Lewis Morris Challenge (H2H race #3) Race Report or the Jeffina Does the Double!

Lewis Morris County Park is located on NJ County Rt. 510 somewhere between Mendham and Morristown, NJ, and was the site of the third race in the H2H mountain bike series. In one of our previous blog entries, I noted that we are committed to racing the H2H series this year and despite the travel time often involved, the people, races, and the high level of racing never leads us to reconsider our decision.














The Jeffina made our way south into Pennsylvania and headed towards the Delaware Water Gap and immediately the feel for this part of the country comes to life. There are more cars and more garbage on the roads, but the views of the high peaks through the water gap are outstanding. During our drive there, we discussed possible race strategies and tried to provide encouragement and support even though we were both nervous. Last year at this race, Jeff had to pull out due to back problems and I had a fairly decent race there and was hoping to duplicate this result.

We arrived and were glad to find out through conversations that little rain had come through the area and the course resembled last year's. We did our typical pre-race routine of unloading the bikes, putting on numbers, filling water bottles, pumping up tires, eating pb and j sandwiches, and staying well hydrated. The heat and the humidity would be play a role in the race. I don't mind racing in the heat and enjoy the high humidity levels. I like seeing the humidity hang in the air and feeling the moisture on my skin -- it takes me back to the summer days of being a child in West Virginia. We were able to pre-ride sections of the course and then stayed relatively close together until we were instructed to line up. Jeff has a quiet power that helps to comfort me when I'm nervous and even though we may not speak much to one another as the start time approaches, his presence still soothes me. As we lined up, we gave each our a small smooch and said, "Good luck and ride safe."

As much as I like this race, the one area I think that they could improve upon is starting us on time. Like last year, we started about 30 minutes late and in the heat, this was significant. The ladies were not happy and we politely complained to one another and made small talk. The pros started first and then in staggered starts, Jeff's singlespeed category was off. He had a strong start and was towards the front. He told me before the race that he wanted to be up front towards the start so that when the first climb approached, he would not get behind slower riders. Later in the car on the way home, Jeff told me that he attacked on the first climb and just tried to keep it going. He knew that there were strong riders (including the series leader, as well as last year's winner in the pack), and expected to see them hunting him down on the descents. At every turn, he would look back and stand up coming out of corners to get the speed back up. At the end, Jeff finished the race and came across the line solo in first place! There was little fanfare as the pros were doing one more lap and no expert geared riders caught him. He stood there alone and just waited for the rest of the riders. He estimates that he stood there for about 7-8 minutes (but we need to confirm this). Great job, Jeff!

Next, he waited for me. He got word from one of his friends that I had come through our water station (and yes, he didn't lap me!!) about 30 minutes ago.

My race was an interesting and not interesting in some way. All the women, including the pros started together -- about 12 of us started. There were some familiar faces and not-so-familiar faces: Ellen, Ellen, Marianne, Shasta, and Melissa, and others. I had a strong start and went into the first climb on Melissa's wheel as one of the Ellen's took off. I was sitting solidly in 3rd place overall and 1st in my category. Like Jeff, I wanted to get into the first climb in a good position and just keep pushing. The one thing I like about this course is it is less technical than many of the other courses in the series and at the risk of criticizing myself, I was able to keep my speed higher. At all times, I knew that they would be chasing me down, but after a while, I found myself riding alone. From time to time, folks on the trail would say that "They're not the far ahead of you...." I kept thinking, "Heck, Melissa and Ellen ride at the pro level, so I'm not worried about them." What I didn't realize was how close they really were. I saw Melissa on the last lap changing a flat which put me into 2nd place overall. At the finish, I came in only 2 minutes behind Ellen and I won my category! First H2H win for me and for Jeff! The Jeffina does the double! I do not portend to be a better rider or a faster rider than the other women I race with as they are all very talented riders. Many national champions (or ex-national) and state champions in this group -- I think I just had a good day and the course suited my riding style. I know that on any given day, any one of us could win. I have the utmost respect for these women.

As usual, Jeff was waiting for me and we hugged and kissed, and congratulated one another. We slowly made our way towards the car where we toasted with cooling summer beverage of lemonade and green iced tea. I sat on the edge of hatch, still sweating from my efforts, as Jeff hurriedly began disrobing and cleaning up. I just sat and felt satisfied.

We made it down to the race venue area and Jeff spotted the beer tent. He made a bee-line (or should I say, "bee-r-line") and we checked results.

Jeff enjoying a beer!



















The winners all received medals, some cash, and beer from a local NJ brewery!
















On the way home, we stopped more times than usual as my hip was bothering me -- yes, still the lingering effects of my low back issues. But, all is better.

The next time we race, we will be in Colorado and as much as I am concerned about altitutde, I am looking forward to the trip.

Remember, to stay posted for the "Landmarks of the U.S." photo contest. During our trip, I will posting photos of famous (and some not-so-famous) landmarks and readers will need to guess where we are -- yes, similar to a "Where's Waldo" game.

We hope to carry this great momentum into the national championships later in July.

One final note, a group of Crankskins.com riders raced in the 24 hours of Summer Solistice over the weekend in Canada and want to give them a big "Good Job!"

Enjoy the pictures of the day and together, we are Jeffina, crankin' out the miles, crankin' out the love for Crankskins.com.

Williams Lake Race Report and other Sordid Tales of Feasting, Drinking, and Swimming in the Catskills

Before I get to the race report, I want to update readers on our Garden Contest. We had one participant and he guessed one of the seven plants correctly! Good job, Paul! Paul earned a 14% on this quiz and will receive a Crankskins.com sticker this weekend for his efforts. Initially, I thought that this contest would draw in a good number of reader responses, but alas, my expectations did not hold true. Seems that many people were not motivated by the sticker (please read with humorous tone). So, stay tuned for the next contest coming later in July. In this contest, readers will need to correctly guess U.S. landmarks during our trip.

The NYS Mountain Bike series encompasses a total of six races that span the months of June through September. Most of the races are held downstate in the Catskills region always making the courses technically tough with a good bit of climbing. The Catskill mountains are part of the Appalachian Mountain range and because of this, the topography reminds me of home. In this area, there are little towns some which are more famous than others (such as Woodstock and New Paltz), but the history of the Hudson River Valley can be seen especially in the architecture of the buildings that is now eclectically mixed with a urban influence of city dwellers from the City. The small towns that we traveled through at times felt 'artsy' and at other times, depressed like other parts of the state.

The Williams Lake race is one that the Jeffina did years ago (before we were married). Williams Lake itself is a former resort that is now fairly delapidated and not open to the public, but still gorgeous if one loves a fresh water lake, cool caves, rocks, and roots. Our intelligence, i.e., best friend Christina, informed us on the loop would be 4.3 miles in length and even sent a Garmin link for us to get a feel for the climbing expectations. When I talk with Christina before a race, I try to memorize the course to the best of my ability. Pre-riding the course always has its advantages, but because we drive such a distance, this is not always possible for us. Therefore, Christina is my eyes.....well, more than that. She is my best friend.


















The Jeffina and family supporters, mom and dad, left early Sunday morning and made our way across the state. It was Father's Day and we wanted to have family with us. Unfortunately, the heat and humidity kept creeping higher, but mom and dad were troopers. They set up our water station and gave great hand-ups during the race. Thanks mom and dad!



















When we arrived at the race venue, we were greeted by many familiar faces and happy to see our Ommegangster friends, Paul and Dave (yes, the one and only Paul who won the contest). Both Paul and Dave are extraordinarily good riders. Paul would be ridinng the cat. 1 50+ age group and Dave would be racing in the SS category with Jeff. We all parked together.

During the pre-ride, I quickly realized that the heat and humidity would be factors, coupled with the difficulty of the course. Years ago, this course intimidated us, but we are now more accustomed to the difficult courses. That does not mean we are as good as the others competitors who ride this type of topography on a regular basis, but it means that we are improving our handling skills. I came back from the pre-ride thinking, "This is going to be a tough day...."

I lined up with the Cat. 1, expert 35+ women and Jeff lined up with the SS division. There was a poor showing for the women (only 3 experts and 3 pros) and in the SS division, there was about 15. The expert women were doing 3 laps and the SS men were doing 4. I was glad to see Shasta, as she is a familiar face at the H2H races.

















Jeff's start was fast, as our friend, Dave, took it out hard. During the race, Jeff said that he was riding the majority of the time between 2nd and 4th place. For me, the field was so small that Shasta and I rode the 1st lap together and finally on the 2nd and 3rd laps, I was able to pull away from her. I was not satisfied with my race despite the win. The first lap, I was very sloppy and did not on top of my mental game. However, by the time I got to the later laps, I had dialed in the course and found that extra speed allowed me to get over the rocks, and smaller gears helped with the smaller gut-busters.














Jeff would finish in 2nd place in the SS division and our friend, Dave, won. Jeff was 44s behind Dave. That's a great finish for Jeff! I beat Shasta by not quite 3 minutes. Paul got 2nd in his age group. A great showing for the local riders!

Afterwards, we ate watermelon and took a jump into the lake. None of us had swimsuits so we all went swimming in our cycling clothes and Christina had one dry-and-go clothes. I love swimming in fresh water and found myself happy wading in my sport bra and cycling shorts. I love the freedom of being with people like this.

The results took well-over 3 hours to post (which is not normal) and during the time, we ate more and walked around together. By the time the awards-ceremony took place, we were sunburned and tired and preparing for a long drive home.
















After the awards ceremony, Christina and Tommy convinced us to stop at a Japanese restaurant in the small town of Stone Bridge. I am a fan of Chinese food, but have little knowledge of Japanese cuisine. I let Christina take the lead and guide us through the menu. I learned that a main staple of the Japanese diet is raw fish. This was a bit difficult for me to conceptualize, so I played it safe on my order, but Christina allowed me to sample some of her order -- yes, I tried raw tuna and raw squid and I loved it! I also had seaweed salad which I shared with Jeff, and mom and dad. I'm comfortable with chopsticks and kept scooping in the food. It was a wonderful meal accompanied by great conversation. Wish I had more opportunities to spend time with Christina and Tommy.

We drove home with full bellies, tired, and sunburned, but satisfied with our results. For me, I know that I will need to be on top of my game for the next H2H race and Jeff is looking forward to completing the Lewis Morris course this year. Last year, he was not feeling well and had to pull out. For both of us, this coming weekend will be our last race before we head west.

Enjoy the rest of the photos.

Together, we are Jeffina, crankin' out the miles, crankin' out the love for Crankskins.com














** Favatta's are one of the sponsoring organizations for the upcoming World Cup at Windham Mountain.

Park Ave. Training Race #3 Report

The third race of the Park Ave. Tuesday night fat tire series greeted racers with a beautiful evening, pleasant temperatures, and wonderful course conditions -- still slightly wet in areas, but for the most part, primo course conditions. The Jeffina traveled to Rochester with good friend, Fizz, while young junior racer, Eli, stayed home. Fizz picked me up right on time, but while traveling through Syracuse to meet Jeff after work, we got caught in construction traffic at the 81/690 interchange. Fizz is quite familiar with downtown Syracuse and we were able to work our way through the city streets to pick up 690 again. Running about 15 minutes late picking up Jeff, I was worried that we would get to Camp Arrowhead late, but we arrived only slightly later than usual.

We pulled into parking lot and we were quickly joined by other Crankskins.com riders: Tommy, Jimmy, and EJ. EJ greeted us with his proverbial hand signal which must be a male-gesture of endearment and once again, came bearing gifts -- we came home with goodies from his garden, handpicked by the hands of his children.

Side note: EJ has out a new product for your seatpost. Check out this video promo.

On the start line for the experts race, Crankskins.com had five riders line up. My goals for the evening were to try to hang with the dudes at the start of the race and NOT get lapped by Jeff. Most of you who read this, know Jeff and know how fast he is on the SS. For me, any training ride that we do together is lovingly called a 'torture-fest' but tonight, I wanted to work on my starts again and really try to go out hard and hang with the dudes, yes, more torture. Jeff, Tommy, and EJ were all up front at the start and Jimmy and I entered the single track relatively close to one another. I am amazed at speed and quick reaction time they carry into the singletrack. My neurons just don't react that fast to the changing trail conditions...but, nonetheless, while Tommy, Jeff, and EJ all pushed the pace upfront, Jimmy passed me on the steepest climb on the course and I was left alone. Eventually, a sport rider came up on me and passed me. I worked hard to stay with him for four laps and credit this dude in gym shorts for pacing me throughout most of the race.

Towards the end of my second lap, I saw Jimmy pulled over working on his bike and although I was unsure at that moment what had happened, I later found out that he broke his chain and was unable to secure it to complete the race. Jimmy retired early and went home.

For the rest of us, Tommy lapped me on my 6th of 7 laps. At that time, he was in 3rd and I was able to keep sight on him enough to see that he closed a gap on the 2nd place guy and took the sprint for 2nd overall! Good job, Tommy.

I didn't get lapped by Jeff and when I finished my race, I saw him standing there with the other dudes. Everyone had smiles on their faces and everyone was satisfied with their performances -- no mechanicals and no mishaps. Jeff finished 6th again (need to confirm this and 2nd in his age group?) and not sure about EJ's placing, but his time was faster than the previous weeks. For me, I won the expert ladies race and swept the series. The series is best of three and now, we are done with the series since we have a lot of weekend racing the next month.

After we cleaned up, we found Moe's Southwest Grill in Victor to grab a quick burrito for the ride home. While there, Kim and "Grog" walked in (we call him "Grog" because of a misprint long ago on race results -- his real name is "Greg"). Looks like, we all had an appetite for Mexican food this evening.

Thanks to everyone who was out there cheering for us this evening -- Pete and Theresa (along with their cute doggies), Steve, Michelle, and little Owie. A lot of folks had tired legs from the Black Fly race, so many chose to take a break from the series.

One final shout out goes to our nephew, Johnathan, who got 8th place in the Ohio State Road 1/2/3 Race last weekend. He's only 18 and riding on junior gearing. He was the 2nd cat. 2 who rolled across the line! Looks like cycling is in the family blood! Good job, Johnathan!

Enjoy the pictures of the evening.

Next up for us is the first race in the NYS series at Williams Lake, and then race #3 in the H2H series. Send us good vibes.

Together, we are Jeffina, crankin' out the miles, crankin' out the love for Crankskins.com.

In Our Garden Grows.....

Every summer since we have been married, the Jeffina takes pride in planting a vegetable garden. The garden is more or less based on trial and error, as we have no scientific formula for success. We proudly admit that we know little about the planting season, the changing moons, and any other folklore used by farmers. As mountain bikers with healthy appetites, we enjoy eating the rewards of our efforts knowing that the nutrients from the food that nourish our body is a result of our labor. We also tend to a compost bin and use the product of this to fertilize the garden. Each year, we try to grow a new plant/vegetable.

The Jeffina working hard in the garden














Growing up in West Virginia, we never had a vegetable garden, but for Jeff, his family had a garden large enough to supply his family with vegetables throughout the year. Because of this, I let him take the lead on organizing the garden and after that, I am the one who mainly weeds the garden and picks the harvest.

This year, our garden is doing well despite the tomato plight of last year and we are already enjoying arugula and spinach. Due to the tomato plight, we decided to experiment with a Topsy-Tursy contraption. This product was widely advertised on TV, as well as at our local hardware store, so we thought we would give it a shot. So far, so good.....

Below I have posted photographs of the plants in our garden. I will send a Crankskins.com sticker to the first person who can correctly identify the plants. Please leave your answers in the comments portion of our blog. Or, if you would prefer, I'll just give you a sticker the next time I see you out riding. Good luck!

Picture #1:

















Picture #2:

















Picture #3:

















Picture #4:

















Picture #5:

















Picture #6:

















Picture #7:


















Together, we are Jeffina, crankin' out the miles, crankin' out the love for Crankskins.com.

Where the Wild Things Are

As mountain bikers and in general, all cyclists know, we deal with not only changing trail/road conditions and environmental factors, but also mother nature and all her creatures while out on the trails.

This past week has been rather eventful for us and while I do not have photos to share, I will encourage readers to use their imaginations as you read along. My day begins by greeting my two girly-girls, i.e., cats, with "Good morning's" and hugs. Jeff always gives the girls their treats in the morning and evening. It is a routine now and if Jeff forgets, they do not. They pester him until they get their treat. Outside of our own pets, our neighbors harbor many stray cats and these cats often wander into our yard. I have names for them which describe their demeanors/physical features -- there is "mean kitty," "Oreo cookie kitty," and "hurt kitty." It is "hurt kitty" that breaks my heart every time I see her. She is a muted calico cat with a hurt front leg. It appears that it might have been broken at one time and never properly cared for. Like most animals, she seems to have adapted and gets along quite well, but I do worry about her inability to move quickly to protect herself.

The weather has been quite damp and soggy in this part of New York and last weekend, Jeff and I decided to go for a hike on a set of trails we often ride. At the slower hiking pace, we noticed these brightly colored little orange creatures about 3 inches in length. I thought they were some kind of reptile, but Jeff knew that they were some kind of newt. (Not sure if a newt is a reptile?) I squealed with delight like a small child and wondered if they could hear us? see us? The trail was littered with these little creatures and we carefully stepped around them to the best of our ability. As soon as we got home, we Googled this creature and found many images to back up Jeff's opinions.

The day before, Jeff was on a mountain bike ride and grazed by a nesting grouse. The creature must nest close to the ground and when Jeff came by, he must have startled the creature. Of course, Jeff was just as surprised and claims that the grouse almost went into his front wheel. Jeff and I always laugh about the one time years ago when New York had a mild earthquake. That day, I went for a road ride and I, too, was nearly taken out by a grouse that jumped on my back and in an attempt to swat the thing off my back, I almost took myself out. For some reason, I think that the animals were still recovering from the earth quake and perhaps, the sound of my bike startled this traumatized creature?

Last week, I rode into campus for all day meetings. I left the house at 7 a.m. and going down the road, I was greeted by a rather large German Shepherd dog. Now, this guy has a routine and I know it! During the day, he is never out, but his owners must let him out early in the day and he runs around in the farmer's fields. The week before, he completely came upon me out of no where, but this week I was looking for him. Once again, he saw me and came sprinting across the field. I let out a few dog commands, which seemed to slow him down, and he eventually crossed the road and went home.

Just yesterday, we were riding at Chenango Valley State Park and it was very wet and soggy. During our ride, we were met by a large brown lab with a big smile, big tongue, and low ears. We was very friendly and I would endearingly consider him a big goof-ball. He wanted to hang with us mountain bikers more than stay with his owner. He was dirty and wet, but so were we.....

Other animals sightings this past week include a red fox and many baby geese. The fox acted rather odd and Jeff indicated that we should keep moving. As for the baby geese as cute and fuzzy-wuzzy as they are, the parents are very protective and there's absolutely no way you can get close to them. Again, we just kept on moving.

If you are an animal lover, I hope you enjoyed our tales and if not, stay posted for more cycling-related posts. The lull in our racing is over and we will be back on the road for about the next month. We will do our last Park Ave. Training race tomorrow night and then compete in the first NYS series race and an H2H race in preparation of nationals.

I've got a lot of miles in my legs and have been very proactive with my stretching to care for my back.

Togehter, we are Jeffina, crankin' out the miles, crankin' out the love for Crankskins.com.

Park Ave. Training Race #2 Report

Before I get to the race report, I'd like to thank the many of you who personally contacted/e-mailed me with well wishes for my brother. Chris is about the same, as he is still experiencing a good bit of pain, and due to his broken ribs and he must sleep upright. Sleeping upright in and of itself must be difficult enough when sleep is so vital for the healing process. He's been going into work for about 3 hours a day just to make his mind off of the situation. Chris recently accepted a new position at a Trek store and enjoys the cycling industry like no one person I know. I'm not sure who got into cycling first, but Chris and I equally share a love for the sport. It's a sport that Chris' son partakes in and it's the sport where I found Jeff. Chris, we're all sending you good vibes! Love you, bro! Set your sights on cyclocross season!

Earlier today, I sat down and penned the race report and for whatever reason, lost the majority of the post. It would be nearly impossible for me to recreate it, so I will just provide the highlights and lowlights of the evening's race.

We traveled to Rochester for race #2 of the Park Ave. Training series. Crankskin riders EJ and Tommy also showed. I love it when EJ shows up because it's like Christmas -- he always comes bearing gifts. Jeff got a new prototype stem and Tommy got some item still in its packaging. EJ showed off the sleek luggage carrier we will be taking to nationals covered in Crankskin signage. I love the EJ looks after his riders and cares about our well-being.

The race was delayed 30 minutes due to other events at the venue and for this reason, the race director shortened the expert race to 6 laps. Four expert women (including Anne who said, "I'm not sand bagging this week!") lined up with the men and the start was fast. I am trying to get faster starts and like the training series because I can work on improving my skills in a non-USAC race. We circled the ball field before heading into the singletrack and as I entered the woods, I saw where Jeff had come off his bike and was trying to get started again. Having a difficult time trying to find an opening, EJ belted out, "Get in, man!" I immediately lost sight of Jeff.

I had a solid race but found myself a bit more tentative than usual -- I still have thoughts about my brother swirling in my head and my conversation with mom before I left to pick up Jeff at work ended with, "Please be safe..." I never remember my mom saying that to me.

Jeff did not lap me last night but when I came through the finish area, I saw the look on Jeff's face. He was disgusted -- had a bad start, couldn't get around slower riders, ran into a tree in a slimey section of woods and in doing so, wracked his back, two fingers, and maybe bent his forks (and/or frame). He was not happy. Tommy ran into Jeff and even Tommy looked a bit shaken by the incident.

As we drove home listening to the relaxing voice of Norah Jones, we recounted our races for one another, but we were more quiet than usual. I often enjoy the silence and solitude that Jeff and I share. Yes, we are talkative and yes, we enjoy being together, but it's just as comforting sitting in silence knowing that my loved one is beside me.

Tonight, we are doing yoga to stretch and balance our bodies. The aging process seems to cause our bodies to retain imbalances, but we found yoga over the winter after I experienced my back problems. It was has been a wonderful addition to our weekly routines and I would suggest for anyone who wants to supplement their riding with strength and stretching.

Time to clean out water bottles.

Together, we are Jeffina, crankin' out the miles, crankin' out the love for Crankskins.com.

The Highs and Lows of Being Human

Most of the time, this blog has been dedicated to the good things in our life. However, today's entry will be filled with a mix of emotions as yesterday was in many ways a good day and an equally bad day. Too often, people stray away from discussing/dealing with the more painful side of being human, but I believe it is healing to work through the full range of human emotion.

"Oh Brother, How art thou?"

My brother is my rock. He's a relatively laid-back dude with a keen sense of dorky humor who always reminds me that he's a big brother and I'm still the little sister. Even with my Doctoral degree in hand, I still get no respect. I am called, "Dr. Frina Tater-head." At least, I get the correct salutation. During my divorce, he never invaded 'my space' but stood quietly still if I needed him. As kids, we devoted ourselves to playing ping-pong on Friday nights, taco night when mom had classes, and board games on snow days. As we got older, Chris drove us back and forth to high school and in a typical school day fashion, we were always rushing around and I would be putting on make-up in the car as he would jokingly swerve the car forcing me to lose my grip on my lipstick and run it across my face.

Yesterday, though, I received a phone call from my mom during our mountain bike at Shidagin Hollow, near Ithaca. Usually, when mom calls during a ride, I'll say, "Let me call you back when we're done...." as I was about to say this, mom says, "You need to listen then....your brother was in a car accident and is being taken to the hospital." My brother and family were in Indianapolis for a weekend wedding. My brother was in the wedding party and during their ride to take pictures prior to the wedding, their limo was struck by a SUV at an intersection. The limo flipped on its side. Chris recalls the incident with, "...people were flying like rag dolls." Chris sustained a bruised lung and several broken ribs and the guy sitting beside my bro, died. Chris recounts that upon entering the limo, Chris and the guy who passed away offered to switch seats but Chris' knees were sore and therefore Chris decided to stay where he was. After Chris told me this and I hung up the phone, I cried like a baby.....I kept thinking, "What if, what if...." So, Chris if you read this, you are lucky and I love you! My best friend, Christina says, "You need to go play the lotto!" Jeff says, "Chris, you're just like a Timex -- you take a lickin' and keep on tickin'..."

Here's the link to the AP news story about the accident.

Chris' healing will take weeks and he will be off work for a while. I will keep tabs on him, but everyone needs to send him some good vibes.





"Country Roads"

Yesterday, the Jeffina headed to Shidagin Hollow with good friend, Paul from Endicott, to ride the trails. I have never been to Shidagin Hollow and for Jeff, it has been at least seven years. Shidagin Hollow is located near Ithaca and surrounded by beautiful, rolling hillsides. The air was heavy due to the rain from the night before but we set out to check out the trails. For me, I love new trails and I loved the adventure. On new trails, I can be somewhat cautious, but I found the trails to be well-marked, well-maintained, and to have great flow. We saw a few other mountain bikers who were also enjoying the day. From time to time, Paul gave us some historical background about the area, so not only were we doing something good for our bodies, but also with our minds. We rode for not quite 3 hours and agreed that we must return soon.

Afterwards, Jeff and I headed into Ithaca to eat at one of our favorite Mexican restaurants located next to the Commons area. To our surprise, the annual Ithaca Fest was going on and we were greeted by throngs of people. For anyone who has never been to Ithaca, imagine a city, home to Cornell University where some of the greatest thinkers in the world reside, yet mixed with an eclectic hippie community who resist the mainstream. As you might expect, the diversity makes this city a wonderful place to visit. The Jeffina are not fans of large crowds, but we did find a trio of performers, off the main path, performing under an awning. We stopped to take in the sounds and decided it was time to head home.

Right now, life is good for me. I am eating well, sleeping well (except for last night), and enjoying my garden. The riding is coming along and each day, I must care for my back.

Enjoy the photos of the day.

Together, we are the Jeffina, crankin' out the miles, crankin' out the love for Crankskins.com.

Read a Review about Crankskins

For readers who are a unsure what a Crankskin actually is, check out the following review from Mountain Bike Rides, an online publication from the UK. There you will find pictures and a description of the set-up process, plus durability information.

EJ's products continue to receive very positive feedback! The Jeffina is very fortunate to ride with this team.

http://www.mountainbikerides.co.uk/reviews/58-accessories/244-crankskins.html

Remember, wrap your crank!

Together, we are Jeffina, crankin' out the miles, crankin' out the love for Crankskins.com.

Park Ave Training Race #1 Report

The Jeffina traveled to Rochester yesterday with good friend, Fizz, and junior racer, Eli, for Park Ave. Bike's first race of their summer series. This training series is held at the same location as the fall cross race, so we had a pretty good idea of what to expect in terms of terrain. I am always amazed at how the seasons change the look and smells of the woods.

Held at YWCA Camp, we pulled in and saw many familiar faces, and were glad to see other Crankskins.com riders, Tommy and Jimmy. Later, EJ showed with very cute daughter, Hannah, in tow. I asked, "Where's the Chaser-man?" and EJ replied with, "He's only reserved for special occassions!" In total, Crankskins.com had four riders line up in the expert race.

Prior to the start of the race, the Jeffina were able to get in some warm up laps and were pleasantly surprised to find ourselves on familiar trails. The loop was about 2+ miles and had less climbing than the Farmall circuilt, but was completely tight, twisty singletrack. There was also a bridge that had steps leading into and off of the bridge. I did a typical cyclocross dismount and remount for the bridge, but others were able to lift their front wheels onto the bridge and ride off! The race director, Teddy, did an awesome job picking out the loop. Despite the rain we had earlier in the day, the course was in relatively good condition.

Anyone who knows me well knows that tight, twisty singletrack is not my forte. Jeff's handling skills are amazing and I find that each year, his handling continues to improve. Call me a girl (or whatever you want to call me), but I struggle with certain elements of racing, but I am always willing to work on those weak areas. This course would definitely test my single track skills.

Unlike the Farmall series where expert women do the same amount of laps as sport men, the Park Ave. series has expert women riding the same amount of laps as the expert men. I personally enjoyed the longer race last night and felt it more closely resembled a typical weekend race.

The expert women lined up in back of the expert men and after a few words from young race director, Teddy, and GROC board member, Bruce (who nearly severed his finger off last weekend OUCH!), we were off. There was a mad dash to the entry of the woods and as one would assume, there was also a back up at the mouth of the trail. People were pleasant and everyone single-filed onto the single-track. The expert ladies stayed together relatively close through the end of the first lap. I knew that I would be out there longer than the previous races, so I tried ride a reserved race. I had a lot of miles in my legs from the past days, and knew my limitations. I was able to steadily pull away during the 2nd lap and stayed off the front through the finish. On my 6th lap, hunky husband Jeff came riding by on the steepest part of the course. He gave me plenty of notice, but I chose a line that forced him to almost stall his SS....I felt bad, but afterwards, he told me that he was able to get it rolling again. Jeff finished in 6th overall and 2nd in his age group. When I came rolling across the line, Jeff was standing there waiting for me (which made me really happy) and we both thanked the race director and the owner of Park Ave. for a wonderful evening. We hope to get in maybe one more race of this series, but will be determined by how we feel after the weekend races.

Overall, this course and the race organization get an "A+" from the Jeffina.

Rochester has great areas to ride and a very strong riding community. If you're ever traveling through the area definitely take time out to enjoy the trails.

Together, we are the Jeffina, crankin' out the miles, crankin' out the love for Crankskins.com.