My Life with the Number 3

A racer up the insanely steep g"run"t-up. Photo Credit H.

The first ever SouthernX race was held this past Saturday. JNLR "the roadie", H., the pups, and I loaded up the recently released from the diesel service center truckster and headed down to Georgia Friday evening. All was going according to plan until we hit the gravel. See the road to Mulberry Gap turns to gravel a few miles outside of Eton. Expecting damp, but solid gravel roads we were instead met with very damp, very wet, and very squishy gravel/mud roads. The truckster is not what I'd call a nimble mudder. It's 2-wheel drive (rear) with a very heavy engine in the front. Luckily we had my heavy rhino lite wheels and 900lbs of beer in the bed to help out with traction weight. We slimed and slid our way around the mountain roads, giving it hell for leather the entire way. Luckily the Roadie's Zipp 404's weren't crushed by a maverick gross ton keg bouncing around in the back from the jarring of the road. No, the next morning's mud, grit, grime, and mud would take proper care of those Zippity doo-dahs of his.

We roared into the quiet, sleepy little camp to find only a few stragglers up. Guess all the racers were trying to get a good nights sleep before the race. This is supposed to be a cross race right? So, we hauled the beer up to the barn, set up our tent (it took the Roadie all of 5 seconds to scavenge a bed inside a cabin), then tried in vain to get some sleep. Around 2 am it started to rain, and continued to rain until just before 10am, which was the start time and very apropos as if it's not wet, muddy, and destroying bike components then it's not really a cross race.

After a delicious home cooked breakfast by Ginni and friends at Mulberry Gap, I suited up in my super suit and made my way to the pre-race meeting. As you can see in the following photo, my bike has a black fork, I have on black Swiftwick 12" socks (one white topped the other all black), black knee warmers, and a black EWR Swiftwick jersey at the start of the race.

photo from Namrita's Facebook album.

The course was fantastic, although a bit too much peanut buttery goodness for some, judging by the many folks pushing the death march up the 12 mile grimy, sloppy climb. I had 2 main objectives for the day :

1. finish the race
2. don't walk any of the 12 mile climb

I can happily report that I successfully (no failure here) achieved both of my objectives, though #2 was a test of mental fortitude. I didn't put a foot down off of the Mulberry Gap property. For me that was a huge accomplishment. The 12 mile climb seemed to finally end at a downhill only to kick back up for another few miles. That's where I just started to think - as the peanut buttery goo sapped forward momentum and strength as it kicked up even steeper and disappeared into the fog - 'ok, this is getting to be rediculous'. Moments later I crested the top and the real downhill began. 7 or so miles of choppy, sloppy, twisty downhill goop, then back to Shakerag road, over to Mulberry Gap/CCC road, then finish up with the 1.5 ish mile cross course lap and it would all be over.

Knowing there were several riders behind me with suspension, 29'er fat tires, and gears I let it all hang out on the gnarly descent and kept on the gas all the way to the insanely steep "run-up" (grunt-up really). Crawled my way up, up, up, and up it, then sped around the course encircling Mulberry Gap.

photo from Namrita's Facebook album. Photo Credit Namrita

At the end of the race, apparently my fork got painted to match the ti frame and someone switched out my black Swiftwicks for new ti gray ones.

photo from Namrita's Facebook album. Photo Credit Namrita

I finished 3rd SS @ 3 hours 26 minutes. Will Black (fellow (and actual) Moots/Swiftwick racer) took 3rd overall and 1st place singlespeed. Though he was lucky enough to be testing out Moots' new companion component to their tried and true YBB (Y Be Beat?) suspension, the YBP (Y Bother Pedalling?). He pretty much just sat on the bike and it led him to victory. What will Moots dream up next?

photo from Namrita's Facebook album. Carey Lowery photographer

Eddie and Namrita put on one hell of a race. The racers and spectators were a little too solemn for my tastes, though I'm sure mostly due to the huge efforts put forth racing. Normally with cross and beer you get some rowdy heckling spectators, some healthy bantering among fellow combatants, and shenanigans. The only shenanigans seemed to be people slinking off with the growlers. Despite the quiet crowd, SouthernX was everything it promised to be, challenging, fun, and cross. Definitely a highlight race of the year and one I'm already desperately hoping to get back into next year. Congratulations to all who completed, competed, and showed up. Thanks to H for volunteering, helping out, and supporting me. JLNR "the Roadie" for going down to play in the mud and keeping me entertained on the drive down and back. Thanks to Dish and Po for being good pups and not getting eaten by Smelly Bear or bitten by the rabid raccoon. Thanks to Eddie and Namrita and to all of our friends at Mulberry Gap - the mountain bike getaway.

Extra extra super-duper cuddly wuddly thanks to Cody and Matt (part of the Addictive Cycles Mafia) for the laughs, the muddin' adventure, and for the rally race to mexican food in Ellijay. For those looking for a new ride and uncertain what to get, treat yourself to a trip to Addictive Cycles and steal Cody's bike for a test ride. (Warning: this comment may come at a great shock to a few of you readers. Please make sure you're sitting down). I rode a 29'er that handled like a 26'er, I felt immediately at home on, and that didn't have any of the compromises most 29'ers have that turn me off. Yes, THE bike that could turn me to big wheels does exist and Cody has it (painted bad-ass black of course). Go see him and test ride it.