Weekly update

Seems like not a lot is happening this time of year but when I sit down to update the blog there are a lot of things happening or did happen. Not much in the way of racing news though but the Addison Oaks XC is next weekend. This is the closest race to my house all year, many of those I ride with consider it our home course.

And speaking of Addison, Chris Werth and I were asked to step in and help as trail coordinators out at Addison. The current trail coordinator, or TC, has done one heck of a job with trail improvements but has increasingly been running into some issues with the park management. There have been a few misunderstandings of what kind of trail work has been authorized vs. completed and we have been in danger of losing the ability to ride the trails. Chris and I will be acting as intermediaries to help smooth relations and keep the trails open. We had a very productive meeting with the park last week and look forward to more open communications.

While my schedule for next year is not firm yet I plan on doing more of the national events or races that require travel. I also plan on hiring a coach to bring my caliber of racing up a notch, something I recognize I need help with. Of course all of this costs money so I had decided to find a part time job for the off season specifically to pay for racing. The day after I made this decision a job posting came up at a local bike shop.

I have been to most of the bike shops in the area and there are very few that I would consider working at for one reason or another. Having owned my own motorcycle shop I have a feel for what make an enjoyable atmosphere to shop and work in. The shop that posted the ad, Cycletherapy in Waterford, is one of the rare shops that meets my qualifications. I have started working a few nights a week after I get off Chrysler and on Saturdays or Sundays depending on my schedule. I am working the sales floor helping with sales of bikes and parts. Ernie Dell, the owner, is very good about being flexible with my hours. Even though he knows that I will be training more come spring he agreed to have me work at his place. Maybe I see a little of myself in him and his shop. It takes me back to my my store ownership days.

In other news Jason is coming back this Thursday for a friend's wedding. He won't be flying out until Tuesday so we plan on doing some family things this weekend. He also wants to race at Addison on Sunday and I may be racing against him in the SS class after I race the Expert category. I am not sure if I will be able to get my bike into SS mode and definitely will not be competitive but it would be fun to line up against him.

On other interesting bit of information is that I saw another rattlesnake last week. This one was on the road over by Bald Mountain North. That is the second one I have seen this summer after not seeing any in the first ten years we lived here. This one was quite a bit bigger than the first one but not moving as fast. in fact it didn't seem to want to move out of the road so I got a stick and moved it into the field. Maybe I have watched too many Jeff Corwin or Steve Irwin shows.

On Any Sunday

Actually on a particular Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Those who are in to motorcycles may remember that On Any Sunday is the name of a classic motorcycle movie made in 1971 by Bruce Brown who also made the classic surfing movie, The Endless Summer.

The reason I reference the movie in the title is that I spent this past weekend taking the Motorcycle Safety Foundation course in preparation of getting my motorcycle endorsement to my license. I had ridden motorcycles for a long time but not in the past 12 years or so. The course was fun but you were glad when each two hour section was over to have a chance to relax.

The last thing we did today was take the Michigan Motorcycle Operator Safety Training riding test. I passed which means I won't have to take that test at the Secretary of State's office. Thanks to Biscuit for letting me borrow a helmet for the course. Mine is kind of old and even though I really like it, it's past its useful life.

Like a lot of kids I got my start with minibikes and graduated to dirt bikes and then off road racing. Later, in the mid-eighties I owned a motorcycle accessory shop for about four years. During that time I got into road racing, the knee dragger type. I raced 500's and also various bikes that at the time were considered vintage. Now they are probably antiques :-) At one time there were 10 motorcycles in my stable.

All I have now is one that hasn't been started in 12 years. I plan on tearing it apart to replace all the seals and gaskets to make it rideable again. It is one that you don't see much of any more, a two stroke twin. It is a great mosquito fogger when starting, as all the exhaust comes billowing out the expansion chambers. I'm not too sure how well the neighbors would appreciate it if I ride it to work at 6:00 am. It sort of sounds like two dirt bikes at once.

A new bike is not in the immediate future, the pedalling kind of bike takes up all of the budget. But someday if I do get a new one, a Goldwing is a definite possibility. My wife and I used to travel on my bigger bikes and she loved riding on the back. She would get so comfortable she would even doze off. I think she wants a Goldwing more than I do.

Labor Day report

We took advantage of the great weather this weekend to take in some of the local attractions that we have been wanting to see but never got around to. On Saturday we went to the Eastern Market where we loaded up on fresh produce. We plan on going back there more often but learned that we need something to carry around our purchases. The fold up carts that everyone had seemed like the ticket but everything would be sitting on top of each other. I am going to look into something else to use. We also bought some sausage at the meat market that we grilled later in the evening. Some of it was a lot spicier than we thought but I liked it.

Sunday I went to church with Sandy and then we headed down to the Toledo Zoo. The older part of the zoo was especially nice with tree shaded walks and lots of flower gardens. All of the exhibits seemed nice and clean and the older buildings are updated. I'm not sure what our favorite animals were, maybe the polar bears with the twin cubs or the hippos since in both displays they were out swimming and would come right up to the glass enclosure. It has been a while since we went to a zoo. Sandy and the boys went to one in Omaha and I was at one in Mexico City. While we haven't been to the Detroit zoo yet I would recommend the Toledo zoo.

After the zoo we headed over to Tony Packo's at the park, across the street from the Toledo Mudhens baseball field. We had tickets for a double header in the evening. There was a huge line snaked around the building and we thought everyone was waiting to get in. It turns out that that the restaurant was hosting a radio station contest winner's lunch with a pro wrestler, Matt Hardy, that happened to be in town for a match. We were able to walk right in and get a table.

When I bought tickets to the game a few weeks ago the only thing they had left were general admission seats in the outfield. Actually they weren't seats, but an area with picnic tables set up above the outfield wall. They were good seats for watching the game but in the direct sunlight for the entire first game. The sun had set behind the stadium by the time the second game started under the lights. The home team came from behind in both games to win. We didn't stay for all of the second game as Toledo was playing a lot of the second string and rookie players, judging from the batting averages 0f .091 and .000.

The ballpark is only about 5 years old and since it only seats about 11,000 there is not a bad seat in the stadium. Plenty of concession stands and easy parking and access to the freeway makes it a nice venue to see a game. Ticket prices are reasonable too.

Today I went out for an early morning ride for a few hours and ended up stopping by to see some of the crit races taking place in Auburn Hills. I don't know if that is something I would take up. I enjoy myself a lot more on the trails than I do on the roads.

Tomorrow I should be starting a new after work activity that will probably keep me tied up a few nights a week and some weekend days. More on that in a later post.

Sandy feeds a lion some Hammer Product

A hippo keeps an eye on us

Smile for the camera

An escapee from Meerkat Manor?

Yes, this is the zoo

Some of the flower gardens

Brett Hardy from WWE

Views of Toeldo from the ball park

Not the San Diego Chicken but the Toledo Mudhen's mascot

Air time

Looks like the team and I have gotten some air time recently. Those who read my blog may remember that back in April, Robin and I did an interview for a TV program down in Tennessee the day before the Dirt, Sweat and Gears 12 hour race. Then the next day I did a lap wearing their video camera. That program finally made it on air and I have requested a copy. I would really like to see all the footage that was shot but I don't think that will happen. A link to the show information. And you can order your very own copy too!

At Saturday's race Joel shot a short video of me going through a couple of corners. Granted it was uphill but it sure doesn't look like I'm going very fast.

A tale of two races

This past week has felt like we were living back in Georgia again. Rain, high temps and humidity made for some uncomfortable riding conditions but it did seem to revive the grass a little. But that means it needs to get cut again.

It rained some just about every day since last Sunday and we had a big storm Friday night with Tornadoes about 30 miles away. I figured Saturday's race at Maybury would be a struggle, both from the mud and that the course does not allow too many chances to rest.

On the way out to the race and a 9:00 am start I ran into more rain, not a good sign. Once at the course it wasn't raining but the race would be delayed slightly while crews were out clearing trees off the trail. When we finally started I was pleased to find out that the trail wasn't really muddy for the most part but it was still slick, especially in the corners. The course was a lot slower due to the wet surface.

I started out right behind the eventual winner of my class and felt comfortable for the first half of the lap. I stayed right on his rear wheel but he started to pull away as my legs started to protest. This was not good, the legs in trouble after half of a lap and 3.5 more to go. The third place racer caught up to me and followed me around until close to the end of the first lap when he went by and I did not respond. I ended up making the rest of the race a long trail ride and eventually finished 3rd, with a comfortable gap over those behind me. I felt sorry for the Sport and Beginner riders that were racing later in the day as the skies opened up shortly after I finished and made the course a lot muddier than we had it.

Today was the Pontiac Lake XC and since it was close by I figured i would race it as well. I was going to try it in the single speed class but I couldn't set my derailleurs to prevent accidental shifting. Remembering my problems at Stony a few weeks ago running single speed I decided to race geared in my age class. Not having a license meant I would have to race in the Sport category. But with the legs feeling spent from Saturday's race I didn't think there would be a threat of me walking away with a win.

The weather was perfect and the trail as well. We started with the 15-18 year group which must have had about three times the number of our 50+ class. At least it was easy to tell who was in which class. But it made the start a little crowded as we sprinted for the first singletrack section.

One rider in my class broke away but I did not feel like chasing, at least not if I wanted to finish the race. I got stuck behind another rider in my group and a few of the younger ones until I was able to force my way past on some of the hills. It seemed like I was quickly running into back markers from the groups that started in front of us so I spent a good bit of time trying to pass. Most of the racers were good about letting me by but others took a little maneuvering on my part to get around. Racing in the Expert class this year I don't have many opportunities to pass and forgot how bad it can be.

I ended up in second, with about the same gap to first as I had over third. I don't feel too bad about the result since I raced yesterday but I can definitely tell I lack the XC fitness level I had last year. Maybe all the longer races have worn me out a little too.

I don't think I will race again until Addison Oaks at the end of September but there is another race at Stony before that and I may give it a try. I have been searching for a coach for next year and think I have found one that will take me to the next level for local and national results. Stay tuned for updates on that development.

Happy Birthday to my Wife

Today is Sandy's birthday. To celebrate I am making her dinner. On Friday we picked up her birthday present, a new 2007 Dodge Nitro 4x4. It really just happened that our lease on the Jeep Liberty was up next month and we were trying to decide what to do. Get another vehicle from the outside or wait and lease another one through the company.

Last Wednesday was a big celebration at all the Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep dealers because Chrysler was now a separate company. I visited a few of the dealers to partake in the celebration and get a free dinner, as well as look at some candidates for our next vehicle. I talked to sales reps and took some literature back for Sandy to look at. Since Thursday is her day off I encouraged her to go to the dealers and take a look, particularly at the Nitro since there were good deals to be had on them.

Sandy didn't seem to be too interested in the Nitro from the brochures. Thursday morning I picked up a phone message from her that said simply "I put down a deposit, Happy Birthday to me." I had to call and find out which vehicle she was talking about and was surprised that it was the Dodge. She said once inside it she liked all the room and the ride. The bright orange will make it easy to find in a parking lot. I like the retro and truck like look as well as the interior. It's really a base model with a few options but it has plenty of room for the dogs. And it has a MP3 player jack which my son really likes.

Saturday morning I got out for an early ride, it was cool enough that I rode with a jacket. it's been a while since I have had to do that but the weather was beautiful and I felt like I had decent legs so the ride was fun, just hitting up some of the local trails around the house. Friday evening I got out after picking up the car. Between the interval workout and the wind it was a tough ride.

Today it's been raining all morning so I don't know if I will get out or not. I have the dinner to make and then I think some friends are coming over for dessert. This week's weather doesn't look too promising either. The next race is this Saturday so I will try to get in some efforts to keep the legs ready.

Dog Days of Summer

Whew! It's been hot lately but I seem to have adjusted to it when riding. Although I haven't done a lot of it this week I did get out a couple of times including a preride today of the next course up in the MMBA series. But earlier today was literally a time for the dogs.

Our town of Lake Orion has a dog parade every year and we decided to take one of ours and participate. They had tents set up in the park from various vendors and organizations. Many of the dogs wore costumes and they were going to award prizes for various categories including best costume, cutest dog, etc. You could also vote for this year's "Dog Mayor" and several owners carried signs and distributed leaflets urging you to vote for their dog.

Before the parade started there was a blessing of the dogs and then we all headed out to walk through the main streets of town, led by an old fire engine and with police escorts.

We walked a short route through the downtown area and back to the park. I imagine we were a sight for traffic that had to wait for about 150 dogs and their owners to cross before they could proceed through town.

Our big black lab did well. He was a little excited at first but then settled down and just walked with the rest of the group. He didn't get too distracted by all the other dogs and seemed to enjoy the walk. Back at the park they had a samll plastic wading pool filled with water for the dogs to drink out of. A number of dogs decided they would rather wade in it than drink from it.

Getting our dog calmed down and ready to go

The cars had to wait for us to cross

One of the dog "Judges" and an owner with doggy propaganda on his back

Mickey Mouse?

Cannondale Factory Tour

Last Friday on our way to the Wilderness 101 race Robin, Shari and I stopped by the Cannondale factory in Bedford, PA for a tour. It had been arranged through our local Cannondale rep, Jason E, a great guy who has really supported out team over the years.

Because production only worked a half day on Friday's we had to get there early to anything going on. We had driven to Bedford the night before so the plant was just down the road. At least it was once we got good directions.

We started our tour in the receiving area where we saw lots of raw aluminum stock, ready to be cut into the proper size. Some pieces of frames come in already cut for use. We went through the various machining areas and saw one operation where the machined crank spiders out of solid pieces of aluminum. We also saw them laser cutting some of the tubing.

In addition to other operations we saw the welding booths where all the frames are hand welded. The welds are so good that very little sanding is needed to finish them off. We saw the frames moving into the paint area and watched decals being applied. The final assembly area was like a huge bike shop with many people working on getting the bikes ready to go before shipping.

Our tour guide, Steve, took us back into the testing labs and we saw various frames and components undergoing tests. Not only Cannondale parts but other brands as well. While we were in there a handlebar being tested snapped at just about the predicted number of flex cycles. We also saw a sneak peek of a new FS model being tested but I'm not sure what it was.

One of the stranger ways of testing a fork was for testers to ride the bikes into a wall at 12 mph. Somehow they have figured out that this is the proper speed where a rider can still catch prevent himself from slamming his head into the wall as the fork buckles. The have spotters to assist the rider. I wonder who was the one(s) who decided that above 12 mph was too fast?

We felt like kids in a candy store with all the bike parts and finished bikes around. The employees we met were all very friendly and seemed to be proud of what they do. Working in the automotive industry and used to seeing assembly lines and robotic welders, I was amazed that almost every step of fabrication and assembly was done by hand. They are truly hand built in the USA. Lots of pictures of our tour are on the team website. http://www.cannondalemidwest.com/modules.php?name=gallery2&g2_itemId=2125

Wilderness 101

The Wilderness 101 was probably the hardest of the four races I've done this year in the national hundred mile series. The climbs were very long and some steep and most of the singletrack was very rocky, and not the kind of weathered rocks like we have in Michigan. Very sharp, jagged, and big.

I will post a follow-up report in a day or two but the short story is I finished 2nd for the third time this year, almost assuring me a 2nd place overall in the national series. The same guy beat me again by a much greater margin this time. Granted this was his home course but I just can't seem to sustain any energy when it comes to 4 or 5 mile climbs with 1,300 feet of elevation gain. I need to figure out a better training strategy for that kind of terrain.

I will say that I didn't have much of a problem with the rocks, I was even passing quite a few people in them. I think the larger 29 inch wheels played a big part in that. The bike really flies when it comes to downhills, particularly on the gravel roads. I was amazed at how many people I would pass, only to see them again when they crawled past me on the uphills.

We visited the Cannondale factory in Bedford, PA the day before the race. Pictures to follow. Coming from the automotive industry I was surprised to see the lack of any automation in the building process. When they say hand made they really mean it.

Stony TT: You shouldn't shift a Single Speed

I had a longer blog about the race but lost it just before publishing. Short version: I raced the Stony time trial today and took 4th in Expert 50+. I raced again in the SS class on the same bike, switching the crank to one with one chain ring and the rear wheel to one gear. I kept the derailleurs the way they were for chain tensioners.

The start to the race is downhill and once my SS race got under way I shifted while going down the hill. Bad idea when there are no other gears to shift to. I stopped and put the chain back on and was forced to chase the guy who started with me. He had a bigger gear which meant he could be faster on the flats.

It took a long time to finally bring him back, I would start to gain on the climbs but he would be gone again once over the top. He missed a turn which brought him back to right in front of me. I finally passed him when he bobbled in the singletrack but it wasn't too long before my chain came off allowing him back in front.

I caught back up and stayed in front until he told me to go by. I managed to put some time on him but was looking over my shoulder as we got to the double track. Over the last stream crossing you have to carry your bike and once I was aways on the other side I set the bike down and the chain came off again.

Out on the double track again I could see him back there but he didn't appear to be gaining as fast and I thought I could hold him off for the last mile and a half. Riding along the grass by the road I was picking off other riders until the chain slipped. Thinking I might be able to shift it back on I was riding along looking at the rear wheel when I was stopped dead by a wooden sign post that that was along the shoulder. Normally it is no problem as there is plenty of room on either side of it. It sure caught me by surprise and stopped me cold.

I lost a lot of time and allowed the other rider I had been fighting with to go by me and I was never able to catch back up. He finished 4th and I took 5th. I still had fun and might look at building a dedicated SS based on the frame I rode today. At least that should solve the chain issues.

Weekend in review

This weekend was just about perfect in almost every respect. You couldn't ask for much better weather on both days. Moderate temperatures and low humidity made the riding all the better. Yesterday I set a new PR on my 37.5 mile "hill" route and spent another hour and a half just enjoying the ride.

Today I did another 4 hours at a slightly easier pace and pre-rode a lap of the Stony TT for next weekend. In spite of the beautiful weather I didn't see too many bikers on the trail at Stony but earlier the Paint Creek Trail was crowded with runners, hikers and riders.

This afternoon we grilled marinated steaks with fresh corn on the cob. Paired with a good wine the only thing I needed was a hammock to catch a snooze in the shade.

Tonight I am catching up on the Tour and sampling another German wheat beer. Since spending time in Germany I have come to really enjoy this type of beer and have been trying to find something similar to what I had over there. Unfortunately with the preservatives put in beer shipped out of the country I don't think anything will taste as good as something served in Germany.

This week will be some shorter efforts leading to the TT on Sunday and then about the same next week before leaving for the Wilderness 101 in Pennsylvania.

Snake!

Out riding the back roads today near Addison Oaks and came across a snake on the road. I passed it but turned around to get a closer look as the markings were unusual. As I got closer I saw the dark brown markings and then heard a rattle. Sure enough it was a small Massassagua rattle snake, about 18 inches long and and an inch in diameter but had a very loud rattle when agitated.

I have seen posters in all the area parks that say they are around but I have never actually seen one. There are a couple of snakes that can be confused with this snake and I have seen a lot that I thought were rattlers but weren't. It was cool to see one like this but I will definitely be keeping an eye out while in the woods.

Shortest race of the year so far

Photo courtesy of Steve Balogh

I decided earlier in the week to race at Ruby today as part of my training to do more intensity. I hadn't been there in 4 years and wasn't really looking forward to going back. The course crosses a river twice on each lap and a has a few climbs and one steep downhill that had a rope down the side in case you decide to walk down. It was so steep that you needed something to hold on to if trying to walk.

I had heard they had done a lot of modifications to the trail so a few of us went out there earlier in the week to check it out. The climbs and descents have been modified with switchbacks which made both ups and downs easier. The rest of the course was pretty tight as it wound its way along the river banks. Not exactly my style of course but it would be a good workout.

I couldn't decide which bike to use, a 26 or 29'er because the course was so tight in places. I practiced the switchbacks at Bloomer yesterday to try and decide but couldn't make up my mind so I took both bikes to the race.

I tested both while warming up and felt more comfortable on the 29'er. The race started with another racer and I sprinting for the entrance to the singletrack since we knew passing would be a problem. He just beat me to it and I stayed on his wheel for a while until he was able to make some passes on other riders where I couldn't.

I gradually lost sight of him over the next few laps but I was comfortably in front of the next person in my class. I finished 2nd in just over one hour and 22 minutes. The shortest race of the year so far.

Now a couple more weeks of training before the Stony TT which will be even shorter and then the Wilderness 101.

Boyne marathon xc lowlights

At least I finished. That is about the the only good thing I can say about the race yesterday. I went into the race with high expectations. Being a longer race than the normal XC race I thought I should be in good shape, having done a number of longer races already this year and having been somewhat successful.

I felt pretty good on Friday's ride and the HR was up where it should be for the short sprints I did. I had been hydrating all week in preparation for the expected high temperatures. I also was going to manage my HR better than I did at the Lumberjack race.

Only four of us lined up for the Expert 50+ start and I knew the competition would be tough. I think only the hard core (or crazy) come out for this race. We started at an easy pace and I felt comfortable. My HR started to climb as we also went a little harder. I saw the HR start to exceed where I wanted to be so I backed off the pace some to preserve my energy.

I began to realize that even with my HR down into a somewhat reasonable zone I did not seem to have any power. I was having some problems up the hills and feeling a little off sorts. I was walking some hills that I should have been able to ride up with no problem. During the third of four laps I seriously considered abandoning the race when I got back to the start/finish area. I stopped briefly at our tent and talked with Robin and Shari but then decided to head out for the final lap to at least get some points for the CPS series.

I was feeling somewhat dizzy on the more strenuous climbs but got through them to finally get to the highest point of the course and started the last downhill singletrack leading back to the finish. To cap off my day, or add injury to insult, the front wheel slipped off the trail during the descent and managed to send me sliding on my left side again, tearing open the scab on my left knee for the third time in the last four weeks.

I am not sure exactly what went wrong at this race but I noticed I did not take in enough calories which might explain my light headed feeling. I think the power loss can best be attributed to the lack of intensity in my training over the last three weeks, including the week in Germany. It does not take long to lose some fitness when trying to race at a higher level. Combined with the high temperatures I was not able to perform despite the high heart rates.

I plan to add sprints and more intense workouts over the next few weeks as the next race is a time trial. This race will be shorter, around an hour and of much higher speed and intensity. The following week will be the Wilderness 101 in Pennsylvania.

Fireworks

My wife and I spent a few days with her sister on the west side of Cleveland and the visited my parents today before returning home. We hadn't seen any of them since Christmas.

Yesterday morning I went for a short ride on the canal towpath that stretches almost from Cleveland to Akron. I rode a major portion of the trail last year and this year I went as far north as it currently extends which is about 4 miles from downtown. This portion of the trail is paved; farther south it is crushed limestone.

There were a lot of bikers, hikers and joggers out on the trail enjoying the holiday. The park system has done a nice job with this trail putting up informative signs at various viewpoints. There are also some displays of old machinery and the trail center building is full of historical artifacts and exhibits.

We didn't plan on going out to see any of the various communities' fireworks displays but wound up viewing some much more local instead. Around 9:30 at night it was evident that there were more fireworks going off than the normal bottle rockets and firecrackers. The fact that we could see reflections of light from the fireworks made us curious.

Stepping outside it sounded as if the entire neighborhood was setting off the explosions. Multi colored displays were constantly going off in all directions. They seemed to be very close to the commercial fireworks, complete with multi-explosion colors and those that whistled and crackled. Walking out to the main street we could see them in every direction, it appeared that each resident was trying to out do the next.

We could also see the "official" Cleveland fireworks in the distance. It looked like it was a fantastic display as well but we were enjoying the local show just fine. So were a lot of the residents that we saw sitting out on their porches and front lawns. At one point a police car came down the main street but never slowed down. I guess firework patrol was not on their list of priorities. I'm glad as it was a great night of taking in the sights and sounds.

We were able to spend a few hours with my parents, both in their 80's and enjoy lunch with them. They both have a lot of energy and seem to be going strong. I hope I have inherited the same longevity genes they seem to have.

Tomorrow I head up north to Robin and Shari's cabin on Lake Higgins so that I can spend the night before heading over to Boyne on Saturday for the race. Race distance should be about 50 miles or so. Hopefully the 100 milers I have done will allow me to do well.

Back from Germany

I flew back in to Pontiac airport this afternoon after being in Germany for the past four days for a business workshop. The closest I came to a bike was when walking through one of the local towns a team of riders on a club ride came through. I think my body was grateful for the forced break from riding.

I mentioned in an earlier post that we would be staying at a castle, this one was partly converted to a hotel and restaurant in the 1950's to help cover the growing cost to maintain such a place. The place was wonderful, very quiet and out in the country. It was furnished with many antiques and all around were portraits of the ancestors. The staff did whatever they could to make you feel at home. At night we would stay up until midnight or later sitting by the fire and partaking of the beverage of choice.

The conference was an intensive couple of says working with our German colleagues on the internal business consulting organization that we began last year. Unfortunately with the impending split of Daimler and Chrysler, we also had to work on how we would continue independently yet still collaborate. This may have been the last chance most of us would be together.

The flights were booked on our company jet and the flight over to Germany only had 14 of the 48 seats filled. This meant the flight attendants were able to bring the drink cart down the aisle four times in the first hour. And dinner was served quickly so we could try to get some sleep to get our bodies adjusted to the six hour time difference. Arriving at 7:30 in the morning Stuttgart time meant it was only 1:30 in the morning back home.

Later in the day on Tuesday we took a guided tour of the Mercedes museum which opened last year. This is an impressive eight story building with exhibits displayed on a descending spiral walk that takes your through the history of the company's vehicles. Attached to the museum is a Mercedes car dealership where I was able to see most of the vehicle lineup including the new Smart fortwo that will be sold in the United States. It is a very small car and makes a Mini Cooper look huge by comparison. The Smart car will also come as a convertible.

We were fortunate to have a guided tour of the castle by the Baron Max von Rassler, descendant of the original Baron that bought the castle in 1720. The Baron still lives in one wing of the castle.

I managed to get a ride into the village on the floor of the valley to take a look around before hiking back to the castle. I didn't see any path up to the top from the road below so I just climbed the hill up to the top. I can see why it would have been difficult to attack from that side.

I was sorry to leave but maybe I can get back for a vacation. I certainly know quite a few people over there now that would be able to assist if I was able to return.

I got out for a short ride today and it felt good to be back. I felt re-energized to be riding again. I will be doing some rides with the team this weekend as I prepare for the Boyne marathon XC race next weekend.

More photos of the trip can be seen here http://kinley.smugmug.com/gallery/3073571#167891524

The left side of the castle is actually the new side and where the Baron lives


View from my window



One of the hallways leading to guest and meeting rooms


The Baron and a portrait of his father

From first to second in the blink of an eye

Or in the time it took to read the email. The National Ultra Endurance Mountain Bike Series has not posted the overall series results yet so I sent a few emails inquiring on the status. I also wanted to find out if they were changing the scoring method. As I had written in earlier posts, they were either using a time based system or switching to a placing system.


If using the time system I would currently be in 1st but by the slimmest of margins. Using finishing positions would drop me down to second. The first reply I got said they thought they were using time. I just received another email that said they are changing it to be based on finish. So I guess I am now in second. In order to win the series I would have to beat the current first place holder twice.


I am getting in my last rides this weekend before leaving for Germany on Monday. It is for business and will probably be the last time that some of us will be together now that Chrysler and Daimler are splitting. Travelling on the corporate jet gets you spoiled when you have to fly commercial.


Instead of staying in the city of Stuttgart we are staying a ways out of town, near the Black Forest in an old castle, the Schloss Weitenburg. I had hoped to spend a few extra days in Germany after our meeting but won't get the chance. I'm glad I will have a week to recover after getting back before the next race. I might need to lose a few pounds when I get back as I expect to hoist a few steins with my German colleagues. At least my arms will get a workout.


I was at the mall today looking for a plug converter for my trip and unfortunately right next to the place I needed to go to was a Carter's children's store. My wife was in there looking at all the clothes that she would like to get for our first grandchild expected in October. I think my bike racing days may be numbered as I can see where our money will be going!

The Schloss Weitenburg

My 10 seconds of fame

Cyclingnews published a write up of the Lumberjack race and included a nice paragraph about the Master's class including the top three so I got my name in there other than the results. Mentioning much about the Master's class is pretty rare, in fact at some races they don't receive much acknowledgement at all. And we usually seem to be omitted when people publish pictures of the winner's on the podiums. So we will take what ever press we can get.

From the article:

The men's masters class was chock full of fast racers. The top five battled it out for a full 100 miles with only 17 minutes separating first through fifth.. Jim Jordan (CFX Prod) was first at 9:01:05, second was John Majors at 9:14:20 and third was Steve Kinley (Hammer Nutrition, Cannondale) at 9:15:59

http://www.cyclingnews.com/mtb/?id=2007/jun07/lumberjack100_07

Lumberjack Results

The official results have been posted for the Lumberjack 100. http://www.lumberjack100.com/results/lumberjack_results_2007.pdf

This year I finished almost half an hour faster than last year but dropped from 32nd to 56th overall among men. But this year there were 129 finishers where last year there were only 59. And we had more starting this year as well, 177 vs 135.

It was interesting to compare my lap times to others in my class. After 1 lap I was behind 1st by 4 minutes and up on 2nd by 6. After the second lap I was down by 5 and up by 9. Then things started going south as the third lap showed me down by 9 and only up by 6. In the end I was behind 1st place by 15 minutes and behind 2nd by 1 minutes and 40 seconds. Fourth place was only a minute behind me and 5th another minute and a half after that.

I did learn a few things about myself and my abilities. I was hanging with some of the faster racers early on but didn't have the endurance needed to keep up the pace. I have a few areas to work on for future races and also know some of my opponents weaknesses. Hopefully I can put all this to good use yet this year.

Depending on how they are doing the results for the series I may have moved into 1st by a slim margin since the current 1st place holder never actually raced even though he signed up. if not first, I definitely have a lock on second in the series.

Lumberjack Report

Well, I broke my streak of four consecutive 2nd place finishes but not on a good way. The short story is that I ended up 3rd. The long story is that I was in second for about 96 out of the 100 miles but faded on the last two laps allowing the competition to close the gap and catch me.

It was no body's fault but my own, I simply went out too hard on the first lap and built up about a 10 minute lead. I wanted to try something different this race, instead of trying to close a gap I want to create one. I felt pretty good going into the race so I got ahead on the first climb of the day and extended my lead.

I was surprised though when I came around at the end of the first lap and my crew told me someone was ahead of me by three minutes. I figured it was the first place guy in the national series. My second lap still felt pretty good but I could sense the power fading.

On the third and fourth laps I felt like I was starting to go backwards and got that awful feeling that people were starting to catch me. I still had a pretty good lead over second starting the final lap but I was having problems on the climbs. My heart rate was way down from previous laps.

Sure enough, with about 4 miles and some of the biggest climbs to go I saw 3rd and 4th place catching me. They soon passed me and I struggled to pass the 4th place guy and catch up to the 3rd place, or now 2nd place guy. He is the person who has traditionally beat me in these races and I didn't want to let him get away.

I managed to stay on his wheel and eventually passed him back, thinking I had opened back a small gap but he was right behind me. I was faster in the tight sections and downhills but he managed to pass me back on the last major climb of the day, probably the worst hill of the trail. I couldn't catch back up and ended up rolling under the finish banner 1:30 back. My finishing time was bout nine hours and 15 minutes. I was so disappointed in my result after all that effort, I know my pit crew was really pulling for me.

Speaking of pit crew, I had to have had the best crew out there, Shari had everything organized and ready and I felt like I was in a race car pit stop. Tracy was there to help as well as they got me into a fresh Camelbak, changed my bottles and Hammer products and got me back out in probably less than 3 minutes each time, maybe faster unless I asked for something. I owe them a great big thank you and am sorry I couldn't have hung in there for 2nd place.

The overall series has to be extremely close, depending on how they are doing the series calculation. The current leader was not the winner at Lumberjack but finished below 5th so I don't know what the actual standing look like now. I may have moved into 1st but it is an unknown.

The next race is in August near State College, PA. Unfortunately the person who always beats me has raced there quite a bit and won several times so he has that advantage. I will have to come up with a different strategy next time.

A big congratulation to Robin for completing his first 100, and on his SS. This was a tough course with no rest like the other 100's since this one was 100% singletrack. You were always pedaling and a lot of it was bumpy.

For the record Chris Eatough won the race for the second year in a row setting a new course record of six hours and 49 minutes. Our local racer Mike Simonson was 12 minutes back. The course was run in the reverse direction from last year and it seemed faster. Most riders reported faster times this year. It helped that the temperatures were about ten degrees cooler as well.

The 29'er was fantastic on this course with all the sand and loamy soil. I was blasting by people on the downhills and right with them in the twisty stuff. I am glad that I added a suspension seatpost due the bumps on the course.

Ready to go

The van is loaded and I'm heading over to pick up Robin and Shari for our trek up north to the next stop in the National Ultra Endurance Mountain Bike Series. This time the race is in the Manistee National Forest on a 25 mile course that will take four laps to complete the 100 mile distance.

The course may not have as much elevation gain as the other races in the series but then there is no rest either since you almost always pedalling. Last year's race had an extremely high attrition race as 162 racers started and only 62 finished. The temperature was really hot last year but it is only supposed to be in the 80's this year.

Both of the other two guys that are close in the standings will be there so I will have to have the A game going to keep in the hunt for a top three placing. But with Shari in the pit handling things at least that part should be a breeze. We were supposed to share a pit with the legendary Tinker Juarez but he had to cancel at the last minute. Maybe next year.

Weekly update 6/10/07

At the Stony trail head

Seems like I only get around to posting about once a week now. Not a lot going on during the week that is different and worth reading. Just a lot of riding or working on bikes or even a day or two of real work every once in a while.

This weekend was more of the same but with some longer rides but not too much intensity. I'm trying to still recover but get ready for the Lumberjack 100 next weekend. Last year I over did it the weekend before the race and paid the price of not being at my best. I feel a lot better now and still did some hard efforts.

After riding early on Saturday, I met some of the team later in the day at a graduation party for another team member's graduation from high school. I seems hard to remember that far back, it was 32 years ago.

Today Robin and Shari came over so we could do a back road ride and also take in a partial lap at Stony Creek before heading over to Bloomer to watch part of the XC race going on in case any of our team members were there. Where yesterdays' ride was chilly enough to have me in knee and arm warmers, today's ride started a little later in the day and the weather was perfect.

Early on in the ride we came up a hill by the state recreation area and there was a female turkey herding her brood of chicks across the road. There must have been about 15 little ones all scrambling to get up the embankment into the woods. They couldn't have been much more than a week old, if that.

We met team members Joel and his son TJ at the entrance to Stony Creek Metropark and we all rode part of the trail there before heading over to Bloomer. At Stony Shari's bike started squealing pretty good and we discovered her rear brake pads were almost worn down and the vibration was causing the noise. Robins swapped the pads front and rear and all was quiet again.

At Bloomer we got there in time to see our team mate Jeff come through on his first lap in his Sport race. We left and headed back to catch the Paint Creek Trail up to my house. While riding through Rochester we caught a few heats of the Soap Box Derby. I ran across this last year too.

All in all it was a great day for a ride and we will probably plan more of them to come.

Fixing Shari's brakes

The winner of this heat by .004 seconds was the white car on the right

Mohican 100 - A Bridesmaid Again

John Majors, winner of the master's class and me, 2nd place
(Photo from Jeff Kerkove)

Our travelling crew (Shari, Shirlee, Robin and myself) left early Friday afternoon for the four hour drive to the Mohican 100 race near Loudonville, Ohio. Last year Jason was home and the two of us did the race. That race was very muddy at the start due to week long rain prior to the race and we hoped this year would be drier.

The weather forecast was calling for occasional showers and we ran into some rain on the way down. Arriving at the race venue we could tell it had rained at some point during the day. After registering and checking into our dorm room we headed out for a short ride. The heat and humidity was enough of a reason to take it slow plus we had the race the next day. After riding some of the great paved back roads around the Mohican Forest area we rode the last mile of the trail to the finish, a new route that wound it's way though the forest to the finish. It was still wet and muddy in some spots under the trees causing me to make a tire change that night to accommodate wet conditions.

We had dinner at a nice restaurant in town, it seemed slightly out of character with the rest of the local establishments. Back at our rooms we were glad to find that the staff had provided a fan for our room. The race start and finish was at Camp Nuhop, a typical camp that had dorm rooms, cabins and big area for camping. Everything was right there in one spot. It was the perfect setting to host a race.

Race morning we did a mass start that was supposed to be a neutral roll-out for the first few miles until we reached a designated spot on the road. About 200 riders took off and out the reverse of the finish route. Riding the route yesterday we had taken note of a particular ditch that could cause problems if you were not aware. Sure enough, as I was going through it my front wheel turned sideways and flipped me over the bars. I got up and my left thumb was hurting to the point where I could hardly hold onto the bar and shifting was difficult. Great, only a mile in to the race and I was in trouble.

The first part of the race had a lot more singletrack than last year, probably about 30 miles of the first 35 miles of the course. Fortunately the trail was pretty dry but it was a lot of work in the high humidity and increasing temperatures. I managed to crash three more times in the first three hours. One was at a pretty good speed when the front wheel slipped off into the edge of the bench cut trail and I slid out. Sort of reminded me of when I was road racing. I was glad when we finally turned onto some back roads.

I could see that my pace was still ahead of last year's but I didn't feel particularly strong, especially when climbing. I'm not sure what is going on with my legs this year but hopefully they will recover in time for the Lumberjack 100 in two weeks.

The next seven hours was spent on a mixture of back roads, farm trails and secret singletrack that is not open to bikers at any other time of the year. There were also a few hike a bike sections where everyone was off there bike pushing, because it was either too steep, muddy or technical to ride. One section had us going along an old two tack trail only to come to a stream with a washed out concrete bridge abutment on the other side with no other trail across. So we had to cross the stream, throw the bikes up on to the top of the bank and then hoist ourselves up. I felt sorry for the shorter riders.

Later in the race with about 7 miles to go we had to go down a trail that ran along the river. The trail was full of big rocks, roots and drop offs that would have been almost impossible to ride at any time, let alone after racing for 93 miles. Then, after navigating that section you had another 3/4 mile section that was super muddy, the only way was to ride right through it.

Just when you though you were safe the trail exited you out to the bottom of the dam where you had to climb (walk) up the back side. Of course at the top you got back on the road with an uphill climb to take you back to the last mile trail section to the finish. At least I didn't crash in the ditch this time.

I ended up in second in my class, just like last year. And the same guy who beat me last year and won the national series beat me again. But this time instead of beating me by 42 minutes I think it was under 5. That makes four of the national 100 milers I've done and four second place finishes.

Robin raced again on his single speed but opted to do the 100k loop instead of the 100 mile after determining that he may not make the 100 mile cutoff time. I used every one of my 27 gears, I don't know if I could have done it single speed. And Shirlee finished as usual, with the regular grin on her face as she crossed the line. Several other riders from Michigan made the trip down to race, including Danielle who finished 2nd in the women's field and Mike Simonson who finished 4th overall.

I have to thank our support person, Shari Scurr for being there at the aid stations to look after our need and cheer us on. At some point almost everyone racing thinks about quitting a race, for one reason or another. Shari provided just the motivation we needed to keep going.

Approaching the bottom of the dam

Time to start walking

Getting closer

Almost there

Coming up the last paved climb

At the finish

Danielle and I, looking a little muddy and me with some of it in my eyes

My left thumb, about twice the size of my right

If I could stay on the trail these things wouldn't happen

Memorial Day Thoughts

Yesterday I waited until AFTER the rain to ride, unlike the day before. I rode the SS again and got in almost three hours. It was strange that my legs didn't feel particularly strong but I could see by the bike computer that I was travelling about 2 mph faster than normal for the same route and heart range.

Today was a light ride and I felt just the opposite of yesterday. Even at an easy pace the legs felt heavy and slow. I think a lot of it has to do with my diet of the last 18 hours. We cooked up some traditional holiday fare which was OK but we also had ice cream in the house. This a weakness of mine so I try to avoid it by not buying any.

Between yesterday and today the simple sugars in the ice cream were causing me problems and lack of energy. Not that I eat a 100% healthy or organic diet but I have pretty much eliminated most sugars. I think my body was having a hard time processing what I was putting in it. It really made me see the connection between diet and performance. At least I've got a little time to get it out of my body before the next race.

While riding through my neighborhood this afternoon I noticed that very few houses had the US flag displayed. There might have been one for every 30-40 houses. Growing up everyone had flags flying on the holidays. It is a shame that most people seem to view today as just another day off work.

Timing is everything

They say timing is everything, today then I had nothing. I had planned for a long ride today but last night they were calling for rain. When I woke up I went to the weather site, hoping for good news and to see if there was and update. Almost as soon as the site came up the rain started to fall.

I delayed my ride for a few hours hoping it would stop. I planned on riding the pavement on the SS rather than trash a drivetrain on a geared bike so I dropped a tooth on the back to 42x16. Once the rain let up I put on my rain gear and headed out the door.

About 15 minutes into my ride it started to rain harder and soon my rain gear was functioning more like a wetsuit. I was wet underneath but it was stopping the wind so my body was keeping the wet clothing warm. After another 30 minutes the rain seemed to stop but it was the proverbial calm before the storm.

It soon started raining so hard that I could barely see. Fortunately at this point I was riding laps around the Chrysler complex where I work so there wasn't much traffic. I wasn't too concerned until I heard the thunder. I don't think bicycle tires will protect me too much from a lightning strike.

I considered pulling into a parking garage and calling my wife to pick me up but since I wasn't hearing any more thunder, I decided to keep riding. When I got home I found out my wife had tried calling ME to see if I wanted a ride. I couldn't hear my cell phone though. Usually my wife jokes about not coming to get me if I am stupid enough to be out riding in bad weather so the storm must have been worse than I thought if she made the call.

When I got home I took off most of my garments in the garage and formed big puddles when I rung out my gloves and socks. And of course the rain had about stopped by then and here it is six hours later and it still hasn't rained again. Timing is everything.

Feeling stronger

After doing a preride of Addison Oaks with a couple of my team mates and feeling a little fatigued in the legs I was beginning to wonder if my legs were ever going to recover from racing the past few weeks. It has been a long time since I really felt good on the bike, way before the Cohutta 100.

Since I wasn't racing on Saturday I planned on doing a long ride instead and catch some of the race. Once I got out of my subdivision and onto the dirt roads I felt completely different from the day before. My legs had the snap in them that had been missing and my HR was where it should be as well, quickly moving up and down depending on the effort.

I did a lap of Addison before the race started and then went to the start area to cheer on those I knew, especially my team mate Shari Scurr. Watching everyone take off at the start made me wish I was racing, especially since I was feeling so good. I had to keep telling myself to remember the races coming up. No sense racing only to have to try and recover for an even bigger effort in two weeks.

After waiting for Shari to complete her first lap I rode over to Stony Creek and did a lap there before riding back to Addison for a race update. Joel was there with a mini camera, we had arranged to video a lap of the course. Robin got ready and was the "rabbit" while I rode behind him with the camera on my bike. Robin set a pretty good pace and we were soon passing some of the racers. Of course we were careful to not interfere with their racing.

The video was a little jumpy but looked pretty good from what I saw. Hopefully it will be able to be put up on the web site. We are experimenting with the best way to mount the camera and may have two cameras, one on the bike looking at the lead rider and another on the lead rider pointing back. We are going to try and video a lot of the trails in the area once we figure out the best way to do it.

I don't know the official results of the race but I understand that Shari finished 2nd, and was able to finish a little early after riding for 11.5 hours since the third place women would not be able to catch her. Amazing considering Shari had knee surgery not too long ago. My friend Chris W got his first win in the 12 hour SS class. Congratulations, I understand a tattoo is in the works?

Change in race plans

I decided the other day to not race the Addison Oaks 6/12 hour race. Since the Mohican 100 is only two weeks after Addison and the Lumberjack 100 two weeks after that, it would not be wise to attempt to do all three races in a 4 week period. It takes me longer to recover from hard efforts as I get older and I want to do well in the national series so it is better to prepare for those.

I would really like to race at Addison since it is my home course, only 15 minutes away and I ride there quite often. It would be nice to race where I don't have to drive three hours or overnight to get there. I plan on racing the fall XC race there so I will have one nearby race. And the Stony time trial later this summer is also close.

I will ride out and watch part of the race as my team mate Shari will be racing. Good luck to everyone racing there, the weather looks better than last year's mudfest.

Weekly update

Last week was non-exciting during the week, just riding and preparing for the Addison Oaks race this weekend. Same for this week, just not as much riding or as hard.

I rode a few laps at Island Lake on Saturday, a trail I have rarely ridden since it is over on the western side of the city and I rarely venture to that side because I have so many great areas to ride out my front door. The trail is relatively flat and has a nice flow to it but it is all big ring, and mostly flat. The trail attracts a lot of riders due to it's location and the fact that is a good place to learn to mountain bike.

The main reason I was at Island Lake was that there was a bike demo day at the park. Many of the dealers in the metro area had demo bikes available and our team was there to support the Cannondale brand. Cannondale was unable to get one of their factory trucks with demo bikes available so we helped one of the local Cannondale bike shops. We also got to hang out with our Cannondale area sales rep, it's always a plus to see and talk to him.

After church on Sunday ( a rarity for me) the family went to brunch to enjoy Mother's day. in spite of eating too much I went out for a four hour ride later in the afternoon. I did a lap at Addison Oaks so I could compare lap times with the Scalpel I was on vs. laps I had done earlier in the week on the 29'er. I felt a lot faster on the Scalpel but the lap time was only marginally faster and it was a lot drier on Sunday. Maybe I was more efficient on the 29'er so it didn't feel as fast.

I rode over to Stony to do a lap there as well. They had done a reroute on one section of the trail that had become badly eroded. The managed to increase the trail length slightly but I didn't care for the new section. It doesn't have the same flow to it that the rest of that section has and the trail construction makes me wonder how long it will hold up. Much of the trail is built on an off-camber including some of the corners. I think it will start to break down after a while and have to be redone.

It looks like we should have a dry Addison Oaks race. Last year's race turned into a mud bath that also ruined the trail. Many hours were spent to get the trail back in shape. We have added some new trail so that the course will be a little longer this year and have more climbing. I'm only doing the 6 hour race, not the whole 12 hour race. I don't want to completely ruin my legs two weeks before the Mohican 100 miler.

Ft. Custer in the books

Photo from our team web site


Today was a day of a few firsts; the first xc race of the year, the first race in Michigan this year and my first race as Expert. I was not sure what to expect other than it would hurt, especially after racing in Tennessee the past two weekends. I haven't done much high intensity training so I planned on using this race more for training; I figured the pain would be over with a lot sooner than the previous weeks so at least I could look forward to that.

They created a new class in the Expert category for us old guys, 50+. Many racers were dropping out or moving back to Sport rather than race the old 40+ Expert class. It would be nice to have a few more move up as the Sport class was pretty big today and some of those guys could have raced with us instead.

When the gun went off our class seemed to move out pretty slow, certainly slower than the Sport class last year. It didn't take too long for the pace to pick up though and starting in 5th I slowly worked my way up to 3rd until we passed the first place guy who had gone out hard and then started to fade.

I stayed on the new 1st place guy's wheel pretty much for the first two laps when he started to open a gap and pull away. I could see him sometimes but my legs were starting to protest whenever the trail turned uphill. I guess the previous two weeks were starting to catch up to me.

I eventually lost sight of him about half way through the third and final lap so I put it in cruise mode just trying to make it to the finish and not give up 2nd place. I ended up holding on to 2nd , about a minute and a half back but almost cruised too much as third was only 24 seconds behind me. Overall I am happy with my first Expert race and think the results might have been different with a fresher set of legs. I can't say enough good things about the Cannondale F29 that I used today. The bike handled great and the larger wheels rolled over the log piles with no problems and tracked straight through all the sand.

Ft. Custer is probably one of the most fun trails to ride or race on in the lower part of Michigan. The weather was perfect and the race turnout was huge.

Next up is the 12 Hours of Addison Oaks on May 18. It will be nice to have a race only 20 minutes away.