Snake '09 Grand Finale

The last Snake Creek Gap time trial of the year was this past Saturday. The conditions were the best I have seen in the 7 or 8 times I have ridden there. It started off a little cool and misty from the fog and we finished in sunny 75*. The trail was dry and the tackiest I have ever seen. There was a nice cool breeze on top of the ridges and the course was staffed with lots of encouraging, smiling volunteers. Most of the volunteers even had cameras.

I told myself that I would pace myself and not go into race mode...but I just can't do it. When I'm lined up for a race and they say go, I have to go. The first half of the race went pretty well. I cramped pretty bad in Feb. and I tried to stay below "cramp stage". I rode a lot of the first half with Jaques.


Somewhere around the last big downhill I lost contact with Jaques and I raced down the water barred/jump laden downhill just trying to hold on and having big fun. At the midpoint aid station I filled my camelback and ate a banana and a couple of fig newtons. Jaques came in as I was getting my chain lubed by one of the nice volunteers and he said I race-faced him. He spoke to me but I must have been trying to choke down fig newtons and couldn't talk.

Immediately after leaving the midpoint there is on of the biggest climbs on the course. I made the top and only got off once on a switchback. When I dismounted I saw another clydesdale coming behind me. I recognized him as the person just behind me in time. He goes by Big Chris on the SORBA forum. We ended up riding together for 45 minutes or an hour. I should have know I was in trouble when he told me he was starting to cramp. He dropped me right after that. While riding along drafting each other on the grassy fireroad Chris ask "what do you weigh?' I told him 227. He said " that's exactly what I weigh." Then I ask him how old he was. He told me 40. When I told him I was 53 he made my day by telling me "you're a bad muther f*cker!".


If you are looking for a reason to get or stay in shape next year, sign up for the Snake. For $75 or $85 you get a long sleev tee, a head badge, misc goodie and food at the end of all three stages. It might be the biggest bargain in mountain bike racing. Plus, the race is staffed by some of the nicest, most competent volunteers I've ever seen.

As I've said before, the folks at Northwest Georgia SORBA get it!

Pickett, Snake, Hastie Etc.

I am amazed the whole interweb thing was able to still be operable after a month without Clipper putting a virtual pen to virtual paper in the form of Clipperona bicycle!

Ginger and I spent a nice, really quiet weekend in a cabin at Pickett State Park.

This picture (if you look real close) shows four otters in the lake behind our cabin.

Friday night was cold as hell. Most of the heat for the very drafty cabin was in the form of a fireplace.

The lake was really pretty and had a couple of nice short hikes around it. There was even a natural bridge about a hundred yards from the cabin that the lake went under.








When the icycles falling into the lake spooked the otters, this is where they went to hide.




I raced the second leg of the Snake Creek Gap race last Sat. After my Jan. race I felt pretty good about putting up a good time for Feb. The conditions were dryer than I have ever ridden at the Snake. They were as "perfect" as I could imagine they could be.

I rode strong for about 20 of the 34 miles. The leg cramps started on the long downhill leading to all the creek crossings. I walked places that I would never thought anyone would have to walk. I had the worst leg cramps I have ever experienced. I guess the temperature going to 72* when I was used to 35* was part of it. Then again ot could have been that I had only ridden once in the last 2 weeks and was sick the week before the race. Now, 5 days later, my right calf still feels like it is cramping and I have these two marks that look mysteriously like a snake bite...


Finally, Brian and I took advantage of 4 days of dry, warm weather to try out the new Hard Labor Trail at Hastie last night. Hard Labor is really nice coming down from the Post Oak end. Going the other way will be a pretty good climb until we get some more tires on the trail to pack it in. We rode everything at Hastie with a minimun of mud and I think the Yellow Jacket trail may be my favorite. If you have been out there but don't know the trail names it is the one with the two bridges.

This is a shot of BHann running the new bermmed corner on Hard Labor.

Snake Creek Gap

Saturday Rob, Jaques and I rode down to Dalton, GA for a pleasant 34 mile stroll over 6 mountains, rocks, mud and fun. I had only done the 17 mile option before and both Rob and Jaques were Snake Creek virgins. I at least had an idea of what I was getting into. Two years ago I did the 34 preride and then raced the 17.

We began with about an hour long bus ride that ended up standing room only. When we got to the start area out in the middle of nowhere, it was a race for the pine trees. It seemed like 100 people all were straining at the bladder. After a quick nature break we all lined up.




The Snake starts out innocent enough. There is a couple of mile flat section to start. Then you have to cross the knee deep creek and start a long (2 mile?) climb. Did I say it was drizzling rain, all day long?

No pictures from the trail, suffice to say I survived. Lots of gooey, nasty muddy sections and a few really clean, fun fast sections made it interesting. I rode most of the last half with Shawn. He was not enjoying himself on the SS. Both Emily and Doug Parker had good times for the conditions. I was shooting for 4:30 to 5 hours with all the mud and ended up 4:33 and change. I was pleased except it put about 4 seconds out of 2nd Clyde. If I hadn't stopped to pee...



Jaques keeping me company on the way home. He said it was the toughest bike ride he has ever done.


Come Feb. we get to do it all over again. This is one of the best run races I have ever done. It is completely organized and staffed with friendly, helpful people literally all over the trail. If you're looking for a first epic race or even if you do this kind of stuff all the time you should try it.

2008 Review in Pictures

My mom showing off her grapefruitties...


Grand Gap goodness


Raccoon with Keith


Our first big Hastie work party


Windrock ride


At the hospital with Jaques after our first ride together


BHann and GMoney at one of the many rides on BHann's trails


Team Butt Crackers


Hastie time trial


On the Stanky Creek starting line with some other clydesdales

My reward for going to most of the races!


Hard at work course marshalling at the Windrock race.


John helped me carry the beer up the mountain and make sure we didn't have to carry it back down.


Thursday night rides from FT City Peddaler


Greenway Gran Prix


Hastie work party. George and Eric having a trail building technique discussion.


Lu Lu the wonder dog!


Happy New Year

Ride when you can, build trails when you can't

November 2nd workday. We had 35 people show up to work.


We got a wet place bridged.


Master trail builder Joe (Rogue Hoe) Cross.



So, when it gewts too muddy to ride the trails we do the Greenway Gran Prix.


At some point the Greenway Gran Prix usually ends up on Market Square.

After a couple of barley pops we like to see if Matt is going to bust his ass...again.


Around the same time, BHann and I went to the SORBA Board of Directors metting in Gainesville, GA. Here we are with Bob Greico, the president of SORBA and Mike Van Able the Executive Director of IMBA.

That's My Excuse and I'm Sticking to It

When we last left our hero he had just swam thru the icy cove of death. While peddaling his trusty steed up the hill at Racheal's (it's still your's Racheal)Landing he spun out on a root and was not able to unclip. The result was a trip headfirst down the slope of death into the icy water.

A week later as I was getting ready to ride again I discovered the culprit.


Not making excuses but I;m just sayin...