Garden Green

Our garden is growing like crazy from all the rain. This is really cool, since it makes me looks like a master gardener, when I haven't really done anything at all!

There are too many green beans for me to pick each evening and the bushes are full of cucumbers, butternut squash and tomatoes.

The chickens are sticking their heads through the fence of the garden and sneaking off with some of the green beans, but that is okay, as we have enough to share.

The ducks have grown so much and are helping to keep the huge bug population under control for us.

State RR and SSUSA

Saturday was the GA State Road Race Championships and Sunday we got to play at the SSUSA and Georgia Single Speed Championships.

The boys decided to race the state RR to see where their fitness levels are. They have taken the year off from racing, but still want to make sure they are not moving backwards, so they can hit their training this winter in pretty good shape.

The boys took off to spin a bit with Lamar and the girls. They practiced their race technic by knocking Rose over in slow motion.

Everett made it back from his warm-up in the 'nick of time'. He actually got in a nice little sprint at the end of his warm-up........ :>)

He rode strong and was happy to stay in a group during the 40+ miles. He sprinted well across the finish and was immediately ready for a hamburger!

This picture shows you what Jansen was up against. He got to chase down most of guys on this team as they each worked to create a break-away.

He was thoroughly worked over by the end of the race, but held on for the podium. It was awesome to see so many juniors out on the course.







Sunday was a completely awesome day. This race was an excellent example of how much fun xc races can be. I could not believe the talent that showed up to race in Athens. Will Black, Fuzzy, Chip, Rebecca, Dejay, Shanna, Rob, Bruce and so many more. It was amazing.

Our good friends were there to share the day with us. Adam even brought his dad out and it was cool to see him outside of cyclocross season.

The grass-roots vendors were really cool and these guys were the most humble super athletes you will ever meet. Loved these wool wristbands that Bruce at Pisgah Works had for sale.

Shey got a cog from Shanna and he is hiding it from the rest of us, or I would have a picture of it up here. She makes them in Asheville. http://www.endlessbikes.com/ is the link. Very cool.

The course was crazy hard. Who knew? And four laps was pure hell, but fun at the same time. Lots of roots and cool single track. Luckily Jansen was wearing his lucky striped socks to race in, as he was worn out from the road race the day before.

Some of the guys at the SS race stole their girlfriends lingerie to wear during the race.....

Eric is about to take out Dejay on the pixie bikes. Hodge had his own set of rules, as usual.

Sven, in the one size too small skinsuit, showed up to race again this year.

(ALL OF THESE PICTURES ARE FROM MARK D. AND J. MILLIRON AT THE 2009 SSUSA EVENTS)

Rebecca trudged through the mud at DSG and then brought her troop our way to race in GA. Always smiling and a very cool lady.

Check out the cool slide at the time trial.






Hodge set his chain of fire.....

in true crazy, Hodge style!

Shey lapped me and was looking most excellent, so I knew he was feeling good.



FM Eric shows us just how hard it is for him to get dressed in the morning....




Everett was there to feed me and hand off anything I needed on each lap. HUGE THANKS FOR THE SUPPORT, MAN.

The stack of stuff that we came home with, just for being out there, was awesome. Pint glasses, cool "single and fixed shirts", hammer gel, lube.....

It was another great weekend, all around. We couldn't ask for better.

Dirt Sweat and Gears Mudfest

First let me say that the promotion of this race was awesome. Great vendors, great variety of food, promoters took time to make sure the racers were cared for, bonfire, lots to drink (water, vitamin water....beer), tons of swag to give away and great payout/prizes. The weather just did not cooperate.

Shey and Jafer signed up as a duo pro/open team for the 12 hour race as Terrapin 2.

We packed up and headed out on Friday evening for the 4 hour drive. Jafer definitely broke the "1 bag rule" (he hung his head in shame), but it was pretty cool that riding gear, camping gear, food and 7 bikes all fit in/on the explorer, without the Thule.

We stopped to eat at Waffle House. This was my first Waffle House experience so I had to get a pic. Soooo exciting.


I think we got there at about 10pm or so. We set up camp next to Jeremy, and Mike brought the Terrapin trailer in shortly after we climbed into our tents.

I was up early the next morning and ran to town for more water, since the trails looked muddy. E and J took a lap and got in their workout before the race started. Whole wheat pancakes and eggs for breakfast, then it was time for the start.

Shey was up first with the lemans start. It started to rain right before the gun went off. It rained HARD. Then the rain stopped and the mud turned to sticky peanut butter.

The bikes got so heavy and the wheels stopped turning. The racers were sliding down the decents, not riding.

Here's a mid race interview with Brandon:

http://www.cyclingdirt.org/videos/coverage/view_video/234968-2009-dirt-sweat-gears/177259-brandon-draugelis-2nd-place-overall-on-lap-3-mid-race-interview

I didn't get any muddy pictures of Shey, as we spent most of the time, just trying to figure out what to do with the deteriorating situation.

Jafer did not want to go back out again, but changed at the last minute and headed back up to the staging area. (there he analyzed how much $ in damage would occur to his bike on this lap!)

I think the "grape Koolaid" made him feel like he could take on the mud.

The first lap times were okay. Just over an hour. The second lap times were an quite a bit longer and in the end it was taking the racers 2.5 to 3 hours to RUN a lap through the sticky mud. And that was the PRO FIELD!

Instead of 12+ laps, it looked like there would be only four. CRAZY!


Jeremy looks much happier than Shey as they wait to run their second laps.

Danielle Musto has a great write-up about the slip-n-slide, er.....race.

http://daniellemusto.blogspot.com/

Bruce interviewing Jafer after his second lap. He blasted through his second lap with an agenda.

The guys were a bit disappointed that they were not able to race on their bikes, but they hung in there and finished, after many others had pulled out.

Jeremiah Bishop is telling Jafer how good it feels to take a nice hot shower....J.B. took first in the male solo, with Harlan in second and Andy Applegate in third. (cycling news got pics of these two guys together)

http://www.cyclingdirt.org/videos/coverage/view_video/234968-2009-dirt-sweat-gears/177729-jeremiah-bishop-pro-solo-winner-post-race-interview

It was great to see so many friends in one place.

So, since the guys didn't get much riding in on Saturday, we hit the Raccoon Mt. trails on the way home.

Sooooo, much fun!

The scenery was excellent!

Smooth and super fast single track.

Shey getting ready for a mudless ride.

After a fun ride, we grabbed some burgers then headed back home. Good times and hope to see the real trail next year.

The ME Trip

The boys decided to stay home and go with Shey to his race, instead of camp and ride in the mountains.

That left me with a great opportunity to take a day to myself. That is a rare thing...

So, I got a break from this guy

and this guy

and this guy!

I headed up to Ellijay on Saturday afternoon, after making a few fun stops along the way.

Normally, I hate to spend time on FS roads, as Aimee will be happy to tell you, since she had to spend a good portion of a ride trying to keep me sane during the Firewater 50!

But the sky had dumped an enormous amount of rain on the Ellijay zip code and FS roads seemed the best option for a climbing work-out.

The creeks were full (great for rinsing off the mud as I rode through) and the waterfalls were amazing.


Sometimes it's a great thing to have a husband with a "type A" personality. Hence the highlighted map, sealed in plastic.

It drizzled/rained on and off and there was a very cool mist on the road. This is awesome when you don't want to look up and see how much more climbing you have to do.

Once, I reached the top, the area was clear of mist and you could look down to see the clouds/fog in the valley.

The ride was so mountain bikey! Only three cars and no one on the trail, but me. Peaceful and fun.

Two markers: I was sliding down a trail and accidentally slid right under a branch that was hanging low...it was very cool, like those motocycle movies where they slide sideways under a big truck! I also am pretty sure I saw a mother bear and her cub. I say pretty sure, because I was out of there like a flash when I heard them and saw them moving up the other side of the creek.

Bees are the new cool thing and I saw them in several yards.

Muddy and happy, I headed back to Mulberry Gap for a fabulous meal.

Ginni and Diane served me a meal fit for a superstar! Yes, that is one monstorous yeast roll. You would not believe how delicious a yeast roll can be after 3 1/2 hours of sliding around in the mud.

Mulberry Gap is the most peaceful and serene place to be on the weekend. The two ladies who run the place are very cool and we stayed up late, as we solved many of the world's problem. (Obama will be emailing us shortly, I'm sure)

The offered me a very cozy cabin and I slept like a log, as it poured rain most of the night.

MG decore.

I love this sign.

I really wanted to stay in that lovely cabin and sleep in late, but instead I got up and drove up to the Kenda Cup race at the Ocoee Whitewater Center. Dave and Terry put on a great race and it's so cool that we have some local races in the XC national circuit this year.

Here Andy shows the crowd his latests Yoga move.

Wes explains just how "low he can go". Seth and Jesus are mesmerized.

Loretta before she played in the mud....

and after...

The big boys line up.
I love this shot of Anet on the line between two teenagers. Very cool.I left right after Loretta came across the line and it was raining pretty hard. I drove until I saw lighter clouds and jumped on the road bike for a spin.

I stopped at all the neat places that I always want to check-out, but never get to because we are on the way to or from a race.

This farm was neat.

This was their produce stand that was build with reclaimed wood from buildings on their property.
I missed my guys and I am one lucky girl!