy52o_guIldm7jV_woYl1EOLrKDocr7DbT7zlly2-6JZzUcsSUwe7iiKdH6rpZ0vYp2PFjDX3ELo4MdE/s1600/_KCB7302.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOIK3tXgJ9G8vfdQLjp5a8XjzH98ZsA5q99D9Ql2fbsO0_c3wdRj_kZd_VV3EsZy52o_guIldm7jV_woYl1EOLrKDocr7DbT7zlly2-6JZzUcsSUwe7iiKdH6rpZ0vYp2PFjDX3ELo4MdE/s320/_KCB7302.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We also got Christmas Card photos by Katy Batdorff.. stay tuned to see our cards!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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BillFartindalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04581092364521279774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-246444036584487637.post-33271206646530656292015-10-07T09:40:00.002-07:002015-10-07T09:46:30.316-07:00The NUE Series was a blast! <div class="MsoNormal">
Sitting here writing this, it’s hard to believe that it’s
already October and that the summer is officially “over.” Done-zo. The leaves
are rapidly changing, everything is pumpkin flavored, I’ve already broken out
the wool base-layer on multiple occasions, and I basically watched both Dan and
my Spearfish sigh with relief when I unloaded the van after coming home from
the last <a href="http://nuemtb.com/">NUE series</a> race of the year: the <a href="http://nuemtb.com/series/fools-gold-ultra-endurance-mountainbike-race">Fool’s Gold 100</a>. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgheGk6MvXk2Gz2zGFJdtkwmlItc3gcooLV2Q0eRqGDJj-JkIlYrc86vIc1kbSLK-mCC9h1riEBfU3hX8prUnlGHFedQv2iCV5UGq-tsSKZzXojGKpKm81QtX19wIYnyaACYZ9dfqsQsa-F/s1600/12092468_10102864489167765_1851465285_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgheGk6MvXk2Gz2zGFJdtkwmlItc3gcooLV2Q0eRqGDJj-JkIlYrc86vIc1kbSLK-mCC9h1riEBfU3hX8prUnlGHFedQv2iCV5UGq-tsSKZzXojGKpKm81QtX19wIYnyaACYZ9dfqsQsa-F/s320/12092468_10102864489167765_1851465285_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Salsa Spearfish: my bike of choice. Perfect for long days of singletrack!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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But DAMN! That was a summer well spent!<br />
<br />
I am so thankful to have the support of my parents, my mechanic/boyfriend Dan, my coach and mentor, Danielle Musto, and of all of my coworkers and teammates at Grand Rapids Bicycle Company. Not to mention all of the love from Velocity USA and NiteRider. I am one luck mountain biking gal!!! </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghdHNoeIn46bYx4GHDXgwMe4trHP7LlGx5GHIFkQeyftRr99OJLGRAeLngOuKpNmJPLLHEIJGzyDM4l_Bjq1oNzoUbSnAY6c1jmEVszFx-ALg5yUljVr6e6i2HxWASYyJOnayn6EC06jq7/s1600/D8E_9968-%2528ZF-4496-20092-1-001%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghdHNoeIn46bYx4GHDXgwMe4trHP7LlGx5GHIFkQeyftRr99OJLGRAeLngOuKpNmJPLLHEIJGzyDM4l_Bjq1oNzoUbSnAY6c1jmEVszFx-ALg5yUljVr6e6i2HxWASYyJOnayn6EC06jq7/s320/D8E_9968-%2528ZF-4496-20092-1-001%2529.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fools Gold 100</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I’d be lying if I said it was a relaxing summer. I can count the amount of times
I went to the beach on one hand, which is sort of sad considering I live not even 45 minutes from Lake Michigan. I’m really excited to be able to go on a camping trip with Dan this weekend because racing took up nearly every
weekend since the Barry Roubaix! There were times when I took my Spearfish out
on the road all cleaned and freshly tuned and I literally returned it covered
in cow poop. Sorry, Dan! Endurance racing really puts your bike through
the ringer, especially when the race is in muddy conditions or if the rider is
clumsy (aka me!) When I wasn’t traveling for a race, I was training for one. Or I
was working at the shop or helping to organize Skirts in the Dirt. I did, however, learned
some bike-life hacks this summer while participating in the NUE series:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRW04qOV71lWygyQ2i-EeJG-GAoGgDJk32BOt-MoEuFW3PQE5EwIJh5luEne6sXr1E8bWuqI35KlBz7nqFI2cwEfwLaiDNzu_qVO-0ZKBmZ0CIH8CRrfLf2wNKPYkvvIDIzpb7aVTdLZMv/s1600/tatanka1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRW04qOV71lWygyQ2i-EeJG-GAoGgDJk32BOt-MoEuFW3PQE5EwIJh5luEne6sXr1E8bWuqI35KlBz7nqFI2cwEfwLaiDNzu_qVO-0ZKBmZ0CIH8CRrfLf2wNKPYkvvIDIzpb7aVTdLZMv/s320/tatanka1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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1. Braiding your hair and wearing a hat helps with helmet hair and elongates
the period of time you can go between showering. This is actually something I
learned prior to the NUE series, but it’s something I wish I would have
discovered sooner. I wasn’t a hat
person, and now I keep one at all times in my van. I also keep one in my locker
at the shop. I like wearing a cycling cap while riding because it keeps mud,
dirt, cow poopie, and bugs out of my hair. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioYmm6MS0-tUj65kP8KV-ACA6xg1jF6lxcE9HrTcWrjo200yFVef4mXwKeqrtJWJ8GKeSKPHcCTu8HlZ3gE0j8vZbHCCIAqvTH3fpoA2VKg10mP2Q-6LM7XNa73VHHf8HYI-K_xxZ72eTs/s1600/12083986_10102864489202695_399142611_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioYmm6MS0-tUj65kP8KV-ACA6xg1jF6lxcE9HrTcWrjo200yFVef4mXwKeqrtJWJ8GKeSKPHcCTu8HlZ3gE0j8vZbHCCIAqvTH3fpoA2VKg10mP2Q-6LM7XNa73VHHf8HYI-K_xxZ72eTs/s320/12083986_10102864489202695_399142611_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Early on the shuttle at the Tatanka 100</td></tr>
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2. If you’re camping at the race venue, gather all of your
bike gear together and plop it next to your sleeping bag. Remember a jacket and
pants that can be shed easily before the race start. Some mornings it can be
chilly and you’ll be happy to put on your bike clothing in the warmth of your
sleeping bag. You can emerge from the tent like a little butterfly, ready to
ride!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNtnH-Z3lFxvkVWdeYXmWu1SA1RhyMlbAYTXeg6cfSf0bJ1cAH1SCfKw-bDndw_l3RUa_44l2DLh4vxSNnGxKWD1uJ7sGySXMzMi1oiIUDRrFer2WVJBnY69-iGEsmPB_bI7zSpoNtJQ6I/s1600/12092270_10102864489132835_1917550496_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNtnH-Z3lFxvkVWdeYXmWu1SA1RhyMlbAYTXeg6cfSf0bJ1cAH1SCfKw-bDndw_l3RUa_44l2DLh4vxSNnGxKWD1uJ7sGySXMzMi1oiIUDRrFer2WVJBnY69-iGEsmPB_bI7zSpoNtJQ6I/s320/12092270_10102864489132835_1917550496_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Skirts in the Dirt</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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3. Bring a thermos and fill it with hot coffee the night
before the race. Make sure it’s a good thermos, because if you get the cheap
one on sale at the store your coffee won’t be hot the next morning and you’ll
be really sad when you have cold coffee. More often than not, hot coffee won’t
be available immediately upon waking up. I don’t know about you, but I have to
have coffee stat as soon as I wake up or else I am useless. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjONhAQztrHKFjC-PAGDqwjPa0jBE30Oj8Eq3VxfQWXeblTioMf4xHZaPv3l9NFB2p-hwVZW6_27yILU1Y1WMfz0LDsFWYhvmUZfc_gHLuBimatWGCz4DcePkptwT-QxB36Ub5DM9y4h1QA/s1600/12071440_10102864489097905_765416166_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjONhAQztrHKFjC-PAGDqwjPa0jBE30Oj8Eq3VxfQWXeblTioMf4xHZaPv3l9NFB2p-hwVZW6_27yILU1Y1WMfz0LDsFWYhvmUZfc_gHLuBimatWGCz4DcePkptwT-QxB36Ub5DM9y4h1QA/s320/12071440_10102864489097905_765416166_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Niagara Falls on the way to the Hampshire 100 with my family.</td></tr>
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4. Speaking of coffee and waking up, make sure you wake up
early enough so that you can comfortably eat a good breakfast. I’ve made the
mistake of shoving food in my mouth before fully waking up and feeling nauseous
for the rest of the day. Plus, my body has a routine: coffee first, morning BM,
eat some yum yums, ride.<o:p></o:p></div>
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5. Are you using Schwalbe tires? Get Snakeskins. So. Much.
Better! What wheels are you running? Get Velocity Blunt SS’s. So. Much. Better! (Also go tubeless!) Previously
mentioned: I’m clumsy. I also wasn’t used to riding outside of the Midwest.
Beyond the Michigan style single-track I know and love exists a whole world of
single-track with rocks shaped differently from here. They’re sharp, pointy,
they move differently, sometimes they’re slimier, sometimes they’re stacked
higher. The ground is different too. I learned a word this season, “loam.” It’s
like riding over a giant sponge and then having some moss covered off-camber
roots tossed in for “fun.” Most recently, the Fool’s Gold 100 had shiny red
dirt that left my skin covered in glittery dust. Having a tough sidewall on my
tire kept me from having to put a boot in or fix a flat while out racing. I
heard a lot of PINGS that should have given me flats. Having those wide Blunt
SS rims gave me additional traction rolling over stuff that scared me and brought tears to my
eyes. I literally saw so many folks with flats out on those courses! Another
tip: bring extra CO2 cartridges. I didn’t want to give my only cartridge away
in the middle of a 100-mile race, so I started bringing an extra because so
many other people were asking if I had a spare and I hate being unable to help other racers. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnAsB-USskQJ25Ix3ZbKNMn9wip9i_x6ocnmuLn-oeFaN7fvOfA_MoxO2wraQ3KGajE3q-iJaQrewdrowVpvWSr9yPKrvczmUIwuYQjXOgI7H2XuP5j7Uwj1oF4s2ovzJ9cs-XpZxM_7T9/s1600/12092230_10102864488289525_64523717_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnAsB-USskQJ25Ix3ZbKNMn9wip9i_x6ocnmuLn-oeFaN7fvOfA_MoxO2wraQ3KGajE3q-iJaQrewdrowVpvWSr9yPKrvczmUIwuYQjXOgI7H2XuP5j7Uwj1oF4s2ovzJ9cs-XpZxM_7T9/s320/12092230_10102864488289525_64523717_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A little pause from racing to hike to the top of Bald Mountain with these babes!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhvmNGZS69-3CCsCEqcvJnWtwcypPjPHwU4cvGTMB-bcjYBI-v2VDUsCxzTw2D1IRy2NhB_uAqktfWa5_FxTLrd6VAlCqYWHeIqidqSKGY5ZiUY1E2fV9Uf89mMfZ6wiaDMbgKeJqlo7Bz/s1600/12067973_10102864488364375_1512955919_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhvmNGZS69-3CCsCEqcvJnWtwcypPjPHwU4cvGTMB-bcjYBI-v2VDUsCxzTw2D1IRy2NhB_uAqktfWa5_FxTLrd6VAlCqYWHeIqidqSKGY5ZiUY1E2fV9Uf89mMfZ6wiaDMbgKeJqlo7Bz/s320/12067973_10102864488364375_1512955919_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm so lucky Dan puts up with me!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
6. If something on your bike is pretty close to wearing out, replace it before the next 100 mile race! Don't try to stretch it through "one last race" because it'll probably break. Before leaving for the Fool's Gold 100, Dan told me I needed new pedals. I should have listened to my mechanic. ALWAYS listen to your mechanic! I wound up blowing my pedal up and trying to ride on the spindle through some gnarly single track. Luckily, Sarah Temby was at the next aid station and had been pulled due to a time cut-off. Aid Station volunteers allowed me to use Sarah's shoes and pedals to continue onwards with the race! Thanks Sarah!!!!!!!!<div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">WALL DRUG</td></tr>
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7. Enjoy it! If you're traveling to a race with teammates, friends, family, or even by yourself... stop and check out some cool things! How often are you able to see gigantic water falls, Wall Drug, or some other totally awesome stuff? My dad still gushes about the burger joint we stopped at in Niagara Falls, Ontario. I'm still laughing about how I forgot to bring my wallet when we drove down for the Mohican 100. The adventure can be in the actual ride itself, but a lot of the times there's adventure in getting there.<br />
<br />
My goal for the NUE series was to make top 5 overall. I wound up 6<sup>th</sup>
overall in the series after a string of mishaps that are no one else’s fault
than my own. I can spend a lot of time playing the “what if” game, or beating
myself up about making silly mistakes, but in truth I gave it my all. I jumped
in to something that was a little over my head and I’m really happy with how
things went this summer! I learn best by throwing myself at something and this
summer I threw myself at a lot of riding that has pushed my limits and made me
a better mountain biker. I took a wrong turn at one race, I crashed my brains
out and kept trying to ride with a crooked cockpit in another race, I came across a BEAR in one, and I met some amazing humans. It ruled. I can't wait to participate in the series again. I highly recommend the NUE series, I highly recommend endurance riding, and I highly recommend riding outside of familiar trail. So good!<br />
<br />
So what will I do now that the NUE series is over? GET READY FOR FAT BIKE SEASON! :)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So excited to represent GRBC and 45NRTH this winter!</td></tr>
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BillFartindalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04581092364521279774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-246444036584487637.post-29746548506326830522015-07-07T16:32:00.001-07:002015-07-07T16:32:56.170-07:00I love being a LumberJack! (er, a LumberJill?)<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCyfPezAVrxgw3fnU7YSHrM8W3te6nu0v3IgQjnIWRhEB_KdOxQx7hy9OSecaAZG_8ZEyGOREDB6CM1V8f-RiDosZYK-8C-2zyMZw8AFsBgWuu3AFKl8_N-EX6GPYUacIGMiLMaweUc1PX/s1600/11146652_10206896706964042_3380619572533142503_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCyfPezAVrxgw3fnU7YSHrM8W3te6nu0v3IgQjnIWRhEB_KdOxQx7hy9OSecaAZG_8ZEyGOREDB6CM1V8f-RiDosZYK-8C-2zyMZw8AFsBgWuu3AFKl8_N-EX6GPYUacIGMiLMaweUc1PX/s320/11146652_10206896706964042_3380619572533142503_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo credit: Jack Kunnen</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Finally, my <a href="http://lumberjack100.com/">Lumberjack 100</a> race report! I feel like I’m
still grinning ear to ear after this race! There’s nothing like racing in
Michigan and seeing all of my friends out on the trails. There’s nothing like
racing on Michigan trails, period! They’re flowy with punchy climbs and fun
little momentum spots that shoot you up the next hill. Plus, I feel like I’ve
done enough races by now to conclude that I love lap races. I love coming up against
the same features over and over; it makes it feel like practice to me and I
love gauging how I improve with each lap. When you totally botch a climb or a
downhill section, you have the opportunity to go back to it to try it again.
When a hill sucks bad, you know exactly how many sucky hills are ahead of you
(and if there are no more sucky hills ahead of you!) You also learn where all
of the twisty spots are at so you can pedal, pedal, pedal on the fast parts of
the trail and strategically take some drinks on the fire roads; try to pass
people before it gets to a spot where they might slow down; and you can leave
extra hydration packs and snacks at your own tent to grab quickly between laps,
and you feel refreshed and recharged finishing a lap and heading out for
another. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijivzq5yzsVYRWVkXo4M1tZxBCdsUt9W5_9DNd-bR5psSSq046HBbccNe4rqNU2F-eqMFxKxFdbg7L0hyqtMWw-xVs-wva8jv7kcELMKGAMDv_YIhRxgRgAdlltfJwRTrR-YvugWFSBTWQ/s640/blogger-image-1411354208.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijivzq5yzsVYRWVkXo4M1tZxBCdsUt9W5_9DNd-bR5psSSq046HBbccNe4rqNU2F-eqMFxKxFdbg7L0hyqtMWw-xVs-wva8jv7kcELMKGAMDv_YIhRxgRgAdlltfJwRTrR-YvugWFSBTWQ/s640/blogger-image-1411354208.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Packing up the PIZZAAA mobile with Danielle Musto and Scott Spoo</td></tr>
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Lucky for me, the Lumberjack
100 was 3 laps of 33ish miles. This year, the Lumberjack 100 course went the
opposite way than it did last year. I thought last year had a lot of climbing…
turns out last year was easier! The course had about 9,000 feet of climbing.
Which wasn’t actually that bad considering the elevation from the other races
that I’ve done this season! Another bonus from the Lumberjack 100 this year?
There were some awesome people hanging out at the GRBC tent during the race! I
made new friends from folks helping me to snag my snacks, including
professional mountain bike racer <a href="http://www.sonyalooney.com/">Sonya Looney</a>! Everyone was super encouraging
during my pit stops and it made me want to get out there and to do a good job
for them! Plus, seeing so many friends from near and far made me want to keep going: it was so much fun! The volunteers, the custom Lumberjack swag, everything about it... I absolutely love this race!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiljmN3ia0ou_4zSdEXs1WpEAxNjutX_1A5OHIuxlaR6JSazppUdj_Ycp6NFfs9DYyG7sHTLlTqr2kglZDZnC9EGX2BL24XKsBWHqLWatNqok6uwcXMNyhs5-zhpx8uq7BuOIlzIVcRNJDf/s1600/1240033_10206881934634743_3611376879335087767_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiljmN3ia0ou_4zSdEXs1WpEAxNjutX_1A5OHIuxlaR6JSazppUdj_Ycp6NFfs9DYyG7sHTLlTqr2kglZDZnC9EGX2BL24XKsBWHqLWatNqok6uwcXMNyhs5-zhpx8uq7BuOIlzIVcRNJDf/s320/1240033_10206881934634743_3611376879335087767_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fooling around with Danielle and Jeff Jacobi before race day.<br />Photo: Jack Kunnen</td></tr>
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I think the best part of the whole race was seeing so many women out
there racing! There were 36 women pre-registered for the Lumberjack 100, with 5
women pre-registered for racing it single speed. Huge, huge kudos to all of the
women who were out there! Seeing so many women on the start list was awesome
and made me really proud to be racing alongside everyone so close to home! It
was amazing to stand on the podium with such fun women. PLUS huge kudos to the
women who tackled that course on a single speed! I shift so often that
sometimes I’ll catch myself down-shifting while pushing my bike up a hill.
Doing 100 miles on a single speed is something that makes my knee shiver in
fear. You women are strong and bad ass, no matter how long it took you to
complete the course or how fast you were able to do it. Big thanks to Sonya for
having such a positive, encouraging attitude at the race, and for being so
helpful, despite having her injured wrist. It was really inspiring to talk to
her after the race and to hear her cheering for me when I came through between
laps. She also had a lot of great advice after the race to help me in future
races. I cannot wait to try those tips out!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvfS_gCdr3QN7yAJRS6_npcYaA_sV3Bv0qYlWqbNekLogPT37-JKB-6CKqtz_Z6u5vIc68AWQa5UL3gKC0RvClJGLsqOGraz_6-90YSAERPkkpUYN5lOyi6mFMLzrUN1LfQLrsgu-Z3f_I/s640/blogger-image--2043930570.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvfS_gCdr3QN7yAJRS6_npcYaA_sV3Bv0qYlWqbNekLogPT37-JKB-6CKqtz_Z6u5vIc68AWQa5UL3gKC0RvClJGLsqOGraz_6-90YSAERPkkpUYN5lOyi6mFMLzrUN1LfQLrsgu-Z3f_I/s640/blogger-image--2043930570.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These women are incredible and I am so lucky to stand with them!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Sidenote: If you’re wondering what I’ve been up to recently, I’ve been pretty
busy with helping to organize <a href="https://www.bikereg.com/skirts-in-the-dirt">Skirts in the Dirt</a>. Sign up and come out to play
with us! Skirts in the Dirt is a women’s only mountain bike race, that I am so
excited for this year – especially after seeing so many awesome women at this
race!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPEVzhGPU_BZwdi0zh1id7fg8pJ4YZ6xA0c-RqtPcu1aZmbz0flaJ75HTyQXjM_mI7sfatBtQXwfPl_c3u-9FrT2UfQ5A6mjRxvS_V0KCKhnnl6svrY2WawqGsKsehHI1Cjyu-6inrIXdJ/s640/blogger-image--1983161825.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPEVzhGPU_BZwdi0zh1id7fg8pJ4YZ6xA0c-RqtPcu1aZmbz0flaJ75HTyQXjM_mI7sfatBtQXwfPl_c3u-9FrT2UfQ5A6mjRxvS_V0KCKhnnl6svrY2WawqGsKsehHI1Cjyu-6inrIXdJ/s640/blogger-image--1983161825.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: Patrick Helsel</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So last year during the Lumberjack, I found myself having to go pee really
badly. I always do endurance races in
shorts despite thinking bibs are more comfortable because they call for quicker
bathroom stops. Last year I dropped my shorts on the side of the trail and
tried to force out the quickest pee – I took too long and the woman behind me
caught me and passed me. I pulled up my shorts, hopped on my mountain bike, and
tried to catch her. I was 2 minutes shy of 3<sup>rd</sup> place last year… I
know my bathroom break didn’t take me 2 whole minutes and that I never caught
her because she was stronger than me… but that was my scapegoat. That was where
I went wrong, even if it really wasn’t. This year? I was going to try my
damnedest to not stop for a bathroom break. Then I had to go to the bathroom
before I was even finished with lap two… Dang it! So here’s my confession. Here’s
my embarrassing Lumberjack 100 race secret. Here’s what I’m a little bit
ashamed of and what I’ve finally stooped to the level of doing during a race.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmjbL7c-XFVfjvlcAD-i5w904d68-LThMpLfCnmaOyVE-CuPfKRb36rs8i-Kxs7LmVJ8RKLxIXkimnWAUtsQnOE3jBUn37tPV70pvjQIM7ngdp3BPchyoVW8NiRXAEkYyvxcUWBUqqQyUp/s1600/2015+Lumberjack+100-124.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmjbL7c-XFVfjvlcAD-i5w904d68-LThMpLfCnmaOyVE-CuPfKRb36rs8i-Kxs7LmVJ8RKLxIXkimnWAUtsQnOE3jBUn37tPV70pvjQIM7ngdp3BPchyoVW8NiRXAEkYyvxcUWBUqqQyUp/s320/2015+Lumberjack+100-124.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What Rob didn't know... is that I had peed my pants.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I peed on the fire road. While riding my bike. I mean, I wasn’t technically
riding my bike, I was more so coasting and standing up on the pedals. But I was
clipped in on the pedals and I was cruising downhill pretty good. I just peed a
little, because I didn’t want to have any pee running down my leg. I peed a
little the next time I was on a fire road. A little more again on the next fire
road. I wound up finishing the Lumberjack 100 in 3<sup>rd</sup> place with a
time of 8 hours and 14 minutes, a whole half hour faster than my time last year
– with more climbing! I found out in the end that fourth place was nearly 15
minutes behind me…. Way more than enough time to go to the bathroom like a
normal person. As soon as I felt like I had to go, I just kept thinking, “NOT
AGAIN!” I had heard that triathletes peed themselves, so I did it. I’m not sure
if it’s for me, and it’s not a habit I am going to practice regularly… but I
did a little research after the Lumberjack 100 to see what other female
mountain bikers do while racing…<br />
<br />
One woman on a forum said that she holds it. She said races never take more
than 3-4 hours. Nope, that’s not going to work.<br />
<br />
There were a lot of jokes about using diapers or depends. <br />
<br />
Even more jokes referencing men and the tools that they are, erm, equipped to
urinate with.<br />
<br />
One article suggested shouting to the people you’re riding with that you have
to go in hopes that they’ll stop with you… yeah, right.<br />
<br />
What it kept coming down to as a last resort… go in your shorts. But most of
the articles were written for men. “A hint is to put your weight on one foot,
unclip your other foot, and bend the knee of your unclipped leg so that the
flow of liquid will spill off your knee instead of running down into your shoe.”<br />
<br />
After the Lumberjack 100, while making fun of myself to some other fellow
female racers, I heard of a technique where you could pull aside the leg of
your cycling shorts and do the quick pee standing up on the side of the trail. That’s
a cool technique, no one will see your buns, but you still have to get off of
your bike. So it looks like from here on out, when I’m in a big race where I
think it’ll matter, I guess I’m going to pee in my shorts – or bibs. The bright
side of this predicament is that at least I can start doing endurance races in
bibs again. The downside? I still feel
ashamed. Any ladies out there have some good advice for how you pee during a
race? I will gladly take any and all suggestions! <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4RFmHYwusrWpXS6OhFBo7Ll8U0LDjKDvg2bTlTAM4hCu6rtJrxzQWcEzAo0Ocz4rqCKUuqFL7laKqzlha8lF5RdZpUmCyXCRD3feBinOBiNVXUPN8g8AWkE3dla2TAT49_gY5OOwWvJQX/s1600/image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4RFmHYwusrWpXS6OhFBo7Ll8U0LDjKDvg2bTlTAM4hCu6rtJrxzQWcEzAo0Ocz4rqCKUuqFL7laKqzlha8lF5RdZpUmCyXCRD3feBinOBiNVXUPN8g8AWkE3dla2TAT49_gY5OOwWvJQX/s320/image.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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The good news is that this weekend is the <a href="http://www.tatanka100.com/">Tatanka 100</a> in South Dakota and that last year the
winning female did it in just under 12 hours. SO by that math, I should have
plenty of time to hone in on my “peeing while racing” skills. ;)<br />
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BillFartindalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04581092364521279774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-246444036584487637.post-67471084936167202212015-06-11T11:16:00.001-07:002015-06-11T11:25:28.269-07:00Race Report: Mashed Potatoes 100Erm, I mean the Mohican 100.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Team Grand Rapids setting up our camp</td></tr>
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I've heard that boiled potatoes with a little bit of olive oil and sea salt are awesome when you're on the bike for an extended amount of time. I knew that the Mohican 100 would be really humid and I wanted to prevent having any gut rot that would prevent me from eating or drinking and getting the calories that I needed during those hundred miles. Sometimes when it's humid I crave salty and savory, and all of the drink mix and gummy things that I eat start sounding unappetizing and I have a hard time making myself eat and drink. Before loading up my gear and heading to meet up with my GRBC teammate (and now coworker!) Tyler Keuning for the drive down to Loudonville, Ohio, I boiled some potatoes, dressed them in oil and sea salt, and wrapped them in tinfoil: 3 lil guys for two drop bags, and 3 lil guys for my jersey pocket. Those potatoes, along with my Shot Bloks, Sports Beans, CarboRocket Rocketlytes, and CarboRocket Half Evil drink mix was my nutrition plan for a hot and humid 100 miles. That oughta do it, right?!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roughing it</td></tr>
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Flash forward to one of the hike-a-bikes up a loose clay climb: it was hot. It was humid. The man racing behind me started vomiting. I looked up and saw some turkey vultures circling around us. I swear I saw some human bones scattered on the trail (okay, okay, they were probably just deer bones.) It was all so crazy! I started laughing nervously. I told myself that I would eat my last jersey pocket potato once I made it to the top of the climb. It was my reward. All day long I had been rewarding myself with little treat ideas for pushing forward: Watermelon from the aid station, just make it a little further! Coca cola from the aid station, go get it! Ice cold lemonade from the gas station on the ride home, but you have to finish first! Get that finisher growler and take some IPA back home to Dan! Oh boy I wanted lemonade so bad. I made it to the top of the hike-a-bike and reached in to my sweaty back pocket. The tinfoil did not feel like a round, firm boiled potato... it was in patty form. A sure sign that the race had become about survival and not about speed. I was having a rough time, you guys, and my potato was mashed because the first 30 miles of single track had beaten me up and I had repeatedly fallen on it; mauling my precious little potato treat. What a disappointment to rally up a hike-a-bike, imagining eating your snack like a salty apple, only to find that it looks as haggard as you feel. I ate it anyways and started pedaling again. Potato, po-tah-to. I'll take it.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When the going gets tough, trust in your "go fast" sticker to get you across the finish line. Thanks, Dan!</td></tr>
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For reals though, I'm really glad I did the Mohican 100! It was tough, it gave me bruises, it was hard, but it was also a lot of fun. Once the race became more about surviving and finishing, it became a growing experience. I'm still pretty inexperienced when it comes to slimy rocks and it was my first race on a full-suspension. I have a lot of learning to do! Honestly, I think I did pretty damn good holding my own out there, especially since I crashed so hard early on that I mangled my elbow and twisted my handlebars. I was bonking so hard. I couldn't quite figure out why I kept crashing when I'd try to roll over rocks or roots, and the moment of clarity where I realized it was because my bars were crooked was the point in the race where you can go one of two ways: 1) you can get down on yourself, decide to quit, and go back to bed, or 2) you can grab your multi-tool and straighten your bars, straighten your brake levers, adjust your headset, let a little bit of air out of your tires, ask a volunteer for some tape so you don't pack more dirt in to your bloody elbow, and you can find the humor in the fact that you're riding your bike with a bunch of really awesome like-minded individuals and that everyone is suffering a little bit and that's why you signed up for this race in the first place: to challenge yourself and to become a better mountain biker. And also to have fun. And also you thank your lucky stars that you remembered to bring your multi-tool. There was a man I passed through some singletrack who threw his head back and yelled at the sky in anguish and I hope he went with the latter option and wound up having a good time racing, too.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In my native habitat: food in mouth, minimal damage report, sweaty and muddy, laughing. Photo cred: Photoglyphix</td></tr>
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I met some awesome people out there on bikes during the course that helped to perk me up quite a bit. I kept hot dogging with some ladies racing the 100k, and rode with them for a little ways on the gravel roads. It started to feel more like a group ride and it was cool to cheer for each other on the climbs. Sometimes I ride faster when I have someone to chat with, and this was one of those situations. One woman fell over from cramps going up a hill and I gave her some sticky snacks and Rocketlytes from my gas tank bag before continuing on. She had a really great attitude about the whole thing and I was really excited for her when I saw her roll across the finish line. There's a strong solidarity between female mountain bikers and I'm so lucky to be surrounded by these positive and kick ass riders. We're all out there rooting for each other and it makes me so happy to see other women stick with it and to hang tough: it encourages me to do the same.<br />
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The rest of the course consisted of more climbing, more gravel roads, some paved roads, more segments of single track, more hike-a-bikes, more turkey vultures, enthusiastic volunteers at aid stations, more humidity, a rail trail, a suspension bridge, some sun showers, some thunder and heavy rain, and a paved section towards the end where I saw signs for Maggie's Lemonade stand. YES YES YES YES YES YES! I felt like I had willed the lemonade stand to magically appear!! YESSSS. I saw a minivan with a girl sitting on the tailgate. YES! I saw a table. I SAW SOME ICE COLD MOTHER EFFIN LEMONADE. I honestly couldn't believe my luck. I pedaled eagerly towards it. Then I saw the sign, "$1.00." Nooooooooooooo. "Oh, are you selling lemonade?" I asked the little girl, hoping to look pathetic and for her to take pity on me and to give me a tiny dixie cup full of free lemonade. "One dollar." She wasn't going to budge. I really couldn't be mad at her for trying to get some lemonade bucks, and I really didn't want her to feel bad for disappointing me, so I tried smiling and wished her good luck and I kept going. Sigh. Po-tah-to.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bright eyed and bushy tailed at the race start with my GR pals. Mike Bernhard, Tyler Keuning, and Tom Stritzinger</td></tr>
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Finally I made it to the last aid station. Just a few more miles of single track was left and then I'd be at the finish line! The last bit of single track was the same trail that we had hit in the beginning of the race and I was a little nervous because I knew it'd be rocky. There were some dark clouds and I wanted to finish before those rocks got slimy again. I don't know if it's because I was in better spirits or if it was because the course was indeed easier in the opposite direction, but I felt like the course was immensely easier in the opposite direction!! I looked for chunks of my elbow on the rock that took me down and started the bonk in the first place. I didn't see anything. I didn't mean anything to that rock. I kept riding and saw that I was heading towards the campground. After coming out of the single track, I heard someone riding behind me. Out of the corner of my eye I recognized the jersey: it was one of my GRBC teammates! I turned to see who it was and saw that it was Jay Morrison! I hadn't seen him pass me at all, but for some reason thought that he had already finished the race or something and that he had seen me and rode from our campsite, so I started joking with him that we were going to have a sprint finish. Then I realized he hadn't finished and that he actually was sprinting past me! I started screaming and laughing and rolled across the finish line a few seconds behind him. Gah!! Lesson learned: never announce that there could be a sprint finish. (Congrats, Jay!)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mohican 100 finisher! 11 hours, 11th female. Photo cred: Photoglyphix</td></tr>
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After the Mohican 100, I'm incredibly excited for the Lumberjack 100. Despite beating my little Salsa Spearfish up, it was the best I've felt after crashing and riding over rocks. That bike is fast, comfortable, and awesome! I'm so excited to race it again next weekend! I can't wait! I'll bring more boiled potatoes, and here's to hoping they don't get mashed!<br />
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BillFartindalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04581092364521279774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-246444036584487637.post-13667618227286049982015-05-28T17:32:00.001-07:002015-05-28T17:45:56.165-07:00Note to self: Don't take a wrong turn at the Mohican 100 like you did
at the Cohutta 100 ;)At the end of April I raced the first of five races I've signed up for in the National Ultra Endurance Series: the Cohutta 100. I absolutely loved it! All of it! Here's to hoping my second race of the series, the Mohican 100, goes a little bit better and is just as much fun. :)<br>
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You can have the best coach, the best mechanic, the best bike, the best legs, the best blah blah blah... and then go into the race with the worst weather (the rain at the Cohutta 100 cleared eventually, let's hope it clears for the Mohican 100 too!) and the worst directional skills possible (which also remedied itself eventually at Cohutta... let's hope I don't have that problem at Mohican?!) In retrospect, I was always the worst at following directions in grade school and I've always struggled with doing things other people's ways. I joked about taking the tips sheet that was provided at the Cohutta 100 packet pick-up but left it at the car as I shivered in the rain at the start of the race.. Whoops! You better bet your booty I'll be bringing a course map with me at the Mohican 100 this weekend!!!<div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpT0k_8SEU5I7JbibAsH3QkKMPvGXQMoBwcDZBwUFXqCsn__By7pRLVH6oMhSJIkAjrxDcQ9wwrz59mc44eCCRWivKdvt54cDUrsWtOJsSHmhB2gvPsmIZxFeKC40BW3yVCwfElDpAVgB5/s640/blogger-image-578952474.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpT0k_8SEU5I7JbibAsH3QkKMPvGXQMoBwcDZBwUFXqCsn__By7pRLVH6oMhSJIkAjrxDcQ9wwrz59mc44eCCRWivKdvt54cDUrsWtOJsSHmhB2gvPsmIZxFeKC40BW3yVCwfElDpAVgB5/s640/blogger-image-578952474.jpg"></a></div><br>
Honestly, the weather wasn't that terrible for Cohutta - chilly, down pouring rain, and the threat of a tornado could have been way, way worse. There wasn't any lightning and the rain eventually stopped. Trees were falling on the course up to the start of the race, but a tree never fell on anyone. If anything, the weather just pumped me up more: I felt pretty bad ass lining up at the Ocoee Whitewater Center, site of the 1996 Whitewater rafting Olympics as the sun was rising, getting drenched in my wind breaker and knee-high socks. I'm a fat bike racer for crying out loud; any race start that starts in above freezing temperatures is a great race start by my standards! Plus, I had pre-ridden the first 10-15 miles of single-track the day before in absolutely gorgeous weather and I knew where the trouble spots would be with a water crossing and a few slimy, slippery roots. Despite knowing that I was about to do more climbing than I had ever done in 100 miles before I was feeling really optimistic! Goal #1: have fun! Goal #2: finish and get that coffee mug! Goal #3: finish as one of the top 10 female racers! I'm happy to say that I had a blast, I finished in just over 10 hours, and I was the 7th female to cross the finish line and that was with getting lost and climbing some bonus hills. :)<br>
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We'll back up to the pre-ride: absolutely gorgeous scenery, perfect 60 degree temps, the incredible bad ass Carey Lowery showing us the route, my NUE Series travel BFF's Tyler Kuening, Matt Acker, and myself laughing hysterically as we roll around on the first few miles of the Southern Appalachian foothills. Absolutely amazing! Some of the most fun downhills I've ever ridden. It honestly kept blowing my mind that I was riding on a <i>real</i> mountain (I mean, the most real mountain I've ridden on so far!) and that on race day I'd be crawling up, up, up and flying down, down, down more than I'd ever done before. Plus, I was riding with Carey Lowery (who kicked my ass at 12 hours Nite Nationals back in October) and with Tyler and Matt (both incredible riders/racers from Grand Rapids) so I was STOKED! Sometimes my mind will wander while I'm riding over rocks and roots in another state and I'll find myself entirely bewildered, "How did I get here? How did I get so lucky?!" I am absolutely in love with endurance racing and never would have guessed it would be such a big part of my life. I'm always just incredibly thankful that I get to work at GRBC with such cool coworkers (and with the cutest bike mechanic in the world) and with some super awesome GRBC teammates. Gah! I am so lucky!</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixSZEcdH_hXHZs6VzcGrwTVX2btcWnMo3NX3kYLviqzNeJBDaMhBSmms5_SXjihfiQCvZEgSHAxhZJkJy4GGiJv82jqZlVV7uEK33lC55U8QeACsijalpyijsZ8Q-ryShaUUBnC1uZeDvB/s640/blogger-image--235380648.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixSZEcdH_hXHZs6VzcGrwTVX2btcWnMo3NX3kYLviqzNeJBDaMhBSmms5_SXjihfiQCvZEgSHAxhZJkJy4GGiJv82jqZlVV7uEK33lC55U8QeACsijalpyijsZ8Q-ryShaUUBnC1uZeDvB/s640/blogger-image--235380648.jpg"></a></div><div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5yFnTSCfnF-0n126cEyUzT-Gymf2P7tu-XNhADsNO-3B8RQgKQRtmtx9-crek6UVEapJFRauQJtsAoyGf3aSq-dGg8_kh_RGACGeAxZ_6xwWsw-JH6SzjQvK3j8rcqOZLn9gLyBDHpCfO/s640/blogger-image--163706586.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5yFnTSCfnF-0n126cEyUzT-Gymf2P7tu-XNhADsNO-3B8RQgKQRtmtx9-crek6UVEapJFRauQJtsAoyGf3aSq-dGg8_kh_RGACGeAxZ_6xwWsw-JH6SzjQvK3j8rcqOZLn9gLyBDHpCfO/s640/blogger-image--163706586.jpg"></a></div><br>
I rode my little Foundry Tomahawk for the Cohutta 100 and am curious to see how racing my new Salsa Spearfish goes at the Mohican!!! As much as I absolutely adore 27.5" tires and as zippy as that little carbon hard tail is, I've heard really great things about the Spearfish and I cannot wait to see how it feels after 100 miles! After some of my longer races last year my body was pretty beat, especially after single track that had more rocks and roots than I am used to... Speaking of Nite Nationals down in Alabama ;) - I had completely torn the sidewalls of my Schwalbe tires at that race and when I remembered that Tennessee would be similar in terrain, I had panicked and special ordered some Schwalble Snakeskin Racing Ralphs days before leaving to pop on my Velocity Blunt SS rims specifically for the Cohutta 100 singletrack. I was NOT going to drive all that way just to blow the sidewalls on my tires. I seriously am such a clumsy rider that if I had ridden with regular Schwalbe tires set up tubeless than I would have sliced them on one of the rocks on the course. I'm smiling as I type this because I had absolutely no issues with my tire/wheel combo and I feel like in the preparedness category I won first place. It's the little victories that make you happy in endurance racing, and I obsessively thought about this little victory for a good chunk of the race whenever my legs or back began to fatigue! "You got this! Your tires are awesome! Your wheels will never go out of true! There's no excuses, keep riding!" I'm pretty happy that the Spearfish is dressed up in Schwalble Snakeskins on white Velocity Blunt SS's with gold spoke nipples. Fist pumps all around!</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG4JPPsvsDP21kvsDC1CSq2A13HYRa42YTvPtgBb-nIh0uKvqV9NCGZngjsqVfQd7Wg9yT7_s-n2WD8lt96ZXDRBupglyyJXSHcIegeZcGKabxFvBVNE0U2n_AhvyVQ6AA2rCbi_Myg4Y2/s640/blogger-image--2061272912.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG4JPPsvsDP21kvsDC1CSq2A13HYRa42YTvPtgBb-nIh0uKvqV9NCGZngjsqVfQd7Wg9yT7_s-n2WD8lt96ZXDRBupglyyJXSHcIegeZcGKabxFvBVNE0U2n_AhvyVQ6AA2rCbi_Myg4Y2/s640/blogger-image--2061272912.jpg"></a></div><br>I hear the Mohican course is easier to not get lost on than the Cohutta course... Man oh man I hope this is true. Down at Cohutta I was getting more and more excited because by time I reached the third aid station at about 50 miles I was told that I was sitting in fourth place. The aid station volunteers were nice, helpful, and I felt so fancy getting my glasses wiped and my chain lubed while I waited for a water refill. Then someone patted my butt - Danielle Musto! Agh!!! Danielle's been working her tail off getting a kids mountain bike team rolling in Grand Rapids - the GR Dirt Dawgs - and she's also been training for the Dirty Kanza (which is also this weekend!! Eeeep!) and was using Cohutta as a training race - she didn't taper down for the race and was picking up with training as soon as she got home. Versus me: Miss I-think-it's-a-good-idea-to-sign-up-for-the-NUE-series, who would get a week off for recovery as soon as I crossed the finish line... Earlier in the single track I was riding behind Danielle, comfortable with our speed, and she eventually had to get stern with me, "Jill, you're racing, you have to go faster!" When she caught up to me at the aid station I got worried she'd give me harder work outs and I took off, spinning my little legs as fast as I could! Go go go go go! Don't let Danielle catch you! Welllllll it could have been this go go go mentality that made me go go goooo past the correct course turn... Dang it! I was smiling and laughing down a careening hill until I got to the bottom and didn't see any of the blue course markings. I wasn't sure if the rain had washed them away in that spot or if someone driving had maybe stopped to tear the blue course markings out of the trees... so I rode in one direction for a little ways and didn't see anything. I rode in the other direction and didn't see anything. I was really starting to curse myself for not having a better cell phone carrier (I don't think anyone had service out in those foothills very well) and especially started cursing myself for not having the tips sheet with me, when another rider came speeding down the hill I had come down.<br><br>"Are you lost?" I asked him. "I don't think so." He said. So I watched him ride to the split in the road and scratch his head. I rolled behind a tree and took a bathroom break and rode back over to him. "We must have taken a wrong turn..." We started riding back up the hill when a group of four other guys came zipping down. "We think this is the wrong way!" We shouted at them. Then we watched them scratch their heads when they got to the split. I envisioned us lost out in the foothills for several hours and being disqualified from the race. Worrying was not going to get us back on course faster, so we started chatting, which quickly took the bitterness off from being lost - at least we were all still on bikes and the sun was out, right?! The six of us rode to the top of one hill for cell phone reception and called the number on the back of our number plates to see where we might have taken a wrong turn. There was a sharp right midway down that initial hill that we had all turned left on. Once we rode up to that hill you could just barely make out the blue arrow that we should have followed... dang it!!!<br><br>Finally back on course, I tried to pedal as fast as I could up all of the hills. Climbing is one of my strong points and if I was going to make up time anywhere it would be on the climbs. Unfortunately for me, I think climbing is one of a lot of women's strengths and getting lost is definitely one of my weaknesses. Dang it again! I had no idea how many women had passed me or how many more women were behind me. I was still feeling pretty good, so I just focused on my breathing on the climbs and I had Bruce Springsteen's Thunder Road stuck in my head on the descents. Finally back at the aid station Danielle had caught up to me at, I whizzed past, happy that I was on my way back to the finish line! The rest of the course on the fire roads went by quickly, and before I knew it I was heading in to the single track. Only 10 or so more miles to go! Only an hour left! I distinctly remember thinking as I turned in to the single track. At one turn, there were some volunteers who told me "only 8 more miles from here - it's all downhill!" The hills had done more damage to my legs than I had realized and it seemed as though my body had forgotten how to ride single track. My bike felt wobbly, my legs couldn't punch up the quick climbs, and it was definitely not. all. downhill... liars! I fought my way over some rocks and roots and finally looped past those same volunteers. "How many miles now?!" I asked, sounding way more perky than I felt. "Six!" Dang it.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpBcuJFzCwyJiCGOuzquQrv-ElmMtNaSs8u20pfUdQZltrI2Ig25gZUGYV71DWBdeBqno3pH8M8v6v93cw1ZMxj6S7mA5swHTL6CfsqhMmTPfuOEoxt9R45_LdsIE2DMyZh6VBhoncMLff/s640/blogger-image--2041511827.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpBcuJFzCwyJiCGOuzquQrv-ElmMtNaSs8u20pfUdQZltrI2Ig25gZUGYV71DWBdeBqno3pH8M8v6v93cw1ZMxj6S7mA5swHTL6CfsqhMmTPfuOEoxt9R45_LdsIE2DMyZh6VBhoncMLff/s640/blogger-image--2041511827.jpg"></a></div><br>For all I know it took me more than half of that finishing time of just over 10 hours to finagle my way through the rest of those 6 miles. (Okay, that's an exaggeration, but it seemed like it went on for forever!) When I finally made out of the single track a sense of accomplishment flooded in to every part me - I had finished the Cohutta 100, and without a damage report I might add! I'd be lying if I said I didn't get a sense of pride each time I drink coffee out of my "Cohutta 100 finisher" mug - and I'd be super lying if I said that I let Dan drink out of it. ;)</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_KRpNXAvLcBPnN3Bzl5uucFMCZLctUoYB4CZbuPdGButtBuyw0Mee2lcmumsVzBpnGuwVqJmz6P_5tTNbYQke-XQkb19PnbBhXFPGV82mDyhm2T1l1AdbMrS5qCXeGq3bLmNgG4hKH_MX/s640/blogger-image--1049894815.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_KRpNXAvLcBPnN3Bzl5uucFMCZLctUoYB4CZbuPdGButtBuyw0Mee2lcmumsVzBpnGuwVqJmz6P_5tTNbYQke-XQkb19PnbBhXFPGV82mDyhm2T1l1AdbMrS5qCXeGq3bLmNgG4hKH_MX/s640/blogger-image--1049894815.jpg"></a></div><br>So bring it on Mohican 100. I can't wait to see what sort of adventure(s) I find on your course!<br></div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEPgvKLxDzNGH-2T5qMAk8mCgebQBm5QIdJra6kjyGGb3WJPEg4Drc76AzucmnpqebjwwLo_MVNRBnedjxND7ojBCUaGkq_-UVjCr-5iGbbYsFNFhmSnALRvbXbrjkpIKmDk1b3jbuRiZN/s640/blogger-image-1980905027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEPgvKLxDzNGH-2T5qMAk8mCgebQBm5QIdJra6kjyGGb3WJPEg4Drc76AzucmnpqebjwwLo_MVNRBnedjxND7ojBCUaGkq_-UVjCr-5iGbbYsFNFhmSnALRvbXbrjkpIKmDk1b3jbuRiZN/s640/blogger-image-1980905027.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCcVxLiB2RxqrL-K3qsnUOOdcw4ZExlw2ntdTnTsdSB7pYIUhV76ZfMyKKIL_pPfnzMGgpQdiNUQqWFNrUHNGRvjuATRI5NGR6ElI1nRT9RIvvNlWOqxiyt62Re5yV7gnrrgKZeLR4lPAm/s640/blogger-image--456533347.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCcVxLiB2RxqrL-K3qsnUOOdcw4ZExlw2ntdTnTsdSB7pYIUhV76ZfMyKKIL_pPfnzMGgpQdiNUQqWFNrUHNGRvjuATRI5NGR6ElI1nRT9RIvvNlWOqxiyt62Re5yV7gnrrgKZeLR4lPAm/s640/blogger-image--456533347.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0BVD_K-H6TKcqhWbeEZ3cozFuOgdbq20Bg6Gs0AtEZISefNQ-tXoD4Uky8pFhHuR8bzBLn2h9eBpI5jFfoyjdljdz579GVfTpc1uh_dvmS39NH0cLqf32q6ZRXI5A0cpkhzOYIXfYMQbW/s640/blogger-image--448707982.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0BVD_K-H6TKcqhWbeEZ3cozFuOgdbq20Bg6Gs0AtEZISefNQ-tXoD4Uky8pFhHuR8bzBLn2h9eBpI5jFfoyjdljdz579GVfTpc1uh_dvmS39NH0cLqf32q6ZRXI5A0cpkhzOYIXfYMQbW/s640/blogger-image--448707982.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><br></div>BillFartindalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04581092364521279774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-246444036584487637.post-46604396068051983182015-04-22T08:28:00.000-07:002015-04-24T08:56:42.904-07:00Training, training, cool events, more training, Yankee TT...Between my last post and now, I've been busy trying to get my shoulder and my endurance back in shape, and having awesome opportunities to be involved with some really awesome events. I still can't believe that it's already the end of April and that the fat bike season is over.*<div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyqdTEU59tZfpcD4c3Qt3N-UiFaACBe3ZLasvbLVWmAsShEJRKHBOFw5omFLT9zc9JFrw3K0gBb2t-mPXO3tdOVeGUhASpjk28eVawDF2iL1irwVJAPTyshqfXGkiynuJBW6ywQNXtJ-vy/s640/blogger-image--502469294.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyqdTEU59tZfpcD4c3Qt3N-UiFaACBe3ZLasvbLVWmAsShEJRKHBOFw5omFLT9zc9JFrw3K0gBb2t-mPXO3tdOVeGUhASpjk28eVawDF2iL1irwVJAPTyshqfXGkiynuJBW6ywQNXtJ-vy/s640/blogger-image--502469294.jpg"></a></div><br>
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*Honestly, the fat bike season is never truly "over." I love my Salsa Beargrease, and aside from having a the most amazing friend/mentor/coach to help me with workouts and riding goals, I really do believe my fat bike is one of the best training tools I could have when it comes to building endurance. Plus, it's just a TON of fun!<br>
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I really owe a huge thank you to the sponsors that I had over the past winter season! Having their support meant the world to me and I'm so incredibly lucky to have been a part of team <a href="http://www.grandrapidsbicycles.com/">Grand Rapids Bicycle Company</a> and team <a href="http://45nrth.com/">45NRTH</a>, to roll on amazing <a href="http://us.sarmabikes.com/products/carbon-rim-fatbikes">Sarma Naran</a> carbon fat bike rims, and to extend my training into the night with <a href="http://www.niterider.com/shop-niterider-mtb-lights/">NiteRider</a> lights. The best coworkers and teammates, the best bike and wheels, and the best lights. I cannot believe that I got to spend my winter with all of them and am already looking forwards to next winter! Although I love the snow, I'm also really, really happy that I was able to race at the Yankee Springs TT this past weekend in short sleeves and shorts!</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS6k2_rNDzzETacZ8gLxfiWEC-z7Sr9lFTnLrkT9LvS5728Q3ZtyFv29OKR2Zb8zyUr11WSP0is3dM1OvBMqW4eOhCSWwzUJx6ocqxm2SAevkmbYrfGF8K9rUOQX_c-619Gn5wQLASVdKW/s640/blogger-image--745670294.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS6k2_rNDzzETacZ8gLxfiWEC-z7Sr9lFTnLrkT9LvS5728Q3ZtyFv29OKR2Zb8zyUr11WSP0is3dM1OvBMqW4eOhCSWwzUJx6ocqxm2SAevkmbYrfGF8K9rUOQX_c-619Gn5wQLASVdKW/s640/blogger-image--745670294.jpg"></a></div><br>
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The fat bike season ended with a cabin full of friends in Cable, Wisconsin at the <a href="http://www.birkie.com/bike/events/fat-bike-birkie/">Fat Bike Birkie</a>. The highlights of the race were that I got to 1) sleep on a mattress in a loft that felt like a tree fort and in the middle of the night my teammate <a href="http://grandrapidsbicycles.blogspot.com/2015/03/the-fat-bike-birkie.html">Tyler Keuning</a> tossed me some gummy worms, 2) the Fat Bike Birkie was my first race back since taking some time off because my scapula was winging and I have Jason Ross from <a href="http://www.trainoutpain.com/">Train Out Pain Chiropractic</a> to thank for the speedy recovery time, 3) the race capped at 750 racers.... who all took off in a mass start. If the fun atmosphere, the amazing race course, and the amazing race volunteers don't draw you to the Fat Bike Birkie, then the giant wave of fat bikers should! Watching this <a href="https://vimeo.com/122010643">video</a> blows my mind. Every time.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQCfdC46JQzwLXcfqhiqy5zDdg0_X9qf8eApVc7dmmpXvfv7H5UjAXYTY0m9avnZK2MAjcC_-RmkFIL0HwzXUlyggOmfNktwrO6z7QnjQG0S7lzh1F66qZZOUWXnyJhAdbDV99Cs5dl-fI/s640/blogger-image--1332558864.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQCfdC46JQzwLXcfqhiqy5zDdg0_X9qf8eApVc7dmmpXvfv7H5UjAXYTY0m9avnZK2MAjcC_-RmkFIL0HwzXUlyggOmfNktwrO6z7QnjQG0S7lzh1F66qZZOUWXnyJhAdbDV99Cs5dl-fI/s640/blogger-image--1332558864.jpg"></a></div></div>
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Back in March the Grand Rapids Bicycle Company sponsored a Barry Roubaix clinic and course pre-ride, in addition to a start and finish preview the day before the big race. Seeing all of my GRBC teammates help out at the group rides and at the clinic, as well as seeing Danielle Musto give tips on first time racers made me really proud to be a part of such an awesome and down to earth group of riders. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHjpXRJza6F_eMHNCdZew9O3IMU7BibJct5vW7FXbnlAMv5FANNGl-Y1RUA3WWEWS1T8Aqf7K5XYrouHga8bFMWL1e6im76TKhI_nuldIHZHuBTFrnBlLDG1mS8d8gW9ptiSOX9eyAu3aL/s640/blogger-image-1686060336.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHjpXRJza6F_eMHNCdZew9O3IMU7BibJct5vW7FXbnlAMv5FANNGl-Y1RUA3WWEWS1T8Aqf7K5XYrouHga8bFMWL1e6im76TKhI_nuldIHZHuBTFrnBlLDG1mS8d8gW9ptiSOX9eyAu3aL/s640/blogger-image-1686060336.jpg"></a></div></div></div><div><br></div><div>At the Barry Roubaix I was able to ride the whole race with my teammate and fellow Skirts in the Dirt co-founder, Julie Whalen. Julie's got the most amazing personality and is a riot to be around - her smile is infectious AND she's an incredibly strong rider. I was really happy when she suggested that we race together while we were both climbing the first three hills of the BR course, and thinking about how we crossed the finish line high-fiving will be one of my favorite race memories for the rest of my life! :)</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8V1ufVt4nvMP0w7r3r3zAQeFsQ6JaCYV-ryioG5pTpP3R59pGkLeSG5tIjfxEkzow5oyl4rSJ0UsQmSDm9t3wcXrYWS3lnwaIcnm0Q1cIf0SqkGR2bcz5J5oZg-UjhKK53pIjmyQ8l-NH/s640/blogger-image--1408765893.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8V1ufVt4nvMP0w7r3r3zAQeFsQ6JaCYV-ryioG5pTpP3R59pGkLeSG5tIjfxEkzow5oyl4rSJ0UsQmSDm9t3wcXrYWS3lnwaIcnm0Q1cIf0SqkGR2bcz5J5oZg-UjhKK53pIjmyQ8l-NH/s640/blogger-image--1408765893.jpg"></a></div><br>This was the fourth year in a row I was asked to host a women's mechanics workshop at LadyFest GR, and this was the first year I taught it solo. I love seeing so many people celebrate women (especially women on bikes) in my community and I am so honored to have been asked back year after to teach the workshop. I'm also really, really lucky because GRBC is letting me host a few women's workshops at our Fulton location this spring and summer! May 2 I'll get to teach a basic maintenance workshop at 8am, followed by an urban group ride. Thanks to the organizers of the LadyFest for getting this together!</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKZVgBrgzRcECU_17NfxpeIOoupjkLg0w8u-GquT1AcOVdlL6MmRkjGvH18bf5e9CvLzzmhUVKL3J2s9inmIJ2Ptr2pRPxcyJNuxBQtHRe5MfmIQStXe9IwTJEtDSjodzQBM-cs21Cok3k/s640/blogger-image-714776278.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKZVgBrgzRcECU_17NfxpeIOoupjkLg0w8u-GquT1AcOVdlL6MmRkjGvH18bf5e9CvLzzmhUVKL3J2s9inmIJ2Ptr2pRPxcyJNuxBQtHRe5MfmIQStXe9IwTJEtDSjodzQBM-cs21Cok3k/s640/blogger-image-714776278.jpg"></a></div><div><br></div><div>I also got to be on a panel at Harmony Brewing Company for a She Rides Her Own Way event to discuss how to get more women on bikes in our community. It really is amazing to have so many incredibly women and to have strong support right now. There's a contagious momentum right now in GR and I'm so excited to be a part of it. I'm proud of every woman I know out on a bike!</div><div><div><br></div><div>Then it was my birthday, then it was Dan's birthday. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxffMZYC_6BYbYMz9Fn19tHTGOZfISwMo18EfKnRO5MYF-aes9YwgkhaEDCVNlMiOcD3aXj4ZdG8GMeQPQ9XsbtgtPCvcClDB9PncpK-kwN0L0Mp8SFgPuwJAUSu6tKLNqRMc7SOvOxAZ0/s640/blogger-image-605730104.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxffMZYC_6BYbYMz9Fn19tHTGOZfISwMo18EfKnRO5MYF-aes9YwgkhaEDCVNlMiOcD3aXj4ZdG8GMeQPQ9XsbtgtPCvcClDB9PncpK-kwN0L0Mp8SFgPuwJAUSu6tKLNqRMc7SOvOxAZ0/s640/blogger-image-605730104.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgXeOm04YTnavrtN2fJLWlGfr3EMGwfz2vvbsunYTrE59UeH4b3x0Jn_JdeDw0aGPKMJpNT1SFy-v32yVqBQKZMwrNBEweuxsIPYcw0WfXKHs1orwaJYl-sHp4NwDMLQZudh2bxuiaJD_g/s640/blogger-image--728619074.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgXeOm04YTnavrtN2fJLWlGfr3EMGwfz2vvbsunYTrE59UeH4b3x0Jn_JdeDw0aGPKMJpNT1SFy-v32yVqBQKZMwrNBEweuxsIPYcw0WfXKHs1orwaJYl-sHp4NwDMLQZudh2bxuiaJD_g/s640/blogger-image--728619074.jpg"></a></div><div><br></div><div>So caught up in busy days at the bike shop, training, and with life... The Yankee Springs TT really snuck up on me! I was excited for the race because five of the women in the elite category were GRBC teammates! FIVE OF THEM! Typically, the elite category consists of five or so women, but for this race there were 11 pre-registered and I couldn't be more excited/nervous/stoked for race day! Lining up for the time trial was hilarious, we were all wishing eachother good luck and cheering eachother on. I love that about the GRBC ladies and about the other mountain biking women in west Michigan! Marnie Tencate had taken me on her "secret yankee warm up" route and I felt as ready as I could be for the race! The elite women started and finally it was my turn! I took off as hard as I possibly could and tried to maintain that speed for as long as my legs would hold out. At one point I was riding with Kati Krikke and I was dying... I started thinking that maybe I had asthma because I was breathing so hard! No, Jill, you don't have asthma, you're just not used to pushing yourself 110%! I told her I was bonking and she snapped, "No you're not Jill, you're fine." Bahahahaha thanks for the encouragement, Kati!!! (Kati eventually passed me and went on to win the first place in the women's Elite field! Go Kati!)</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG5Wcta2FYk9h9yjN7r33yYiAnmdA4dS9yYtV7MWtxrixcpsc0LXCbN-4F15Mol4ySOhXnMzE6TmEW-ttrmQVLwOpj-fvQSbjngU2axuySll1qcwIx33PHx9CUFbJSGL-33Q_Xzsos_tSd/s640/blogger-image-1338345714.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG5Wcta2FYk9h9yjN7r33yYiAnmdA4dS9yYtV7MWtxrixcpsc0LXCbN-4F15Mol4ySOhXnMzE6TmEW-ttrmQVLwOpj-fvQSbjngU2axuySll1qcwIx33PHx9CUFbJSGL-33Q_Xzsos_tSd/s640/blogger-image-1338345714.jpg"></a></div></div></div><div><br></div><div>The Yankee TT was a good trial run for my little Foundry Tomahawk. I spend so much time on my fat bike that there's an adjustment period when I hop on my mountain bike... I have to learn that there's not as much traction as my fat bike tires usually have. BUT this spring I have the Velocity USA Blunt SS rims on my bike, and I think that adjustment period has been significantly shortened! Those rims are amazing!! They're light, durable, and 30mm w i d e ! I had fallen in love with them back in October when I got them on my bike, but was totally reminded of why while zipping through Yankee Springs faster than I had ever ridden the trail before! </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJmjBzNiivMYnufnB4x3a1LpBFQWv85zZnY57gwaFkRcACVCqV8Pj1MPMGwqEuNZ9_8SmhNIB1AYDw2dB-IvHIrkQSJYQER6hmo_ztWz7pk0cKjWH790Y1Z6Ms9MyRquwDAQxvwB7bUqdc/s640/blogger-image--865948126.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJmjBzNiivMYnufnB4x3a1LpBFQWv85zZnY57gwaFkRcACVCqV8Pj1MPMGwqEuNZ9_8SmhNIB1AYDw2dB-IvHIrkQSJYQER6hmo_ztWz7pk0cKjWH790Y1Z6Ms9MyRquwDAQxvwB7bUqdc/s640/blogger-image--865948126.jpg"></a></div></div></div><div><br></div><div>Yankee also reminded me that I needed new pedals, new cleats, and that I needed to make sure my hydrapak hose isn't kinked at the start of the race. Those issues have all been resolved in the last week for the Cohutta 100. Dan also put the magic touch on my bike, so I should be good to go! ;) <br><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrHBUbJexbwSo3E2w-lM2OLlDJ57VdILxHwKGTzmp5m9ji_uFEY6I6QqQrcoSlPMYD9EvMv6Rmn-2kNjH5fuE0hoqEhS6LVGT0SFxOOLwsma4kCm5xBQ7KVOf962jNPCunFyAvOl8cjkT4/s640/blogger-image--692593919.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrHBUbJexbwSo3E2w-lM2OLlDJ57VdILxHwKGTzmp5m9ji_uFEY6I6QqQrcoSlPMYD9EvMv6Rmn-2kNjH5fuE0hoqEhS6LVGT0SFxOOLwsma4kCm5xBQ7KVOf962jNPCunFyAvOl8cjkT4/s640/blogger-image--692593919.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>And now I'm en route to Duck Town, Tennessee for my first NUE race of the year!! I'll be racing in 5 of the series races as my main focus this season. Cohutta 100, Mohican 100, Lumberjack 100, Tatanka 100, and Fool's Gold 100. Eeeeep! How is it time for the Cohutta 100 already?! The forecast is rain, rain, rain and 12,000 feet of climbing. Wowza. Wish me luck! </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigeFOZ5mU8iPLmbyXnC7g4WnHUk0vIdIv9U-H32D7qLVPlhdrM9GgGg2Me4YjN-tJ-WmDuuCS97mppcBnNPvTbCIoCfzTJVSKFmV9wbeDYDo3JZDTeaoFCs71Mx2HyGdEh2nOc_-oAOh5K/s640/blogger-image-2128287039.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigeFOZ5mU8iPLmbyXnC7g4WnHUk0vIdIv9U-H32D7qLVPlhdrM9GgGg2Me4YjN-tJ-WmDuuCS97mppcBnNPvTbCIoCfzTJVSKFmV9wbeDYDo3JZDTeaoFCs71Mx2HyGdEh2nOc_-oAOh5K/s640/blogger-image-2128287039.jpg"></a></div><br><br>
<br></div></div></div></div></div>BillFartindalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04581092364521279774noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-246444036584487637.post-47182591056995781282015-02-14T06:09:00.000-08:002015-02-14T06:15:19.294-08:00Good Luck Frozen 40ers!!!<div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy Valentine's Day to all the cuties out there!</td></tr>
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The importance of February 14th, 2015 isn't that it's Valentine's Day, it's that it's the <a href="http://frozen40.com/">Fat Bike Frozen 40</a> in Elm Creek, Minnesota!! The Frozen 40 is forty miles of single track on some really fun trails that I wish I could ride on every day. I'm really excited for everyone that gets to race on this course this year. Good luck to everyone, I can't wait to see how well you do!! There is an incredible roster of super fast and awesome ladies signed up for this race and I think it'll be a nail biter to see who makes the<strike> top 5</strike> top 10. I wish I were out there with them, duking it out and cheering them on, but alas I will resort to this:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maybe I'll close my eyes real tight, put ice in my jersey pockets, and pretend I'm out there at a -2 degree start...</td></tr>
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<span style="color: red;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: red;"><b>This year, I'm showing my body a little love on Valentine's Day.</b></span><br />
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My left hand has been a little numb since January and I've been doing a really good job at ignoring it. After spending time in the car last weekend, it became harder to ignore when I realized the discomfort had spread up my arm and that my shoulder was feeling pretty fatigued. After racing at Cuyuna it became impossible to ignore when someone approached me after the race and asked if I had recently been injured. Something's off and it needs to be fixed. Taking a break and allowing your body to rest is super important. As much as I love racing, I need to take some time to let my body relax and to get things working correctly again.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">C'mon left shoulder, whats up?</td></tr>
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I made an appointment with Jason Ross at <a href="http://www.trainoutpain.com/">Train out Pain</a> to figure out what was wrong with my left side. It's been getting weaker, my scapula was winging, and I began thinking of the worst possible scenarios which involved surgery and never being able to ride my bike ever again! Luckily, I can be a hypochondriac and a bit dramatic sometimes when it comes to my health, and my left side isn't that bad. Jason is amazing and I'm so lucky that he's willing to work with me to fix this! I think the best guess as to what I've done to my poor shoulder is that I fatigued it and then got whiplash and upset a nerve or some muscles when the minivan flipped. Ignoring it hasn't helped. I'm really optimistic about working with Jason and am going to work my hardest on all of my physical therapy homework assignments! So this Valentine's day, I'll be vicariously living through all of my friends racing at the Frozen 40, wishing I were there, while treating myself to some take out on the couch in my pajamas and simultaneously doing some armpit exercises. If Ninja is really lucky we'll go for a little hike today and I'll wear my pajama pants under my snow pants. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yup, he looks lucky.</td></tr>
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Be a sweetheart body, and heal up soon, okay? <3</div>
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BillFartindalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04581092364521279774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-246444036584487637.post-22908702069175699192015-02-13T10:35:00.001-08:002015-02-13T12:14:35.133-08:00Cuyuna Lakes Whiteout & Reed's Lake Rager"Are you sure you don't want to go to Cuyuna?"<br>
"Yeah, it's a long drive and there are fat bike races the next two weekends."<br>
"Are you sure?"<br>
"I think so... Yeah, it's a shorter race. I'll plan on the longer races of the series."<br>
"Okay. So you're sure you don't want to go to Cuyuna?"<br>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On my way to Cuyuna...</td></tr>
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This was mine and Danielle's conversation all freaking week about whether or not I should go race the Cuyuna Lakes Whiteout last weekend. The <a href="http://cuyunalakeswhiteout.com/">Cuyuna Lakes Whiteout</a> was the only race of the whole 2014 <a href="http://www.greatlakesfatbikeseries.com/">Great Lakes Fat Bike Series</a> that I had skipped last winter and I had initially planned on racing it this year because I had heard great things about it. Then the winter season hit and I found myself gone every weekend. To give myself a bit of a travel break, it made sense to skip Cuyuna again this year. I do better at longer races and hearing about the icy 30k course for the Cuyuna Lakes Whiteout made me think it'd be better to stay at home and to get a longer ride in.<br>
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Then Friday evening hit, and Danielle asked me again if I was sure that I wasn't going to go. I was at the <a href="http://www.grandrapidsbicycles.com/">Ada Bike Shop</a> and everyone there encouraged me to rethink my decision just as much as Danielle did. I called Dan to receive some affirmation that staying at home was the right choice, but there's a reason why we're dating -- he said, "if you don't go do Cuyuna you might regret it all winter. Maybe you should go." Sometimes he gets me better than I get myself. Having a supportive boyfriend who didn't mind that I would disappear on a whim for a fat bike race was the last reason I needed to jump into my car (which I wasn't even sure would run for a consecutive 11 hours in a row) and to drive straight through the night to Minnesota. I stopped about 3 hours away from the race to post up in a Super 8 for a few hours. I was SO happy that the race didn't start until noon on Saturday!!!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pre-race layering up / layering down again at the 45NRTH tent. Matt Acker in the background.</td></tr>
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The worst part about the drive was that I knew all my racing buddies were already in Crosby, MN and that they were eating pizza and having a 45NRTH tire studding party. Whyyyyy wasn't I there yet? Why hadn't I left earlier in the day? I kept kicking myself in the butt for not carpooling with pals while simultaneously patting myself on the back for being sporadic and for going to race despite driving alone and packing an hour before leaving. I'm incredibly lucky to have sponsors like 45NRTH who procure studded tires for me to use the night before a race, and even luckier to have a teammate who hand-studs those tires for me after meticulously studding her own. Thanks to Kurt and Scott for helping me to get those <a href="http://45nrth.com/products/tires/dillinger-5">Dillingers</a> on my Sarma rims before the race, and thanks Chelsea for having the most incredible and talented little studding hands on the planet!!<br>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So pumped to have studded tires! Photo by Ron & LeAnn Plinski</td></tr>
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Boy, was I glad to have a studded Dillinger 5 up front and a studded Dillinger 4 in the rear! That course was incredibly hairy and there were a lot of slick corners! I hadn't tried studded tires on my fat bike before, and I absolutely loved how they felt on areas that I knew I'd be losing traction on normally. The course was a ton of fun; twisting in some spots, flowy in others, and there were some two-way climbs/descents that enabled me to cheer on other riders and high-five <a href="https://marthalovesbikes.wordpress.com/2015/02/08/cuyuna-lakes-whiteout-2015/">Martha Flynn</a> when I was climbing/careening downhill. I couldn't wipe the smile off my face! At one point during the race, Chelsea Strate, Scott Patterson, and I were all riding in a row on our Beargrease's wearing our 45NRTH jerseys. I really wish someone had snagged a photo of the three of us racing together, because I thought it was pretty stinkin' cute.<br>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scott and Chelsea are pretty cute on their own. Photo by Ron & LeAnn Plinski</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4th overall female, 3rd in my age bracket. I LOVE THIS MEDAL.</td></tr>
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There was one water crossing near the end of the loop that looked super icy. There was a big dirt clump at the end of the ice to get back on to dry land that I was really excited to have practiced before the start of the race. It was a tricky one! Nailing stuff during a race that I couldn't hit the first time I came upon it always makes me super stoked. The Cuyuna Lakes Whiteout was a shorter race than I might have preferred -- taking me about an hour and a half to do the race -- but I'm really, really glad I made the drive out for it. One of the areas that I can always use practice in is my speedwork. I can hop on a bike and ride it all day, but taking off hard and maintaining max effort is an area where I want to get better. Any time I get to practice going fast and keeping that speed is well worth it. I feel like I'm a better mountain biker after riding my fat bike on that icy trail! I wound up coming in behind April Morgan, Pam Nielson, and Chelsea Strate for the 4th place female. Thanks to Aaron and everyone at the Cuyuna Lakes Whiteout, it was a fun course and I wish I could have stayed for the after party!<br>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifL7ZXqPqlfw-gwhh10-TUH9_isQy9qt2Wj7jg0PwjZ9GoxiMUPTf-TCg2yxVHgKcP21YSTaLyF_46bBRkHySFUIXZYmDdLE9WVbtuc_boe6AjO2aW7oYLcZNXgliKmD8eZgPafTL_fbyc/s1600/whiteout+2015-9420.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifL7ZXqPqlfw-gwhh10-TUH9_isQy9qt2Wj7jg0PwjZ9GoxiMUPTf-TCg2yxVHgKcP21YSTaLyF_46bBRkHySFUIXZYmDdLE9WVbtuc_boe6AjO2aW7oYLcZNXgliKmD8eZgPafTL_fbyc/s1600/whiteout+2015-9420.jpg" height="213" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Myself and Pam, photo by Ron & LeAn Plinski</td></tr>
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After the race I hopped back in the car and drove back to Grand Rapids. Yikes. I rolled up to my house at 4am and immediately crawled under the covers. As much as I had wanted to stay in Minnesota, there was a short track ice race on Reed's Lake in GR on Sunday and I wanted to ride those studded Dillingers more!! Even though driving through the night can suck, missing out on tomfoolery and camaraderie in my own neighborhood because I'm stuck in a car can be even worse. Despite being tired, Raging on Reed's lake was all I <a href="http://www.robmeenderingphotography.com/Iceman-2014/Raging-on-Reeds-2015/">dreamed it would be</a>: a bunch of my buddies laughing, smiling, crashing on ice, and having an overall awesome time! Everything from singing the National Anthem as a giant conglomerate of cyclists on the middle of the lake to seeing ice-cube medals on the podium was hilarious. Thanks to Jeff Jacobi for tossing this event together. What a blast - both races were totally worth the lack of sleep!<br>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ2URaxnIpjbz0NVHxYLwRSw8hHdPK1R4ic2QdMQpieq2Wj8fFC3ul8kU4oq_Mhh5BTk8qYGIxeVyTUEL29BSYupbDFjeEyE3nms3BuSAHOnyKMtYMgoPy_Nofe3CX8x-iwdk3h4qPtwPm/s1600/ragingreeds1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ2URaxnIpjbz0NVHxYLwRSw8hHdPK1R4ic2QdMQpieq2Wj8fFC3ul8kU4oq_Mhh5BTk8qYGIxeVyTUEL29BSYupbDFjeEyE3nms3BuSAHOnyKMtYMgoPy_Nofe3CX8x-iwdk3h4qPtwPm/s1600/ragingreeds1.jpg" height="213" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jenny Scott is my favorite guerrilla. Ever. Photo by Joshua Duggan</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_aFbFYawNvi5w-Wnri9jkmt0ownNaoNbGs-V3It41Lv_7y1XsNA1wWHAqAK2lOw3WtKuTd_PfxKFdRUU1X9Uh1DQIZY9u96-NJdK3SCNNgmwgkqRbtaHDUG1W3OZ9YPkq6p1UB02ocKSv/s1600/ragingreeds2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_aFbFYawNvi5w-Wnri9jkmt0ownNaoNbGs-V3It41Lv_7y1XsNA1wWHAqAK2lOw3WtKuTd_PfxKFdRUU1X9Uh1DQIZY9u96-NJdK3SCNNgmwgkqRbtaHDUG1W3OZ9YPkq6p1UB02ocKSv/s1600/ragingreeds2.jpg" height="213" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quinton somehow squeaked into the studded class on his single speed All City - I got banished to the outer lane.<br>
Photo by Joshua Duggan</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI_CVlCDDn1yW74aHCNVswHvN-Q2i6iSv_nzT9WRO_vLyyPEhwGTI0sbHa0pJ1han0K8p-WwnZ7ek12WKFQyQ1LG-uaX3xRR_8l4pHTg3Kpp8257O9U6SrjhL_fliERFIOrR1WNj5Fa3Cc/s1600/ragingreeds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI_CVlCDDn1yW74aHCNVswHvN-Q2i6iSv_nzT9WRO_vLyyPEhwGTI0sbHa0pJ1han0K8p-WwnZ7ek12WKFQyQ1LG-uaX3xRR_8l4pHTg3Kpp8257O9U6SrjhL_fliERFIOrR1WNj5Fa3Cc/s1600/ragingreeds.jpg" height="213" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by John Holkeboer</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-JYhyphenhyphenJq1XrR53aXhcIKaHGWgZCSAP4eKqEfH_rENLN0sSN7e_TfrZxN6rAmDMGkIU-OeU-Wh89NNBASJbw28SlkumwPwUXJLsBo8vdcNMGJMUfqF-W6kmDTNBKJmPvUCS04OyfnopRYNe/s640/blogger-image-178572158.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-JYhyphenhyphenJq1XrR53aXhcIKaHGWgZCSAP4eKqEfH_rENLN0sSN7e_TfrZxN6rAmDMGkIU-OeU-Wh89NNBASJbw28SlkumwPwUXJLsBo8vdcNMGJMUfqF-W6kmDTNBKJmPvUCS04OyfnopRYNe/s640/blogger-image-178572158.jpg"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look who came to town from Salt Lake City!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizk_83CVktYIp_YW8NDMZ6ujXvt7SvE8KlAprh6quRdrXFzXtc9MaovycwlyfIif0mUsxoU-Y2dFp9Yty8Rlws2h0T1HJacgS94n1bwhdwmwGkdYZZemMk9OI0GtqCdptPJ6ecFp6sANXd/s640/blogger-image-1170835850.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizk_83CVktYIp_YW8NDMZ6ujXvt7SvE8KlAprh6quRdrXFzXtc9MaovycwlyfIif0mUsxoU-Y2dFp9Yty8Rlws2h0T1HJacgS94n1bwhdwmwGkdYZZemMk9OI0GtqCdptPJ6ecFp6sANXd/s640/blogger-image-1170835850.jpg"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Terra Trikes dominated the Reed's Lake Rager and proved to be the best bikes on the tiny, icy course.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLl_6YRP9J6IqVOj7Vn3kutySJnxBe57kAUhA6xCjw6_oP7-JWgWcdJZFZ5JsMskFG15Di1duLUCxt0FFZk34Mnsb1Ng_TULMfIY-OR-U_WxVSkTfCLzVJXF6qBQThMlZ9zM9GUyoTOyDl/s640/blogger-image-1817209773.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLl_6YRP9J6IqVOj7Vn3kutySJnxBe57kAUhA6xCjw6_oP7-JWgWcdJZFZ5JsMskFG15Di1duLUCxt0FFZk34Mnsb1Ng_TULMfIY-OR-U_WxVSkTfCLzVJXF6qBQThMlZ9zM9GUyoTOyDl/s640/blogger-image-1817209773.jpg"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I LOVE THESE MEDALS TOO. Maybe I'll win one next time...</td></tr>
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Seriously, all of the fun in Minnesota and back home in Michigan was well worth the drive. :)</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyTK1uSpeNrfNwy8ApI4jvpqvv2rpq8ZDQIucHBM1fpKfL5ONxNevHtuJsUty4ZbeYFqtodbVpnItjHqWBKydritWOIjVfxRfnCVyG2_8OC8CY6zArvDeYopkomuWujSE3xG3TefeZZmLl/s640/blogger-image-284960929.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyTK1uSpeNrfNwy8ApI4jvpqvv2rpq8ZDQIucHBM1fpKfL5ONxNevHtuJsUty4ZbeYFqtodbVpnItjHqWBKydritWOIjVfxRfnCVyG2_8OC8CY6zArvDeYopkomuWujSE3xG3TefeZZmLl/s640/blogger-image-284960929.jpg"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Myself, Scott Patterson, April Morgan... & a photobomber</td></tr>
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BillFartindalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04581092364521279774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-246444036584487637.post-56606478055828184612015-02-06T13:34:00.000-08:002015-02-06T15:43:39.947-08:00Short's Brewing ControversiALE Fat Bike RaceLast year, the <a href="http://www.loppet.org/events/cityoflakesloppet/loppet-events/sunday/fat-tire/">Penn Cycle Loppet Fat Bike</a> race was one of my favorite races out of the whole Great Lakes Fat Bike Series. I was really looking forward to spending more time at the <a href="http://www.loppet.org/events/cityoflakesloppet/">City of Lakes Loppet</a> enjoying all of the festivities. There's a Luminary Loppet walk, a FREE snow sculpting contest (we'll dominate that contest for sure next year, <a href="http://45nrth.com/chronicles/post/2014-15-womens-team">45NRTH teammates</a>!!) and a beer garden where the Surly Brewing beer flows freely... all of it sounds amazing, and last year when I missed all the winter fun at the Loppet it made me really want to experience all of it this year.<br>
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Buuuuuut we had some unpredictable weather and instead of hopping into a car and driving to Minneapolis for the Loppet, I found myself cramming my fat bike into the back seat of my little sedan (RIP Montana Minivan) and heading towards Traverse City at 6:00am Sunday morning for the third race of the <a href="http://www.shortsbrewingfatbikeseries.com/">Short's Brewing Fat Bike Series</a>: the ControversiALE fat bike race! As bummed as I was to be missing the Loppet, I was pretty damn excited to be heading up to Timber Ridge resort to ride the 50k course that would be a mix between groomed fat bike trails and groomed single track! Groomed single track on a fat bike is my preferred way to ride. :)<div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTdwPRRyStUHjmi9FXykFCjyuX8RbZ6F3FgXNJSsDaEYq9GpFRXTfXTffFI5nDYhWqO_ZDHxk45-6zVwAZe6ixWL_SDrcxVG_oz9_ImxNja06fPn-4b88TqvJHayDZJNWwr8R5-YSNpyz7/s640/blogger-image-1882608825.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTdwPRRyStUHjmi9FXykFCjyuX8RbZ6F3FgXNJSsDaEYq9GpFRXTfXTffFI5nDYhWqO_ZDHxk45-6zVwAZe6ixWL_SDrcxVG_oz9_ImxNja06fPn-4b88TqvJHayDZJNWwr8R5-YSNpyz7/s640/blogger-image-1882608825.jpg"></a></div><br>
I got to Timber Ridge resort just in time to register, play around with my tire pressure, and to say hi to a few folks before making it out to the start line. I had chugged coffee pretty much non-stop from Grand Rapids on up to TC and I was feeling pretty wired at the start of the race. There were a ton of familiar faces inside of the lodge and I was already really happy that I had braved through the storm to make it up for the race.<br><br>As I was rolling up to the starting line, I noticed a Farm Team jersey lined up in the front row: Dan Jansen! Then as I found a spot to wait for the count down, I noticed William Shaver and a few other friends from Grand Rapids. Doh! Why didn't I try to carpool with anyone? Poor planning on my part.<br>
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The course for the ControversiALE race was ah-maze-ing! The first portion of the course was some twisty and fun single track, which reminded me a lot of a roller coaster. It was difficult to pass people at this part, but it was also really fun to weave around corners and to see a line of fat bikers in the woods rolling around, looking somewhat choreographed. There was some wider groomed trail after that, with a few good hills, and then more twisty, roller coastery single track. So fun! After the first 10-ish mile lap, the conditions of the course started deteriorating just a little bit. Luckily I had let a lot of air out of my tires at the race start, so I didn't have to stop to adjust anything. The biggest problem I had all race was having the insulated bottle on my bike freeze, so I had to dig around in my back jersey pocket for my back-up bottle. Trying to ride single track and reach for a bottle blindly on your back is hard. I tried to wait for wider, flat segments to grab my bottle, but managed to drink maybe 1/4 of it over the 3 hours it took to do the race... whoops. Not good, Jill, not good.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSA20ZT70XxuFTwmGrcgwNTbcRWVgho71U3LiZrf0s17OeOq9KLtO5GUIHeWnh3IZp0uGWH-2ELJaAPxET7255BBfozOjJoM3tIQyvXZ8CaN9QaiP7R9ZVSUOy8hzJt5Ie08-mOXWR7mf9/s640/blogger-image--1365303623.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSA20ZT70XxuFTwmGrcgwNTbcRWVgho71U3LiZrf0s17OeOq9KLtO5GUIHeWnh3IZp0uGWH-2ELJaAPxET7255BBfozOjJoM3tIQyvXZ8CaN9QaiP7R9ZVSUOy8hzJt5Ie08-mOXWR7mf9/s640/blogger-image--1365303623.jpg"></a></div><br>
I was so happy to have been the first woman across the finish line! My legs felt incredible, my bike handled amazingly, and everyone up at Timber Ridge resort was awesome. Those folks at Einstein really know how to throw a party. I'm hoping I can make it up north a few more times before the snow melts, because that was probably one of the funnest courses I've ridden yet this winter.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6yHymCN4oQUeKb5T2OMZcFJKjXpVkt7iA9jKhbDOMmKnDPwZ1J_kOItc83t2VDPamzc8oFshOr-hVOo496rJhyphenhyphenNXdNOgg5-WzD0eZAgesY-hkmhRewyblP8hScgkXUEFQBaKSV5W6h7Lx/s640/blogger-image--581240345.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6yHymCN4oQUeKb5T2OMZcFJKjXpVkt7iA9jKhbDOMmKnDPwZ1J_kOItc83t2VDPamzc8oFshOr-hVOo496rJhyphenhyphenNXdNOgg5-WzD0eZAgesY-hkmhRewyblP8hScgkXUEFQBaKSV5W6h7Lx/s640/blogger-image--581240345.jpg"></a></div><br>And now I'm driving to Minnesota for a race that I hadn't planned on doing... the Cuyuna Lakes Whiteout. I know it's crazy to drive 22 hours round trip for a fat bike race... but I woke up this morning feeling like I needed to go. What a crazy person. As awesome as it is to race in Michigan, I miss my Minnesota friends... Cuyuna here I come!</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh42FrCuoNDB_98Jj9DfpSLH70u1LkJOKXNICthYPJ9vsbdpB8QoFxUItzTMZ019EtxXziS-bxxd-8YbnoFcqU2b36_nN2tpvywYQLVprRkbkUqcH2NVLxv6aCJG9LFcqbGQ4QQsScE2RPT/s640/blogger-image--1479333823.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh42FrCuoNDB_98Jj9DfpSLH70u1LkJOKXNICthYPJ9vsbdpB8QoFxUItzTMZ019EtxXziS-bxxd-8YbnoFcqU2b36_nN2tpvywYQLVprRkbkUqcH2NVLxv6aCJG9LFcqbGQ4QQsScE2RPT/s640/blogger-image--1479333823.jpg"></a></div><br>
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</div>BillFartindalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04581092364521279774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-246444036584487637.post-83341105237531017622015-01-23T14:57:00.001-08:002015-01-23T16:30:41.472-08:00Racing at Home<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Z6sJ1a9tzwt-nzrmzt-CW4A5kpm9RC4QWFWFY9bp0XqiB35t9mwnnrBFLxqoBJmMgGmEWHIPSf50DzZLJ9jdQ27jEatk8D40f5GYoar8Toda-BSR-d073tNpGHVq7hS97sU3rdj9XbDx/s1600/farmers2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Z6sJ1a9tzwt-nzrmzt-CW4A5kpm9RC4QWFWFY9bp0XqiB35t9mwnnrBFLxqoBJmMgGmEWHIPSf50DzZLJ9jdQ27jEatk8D40f5GYoar8Toda-BSR-d073tNpGHVq7hS97sU3rdj9XbDx/s1600/farmers2.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stoked to be on my homecourt! / Photo: Neil Washburn</td></tr>
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As I said in my last post, I love traveling to races! I'm going to go ahead and say the exact opposite in this post: I love staying home to race!!<br />
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After spending hours on the road and either staying at friend's houses or motels, it's nice to wake up in my own bed and to go somewhere familiar to race. Grand Rapids is super saturated with a bunch of different fat bike racing opportunities: in a good way!!! It's really amazing to live in a place where there is a different place to ride your bike every night of the week, no matter what the conditions... during the WINTER! Isn't this supposed to be the "off season" for bicycle shops? I have to laugh every time I think about that, because I feel like I'm busier when there's snow on the ground! With the <a href="http://www.greatlakesfatbikeseries.com/">Great Lakes Fat Bike Series</a>, <a href="http://www.funpromotions.com/eventinfo/michigan_fatbike_series.html">Michigan Fat Bike Series</a>, <a href="http://www.shortsbrewingfatbikeseries.com/">Short's Brewing Fat Bike Series</a>, and a bunch of other weekly fat bike events like the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Thursday-Throwdown/1516668731933381">Thursday Throwdown</a> at Koetsier's Greenhouse... you don't have to go far to really enjoy riding fat! Plus, there's indoor spin classes at the Ada Bike Shop every Tuesday night, and plenty of gravel to ride if groomed fat bike trails aren't for you (but why wouldn't they be?) I'm beginning to sound like a super annoying record on repeat, but we are so lucky to live in West Michigan and so lucky to be surrounded by such awesome and ambitious cycling community members that organize stuff like this!<br />
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After traveling for the last couple of fat bike races, I was really looking forward to the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.694273507357255.1073741844.617038538414086&type=1">Brewery Vivant Farmhand Fat Bike Race</a> at Cannonsburg Ski Hill on January 10th. This was the fourth year in a row that the <a href="http://www.farmteamracing.com/p/whowhat-is-farm-team-racing.html">Farm Team</a> had put on this race, and it's been incredible to see how this race has grown each year. The first year they held this race, it was at the Farmer's orchard off of Lake Michigan drive. I "raced" duo with a coworker and I don't think I've ever laughed so hard or fallen so hard while riding a bicycle. (I also wore my roller derby helmet!)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLU7RsqqYfjCIc2gBlw-F6b-d82P3gciuMbGvRVV_Pk1SQFa7vi7DH71BRbdnuTt3D0AwtLHSYuSM5ulW_dQ1cWm-mVle_yPS0R21wqjulIM_Cm1P017mTnC-f4OoOktSWW6qufbrxM84K/s1600/farmhand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLU7RsqqYfjCIc2gBlw-F6b-d82P3gciuMbGvRVV_Pk1SQFa7vi7DH71BRbdnuTt3D0AwtLHSYuSM5ulW_dQ1cWm-mVle_yPS0R21wqjulIM_Cm1P017mTnC-f4OoOktSWW6qufbrxM84K/s1600/farmhand.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The inaugural Farmer's Fat Bike Race - 2011</td></tr>
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Since then, the race has been held at Cannonsburg Ski Hill. There's beer, food, and snowboarders who look inquiringly at our giant tires. I love everything about this race! This year especially we had some incredibly hecklers! Some goofballs from <a href="http://www.velocityusa.com/">Velocity USA</a> came out with a boom box to pump up the jams, there was a yeti spotted out in the woods, and the best part about the whole race: lots and lots of familiar faces from Grand Rapids Bicycles! Big, big kudos to all of the new fat bike riders out there that had battled the ski hill for 3 hours - that trail turned to mush and that single track was hard! I made it out of the Farmhand Fat Bike race alive, but with bruises on my knees and thighs from whacking myself on different parts of the bike while dabbing downhill. My crowning moment of glory during the race? Cheering on Jenny Scott and making an awesome snow angel on the side of the trail as I tried to pass her. My boots got stuck in my pedals and I laid on the ground squirming while she laughed at me. It was awesome! I was still pretty exhausted from the Tuscobia 150 the weekend before, but I couldn't miss my favorite fat bike race of the year! So happy I didn't let my tired legs keep me from having a really fun time.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_6-yaWeL63jQ1mlvf2uqZ5PmRYBPEhmcsuB1cL2BpMmE-vy_9CBwq6OiTtKgbnsooaD3W_wK2KVOkK24Vo1BN444MR4y5_JzW8n2AbgxMQKH9jciF4EqJwDb_QpUHdxXoG2s44o7S9uCh/s1600/farmers1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_6-yaWeL63jQ1mlvf2uqZ5PmRYBPEhmcsuB1cL2BpMmE-vy_9CBwq6OiTtKgbnsooaD3W_wK2KVOkK24Vo1BN444MR4y5_JzW8n2AbgxMQKH9jciF4EqJwDb_QpUHdxXoG2s44o7S9uCh/s1600/farmers1.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Farmhand start / Photo: Neil Washburn</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaTmIGyscf3hxzKVd5obl2ZRcvSPosoyo3Bj8C_nuPLipJapirNGtUu8ux7IJqQqqh7IgmtTQkBjljVUBVVz27zDbfhA2xq34ioPv45euyzCL3LXbuFzrIeOH07a1NcTFoD6p5_3UNI05a/s1600/farmers3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaTmIGyscf3hxzKVd5obl2ZRcvSPosoyo3Bj8C_nuPLipJapirNGtUu8ux7IJqQqqh7IgmtTQkBjljVUBVVz27zDbfhA2xq34ioPv45euyzCL3LXbuFzrIeOH07a1NcTFoD6p5_3UNI05a/s1600/farmers3.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yeti love at the finish line / Photo: Neil Washburn</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUkftj1CWqMwjHtrxCHxAxpYYo3MzzXL_CpzHJNGugP8CwLNGTnb2Fsr9_4j4FT2n069YzO0wcHpeBWU1Tx7MkYAFTqvR0eiLmyzyeiBMgtbPV42kP8sHu_xE3igmFMvDGe5vfveF8oBOC/s1600/farmers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUkftj1CWqMwjHtrxCHxAxpYYo3MzzXL_CpzHJNGugP8CwLNGTnb2Fsr9_4j4FT2n069YzO0wcHpeBWU1Tx7MkYAFTqvR0eiLmyzyeiBMgtbPV42kP8sHu_xE3igmFMvDGe5vfveF8oBOC/s1600/farmers.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Myself, Chelsea Strate, Danielle Musto, April Morgan, Kim Thomas / Photo: Tom Morgan</td></tr>
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The next day after the Farmhand Fat Bike race was a Fun Promotions event at Pando Ski Hill. Another race less than a half an hour drive away from my house?! Yes! When I woke up Sunday morning and felt like I had been hit by a bus, I almost wanted to bail from the race... but that darn stubborn voice in the back of my head kept saying, "it'll be fun! it'll be fun!" Luckily, Danielle Musto and I had already agreed to race duo, so instead of riding through mush for 2 hours we'd each only be riding through mush for 1 hour! Plus, Chelsea Strate had partnered with Eric Fredrickson from <a href="http://salsacycles.com/">Salsa</a> to race against us. There's no bailing allowed when you wake up to a snarky text message on race day!!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhllRFOdkeDmXTcsExEKSStJ2KL16KuqxTz_Bkv7rBRz_4bGdhGesZ7VbZwrOEGb0ViAa31vwq5xpxVyrlgGduVuMrUPz6JL09Df0wK5YnHQKU7sK_7mkLMtXUh26mlM5GT2keESTsugaoS/s1600/pando.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhllRFOdkeDmXTcsExEKSStJ2KL16KuqxTz_Bkv7rBRz_4bGdhGesZ7VbZwrOEGb0ViAa31vwq5xpxVyrlgGduVuMrUPz6JL09Df0wK5YnHQKU7sK_7mkLMtXUh26mlM5GT2keESTsugaoS/s1600/pando.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unlucky Chelsea crashed at my place all weekend</td></tr>
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Pando was just as mushy as the Ski Hill. I was happy to have to ride up that ski hill only three times! Danielle and I were able to take first place in the duo category, with Chelsea and E Fred hot on our tails. My parents had made it out to Grand Rapids for the weekend, and it was neat to be able to bring them as my pit crew. I don't think I drank any water while I was riding, but they cheered, held my jacket, and were really excited to meet my fat biking friends. So glad they were able to make it!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPVmb-31tK6OGRwvloGIsH9yXe7lfe1vOop1MqYeR7sZDnKQ3o-AMXHgPOyTZ4JWKZtNreFd8eDIzjxwvZnU-cjnrHbEBerFtd_aLFHa2GuR-Wopa2ZKGWUjuzC_oVdeqFmwlyJQVYu6Fh/s1600/pando1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPVmb-31tK6OGRwvloGIsH9yXe7lfe1vOop1MqYeR7sZDnKQ3o-AMXHgPOyTZ4JWKZtNreFd8eDIzjxwvZnU-cjnrHbEBerFtd_aLFHa2GuR-Wopa2ZKGWUjuzC_oVdeqFmwlyJQVYu6Fh/s1600/pando1.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dad, me, Mom, Danielle, E Fred, Chelsea</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdAN0-FBEEqT4q8dSEinJrWNueFeVrimU1EWQDIOsfo4njAahXUKqZGNk0y1S02BBEJoztXiNAA84KWGxdap_NhI7m1olADM8rN7yBrwZMj42FNEzt7f9fSQNF6okHyxNkJ8z5QWVlLyGX/s1600/pando2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdAN0-FBEEqT4q8dSEinJrWNueFeVrimU1EWQDIOsfo4njAahXUKqZGNk0y1S02BBEJoztXiNAA84KWGxdap_NhI7m1olADM8rN7yBrwZMj42FNEzt7f9fSQNF6okHyxNkJ8z5QWVlLyGX/s1600/pando2.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cuties on the duo podium!</td></tr>
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I was also able to get a taste of the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Thursday-Throwdown/1516668731933381">Thursday Throwdown</a> at Koetsier's Greenhouse since I haven't had to taper down for a race this weekend. Last night was incredibly icy and I took each turn as gingerly as I possibly could, especially after hearing that Danielle had slipped around one of the corners! I found myself really wishing that I had put studs on my 45NRTH Dillingers; while simultaneously being super stoked that I had finally been able to get my <a href="http://us.sarmabikes.com/products/carbon-rim-fatbikes">Sarma Naran's</a> built and put on my Beargrease. Now I see what all the carbon fiber ruckus was about!! Those wheels are F U N ! Lightweight, super snappy, little rockets on the climbs... those things are going to be awesome next weekend at the <a href="http://www.loppet.org/events/cityoflakesloppet/loppet-events/sunday/fat-tire/">City of Lakes Loppet</a>! Dan helped me set them up as tubeless, and that's a whole other fat bike thing I'm looking forwards to becoming more familiar with! Last year I was really nervous to go tubeless because I was afraid of the stan's freezing in cold weather, or of getting a flat and somehow having the fluid explode all over me and then I'd freeze and get hypothermia... seriously every wacky, asinine scenario played out in my mind about going tubeless on my fat bike! So far so good though. So far I'm sold! The bead lock on those Sarma rims is pretty stinkin' tight. I don't think I'll be having any problems. :)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIeAzsPORwMzVjNVg7KksjMwtFJsoZ_ImTpky2I5wcvvX9eHJw3suaE7zWXe5OxVxcJHDXXPBShbkITbN7XiCYGFNO0FbGnuAx9BhUxBL3XiUJvi1IQ5_G3Nn6mol-zbKfnqoM7WMx7eWM/s1600/koetsiers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIeAzsPORwMzVjNVg7KksjMwtFJsoZ_ImTpky2I5wcvvX9eHJw3suaE7zWXe5OxVxcJHDXXPBShbkITbN7XiCYGFNO0FbGnuAx9BhUxBL3XiUJvi1IQ5_G3Nn6mol-zbKfnqoM7WMx7eWM/s1600/koetsiers.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How cool is it that we get to drink beers and talk about fat bikes inside of Koetsier's Greenhouse?!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4zblQBJCCnio1dRjQAUECKA__-eiPTF1lJlPY6RCFRnbDklwxzrhlwK5hUO3N-VhegmzwimWB4NO0a_VY0piqces_hOM03XpCL85-vHIJcdl9nS85B7-ayWHtxenH0cG8C176CdAcW3C8/s1600/koetsiers1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4zblQBJCCnio1dRjQAUECKA__-eiPTF1lJlPY6RCFRnbDklwxzrhlwK5hUO3N-VhegmzwimWB4NO0a_VY0piqces_hOM03XpCL85-vHIJcdl9nS85B7-ayWHtxenH0cG8C176CdAcW3C8/s1600/koetsiers1.jpg" height="214" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That starting shoot was icy! / Photo: Michael Mielock</td></tr>
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I'm not planning on racing this weekend and am really looking forward to finding some friends to do some local rides with. Sunday GRBC is hosting a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/787713914649391/">group ride</a> from the Fulton location at 11:30am, which should be a ton of fun because it involves some of my favorite coworkers, bikes, and brews. I've been holding on to my Brewery Vivant growler and freefill from the Farmhand fat bike race for this very occasion. ;)<br />
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<br />BillFartindalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04581092364521279774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-246444036584487637.post-48653413493479159072015-01-17T14:39:00.000-08:002015-01-17T15:09:53.684-08:00Holy Wah! - Tuscobia 150<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Holy wah!!! Where to even start about the crazy adventure that is the <a href="https://tuscobia.wordpress.com/">Tuscobia 150</a>?!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVkIVzIsz4g-rX7is-KwVxhLA2tinq3vD2_n29zZ2c5FDrurGMuZPe6o8dcoS3nMe9LmlI5Lb3KOTkjxst6gWmuPBaACLhl6qd7McuqD_gNxgdXdd3y_8pt0Vr1DILthpqdZDUDRWAvrHT/s1600/jilldan1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVkIVzIsz4g-rX7is-KwVxhLA2tinq3vD2_n29zZ2c5FDrurGMuZPe6o8dcoS3nMe9LmlI5Lb3KOTkjxst6gWmuPBaACLhl6qd7McuqD_gNxgdXdd3y_8pt0Vr1DILthpqdZDUDRWAvrHT/s1600/jilldan1.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bike trip!!!</td></tr>
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Traveling to and from a race is <strike>sometimes</strike> always just as exciting as the race itself! I feel like I'm getting away with something a lot of the time when I'm traveling for a race, because I get to see new places and I get to check out cool things along the way. It's a good excuse for a partial vacation. New restaurants, seeing friends and making new ones, climbing on top of 200ft tall ski jumps... it all adds to the adventure and the allure of racing for me. I definitely got away with a lot of things while on the way to Park Falls, Wisconsin for the Tuscobia 150. The way home was a totally different story! I'll say it again: Holy wah!!!<br />
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The Tuscobia 150 started at 6:00am on Friday, January 2nd. Which meant Dan and I were on the road for New Year's Eve. I was so so so happy that Dan was able to come with me for this race because 1) I enjoy his company. A lot. 2) I had never done a winter ultra before and I was afraid of being stranded out in the wilderness. 3) It's always a relief to have a mechanic with you when you're traveling so far for a race 4) I wouldn't have to make the entire drive by myself or stay in creepy motels by myself. 5) This meant I got to kiss him at midnight. ;)<br />
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We stopped in Escanaba for the night at the Hiawatha Motel a half hour before midnight and were able to pop some champagne just in time! Happy 2015 everyone; we had no idea what was in store for the beginning of the new year!!<br />
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On our way to Park Falls, Wisconsin, <strike>we ran into</strike> I climbed on top of some really cool things:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boat yard in Escanaba</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boats, boats, boats!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The world's tallest wooden ski jump</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Conquered! - I slid down it on my tush!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Iron Mountain, Michigan</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij1fX60hL4unQqqlho7ztjor0b8gU9-D4j7lqDFRvjU6bDFxMOh1SpN-AgBBxwzMq_mUmP0Pl6YFIXgDyx2BpUFWGATWyBvxa0mOZUCmodHrwFgphamkgw9m-hRReVm6AqPU4JCmdDIJ3s/s1600/batcave.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij1fX60hL4unQqqlho7ztjor0b8gU9-D4j7lqDFRvjU6bDFxMOh1SpN-AgBBxwzMq_mUmP0Pl6YFIXgDyx2BpUFWGATWyBvxa0mOZUCmodHrwFgphamkgw9m-hRReVm6AqPU4JCmdDIJ3s/s1600/batcave.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trying to see some bats...</td></tr>
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We made it to Park Falls in time for the gear check and for the rider's meeting. Most rider's meetings I've been to are about 10 or 15 minutes in length... this one went on for forever! The race promoters were very strict about making sure the racers had the correct amount of reflective material and lights while out on the trail. The Tuscobia State Trail is a snowmobile trail, and I guess the DNR has been weary of other people out on the trail due to the snowmobilers traveling at high speeds. By the end of the rider's meeting, Dan and I were feeling very warm from being crammed in such a small room with so many people in it, very tired, and very scared of the snowmobiles!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5M2BeSj_ILnLdBl0d9CCp76YQLZV_2LKt04X7BEoYXtPRXNUzzX_L3SPWChZsQhg19AEoTBYuxjbuxpJgvcyjbl37BR0X6GyAMnLk572vS2JHOaUNRlFVNn2H6DIYMvLAVmf3XBPEM4Qe/s1600/meeting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5M2BeSj_ILnLdBl0d9CCp76YQLZV_2LKt04X7BEoYXtPRXNUzzX_L3SPWChZsQhg19AEoTBYuxjbuxpJgvcyjbl37BR0X6GyAMnLk572vS2JHOaUNRlFVNn2H6DIYMvLAVmf3XBPEM4Qe/s1600/meeting.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Slightly nervous that I would become a Jill-cake on the Tuscobia State Trail</td></tr>
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We left after the meeting to go back to the hotel room to scramble for extra lights and batteries and to cover my bike in more reflective tape. I wouldn't be riding my Salsa Beargrease in the Tuscobia 150... I would be riding a carbon fiber UFO. ;)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCOkRmI0pM_OmPpFs4Z_I4jROP60btJIhEp4edwD-1BW1XQx2lYRw7iNSF582uKjg4NuaQbRLdDbAAub6spXXuedqbjuxeOwt9T8wVdg52bJMS11qfATQzSTisCjc9z7bwARtlCqq2eRe-/s1600/dan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCOkRmI0pM_OmPpFs4Z_I4jROP60btJIhEp4edwD-1BW1XQx2lYRw7iNSF582uKjg4NuaQbRLdDbAAub6spXXuedqbjuxeOwt9T8wVdg52bJMS11qfATQzSTisCjc9z7bwARtlCqq2eRe-/s1600/dan.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Last minute check-over of the UFO</td></tr>
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The morning came so fast! I felt like I had just laid down when the alarm started ringing. I will say it a million times after every bike race: Dan is amazing. Not only does he make sure my bikes are working in tip top shape, but he gets up to eat breakfast with me at 4am. Then he drove me to the race start and waited for me the entire race, answering frantic "How is Jill doing?! Why did her tracker stop?!" texts from my friends and family, despite not talking to me for the entire 25 hours that it took me to <strike>race</strike> ride the entire 150 miles. On top of all of that, he was also at the finish line waiting to see me cross-eyed and goofy from spending so much time on my bike in the cold. Like I said, he's amazing.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT_73zV5114zLBX9Xx4rLwz1JlSMT3AbUbepkpQscMdfj-w9Td2Sv4TYNR0aIZPYZVM6zL7Ij5UAatEUyRCjupHZZTJlwnDk8PvZQv8khR2sSNNC4O3fWRhq7c_RF-x4CSSvrS8ZDptlEi/s1600/tuscobia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT_73zV5114zLBX9Xx4rLwz1JlSMT3AbUbepkpQscMdfj-w9Td2Sv4TYNR0aIZPYZVM6zL7Ij5UAatEUyRCjupHZZTJlwnDk8PvZQv8khR2sSNNC4O3fWRhq7c_RF-x4CSSvrS8ZDptlEi/s1600/tuscobia.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Race start!</td></tr>
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Holy Wah! The Tuscobia 150 reminded me a lot of when my friend <a href="https://emmalouisehiggins.wordpress.com/2012/10/22/the-arrogance-of-an-amateur-cyclist/">Emma</a> and I rode bikes around Lake Superior back in 2012: super stoked to do it and slightly ignorant to the difficulties that would arise. It was mentally a really tough first winter ultra.Weeks now after the race and there's still a tingling sensation in my left hand and a little bit of soreness in my right knee. It seems like a dream that I finished in one piece and that I was able to race last weekend in both the <a href="http://www.farmteamracing.com/p/farmers-fat-bike-race-2013_19.html">Farmhand Fat Bike Race</a> and duo with <a href="http://daniellemusto.blogspot.com/">Danielle</a> at a <a href="http://www.funpromotions.com/eventinfo/michigan_fatbike_series.html">Fun Promotions LLC</a> race!<br />
<br />
<b>The Race</b><br />
<br />
You start in Park Falls, Wisconsin, ride 75 miles out to Rice Lake to a Tuscobia State Trail sign, and then turn around and ride 75 miles back to the start. The trail is straight and relatively flat. We lined up at the start at 6am and took off rolling in the dark. Endurance races are so different from cross country races: you want to pace yourself to make sure you have enough energy to get to the finish line. The longest amount of time that I had spent on a bicycle was 12 hours, and I knew I'd be nearly double that for the Tuscobia. I wasn't super nervous that I'd run out of legs for the race because I had been training for continuously pedaling along a long, flat surface; I was worried that I would get too cold or that my water would freeze -- our winter in Michigan had been incredibly mild and I wasn't able to simulate riding in the same temperature.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEictzIa8eMrRCDWJo6stQrGmisqEJzD4eV3mNJ_R6Ww1tDNby31GFIaPr4fUYGxKPYDX4nPe9K8A2D0ce2ZYtPzm-Dy_jexVKve9v0DMqdGAayL7D-XOqWIvslyWH-7fPbxWOh2PLi6uwiZ/s1600/female.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEictzIa8eMrRCDWJo6stQrGmisqEJzD4eV3mNJ_R6Ww1tDNby31GFIaPr4fUYGxKPYDX4nPe9K8A2D0ce2ZYtPzm-Dy_jexVKve9v0DMqdGAayL7D-XOqWIvslyWH-7fPbxWOh2PLi6uwiZ/s1600/female.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tuscobia 150 ladies: Patty Jo Struve, Sveta Vold, myself</td></tr>
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My goal for the race was to finish with a smile, and I'm happy to say that I did it!! Not many women have been able to finish the Tuscobia 150 on a fat bike and I'm incredibly proud of myself for sticking with it and for making it to the end. The first 75 miles went by very quickly, and I was surprised that I was making decent time. Aside from passing Jay Petervary and realizing that he was 50 miles ahead of me, I had felt good about reaching the turnaround before nightfall! Once I tagged that sign and began riding in the opposite direction, I realized that it would be the trek to the finish that would be the most difficult part. The trail began to deteriorate from the other riders, skiers, runners, and snowmobilers, and once the sun went down the mile markers seemed like they were getting stretched further and further apart. There were 33 miles between the Birchwood checkpoint and the Winter checkpoint that seemed to last for forever. My hands were starting to fatigue, and grabbing the water out of my insulated OR water bottle parka became too difficult to do while riding. My shoulders and knees were getting achey and as I trudged on I started to get really, really tired. Despite trying to sing off the sleepiness, there were a couple times where I fell over trying to dismount for a drink.<br />
<br />
I was so, so happy to see the Winter checkpoint! The generous volunteers at the cabin let me lay down for a half hour while I dried my jacket off over the heater. Changing in to new clothes at Winter for the last 24 miles of the race was a soul saver! I was able to head out into the darkness with a dry chamois, dry socks, and a belly full of chocolate chip banana bread and coca cola! The mile markers continued to span further away from each other and I tried to ignore them so it wouldn't seem like the trail was as long as it really was. When I finally hit pavement, I couldn't help but tear up because I was just so happy to be so close to the finish line!! It took me just over 25 hours to ride 150 miles.<br />
<br />
Now that the race is over, there are things that I would have done differently: an insulated Hydrapak hose is on it's way to Grand Rapids Bicycle Company with my name on it, shorter transition times at checkpoints, more caffeine, more sleep prior to the race... but honestly, I feel good about how I rode. For a girl who started racing fat bikes last winter, I'm incredibly proud to have just made it across the finish line! The single best thing about the entire race was all of the support I had from <a href="http://grandrapidsbicycles.com/">GRBC</a>, my friends and family, and my cycling community back home. Knowing that everyone was watching that little tracker dot back home kept me from calling it quits - so thanks to everyone who sat at home, frantically wondering why my dot stopped moving when it wouldn't update, and cheering for me before they went to bed at night and when they woke up in the morning! I would have napped in a snow bank or tried to hitch on a snow mobile without you. ;)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5tqt5rNCzLZQcy32bQpTaBAmkzJfGWuIqIQvfs1lAieu5ZqTH9av5oR39BLFHhCDmoAAlsW81HZ_TrTn_l7h_IdxMh0vtLisBziFOSCnviHg3np7odkvZfhiWJQbHQTEy6-Sbeg41KlhQ/s1600/tuscobia1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5tqt5rNCzLZQcy32bQpTaBAmkzJfGWuIqIQvfs1lAieu5ZqTH9av5oR39BLFHhCDmoAAlsW81HZ_TrTn_l7h_IdxMh0vtLisBziFOSCnviHg3np7odkvZfhiWJQbHQTEy6-Sbeg41KlhQ/s1600/tuscobia1.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Goal achieved: Still smiling at the finish!</td></tr>
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The Tuscobia 150 was a lot harder than I thought it would be, but once it was over I immediately started thinking about doing another winter ultra. I have so much training to do if I want to do anything with more elevation or more miles! Lucky for me I have an incredible network of friends and loved ones who I can think of when the going gets tough. I can't wait to do more winter ultras! Get ready to cheer more, everyone, because my new goal is the <a href="http://iditarodtrailinvitational.com/">2016 Iditarod</a> on a fat bike! ;)<br />
<br />
<b>The Gear</b><br />
<br />
With winter ultras, there's <a href="https://tuscobia.wordpress.com/race-information/rules/">required and recommended gear</a> that you carry. Just recently we weighed my bike at the Grand Rapids Bicycle Company's <a href="https://www.facebook.com/grbikeco/posts/955326581146009">45NRTH Happy Hour</a>, and it was about 50 pounds locked and loaded. This is what I brought with me. It's funny to race with so much stuff, but luckily I'm used to being a pack mule on a bicycle from riding self-supported around three of the great lakes. Who would have thought summer vacations would have prepared me for the world of endurance fat bike racing?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl3gplilXyCOKyUGg7hX6PkVe2IbaPmNPXrx2YwecmNYPqr4vVj6RnhL7q4ACrxIokRTgoZi9EkSRGRTwZ-Mb9YoXjN8S-llZt6xUjFp-xDwMO5G8vqdedfQ1J30DoDF8kVnVTd1KDIv7b/s1600/handlebar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl3gplilXyCOKyUGg7hX6PkVe2IbaPmNPXrx2YwecmNYPqr4vVj6RnhL7q4ACrxIokRTgoZi9EkSRGRTwZ-Mb9YoXjN8S-llZt6xUjFp-xDwMO5G8vqdedfQ1J30DoDF8kVnVTd1KDIv7b/s1600/handlebar.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blackburn Handlebar Bag</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLVH_3-acO7IYh9tAkIX92NQ-1DvjsNnlIB05j0-2DEFO65G7TESUK5OBZLftHn4Y3Kj78XCcAwKpcbgbUGpj7HJUnjRsyJV5-ARb3d7zvNkmW1G7HzWQAw_dYOt6iTqGbIEZ5KvLPGJ_k/s1600/handlebar1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLVH_3-acO7IYh9tAkIX92NQ-1DvjsNnlIB05j0-2DEFO65G7TESUK5OBZLftHn4Y3Kj78XCcAwKpcbgbUGpj7HJUnjRsyJV5-ARb3d7zvNkmW1G7HzWQAw_dYOt6iTqGbIEZ5KvLPGJ_k/s1600/handlebar1.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">OR Compression sack, my sleeping pad, borrowed OR Bivy and -20 Big Agnes Sleeping Bag from Dan Jansen, Salsa straps</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Ww13KS-ZVBr6KoUOa84WuDuxOW0bVZmkxW7-tm64Krk5eem_zzDkMn7hJ__r4K5SvRr1rLtuGIzi1ATomAVzu-vz1W9gRGiLbXNDzTbBdUke8AIpRbalMy8Ur8xySwbBAGzHyGakgiaM/s1600/frame.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Ww13KS-ZVBr6KoUOa84WuDuxOW0bVZmkxW7-tm64Krk5eem_zzDkMn7hJ__r4K5SvRr1rLtuGIzi1ATomAVzu-vz1W9gRGiLbXNDzTbBdUke8AIpRbalMy8Ur8xySwbBAGzHyGakgiaM/s1600/frame.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Revelate Designs gas tank bag & frame pack</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzLEzCr09OzQ8bfxi8sH19tyGtynRoO-Q4DZ30K9G4bydgV-j6ke8CMH23F1pgQC1ilnZHfo5EUFNBZUwcTQVX8OGN8dz645y2hVZ-YJpk6A-ZBINetZP1ccfVoX0EOzxaKsIyeH0RRQq_/s1600/framepack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzLEzCr09OzQ8bfxi8sH19tyGtynRoO-Q4DZ30K9G4bydgV-j6ke8CMH23F1pgQC1ilnZHfo5EUFNBZUwcTQVX8OGN8dz645y2hVZ-YJpk6A-ZBINetZP1ccfVoX0EOzxaKsIyeH0RRQq_/s1600/framepack.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the frame pack: MSR stove, fuel, emergency blanket, waterproof matches, lighter, Stanley stainless steel pot, emergency fire starter, chapstick, cycling salve, tea light candle, notebook & pen. Not pictured: snacks, snacks, snacks, and vaseline for my face.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif_RvnrIId0X-Vb684f9xs7UEc4sQlPxUMabuP_Nk3YVA9-NMFxeiuzIYvrm5hqgsCZLAVTDDiHsGOjH0VdcrQejPO1AmrHa_RqgML-ofhC4npjedU2QxlX5AMBmA6w7WAAuRoWh8JkB3-/s1600/3000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif_RvnrIId0X-Vb684f9xs7UEc4sQlPxUMabuP_Nk3YVA9-NMFxeiuzIYvrm5hqgsCZLAVTDDiHsGOjH0VdcrQejPO1AmrHa_RqgML-ofhC4npjedU2QxlX5AMBmA6w7WAAuRoWh8JkB3-/s1600/3000.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Also in the frame pack: my 3,000 calories</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNIvteh0axASBEiISNdN8gAB5VMKZrJ_PBIYN0_Gn2N58mEKwBXqxF3AIB2h9bALw0TwmnAbOcVcTFVH_Ilh2T4byIzjInySD6E_GtFhvyHlx62exMGYaj3gEcfpCkZ-UKCaqtGAGjHJss/s1600/gastank.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNIvteh0axASBEiISNdN8gAB5VMKZrJ_PBIYN0_Gn2N58mEKwBXqxF3AIB2h9bALw0TwmnAbOcVcTFVH_Ilh2T4byIzjInySD6E_GtFhvyHlx62exMGYaj3gEcfpCkZ-UKCaqtGAGjHJss/s1600/gastank.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gas tank: multi tool, lube, master link, so many snacks!!!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTSil-PVerqhHWcAf90FKt9IEHEq7uvBU-sZbPipmHgpek37FrV-vn-jJDdmUCCsyOVEl-DQnQeqpu8Gy1uFeQHADerkSjSvIsQs85sMUjiNFxueMlt-IUd3GuDIDP-ZcWDkD59mzoJjlv/s1600/seatbag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTSil-PVerqhHWcAf90FKt9IEHEq7uvBU-sZbPipmHgpek37FrV-vn-jJDdmUCCsyOVEl-DQnQeqpu8Gy1uFeQHADerkSjSvIsQs85sMUjiNFxueMlt-IUd3GuDIDP-ZcWDkD59mzoJjlv/s1600/seatbag.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blackburn seat bag. Not pictured: I kept a change of clothes, gloves, and an OR down jacket in here. I also hung an additional reflective triangle from this bag.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUFPg8LVQpIVqSSm-50ud2Il0m0tvuezFNxCZjRiMngH-s0CZbFAYdc6XPfIaH7Jo7CNUFpzBb7u5m4Hvk_3R5HY6VG9nqRyhRd2vGoEMD3gkJvBOUp1l-NCkmrtcXaNyJqdQJyTairsWj/s1600/or+parka.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUFPg8LVQpIVqSSm-50ud2Il0m0tvuezFNxCZjRiMngH-s0CZbFAYdc6XPfIaH7Jo7CNUFpzBb7u5m4Hvk_3R5HY6VG9nqRyhRd2vGoEMD3gkJvBOUp1l-NCkmrtcXaNyJqdQJyTairsWj/s1600/or+parka.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">OR water bottle parka to keep water from freezing</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHvPbbp9pA9ehVWfdNCVR4YAdsysB28rkEoOxm91aLAXvfsQxJ0U8-xACP0lV0W9BzfS0X5tAreGGI8lfMnj2ES9XTmC83O6lXt6t0DxBA72-t4AoPK9c5by9rV9_pNvCeyU-WH6Qm3_OU/s1600/pack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHvPbbp9pA9ehVWfdNCVR4YAdsysB28rkEoOxm91aLAXvfsQxJ0U8-xACP0lV0W9BzfS0X5tAreGGI8lfMnj2ES9XTmC83O6lXt6t0DxBA72-t4AoPK9c5by9rV9_pNvCeyU-WH6Qm3_OU/s1600/pack.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hydrapak, toe warmers, flat repair kit, extra lights, pepper spray. Not pictured: extra water bottles, extra snacks, extra CarboRocket Half Evil drink mix & CR Rocketlytes</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijbXEMF0Fzl_sKTUOs3CfvSVn3pl6OHta_xoNG8__rTDZ6LiCSd9Gm-jN5E3cMnWXWk-fexjXOljwjdi4Q3LBYpYLMe5T2BaFrpXJbewk6oG9WCecPNeX4Ds3B7SErkOMWYl4zO2VnasaY/s1600/lights.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijbXEMF0Fzl_sKTUOs3CfvSVn3pl6OHta_xoNG8__rTDZ6LiCSd9Gm-jN5E3cMnWXWk-fexjXOljwjdi4Q3LBYpYLMe5T2BaFrpXJbewk6oG9WCecPNeX4Ds3B7SErkOMWYl4zO2VnasaY/s1600/lights.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Helmet, portable charger, a bazillion lights</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlnXfZOF40mP-EWQj94KNEYS1CCYG433ys18t0JuYClbQKT9nlnE2eU-YLtf-xQ83l_l7fLZ4-EignulXZe1p_APrQM67RzYO9M01KGwbzywPDQHl0g-CcC7v0dYoQaZ44nOhfpw5C1G_O/s1600/faves.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlnXfZOF40mP-EWQj94KNEYS1CCYG433ys18t0JuYClbQKT9nlnE2eU-YLtf-xQ83l_l7fLZ4-EignulXZe1p_APrQM67RzYO9M01KGwbzywPDQHl0g-CcC7v0dYoQaZ44nOhfpw5C1G_O/s1600/faves.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Three things I was SO happy I had with me? <br />
My 45NRTH Gaiters, a chocolate/espresso bean Enduro bar (it didn't freeze!), Smith goggles</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
In addition to all of the things that I brought with me on the bike, this is what I wore while riding:<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGX3gKjQV45ezjaYsUQl2YDBw4K19Xe03A-p3pXMyk6zUnFdGfUQoGQS46ryGP_UajzNiDdvkACWtelWjgtUfW1P0Rq8bvdI-jjzPRfTdnKTibCyVuciGayotwJsOdDV1ypNJerlhcRATa/s1600/headware.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGX3gKjQV45ezjaYsUQl2YDBw4K19Xe03A-p3pXMyk6zUnFdGfUQoGQS46ryGP_UajzNiDdvkACWtelWjgtUfW1P0Rq8bvdI-jjzPRfTdnKTibCyVuciGayotwJsOdDV1ypNJerlhcRATa/s1600/headware.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I wore my wool neck gaiter and the 45NRTH Greazy cap for most of the Tuscobia State Trail. At the last check point I changed in to dry clothes and put on my Toaster Fork.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgztnQvGxXNq7oBYDb6kY9A5YL9aYs4qBIgI2V24VaLCzeYoRE7UT7EfvZ66kd9pgUl2CEs7tFXXFboCrIPylBu8FtvRwJkIwB4vfi9INJlP6BF8V6Ls9xLcwlfZI905-ZL9yccCZzut94P/s1600/tops.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgztnQvGxXNq7oBYDb6kY9A5YL9aYs4qBIgI2V24VaLCzeYoRE7UT7EfvZ66kd9pgUl2CEs7tFXXFboCrIPylBu8FtvRwJkIwB4vfi9INJlP6BF8V6Ls9xLcwlfZI905-ZL9yccCZzut94P/s1600/tops.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Top: Long sleeve wool baselayer, short sleeve merino wool tee, wool long sleeve jersey, my super awesome 45NRTH jacket</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIu3OhU9wOLYqSocQweY6z9azZChJmAfI0K3t6U4e2ep0QjFdrJ_fPFRym10rsAOV3KQGyuHi_2k8mOhdQ6wDJogU7qGGB_0swb8DPY-4FT_iNupMck6xiJmH2xqhtq5nHhR-nXxDHPOeL/s1600/bottoms.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIu3OhU9wOLYqSocQweY6z9azZChJmAfI0K3t6U4e2ep0QjFdrJ_fPFRym10rsAOV3KQGyuHi_2k8mOhdQ6wDJogU7qGGB_0swb8DPY-4FT_iNupMck6xiJmH2xqhtq5nHhR-nXxDHPOeL/s1600/bottoms.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bottom: thermal knickers, Sugoi firewall tights, Chrome knickers, 45NRTH gaiters, wool socks</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-aWFOlh-55yDJikQuNdPOB1jolQUlEB9wQ8uOXYjb9DkfrQmM3rth90Q_WAfF7aTJXAwSHyYKBkaRualOyW7-w5rf9tIdIFxoj3Tx644MFvZgxxCg2dq16QUsFNnRmQ2O9fdV-_3tDTg0/s1600/eagle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-aWFOlh-55yDJikQuNdPOB1jolQUlEB9wQ8uOXYjb9DkfrQmM3rth90Q_WAfF7aTJXAwSHyYKBkaRualOyW7-w5rf9tIdIFxoj3Tx644MFvZgxxCg2dq16QUsFNnRmQ2O9fdV-_3tDTg0/s1600/eagle.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We saw a Bald Eagle just as we passed in to Michigan! A good omen?</td></tr>
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The ride home from the Tuscobia 150 was more eventful than the drive to the race and the whole 150 miles combined! Dan and I had gone back to the motel after the race, but due to the heavy snow mobile traffic outside of our room we weren't able to lay down for any shut eye! I also have a hard time sleeping after any long-distance race because every time I start to doze off I feel like I'm falling off of my bike.. So we loaded the Pontiac Montana minivan up with all of our gear and started our drive back to Grand Rapids. After a long discussion about how awesome it was owning a minivan and how we were going to get new tires on it and fix the windshield wipers and have the Montana for forever, we hit an icy spot along US 2 just outside of Norway, Michigan and this happened:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpKZr2G5QzvNmcVraowjvekPHv2qsOB2Y9WJw7fqGMSQQDsn0xGSzNCva7y2h-w79cIRS_eP0AJ5lb0VIPqv80mW7jcU7qbAmryKc1OLZaom2sAWWFNlg5ezTeP05gdoLsQ9PsXDCPgYSt/s1600/pizzaroll.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpKZr2G5QzvNmcVraowjvekPHv2qsOB2Y9WJw7fqGMSQQDsn0xGSzNCva7y2h-w79cIRS_eP0AJ5lb0VIPqv80mW7jcU7qbAmryKc1OLZaom2sAWWFNlg5ezTeP05gdoLsQ9PsXDCPgYSt/s1600/pizzaroll.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pizza roll!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPwTXnjgRMhbRWyVJgY5Iq4wFIzikY7pgUaf9Gn4MNvoQjMfoq-mKqPbTx2MCp5VR-PqrahL5540Rcki4QY3s_w8J0anuGsokSHZwi5VaBvO7lKdToa1zuMVoXejKNRUvn5TbOf_WMHK6-/s1600/van2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPwTXnjgRMhbRWyVJgY5Iq4wFIzikY7pgUaf9Gn4MNvoQjMfoq-mKqPbTx2MCp5VR-PqrahL5540Rcki4QY3s_w8J0anuGsokSHZwi5VaBvO7lKdToa1zuMVoXejKNRUvn5TbOf_WMHK6-/s1600/van2.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't worry, the bike made it out just fine!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhynNZW_OgSoyd3HuzOMt4p3hB82GbFMfv74NVzmA3FSSlEbaz38RUWJX0i-H9Cd_NU_E1ONZx0mbBWBYJ1s8tiKfuIRCm3vO_1fL0kqUKSajApRUvpBqgIbjBqawPXrq4HxUBg9aI5DQOm/s1600/van1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhynNZW_OgSoyd3HuzOMt4p3hB82GbFMfv74NVzmA3FSSlEbaz38RUWJX0i-H9Cd_NU_E1ONZx0mbBWBYJ1s8tiKfuIRCm3vO_1fL0kqUKSajApRUvpBqgIbjBqawPXrq4HxUBg9aI5DQOm/s1600/van1.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">None of our New Glarus beer broke, either!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1NMXnJkVCM7zJMqp3cF-XWAcwWwSVCfE7w5JF8AHR_XzPA-fgoLvWp3UxXDLmJeQbXzfTgg7Qmoqsy642PRUsr8ahQ1l0Elprj0OQN6zovjWVLknR6t2kXDcCz2CBxz0Vl0S7KHoGlxV2/s1600/van.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1NMXnJkVCM7zJMqp3cF-XWAcwWwSVCfE7w5JF8AHR_XzPA-fgoLvWp3UxXDLmJeQbXzfTgg7Qmoqsy642PRUsr8ahQ1l0Elprj0OQN6zovjWVLknR6t2kXDcCz2CBxz0Vl0S7KHoGlxV2/s1600/van.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Good-bye forever, little Pontiac Montana</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Has anyone ever wondered why it takes me so long to update my blog? There's just always SO MUCH to write about! ;)<br />
<br />
We really had no idea what to do once the tow truck driver charged us $350 and dropped us off at the Viking Motel in Norway, Michigan. There were no rental car companies for miles, the van was totaled and full of stuff we wanted to take back home, and cell phone service was sketchy way on up there in the UP, eh. And then, by some stroke of luck (as if walking away from the crash without a scratch wasn't lucky enough!) we got a text message from one of the emergency EMT respondents' wife, wanting to help us get back home. We couldn't believe it! A complete stranger wanted to get a trailer and to help us clear out the minivan! Then, using the motel's wifi and this wonderful thing called Facebook, we found out that Rick Plite, Rick Folcik, and Scott Peterson were up in Rapid River fat biking... and that they had a truck that would <strike>fit</strike> hopefully fit all of our stuff! Our new friends Tony and Alicia agreed to pick us up in the morning and to drive us to meet up with our friends from fat biking back home in Rapid River.<br />
<br />
First, we needed to get all of our things. Tony and Alicia swung by the Viking Motel with their truck and trailer to snag us up. As I was brushing my teeth in the wonderful blue porcelain bathroom, Dan came running in to our room and asked if I could hurry things up. Tony and Alicia were still on call as emergency respondents and they had just gotten a text: a woman was having a diabetic seizure. We got in to their truck and had hardly shut the door when they began speeding through the little town of Norway - sirens and all! If you haven't rolled a minivan and then an hour later sat in a speeding truck on the same roadway that you rolled the vehicle on before... it's an interesting feeling, trust me! We made it to the woman's house and had a brief reunion with the same ambulance, firetruck, cops, and other EMT's that had shown up when the Montana rolled, and then sat in the truck while everyone got the woman stable again. Dan and I came to the conclusion that angels are born in Norway, Michigan, while we were waiting for our new BFF's.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw_W2mpG5Ld0t3OKKmId_rkT0J0TiCLByqHznOQZJv0FZ0YxC_9dgbJBBIYzaQicCXBkEUYMmX6rswN2_Oeq9fpFeq13qrqh3xLYgOCZCUU8gnxe0Qj_cBKjmL98MtZCmwhOkW8ZAcko_3/s1600/motel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw_W2mpG5Ld0t3OKKmId_rkT0J0TiCLByqHznOQZJv0FZ0YxC_9dgbJBBIYzaQicCXBkEUYMmX6rswN2_Oeq9fpFeq13qrqh3xLYgOCZCUU8gnxe0Qj_cBKjmL98MtZCmwhOkW8ZAcko_3/s1600/motel.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Raging Saturday night in the UP</td></tr>
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In the morning, we hopped back in that truck and made our way to Rapid River, about an hour away from where we had gone in to the ditch. (Tony pointed it out to us!) and we were so, so, so happy to see some familiar fat bikes on the back of Rick's truck!<br />
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Somehow, magically, we were able to fit all of our things in with all of their things. Five humans, four fat bikes, and a whole lot of winter riding gear. Holy Wah! The weather on the drive home was still pretty snowy, but I was so exhausted from the rest of the trip that it didn't worry me. Dan's dad picked us up off the of 10-mile exit in Rockford, and it felt like a dream when we began unloading our stuff back in GR. What a trek! I love our cycling community and I am so lucky to know such amazing people! It feels incredible to be home and I still feel like I'm getting caught up on sleep.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Katy and Ninja are stoked that their cheese curds and beer survived!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">AND there were more goodies from NiteRider when we got home! Big, big thanks to this lighting company for sending me out in to the wilderness with bright lights!</td></tr>
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HOLY WAH!!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Everyone back home was so happy I had finished and made it home alive.<br />
Ya'll are the best friends a fat biking gal could ever ask for! <3</td></tr>
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<br />BillFartindalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04581092364521279774noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-246444036584487637.post-6958654168466019652014-12-22T11:48:00.001-08:002014-12-22T11:48:57.105-08:00The Winter Solstice ChaseThe holidays are stampeding towards me quickly and it's hard to believe that the Winter Solstice has come and gone already! It's been getting dark so early that I've had to switch working out from something that I did after work to hauling my butt out of bed to get a ride in before work. If you know me at all, you know that I have a <i>very</i> hard time getting out of bed in the morning. Especially if it's still dark out and especially if it's damp out, which it has been recently. Even Ninja has been ignoring the alarm clock! <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmb6TuuCprYFPTDmByB0vdgAA29JIRsJd9r0KWPQumQKUfTWx6exRLL8nglkxyrV87HOD-7GcCXVR1W-ESGfPM5fiaHcbjo9VOm61I3BT0jpzpBPkbW85P8amdi7P84rF8TEmA90SYCV1b/s1600/katybat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmb6TuuCprYFPTDmByB0vdgAA29JIRsJd9r0KWPQumQKUfTWx6exRLL8nglkxyrV87HOD-7GcCXVR1W-ESGfPM5fiaHcbjo9VOm61I3BT0jpzpBPkbW85P8amdi7P84rF8TEmA90SYCV1b/s1600/katybat.jpg" height="215" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy Holidays from my roommates and I!<br />Photo by Katy Batdorff</td></tr>
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SO it's a big sigh of relief that the days will now *hopefully* be filled with more and more sunlight! <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA28cR_p6C-fDt5Q0j3WiXcZr8NQPAKudA7zhqnTd9tPGGZDszmAi_M-RxqrfXhR_5IZhyJ_tOCDy8Sra_NX9ZCH5Uf7Mg7Pv4TuCTVfmpMpRHhD_mUKBL4oXTiMbwb7R4FtCMgdYiLHTB/s1600/45nrthhh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA28cR_p6C-fDt5Q0j3WiXcZr8NQPAKudA7zhqnTd9tPGGZDszmAi_M-RxqrfXhR_5IZhyJ_tOCDy8Sra_NX9ZCH5Uf7Mg7Pv4TuCTVfmpMpRHhD_mUKBL4oXTiMbwb7R4FtCMgdYiLHTB/s1600/45nrthhh.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So excited for race day, we showed up before the race sponsors did </td></tr>
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I've also been a little nervous for the first race in the <a href="http://www.greatlakesfatbikeseries.com/">Great Lakes Fat Bike Series</a>. I've been focusing on endurance racing for so long that a short race seemed a little intimidating. What if I'm not fast enough? I feel like such a weight has been lifted off of my chest now that the GLFBS race #1, <a href="http://www.cyclova.com/2014/09/the-solstice-chase-4221k-fatbike-race.html">the Winter Solstice Chase</a>, is over. I'm back in the groove of things from last winter. I remember being really nervous for this race last year too, because it had been sort of a testing point for whether or not I wanted to pick up fat bike racing as a <strike>hobby</strike> way of life. The race was incredibly difficult last year and I was beyond thrilled when I crossed the finish line because I never thought the race would end.<div>
<br />This year conditions fared better. <i>Way better</i>. There wasn't a lot of snow and the course was for sure going to be quicker. I've put a lot of miles in since last year, and I felt really good at the start of the Solstice Chase. All of my insecurities and worries dissipated at the start when I saw a lot of friends from last year's races. The reason why I love racing so much is because it's fun doing it! Fat bikers are incredibly friendly and I was so excited to see familiar faces! I wasn't worried about how fast I would be and got a huge grin on my face as I wished my friends good luck. "Oh yeah", I thought, "I remember this fat bike race feeling!" On your mark, get set, go! I started pedaling and took off really strong. Then we hit the first hill. Then the second. Although I had dressed way down for the race, knowing I'd be putting forth more effort than my endurance pace... my wool jersey, vest, <a href="http://45nrth.com/products/softgoods/sturmfist-5">new 45NRTH Sturmfirst 5 gloves</a>, thermal knickers and my Fasterkatts had me dying by the third hill. I took off way too hard and blew up! Noooo too hot! I panicked for a little while, scared that I would have a hard time finishing the 20-something miles, and then more scared that I was way over my head for what I've been training for - the <a href="http://tuscobia.wordpress.com/">Tuscobia 150</a>. The course leveled out just enough for my heart rate to return to normal and I started pedaling a pace that didn't make me feel as though I would faint. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Race start</td></tr>
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Last year the course was a big loop that you rode twice. Looking at the map of the course this year they had changed things up. I was told there would be less hills. You should never believe anyone when they say less hills. The course this year existed of two loops. Each lap was the two loops, for a total of four loops; four times past the start line... Hair-brained Jill looked at the map and saw the two loops and thought that she would be going out for one loop/lap, and then heading out for the opposite loop for the second lap. Why would I think that!? The first time I came through the start I was totally shocked and thought that 21k had gone by incredibly quickly! Then I passed through the start again and realized that instead of it being the end of the race, I was just done with the first lap. Oh great, I'd had to hit those hills another time! Doh!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was not the race finish...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was one lap, Jill. Just one..</td></tr>
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The course for the Solstice Chase at<a href="http://bigrockcreekretreat.com/"> Big Rock Creek</a> is incredible. Hilly, some quicksand-like leaf two-track sections, some rough bumpy spots, some icy spots. Absolutely gorgeous farmland and woods. At one point during the race a bunch of deer got spooked and took off darting through the trees. Beautiful. The race promoters have a heated changing room, music playing, and they had a huge barn decorated with strings of lights for people to hang out in. Last year I could count the number of women who had registered for the long race on one hand, and I'm still in awe of how much this race had grown in just one year! Tons more people were pre-registered for the race, including a super fast women's field of 12 female finishers for the 42k. If this is any indication as to how the rest of the GLFBS is going to go, I'm stoked! So stoked! I love seeing more women out on fat bikes and I love that we're all getting faster together. April Morgan was the first female to cross the finish line, followed by my race BFF Danielle Musto. Our friend Megan Barr from Twin Six took third, followed by Chelsea Strate and then myself for 5th place female. I'm super proud of these ladies and cannot to race with all of them again next month! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Kurt Barclay - for real crossing the finish line ;)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Kurt Barclay</td></tr>
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And honestly, I'm really glad there were hills. There are plenty of other races in the Great Lakes Fat Bike Series that have hills and this race was hard proof that I need to start riding them more frequently! I remember last year I would up walking nearly every hill in St. Croix Falls, whereas this year I only walked up one - and only for part of it! I'm also glad the race was "shorter" because I need speed work. The best part about the fat bike season is that your fitness gets increasingly better each race! Fingers crossed that by March I can tackle any hill that's in my way. ;)</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">April Morgan, Danielle Musto, myself</td></tr>
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We left St. Croix falls and drove to Minneapolis to stay at our friend Brent's house before heading back to GR in the morning. Today I have travel-hangover, but it's good to be home and I'm excited to keep training for Tuscobia... it'll be here before I know it!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Twin Six B!</td></tr>
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BillFartindalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04581092364521279774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-246444036584487637.post-76828101052899932402014-12-01T15:53:00.003-08:002014-12-01T15:53:55.509-08:00A Whole Lot of Thanks<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIv2l0gGtIZqq-rnNQR5cg-Ms1rpG_bgd3WbDZeJv7DQopPzX9_9HspmzLvCjaT_sfdY8kSnouuw3w2p9C_uwn664ppFIwNbW-WrgY76YpfZt8IkJNpJxmn99hr3mYq3JPLk3YsX14_epo/s1600/tofurkey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIv2l0gGtIZqq-rnNQR5cg-Ms1rpG_bgd3WbDZeJv7DQopPzX9_9HspmzLvCjaT_sfdY8kSnouuw3w2p9C_uwn664ppFIwNbW-WrgY76YpfZt8IkJNpJxmn99hr3mYq3JPLk3YsX14_epo/s1600/tofurkey.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tofurkey day is one of my favorite holidays</td></tr>
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The last six months have brought a lot of changes to my life (new home, new minivan, new things to look forwards to at work!), and I couldn't be more thankful for all of the neat opportunities I've been able to have. Especially the opportunities centered around bikes! :)<br />
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One of the opportunities I'm most particularly thankful for was the <a href="http://www.chainbusterracing.com/12-hours-of-nite-nationals.html">12 hour Nite Nationals</a> down in Auburn, Alabama this past October. Everything from the race promoters, to the course, to the drive down was amazing - especially being able to drive down with my favorite mechanic, Dan, and being able to make a pit-stop in Birmingham to be able to see my really good friends Reena, Joe, and Katie! (To top things off, my friend Jason came to the race to cheer me on with his girlfriend, Marla!) Everything I love about bikes, traveling, and racing was all rolled up in to one with this race.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chewacla State Park</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dan killed it on the wall!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me? Not so much...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here I was hoping the course would be as much fun in the dark as it was in the light!</td></tr>
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The 12 hour Nite Nationals is a race that I will go back for again and again! Sponsored by <a href="http://www.niterider.com/">Nite Rider Technical Lighting Systems</a> and hosted by <a href="http://www.chainbusterracing.com/">Chainbuster Racing</a>, it was an incredibly fun race that is only going to get better year after year. The inaugural Nite Nationals was the finale of a three-race series. I was happy to be able to make the trek down for the series finale... but doing all of the races in the series is now on my list of "things to do." 12 Hours of Zombie Apocalypse, 12 Hours of Insomnia, 12 Hours of Nite Nationals... seriously, each race in the series sounds amazing, and I know for a fact the last race in the series was! </div>
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I'm incredibly thankful of <a href="http://daniellemusto.blogspot.com/">Danielle Musto</a>, who has become my mentor/coach/race travel bff in the last year. Without her, who knows if I would have gotten in to endurance racing. Just like any other race I had signed up for, 12 Hours of Nite Nationals wasn't any different: once we heard of the race, we decided it was a good one for me to train for! (Although I'm pretty sure we could talk ourselves in to thinking <i>every</i> race is a good race to train for!!) Nite Nationals was put on the radar after I had finished racing 12 hours at Wausau, and there wasn't much that didn't sound awesome about it! I had fallen in love with night riding, Tommy from Nite Rider is super awesome and he would be there, road trips are always a blast, and the race was in Alabama - which meant there was a possibility I could see those aforementioned pals of mine. I was in!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Half hour before race start!</td></tr>
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I am also super lucky (and equally thankful) that the <a href="http://grandrapidsbicycles.com/">Grand Rapids Bicycle Company</a> lets me sneak away for races. As responsible for my racing as Danielle is, GRBC is just as much to blame. I can't imagine working at any other bike shop or with any other coworkers. Everyone has been super supportive and it's been awesome to be a part of such a neat shop. Being able to lead women's group rides, host fat bike nights, to go on group rides that end with pancakes and coffee, and to watch kid's get better at riding... that's my dream job! To add in bike racing on top of all of those things really is the cherry on top. I was really excited to put the GRBC tent in the rental car and to drive down to Alabama to represent not just myself as a racer, but to represent my favorite bike shop. :)</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I substituted Dan for Danielle for traveling to Alabama ;)</td></tr>
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12 hours of Nite Nationals was one of the first races I would be traveling to without my race travel BFF, so I was a little nervous about that. However, it was the first (of hopefully many!) that I got to travel to with my mechanic, Dan Martinek. Dan started working at GRBC in April, and he's been constantly my favorite bike mechanic since! It's really important to find a good mechanic when you start racing, especially when you're dumping a lot of time into training, money into traveling, and you're driving a long distance in order to compete. Just think about how terrible it would have been if I had gotten myself down to Alabama only for my bike to break! I'm so thankful Dan was with me down in Alabama, especially because I didn't have just one mechanical... I had two! My mechanicals were pretty early on in the race and I wouldn't have been able to crush out 11 laps if he wasn't there to not only fix them - but to fix them quickly! After ditching my Foundry Tomahawk due to a bent derailleur and shifting issues, I came running through the woods less than 20 minutes later with a slashed tire sidewall on my back-up bike! Dan also helped me stay on my nutrition plan for the entire 12 hours of the race, kept track of the competition, and he cheered for me each time I rolled past. Seeing him waiting in the same spot every hour was really encouraging, and after I went back out lap after lap I began looking forward to see him and to tell him about the trail! When the sun finally came up in my 10th lap I told him that he should ride a lap with me after the race if <i>he</i> wasn't too tired, because there was a waterfall and it looked really cool. He just smiled and said, "sure" even though I know in his head he was thinking "eff that, you're crazy!" He later told me that there was a brown dust booger coming out of my nose when I asked...</div>
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Speaking of mechanics and mechanicals... I'm really thankful I swapped the stock wheels off of my Tomahawk for a shiny set of <a href="http://www.velocityusa.com/product/rims/blunt-ss-584">Velocity Blunt SS's</a>! The course at <a href="http://www.alapark.com/chewacla/MountainBiking/">Chewacla State Park</a> where Nite Nationals was held was one of the rockiest, rootiest courses I had ever ridden! The sidewalls on my tires were beat but my wheels held up amazingly! So much so, that Dan made a mental note to buy the person who built my wheels a beer the next time he saw them. (Thanks Keean!) </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I didn't realize how dusty the course was until the sun came up! </td></tr>
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It was also really awesome that Nite Rider was at the race with a bunch of demo lights for racers to use. Dan already had a lot on his plate, so having Tommy and Kevin from Nite Rider keep track of my battery life and swap my lights for me was perfect. The lights that they let me use were SO BRIGHT. I never had an issue of out-riding my lights, or my lights dimming, or malfunctioning in any way - which is super important when the race you're doing starts at 9pm! Riding at night would definitely not be as much fun without reliably bright lights. Suuuuper thankful I can ride my bike at night!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Myself with Kevin and Tommy from Nite Rider</td></tr>
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It was really weird to finish a race at 9am in the morning. The sun was out, the weather was warming up, and I was all twitchy from 12 hours of caffeine! I can never sleep after a long race, so Dan and I said good-bye to all of our new friends and hopped back in the car to drive for as long as we could before the caffeine wore out. It's always sad to finish a race after having it to look forwards to for so long, but I was really excited to be a tourist on the way home! We stopped at some flea markets before calling it a night outside of Nashville, Tennessee, and we got to stop for a tour at Mammoth Cave the next day! I was really exhausted from sleep deprivation on the way home, so I was super thankful that I didn't have to rush back to the bike shop right away. On the way down to Alabama, we had run over a piece of semi-truck retread, and although I stupidly didn't get the rental car insurance, I'm super thankful that that event didn't ruin the entire trip! We were able to safely drive the car, and the rental company is only charging me $788 for the damage to the front bumper...</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crossing the finish line, 11 laps in for a total of 121 miles!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carey Lowery was an amazing opponent to chase, I placed 2nd, and Rachel Millsop came in 3rd</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thankful for equal payouts for both men and women! This went towards fixing the rental car!</td></tr>
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Okay, so I'm not thankful that we damaged the rental car and I'm really hoping Hertz let's me make tiny, tiny payments... BUT the rest of the trip was really rad and I still consider myself pretty lucky.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Found this lil guy at a flea market in Alabama right after we left the race..</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ03o60JOSebZLqwU4OlhHTiGa8-esl9TYp6y-vE8KjaOipbSi4R_2X0j4wO0iApM7uEg4doqjtjiIeiuexine-L055Q7Q3dTyiXflBI_ZfbrQC32uvxzJ7fHVPMr8rGRHiASYYN-SWcxT/s1600/nitenats15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ03o60JOSebZLqwU4OlhHTiGa8-esl9TYp6y-vE8KjaOipbSi4R_2X0j4wO0iApM7uEg4doqjtjiIeiuexine-L055Q7Q3dTyiXflBI_ZfbrQC32uvxzJ7fHVPMr8rGRHiASYYN-SWcxT/s1600/nitenats15.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Room service outside of Nashville... I fell asleep before finishing my whiskey!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkczLcqfE_xyEUNwBZKqLOuP91FGxtd6eXd7bcb5f3Hj_qA4Pd6Qu7AUjuZGSE5LFrkFLogl8aER-Hg4BbhUptgRf79m5dp51LpvvHWkq4Za3tV73X-BwOP83SC3SZ09hmS28MWPuAGv0f/s1600/nitenats3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkczLcqfE_xyEUNwBZKqLOuP91FGxtd6eXd7bcb5f3Hj_qA4Pd6Qu7AUjuZGSE5LFrkFLogl8aER-Hg4BbhUptgRf79m5dp51LpvvHWkq4Za3tV73X-BwOP83SC3SZ09hmS28MWPuAGv0f/s1600/nitenats3.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dinosaur World</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIgjV2aJPMEFU3p5jy5DSyGHoijx6aLRl6usB7MAKYiKi7lOFJWruWElqWkP9r_NU9zgRC5h5x8uRwhhODtkf3BZJ39o6rZ5xmnEipyqx8HeKs-LcbEaAG_pFrg-xeP-1Q2SAwcNv7PlDA/s1600/nitenats2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIgjV2aJPMEFU3p5jy5DSyGHoijx6aLRl6usB7MAKYiKi7lOFJWruWElqWkP9r_NU9zgRC5h5x8uRwhhODtkf3BZJ39o6rZ5xmnEipyqx8HeKs-LcbEaAG_pFrg-xeP-1Q2SAwcNv7PlDA/s1600/nitenats2.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aghhhh!!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHdFCTC7S149A8A5StAKwB_o4y4FNIVifB2pfSka3BrZweS7SSH2x7RlGBtN07aFvZ3gO830PF3q-PwjBWlZpWawrPEMulvrYBe3B0NEmIoUYu8Q04gfNqrOL1hMmzGFu3APcXp7SZLFlk/s1600/nitenats1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHdFCTC7S149A8A5StAKwB_o4y4FNIVifB2pfSka3BrZweS7SSH2x7RlGBtN07aFvZ3gO830PF3q-PwjBWlZpWawrPEMulvrYBe3B0NEmIoUYu8Q04gfNqrOL1hMmzGFu3APcXp7SZLFlk/s1600/nitenats1.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heading in to Mammoth Cave</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ31oQ6PKzqrXrGq1IApYv4cla7IUc0XbB-_pzRzEgULepk6TqaeSDb4jFdfMkn4uBxtWc_DK_sZQscVTazjCI6wK9H7bX79ZXiwLJehqHgyZz0Rs5UGk-IZSWF7Ojwd9huDilJxwfa6pV/s1600/nitenats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ31oQ6PKzqrXrGq1IApYv4cla7IUc0XbB-_pzRzEgULepk6TqaeSDb4jFdfMkn4uBxtWc_DK_sZQscVTazjCI6wK9H7bX79ZXiwLJehqHgyZz0Rs5UGk-IZSWF7Ojwd9huDilJxwfa6pV/s1600/nitenats.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Who turned off the lights?</td></tr>
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Now all I need is some more snow and the next couple of races should be equally as awesome! The <a href="http://www.greatlakesfatbikeseries.com/">Great Lakes Fat Bike Series</a> starts December 20th, and my first winter ultra (the <a href="http://tuscobia.wordpress.com/">Tuscobia 150</a>) is coming up all too quickly on January 2nd!! If anyone has a below 0 sleeping bag I can borrow I would be incredibly thankful! ;)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYJCY-uUmjtJsukzw__R7nva3WsIxdH9SXnodMTQeJXwlA2x9VF6hI8s3CP0Th3q76wEUX7PJS8F4yrHUE10EXD1rgCKReg8YQURilkwb6UWULAjAIfM6vRNYtLFHo9ILIwbeZqstnXFH6/s1600/nitenats7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYJCY-uUmjtJsukzw__R7nva3WsIxdH9SXnodMTQeJXwlA2x9VF6hI8s3CP0Th3q76wEUX7PJS8F4yrHUE10EXD1rgCKReg8YQURilkwb6UWULAjAIfM6vRNYtLFHo9ILIwbeZqstnXFH6/s1600/nitenats7.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sooo thankful Dan is also an auto mechanic! We were able to drive the rest of the way without hearing that bumper flappity-flap!</td></tr>
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BillFartindalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04581092364521279774noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-246444036584487637.post-33023550396225792662014-08-21T17:42:00.001-07:002014-08-21T18:00:36.931-07:0012 Hours at WausauAfter the Lumberjack 100, I knew I wanted to work towards doing a 12 hour endurance race, so I signed up for the 12 hour solo race at the <a href="http://www.wausau24.com/">Wausau24</a>. Wausau was a little over a month after the Lumberjack, and I figured I could use that month to train to prepare for it. Plus, my bike-racer-travel bff Danielle told me that Wausau was a blast, so I just had to check it out!<br />
<br />
SHE WAS TOTALLY RIGHT!<br />
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Danielle, myself, and our friend Steve set out Friday morning to pre-ride the course. The trail was pretty dry in spots and I must have stopped a million times to let more air out of the tires on my Foundry Tomahawk. I made a mental note to let more air out of the tires that I had on my Beargrease; I had put <a href="http://www.velocityusa.com/">Velocity</a> Dually's and the 29+ Surly Knards on my fat bike to make it faster and a little lighter so I could use it as my back-up bike. (sidenote: Dually's on that Beargrease are SUUUUUPER fun!)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOdQ38S3VooPkrbBbyL3jD8N9_q8_I4FEJmBVBYE2OYmaZlSJUAtHYlzVlZpw7fsrqyZhIKtW7RV59YU__mn1M2byAFpss1t2ShDmnCMsvIe4v1YFUZNuNN0m33GxgklAGZAWlecbCL2L5/s1600/wausau7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOdQ38S3VooPkrbBbyL3jD8N9_q8_I4FEJmBVBYE2OYmaZlSJUAtHYlzVlZpw7fsrqyZhIKtW7RV59YU__mn1M2byAFpss1t2ShDmnCMsvIe4v1YFUZNuNN0m33GxgklAGZAWlecbCL2L5/s1600/wausau7.JPG" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So many rocks!</td></tr>
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I'm really lucky that I was able to pre-ride Nine Mile with two experienced mountain bikers who had ridden the trail before. We stopped in a few areas so that they could show me the best lines to take through rocky areas. There were some pretty gnarly areas that were unlike anything I had ridden before. Like I said, I was really lucky that both Danielle and Steve were showing me the ropes in those areas! Midway through our pre-ride it started to rain, so we didn't get to spend as much time getting through the last of the rocky areas. I still felt confident about race day, though, and we rode the rest of the way to the car with huge smiles on our faces.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicHiKhBCHB7nPR4qSJyhErD2bpsXxJExD0QyhgEZKBt7dquTbsXVayosabQxWhXX2Xcm01URSj34tNh-EV_LsYVQi4960gg1gqKpxWkGlw50-ByzKVG-kWC03dIPJM4qzJzVcukSPhQUMb/s1600/preride.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicHiKhBCHB7nPR4qSJyhErD2bpsXxJExD0QyhgEZKBt7dquTbsXVayosabQxWhXX2Xcm01URSj34tNh-EV_LsYVQi4960gg1gqKpxWkGlw50-ByzKVG-kWC03dIPJM4qzJzVcukSPhQUMb/s1600/preride.JPG" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before getting caught in the rain.</td></tr>
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After our pre-ride, we stopped by the Niterider van to say hello. It was really cool to meet Tommy from Niterider, and even cooler to check out the inside of the van! There was a charging station in the back of it that could charge 300 lights at a time AND it used less energy than a mini fridge. Tommy also let Danielle and I play inside of the van for a little while and that was pretty cool, too. We roped off a spot for the Twin Six tent and headed off to explore Wausau.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtigBJnfp1btKs1lnyX6tZfzS_MX0H4daLiEwV4U3Qq4XfjGLwSR8DZ7E0xDxTrBzE30x18i4smCTbqBr_ew2Bz0c9dxy2ue-BDZw9IJPtZFabsPwFAZwCdkiHRso5vKSqa_nbXNbVuMVp/s1600/wausau3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtigBJnfp1btKs1lnyX6tZfzS_MX0H4daLiEwV4U3Qq4XfjGLwSR8DZ7E0xDxTrBzE30x18i4smCTbqBr_ew2Bz0c9dxy2ue-BDZw9IJPtZFabsPwFAZwCdkiHRso5vKSqa_nbXNbVuMVp/s1600/wausau3.JPG" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We love driving giant vans!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAXLEH4pJh8Gte5CKoaTL-JjVcl5knyVO97c8-iZ_1eHwXjS-t8-uJTXCc0NoSze_TEN2dcme1KGgp5dG9OYjV2RJAb-mF8AtHK9CT5GJqk4z1tZtggwglB32uZG4jROcFCL9ZYTgm5A77/s1600/wausau4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAXLEH4pJh8Gte5CKoaTL-JjVcl5knyVO97c8-iZ_1eHwXjS-t8-uJTXCc0NoSze_TEN2dcme1KGgp5dG9OYjV2RJAb-mF8AtHK9CT5GJqk4z1tZtggwglB32uZG4jROcFCL9ZYTgm5A77/s1600/wausau4.JPG" height="257" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our team spot saving tactics are spot on.</td></tr>
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On our way to stop and get some food at Red Eye Brewing Co. downtown, we noticed there was a tattoo parlor right next door.... My best friend, Emily, surprised me with a "best friend" tattoo of my face on her butt back in May. Since then, I had been walking around with a sketch of a tattoo to reciprocate the gesture. The day before my first 12 hour solo mountain bike race seemed like the perfect time!!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8wjh0ySl9BFWnkOAW_vDMSFXK6AYyCGhp9wVBA001oFZfIKdNYQuUNlWG9_1iQIzfcXbAT7Y-FbraTuNCpSANb7zFEUXlOgqiEKdePmrvtNSfwFLIOGH_dDRcZ_BhepAKAt8vAJTMKILv/s1600/wausau8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8wjh0ySl9BFWnkOAW_vDMSFXK6AYyCGhp9wVBA001oFZfIKdNYQuUNlWG9_1iQIzfcXbAT7Y-FbraTuNCpSANb7zFEUXlOgqiEKdePmrvtNSfwFLIOGH_dDRcZ_BhepAKAt8vAJTMKILv/s1600/wausau8.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My new good luck charm!</td></tr>
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After hanging out with the most interesting tattoo artists in Wausau and eating take-out from Red Eye inside of the tattoo parlor, we headed back to the hotel to clean the bikes and to shower up before meeting up with some friends at Red Eye for some more food. What a crazy day leading in to the longest race I've ever done. I couldn't stop laughing at how ridiculous the whole day was. Sometimes I can't tell if I love traveling to races and seeing friends more than the actual race.<br />
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We called it a night pretty early on and the next morning got up early enough to eat and to drink some coffee before the race start. Wausau24 has a mass Le Man's start for each category, whether you were racing the 6, 12, or 24 hour races solo or on teams. I had tried jogging a teeny, tiny bit a few weeks before the race in order to prepare my body for it (I haven't jogged since before my knee injury!) and suffered shin splints for four days after... It was actually really hilarious lining up with so many cyclists on foot. Cyclists look really funny running in cycling gear!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk_lbt5H71uoBBicOvS1qv4CY3m3w0AbmrJ2f0JTOX_20qkJ8oVDzO1vS11dCRa9rXbEeC4oRAmFCrBuauT6DN1bWxxTx78NUferTemljejrlKNGGy0z8Vc2f6nCdEclEUW_8yT0yePLFW/s1600/lemans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk_lbt5H71uoBBicOvS1qv4CY3m3w0AbmrJ2f0JTOX_20qkJ8oVDzO1vS11dCRa9rXbEeC4oRAmFCrBuauT6DN1bWxxTx78NUferTemljejrlKNGGy0z8Vc2f6nCdEclEUW_8yT0yePLFW/s1600/lemans.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Cori Pepelnjak</td></tr>
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I hopped on my bike and started spinning off towards the woods. I wanted to get a good spot in to the single track towards the front because I knew there would be a long line of cyclists and I knew it would slow down at the first rocky segment. Luckily I got in behind some good riders and we had a pretty good pace going.<br />
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The first lap was pretty steady and I was able to get through all the rocky areas that I had practiced the day before. Ho Chi Minn is a climb at Nine Mile that is both full of rocks, roots, and one pesky log area. The day before I had taken the line to the left over the log and had eaten it. I practiced, and was able to hit it before we had finished our pre-ride. On lap #1 I ate it. Lap #2 I ate it. By time I rolled around for lap #3 I chose the line to the right and I nailed it. I immediately started laughing at how easy it was to nail from that side and mentally decided to always take that line for the next 9 hours. I think one of the coolest things about racing for 12 hours on an 11 mile loop is that you start navigating the trail as if you've been riding it all summer. By time I was out on lap #5 I started feeling really good, and when I came around through our team tent area I heard the first place girl was about 5 minutes ahead of me. My biggest mistake in trying to catch her was that I zoomed out for another lap without enough water. By time I passed through the aid station, I was out of water and starting to bonk. Luckily I was able to get my bottle filled and finished out the rest of the lap without any sloppy crashes or anything like that. By time I got to our tent I was feeling really weird and asked Danielle a million questions. She was super patient with me and when I asked if it was okay if I ran to the bathroom she said, "Yes - but hurry!" I started running off towards the porta-john and tripped mid-stride. WHAM! My biggest crash of the race! I totally took myself out and had a pretty embarrassing tumble. Lesson learned: don't forget to grab another water bottle when trying to chase down the person in front of you.. you'll trip over your own two feet and the person behind you will pass you!<br />
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I shook it off, grabbed a new Hydrapak filled with Carborocket's 333 Half Evil Endurance mix, took a handful of Endurolytes, and hopped back on my bike. By time I came around for the next lap, Steve had finished his 6 hour race and was getting my Beargrease ready. I was going to do a lap on that bike set up as 29+ while he put lights on my Tomahawk.<br />
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The lap on my Beargrease was my "angry" lap. Danielle told me that I might experience one of these. Basically, it's a lap where you get mad at something and you obsess over it for the entire lap. I cursed a lot this lap, stumbled a bunch of times, and couldn't nail some of the rocky areas that I was nailing on the other laps. I really didn't have anyone to blame but myself. I had forgotten to let more air out of the tires and I was starting to get fatigued and sloppy. Being cranky definitely didn't help me ride smart. By time I finished that lap I was so, so happy to roll through the tent to hop back on my Tomahawk. I asked Steve if he could grab me a can of coca cola next time I came through and I pedaled off...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT7BE5kW8JKKeKpLz-Gpsyhal0BAj1gPQnjwQbAdTt-fDzGWK-iTkMCglgL5FuK9k2XT2lxJ8kMzfOEBXU96cZrzaKOjmQPm5x9Y5qNj-eO2GuCFdb5jAWv2SAi3PSQxgzrVfSKglXB30P/s1600/W24_3067_14+(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT7BE5kW8JKKeKpLz-Gpsyhal0BAj1gPQnjwQbAdTt-fDzGWK-iTkMCglgL5FuK9k2XT2lxJ8kMzfOEBXU96cZrzaKOjmQPm5x9Y5qNj-eO2GuCFdb5jAWv2SAi3PSQxgzrVfSKglXB30P/s1600/W24_3067_14+(1).JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
This next lap was my "happy" lap. Danielle also said I would have one of these. Basically, it's a lap where everything is awesome and perfect and you can't stop smiling and laughing. I was incredibly happy this lap. Two thoughts that kept running through my head were, "I LOVE THIS BIKE!" and "I CAN'T WAIT FOR THAT SODA!" I nailed every section and did the lap 8 minutes faster than I did the lap before. It's so funny to me that my mood had done such a weird swap like that. One of the biggest obstacles for endurance racing is the mental aspect of it, and I'm happy that 90% of my 12 hour race was spent laughing and smiling. Next race I'm going to try really hard to eliminate any of my own self-induced negativity.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKCRV0jM3lCmcsvUdosFqxCMirGynFrbi8zVYArg8Q5vFPTXanJeKnJE8gbJLxc7CcVeIYSSah8IwsCzWeVnoaY2U-X1DQ8mAoRcTIKy01GMI6S8VBdxmV4Pcmp462y36kkbAgj3FW6NzS/s1600/W24_3432_14.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKCRV0jM3lCmcsvUdosFqxCMirGynFrbi8zVYArg8Q5vFPTXanJeKnJE8gbJLxc7CcVeIYSSah8IwsCzWeVnoaY2U-X1DQ8mAoRcTIKy01GMI6S8VBdxmV4Pcmp462y36kkbAgj3FW6NzS/s1600/W24_3432_14.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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Steve had that soda waiting for me when I came through for the next lap and I chugged it and rolled off. Coca cola is like crack for cyclists! It was starting to get dark and the lights on my bike lit up the trail and I could see everything better out in the woods than I had in the daylight. The lights lit up everything so well that there weren't any shadows and even though I knew I was rolling through a rocky area, there weren't any shadows and everything looked relatively flat. Good thing I had done 8 laps before nightfall... I had my lines figured out pretty well and could roll through areas on memory.<br />
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I LOVED riding trail at night. I thought it was hilarious that you couldn't tell who was behind you and that there were huge beams of light splashing through the woods. Lucky for me there was another can of coca cola waiting as I headed out for my 10th lap. I knew I would have enough time for one more lap after that one and couldn't believe I was already so close to the end. When I came through to head out for my last lap, Steve started yelling that the second place female had just headed out for her last lap! I had enough water and nutrition and flew past our tent to catch her!<br />
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I passed one girl and wasn't sure if she was the second place female or not, but started booking it once I got past her. If it was her, I wanted to put as much of a distance between us as possible. If it wasn't her, I wanted to catch the second place female! I had thought it was cool that there were beams of lights everywhere, but once I was fighting for second place I hated the lights because I couldn't tell who was who. Who was coming up behind me? Was it that girl? I heard one girl's voice behind me and was so relieved when it was my friend Megan, who was racing on a 24 hour team. Counting down the last hour's worth of my first 12 hour race went by so quickly. I came up to the finish line and had come in as the <a href="http://www.peaktiming.com/results/2014wausau24/categorydetails.php?catid=16">second female</a>, sixth overall in the 12 hour solo category. Despite being covered in dirt and sweat and having given it my all out on the single track, I was smiling ear to ear and so stoked to be done!!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu550Yo2aPm3ZAUcL8cRCWIISrPGFyrRYbY5ccj-QGEQ1U0faOGpTS6XNJDWBJqdN9_56H3VQWBRirGNeTd20YxpI98a2yVC8mJBts25CtznGarqbOGs6MaW48oWOQkyK-Utqb7eTYDNot/s1600/donezoes.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu550Yo2aPm3ZAUcL8cRCWIISrPGFyrRYbY5ccj-QGEQ1U0faOGpTS6XNJDWBJqdN9_56H3VQWBRirGNeTd20YxpI98a2yVC8mJBts25CtznGarqbOGs6MaW48oWOQkyK-Utqb7eTYDNot/s1600/donezoes.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">12 hours was already up?</td></tr>
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After the race, we went to Rose Bud road to cheer on the 24 hour racers. I brought some roman candles, there was beer, a bonfire, and tiki torches out in the woods. Honestly an amazing end to my longest race of the season. I cannot wait for Wausau next year! Big congrats to Danielle and Brent who raced the 12 hour duo category and won 2nd place, to Martha, Joel, Ben and James who took 3rd in the 24 hour co-ed team, and to Megan, Cori, Heidi, and Nicole who killed it in the 24 hour women's team category and took 1st place!! What a stellar weekend for Twin Six's Metal Team! I'm seriously so proud to race with such awesome people.<br />
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Speaking of awesome people.. <a href="http://www.skirtsinthedirt.com/">Skirts in the Dirt</a> is this Sunday and I am beyond excited for Michigan's first women only mountain bike race!!! Seeing Skirts in the Dirt move from an idea to the real thing has been the most exciting part of my summer, by far. I cannot wait for race day and I cannot wait to see so many women out on mountain bikes! EEEEEEEeeeeeeee!!!!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVuZOwflCm4w9Qe3vfRREYK8hi0j-DVvisEGMhP3Sm2yke6a_fHG4Vct-RHRSF59II8TWiqTRgbGGDNWEIlljjyaxxm9W6aIIbon2Y1JQiET2LgP2MvvfyGPnbBG7kulFG2lME-Jkw9gb1/s1600/wausau5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVuZOwflCm4w9Qe3vfRREYK8hi0j-DVvisEGMhP3Sm2yke6a_fHG4Vct-RHRSF59II8TWiqTRgbGGDNWEIlljjyaxxm9W6aIIbon2Y1JQiET2LgP2MvvfyGPnbBG7kulFG2lME-Jkw9gb1/s1600/wausau5.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Guerrilla marketing in Wausau ;)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfxNyBcn4GlbeZkwyeYZ8RIA1JjN_xTZunDCvEnL1Oyx9aIm4Krzr839bcwOpwprv2ZuaDWtIr6e_iSRAz_LB7zBC-WTzYw4lzlBqNttm-AyYMde6WDV-Y44NKwkY80WayvNEMJC2eYXYN/s1600/skirtsindirt.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfxNyBcn4GlbeZkwyeYZ8RIA1JjN_xTZunDCvEnL1Oyx9aIm4Krzr839bcwOpwprv2ZuaDWtIr6e_iSRAz_LB7zBC-WTzYw4lzlBqNttm-AyYMde6WDV-Y44NKwkY80WayvNEMJC2eYXYN/s1600/skirtsindirt.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My new favorite tee!</td></tr>
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<br />BillFartindalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04581092364521279774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-246444036584487637.post-45477252699715943042014-07-14T08:31:00.000-07:002014-07-14T08:31:13.100-07:00The Beermuda TriangleThe plan for July is to ride, ride, ride! I have a 12 hour race coming up August 2-3 in <a href="http://www.wausau24.com/">Wausau</a>, Wisconsin which I am really excited for! I'm hoping I can build my endurance up so that I can have consistent lap times like I had at the Lumberjack 100.<br /><br />I had plans to ride for 6-8 hours on Sunday. My friend Bob told me about a group that was doing the Beermuda Triangle, which I had never done before. Intriguing: 125 miles and an average pace of 15-20mph. Yup. That'll do it. I figured I could get a good ride in with some roadies while riding my Salsa Fargo and I was pretty happy to have a fun group of people to ride with. <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjRowv8XtLQYvM5MxOClQ9wPF9H5EY_8GZ-vg14ySintd3SzBvIp6hwkTk3lzqHPnfCjNO8aOg06L_TUMrUWUuY9Rnw-A-qKg7vLDmGaHpRXPzp9O7CqiQnGdr9ssr4l9D7H0RkItm1RRn/s1600/beermuda.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjRowv8XtLQYvM5MxOClQ9wPF9H5EY_8GZ-vg14ySintd3SzBvIp6hwkTk3lzqHPnfCjNO8aOg06L_TUMrUWUuY9Rnw-A-qKg7vLDmGaHpRXPzp9O7CqiQnGdr9ssr4l9D7H0RkItm1RRn/s1600/beermuda.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's going to be a good day when you're greeted by swaggering Bob!</td></tr>
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The Beermuda Triangle... originally, the triangle starts at Founders Brewing Company and rolls out to Bells Brewery, then New Holland Brewing Company, and then back to Founders. Yesterday, the ride leaders decided to switch it up a bit and we rolled on over to the Waldorf Brewpub for our second stop instead of New Holland.<br /><br />So I met Bob and Jeff at their house at 10:30 around the corner from my apartment. I was pretty chipper from a good breakfast of coffee and steamed kale and was pumped to have a whole day of riding with those two ahead of me. I've done long rides with both of them before and they're always a TON of fun! Another bonus was that Jeff has a speaker and is a pretty awesome ride DJ. :) </div>
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Waiting for Bob to lather up with sunscreen, Jeff's rear tire suddenly made a PSHHHHHHHHH noise. Flat tire! Lucky for us we hadn't hit the road yet or met up with the rest of the group and Jeff was able to quickly change it right in his very own driveway.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhphHycWuEOr50bilTT3LXYjPo6xsxwl3Gxadw-zuIaSNcbHXMH-2pcB5T01k3gG50LTExJq73JroYk75MbW3exLQ21xPj3qLnhRpMEJrU645xbm58QcEez9K7_ix0s4XcCI8IdDo2XRcLb/s1600/beermuda1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhphHycWuEOr50bilTT3LXYjPo6xsxwl3Gxadw-zuIaSNcbHXMH-2pcB5T01k3gG50LTExJq73JroYk75MbW3exLQ21xPj3qLnhRpMEJrU645xbm58QcEez9K7_ix0s4XcCI8IdDo2XRcLb/s1600/beermuda1.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Off to a great start!</td></tr>
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We rolled up to Founders and met up with some of the Founders Race Team members, Brad and Dennis, and a new face, a guy in a Twin Six jersey named Ted. Twin Six? Instant friends! We stopped at a semi weigh station on our way out of town to see how much all of us weighed together, but the scale was off and we didn't get to know who had guessed the correct weight. I'm just going to pretend that I had guessed the closest at 1200 pounds for 6 cyclists, their bikes, and all of the gear I had packed on my Fargo. ;)<div>
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Another cyclist, Paul, met up with us on our way to out of town. Once we hit Plainwell, we were joined by two other riders, Robin and Matt. We had blue skies, everyone was smiling, the pace was good, and I was pretty much having the best day ever. (Which is basically how I feel every time I'm on my bike with friends!)</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwbGPnHGUbXXmCl9BqEWD4KtPX-3eIjB5HjUu_GzPDt5BavZPOwloWjijUa9ow3vZhi0rxES82wN8SkEUJ6dAoz4ogJcV5Kx2rCy3SyR2iRLJihdhFqvgmu-kVaAwarbzh0nkA5pFlYMXz/s1600/beermuda3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwbGPnHGUbXXmCl9BqEWD4KtPX-3eIjB5HjUu_GzPDt5BavZPOwloWjijUa9ow3vZhi0rxES82wN8SkEUJ6dAoz4ogJcV5Kx2rCy3SyR2iRLJihdhFqvgmu-kVaAwarbzh0nkA5pFlYMXz/s1600/beermuda3.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">En route to Bells!</td></tr>
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Someone admired my Fargo and asked if I had a road bike. I think it's funny that my response was, "this<i> is</i> my road bike!" The Surly Knard tires that I put on the Fargo are 700 x 41 and to me that's pretty dang skinny. I absolutely love those tires. I didn't feel like they were holding me back at all from riding with the road bikes for the Beermuda Triangle, and they're pretty great at being resilient and handling well in gravel, through construction zones, and the occasional ride-on-the-grass-and-road-shoulder-because-you-can moments.<br /><br />Before I knew it, we were at Bell's! I love how riding with others can make 55-some miles fly by. We ordered food and our beer and sat on a picnic table in the beer garden. So good.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPwrNFjnhT2b-DpofFuubjBdarelV8xqi_d2IJVdy6SL1i4AquebgjAIPbQpJEc-5x8AiH7BVrNlA5AM4_2PPehTtajNxnYoldWOwlWt9k72k0Vcky5m2yL6LZnledfRdBV6V2sEY_3p_F/s1600/beermuda4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPwrNFjnhT2b-DpofFuubjBdarelV8xqi_d2IJVdy6SL1i4AquebgjAIPbQpJEc-5x8AiH7BVrNlA5AM4_2PPehTtajNxnYoldWOwlWt9k72k0Vcky5m2yL6LZnledfRdBV6V2sEY_3p_F/s1600/beermuda4.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bell's Brewery</td></tr>
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Jeff was feeling a little rough before we had gotten to Bell's, but was recharged by the delicious beer and decided to stick out the rest of the day with us. I'm really glad he did! Leaving Kalamazoo, we found a new brewery that had just opened. We thought we'd add a fourth stop to our brewery bicycle tour, but we were there too early and they weren't open yet. Boo!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu6uhxktdHDyFkIo3Sflc0qVrw6AzekDImH_mD28pEikOaary7iQJNYCWOkJrY1AW3IEVRWTPNTS6uPoHVc55PKLfgo930HgNVAxjJ1u-xIjhtwTNPtxT44-4stUbfmSGgoz9JXD6MHzIF/s1600/beermuda5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu6uhxktdHDyFkIo3Sflc0qVrw6AzekDImH_mD28pEikOaary7iQJNYCWOkJrY1AW3IEVRWTPNTS6uPoHVc55PKLfgo930HgNVAxjJ1u-xIjhtwTNPtxT44-4stUbfmSGgoz9JXD6MHzIF/s1600/beermuda5.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We'll have to ride back down another time to check out the Boatyard. :)</td></tr>
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Bell's to Waldorf was about 35 miles and we kicked that out pretty quickly. Rolling into Hastings I saw a water fountain about a block away from the brewery and I<i> had</i> to stop to play in it. There were a few kids playing in the sprinklers and I bet they thought the cyclists running around in the water were cray cray! The water felt so, so good. And then the beer at the Waldorf was also so, so good.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-iiaLzvxKIX6K00rw22Do1TrxFdnxO4aC7bxFRKL8lBUmu0CHkbNmUBeOcVXmsdQpelkGzjQBt0fungFuETD-fpZ17dX2FjRlfxMMJXkm33skwaqr4u50Qa3_tpn27mEyATmFSYtvPvjF/s1600/beermuda6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-iiaLzvxKIX6K00rw22Do1TrxFdnxO4aC7bxFRKL8lBUmu0CHkbNmUBeOcVXmsdQpelkGzjQBt0fungFuETD-fpZ17dX2FjRlfxMMJXkm33skwaqr4u50Qa3_tpn27mEyATmFSYtvPvjF/s1600/beermuda6.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waldorf Brewpub</td></tr>
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We all had more than one beer at the Waldorf and we had about 35 or so miles back to Founders. I had packed some fireworks in my pannier and was super excited to find a spot to light them off for everyone. A little outside of Hastings we found a field and I was so pumped that everyone was as excited as I was for the fireworks. A few weeks ago I had bought some alien parachutes from a fireworks tent on my way to the beach with my fat bike. The parachutes claimed "real aliens!" and the guy who sold them to me very elaborately described how awesome they were, "so they go up real high, and then POP the parachute opens up, and there's an alien on it, and there's a cloud of blue smoke that chases the alien around!" Unfortunately, all of the alien parachutes that I had light off wound up getting caught in trees or landing on the bike shop's roof, and I was determined to catch the last parachute.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqsv9CNf0Yi1XWuFwDJeGUZRxJzSdhknrnKgBFLa_ItqIbrmQcC9b85XZl1WRDjnWiqultXeo2Jnt3P13ZavY_vHslJkvE_EGL-jMhcSrHFKOzT-cdSuDBRWf90VYuOAwCXc1IWo5y8u3C/s1600/realaliens.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqsv9CNf0Yi1XWuFwDJeGUZRxJzSdhknrnKgBFLa_ItqIbrmQcC9b85XZl1WRDjnWiqultXeo2Jnt3P13ZavY_vHslJkvE_EGL-jMhcSrHFKOzT-cdSuDBRWf90VYuOAwCXc1IWo5y8u3C/s1600/realaliens.jpg" height="320" width="293" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">REAL ALIENS</td></tr>
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The parachute exploded and we all cheered! Then the parachute drifted over an electric fence and landed in a farmer's field. NOOO! Determined to see the alien, I was able to climb over a locked gate and ran through the field towards the red parachute. I was seriously so excited to see the alien!!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZSWD1Q7hksL2Jn5N-Bwu_Vwcrcp0tuNiM5rCXnLnbzpDAwo1BRX6Av3KKGuZi0-RGSZI4eNZsrpTOnNE6B6u0E9Prk6eILbNWIxYO1LuvPTILoU19Vwdoovjk2JYyytTZNcXmXfbnkKY9/s1600/realaliens1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZSWD1Q7hksL2Jn5N-Bwu_Vwcrcp0tuNiM5rCXnLnbzpDAwo1BRX6Av3KKGuZi0-RGSZI4eNZsrpTOnNE6B6u0E9Prk6eILbNWIxYO1LuvPTILoU19Vwdoovjk2JYyytTZNcXmXfbnkKY9/s1600/realaliens1.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was just a white army guy! What a rip off!</td></tr>
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Pfft. The alien was no alien. It was just a regular old army guy who had been made white to look different from the regular old green army guy. Not fair!<div>
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The rest of the ride was pretty great, the sun was starting to set and it had been a really, really good day. We all rode pretty good together and had been cracking jokes and chatting all day. I'm so glad that Bob had invited me on the ride because it sure beat riding a century by myself. You have to love training days that involve other cool riders and fresh, cold beer.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheQt_2_urJVTKXrdF39PODyrn2C-P_5zYYU0gMzAbB3d57dzesu0KAXbCCBhCNaBjKs-t_eZhiwX9rRTGkVQK5YHfEAM49D-48Hxj8dFUmCi4U37U5HHDh-0rQ38dVn57eionyUQByov3Z/s1600/beermuda7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheQt_2_urJVTKXrdF39PODyrn2C-P_5zYYU0gMzAbB3d57dzesu0KAXbCCBhCNaBjKs-t_eZhiwX9rRTGkVQK5YHfEAM49D-48Hxj8dFUmCi4U37U5HHDh-0rQ38dVn57eionyUQByov3Z/s1600/beermuda7.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">heading back to GR</td></tr>
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We got to Founders a little bit after 9pm and snagged a spot at a table on the outside patio. What a great Sunday! I can't wait to do the Beermuda Triangle again!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Good to be home at Founders!</td></tr>
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BillFartindalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04581092364521279774noreply@blogger.com0