Shenandoah Mountain 100

cbass

Over Labor Day weekend we'll be travelling to Harrisonburg, VA to ride in the Shenandoah Mtn 100 mountain bike race.

Course profile
http://www.mtntouring.com/mountain/htm/home/page_home.htm

100 miles on a mountain bike with 14,000 feet of climbing is a recipe for MAJOR SUFFERING!

Avalon Ride

Like clockwork, as soon as we were at the farthest point from the car the
thunder started. The trails were generally pretty good with the usual
mudholes in low lying spots where the trail has been widened. It rained for
maybe 10 minutes, but then cleared up. That left the trails damp on top and
a little slick, but not soft or muddy.

I was determined to go slow and take it easy since my legs were still a
little sore from the TT on Sunday. I went right to the small ring for the
waterbars. You can do that climb in a very low HR, it just takes a long
time! 8-) Melanie was doing some SE intervals so she was leaving me
behind on the climbs. I wasn't even tempted to keep pace because I was so
in need of an easy ride.

We did a nice loop and did our best to stick to the rocky trails. We only
hit a handful of muddy spots. A lot of the recent trailwork has involved
laying down that white gravel/sand mixture in some of the traditionally
muddy areas. It seems to work well and has held up to constant riding and
rain. It protects the trail and gives riders a narrow path to follow, thus
keeping the singletrack "single". It will take some time but if they can
use that solution on the farm loop and some of the other chronic areas the
trails will stay narrow and become a lot more weather proof.

I just put some new tires on my Fuel...Continental Explorer UST 2.1's. The
tread is a bit less aggressive than what I had on the IRC Serac's. They
hooked up nicely even on the slick trail surface and wet rocks and they
seemed to roll pretty quickly too. I wanted to get new tires on before
Shenandoah and have enough time to get used to them. I think they'll work
fine.

Fruita Mountain Bike

Here's a link to some amazing mountain biking videos from Fruita, Colorado.
http://www.petefagerlin.com/covid.htm

We highly recommend that you take a road trip to check out the legendary Fruita singletrack.
www.fruitamountainbike.com
You can fly into Grand Junction, only a short drive from Fruita.

While you're there, stop by Over The Edge Sports for trail info, bike rentals, coffee, etc.
www.otesports.com

The absolute best place to stay is with our friends Lynne and Allen at Mulberry Cottage B&B.
They're wonderful people and the tasty breakfasts and plentiful oatmeal craisin cookies will keep you fueled up for epic rides.
http://www.mulberrycottagebandb.com/

Sunflower field in Burgundy 2004 

Favorite Mexican Restaurants

> 1. El Salto - Baltimore, MD
> Great people, margaritas, cheese dip, guac, shrimp cocktail, burrito con
> azada, tacos de carne azada, burrito deluxe. The building is an old
> school converted Wendy's, a sure sign of quality.
>
> 2. Casa Grande (aka The Big House) - Richmond, VA
> Good times, good times...I've eaten here a bunch...many good meals with
> great friends. tasty cheese dip, jumbo quesadilla, jumbo burrito,
> enchiladas suprema, monthly mariachi band. Many restaurants came and went
> at this location, but none could survive until the Big House came along.
>
> 3. Los Gilbertos - Fruita, CO
> No frills old taco stand, but the food is the best after a day of mountain
> biking around Fruita. The chicken soft tacos will put the shizzle in
> your dizzle.
>
> 4. Maui Tacos - Maui, HI
> Beautiful location, though it's a long way to travel for Mexican. Amazing
> breakfast burritos, generous salsa bar including pineapple salsa,
> reasonable prices.
www.mauitacos.com
>
> 5. Chipotle - everywhere
> Basically fast food, but it's top quality and fresh. Carnitas (braised
> pork) is the best, excellent guac, generous portions.
www.chipotle.com

Post Vacation Blues

cbass

The week after vacation is usually a tough one. After slipping into holiday nirvana your mind and body have to return to the real world. Reentry is especially tough if you've been away for 2 weeks. While you have recharged your batteries in a stress-free environment and should be prepared to handle the potholes of everyday life it doesn't always work that way.

I'm fighting a case of the post-vacation blues.

Our two weeks in Europe riding our bikes and following the Tour de France once again sparked the dream of living abroad and making a living pursuing a passion instead of 'just' working a job.