Plans Written In Sand
Had a plan to get a ride in this morning, but needed to work on some stuff first. Just as I started working, the FedEx truck pulls up and drops of a box of XXC kits! 2 days early!! FedEx is now forgiven for last weeks blunder.
Well now I can't work! I'm all caught up in lycra goodness. They came out sooo good! I took some pics but the flash f'ed all up the pics. Look all washed out and I had not good natural light. I am 100% stoked about the jerseys. The bibs I love too, but in hindsight I wish I would have not put the logo on the side panel. Gets a LITTLE distorted when they're on, but then again, maybe that's just my fatty-fatterson legs?
I then sort 'em out, make sure I got all the goods and proceed to get kitted up in my new duds for a ride. It's still chilly out there this a.m. so I start looking for my knee warmers. And look, and look, and look. Found one... and look, and look. I've now wasted 25 minutes looking for a f*cking knee warmer. I probably don't even need it at this point! Keep in mind that I took them off in the bedroom yesterday. How far could it go??
Then I hear my e mail *beep*.
It's Wifey, she forgot that B-Man had some sort of musical gig at today, and his kindergarten class would be doing a ricital. She thought it was next week, can't leave work, he'll be hurt if no one shows up, yada, yada, yada. Hmmm... No way I can get a ride in, get home, shower, and make it to his school in time. DRAT! So the ride was aborted, I spun my legs for a half an hour, sent out most of the kits, and got ready to enjoy 2 hours of non stop dance action. LOL! And I'm glad I did. Granted I sat for 1:50 to see B-Man for 5 minutes at the end, but seeing the look on his face when he saw me, made it all worth while. There will be time enough to ride tomorrow.
______________________________
Tonight I get an e mail from a friend... Seems the 24 Hours of Big Bear is now canceled. This was going to be huge for me. Not that I was racing (the 24), but with Nationals so close to home I was going to cover it for the mag, and do a lot of mag pimping. I was also going to race the 12 hour event. Now that's gone. Making it now the THIRD race on my schedule to get moved to a time that I can't race it, or be canceled. On top of that I had already registered when there was a link working and I'm out $75 (I really don't see GG refunding anyone any money, but I hope I'm wrong). And on top of THAT there was a thread on MTBR.com about the reg, and I was like "oh yeah, you just click this link and it takes you to the reg..." Then two weeks later the link is dead. And on top of TTHHHHHHAT I'm sure that a few other folks went ahead and registered and now I look like a big dick head for telling folks. I could give two shits about my $75 (other than that's like a weeks salary, LOL!) but some other folks plunked down the insane amount of cash that GG asks to race a Solo ($300+) and may be out cash too! I will never. EVER. EVVVVVVVVVVVVVER even attempt to race a GG race again. EVER. Pissed that ANOTHER race has been canceled, but feel like TOTAL shit, that folks may be out money because of a link I posted.
What a day! I want a beer. Ain't got none. For the record, I found my knee warmer at 7:45 pm in the dryer!!! WTF? Hope to make up for lost ride time tomorrow.
Later.
EDIT: XXC Kit Pic
posted by Jason @ 9:22 PM
14 comments
14 Comments:
Looks like I made a good decision. Sad, it's been going on for a long time and they do their best to f it up.
I know a better one around the same time......
That sucks big time! I do the Mountains of Misery just to be in shape for Big Bear. Now what? The MS 150? Should I just sell all my fat tire bikes and become a roadie? Screw Granny Gear--let's just all go down there and do our own event.
And low attendance my ass!
The Stoopid 50 up in Rothrock is that weekend. No hard choices for me to make.
Hmmm.....so the smart money is on not registering for an event Jason Mahokey signs up for, eh? (Just kidding!)
Man! You've been snake bit for sure that way this year. Its gotta turn around for ya!
So first Stuart and now Laird burning bridges. Wow! That whole dynamic of the big 24hr promoted series seems to be all washed up now. Sad really.
Wild, I’ve been mulling around for almost a month now thinking “what can I sell to afford Knights damn solo entry fee?” After all it “was” nats. Kind of takes a load off to see it cancelled, kind of sad by the same token. Time to get Stoopid which is cool since I won’t make the Wilderness this year. Hmm more time for bikepacking in the woods for free as well.
Here’s hoping your cheeks see some saddle time outside tomorrow. Thanks for the Big Bear info.
Peace,
Metro
@Ben, indeed you did. Bastard!
@Jason, hold on to those fat tires! Mohican is June 5th, and as Shred mentions the Stoopid 50 is the next week! And he is full of shit. Big Bear was one of the largest of his races. Looks at last years numbers. WTF?
@Guitar Ted, LOL, yes add registering for races to a long list of things NOT to do if I do it.
@Metro, If I had all the miles of Vadge mountain goodness that you have I might not EVER race.
Time to ride (as soon as the "Mexican Burn" goes away.)
I swore off of GG after the '06 Moab disaster but for some reason I keep giving them my money - I must really like the glow in the dark Frisbees or something. Also, I've always had a problem with the entry fees, and as a former race director I have a hard time seeing where it all goes. Buuuuut, if Moab is nats again I'm sure I'll add another frisbee to my collection.
Those kits look sick!
It's super frustrating with so many endurance events tripping over each other in and around my region. You've got the Transylvania-Epic stage race finishing up the same weekend as the Mohican. Nobody not even crazy endurance freaks are going to do both. Then right behind the Mohican only one weekend away you have the Stoopid 50 and that’s scheduled the same weekend as the biggest endurance event of the year, what was the 24 hours of Big Bear. Here's a clue for the race promoters. If you have an event within 3 hours drive of your event on a conflicting or back to back weekend... pick another date. I mean unless they feel like they are just getting way too many riders at their events and they need to thin out the herd.
@Shred- yeah, there is a good/bad with all the races. But then again, not everyone who wants to do the Stoopid is going to want to plunk down cash for the 24. I think there's enough to go around. Just not enough quality promoters like Chris Scott, and Rob from the LBD. Putting on a race is tough. I would never do it (on a national scale). Some do it perfectly, some need to work on it. I just want to see folks racing and putting in time on the bike. From what I see, some of the coolest events in the U.S (and the World) are FREE. Just need to poke around a bit.
Jason, the new kits look awesome!!! I too am very disappointed about Big Bear, it's how I always start my summer. And with it being the nationals, I was really excited. Ah well.
Greg, no worries, there are a ton of great races out there. And Big Bear is a great venue. I will not be surprised is someone else steps in in the near future. I'm always shocked that I don't go down to ride there more often.
Speaking of free races, Crush the Commonwealth race in comming up. Trans-Pennsylvania DIY unsupported Philly to Pittsburgh. Part gravel grinder, part road race.
Another 24-hour race in WV the weekend of the late Big Bear. From the race director:
"This will be our first year as a 24 hour race. We are super excited. We hated to see Big Bear go down but it was an excellent opportunity for our race to see some additional racers. We were originally scheduled for an October date but West Virginia Mountain Bike Association agreed to sanction our race if we moved. The course is a 13 mile loop of some of the best trails in West Virginia. 90% true single track!!!! No hike a bikes and a great venue. Nite Rider is one of our major sponsors, so they will have their battery charging station there and staff. Entry fee is $75 per person. That's it. Even if you are a solo!!!! We want this race to be affordable and fun. There will be camping available from thursday thru sunday. A $5 fee per person will let you camp all four days if you like. There will be showers, restrooms and porta johns. We will have a full concession stand and plenty of music. If you need any additional information please feel free and call me at 304 389 3934. Thanks." -Larry Perkins
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