2013- Taking it to the next level!!

Year Stats

Miles Ridden: 3480 Miles 

Climbing Over Year: 300,000 ft.

Racing Miles: 865 Miles

Climbing During Races: 91,639 ft.

Days on Bike: 197

Hours on Bike: 350 hr.

Car Seat Miles to Races: 13402 Miles

Well figured it was about time to put this post together.  2013 was a year of great strides on the bike and life decided to settle down a little bit as well.

Beautiful Twin Loves of My Life

As far as life is concerned, family hasn’t change that much.  I have had a great time getting to see my crazy nieces run all over us and prove that they are in charge.  My working life went from frustrating to pretty pleasant. No longer do I have to put 500 miles on my car as in the beginning of the year but have now moved from St. Joes in New Hampton to St. Benedicts in Decorah.  I continue to work at Trinity and DeSales keeping with those great schools.  I was able to continue my life of driving around Northeast Iowa and getting paid for it, unfortunately half the time wondering if I was going to live or not (NICC Driver’s Ed.)

Team Noah Foundation!!!

Now as far as what this post is really about, year in review of MTB Racing!!  This year was a big year for me.  The first big step of the year was that I was joining a great up and coming team this year.  TEAM NOAH FOUNDATION!!  This team was a great fit for me as we had many of great single speed riders from the NUE series on the team as well as a great group of guys that love to have fun while racing their bikes for long periods of time in the woods.  These guys are some of the goofiest guys on course as well which makes spending 8+ hours on the saddle that much more enjoyable. 

This year not only saw me with a new team, but a new goal in mind as far as my racing was concerned.  This year I was focusing on the NUE series and trying to take a series podium spot by years end.  I started the year small though staying local in an effort to get up to speed for the long season.

Puglsey World Championships

Pugsley World Championships were first up as we raced our fat bikes along one of my favorite training routes, the gravels to Bluffton.  This race was a chance for me to make some cash for the upcoming season that would see me travel many, many miles.  I was able to show my strength in this race and was in the lead group the entire race.  After the leader towards the end of the race took a wrong turn, it was down to me and Hollywood Henderson to settle things on the single track to the finish.  Well I made a bad decision and didn’t drop air and Hollywood did so 2nd to start the year.  Not bad, but to say I wasn’t disappointed would be a lie.  

BoneBender 6 hr.

After this race it was off on a little trip for the next race of the year.  I decided to finally make the trip down to BoneBender in Lawrence,KS for my first endurance race of the year.  Been trying to make this trip for the past couple of years and finally things came together.  I was set for the 6hr SingleSpeed category but also looking to try and get the overall.  The race overall was good as far as the outcome, 1st Singlespeed and 2nd Overall behind resident fast guy Brad Auen.  The course on the other hand was awful!!!  This course was the rockiest course I have ridden to date and that just made for a crappy day in the saddle.  So be it though as it got me ready for the year.

Next up were another two local races around Decorah.  The Decorah Time trials were first as the end of April. Here it is proving harder and harder for me to get up to speed for such a short race as I was only able to take down 2nd place this year behind Brian F.  He is quick and I just don’t have it anymore in these short bursts.  After the Time Trails it was off to Waverly to Camp Ingawanis the next weekend.  This race was interesting this year as I was stuck in mud for a majority of the day.  Lots of quick guys there this year and a top 5 finish is all that I was able to pull out.  Again XC is not my forte anymore and I accept that I am going to get smoked in these races.  Usually warming up by the end of the race!!!

Syllamo 125k Rock Raise!!

Well it was about time that the meat of the year started off!!  The NUE Series was a main focus this year so first up in the series for me was off to Mountain View, Arkansas and the Syllamo 125k.  This race was interesting in that it was the only non 100 miler in the series but just as hard.  The course was pretty quick except for the slick as ice rocks around the course and the crappy trail work that allowed the brush to envelop the trail.  Boy were my arms and legs sore from all the scratches that I suffered due to thistles and thrones on the trial.  One good thing that came from the race was getting race with my Team Noah teammates Dwayne and Peat remembering how much fun it is to ride with them. This race proved that I made a right choice for the year in going after the series!! 2nd Singlespeed and my first Top 5 Overall in 5th! Good way to start the year.  

Off to Loudenville,Ohio next for the Mohican 100.  This was my second go at this race and the result was not much better this time.  The start of this race gets me as I go to hard and blow it to early.  This year saw me dropped early due to some bad luck of jettisoning my water bottles on the first downhill and having to stop to get them, thus being sent pretty far back in the pack.  Over the course of the race I was able to move back up to where I belonged and after fighting all day with Nathan (Pro Mountain Outfitters) I settled for 5th Singlespeed and 12th Overall.  With the success at Syllamo’s not quite the result that I wanted and it would prove decisive at the end of the year.

Mohican 100

After Mohican, I stayed local the next weekend at the 9hr at Boone.  This race was nothing much for me as I didn’t really expect any competition and non was really had at the race. I rode pretty much solo the whole day in the rain and muck and was able to get the Overall win in my division without any worry.

Lumberjack 100 Start

After a break from travel the weekend before it was off to my second year at Lumberjack 100.  This race last year was fast and dry and this year was very similar in that it was fast.  Single’s this year luckily controlled the start so I was feeling much better about myself at this race. Well that was the last good that would come out of this race.  While holding a top 5 position in the race and unbeknownst chasing 1st Singlespeed catastrophe struck and my day was over.  This race would be my first every DNF in all my years of racing with a taco’d front wheel that was very disappointing and frustrating.  The ride home was long and crappy as I knew what could have been with only 17 miles left in the race.

Tatanka 100 SS Podium

Two weeks later I pulled myself back together and it was off to Tatanka 100 in the beautiful Black Hills of SD!  This year saw me going to the Black Hills for 3 different races.  By far my favorite place to race as the people are amazing and the land is beautiful.  This race would put me on some trails that I have wanted to ride for the last 2 years but never had a chance to.  Going into this race, I had high hopes of taking the top step in Singlespeed but after the start and knowing who was at the race, those hopes faded pretty quick.  I was able to ride a good race with a gear that was good for about 50% of the race and horrible for the other 50%, the plight of riding a singlespeed. Ended the day 3rd Singlespeed and 11th Overall.  This race again though saw me getting to ride with 4 other Team Noah teammates and first time 100 mile racers Adam and Brett.  These two did awesome and hopefully will see them doing more of these races in the coming year.  Dwayne and Peat also made the long trip out and took to the single speed podium in 6th and 7th.  Great race and must do every year!!

After this race it was the mid-season break for me.  I would be traveling back out to the Black Hills after the break again though as I would take on the Black Hills 40 once again and try to defend my single speed crown on a wicked tough course. This race was great as expected and I was able to retain my crown but had to settle further down the overall, after taking 2nd last year, settling for 8th Overall in stacked field of great local and non-local riders!!  This race has the potential for being a top notch race in the future.  

Vacation Time in Spearfish (Iron Creak)

View from the saddle (Crows Peak, SD)

 

Once again the Black Hills 40 was the start of my week long vacation and staying in my second home of Spearfish,SD.  This town has become my relaxing destination the last two years. This year I was able to take more of the scenery as I rode different trail this year thanks in part to the man himself out there Perry Jewett.  I am finding that I have made friends over these past few years that allow me to really enjoy traveling the country and take in all that comes with racing your bike for long distances.  

Pierre's Hole 100

PH 100

After a week in Spearfish it was off to Pierre’s Hole 100 In Alta,Wyoming for the second straight year.  This race again would prove to be the toughest of the year!!  I went into this race again with high expectations and again I had to back off those expectations as the race progressed as I was put in my place by the man who would challenge for the top step in the series!!  This race is brutal in that it is at altitude.  For a flatlander this race climbed over 15,000 ft. this year and was unrelenting in it’s beauty!!!  I am amazed how much I was able to suffer at this race and want to get off my bike and quite yet still be blown away while riding through the wildflowers and peaks of the Grand Tetons!!  2nd Singlespeed and Top 10 Overall was a good finish to the day and last race in the series this year for me.

PH 100

PH 100

As far as the series was concerned, since I was only able to complete 4 races, my hopes of a top 3 podium were dashed as the DNF and 5th at Mohican came back to haunt me as I took 4th Overall in the Series SS and missed out on 3rd by 1 point.  Next year will hopefully prove quite different!!!!

SSUSA Start

After the race in Wyoming, there were but 4 races left in the season as my fall races started.  SSUSA was first up. This race was held close to home thank god as it would have been worthless to travel anywhere for it.  The course was fun for about 7 miles and the rest was crappy and nothing much as far as riding is concerned.  The organization of this race was non-existent and overall this race was nothing more than a training ride for me.  I will have to say I will never do another SSUSA race as it is not quite what I would pay to race ever again!  Don’t know how I faired in this race as the scoring was non-existent and nobody knows who finished where!

Dakota 50

After the training weekend two weeks prior, it was off to South Dakota for the final time this year and to another priority race of the season. I was hoping this year to take a Top 10 Overall and the SS win again.  The race was being run in reverse this year and would prove more difficult for some reason. From the start, I was not feeling it as my body was having non of this race. Feeling crappy all day and quite down on myself for not being with the top dogs, I finished the day in 3 SS and 28th Overall.  Pretty disappointed with the result as the expectations were quite high for the race.

Dakota 50 SS Podium

Mullet Classic in Indianola was a redemption race for me this year. I was going into this race ready for a battle with Rick B.  in the 4hr. race.  I was able to show off my development from the year and ran away with this race halfway through.  I never had to look back as I knew that I had a pretty secure win.  1st Overall was a great way to end my Iowa racing for the year.

BT EPIC Start

Last race of the year was in the boondocks of Missouri at the BT EPIC.  This would be the Team Noah Foundation race of the year. We were able to bring 6 of us down for the race.  I was pretty excited for the race as I was hoping to defend my SS title and take a higher overall this year.  Well all was going as planned for the first 55 miles of the race.  I had shaken the SS who was holding my wheel for 40+ miles and was looking at a possible top 5 finish when I took a wrong turn due to no course markings and ended the day in 7th Overall, 1st SS.  The only one to get around me was Dwayne for 6th so I wasn’t to disappointed coming into the finish!  Good way to end the year surrounded by the great teammates of Team Noah!

Unbelievable Team Noah Foundation
 Teammates!!

I have no regrets from the year for sure!!  I have ridden with some of the best in the nation and had blast doing it.  Team Noah Foundation may be the funnest team out there to ride for as we never take racing to seriously and have joke the entire time!!!  2014 is already shaping up to be the biggest year of racing for me to date.  An update of this site is next up as I have additional sponsors for the year and big plans unfolding!! Look for these updates next!!!  Enjoy the end of the year and see ya in 2014!

Dakota Five-O....Should have, could have, didn't!

Well I have had a week to try and recoup from this past weekends escapades out at the 13th Annual Dakota Five-O.   This race is always an A race for me as I want to go out and have fun and ride fast on these awesome trails in Spearfish,SD.  If you take a look at past post you will see that this was the third trip out to the Spearfish area this summer and obviously I have fallen in love with this great area of the Black Hills.

Heading to Spearfish

Well enough of that, time to talk about the race experience.  This year was a little different than past years in that I arrived in Spearfish later on Saturday afternoon, instead of on Friday as in year’s past due to having to work on Friday’s now!!  Sucks, I know.  But I arrived pretty early in the afternoon around 3 p.m.  I was able to get camp set up very quickly as I have become pretty efficient over the year at this and I was set up in about 30 minutes and off to get the race packet.  After packet pickup I rolled around Spearfish for about 30 minutes to shake out the legs from the drive out. I was feeling ok but I felt that my body was a little off, and boy would I find out Sunday just how off it was.

Well got the normal pre-race routine taken care of by around 8:00 p.m. and it was off to bed early around 8:30 for the early 5:00 a.m. wake-up as the race start for Wave 1 was 7 a.m.

Race Day

5:00 a.m. came pretty early for me and as has been normal for about 2 weeks, I didn’t get much sleep over night.  I got up did the normal routine of get dressed, breakfast and roll around for a while loosening up for a bit before the line up.  As I rolled around I got to say hi to many of the friends I have made over the past couple of years of racing around the country and see some people that I haven’t for a year now. Well got to the line about 10 minutes before start, took a front row slot and awaited Smokey, Perry and the drop of the hands!! 

3.2.1........GO!!!!

Usually the roll out is like a bat out of hell, even though it is neutral, but this year was different as Perry Jewett decided to make it a nice easy roll as we went through town waving to those on the side’s cheering us on.  Held my own throughout the roll out and was feeling OK as I rolled along around 15-20 mph up past the Passion Play parking lot and down the hill to Hill St. and Tinton Rd. where the race would take off.  Well this year, when we hit the gravel it was game on!!!  

Tinton Rd. is generally not that bad for me as I am able to hand usually with the lead pack or the front of the chase group.  This year there was non of that.  Oh boy was that a fast start!!!  As we rolled up Tinton I watched as the lead group slowly rolled away from me as I was peaked out in RPM’s and Heart Rate!! Soon enough the Chase group was formed and we were about 10 secs. off the Lead but this was cooking along strong as well and soon enough I found myself in no-man’s land as I also watched the Boise twins, Tom Flynn and Josh Krattiger, from Pro Liesure Bikes, rolled away with group 2.  I knew that this was dangerous as I tried to scramble to get back on there wheel, but there was no chance as I was completely depleted already in the red zone and unable to get back on.  I was able to hold off the charging 3rd group on the road and eventually made it back to the tail end of the chase group once we entered the singletrack.  Tom and Josh looked to be leading this group and I wanted to move up to them but the trail is to tight and again my body wasn’t liking me already so I just settled in and hoped to feel better as the trail widened up.

Dakota Ridge... Beauty Unmatched!!

Well the top of Tinton came and I was able to get with a good group including Ryan Feagan and John Eppen as we headed down the road section to the bottom of Dakota Ridge.  This gave me some life as I felt that I should be able to start picking spots back up as this is my bread and butter as a singlespeeder, climbing the difficult stuff and pulling back those that escaped.  Bottom of Dakota Ridge came and Feagan thought about passing me but let me go thinking I would climb a little faster.  This gave me a push as he gave me a little motivation to get going up the hard climb. About half way up the climb I knew something was not right. I was completely gassed!!!  I was feeling like absolute piss and when I went to give power my legs were not having it!! 

Well I survived to this section to get to Aid 1 with Eppen and Billy Colson (who I rode with alot in Back 40).  This felt like a kick in the pants as I rolled through the Aid Station barely able to push the pedals over.  I got through and down the fast downhill that leads to the nice long climb over the sheep flats feeling ok and this would be a new singletrack climb out and boy was it a dozy!!  Phil Busching came up behind me here and was riding pretty good up the hill but decided he needed to answer the call of nature and I jumped onto BIlly’s wheel.  This may have been the life saver for me as Eppen had escaped with a few others earlier and Billy is a machine!!!  I never looked up once, rather just kept glued on his wheel for about the next 20 minutes.  Billy was able to pull back many guys as we kept going up and up and up!!  

Well once we topped out it was downhill to sheep flats.  This was the second time in the race that I knew something wasn’t right.  I have grown accustomed to pulling many people back on downhills as I for some reason usually ride these very fast and a little smoother than others.  Not the case today.  Numerous time throughout the next 20 miles or so I would loose contact with the group I was riding with on the downhills, only to claw my way back to them on the uphills.  

Somewhere out there!!

Pretty much from sheep flats to the Bacon station it was status quo as I was able to hold on to my position but not able to put any power into the pedals to make up some time.  I thought during this whole time that Tom and Josh had for sure put 10-20 minutes into me as I just sort of rolled along at what I felt was a snail’s pace!! Well the climb up to Bacon station, about 3 miles or so, was horrible for me as I had a hope that this would be a place for me to make up time and it was not so.  I just didn’t have anything for it today.  

Once through the Bacon station this year, it was all downhill, except for a little up hill walk due to very sandy and cow riddled section that I don’t know anyone would have been able to ride.  One surprise coming down from Bacon station was going by Cam.  Cam has always been a marker for me as he is one of the best riders in Iowa.  Come to find out he felt just like I did and just didn’t have it today!!  Well able to keep Billy and Eppen in sight and I thought for sure I would get them back on Tinton as I have come to know this like the trails in Decorah and can usually fly down this.  Not this year!!!  I was barely able to cruise down this, third sign that something was up with my body!!   I got onto Tinton Rd. and looked up to see no one around so I just said screw it and hammered as hard as I could down the road.  I may have topped out over 150-160 rpm’s but don’t know for sure.  I finally saw the locals ahead and decided I needed to try and pull them back to make something of the day.  I think I may have rode my fastest downhill on Tinton Rd. to date and started up to the Passion Play stage with about half a block to get onto those two.  Unfortunately they turned around and saw me and decided I was not allowed in the local’s only club as they kept the gap and I finished by myself as I spent a lot of the day.  

Overall sort of disappointed with the day.  I had hopes of a Top 10 Overall and 1st SS in my mind before the race.  Pretty much halfway up Tinton Rd at the start I was hoping to just make the SS podium and not get passed by Kim Eppen!!  HAHA.  She’s Fast!!  I ended the day at 4:07:54 (about 10 minute’s slower than last year, SUCKs!!!)  and 3rd SS and 28th Overall. Even more disappointing was that I was only about 5 minutes off of Tom and Josh who ended 1st and 2nd SS, respectively.  These guys are great guys, strong, strong riders and I look forward to future battles and spending some time on the trail with these guys!!

3rd SS and Drunk as hell in this picture.
Drowned my sorrows all night!!!
Notice that we are the lost and found group!!

After the race I made a decision to take some time off as I think I have beaten my body up this summer to much and it showed in this race.  No riding for the last week, except for my commute over to St. Ben’s here in town pulling the trailer on the Pugsley. Today was the first day back on the bike, 5 days of rest in the bucket!! Hopefully the body decides to come back around as I get ready for the Marathon race at Mullet Fall Classic and also try and defend my title down at the BT Epic!!  Thanks for reading.  Check out the Team Noah guys as they finish up the NUE season.  Look forward to next year as we get set to take this Team to the top!!  OUT! 

Dakota 50- Garmin File

SS USA- Quick Recap

One of my favorite photo's this year!

So I didn't write a post on this race as I really had a hard time classifying it as a race.  I went into this race a couple weeks back with skepticism as I have heard stories about the race from previous years and didn't expect much. I knew that this race would be fast as I have seen some of the participants in year's past and know they can ride. Being in Winona,MN this was the closest race this year.

Race day I showed up about 1 hour prior to race start.  Located the fellow Iowa boys, and sat around and waited for the start.  The start for the race would be about a 1 mile Lemond start on some rocky trail that was destined to have some rolled ankles.  I got through this in about 3rd and of course they moved my bike!!!!  SHIT!!!  3-5 minutes later finally found it on the opposite side of the line up from where I left it and I was off.  Got stuck behind around what felt like 100 people and they were not letting me by.  Rode behind one guy that I could not wait to get around as I was about ready to gag over the stench!!!  Finally got to the top of Holzinger and I was able get around about 20 or so folks and onto the long road section.

Blackford chasing me down!

Well being a little unorganized from a racers perspective, I pulled the whole group along for the next 10 or so miles!!  SUCKED!!!  Up the next climb I had enough of it and rode as hard as I could to gap all the folks that were not going to help.  Finally got with Blackford and we were off!!  Came up over the next 10 miles or so and caught Robnett and Devin Curran as they made a wrong turn.  Was finally with some guys that could ride and knew how to ride and it started to become fun again.  The course on the other hand was pretty lame at this point!! Lots of ATV trail, gravel roads and paved roads.  Oh yeah and a fresh cut section that was beyond crappy!!

On the long road back attrition started to take it's toll and I was able to keep pulling with Devin and a couple of others.   Devin and I rode the rest of the race together picking up various folks along the way.  Got a couple of cool views toward the end of the race, a wicked full and rocky downhill, as well as finally getting to the 7 or so miles of actually singletrack.  Holzinger was awesome and the trails were great.  The last downhill as great and fast.  Dented my rim though on this descent so little sad about that.  I was about to come in for what would finally be considered a 5th place finish as some of the front runners cut off large portions of the course!!  So I don't think I would ever travel to this event if it wasn't in my backyard.  Not really impressed but a good day of training none the less!! That is about it!  Now for an actual race write up........

Results????????  OK!

SSUSA- Garmin File

Into thin air......... Pierre's Hole 100

Up, Up and away!!  That is pretty much the Pierre’s Hole 100 in a nut shell.  THis race was one that I was looking forward to all year as I knew that it would be one of the most challenging that I would undertake due to what seems like unlimited climbing and of course the fact that we start at 8000’ and I live 51 weeks out of the year at 800’ altitude.

Driving to Pierre's Hole @ Alta,WY

After spending my week in Spearfish, SD (see previous post for pictures of that adventure)  I headed over to the Wyoming/Idaho border for the PH100 on Thursday.  After learning last year to not drive through Yellowstone, I arrived pretty early in the evening and had lots of time to set up my camp.  Having camped all week this took little to no time in order to set up. I had grabbed dinner in Jackson Hole before heading up to the venue at Grand Targhee Resort so after camp was up it was to bed after all day in the car.

Driving to Pierre's Hole @ Alta,WY

Driving to Pierre's Hole @ Alta,WY

Waking next morning I had only one plan on the day, pre-ride an easy section of the course to get the body use to the altitude, as much as you can in a day, and then enjoy the views.  I was able to ride Rick’s Basin which luckily is the last 8 miles and has over 1500’ of climbing on it.  This is easy for out here!!  After the hour long pre-ride, I had the day to spend up on top of the mountain.  This year I decided that I should buy a lift ticket and head up to the highest point at the resort.  This resides at around nearly 10,000’ and wow, I should have done that last year for sure!!!  Check out the photos for the beauty!!!! 

Valley to top!
2 road climbs in the race!!  All the way from the bottom up.

Sunrise over Tetons from road overlook (Aid 2)

Me posing with the Tetons. Boy do I feel small!

More Teton Shots! 

Honey Bees were in full force making the mountain beautiful!

Valley view of Driggs,ID

Well I had my fun checking out the majestic Tetons, it was back to camp to get the bike set up. I did my normal cleaning that I do before a race and man am I glad I did before this race.  As I was checking over the rear wheel I noticed that I had a pretty dinged up rim, so much so that my tire would have easily blown off if it took another hit.  So it was to the back up set of wheels.  Also while cleaning and tightening down the rear end I stripped out the adaptor to my rear brake.  After scrambling down to Driggs in search of the part (12 miles down mountain), finding nothing there, I scrounged up one in my tool box that would work for what I needed.  I got the bike ready, a little later than wanted, bottles prepped, and every thing set out for the early morning wakeup.  

Race Day!!

Well awoke at 5:00 a.m. for the 6:30 race start. Got ready in no time and was set to go by 6.  I took Bailey out for her morning bathroom break and then it was into the tent for the day, where she is getting use to spending the day at races.  I got to some warm-up riding as it was a cool 40 degrees at start and then to the line.  3,2,1.................

Race is a go!!

I knew going into this race that I had one person I wanted to watch and that was hometown boy A.J. Linnell.  Well that is exactly what I did, watch him ride away from me up the opening climb.  This race is unlike any other race out there I do in that it climbs for the first 5 miles, climbing just under 1000’ in the opening climb up to the highest point in the race of around 9000’!!!  Ouch this was going to hurt. I knew that if I stayed with A.J., who was riding with the leaders, there was no way I would finish this race!  So I sat back and settled on a pace that I felt comfortable riding at.

Decending 38 Special 1st Lap

After topping out,  it was the most welcome part of the race, the 7 mile descent which would take us around nearly 40 switchbacks to the lowest point in the race!! Down we went passing over 38 special and Mill Creek, this is literally around a 30 minute ride that you barely touch you pedals with any type of power other than to spin them just to keep your legs loose.  This descent took us down to the first of 2 road climbs. Up the road climb 4 miles, as last year I felt very comfortable spinning at a good 11-12 mph clip up them tapping out a rhythm to get to the next screaming descent down to the sheep farm.  Through this all I had pretty much held my own, going back and forth with 4 other geared guys.  I knew at Aid 2 that A.J. was about 1 min. ahead which wasn’t bad at mile 13 or so in the race.  Still had a chance, NOT!! 

Once reaching the sheep farm, I knew this was the most dreaded part of the race!!!  a 2 mile climb that went up around 1000’ over that 2 miles!!!  OUCH!!  Last year I climbed this thing 4 times so knowing that I was only going up it 3 times put a little smile on my face. Well this year unlike last year, I decided to take it easy up this as I was able to climb most of the climb on my 32x20 that I brought this year. Got up this mother of all climbs in pretty  good shape and then to road #2!  3 more miles of road again very comfortably, pulling all the geary’s back in that I was riding with and then it was out to Rick’s Basin.  I knew every time that I reached this point it was only 8 miles to the end of the lap.  Well lap one came and went and I was a mere 40 secs. down on A.J.

Climbing the Peakes Climb 2nd Lap!  Hurt so good!

Unfortunately I didn’t know that I was only down this and had resided myself to 2nd already.  It frankly wouldn’t have made much of a difference for the remainder of the race but would have possibly been a little more motivation.  The next lap was the same as the first, a little slower up Dry Creek Climb (2 miles of Hell)  but at the end of the lap I was in a world of hurt.  I was severely bonking!!!! I needed calories!! I chowed down as much as I could at Aid 1 and it was into the final lap. I was in mere survival mode knowing that if I held my own on the last lap I would be able to keep my 2nd place position and overall standing. 

Race Director Andy meets Team Noah!
Guy puts on one heck of a race and
some great trails @ Grand Targhee

Well I was able to do it after eating more junk food at every Aid station, I cam over the line in a respectable 9:38 and 2nd place in the singlespeed category!! Not bad when the winner of the singlespeed got 2nd OVERALL!!  Kick butt A.J.  This category is becoming tougher and tougher with the winner now fighting for the overall at almost every race I have been to all year!!! My time was good, would have liked to went sub 9:30 but have to admit I am lucky I finished in that good of a time because after finishing, I didn’t do as I normally would have done as far as chatting with the other finishers.  I was still bonking badly so I went straight into the cafeteria and got a plate of whatever mexican food I could, found a chair and stuffed my face.  Never before have I ate a post race meal still in helmet, gloves, and all my race gear!!! First for everything though.  

Singlespeed Podium!!

Buckle Shot!!

Well after I finished getting my legs back under me by eating, it was showered, and up to awards!! I honestly like sharing the podium with such great guys and am getting use to standing up there with some of the best riders in the nation on Singlespeed’s!!  Another accomplishment that I missed by 12 minutes last year was getting a BUCKLE!!! Oh yeah that was a major goal this year. Got to give a shout out to A.J. for another great win and I look forward to him  going to Park 2 Park race and hopefully taking a win so he can head to Fool’s Gold and give the ‘Pfluganator’ a run for his money.  A.J. is riding unbelievably strong late season here and should provide for some great fireworks!! 

Like to also give a mention to over Master’s champ Marland Whaley, who some how knew my name the whole race and I had no clue who he was!! Come to find out Team Noah Foundation is become well known!!  Marland rode with Peat, Dwayne, and Brett for most of the Tatanka 100 and we had a nice chat about how us Team Noah rider’s never shut up!!!  Got to love it, we are known for liking to talk through all of our 100 milers, joking, singing, and just having fun!!! Have to say that is what we are about and it makes for good times!!  Wish I had them at this race as it may have made me smile a little more over the last lap!! Oh well.

Well that is about it.  I will let the pictures speak a little more that my writing’s this time!! Hope you enjoy the visuals as they are WAY BETTER IN PERSON!!  Suggest getting out there sometime for all that read this.  That is it. OUT!

Parting Shot of the Tetons
Start of the 1200 Mile journey to Iowa

Spearfish Week in Pictures

Well instead of me regurgitating the week in words, lets let the pictures do the talking!! Enjoy!

Camp@ Spearfish City Campground

Cookin a steak on the Biolite Stove and Grill!!
Got to love this wood burner and charger!!
That is right, charging phone and cooking.

Tinton Rd. Climb

Little Spearfish Creek running through city park.

Right Trail- view from the trail!

Another Right Trail shot.
Pretty much what the trails look like out in Spearfish!

Dakota Ridge- Be here in less than a month again!!
This time racin hard @ Dakota 50

Iron Creek Trail- Rode up this with Perry (Photo's later)

Bailey enjoying the long grass!

Waterfall @ Iron Creek Lake

Me and Bailey @ Iron Creek Lake

Found a friend @ Iron Creek Lake

Wildflowers are in bloom in SD!

Rode with the man himself- Perry Jewett!!
Getting the low down on Dakota 50 and other Spearfish Happenings!

Never seen this during the Dakota 50 but it is there.
Along Recovery Ridge.
Thanks for pointing this out Perry!!

Well that is about all the photos that I wanted to share. Got some more but this should wet your interest in visiting this gem out in South Dakota!! On to the race report!