"I hear they got some tasty burgers"

It's been two weeks since my somewhat abbreviated affair in Orange County. Things have settled down a little so it's time to put the next big goal on the calendar. Of course my goal is a return to BFE NY to defeat the 2010 DH40, but need a little carrot in the middle. Or as an old Mentor likes to say "BHAG" (Big hairy audacious goal). Once you put something in writing especially on the World Wide Web then you have to meet it, right? Yea I know no one reads this, but it is out there.

So here is my next BHAG: COMPLETE THE 2010 MOHICAN 100 (KM that is, I'm not naive enough to think I can do 100 miles, but I think I can work up to 60 in the next 10 months).

OK now that it's out there I needed someone to train with. Well it took about 30 seconds to convince Nick. Next step? Better get out to Mohican SF and start working some climbs. Training goal is to get around the 25 mile loop two times by the beginning of May. My logic says that if I can get around the 50 miles of tough climbing then I will be able to do the race course which includes one lap of this course, some other hills and some rail trail and flats.

Went out yesterday and let that course beat the hell out of us. By the end my quads were absolute jell-o, but I felt much better than I did when we went out there a month or so ago. At least I could pedal to the parking lot this time. Just got to keep training and hope to get up there a couple more times this year.

Oh yea, speaking of carrots, we now have a carrot of sorts to keep us riding Mohican. I would like to introduce everyone to Lumpy's Five Point's Drive Inn in some small town on Rt 97. TWO THUMBS UP!!! Stopped on the way home for good ole fashioned dairy bar food. Foot long coney dog was a little over cooked, but the coney sauce and perfectly steamed bun made up for it. Not to mention it comes standard with my favorite Hot Dog toppings, Sauce, Mustard and Onion. Nothing less and nothing more. I watched in awe as Nick destroyed a brownie sundae before our food came out. Then was thoroughly intrigued when his burger was so good he ordered a second one to go! Glad he got one for me as well...
"Mmm-mmmm. That is a tasty burger"

See That Coon Hound Over There?

With everything else that has been happening this year, we could just not handle not having a Lab running around the house any longer. We got up Saturday and told the kids we were going to visit some "friends" with lots of "kids" in PA. Grace was speechless when we walked in and took her a little while to figure it out. Even though we had been brainstorming dog names the entire trip. The new "pup" is a fox red Yellow Lab. He came from the most wonderfully crazy kennel in Western PA. She had over 75 Labs and the females were in the main area so you had to wade through about 15 of the happiest waist high dogs you would ever meet. Jack had it after one trip through, but Grace loved them. We knew we had a choice of two puppies, but Grace handled everyone she could get her hands on and a few she was not supposed to have her hands on.

The yet unnamed pub has been a perfect gentleman during his first two days on Verbena Lane! He had never been away from his brothers or put into a crate. He's now spent both nights in his Crate and only whined for about 5 minutes the first night. We have taken him out at 4:00 AM both nights and he did his business and went back to bed. This morning he was patiently waiting on me to come down. Couple of accidents are to be expected, but he is really good about going outside whenever we take him out. Of course his "area" is out around Leo's Garden in hopes he can pass along some of his traits to the new dude.

He is an eight week old bundle of joy who already lives to make us smile. Grace is mad because no one woke her up to feed him at 7:00. School starts Wednesday so we'll see how anxious Grace is to get up early then!!!!!

The DarkHorse "Thirty"

Stewart State Forest is basically a giant Swamp surrounding an airport in Southern NY. The best thing I can say is at least it is not in the mountains. Right from the gun I could not control my HR. Nerves, heat, humidity, lack of fitness, the up and down course, were all factors. I survived lap one or rush hour as it more resembled. Lots of hike a bike and some slippery trails but made it back into the feed zone in one piece. Thanks to my crew chief for the fresh bottle and kick in the pants. Off I go to lap two. Did I mention it is closing on on 90++ degrees at this point?

Nice crash midway through lap two, but bike and body seem to be in working order so we keep going. End of lap two I am exhausted. Three hours on the bike, cannot physically drink and eat enough to combat the heat. I tell the crew I want to stop and I get an earful, fresh bottles and a push. Off we go on lap 3 of a scheduled 4. Did I mention the heat and humidity yet??? Hard to train for 95 degree race. I feel like I am peddling in sand...check the tires, no flats...just running out of gas. Get myself to the "secret" feed zone at mile twenty-eight, sit in a chair and consume the coldest PBR ever. Seemed like a good idea at the time, plus I knew I was not going to make the 4th lap. Got even rougher after that pit stop but made it back in. UNCLE!!! Quick snap at the crew who had every intention of sending me back out. Throw the bike into the weeds, and throw Jason under the hoses (water truck hose to cool outside, Harpoon IPA hose to cool inside).

Thanks to Grace, Joc, Mom and Monte for the support. I hated to DNF but just could not do another lap at a fast enough pace to keep from getting hurt. Not to make excuses (but I will) only about 50% of the starters finished the race. Great Race, Great People, Great Times, will be back and better prepared for all FORTY MILES in 2010.

Everybody in the car. Boat leaves in two minutes...

...or perhaps you don't want to see the second largest ball of twine on the face of the earth, which is only four short hours away

Well it's Tuesday and I still feel like I got hit by a truck...so let's back up to a few days and I'll walk you through my weekend. Great trip over to the Meadowlands area with Mom and Grace on Friday. Met up with Joc and Monte for dinner at an old school NJ diner. Great to catch up with them and also to see Reggie and Ike. Saturday started off well enough with a nice tune up ride through the rail trails, mental hospital and some Urban NJ singletrack. Great ride, cool sightseeing and good cool down conversation. Of course I was apprehensive about finishing 40 miles, but at Noon Saturday. No worries.

Mom, Joc, Grace and I head off to do our official Touron thing. We just HAD to take Grace to see the Statue of Liberty, didn't we? Well six hours of standing in line and 90 degree heat later, it seems she would have been pleased as punch just to hang out in the hotel. Oh well live and learn. I eat, crank the AC and get Horizontal for the next 10 hours. At 5:45 AM Sunday we are loaded and on our way to Dunkin Donuts....was the coffee the best part of the day? Stay tuned!

"Always with the Negative Vibes Man"

Can somebody save me a Growler?

OK so now its Wednesday, my body hurts, my legs have not recovered from last weekend and I am a little freaked about the most recent course review I read. I was looking forward to some dirt roads (recovery time). Gee Thanks Monte.

All I can do is show up and ride I guess. My biggest fear is coming around with one 10 mile lap to go and everyone else is drinking beer and eating chicken.

That's all I can Stands, and I can't stands no more!"

My questions for Popeye are these a) does spinach stop calf cramps? b)does spinach soothe the Nethers?

My training for the Dark Horse seems to be as complete as it is going to get. Last Friday Nick decided he was going to ride home to Toledo for his HS reunion. Being the ever accommodating training pal, I says "I'll go partway with you". In reality I have never been on a bike for five hours so this was a perfect opportunity to answer some questions, test my race day nutrition plan and see how my body responds.

STRETCH STRETCH STRETCH...did i mention I forgot to Stretch first?

Rode with Nick to the 40 mile mark and turned for home. (Only excitement was a detour and a funeral procession filled with Model T's and Harley's. and one requisite Hillbilly that had to blow past the whole crew.) So I really felt great at the halfway point, but I could feel a pang coming on in my calves. Stopped for fluids and caffeine at the 58 mile mark, short rest to stretch and off I went. I fought off the cramps for about 15 more miles. Then as I would stretch my calves, my quads would cramp...vicious circle of pain and suffering for the last 5 miles. Locked up once and was powerless to move, but made it to the shoulder. Man did I want to be off that damn bike. Got home laid on the floor and literally could not move for a little while. But shower, hot tub, Mexican Feast and I felt good by bedtime. Saturday felt great except for well you know...I just did not get on a bike seat that day. Think I can fight the cramps with some better (or some) stretching everyday this week.

Sunday was the final training push so I loaded up Stevie and went over to Alum by ourselves. Waited until 3:00 and 90++ degrees so we could get the full effect of the training. Rode for 2:45, hardest part was battling the heat and humidity since it has been such a mild summer. Aside from some never before developed blisters (may need a dry pair of gloves or two for the race) and the aforementioned issues from Friday I seem to be as ready as I'll ever be. I had plenty of fluids but I was craving a COLD drink for the last half hour. That jug in the cooler did not stand a chance. Quick bath in the spigot, exhausted and off dinner at G-Marie's. Could not wait for the AC, I get there and 5 perfectly capable adults were waiting on the sofas for me to Grill the chicken. Yea, never was good at hiding my emotions...

"Looking good Billy Ray!"

"Feeling Good Louis!"

First of all, I am SOOOO tired of all this rain! It is August not April. All I do is mow my damn lawn.

So last Sunday Nick has a new bike and we are fired up to tackle the climbing at Mohican SF again! Get up at the crack of ass and surprise; its raining again, oh oh its raining again. Fast forward 6 hours and ND and I are doing laps at P2. I would compare riding three hours at P2 to running on a track to prepare for a Marathon. Gets a little mundane but hey it's close and it dries fast.

Now on to the good stuff...Nick brought out his new to him fully loaded dual spring job for this ride. Yes he has retired the Urban commuter disguised as a mountain bike. So he is feeling good and smoking me for the first lap ++ as I am trying to pace myself and watch my HR. Just as I am thinking that the new rig seems to be a little fast for his skills (At least the root covered trails slow you down and make you work on the HT). Then I hear just hear CRUNCH and SILENCE. As I round the bend I see him attempting to stand in a gully that is about shoulder deep. (its a tricky approach but it he did miss the widest bride on the trail). As I drag his bike out of the gully and straighten a few things he takes personal inventory. Pretty lucky that the torrential rains of the summer allowed his helmet to bury itself the bank. Dude looked like a broken QB that had just been squashed in to the turf with all the mud stuck in his helmet. So busted helmet and what looks to be a broken finger and off we go.

Anywho, back to me. I am pretty timid on my first lap or two after my crash the week before. But after his crash and some adjustment to my new helmet which is hurting like hell, I am in a groove. We do 4 laps or 23 miles of pedal, brake, pedal, brake which is the most we have ever done. Then we are back at the car. I feel really good and I cannot believe I drug my fat ass around for that long so its time for a reward. I mean we really wouldn't want to loose weight would we??? What's a reward for three hours of singletrack, one broken helmet and one upcoming X-ray w/$50 copay?? That's right...CRAVE CASE!!!!!!!

"and you ain't got none...."

"...cause your on the Welfare and your Daddy's an alcoholic. "MMMMM ICE CREAM".

Speaking of great comedy routines and Welfare, this is a $1.70 cent SMALL ice cream cone dipped in chocolate. Yes it is bigger than Nick's (a.k.a. JR and LDY) head and he was covered with melted ice cream by the time he finished. Of course I didn't spill a drop.

Friday Night Lights

How I recall the Progression of Friday Nights over the past 40 years:

1. Doritos, Dukes of Hazard, Love Boat
2. HS Football Games, Camping out in The Plains trying to score beer and/or chicks and normally failing on both counts
3. Papa Joe's and $1.00 Gyros
4. Random Cat's Eye run
   
5. Misc. Bar Stools and Patio Chairs
6. Sofa and a movie
7. Patio Chairs, neighbors and FIRE
   
8. 40 mile bike rides for ice cream then come home and chase the kids till dark.