Didn't Dave predict the economic downturn in that race?
Your best cycling memories ...
- Thread starter 1speed
- Start date
Didn't Dave predict the economic downturn in that race?
Kaleidopete
Well-Known Member
2015 was the Fat Fondo winter snow event at Tourne in Boonton.
My first snow event. I remember driving there at 8AM and seeing the temperature was exactly 0°
I was disappointed with myself that I couldn"t hold a line on the narrow trail. The snow was deep
enough that the pedals would hit and throw you off. After the first lap I got a snack and mentioned
my disappointment to another rider. He said don't worry, nobody can! Then on the second lap I
started noticing the big plops in the snow where other riders had fallen over. A real fun event.
Beer afterwards when it warmed up to 10
My first snow event. I remember driving there at 8AM and seeing the temperature was exactly 0°
I was disappointed with myself that I couldn"t hold a line on the narrow trail. The snow was deep
enough that the pedals would hit and throw you off. After the first lap I got a snack and mentioned
my disappointment to another rider. He said don't worry, nobody can! Then on the second lap I
started noticing the big plops in the snow where other riders had fallen over. A real fun event.
Beer afterwards when it warmed up to 10
1speed
Incredibly profound yet fantastically flawed
Loving the stories, @pooriggy !! You inspired me to dig back through some old photos to look for more rides. Found a few from old FB stuff ...
2017 at the end of my Great Allegheny Passage ride. Rode from Washington DC to Pittsburgh in a few days. It was in October and I remember the first day and most of the second day were really hot, and then when I got up over he Eastern Divide around 4:00 or so the second day, the temps plummeted. I actually enjoyed that since it woke me up and I was still 50 miles from where I was staying that night. After I finished, I hung out in Pittsburgh for one night and then took an Amtrak back to DC to pick up my car. The Amtrak ride was great because I spent the whole time chatting with a very interesting older gentleman from Chicago who was on his way to DC for a literary festival.
This is from the Stewart Super Sixpack in 2014. Managed to take the win over a very strong Igor (who was later banned from MTBNJ races by @Norm in 2015, I think.) That was one race I remember really well because I was able to keep myself from doing stupid things (a rarity) and it ultimately paid off. It was very hot and humid and there were four of us who jumped off the start line and got away within the first mile. At one point, I turned around and there as no one behind us as far as I could see. But I was already in the red, so I ducked out of line and told the guy behind me to go on around me because I needed to settle in. I had to keep telling myself it was the right move as they rode away, which was hard to watch. Igor was on fire - he was pulling everyone and looked like he could murder us at any moment. I settled into my pace and rode alone for most of the race. I started to feel good about my decision when one by one I caught the guys ahead of me. Then it was down to just Igor ahead of me and Chris Schilling kept giving me time splits at the mid-course water station. It was holding at like a minute gap for what felt like hours, but then on my seventh lap it was suddenly down to 30 seconds and I turned it on. I passed Igor just before the start/finish and he knew it, and going into the last lap I was in the last position I wanted to be in - an actual race. The two of us started the lap together with me maybe two seconds in front. I was feeling decent and decided that I was going to go all in on the first climb - if I could drop him and get out of sight, maybe he wouldn't chase. I was really hoping that would be the case because I pretty much only had one effort left in me. Lucky for me, it did and I ended up getting away and put a few minutes in by the end of the lap to take the win.
This is from a very grassroots race in Susquehanna State Park in MD in October '14. It was put on by Zach Adams and had a very low-key vibe. Anyone who has raced at Sus (which is probably just the "old guard" in the region since it's kind of fallen off as a destination for racing in recent years) knows that its defining characteristic is its climbs. The whole park is basically one nasty long climb on rutted out water bars after another. But it has the really cool wide open meadows, too. I had a really strong day at this one - I jumped off the line and dropped everyone on the first climb - solo riders, teams, everyone. I got so far ahead at one point that I was worried I had gone off course. But I caught a glimpse of second place way behind and decided to take my chances that I was okay. I ended up staying ahead all day. Eventually, one duo team managed to pass me and I hung on for the solo open win. The one other thing I recall about this race is that Zach used a really cool tracking system that allowed you to track the action as it was happening. I watched it afterward and was able to follow myself and other racers as dots looping on the course. Haven't seen that used before or since other than the blue dots of the Tour Divde, but it was a little different than that.
I saw this photo and it just made me smile. This is from a random Saturday when I decided to head down to Middle Run for a ride and happened to bump into @capedoc, @Pearl @mandi and Lou (can't remember his username right now.) Just a great crew to ride with anytime! I think this is from around 2013 or 2014 or so ...
2017 at the end of my Great Allegheny Passage ride. Rode from Washington DC to Pittsburgh in a few days. It was in October and I remember the first day and most of the second day were really hot, and then when I got up over he Eastern Divide around 4:00 or so the second day, the temps plummeted. I actually enjoyed that since it woke me up and I was still 50 miles from where I was staying that night. After I finished, I hung out in Pittsburgh for one night and then took an Amtrak back to DC to pick up my car. The Amtrak ride was great because I spent the whole time chatting with a very interesting older gentleman from Chicago who was on his way to DC for a literary festival.
This is from the Stewart Super Sixpack in 2014. Managed to take the win over a very strong Igor (who was later banned from MTBNJ races by @Norm in 2015, I think.) That was one race I remember really well because I was able to keep myself from doing stupid things (a rarity) and it ultimately paid off. It was very hot and humid and there were four of us who jumped off the start line and got away within the first mile. At one point, I turned around and there as no one behind us as far as I could see. But I was already in the red, so I ducked out of line and told the guy behind me to go on around me because I needed to settle in. I had to keep telling myself it was the right move as they rode away, which was hard to watch. Igor was on fire - he was pulling everyone and looked like he could murder us at any moment. I settled into my pace and rode alone for most of the race. I started to feel good about my decision when one by one I caught the guys ahead of me. Then it was down to just Igor ahead of me and Chris Schilling kept giving me time splits at the mid-course water station. It was holding at like a minute gap for what felt like hours, but then on my seventh lap it was suddenly down to 30 seconds and I turned it on. I passed Igor just before the start/finish and he knew it, and going into the last lap I was in the last position I wanted to be in - an actual race. The two of us started the lap together with me maybe two seconds in front. I was feeling decent and decided that I was going to go all in on the first climb - if I could drop him and get out of sight, maybe he wouldn't chase. I was really hoping that would be the case because I pretty much only had one effort left in me. Lucky for me, it did and I ended up getting away and put a few minutes in by the end of the lap to take the win.
This is from a very grassroots race in Susquehanna State Park in MD in October '14. It was put on by Zach Adams and had a very low-key vibe. Anyone who has raced at Sus (which is probably just the "old guard" in the region since it's kind of fallen off as a destination for racing in recent years) knows that its defining characteristic is its climbs. The whole park is basically one nasty long climb on rutted out water bars after another. But it has the really cool wide open meadows, too. I had a really strong day at this one - I jumped off the line and dropped everyone on the first climb - solo riders, teams, everyone. I got so far ahead at one point that I was worried I had gone off course. But I caught a glimpse of second place way behind and decided to take my chances that I was okay. I ended up staying ahead all day. Eventually, one duo team managed to pass me and I hung on for the solo open win. The one other thing I recall about this race is that Zach used a really cool tracking system that allowed you to track the action as it was happening. I watched it afterward and was able to follow myself and other racers as dots looping on the course. Haven't seen that used before or since other than the blue dots of the Tour Divde, but it was a little different than that.
I saw this photo and it just made me smile. This is from a random Saturday when I decided to head down to Middle Run for a ride and happened to bump into @capedoc, @Pearl @mandi and Lou (can't remember his username right now.) Just a great crew to ride with anytime! I think this is from around 2013 or 2014 or so ...
Dave predicted that SSing is in fact using one gear.
But fat bikes are made for snow😛
#1 Back in the early '90's we had a real ice storm in NJ. Best lap of Watchung reservation ever! Home made studded Smokes on a my rigid Yo Eddy. Ice was over an inch thick and every piece of single track was shaped like a bobsled run. You could ride up and over anything with no slippage and zero rolling resistance. You just couldn't put a foot down because there was zero traction. Went back the next day looking for more, but it had softened up enough for hikers to break thru all over the trails. Been looking for a storm like that ever since.
#2 DH'g down Plattekill on my full suspension Ventana tandem with my wife on the back cursing at me the whole way down.
#3 First Century For the Cure less than 9 months after being released fro RWJH after battling Leukemia.
#2 DH'g down Plattekill on my full suspension Ventana tandem with my wife on the back cursing at me the whole way down.
#3 First Century For the Cure less than 9 months after being released fro RWJH after battling Leukemia.
Geez, @Dave Taylor is 3 times the size of you...couldnt you just knock him on his ass Dave? lol
Ya that was a great story. I remember finishing the 2015 race....90+ degrees, 3.5 hours of killing myself....Laying in the dirt feeling like I was going to die....then Igor coming running over to me and screaming in my face about someone going off course.
1speed
Incredibly profound yet fantastically flawed
Yeah, he actually wasn't wrong (people did cut the course - I know because I was one of them) but I couldn't understand why he got so pissed about it. It was an accident that we cut it (tape was down or something) and he was cool with me about it, but I think he was just really frustrated because he worked so hard to get a lead. Monty was up there, too, and he didn't care at all - he caught all of us again anyway!
Do you still have that award? , That's a classic.
1speed
Incredibly profound yet fantastically flawed
Those bars are electrical conduit that I cut and bent with Woody at his shop. I like the folk art aspect of making awards, but when you have to do 30 of them it's a pia.
ya he wasn't wrong, his reaction was tho.....I think he wanted @Norm and I to publicly tar and feather you guys or something. In hindsight, I didnt do a good enough job marking that turn...which was marked with arrows before, at the turn, taped, then red x's and it still got run thru...the next year we added a person to stand there.
100%, down with medals!!!!!!
Winter 2015? I'm not sure what year this is exactly, but it's pretty much my OG weekday winter crew.
Working in Monmouth County, when I MTB during the week it's usually at Allaire or Hartshorne. I've spent a lot of chilly winter days with these guys, spring and summer I'm usually doing training rides or too burnt out from summer and or work.
Working in Monmouth County, when I MTB during the week it's usually at Allaire or Hartshorne. I've spent a lot of chilly winter days with these guys, spring and summer I'm usually doing training rides or too burnt out from summer and or work.
For the record, I really like this thread as well.
I have really been trying to figure out which memory is in fact my favorite. I cannot figure it out. But the period of ~2006-2012 was a great period for the Mtn Biking Community in NJ and the lower Hudson Valley IMO. I do know that some of the best times were duo races or events like the DH40, 6 Pack races, Baker's Dozen in VA, 12 Hours of Great Glen, Cathedral Pines, etc. I always really liked finding a partner, training together, developing a strategy and really leaving it all out on course so as not to let your buddy down. Also, during many of those races we camped out, drank some beers and had a ton of good times. I must say that I really looked forward to going to Williams Lake every year to race the long course and to ride through the cave. Early KT trips with @rottin' and his brothers were epic. But trips all over CO (and the west) with my buddy Jim were also amazing (one trip to Crested Butte we lived on nothing but Burritos for a solid week; we came close to blowing up several motor lodges along the way). Mooch Madness was also a very memorable day.
Here are some photos from the old days...See who you can recognize...
Blue Mtn:
DH40
Riedlbauer's Round Top
Single Speed Palooza
Lewis Morris
Ringwood 2008
Mooch Madness
I have really been trying to figure out which memory is in fact my favorite. I cannot figure it out. But the period of ~2006-2012 was a great period for the Mtn Biking Community in NJ and the lower Hudson Valley IMO. I do know that some of the best times were duo races or events like the DH40, 6 Pack races, Baker's Dozen in VA, 12 Hours of Great Glen, Cathedral Pines, etc. I always really liked finding a partner, training together, developing a strategy and really leaving it all out on course so as not to let your buddy down. Also, during many of those races we camped out, drank some beers and had a ton of good times. I must say that I really looked forward to going to Williams Lake every year to race the long course and to ride through the cave. Early KT trips with @rottin' and his brothers were epic. But trips all over CO (and the west) with my buddy Jim were also amazing (one trip to Crested Butte we lived on nothing but Burritos for a solid week; we came close to blowing up several motor lodges along the way). Mooch Madness was also a very memorable day.
Here are some photos from the old days...See who you can recognize...
Blue Mtn:
DH40
Riedlbauer's Round Top
Single Speed Palooza
Lewis Morris
Ringwood 2008
Mooch Madness
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1speed
Incredibly profound yet fantastically flawed
I love the 2008 photo - looks like it's mostly 26" wheels! It's funny how even the thought of that today makes my body ache. Great photos!
Most of those photos spotlight 26ers and narrow handlebars
That Blue Mountain race was probably the most miserable race I’ve ever done. Almost 3 hours for a cat 2 race.
Great post @onetracker ! That first trip (for me) to KT was something else...I was deep into the Clydesdale phase of my career with a sketch rim brake bike You and I have had a bunch of mtb memories--Raystown, Sedona, Michaux MTB camps for 5/6 years straight, tag team for Stewart Six Pack (Podiumed our second year), Marysville. But probably one of my most memorable with you was at KVSP with Camper. I'll never forget that and always tell the story.
I love that pic of me at Blue, circa 2009 or 2010 when I was still a Cat 3 racer. Blue is a blast.
Luv you man!
Might have to make my own post here...probably tomorrow
moose35
Well-Known Member
My most memorable time and what really drew me into the sport was when I first started mountain biking.
I found this forum and saw a group ride at Deer Park. So I decided to join. I was only riding local dirt trails for a few months and thought that I was a "mountain biker" and I was awesome.
Well about a mile onto the ride I realized how badly I sucked and I thought I was gonna die.
I told the group I was quitting and I had underestimated the whole mountain biking thing.
But someone wouldn't let me quit. @mattybfat and his wife @pedals insisted that I stay and that they would even break away from their friends to host a personal group ride just for me even though I was a complete stranger. Well about 12 miles later we arrived back in the lot. I was exhausted but completely excited about getting better and learning more.
I was my introduction into this awesome biking family we've got.
I found this forum and saw a group ride at Deer Park. So I decided to join. I was only riding local dirt trails for a few months and thought that I was a "mountain biker" and I was awesome.
Well about a mile onto the ride I realized how badly I sucked and I thought I was gonna die.
I told the group I was quitting and I had underestimated the whole mountain biking thing.
But someone wouldn't let me quit. @mattybfat and his wife @pedals insisted that I stay and that they would even break away from their friends to host a personal group ride just for me even though I was a complete stranger. Well about 12 miles later we arrived back in the lot. I was exhausted but completely excited about getting better and learning more.
I was my introduction into this awesome biking family we've got.
Looking forward to your post!! Yeah man, we had some great times and some crazy times. That KT trip when Midas broke his collar bone and wanted to traverse the mtn and river to get to the road. I had to practically slap him back to reality.
That double Mooch/KSVP day with Camper, the deer and the cops was nuts. Then I had to go to game court a zillion times in Andover. That first trip to Raystown in early days was really good; staying in the Eye Dr’s modular home with the hornet nest above the door. Of course all of the Michaux Camps with Brothers R! I will see if I can dig up more photos. Had to go into the archives to find those photos ? Luv you too man!