Monday, November 29

A look back on a lovely November

Autumn Crossing from CinéCinnati on Vimeo.


In November we said goodbye to Autumn as the last of the leaves fell from the trees. The sun began to set on the end of our races and on nearing end of cross season. And winter winds made us bundle up as the races became slick with frost covered mud. The BioWheels/Reece-Campbell racing team continued with a strong November showing, securing their results in the overall and some racers beginning to come into their own as the season wears on. The team has travelled to Columbus, Lexington, and Louisville with a couple of stops in our backyard with the Gun Club race in Miamiville and the Buckingham Financial John Bryan Ohio State Championships outside of Yellow Springs.

Karen Hamilton continued her strong consistent finishes and is looking towards a top-three finish in the Category 3/4 Masters Women. Doug Hamilton, Harry Wicks and Tony Franklin battled weekly in the hotly-contested Category 3 Masters 45+, while Scott Murschel has been doing double-duty fighting in the Category 3 Masters 35+ and steering his titanium Moots towards potential top tens in the OVCX as well as Columbus' CapCity series.

A huge congratulations is in order for Steven Gers. Steven achieved his first podium with third place at Lexington's Promotion Cross after five years of strong finishes in 'cross racing. Steven is always in the top ten if not consistently finishing fourth or fifth so he is extremely proud of his strong finish, in the Lexington's Kentucky State Championships no less!

Brian Collier is continuing his incredible season. Brian finished the summer with a third place podium in the England-Idlewild mountain bike race and winning the Mens Elite overall in the Kings Cyclocross Time Trial Series. Brian has battled weekly for incredible results, bringing home five podium finishes with two second place finishes. Brian is looking to secure a top-three in the overall in the Category 3 Mens 35+. Nate Mirrus is also riding strong and consistently and could even give Steven a run for his money in the top five in the overall for Category 3 Mens 35+.

Jaden Sempstrott is having a strong season in the Category 3 Men Open. As the season has progressed Jaden has gotten closer and closer to the front of the race. In October Jaden captured a podium in CapCity's Dublin race with a second place finish. Jaden used his momentum from Lexingtons fourht place finish to capture a Silver medal in the Buckingham Financial John Bryan Ohio State Championships. With his strong racing Jaden has sewn up a solid sixth place in the Category 3 series, one of the largest and most competitive categories with nearly 200 racers participating this year. Jason Mott has also emerged from a long season coaching the Covington Catholics's Mens Soccer team to take home a seventh place finish in Lexington.

Gerry Schulze is Misses Consistency this year proving to be a top five finisher is just about every race she enters. This includes a fifth place in her age group at the legendary Iceman Cometh, a mountain bike race in Michigan known for its difficult conditions. In the OVCX, Gerry is a constant contender in the front end of the Elite Womens race. Although there must be something about Lexington for Gerry — for second straight year she has battled onto the third step of the podium,

Amanda and Jacob Virostko, long time racers with BioWheels, are coming on strong late in the season. Amanda and Jake are jointly racing with Shamrock Cycles, a local frame builder in their new home of Indiana. Jake is crushing the singlespeed category and Amanda had a great November with two second place finishes.

Bridget Sempsrott, Joe Bellante and James Billiter are three racers who are new to the Elite Categories. Bridget and James are in their third year racing and November provided them with some strong results to secure their place in the Elite Women and Men categories. Joe has been having a great year in the Mens Elite Masters with a strong November full of top ten finishes and a silver medal in the Buckingham Financial John Bryan Ohio State Championships.

Phil Noble continues to terrorize the North with a second place in CapCity's Halloween race. Phil also battled for third place in the Elite Masters 35+ at Infirmary Mound with Mitch and Joe finishing just behind. And Mitch continues to carry a strong presence with strong finishes in Louisville and Columbus, all while being highly involved in the OVCX series and races like the Buckingham Financial John Bryan Ohio State Championships.

Thursday, November 4

BioWheels Racing's TJ Turner Promoting Races From a War Zone

Article taken from CX Magazine online- http://www.cxmagazine.com/ultra-long-distance-race-promoting


by Ken Getchell
Ask a bunch of race promoters, and most  agree that, at some point, they wondered whether their race would bomb financially while anxiously waiting for the pre-reg numbers to climb past financial breakeven. When TJ Turner, promoter of the on Thanksgiving weekend, thinks about bombing, the stakes are a little higher. Among other distractions, he recently had his planning for this year’s race interrupted by a rocket attack. TJ Turner is full-time military, and this year he’s promoting his race long-distance – from his current home in Afghanistan.
The race, the 13th race of this year’s Zipp OVCX Tour presented by Papa John’s, continues its tradition of also serving as the Ohio State Championships. Turner has been the promoter of the race since its inception in 2003. And while he is unable to discuss his military role in Afghanistan, other than to say it’s pretty much eliminated any chance of him personally competing on the cyclocross circuit this year, he hasn’t let a war, an eight-hour time difference or 7,000 miles interrupt his race planning. “The race must go on!” he said recently via email. Fortunately, he’s scheduled to return stateside by the end of October and should be able to attend his own race.
So how does an officer in Afghanistan promote a race in Ohio through a publication based in California via a press agent in Philadelphia? “It’s pretty easy, actually,” says Turner about his long-distance operation, “with e-mail and a scanner.” Turner also has teammates in Ohio who can take care of anything that needs to be handled hands-on, in particular Phil Noble, who designed the course, but he’s directing even them from a third of the way around the globe.
In truth, it’s as much a story about the rapid and universal adaptation of internet communication as it is about personal persistence. The internet is so ubiquitous that it’s easy to forget that it didn’t even evolve into the widely-used and commercial entity we know today until roughly the same time that a certain Lance Armstrong discovered he had cancer; and kids who were born in the internet age are still racing as Juniors today. Things we take for granted, like following live coverage of races on www.CXmagazine.com, daily Tour de France updates, finding out what the friend of a friend’s friend had for lunch on Facebook and other commercial use of the internet weren’t even permitted on the network until March, 1993¹.
Of course, the irony is that the technology that military officer Turner is using to organize his bike race was first conceived in 1969 as a method of maintaining military communication in case of a rocket attack or the detonation of nuclear warheads¹. Today, universal online communications have rendered time zones and geography mostly irrelevant. While communicating with Turner, I didn’t even realize at first that he was on another continent. Still, you have to give him credit. TJ Turner clearly isn’t “just another promoter,” and it’s entirely possible that he may be more bad-ass than anybody else in American cyclocross this year.
For more information on Turner’s race, the Buckingham Financial John Bryan Classic and Ohio State Championships, see BikeReg.com or www.OVCX.com.

Saturday, October 23

10-17-10 Racing North and West

On Sunday October 17th the BioWheels Racing team split up with members heading west to Bloomington, Indiana for the sixth stop on the Ohio Valley Cyclocross Series while others headed north for Cap City Cyclocross race number two in Dublin, Ohio.

Phil Noble led the charge for the northern contingent by landing on the top step of the podium in the Cap City A/Elite race. Phil left the start line with the lead group and by mid race had gone of the front by himself. He was able to hold the pace without being challenged again for the victory. Bridget Sempsrott was the lone BioWheels Racing female rider on the day, competing in the women's A/Elite race. After a rough start, falling behind many in the mixed field of elite women and singlespeed riders, she found her rhythm and moved up to finish in 4th place on the day.

Scott Murschel also made the trip north for BWR and doubled up, competing in both the men's Cat 3 35+ race as well as the singlespeed race. Scott finished 7th in the Cat 3 35+ race and 5th in the singlespeed race. Jaden Sempsrott picked up his first podium spot with a 2nd place finish in the Cat 3 open race. Following a start that found him around 15th position he was able to steadily work through riders on each lap and went off the front of the first chase group with a little over two laps to go secure 2nd place.

In Bloomington, Indiana Brian Collier and Tony Franklin had the strongest races of the day pulling off 2nd place in the Cat 3 35+ and Cat 3 45+ races respectively. Nathan Mirus came through the line in 10th place in the 35+ race as well. Meanwhile James Billiter made the jump to the elite race for the day which featured Barry Wicks, a pro racer from the Kona team, and finished 18th for the day. Karen Hamilton had her highest finish of the season with 4th place in the women's Cat 3/4 35+ race.

This weekend the team will be focused on the USGP races at the all new cyclocross park in Louisville, KY. Riders are excited to see the course that will also host the first Cyclocross World Championships to be held on US soil in January of 2013.

 

Tuesday, October 12

Results Page Updated

Results have been posted through the UCI3 weekend.

Check out the results tab on this page.

Snapshots of Cincinnati UCI3 Weekend

It’s like recovering from a traumatic experience, the UCI3 weekend plays back in sound bites and blurry flashes.  I distinctively remember seeing a female racer in tears on top of the bowl at Devou Park on Friday.  A teammate consoled her.  Not sure if she crashed in the ¾ race or just missed the podium.  I still don’t know.  The weekend feels like a charm bracelet of colorful moments like that.  There’s not a huge story that sticks out from the weekend.  Sure Katie Compton swept it again.  The battle between Trebon and JPow was great to watch from day to day with each trying to use their strengths to the other’s demise.  Nothing against the pro’s, they are the reason we came together this past weekend and they were so nice and approachable.  However, personally I had just as much fun running into my friends Pete and Kate and their cute little toddler for the first time.  His blonde hair was patchy and long.  His head was still a little flat from the crib and he wobbled around and giggled at the crazy bike world around him completely adorable.  That's how the weekend plays out for me, one unrelated blurb after another.

Friday Devou Park, Covington:
Completely whooped and wheezing after my race, I considered drinking from the drinking fountain doggie bowl.  Seriously.  I couldn’t drink water fast enough after the 2/3 race and I’m certain I looked disturbing to the handful of folks on the corner.  A Nut buster.  I seriously should dump this 42T chainring for a 39.  Where’s Parbo?  He’s not feeling good.  My teammate Tony took the 3rd step on the podium in the Cat 3 Masters 45+ at his hometown park.  He doesn’t like flex-fit caps, so he gave me the Shimano hat he won.  

“Ya think Katie Compton would be cool if I took a picture while she’s on the rollers?”  I showed her the photo above and she approved.  I distinctively remember sticking my handlebars between the fence and my teammate’s bike going through the holeshot from road to grass not knowing where I’d come out on the other side.  That crying girl.  She didn’t look hurt.  Geoff Kabush’s sideburns are a wonder of nature.  3 laps to go?  This race could end right now and I’d be completely okay with it.  

Passing a Belgian Waffle and downing it with my wife and four others like sips of Whiskey from a flask.  After the Cat 3 race, seven friends shared a few beers in lawn chairs ringing cowbells.  Somebody left a crappy set of wheels by my truck.  That 12 year old Petrov kid just crushed the Cat 4 field.  Inadvertently mooning pro’s across the street.  My pants kept sliding off my waist as I loaded wheels into my truck.  “I’m sorry.  Did you see my man candy?”  Bridget you owe me five bucks. 

Saturday Harbin Set-up:
Maybe they're in the shed.  I was running late to meet for Harbin course set up in the morning and couldn’t find my leather work gloves.  S*** I need gas too.  Where’s that coupon for Brueggers?  I’m soo late, but I feel so much better after that morning recovery ride.  

Ouch!  I sliced my thumb with a multi tool knife cutting caution tape off of last year’s course marking stakes.  Two on these three UCI3 signs, one each on the other four.  I calculated how to hang the ten cowbells along the sandpit fencing at Harbin (see photo, bells hanging on UCI3 signs.)  Clangalangalang.  I tested each one.  I hope no one steals these overnight.  Wow!  Andy Perrino did a great job.  Those flowers, pumpkins and gourds look great on the stage.  

Phil mentioned he had to jump to cut those tree branches to Trebon and Wicks height.  You gotta choke the golf cart...alot.  “Let’s make our goal to finish taping off the course by 2:15 and be pre-riding by 2:30.”  Record time for Harbin set-up.  Brian cut a tire.  Nate slide out.  Suddenly I was leading the group for the test run.  Oh no, what’s this plastic stuff on my brake pads?  Did I wreck my carbon wheels?  Fhew!  It’s just old glue that oozed out, collected and heat-solidified on the edges of my yellow Swiss-stops. 

Sunday BioWheels-United Dairy Farmers/Reece-Campbell Harbin Park Race
“Pump my tires for good luck,” my wife jokingly asked before I left.  I did.  She got a flat on her group ride.  I dropped and tangled my chain with 3 turns to go at Harbin and in 4 seconds 12 guys passed me.  Note to self: not much luck in pumping tires.  

“Does this bike make my ass look fast?”  Jeni wore her funny t-shirt to the race.  Boom-ta-doom-ta.  Boom-ta-doom-ta.  I banged out a weak reggaeton beat on the drum kit next to my buddy Tony, a professional drummer.  He gave me a fist bump of approval me after the jam session during the Women’s ¾ race.  

I want the bat.  My friends Bridget and Kate gave me stick on Halloween tattoos on my neck.  Barry Wicks silently came around me on the warm up.  I bagged it to stay on his wheel.  He was gone after the barriers.  I remember feeling like I was in a video game, nearly missing carnage everywhere on the first lap or two of the Cat 2/3 race.  Cat like reflexes.  

Mary Beth brought refreshements to the drum stand, but hilariously kept knocking the bottles over.  Nate threw his bike.  After taking the lead in the Men’s Cat 3 35+, something happened to cause his bars to twist.  His bike unrideable, he was done.  A sweet two wheel slide.  With a half lap to go, I let it all hang out on the section where I had Barry’s wheel.  I stayed upright.  Dudes just falling down to the grass at the finish line.  They weren’t being drama-queens, they were honestly completely wasted.  

A friend told me he overheard Trebon (pictured at Devou) poke fun at Mark Legg by saying “Go Mister Compton!”  In a friendly way, Legg fired back, “FU Jeremy Powers.”  Chris Nevitt, Gerri Schulze, Jake Virosko and Jason Karew are looking good.  We were all impressed with the showing of local talent in the pro races.  The Double Hurdler burger with onions, mayo and mustard.  The line was huge.  I bet they raised enough money at the food booth to buy the trail cutting machine for Devou Park mountain bike trails.  Geoff Kabush relaxed in the tent next to me as neutral support tightened the hub on my rear wheel.  There were some nice Vittoria knobbed tubies on his bike with a gummy sidewall, very similar to Challenge Griffos, but probably a few bucks less expensive.  A Cat 4 racer cussed right in front of the anncouncer stand and got called out on it!

I mimed “I like your hair” to Suzanne from the drumstand.  She understood and gave her bobby hair a girlish poof.  Good to see and chat with friends I haven’t seen in a long-long time like Suzanne and Bob.  Really good.  That’s the real big story of the weekend.

Wednesday, September 29

BioWheels Racing Heads South for OVCX #2


“The Tour de Louisville is uniquely Kentucky,” says Race Director Steven Webster of the second round of the Zipp OVCX Cyclocross Tour presented by Papa John’s on October 3. “Kentucky’s a pretty place and it doesn’t take a bad picture. But the state is more hills and hollers than anything else, and our course at Fisherman’s Park reflects that. It’s a stoopid, sick, off-camber course that isn’t flat anywhere. It’s completely different than anything else on the Zipp Tour.”
The course at Fisherman’s Park park has been called “off-camber madness” and “high-speed technical”. OVCX Director Mitch Graham called it “that bitchin’ course”. It also features a lot of climbing, making it one of the hardest courses in the Midwest and a favorite of the elite racers. “It all comes down to how hard you can go for how long,” says Webster.
Mitigating the extreme effort of the race somewhat is the beauty of the venue: Louisville’s gorgeous Fisherman’s Park. The park is built around no fewer than eight stocked public fishing lakes (license required) in the naturally hilly area of eastern Jefferson County. “We don’t need to do much course preparation for this race,” says Webster. “We just leverage the existing natural terrain, and that gives us the opportunity to have numerous fall-away sweepers bordered by the lakes.” Then, with a smile, he adds, “If the weather is warm enough, we’ll probably run one of the off-camber descents close to the edge of the lake, so if you screw up you get wet. It should be a popular place for people to watch the races.”
More details about the Tour de Louisville can be found at BikeReg.com. For additional information about the Zipp OVCX Cyclocross Tour presented by Papa John’s, see www.OVCX.com.

Monday, September 20

Gerry Schultze Scores at OVCX #1

First Points Race of 2010 Zipp OVCX Tour presented by Papa John’s
September 19, 2010; Deerfield Township, OH, USA: After the first of fifteen races on this year’s Zipp OVCX Cyclocross Tour presented by Papa John’s, one thing seems certain: the unofficial battle for “Rookie of the Year” is going to be one for the record books. Just as they did the day before at the Kings CX preseason race, two riders who upgraded from last year’s Cat. 3 race dominated the Elite Men’s race at Sunday’s Kings CX Zipp OVCX points opener at Kingswood Park in Deerfield Township, Ohio.
32 competitors lined-up for the start of the Elite Men’s race, only to see DRT Racing’s Josh Johnson and BikeReg.com’s Erik Hamilton ride them off their wheels on a course that was hard, fast and dusty due to the lack of late summer rain this year. Johnson took first ahead of Hamilton in a straightforward race. Rob Kendall (Bob’s Red Mill) chased hard to nail down a podium finish for the second straight day and establish himself as a contenders for the season championship.
The Elite Women had a couple of new interlopers mixed in with the top riders from last year. Team Alderfer Bergen’s Niki Dallaire, coming off of a major injury caused by a collision with a car, rode away from the field after a couple laps. Bridget Donovan (Trek Store Cincinnati/Seven Cycles) took the sprint for second as she, DRT Consulting’s defending series champion Nichole Borem, Gerry Schultze (BioWheels/Reece-Campbell Racing), Team Wood ‘n Wave’s Kiersta Tucker, and Amanda Virotsko (ne: McKay) of Shamrock Cycles/Biowheels Racing all finished together in a pack.
The Zipp OVCX Tour presented by Papa John’s takes a bye week before travelling to Fisherman’s Park in Louisville for the annual Tour de Louisville. For more information, see www.OVCX.com and BikeReg.com.
Related Files:

Thursday, September 16

OVCX Kick Off Weekend


The BioWheels Racing team kicks off the 2010 Ohio Valley Cyclocross season this weekend at the Kings CX weekend in Mason, Ohio.  The weekend starts with a full schedule off non-series races on Saturday as a tune up and on Sunday the racers take to the course again for the first series race of the year. BioWheels Racing looks to send more than seventeen men and women to the start line to compete in categories ranging from beginner women to the men's masters 1/2/3 race throughout the weekend.

Be sure to check early next week for a recap of the weekend's racing.

Sunday, September 12

DINO 6 Hour Race at Versailles


BioWheels Racing made it's presence known with two podium spots at the D.IN.O. 6 Hour Solo Race at Versailles State Park in Indiana. Charlie Miller landed a second place on the day for BWR, while Nathan Mirus came in third for the final podium spot. James Billiter finished with a strong showing in fourth place.

Thursday, September 9

BWR's Brian Collier claims top spot in Kingswood CX Time Trial







BioWheels Racing's Brian Collier finishes atop the final standings for the advanced men in the Queen City Wheels Kingswood Cyclocross Time Trail Series. Fellow BioWheels racer James Billiter claimed the final overall podium spot in the advanced men with a third place in the series


On the women's side BWR's Gerry Schulze took the top spot in the advanced women's category.

Congrats to all of the BWR team members who participated in the Kingswood Time Trial Series series as they get ready to tackle the Ohio Valley Cyclocross Series which kicks off in Mason Ohio on September 19th.

Final standings are here Kingswood CXTT Final

Wednesday, September 1

2010 OVCX Preview


April 26, 2010; Conshohocken, PA, USA: The Zipp OVCX Cyclocross Tour has released a 2010 race schedule that is long on tradition, but with a heightened sense of significance. “I think this schedule will establish the Ohio Valley as a bonafide, red-hotbed of ‘cross,” said Zipp OVCX Director Mitch Graham. “There are only eight UCI C1 races in the U.S. this year, and the Zipp OVCX has 25% of them. We also have three races at the 2013 World Championship (and 2012-2013 Master’s World Championship) venue at Louisville’s Eva Bandman Park and the big three-day Cincinnati UCI3 Festival in October. And it’s looking increasingly likely that another of the municipal parks that we use as one of our venues may also be constructing a permanent cyclocross facility.”
Zipp OVCX’s 2010 schedule will look familiar to long-time followers of the Midwest ‘cross scene. Nearly all of the traditional races have returned, and only one new race, in Indianapolis at the end of the year, has been added to the program. The fifteen-race series encompasses three states, which together represent roughly the same land area as all of Italy. There will be two international weekends comprising five UCI races, two of which will be UCI C1. Altogether, there will be three races in Indiana, and six each in Ohio and Kentucky.
The Tour will start September 19 at the Kings CX weekend in Cincinnati, which last year broke all attendance records for a non-UCI OVCX race. From there, the tour meanders through the region with only one weekend off until the final doubleheader weekend in Indianapolis, Indiana in December. On-line registration for all races on the 2010 Zipp OVCX Tour this year will be through BikeReg.com. For more information on the Zipp OVCX Tour, see www.OVCX.com.
2010 OVCX Schedule:
September 19 Kings CX; Cincinnati, Ohio
October 3 Tour de Louisville; Louisville, Kentucky
October 8 Cincinnati UCI3 - Devou Park UCI C2; Covington, Kentucky
October 9 Cincinnati UCI3 - Middletown UCI C2; Cincinnati, Ohio
October 10 Cincinnati UCI3 - Harbin Park UCI C1; Cincinnati, Ohio
October 17 Bloomingcross; Bloomington, Indiana
October 23 Derby City Cup USGP - UCI C1; Louisville, Kentucky
October 24 Derby City Cup USGP - UCI C2; Louisville, Kentucky
October 31 Eva Bandman STG; Louisville, Kentucky
November 7 Gun Club Cross; Cincinnati, Ohio
November 14 Infirmary Mound; Columbus, Ohio
November 21 Promotion Cross; Lexington, Kentucky
November 28 Buckingham Financial John Bryan OH Champs; Yellow Springs, Ohio
December 4 Ft Harrison; Indianapolis, Indiana
December 5 OVCX Finale - Brookside Cross Cup; Indianapolis, Indiana

Mohican MTB 100 Revelations

MAKING KAJILLIONS
I am going to make kajillions patenting a design for Mud-shield sport glasses and then sell my brilliant idea to Giro and Oakley.  Those in the know at muddy races keep their glasses low on the nose to block the front wheel spray, while being able to see over the top.  Plus it makes you look as cool as Tom Cruise in Risky Business (see photo).  “Just take those old records off the shelf ladies!”  Unless you’re a mouth breather, the problem is, on the end of your nose, your glasses are constantly in a state of cutting off part of your oxygen supply.  I could make kajillions off a set of cycling shields with angled lenses solely to keep mud from getting in your eyes.  It’d be perfect in conjunction with a helmet visor.  Either that or I might try a fencing mask or peel away lens motocross goggles next year.

A BODY BAG IS NO EXCUSE TO DNF
There are three ways to DNF in a race: mental, physical and mechanical.  No matter how hard you rationalize it, when you hang-it-up all three feel like a bad excuse you gave your parents for missing curfew.  Even if they left your bike at the bottom of the ravine and carried you out of the woods in a zippered black bag and tossed you in the back of a big black Cadillac station wagon, you’d still wonder if you could come back as a ghost and finish the race.  With 2 days of torrential rain, hail, flood warnings and tornados prior to and during the 2010 NUE Series Mohican MTB 100, 30% of the riders I was staying with either DNF’d or DNS’d.  DFL (dead freaking last) is better than both of them.  Exhaust all possibilities before telling the official you’re a DNF.  You’ll never know if in the pouring rain while standing in ankle deep mud as the fat guys pass on full-suspension Diamond Back’s you could’ve pulled off the MacGruber and fixed the 7-8 inches of twisted chain on your bike with slippery fingers, those two chain pins and the 3 inch length of chain in your bag.  Otherwise you’ll go home and try to make the fix to see if it was even possible.  Then you’ll think of another way you could’ve saved the day, such as waiting for someone about your size to ride by, pushing them into the ravine and stealing their bike.  Save yourself some misery.  If you DNF’d, just let it go.  Like not getting to the top of Everest, we all have our limits.  You just found your personal death zone.

TOOL #1: CASSETTE BRUSH
If it’s muddy, carry a cassette brush.  Two of us in the cabin this weekend had the same revelation.  I think they’re called the Park Tools GCCB-UT (Park Tools Gear Cassette Cog Brush Unclogger Thingy.)  Lightweight and small it could instantly fix chain suck caused by mud and debris.  I pulled an eight inch vine, grass, roots, pebbles, sand and a 2 inch stick out of my chainrings when I got back to the cabin.  No wonder with every other pedal stroke my chain was getting stuck worse than Oprah in an innertube.  That, a bottle of water and a tiny bottle of lube would’ve saved me from race ending chain bending chain suck.  30 seconds at the side of the trail cleaning is a lot faster than fixing broken chain or limping your way home with a twisted chain.  Plus, you could brush your teeth mid-ride and ham it up for the course photog like this guy.


A BIKE RACE IS NOT A MEASURING STICK OF SELF WORTH (but it sure the hell feels that way)
Never sign up for a race and back out because conditions look bad.  No matter how bad the course or weather looks, it’s a bike race, not walking into a burning building wearing a Vasoline skinsuit.  A friend bailed the morning of the race, eating the $100+ entry fee and a ton of self fed crow.  At the cabin, he could barely look his pristinely clean Sram XX equipped bike in the eye.  As he sat on the couch, a guy in his late 30’s watching a Saturday morning episode of iCarley; his bike sat in the corner and called him a douche all day.  He turned up the volume on the TV to drown out the voice in his head.  He had to resort to kicking all our asses in post-race putt-putt golf to temporarily feed his competitive spirit.  He probably went out for a 100 mile ride when we got back and is still sulking at this moment.  He will continue to beat himself up until the next big race.  Believe it or not, sitting in a warm dry cable TV equipped cozy log cabin is worse than racing the in worst imaginable conditions.  Better to endure the suck and DNF trying.  Later he would ask me, never let a friend back out on a race.  Call them names like wuss-face and pansy pants.  Tell them you just saw a one-legged cancer patient ride by on their way to the start with an IV chemo-bag as a Camelback.  Throw their team kit at them and tell ‘em to suit up.  Strap their helmet on their head.  Fill up and put water bottles on their bike.  If all else fails, take their bike to the start line and tell them, “Dude, if you want your bike, it’ll be on the starting line.”  They will thank you for it.

MY NEW PACKING LIST IN ORDER OF IMPORTANCE: (copy and paste for personal use)
Coffee
The really good coffee.
Seriously, because you know all they sell in Boondockville, OH is a 9 pound red metal can filled with dirt and hair from the local barbershop floor masquerading as real coffee.
Bike, Helmet, Shoes, Etc.