Rich told me some famous guy said "winning isn't everything", to which I pointed out some Canandianian guy said "second is not winning." Despite my regretful tone, our 2nd place finish is probably one of my proudest cycling achievements. We done good (as they say). Below are some snippets of memories from the event. Thanks to Eric for putting on such an amazing event.
Up the first climb Dicky had the first of his 3 route decision changes. He was on my wheel after a quick map check up Black Mountain in the traffic train and he said he was changing plans and to just "cross streams" when he said. Thinking about the many creek crossings on tap for the day, I said something like "just tell me when to turn." As he pointed out the ghostbusters reference, I had just realized it and made the appropriate "you said never to cross the streams" retort. Damn my first fumble. Luckily I was able to kick his tail in the Snatch quotes during the burritos and beer post race. "Course I 'ave."
The first route change I was expecting, knowing how Dicky's brain kinda acts like a hamster in a wheel, spinning spinning spinning constantly. Add in some options and it's like adding a wheel next to the one the hamster is running in and the hamster runs in one, hops to the other changing directions, then back to the other, and so on. You get the picture. So, knowing his propensity for indecision, I must give him huge props for his excellent navigation and route planning. I have to admit after the third decision change, all up the first climb mind you, I was mentally preparing for a very long day. Instead, we wasted nothing. Every trail and turn was precise. Every foot step and pedal crank propelled us towards a checkpoint or home. After getting passed by the "leaders" (the ones we were gunning for) as we arrived at the first checkpoint and watching them roll out of #2 as we rolled in, we got to watch them pedalling up to CP#3 as we were careering down on our way to #4. Rich's route had put us in the running. I expected much more map checking, self doubting, doubling back, is this the turn?, and where the hell are we's. There were to be none. Excellent job on the route Rich.
I remember thinking while pushing up the hike a bike sections "for a little dude, dicky sure walks fast"
Gear packing, despite it's heft, was actually light for me and luckily I didn't need any of the spare parts I hauled around the woods. I finished with about 3 sips left of water in my wingnut bladder and about an 1/8 of liquid goodness in my 2 water bottles. Perfect.
I realized I had been suffering from a wardrobe malfunction a little too late. While seated climbing, my right leg would start to kinda ache, not like a cramp onset, more like lack of blood flow. I realized up one of the last few grunty climbs that my camera on the belt strap of the wingnut was cutting into my hip flexor. I yelled to Dicky that I had to stop for a quick second and pulled it off. Immediate relief and my legs felt much better spinning, I wish I'd have realized it sooner.
About the bike: (The not an ad ad. Just a bike geek geeking out over his bike)
I hate those blogs where people get hooked up with a frame manufacturer and they rave about how great the bike is, blah blah blah. You got a free frame, of course you're going to say that. Well, first off my frame wasn't free. Second off, I paid the extra cost upgrade for sliders. I've got a lot invested in this frame. Then there's the theory of those who spend a lot of cash on a bike frame don't want to admit issues about the frame for whatever reason. Well, coming from a Trek 4900, to a Litespeed Ocoee, to a Surly 1x1 - the Ocoee was the best riding frame I had. It was a bit squirrelly on descents. It had some flex in the rear when climbing, but it still felt like a rocket. Though I never felt solid on faster descents with it, I loved how it climbed and the occasional pop of the chain on a chainring tooth from the flex was worth it to me. It soon became my gravel grinding, daily commuter, and cross bike; the stiffer singlespeed specific and disc brake enabled Surly became my go to mtb.
Well, after 70+ miles in Pisgah that I'd never ridden before, I really got to run the Rigormootis through it's paces and get to know it. I've never felt so perfectly dialed in on descents. A little lean and the bike just bites in and goes. No feeling of washout, just grip (Note: same fork, tires, wheels, saddle/seatpost, and bars/stem from the Ocoee and 1x1). It climbs without flexing and rode smoother than I did all day. I'm far from a TeamDicky balls out 'brakes? what are brakes?' descender, but I felt solid coming down all the trails at PMBAR. The front end tracks like a bloodhound. No noodlelyness. If it weren't for my 25lbs pack killing my back by bouncing around like a carnival's game of strength and fearing the added weight would lead to a pinch flat, I'd have gone much faster. Pilot Rock, Mullinax, and Squirrel were my favorites of the day. Especially the bars at the end of Squirrel and the rocky goodness of Pilot. I can't wait to ride them pack free, which if it hadn't been pissing down with rain Sunday, I would have.
My expectation/hope was for a ti bike that would ride like my Ocoee but have singlespeed drops and disc brake tabs. The Moots capably met that expectation then proceded to blow me away with it's own personality. I'm extremely happy with it. The new thumbscrews didn't rattle loose and I'm really getting used to the sliders. They do have their own set of downs, but overall they are easier to deal with than my old horizontal track end favs.
Most of my friends know how long it took me to get the Rigor dialed in and the trouble I was having carving turns with it out at our local trails. That was pre-realization that the fork I had was too short and had steepened the head tube angle 30mm (about 1.5 degrees). The Ventana King base plate and a smaller rear tire helped settle out the issue perfectly. It felt great pointed down in Pisgah. Well, thanks to our 2nd place finish and Eric's incredible Schwag, I am the proud winner of a White Bros Rock Solid Rigid Carbon fork. Allowing my bike to now more closely resemble the one in the Moots Rigormootis product shot (well except for the curved tube, but curves are for pervs anyway*).
Placing 2nd in an incredibly challenging event my first time ever on those trails, no mechanicals, flats, or crashes, and winding up with the exact fork I needed but I couldn't afford. For a weekend that ended shittily, it sure started off as amazing. Ka-chow!
PMBAR '10 - not to be missed.
*curves are for pervs: Not really, just a 'steel is real' play intended for those who followed the ti builder thread on mtbr recently.
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