The Road to Somewhere

xc62701

Well-Known Member
The kids have ridden 11+ miles so far. Seeing how much it will take to break them.
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xc62701

Well-Known Member
This isn't helping. Your pictures keep reminding me that we need to visit CM before our already planned October trip. Looks like the weather is cooperating, even though it's hot. Good W101 training.

The weather has been nice. Hot and humid as always but not ungodly hot. So far it’s spot on. You’re right for the w101. I need a nice boring flat week before I get to the hills Saturday. Then it’s game time.
 

JDurk

Well-Known Member
The weather has been nice. Hot and humid as always but not ungodly hot. So far it’s spot on. You’re right for the w101. I need a nice boring flat week before I get to the hills Saturday. Then it’s game time.
Your Strava activity confirmed something for me today. There is a way to get from Sunset Beach to Higbee Beach. Does it need to be low tide?
 

xc62701

Well-Known Member
Your Strava activity confirmed something for me today. There is a way to get from Sunset Beach to Higbee Beach. Does it need to be low tide?
Yes there is. It’s called the NJ Long Trail. It’s hard to follow and I had to shoulder my bike and run across the sand for what felt like a mile while being chased with deer and horseflies. Then I turned to overgrown thorn streamed trails until it opened up closer to Higbee. I would not advise it. It was so much fun 🤮.
 

Zaskar

Well-Known Member
Yes there is. It’s called the NJ Long Trail. It’s hard to follow and I had to shoulder my bike and run across the sand for what felt like a mile while being chased with deer and horseflies. Then I turned to overgrown thorn streamed trails until it opened up closer to Higbee. I would not advise it. It was so much fun 🤮.
I tried this a few weeks ago but turned around not too far in.
 

xc62701

Well-Known Member
Did some more nerd research and I assumed this was the same course as i rode in 2017. Turns out that was the year it rained badly before the race and they took out a lot of the fun singletrack. This year it was all in and amazing. So I set my goals based on that previous attempt and I beat that time with lots more singletrack. I'm super happy with that. I came alive in the trails even despite the heat and cramping. I loved it.

I got back on the bike today for some recovery and of course was sore and funky when I first started pedaling, but as I kept going I kept feeling better and better. I'll try to get back to my non-vacation diet and usual routine and workout the kinks from this race. The only races I have left on the calendar are the last H2H race Box Baum, and Iron Cross. Honestly with all I challenged myself with this year, I'll be happy to do that and wrap up the season. It's been a great year so far and I want to keep the motivation going for next year.
 

BPaze

Well-Known Member
I’ve been doing some easy rides but this was not one. I got up to PJ today and let it rip in a few places. I don’t know it well enough to go for segments, but I guess I was going hard. Efforts followed by beer and brisket was amazing!

https://strava.app.link/jzZmku6p9rbView attachment 192714
Was the beer and brisket up that way? Was up there Sunday and wouldn’t mind getting beer and brisket next time.
 

xc62701

Well-Known Member
Was the beer and brisket up that way? Was up there Sunday and wouldn’t mind getting beer and brisket next time.
It was over in Middletown, which is 30 mins away. But it’s worth it. Equilibrium has some of the best IPA’s in the region if that’s your thing.
 

BPaze

Well-Known Member
Nice I've wanted to get over to Clemson brothers as well and I think there are a couple distilleries over there as well.
 

xc62701

Well-Known Member
Man those doods are giant next to me. Anyway...

Yesterday was the H2H Box Baum race up in Port Jervis and it was a hoot. If you've seen any of my posts, I've been trying to get up there regularly as it's just a really fun place to ride. This course was advertised as the more flowy portion of the trails. It kinda is, but the rocks are not any less forgiving. The course was a blast. TIGHT rocky single track, followed by an enduro downhill with jumps and drops, then a climb back up top to finish in some TIGHT piney singletrack.

My race went off with 5 of us, and my goal was to not lead the race. I wanted to settle in behind someone and ride their pace until they slowed or I saw an opportunity. Hopefully this lasted for a lap or two. So we left the start and the plan worked liked I hoped, I settled in behind Jake, and the three others right on my wheel. 1/3 of the way through the first lap we opened up a slight gap on the two racers behind. The 5th racer was out of sight off the back. So now it was the 4 of us. A little later Jake started slowing a bit and the other two got back to us. So I was thinking I needed to go to see who could pick up the pace with me. Jake admitted later that he had gone too hard in the opening miles of the race. The next trail was the painted aprons trail which has the jumps and drops in it. I knew it from previous rides there, and absolutely ripped it. I hit the next climb and got to the piney singletrack and it worked. No one was near me. I had maybe 20-30 seconds on the chasers. I was just hoping at this point to ride steady and see if anyone would come back.

Second lap was all lap traffic from the Cat 2 race that went off behind us. So that kept it interesting winding through those riders, but I didn't see anyone from my group. I told myself to ride steady and clean and not to go too deep, just in case someone came back to challenge. It was also getting very hot so dehydration and cramping could be a factor. I finished lap 2 riding well, but in no mans land. Lap 3 was the same game. Pass some more cat 2 guys and keep on the gas and don't go deep. I got a little too comfy at one point as I ended up on the ground, flopping on my side. The dirt was getting dry and loose and I ate it on an uphill corner on the roots. I jumped back up and got on and it woke me up again. Get on the gas. Down the jumps, up to the pines, where I had a mini heart attack - since I almost ran over the head of a rattlesnake! I saw it last second and steered to the left to avoid hitting it. Its head coiled back and started rattling. I yelled back to warn anyone that was coming next and just drilled it to the finish. I finished in 2:05 for the win! It was a good solid effort and amazing that I actually got a Cat 1 win this season!

I had a couple of good finishes this year, but this takes the cake - especially as it's the last mtb race of the season for me. This was race #10 and I'll call it good for now. I may do a few more races. Iron Cross is definitely happening, and I may do some local CX as it's just fun, but that's probably it until 2023. Then I'll have to look at what I'd like to do for next season. I usually like the long races, but it's hard on the family to be away traveling all the time. I'll probably stick closer and do more H2H but I have a soft spot for the long races. Time will tell.
 

xc62701

Well-Known Member
Big step today. Engine is back! Well…mounted at least.
 

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