Lumberjackness

Time to catch up here-- I had a great weekend racing my bike and catching up with good friends. The race did not go as planned but was still damn fun. I raced 2 of Lumberjack's 3 laps (about 67ish miles) felt great at times, but by the mid point of the second lap saw the writing on the wall. I was out of water and nutrition with about 10 miles left in the lap and was sweating like roasting pig over a BBQ pit. I seriously don't know how anyone could sweat more than me? Even with that though I had only ONE cramp over 67ish miles.

Sure I could have forced myself to go out for a 3rd and final lap. Limped, mumbled and stumbled around the course for another 3+ hours, but I'm getting a tad old for that, especially with some of my health issues of the past 2 years. I have completed about 10 (I think) 100 mile races, the goal of this one was to do better than the last Lumberjack. When I saw it would most likely be worse, I thought "Big deal! I have done this before, as it is I've ridden 67 miles, I want to have some fun with my friends and not lay about in a suck coma all night."

I was content to stop after a sweet 67ish miles on some of the best trails in Michigan. My ideas of what I want out of a race continue to evolved every race, every season. Hell my ideas of what I want out of my riding continue to evolve. So I ended it at 2 laps, content to sit and watch the Pros finish. Can you believe Christian Tanguy of Team CF crossed the finish line just about 15 minutes after I did? It took me a little less time to ride 67 miles than it took him to WIN the 100! Jezus H!!

Got to see a few friends from back in WPA/WV, + hang with some of my new friends from here in Mich, so that was cool too. I did say hi to a few folks and contributors I know through the mag, but when I did, I sort of got a "why is this sweaty fat guy saying hi to me look." Still not sure they knew exactly who the hell I was, LOL! I did see and talk with The Pflug, Danielle and Garth, I also had a chance to thank Jeff Schalk in person for doing the interview a couple of XXC issues ago. I also got to chat with some of my advertisers, and some happy readers... Happy readers are always good.

The Lumberjack is now history, and was/is probably the last of the really long races that I have on tap for 2011. I still have more XXC races to do, but I doubt that I will go over 100 miles. I also have it in my mind to something a bit grander, not a race, but a long ass ride. Looking forward to planning that soon.

I have a bit more to blather about, but most of that concerns my families "mini vacation" we took in the Manistee area after the race. Actually that jaunt ended a tad early due today being nothing but rain and t-storms up there, so we got out of Dodge before we had to pay for another night's hotel.

Later.