Helmet Camera Take One!

This past week I got myself hooked up with a Contour HD helmet cam. I've been playing around with it on my rides. Haven't quite gotten it dialed in yet. The resolution was set a little low (that may have also had something to do with how I "edited" and posted the video), and it was a little tilted. I was called a dork at the race for wearing it, but that wasn't the first time... and it won't be the last.

So enjoy a little video I put together from today's race!

A history nerd goes on a bike ride-photo dump

The past few days have been unusually fall-like here in Columbia! I figured I'd take advantage of it and head out for a nice bike ride (on Sunday... jeez it took me like 14 years to finish this post). Started out at the Broad River side of the River Front Park, shot up through campus, across the river to Cayce, and back through downtown. 90k later (!) I did lots of exploring, and a ton of pictures!

Started out at one of my favorite spots on campus- Cool Beans! Lemon poppy seed muffin and machiato, plus some chocolate covered espresso beans for the back pocket!

I took advantage of the early hour, plus post-football game hangovers, to ride through the Horseshoe without running over or into anyone. I love riding on the Horseshoe, but when I'm walking to class with 2000 other kids, I hate every single person who nearly kills me on their bikes between classes.

It was also quiet on the Cayce side of the Riverwalk. Cool temperatures and tree covered river paths. It was a good morning!

Always one of my favorite signs! My old ghost hunting friends may recognize this!

Welcome to Old State Road! Former Indian trail, turned trade route between Charleston and the upstate. Sherman marched this road on his way to capturing Columbia. Lot's of history out here. There are other portions of the road heading south that are actually paved and usable. Our section, sandy, rocky and... haunted?

It's a nice, but bumpy, jaunt through the swamp. As teenagers, we drove down here in the middle of the night looking for ghosts. Legends on the road feature stars such as the KKK, Peewee Gaskins, Red Eye, and my personal favorite, the ghost of a murdered girl walking down the road. If you stop before the church on the curve, you can see the shadowy silhouette of the girl walking and as you get closer she disappears. Some people may also call this apparition a tree branch.


The unfortunate reality of this road is that it freaks me the fuck out. I'm fascinated by ghost stories, but let's face it: they're not real! However, I'm a 145lb dude wearing spandex riding down a dirt road in the swamp. There are lots of things out there with bullet holes in them, and I've been chased off the road in a car... can't imagine what happens if someone decides to give me shit on my bike. It was never the ghosts that scared me... it was the hobos and the crazy people in the woods.

I enjoy riding out there, but it might take a few rides before I can do it on my own. There's too many opportunities for riding out here with the side roads and trails, plus extra riding back in Lexington. I don't want to pass it up!

Does this happen everywhere or is it just a South Carolina thing?

I love our historical markers. I'm a bit of a history nerd... duh. So it's great to be somewhere and get a history lesson on that exact spot. It works better than reading it in a book.

I decided from here that I was going to reenact Sherman's march toward Columbia. Except instead of artillery, I was on my bike. And instead of foraging, I was eating gels.

Song stuck in head intermission: "See, I'm just a factory worker's son from a railroad town.
And yeah, I can feel the steel mills rust." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZePV9kswemE

So, back in the day we would just take State St. in West Columbia to Old State Rd. You can't do that anymore since they closed the railroad crossing in Cayce. So leaving Old State I decided I didn't want to go back to the Riverwalk, and took off straight for West Columbia. I rolled slowly to the railroad crossing to make sure I wasn't going to get plowed and ran the track cyclo-cross style. I took off through Cayce expecting to get chased down by some CSX official.

Luckily, I made it through Cayce and West Columbia unscathed and rolled toward the Gervais St. bridge toward Columbia. In person it looks like we have a decent skyline.

After this I ducked back onto the Riverwalk... hooray.

Even though the weather has been great, cooler temperatures make the "view" on campus and at the Riverwalk a little less appealing, well except for this shot of the river.

I left the Riverwalk and popped out in Lexington, and set up camp to begin my final assault on Columbia.

Ventured over to Owens Field for the first time in ages. I was looking for the B-25 that they used to have out next to the road, but apparently they cooped it up in this ratty hangar. Shame.

Holy crap!!!! Sweet trails at Owens Field!!! I never knew these existed! In between shredding and/or ripping this trail I took opportunity to reminisce on my soccer career and watch some kids ripping and/or shredding at the skate park. I know skateboarders are rebellious, but I thought it was pretty funny that there were mandatory helmet signs, but not a single helmet in attendance. I also thought it was ridiculous that these kids had their parents out there coaching them. Like, angry little league parents screaming from the side of the bowl. I think that's doing it wrong.

Best mid-ride lunch stop ever. Virgil's Cream Soda and a chocolate croissant at Earthfare. I don't think I was going to pick up any cute Earthfare girls wearing my kit... mainly because I smelled like West Columbia.

USC's Koppenberg. In front of Capstone. It's short, and fairly steep (I don't go uphill well), and not exactly easy to trudge up one-handed.

So, the star marks where one of the aforementioned artillery shells struck the capital building. I didn't have a flag, so putting my bike on the state house was the only real way I could complete my capture of the city.

Ride was pretty sweet. It was nice to head out without really worrying about anything. I basically just took off and then stopped riding whenever I ran out of stuff to look at. Even when I was back at the car, i thought about riding around a little while longer... ya know, just cause. I don't usually do long rides, but it was cool to be out ALL day. Even if there were multiple stops involved.



P.S.- Midweek I'm really lame photo-op: Cycle-Smart got our new kits! I'm super stoked! I had to show it off!

And so it begins-- Asheville Cyclo-Cross

Giving myself the award for best dismount technique (leading into the stairs). Does no one else coast on their downtube?

School has started, temperatures have cooled (from the lower 100s to the upper 90s), and the fresh smell of glue is in the air. It's fall... soon!

With the coming change in weather means a change in tire size. 23mm slicks have been swapped on almost every wheel I own and replaced with treaded 32mm beasts. I've ruined a pair of shorts with Continental tubular glue and pulled the skinsuits out of the closet... it's time for some racing!

This year's season opener was held at Bent Creek Park, just outside of Asheville, NC. A glorious city nestled in the mountains (through which you're apparently not supposed to "swan") that has been referred to as "a nice oasis in the south". I like it there, but I'm afraid I'll catch the hippie-itis everytime I go.

Cycle-Smart fielded 3 men in the C race, myself, Steve "le belge" Noiret, and new 'crosser Warren Owens. I went into the race with high hopes. Like "planning my victory salute" high. Christy Blakely said I may need to respect the competition/sport more, I just think it's confidence.

The course was... interesting. Potentially better suited for 29'' wheels than 700c in some areas. There was some tight single track, a short gravel climb, some pump track, a set of stairs, fast dewy downhills, but unfortunately, no barriers.

I test rode the Grifo XS open tubulars in the morning, but with the moist off cambers and the roots in the woods, I opted for my tubular mix (a Fango front/Grifo rear), and prayed that I glued them well.

This may have been the best start I've ever had in a race- second going into the first corner... exactly what Alec Donahue and Shawn Adams taught us at camp. I was super stoked. After one or two turns, the kid (seriously-- kid) in front of me tangled himself up in the tape, and I bombed down the long descent in the lead and took the pack into the woods.

I looked over my shoulder once and saw that I had a small gap- nothing significant, but I was happy that there weren't 19 dudes on my back wheel waiting to run me over. I knew that when the trail opened up, someone was going to come around me. I planned for it, so that I could jump on their wheel. This was MY race, after all.

So the kid (seriously, KID) comes around me like a ROCKET. Ever watched a soccer game where the goalkeeper just points as the ball goes by him (I've done that), that was how I reacted. There was simply nothing I could do. Shortly, Belgian Steve came around me before the pump track. I figured we could ride together and lay the smackdown on these other fools. Naw, Steve did a 100 mile mountain bike race the week before... he's fit.

After a lap, a guy on a 29er was on my wheel. My goal was to keep him behind me before the single track, because I knew he'd ream me through the woods. That didn't work... there went my podium appearance.

So I rode on my own for a few laps. Over my shoulder I could see a group of three guys behind me. I fought to stay away from them until I knew it was a losing battle. I settled in behind the first guy (Daniel Jones, my nemesis from Greenville). He and I have always been fairly evenly matched, but I hope he never gets a real 'cross bike, because then he'll have power and handling to beat me with.

I rode his wheel until the last lap. Waited until the last few corners to try to make a move, but he had me covered every time. I waited too late, and followed him in for 5th place.

So, weekend one is in the books! I'm not satisfied, but I'm not unhappy with the way it went. It's obvious that Steve is WAY stronger than I am, so I'm not going to be unhappy if I'm in a situation where I help him win the next race. I've always fancied myself a Renshaw, not a Cavendish.

I was super happy for Warren (not for his rolled tire). He rode and finished his first race with crappy tires, and probably entertained quite a few people sliding around wildly. All without any sort of emotional incident. That's more than I can say for myself.

Also great to see Christy, of Cycle-Smart Grass Roots fame, she's good company, even though she double spaces her periods. Myles and Lindsay were great travel partners and Aaron Casey was also in attendance, but he still owes me beer. Next time, dude!

I got a little emotional last night when I had to shut down my computer before the start of Cross Vegas. It's here! It's really cyclo-cross season! Results will be good this year. Categories will be upgraded. Maidens will be saved. Evil-doers vanquished. All in the name of cyclo-cross.

Did not get sweet air on the pump track... maybe next time

Back to our regularly scheduled programming

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I'm a terrible blogger. Awful. Where did we leave off? December... fucking DECEMBER?! SHIT!!!

Well, my road and mountain bike season were pretty inconsequential. And this is a cyclo-cross blog. And I'm a cyclo-cross racer. As Twitter may have told you, #crossiscoming. So, it's time to start updating again.

Last season ended well. I scored a brace of top 5's in South Carolina in December and top tens in all but one January North Carolina race. Highlights included: scoring sixth at Durham and securing the last upgrade point on the day (missed the last turn on the course, got passed and beat the dude in a sprint with a bike throw), and podiums at North Wilkesboro and Greensboro (many thanks to Adam Myerson for that last one).

So, the season is right around the corner. Five days away, to be exact. It's an exciting and terrifying time of the year. I still have tires to glue!

So, here's a quick look at what I'm hoping to do this season (outside of go fast and smash). Hopefully, it's a great year. I've high hopes.

2011-2012 Cyclo-Cross Schedule

September:
9- Asheville Cyclo-Cross (Asheville, NC)
17, 18- Charm City (Baltimore, MD) (Maybe?)
24- Asheville Cyclo-Cross (Asheville, NC)

October:
1, 2- Va Du Mar (Spartanburg, SC)
8- Pisgah Brewing CX (Asheville, NC)
15, 16- Greenville Spinners CX (Greenville, SC)
But if that doesn't happen => Mud Sweat and Gears (Unicoi, TN)
22, 23- Georgia CX Series (Savannah, GA)
30- North Carolina Cyclo-Cross Series #3 (Boone, NC)

November:
5, 6- Cycle-Smart International (Northampton, MA)
OR if that doesn't happen (because I'm poor) => 6-NCCX #4 (Salisbury, NC)
12- South Carolina State Championships (?? This is a complete guess. It's not posted anywhere)
12, 13- King College (Bristol, TN)*
19, 20- North Carolina Grand Prix NCCX# 6&7 (Hendersonville, NC)
27- Thanksgiving 'Cross (Boone, NC)

December:
3- Mars Hill (Mars Hill, NC)*
4- NCCX #8
10- Kingsport Cup (Kingsport, TN)
11- SECCC Conference Finals (Banner Elk, NC)*
18- NCCX #10 (Tanglewood, NC)
31- New Years Resolution (Chicago, IL)**

January:
1- New Years Resolution (Chicago, IL)**
4-8 US National Cyclo-Cross Championships (Madison, WI)*
OR (assuming I'm too slow) => 8- NCCX #11
21, 22- NCCX # 12, 13

*Collegiate races with the mighty University of South Carolina Cyclo-Cocks
**A boy can dream