Exhilarating, Unbelievable, and Catastrophe!!!

Lumberjack 100

Fast group ready for the start!!

Well this write-up has been eating me up as I didn't really want to write it as I am still a little bitter from last weekends race in the Northwoods of Michigan.  To start the Manistee Forest trails up in Michigan have to be some of the fastest rolling singletrack trails that I have ridden and this years race was again going to be a quick one as you will find out in the rambling that follows.

I drove up as is customary on Friday. I am getting really good at getting thru Chicago without any real traffic delays as I have figured out when to pass through.  An uneventful drive, other than the traffic delay in Coast Guard City,U.S.A. I was up there in no time and ready to find my sleeping digs for the night. This would be the first big race of the year for Team Noah as Dwayne, Pete, and I were all there and out for blood on the trails.  We staying in an interesting shack for the night getting quite cozy in the one room cigar box of a room.

Got my normal lack of sleep the night before the race and woke up bright and early at 5 a.m. for the 7 a.m. start.  My plan was to be at the starting area by 5:30 in order to get the pit set up and my body ready for the race ahead.  This race is a little different than others as it is a 33 mile lap race. I like this format as I am able to not worry about what I carry on course and focus on the race at hand.

Start
Well the start was looking good as I rolled down the 2 mile highway to the start line chatting it up with new found friend Daniel Rapp from Toasted Head Racing.  These guys were rocking the Team Noah Socks, THE WHOLE TEAM!!  This was an awesome and unbelievable show of support from a great team of racers. When we got to the start I slotted in at the front which is becoming more customary for me as I know where I finally stand amongst the racers.  This start was really worrying me coming up as I knew that last year we rolled out at 30+ mph and down the highway into a pile-up at the start of the race.  This years race was going to be different though.....

Me checking out Barry Wicks!  HAHA
Super fast Singlespeeder and Overall Sprint finish Winner!!

Mike Montabano led us out on his singlespeed and to all's surprise, non of the gear guys seemed interested in ramping up the pace.  It did help that the singlespeed crew for the race had essentially set up a road block on the front row and set the pace of the race early.  Rolling into the singletrack, I was around 15 people off the lead and felt great where I stood. All singlespeed racers were accounted for and I began my push to the front. By the top of the opening climb, as separation had been established and I was now located in the chase group of around 8-10 riders.  We were moving along great as most of us were singles and we know how to keep the flow, even up the steep climbs. Over the opening 10 miles or so, Dwayne, Pete, and I were all there and having fun as we do when we ride together, chatting it up and throwing in the occasional joke. I think this helps us in races as some people don't like this and it effects them in a negative way.  Our look on it is we are having fun and enjoying the experience in the woods with great friends!!

FireTower Climb with Jan in pursuit on Lap 1.

Well before the mid point of Lap 1, a separation had occurred and our group was dwindled down to around 6 riders (Dwayne, Myself, Jan, and 3 geared riders).  We created the separation through some wicked quick riding up some steep single track.  I took the lead through alot of this as I like riding at the front rather than behind folks.  The status really didn't change for the first lap as we cruised, and I mean cruise, around 14 mph. on singletrack coming through lap 1 at around 2:15 and feeling great.  A separation right before the lap count with Jan and Greg( gear guy #1) getting a gap on Dwayne and I.  I was loving riding with Dwayne in that we ride pretty much identical in every manner. We got out of the pits together and we felt that we had to be in 1st and 2nd Single and 6, 7 overall.  By the end of the race we would find out that this is where Jan had escaped as he didn't pit at all in the whole 100 miles and was off on his own somewhere in front of us.

On Lap 2, Dwayne and I settled into our pace, chatting and loving life on the trail.  There is something special about cruising around the wood with a great friend and not even really realizing that you are in a race.  After the long opening section of climbs, the trail opens into double track and we cruised down this at a good clip and by the end of this 2 of the gear guys (Greg and other guy) had caught us.  I took up the lead again going into the middle section of singletrack and tried to set a good tempo as we pushed around the woods. I loved this part of the race as we were all moving smoothly through the woods and enjoying our ride. The rest of the lap was status quo as we all were feeling great and pushing along at the same pace up and down the fast ripping trails.  I did have a bout of mid race fatigue hit me and knew that I needed to stop at the pit for 10-15 seconds longer at the end of the lap to try and get a little extra fuel in the tank.  So I did and took down a banana after lap 2.

Time for the Lap from HELL!!!!

Somewhere before disaster crushing it on Lap 3!

Well the 3rd lap started off with me taking the lead up the opening climb due to everyone else deciding it was a great time to take a bathroom break. Nothing like riding through the middle of 3 guys pissing off the side of the trail, endurance cycling at it's best!!!!  Well over the opening climbs, we dwindled down the group to Dwayne, Greg and myself and we were feeling great and working great together, taking our turns at the front to keep the pace hi.  I feel that this race I spent alot of time at the front as I was feeling good on the trails and liked my own tempo and no one else seemed to mind.  We rolled the opening climbs, jumped in behind Greg on the double track to get some speed and went into the middle singletrack with again me taking the lead.

Disaster Strikes.
Well we started to catch lapped traffic in this section which was no problem at all and we worked our way through them all.  After passing a tandem up a hill we made a left and climbed up a steeper section of trail that had a nice downhill on the other side and a perfect place to catch your breath.  Well rolling down the hill, what is still a mystery to me, CRASH!!!!  Somehow I ended up on the side of the trail pressed up against a tree. I quickly came to doing my quick body check and feeling fine, I grabbed my bike and was ready to go.  Well the bike had other plans.  Quickly I looked down and realized the reason that my bike wasn't rolling forward was that my wheel was now bent in half around my fork and my race was OVER!!!!  I was more than a little disappointed, I was IRRATE!!!  I am sure everyone thought I was a lunatic and I sort of had a right to be so. I had ruined a $500 dollar wheel on a portion of trail that had nothing to cause such an incident. Still don't know what had happened but I quickly realized that not only was my race over and my chance at a Overall Singlespeed win but also that my NUE series was now finished as I am no longer able to complete 5 races.  As we discussed on trail, no clue why 5 is now required but oh well it is and I am out of the series hunt.  Sucks!!!  Well I walked about 1/2 a mile down the trail, threw my bike a few times, loaded it up in the back of a van and hitched a ride to the finish.

Well this race was a series of 1st's.  This was the first time I have had a mechanical on trail (knock on wood) of any sort and I made sure to make it a doozy!!!  This would be the first time in 10 years that I DNF'd a race, other than the muddy boone race.  This would be the first time that I had a chance to win the overall and due to conditions outside of my control be kept from this accomplishment!!!

I have taken a few positives from this race after having a week to fume over it.  One positive is that I wasn't hurt in the crash.  After seeing my wheel, I could have easily had my season ended with a broken collarbone, broken arm or ended up in the hospital with the speed I was carrying.  Second positive is that I am going to be able to fix the wheel for less than $500, only $200 as I have gotten the spokes ordered and already have a rim at home. Third, my wheel was the only broken part on the bike and I feel confident that it is ready for Tatanka 100 this next weekend.  And the last positive is that I am finally on a Team that actually cares.  Team Noah, especially Dwayne and Pete, have proven to be true teammates and have helped me draw out these positives and give me a reason to go back out there and push for it again beyond personal goals!!  Team Noah Foundation is riding for a cause bigger than biking and looking forward to spreading the word and message of the great foundation. Shout out to Dwayne and Pete on great finishes with Dwayne again taking the 2nd step on the podium and Pete just outside of the Podium.  Would have loved to see Team Noah take the top two steps but the trail gnomes had other plans!!

Well look for the next write up in a week after hopefully Dwayne, Pete, Brett, myself and others of Team Noah Foundation go out and tear up the Tatanka 100 in Sturgis,SD!!  OUT

Lumberjack 100- 80 miles ridden on bike, 7 in a car!!!