Eat-Sue (ETSU)

Um....let's start with the other people first. I have to give props to Marshal for helping us out at his first ever mountain bike race, Dan for stretching his throttle muscle and getting top ten in three events, Timmay for sticking in there and having a experience in his first A race, Chaput and Trey for doing good in the B races and Chaput going another lap in the XC for extra training, all the girls for having solid results in every event, the Matt's for getting off to a rough start but settling in by the end of the weekend, and Danny for brapping the gravity competition in his sneak line.

I probably forgot somebody so nothing against you but I just can't remember. Oh yeah, props to T-had for being coach and trying to keep me in line all Saturday.

On to my races, I just did the ST and XC. I was thinking about trying the gravity events (that thing I was talking about a while back) but it's probably better for me to concentrate on just two events for now. But we shall see in the future. The short track was a definite shock to the system as the last time I've gone at true "race pace" was back in July so that was slightly uncomfortable. There was like twenty LMC guys up at the front and they ended up dominating the race so I just rode in and tried to save myself for the XC the next day.

The rest of the day went good, I talked a bunch, hung out at the downhill, pre-rode the course and ate a ton of food. So I was happy and pinned at the same time. The XC trail was good, it was nice for a on campus trail but I am in between liking it or not. It was a fast twisty trail but it was really hard to memorizes the track and get a good flow on it. There was no "fun" sections. I'm not trying to hate on ETSU, because it was a really good track but not my favorite.

I felt soo much better on Sunday for the XC. I had gotten all that nervous energy I had on Saturday out of my system and was super relaxed. I attacked hard into the single track and pulled two LMC guys out with me. We stayed together for a lap when I opened up a little bit and put 20 seconds into the two chasers. I lead for another lap and then Aaron Bradford caught me and we rode to the end of the third lap (the race was four laps) I ended up going down really hard on a rock drop after rolling my front tire and Aaron ended up winning. After I fixed my wheel and checked my self out, I finished the race. I have no idea where I ended up but it was probably out side of the teens. That really sucks because I need some good points for qualifying for nationals. Oh well.

This weekend is the Brevard home race. We've been working on the track for a while and it's not quite finished but we should have a decent course by the weekend. It should be a good time with the Short Track, Dual Slalom, and Downhill all on Saturday and the Cross Country on Sunday. You should come over and hang out, as we are trying to have the most spectator friendly race of the season even if our courses aren't the best. About 50% of the XC is with in walking distance of the Start/Finish and we've even got a sound system up for the race. Awesome.

It's about time for class so I'd better go.
Have fun doing whatever you're doing.

Lata,
T

Squishing Tomatoes

Since I really have nothing to do before class on Tuesdays and Thursdays I figured I might sit down and write another blog or two. On those days I have to get up at 7:30 for my 8:30 class. I don't have to but it makes things a little easier.

Everybody has been asking about what I've up to, nothing new for me but I'll try to tell you about it.
Classes started last Wednesday and since then I've been trying to get back in the groove. It's gotten off to a rocky start but I'm nailing things down with in a week. To help all the craziness of the first few weeks is collegiate mountain bike racing.

Our first race is this weekend at ETSU, it's not far but to save money we're driving up Saturday morning so we have to get up at like 5. Not too bad. I race at 9 and sit around the rest of the day to rest for the XC on Sunday. The legs are feeling pretty good, so I'll see what I can do.

Class sucks, right now I'm mostly working on my general ed requirements so pretty much all of my classes are extremely boring. This blog is more for the people who aren't really into bikes and just want to find out what I've been up to.

Hands Are Tied

Dude so like what’s up?

Oh yeah, I guess you should be asking me that.

So, I’ve been working on this paper for my observation practicum. Believe me; you do not want to know what that is. The point is that I’m trying to waste time and not work on it so I’m writing a blog.

Sorry everybody, I told you that I was going to show up for the Fontana race but I decided to stay in Brevard for a few more days. After the natty trip I came back home and hung out for a week before going back up to Brevard and completing my observation/internship thing. And I thought I had to go back home to get my wisdom teeth taken out, but it turns out that it was just a filling. Bummer. I really need to get my wisdom teeth taken out for collegiate nationals, save some grams there.
So, I came back on Monday and have been hanging out and working on my trails. And of course working on my paper.

Get this; the SECCC (South Eastern Collegiate Cycling Conference) does not have a website. Instead they have a “yahoo group” so in order to be part of that group you send an email to the administrator and they click the accept button. Easy right? Well, that administrator person, whomever they be has not accepted me, so I’m stuck. I cannot access the race schedule, the race results, and the fascinating forum. So, I would put up the new races for you guys to look at but I can’t. I’m sorry, lodge your complaints with the SECCCCCCCCCCCC website/yahoo group. Thanks.

Oops, I have to go make supper for my wonderful parents, who have agreed to let the Brevard Cycling team stay at the house for the North Georgia race so I have to be really, really nice to them for like 2 months.

______ in Black

OK, I’m back. Now, where to start.
I think I’ll give you a brief report of my race: one, because it was boring. And two, I’d rather not remember the race very much. I raced on Thursday which was way ahead of all the other people on my team and everyone else there. Well, I guess the other U23 riders were there too. Speaking of nobody being there, the most bummer thing about racing on Thursday was the fact that there were no spectators. Since I race on super long laps I don’t usually have many spectators but there are usually a good number on super sketchy parts on the descents. This time, however, there were hardly any. But once again, I’m nitpicking.
Anyway, I got a good start and tried to hang on up the first climb and watch Sammy J crash his brains out on the first decent and slowly slipped back to mid pack. They changed most of the climbs, probably to help with the weather (last year, for those who do not know was a terrible running race) but did not help out with me. I can never seem to get comfortable on super steep climbs and I figured the best way would be to ride at my own pace. My own comfortable pace was quite a bit slower than everybody else is so I ended up off the pace in 16th.

I was happy because now that my race was out of the way, I could help out the other people racing. We are a bunch of friends that hang out at every race and we scratch each other’s backs. Not literally however. After my race was over, I sat down and washed everybody’s bike and over the next few days feed people, carried clothing for them, cheered them on. And everybody thanked me, that was nice but you guys have done the same for me so I needed to pay you back. So, this goes out to all my bros: Thank you for helping me out even though I didn’t have such a great race.

In the spare time that I wasn’t being assistant team manager I was trying to recruit new riders for our college team. I talked to a bunch of dudes but none of them were real excited about Brevard. Oh well. Thad on the other hand was stoked about the number of riders he talked to.

I wasn’t able to take many pictures but there are quite a few on facebook and such. I’ll try to post some other links later on.

In other news, I’d would defintly watch out during collegiate season. Tristan Cowie is going to be doing something very different. If it turns out good then he might be doing it more often. Stay in touch.

P. S.
Matt St. Marie is the winner of the question. Finally. He will get a clapped out Small Block Eight and a certificate for being a true UH-merican.
Late,
T

Tuesday, no wait...

Tuesday. Actually, no it’s Friday but who’s checking. I always race on Sunday in my mind so today is Tuesday but it’s really Friday but you guys don’t really care. Last night was interesting, I slept on a chair. I wasn’t able to go to my “room” so I just sat down and went to sleep on a fold out chair. Not very comfortable and it feels like I gained ten years just in my back. Why didn’t I go to my bed when my mothers left, you ask? Well, turns out that although I woke up during the night I was beyond caring at that point so I just stayed in my chair.

What’s up for today? Uh…not sure, I need to find internet some place so I can post this post. Then at about 2ish I’m going for a ride with the Saint. What will I be doing in between then? Um…not really figured that out either. I thought if I could decide when my ride is I can structure my day around that. Because riding my bike is more important than everything else right? Ha! Try telling my mother that during exams. Or right now, when I should be spending time with my relatives. Oh well, I’ll figure out something to do.

These are very involved blogs, but I really don’t have anything else to do (because I don’t have any internet). I could set up mom’s mother’s cable, but that’s really not what I picture as a good time.
Anyway, I need to start figuring out things to figure out. So I’ll be back soon.

Lame Post Sorry

Not as bad as I expected. But I’m not feeling like I gained ten more years on my life. I think the most stressful parts of planning and putting together the trip are almost over with. That could all change in a day though.

For those of you who don’t know, the trip I’m talking about is the trip to the national mountain bike championships in Vermont. To be more precise, the ski resort, Mount Snow. Great course, great place, good times. It looks like we are planning to leave on Monday and drive to Timmy’s place in Virginia and finish the drive on Tuesday. I race on Thursday and I have the rest of the week to sit back and relax and of course, cheer on my bros.

But you guys don’t really want to know our travel plans. I’m finally back in my adopted home town of Brevard and playing catch up on all the gossip going around the shop. I staying and writing this blog at my grandmother’s house who now lives in Hendersonville, which is about half an hour from Brevard. My aunt and uncle also moved there and we just got back from visiting them and a great dinner. I’m trying to figure out what to do tomorrow. It seems like there’s so many trails to ride I just can’t decided what to ride.

Hopefully there will be internet at our condo in VT, last year there wasn’t. I’m going to attempt to post daily updates on the race. Not only our racer from my team but I’ll try to do everybody. I’ll probably forget most of them though. I actually can’t wait until the race because after Thursday all the pressure will be off me so I can just hang out and help other people with their races. I’m probably not going to do the short track on Sunday so I’ll be out of all racing after Thursday. I can actually watch the races instead of watching for five minutes and going back to the condo to rest.

My mother and my mother’s mother are researching stuff on the computer in my “bed room” so I’m trying to find stuff to do to chew up time. We’ll be in touch.

Definition of "On Crack"