Author: Bill

UPDATE^new: Read the post or watch the video!

My race sucked! But that was all that sucked.  The trips was great; and is up there with the many great trips of this summer. I just phosted photos in my Photo Gallery.

The first night we camped alongside the road in between Salmon and Challis Idaho. The next day was great.  We did not have to hurry at all.  we had traveled half way and were only two hours from our destination with the entire day at hand.  A far cry from my first trip here this year. So Friday we spent checking stuff out and pre riding the Grinder course.

We camped the second night up the drainage from the start line.  It was perfect and our friend Garland joined us. We talked race strategy and went to bed early.

The next day was great too. After the race we went into Ketchum and had a burger and beer at lefty’s, played in a city park, then slipped on into a Starbucks to soak up some of my card balance that the Brown’s had sent me for Christmas.

The next day Sten and I hit the Fisher Trail and I can not even begin to explain that trail.  All I can say is that you have to ride it to believe it.  For me, the best trail I have ever ridden.  It was spiritual.  Then we drove back to our homes.  I got home at 6 … our plan to get going early paid off. Great trip, great times!

I am trying to explain what happened at the 2008 Galena Grinder. I placed 8th and it all started the night before the race when I was crawling out of my tent and got a leg cramp.  And I continued to get them that evening.  I can not explain this because I have been tapering down and did not do anything to deplete my systems.

The race started and the beginning climb I found myself at maximum heart rate.  The start was extremely fast and I had assumed we would just roll out.  I spent the better part of the first lap catching up to the leaders.  On top of the Grinder climb I found myself leading the race. 

I tried to ride more conservative but soon Evan Plows caught me and passed.  This was a little disappointing because I thought I was putting time on the other competitors. I did not realize it but I was slowing down.

I followed Even but on the flats he would pull ahead and it seemed my power reserve was coming up short.  I finished lap one in 2nd and by the time we came back through from the spectator loop I was in 3rd. What was happening?  I was mentally getting down on myself.

I lost 3rd place on a climb to Ryon Butterfield and as he went by asked what was wrong.  I said, “cramps” because I was feeling tight and ready to cramp.  Up to that point I had religiously been drinking Cytomax and Perpetium.  I had just switched to Carbo Rocket and my performance was getting worse.  I was trying everything.  Ryon offered me a sandwich and I declined (I should of ate it).

On the final climb up to the aid station just below the Grinder climb I had exhausted my Perpetium bottles and was looking forward to replacements.  Just about a half mile from the station my ham strings locked up and I was frozen in pain and cramps.  I needed assistance from other racers to work out the muscled that seemed to be wadding up and freezing me in pain. Some real nice lady messaged my hams until I could walk.

I got to the aid station as I really started to lose places in the race.  I stopped to only find that someone had taken my bottles.  All my nutrition was gone.  the guys at the aid station gave me some endurolytes and hammer gels.  They filled my bottles with fresh water and I set out to do the big climb.

On top of the climb I started to get dizzy and felt like throwing up.  I couldn’t concentrate and started to fear that I was in serous trouble.  It felt like I was going into some kind of shock. I put down my last bit of gels and water from the aid station and was able to gingerly ride back down the course. 

At the final and last aid station I was within striking distance of just finishing the race.  The guy at the station gave me lots of encouragement and some gels and water.  One more climb.  On the climb I lost the entire race and slipped back to last place. 

I finally finished and sat under a tent. Some aid workers tried to help but my friend Sten had me handled and started feeding me water, Recoverite, and set out to get my meal ticket.

After sitting in the shade Sten got his award and I was able to make it back to camp.  What happened?

This time a stream rushes nearby from our camp about a mile up from the Galena Lodge. Marcy is sacked out and already snoring. I am ready to race although I am worried about some recent cramps in my leg. I am tired and about to join Marcy in la la land.

Today we pre road pretty much the first and last part of the course while enjoying some superb weather. Sunny and warm with the trail dusty and dry. Recent rain storms will make the race interesting because lots of stuff is eroded.

Tomorrow the battle rages at 9 am sharp. I cant wait and I will now nod off to pass the time and get much needed rest.

Photo by Garland Thayer (Missoula Sheepheads)

The river is rushing with its soothing but thundering sound. I hear crickets in the background and the occasional swoosh of a passing car. The tent is without it’s fly affording me a complete view of the starry night sky. I am ready to doze off between the dark canyon walls.

We are about 30 minutes out of Salmon and we found a spot near the river just off the road. It is Sten and I as we are heading toward Galena for the Grinder Marathon MTB Race.

For supper we had some cheese and bread along with some chips and salsa. Being an air-head I forgot my olive oil so cheese had to do.

In addition to that I forgot Marcy’s collar and she is running wild. Seems I forgot a lot of things.

Tomorrow we hope to get to Galena early to do some easy riding to tune up the body and prepare for the race.

This course has been in existence for many years and is notorious for it

The sun is out and the day is fine here in Missoula Montana as I await the arrival of my parents.  If you are a Web Lodge follower you know that I haven’t posted anything lately because I have been extremely busy.  I did manage to upload photos to 3 galleries today.

July in Missoula : Mostly blog photos, these images are taken during the great month of July here in beautiful Missoula Montana. The best one is of a shot I took on a training ride up the Rattlesnake.  I stopped at Franklin Bridge and took some nice photos of the creek.

Bozeman MTB – And now the decent.

Bozeman Mountain Biking : After the Bohart Bash I stayed in Bozeman to take in the local single track and riding with some Muleterro team mates. Great times! After the race we attempted to fit everyone on one BMX bike and to ride it to Lincoln’s house.  We were successful.

The next day we headed out to Garnet Mountain.  It was a decent climb and the views were awesome.  The ride down the mountain was the best as I rode some of the best single-track I have ever done.  There is this one part that you are so scared that when you make it to the other side alive you feel so exhilarated.

Bitterroot Ballyhoo : This is what I called the weekend were I met up with friends and camped at Painted Rocks Lake in the Bitterroot. Paul and I arrived to a huge thunderstorm and by the next day as Sten arrived he was announcing more bad storms.

Bitteroot Balyhoo – Hmmm, future ride?

At the end of our first mountain bike ride it was evident that he may be a little mis-informed.  Even though our ride was cut short due to an impending thunderstorm the rest of the weekend was great.

Ronnie meet up with us for a barbeque and feast after our first full day there (day two).

On day three we did the porcupine trail and it took us most of the day.  It was an awesome adventure that saw me ripping my sidewall and fixing a flat.  The day was perfect and we hogged out at the campfire that night.

Day four had Sten and I exploring before we spit ways and all headed home.  It was a great time.

This weekend …. Camping with parents at Lake Como … Wanna go?

Read the Forest Supervisor’s attached decision to believe the amazing “logic” justifying the bike ban.  Paraphrasing, “I won’t allow bicycling because I don’t think anyone is riding there now.”  Did they ask anyone?  How about the only bicycle club within 100 miles?

Want to get an idea what biking in some of these areas was like?  Join us Saturday, July 12, 7:00 am, Gt Falls Marketplace McDonalds.  We’ll caravan to Rogers Pass and ride north toward the closed areas (but not into them) and enjoy the view of this proposed wilderness.  Sorry, you can look but you can’t touch, you evil “mechanized use” bicyclist. If MWA has their way, we will be kicked off of this segment and all of the Continental Divide Trail soon as well.  Better come see it while you can.

Just hope that the horsemen that MWA are in bed with on this issue haven’t roto-tilled the trail recently.  The surface was perfect last month.  Most horsemen I know are okay with sharing the trails with cyclists as long as the cyclist knows what to do.  If you encounter a horseman on a trail, take the following steps.  Start talking as soon as you see the horses so the animals know you are human and not to be feared.  Dismount and move well off the trail on the low side, allowing the horse to pass.  Enjoy the encounter like the guys in the attached Lionhead area photo near Bozeman.  Oh yeah, bikes are about to be kicked out of there.

Here’s my proposed solution to the growing MTB access problem.  A LOT OF WILDERNESSES may soon be added to the system throughout the US.  Tell your Senators and Reps to fight the wilderness bill unless a provision is added to further define “mechanized use” in ALL wilderness areas as specifically NOT including bicycles.  Bicycling in Wilderness wasn’t envisioned when the original bill was written. 

MWA is likely howling with laughter at that idea, but hey, we are a growing bunch of energetic trail users with increasingly good political connections and they are a shrinking group of well connected yet overly dogmatic trail users.  Let’s take em’ on in Congress.

Thursday Night Ride Last Night

Last night we had a “pretty good turnout” and we rode at Snow Bowl.

I think everyone was chomping at the bit to ride up the single track but I was in the mood to do my own thing so I headed up the access road.  I looked back and everyone was following to the dismay of some riders.

I continued up towards Point Six and then headed back down to the A frame hut where everyone was gathering.  We took some group shots (Check out Julie’s photos) and then headed off to the single track decent.

Singletrack

Twenty minutes later I was putting my bike into the car.  We gathered for chips and beer including a contest to see who was freezing the most.  I won that one.

Bohart Bash This Weekend

I am just about out the door at work to pick up Marcy and some other stuff for a drive to Bozeman.  I will be staying with a friend and Muleterro team member.

Climbing up Point Six Road to top of Snow Bowl, mapping out my RMVQ

Fitness wise I am worn out but hope to recover to race tomorrow.  If that doesn’t work, no big deal as I am keying in on the Galena race.

I am hoping to stay until Sunday where I will partake in some local Bozeman trails with Sten. Yeahaah!

Big Sky State Games Next Weekend

To make stress even worse for me I found out that the Big Sky State Games have decided to include Mountain Biking so I immediately sighed up for it. I felt pressured because the deadline ends soon.  So now I am headed to Billings this next weekend.  To make things even more interesting my parents are visiting and now I am suddenly thrust into the “bad child” role because I am not sticking around to visit with family.  Oh well, I am keying in on the Galena race.

Here is a photo of my friend Paul enjoying his new Leader in our top secret riding loop.  Any guesses? I went into hiding on Thursday and even my dog did not know where we were. She was being held in a fence in Lolo Montana being interrogated by skunks.  Really, my entire house smells like skunks now. She did not give up our location and the feds could not find me or my friends Sten, Paul, and Ronnie.

In all we covered about 90 miles of the greatest single track known to man kind. The only other people that ride this area is some Bitterooters and 3 martens that cant get enough of earth biking. I had my doubts early on as a secret plan to unravel our weekend was hatched by brain washing Sten into believing that a big storm would ruin our weekend.  The plan did not work and we stayed in seclusion.

When we were not honing our mountain biking skills on some real technical single track and scree piles we were hitting the camping scene hard.  I had my hammock up and sten brought some fire wood (along with other play toys). We sat, bitched about roadies, did some market research on some new team slogans, ate about six thousand pounds of meat, and swam in a custom ice cold Jacuzzi.

Well, it is over and we are back.  I got my dog out of hock and now I am trying to fit back into civilization … which sucks!

Last night I did Leg 11 and Leg 12 to CP 12 (Swinging Bridge).  I took some shots for my Photo Gallery  and for the map and even started a page. I left late and got home around 10 so I am dead tired today. Turns out Leg 12 is 11.7 miles and all downhill.  I can not believe all the hairpin corners on the Woody Mountain Downhill (backwards).  The swinging bridge was much more scary that I remember.  Specially with the high water.  I saw the bear that belongs to the tracks that the Thursday Night Ride saw last weekend.  My first bear sighting for 2008.

Tonight is the Thursday Night Ride and I am super excited because Paul rides his new rig for the first time.  Better take my camera.  Anyone want to go?

It is sunny out and in the 70s finally and it looks like the snow will melt before my friend Paul arrives for his visit to Missoula.This weekend I was out “training” for his term here. We will be camping and biking a lot so that is what I did. After pre riding a race course at the Discovery Ski Area it was evident that the weekend was a wash so I showed up at my friend Garland’s cabin door looking for adventure. First, though, I had to wait for him to get back from fishing!

A couple beers and some in depth discussion about 24 hour and endurance racing we were all dozing off to single track dreams.  The next morning we headed out for Moose Creek Road over by Skalkaho Pass. We parked and went up every trail we could find.  We started out with some single track to a Wilderness Boundary.  then we discovered that the other trail heads in the area were posted as no mountain biking.  So we hit the Jeep Trails.

We found this one that went skyward towards the west and, well, that one has to be finished later.  As we found out the day before when you climb up a little you hit snow.  Deep snow!

Towards the end of the day we discovered the motherload.  It is a trail with many opportunities off of it and it appears to be a main snow machine trail.  We had to give up on it though as we ran out of time.  I now have in mind some exploring in the Pintlers.  I’ll be back!