Getting my nerd on, 3 races 2 days and a kinda MTB epic...

It was a four day weekend for this Bi-atch and my time was going to be spent hitting some DC nerd spots (National Geographic Museum), WABA bike prom, 3 races in two days and some sort of long epic like MTB ride Monday. So how did it unfold…?

Friday:

I am a closet nerd in case you did not know (Masters Degree in History = big ole nerd). I am racing SS off-road this year in order to seem more edgy and hardcore in hopes to pick up on the ladies or at least get some street cred. So far it has not helped too much perhaps I need a tattoo…maybe a butter fly tat on my lower back or a barbwire arm band on my “gun show” now that would be edgy right? Anyway, I jumped on the fixie and headed down to the National Geographic Museum to get my nerd on. It was nice to be on the city streets during business hours, something I have rarely done since moving to DC, it triggered memorizes of the days spent on the streets of San Francisco when I was actually edgy and met mad ladies while working as a courier…ok I was a nerd back then too and the only ladies that talked with me were drag queens. Hey, that’s San Francisco for ya. Back to my day in DC…The exhibit I wanted to see was “Human Foot Print” it was small but a very cool illustration of how much Americans consume and waste. I learned a lot of frightening statistics. I really hope my “Foot Print” is less then the norm, I try really I do (excluding Snapple bottles, we all have vice). There is also a fascinating photo exhibit on China. Well worth the trip and a very hard-core bike racer thing to do (this training regime will be added to Cycling-Dumb)!!! As I have mentioned in previous posts if you learn something new everyday you are moving forward in life and I did so I am. Good training for sure!!!

….and Friday night…WABA bike prom….what what!!!

I have been doing things on two wheels since I was able to, from BMX/freestyle to motocross (with a motor) at age 5 to doing my first NORBA event as a junior (age 16 or 17) in 1990. So being a nerd and a bike geek my whole life did not lend itself to me participating in the normal popular school functions. In fact, I skipped my high school graduation so I could travel to a race (sorry mom). And needless to say, I was not as smooth with the ladies as I am now, so I did not go to any prom’s either, rather shocking I know. So on Friday night, I asked my neighbor Joel G. of the world famous http://www.gwadzilla.blogspot.com/ to be my date WABA Bike Prom. His wife said ok and we were off. We rode down to the Blackcat saw fellow DC cyclists, had too many beers, listened to some classic 80’s tunes and I didn’t shake my booty-my date may have been too shy or maybe me. This Cinderella had to be home early since I had to race the next day so I left my date behind and headed back to Mt.P with a fellow cycling homie that lives down the block. We had good times, good beer and I was home in time before my bike turned into a pumpkin. I got some rest, not enough, before a hard weekend of racing. I was disappointed that I did not even get to first base with anyone though. Isn’t that the point of prom, ugh…the story of my life.

….and Tuesday morning I received a call from WABA I won the raffle from the prom, yippee for me!! Now when will I get down there to pick it up?

Things Learned:

Saturday is race day…

The Director Sportiff claims to of gotten sick so once again I was leading the Mid-Atlantic campaign solo for Team Bi-atch. I was off to race twice at the Kelly Cup in the Charmed City. I was not traveling alone this time, which is always nice especially if you go down (which no one did but I had a scare that my traveling mate did and a frantic ambulance search ensued, ahh but all was fine…for my mate at least she had a similar sounding name as the unlucky one. Got the heart pumping though. ). I recruited AnnaK. a fellow MtP. resident and pal, cycling lyfer, lover of all things 2 wheeled and who too embraces the revolutionary do-gooder ideals and spirit of Team Bi-atch so that makes her a good egg and a fine travel mate to help with the Team Bi-atch Charmed City campaign. The road was hit early and we arrived with plenty of time to chat with cycling friends of new and old. Something I am not completely accustomed to because as you know I normally arrive late and sometimes too late. I ate some breakfast in the parking lot and jammed out with my Ipod ( weekly Ipod fav’s The Avett Brothers and The Black Keys) waiting for the days events to begin. I was racing twice so it was going to make for a long, fun but hard day. As for the racing, well, they both ended in field sprints and if you remember from my last post I ain’t no sprinter, but I rode hard, got in two breaks that did not stick and such!! We hit a burrito joint for some eats and the Water Front for some tourist shit on our way out and the day was done. 2 races down 1 to go and one pretty bitchn’ tan…sun burn gained. I took my camera for the first time and boy does it show. Photographer I am not but I will try to work on it. In the end, I would call it an ok day not stellar. I still can not find my game face anywhere, life just sometimes causes you to loose those things. Anyone seen it? If so, please return it. Things learned: I still can’t sprint, I have no focus these days, Baltimore has too many one way streets, I like honey with peanut butter, the Water Front is pretty but way too touristy and many other things.

Sunday and round 2…..

Sunday I decided to stay local for a second day to road race and to skip the WVMBA MTB race which would almost certainly knock me out of the leader’s position in SS points. I am no longer a WV local but a DC local so I guess I should support the one race that occurs in my new town, right? I can probably regain my led so long as I continue to ride well but I will have to miss the Stoopid 50 in order to do so, ahh, the simple worries of a bike racer… this race or that one… road or mountain…2 scopes or 3? Rough isn’t it? Rocket Surgery for sure!!!

I decided to ride to the event in the hope that I would run in to the “Rolling Thunder” thing. Nothing says hardcore and edgy like a guy with shaved legs wearing spandex riding with a bunch Harley’s right? I really just wanted to limit my “foot print” mostly though but seeing some cool motorcycles (I miss my Harley) would have been cool too, I didn’t!!

The race report: not much different then the other road reports from the last few weeks. I am moving and shaking with the movers and shakers until the last 200m. Sprint Chrissy sprint!!! Oh well, I stuck around to watch the women race which was the main event, which is awesome because that rarely occurs. Saw and chatted with an old WV MTB friend Sue H. who is kicking all sorts international butt in the dirt. Heckled some others, laughed, cried and ate too many Bananas. 3 of 3 complete, no cash won, legs are sore and even more bitchn’ tan worked on. Things learned: I do not know DC outside of MtP. very well, large parking lots get very hot in the summer sun, safety cones aren’t so safe, I should have MTB raced, um, I am sure there is more.

Alas, Monday Fun day, epic MTB day….

All week I was stoked to have a day off from all things so that I could hit the woods and mountains for no less then 5 hours on my mountain bike. My plan A fell through at the last minute so I quickly devised a Plan B (love them Plan B’s, life savers). My Plan B: A day in Gambrill State Park or “the shed” near Frederick, Md. Now I have only been there a few times and each time ended in the dark so I was a little worried about getting lost but my pal and fellow hardy soul from MtP. dropped a highly detailed topo-map and driving directions (Thanks AK) so my mind was a little at ease. The day turned out to be just what I needed. I have been a bit down lately and a good trip to the mountains (even the foothills) can be cathartic. I was feeling like I did when I began this journey back in 1990, just the pure intrinsic pleasure of riding in the woods, not “training” or racing, just the freedom of riding…stopping to smell the flowers, listen to the streams roll off of the rocks, absorbing the views and marveling at the absolute wonders beautiful mother nature has provided us.

I rode hard at times but not too hard as I did race 3 times on the previous 2 days so I was tired and riding the rocks and descents with unabashed enthusiasm can bite you in the ass sometimes and since I was alone I chose a more conservative pace which allows for more mental reflection and scenery observation anyway. The trails were pretty empty but I did run into two WV hippie kids in the woods. They were boiling up some water for rice and hit,hit, passing the one hitter around. We exchanged some knowledge and they offered me a hit and some rice. I respectfully declined, shook some hands and be-bopped down the trail.

It was a good day. Almost 5.5 hours in the woods. The riding was great, the nature spectacular and the head clearing well the verdict is still out.

I do wish Team Bi-atch and others were there but sometimes running solo with just Mother Nature by your side is whats up!!!

Some fine words of wisdom I would like to share. I saw this right outside Gambrill Forest...Hilarious!!!














Its spring and our hormones are going wild so keep yourself in check. The big guy/lady is watching.

Next weekend the Mohican100, I hope that chaffing down near my junk is healed by then. And my lower back hurts, man I feel old.

I need to find something else to do on my rest days....this thing is long!!

Another chapter of a never ending tale

As always...
Get out there ride, have fun and ride some more. It is cathartic ya know...better then _______ I have heard!