The Anti Race Ride

As indicated on yesterday's blog post, as the day progressed I got less and less enthused about getting up a 4:30 a.m. to drive to Big Bear to race 50 miles, the week after a hundie with an epic bonk. Not sure why I was even entertaining the thought of racing? All I need do is look at the race I had at the Wayne Ultra back in June (Jesus, I can't believe it was that long ago!). I was running on fumes as I recovered from the Lumberjack. I've always had the rule of not racing the week before or after a race. But I ALMOST let myself do Big Bear just to do it and see some friends. While it would have been nice to see my friends and ride some great trails it wasn't get up at 4:30 a.m., pay $60 worthy.

So what did I do since I petered out on the race? I opted to get some rest, hang with B-Man while Wifey got to the gym for a class she wanted to take, and then head up the mountain for some single track. The ride was great, and I felt pretty good, but I will say at the end of the ride I was really glad I didn't race.

I parked on 31, headed over to Seven Springs, did the course (at least 97% of it) and then on the way back hit Jones Mill and Lookout for more mountain single track. The trails were in great condition, and it was fun to ride. The race course seems to have a few new little trails in before the climb up the slopes. Not sure why, since the climb is already as slow as a constipated turd. I was happy that I really didn't do or have to do the climb since I was taking the gravel road back to the North Gate.

I have to say a couple sections of the loop are getting harder- The double track climb on the first half of the course has always had a lot of loose rock, but a really wet summer with lots of downpours have REALLY loosened up the chunky rocks. It was on this climb that I thought I saw a snake laying across the trail. But I ALWAYS think I see snakes across the trail and usually they turn out to be roots or sticks. But I slowed down and THIS time it WAS a snake. Just a big black snake, but a snake none the less. So I tossed a couple stick in its directions and it slithered off.

The newer single track at Seven Springs is fun to ride, but I'm glad I won't be racing on it this year. Really hard to get any speed on it. But it makes for a fun ride in the mountains, I will say that. Since I did the second loop first and the first loop second it was a climb to the top on the service road and then pavement down to the gate and back towards 31. Took a new steep gravel down hill off to the right on my way back down Fire Tower. Ended up just being a gas well road and then I had to hike a bike back up. Frig! Then I went down Jones Mill and Lookout. They were both in great condition and horse free today.

I originally planned on doing more over at North Woods and Mountain Streams, but thought that 2:40 was good enough for a recovery week ride. I was happy to see that adding in Seven Springs with my other loop, will or should easily give me a nice 50 mile ride. That will be another day though. For now I was happy to enjoy the single track, get a little bit of a "soul" ride in, and in the coming week start focusing on lengthening my rides and build back up for the SM100 in September.

Hope the folks had a great race down at Big Bear, but I don't regret not doing it. In fact I'm super glad I didn't. Because 25+ miles felt like plenty today. Not sure I had ANOTHER 25 in me.

Time to chill, have a Dogfish Head Indian Brown (AKA The Best Beer In The World) and think about some food.

Sorry for no pics, but my camera and it's new batteries don't seem to want to hold a charge for longer than 1 minute lately.

Later.