Thank you for taking the time to send this e-mail to NYS racers. I was glad to receive this informative e-mail and plan to use the nysbra website in the future.
I have a question and I am not sure if the nysbra group will be able to answer this, so I apologize in advance if this is outside your authority, but perhaps you could provide some guidance or forward this e-mail to someone who might know.
As a cat. 1 mountain bike racers, my husband and I often compete in the NYS mountain bike series which takes place at various locations throughout the Catskill mountains. This series is advertised as USAC licensed, as well as being a NYS Championship series, but for the past two years, our results have not been posted to the USAC website (under "results and rankings") thus, depriving us of valuable points and national rankings. As you might imagine, our team relies on these points to gain the attention of future sponsors. I made an inquiry to the various race directors asking them if they had been submitting the race results and received no reply. I am under the assumption that they advertise the races as USAC licensed, take our money for insurances, etc, and then do not submit results.
While I understand it is up to the discretion of the various race directors to submit results, I am disheartened by their lack of response and their unwillingness to submit results. Can you tell me the degree to which race directors are responsible for sending results to USAC? And, provide any advice on what racers can do to get the attention of race directors. As it currently stands, I feel that this state series is falsely advertising to the racers.
Thanks for your time and consideration.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
HardCore 24 Race Report
Ontario County Park, located at the south end of Canadaiqua Lake, played host to the HardCore 24, New York's only 24 hour mountain bike race. Sponsored by Park Ave. Bike Shop out of the Rochester area, the HardCore 24 is a well-run local race that drew racers from across New York as well as some neighboring states. The park itself sets atop a hill which overlooks the lake and is an ideal setting for this event. The park is totally enclosed and draws little car traffic.
In this type of event, racers must be self-sufficient in that they must bring in food, water, camping equipment, etc. to prepare for just about anything that may happen during a race. Luckily, the park had clean restrooms and showers which was nice reprieve for 'soft' racers, such as myself.
There are just as many solo riders as there are team riders and personally, I believe that it is the solo riders that represent the true spirit of this event as they ride their bikes lap after lap for 24 hours. The physical and mental strength of these individuals never ceases astound me and anytime I passed one of these individuals on the trail, I praised their efforts.
Jeff and I rarely compete in 24 hour races -- in fact, our last 24 hour attempt was when we first moved back to New York after living in West Virginia for a few years -- but this year, EJ convinced us to compete with the team in the 5-person, co-ed division. It is not to say that we are inexperienced in this 24 hour format, but as we get older, we rarely compete in this type of racing as it takes the body longer to recover. I have personally competed in the 24 hours of Canaan, Snowshoe, and Big Bear in my home state of West Virginia and most people should recognize the 24 hour of Canaan as being one of the original 24 hour races in the country. Jeff has competed at Big Bear with me, as well as the 24 hours of Winter Park in Colorado.
For the HardCore 24, the team consisted of EJ, Jimmy, Tommy, Jeff, and myself. All five of us had just come off the 6HOP race the previous weekend and hoped that the fitness and 'interval' training from that event would lend itself well to this event. Jeff really enjoys these types of events, whereas, I'm more of "I'll race hard for 2-3 hours and get it over and done with...." But, for Jeff, he loves the festive atmosphere and commraderie that builds as the racing transitions into the night.
Photos of our camp
The course was about 7.5 miles in length and consisted of primarily twisty single-track. There were no extended long climbs, but plenty of roots, and ups and downs to keep things interesting. All in all, this course receives a 'thumbs up' from us.
As the gun went off at 12 noon on Saturday, Tommy took the opening lap for the team and impressed us all when we saw him emerge from the trail in the lead position. Tommy's time on this first lap would hold up for the fastest lap time. Jeff was next up and had an open trail as he headed off for his first lap. As the afternoon progressed, we all took a rotation and kept a careful eye to the results board to watch our team position. We all agreed that the team would pull me out of the night laps thus essentially reducing the team to four members -- since I suck at riding at night (I get spooked at every little thing that moves in the woods at night and am REALLY SLOW) -- and so to compensate, I rode three day laps before 8 pm. Throughout the night, the guys rode lap after lap as I rested. Their times stayed relatively consistent.
Jeff catching some zzzzz's
The energy surrounding these types of events during the night makes it hard to completely relax. It is not to say that people are loud, noisy, and partying, but rather, people are quiet and peaceful as they relax around camp fires, drink beer, and encourage riders coming through the transition area. In the background, there is always upbeat music coming out of the transition area. I always find the transition area somewhat magical -- out of the darkness appears a moving light and you're never sure who the rider is until they literally ride into the light of the transition area where they are welcomed by all who wait.
As dawn came, I was up at 4:30 to prepare for my morning laps. The guys had ridden solidly throughout the night with just a few minor mishaps: Tommy crashed and was left with a somewhat swollen knee; EJ flatted towards the end of one of his laps; Jeff's head lamp got pulled back from a stray course ribbon which forced him to ride a lap with his head cocked backwards; and, there was a 3 hour rain storm. EJ rarely sits the entire event always making sure that people are ok, well fed, and bikes ready to go, whereas, Jimmy will lay down from time to time. Jeff would come and go from our tent during the night and when he would lay down beside me, I made sure to hold his hand. All told, the guys did a wonderful job and now, it was my turn to give back. The strategy worked well since I was able to get back into the saddle and resume riding with the same lap time as 9 hours before.
Pre-dawn preparations
My first morning lap was extremely foggy due to night's rain mixed with the heat and humidity from the day before. There was no reason to have a light on as the light would only glare back, so I rode into the fog and mist and found it refreshing. Despite having over 100 racers in attendance, I only saw two riders that morning and enjoyed the quietness of the woods. At this point, the guys were relaxing and I continued to ride another lap. Tommy and Jeff would take one more lap, before I took my final turn. I mounted my bike at 11 a.m. Sunday morning for my final lap and finished up at 12:05. I was greeted by Jeff and EJ. We had won the co-ed 5-person division by 2 laps! Collectively, we put in 28 laps! What a great feeling! What a great team!
A great ending to a long race
Jeff, EJ, and Jimmy started pulling down camp as I changed for the final time out of my cycling clothes. Racers were greeted to a wonderful pasta meal and the awards ceremony soon followed. As we sat on the lawn waiting for the awards, we reminisced about the last 24 hours and exchanged congratulatory words with those around us.
Waiting for awards
Our winning team
Jeffina feeling the love
I want to thank EJ, Tommy, Jimmy, and Jeff for taking care of me throughout this event. I was feeling a bit flat coming into it, but by the end, I had such a great feeling of satisfaction. They are wonderful teammates and people.
I encourage anyone looking to compete in a well-organized and racer-friendly 24 hour race to consider the HardCore 24 in the future. The race is held at a wonderful venue, the course is great, results are posted on time, there is food, music, families, and unique trophies for all finishers. The Park Ave boys once again out did themselves.
To see additional images from the race, click on the Flickr link at the top of the page.
We'll be enjoying some time at home before competing in the Highland Forest Classic in Fabius, NY.
Together, we are Jeffina. Crankin' out the love, crankin' out the miles for Crankskins.com.
In this type of event, racers must be self-sufficient in that they must bring in food, water, camping equipment, etc. to prepare for just about anything that may happen during a race. Luckily, the park had clean restrooms and showers which was nice reprieve for 'soft' racers, such as myself.
There are just as many solo riders as there are team riders and personally, I believe that it is the solo riders that represent the true spirit of this event as they ride their bikes lap after lap for 24 hours. The physical and mental strength of these individuals never ceases astound me and anytime I passed one of these individuals on the trail, I praised their efforts.
Jeff and I rarely compete in 24 hour races -- in fact, our last 24 hour attempt was when we first moved back to New York after living in West Virginia for a few years -- but this year, EJ convinced us to compete with the team in the 5-person, co-ed division. It is not to say that we are inexperienced in this 24 hour format, but as we get older, we rarely compete in this type of racing as it takes the body longer to recover. I have personally competed in the 24 hours of Canaan, Snowshoe, and Big Bear in my home state of West Virginia and most people should recognize the 24 hour of Canaan as being one of the original 24 hour races in the country. Jeff has competed at Big Bear with me, as well as the 24 hours of Winter Park in Colorado.
For the HardCore 24, the team consisted of EJ, Jimmy, Tommy, Jeff, and myself. All five of us had just come off the 6HOP race the previous weekend and hoped that the fitness and 'interval' training from that event would lend itself well to this event. Jeff really enjoys these types of events, whereas, I'm more of "I'll race hard for 2-3 hours and get it over and done with...." But, for Jeff, he loves the festive atmosphere and commraderie that builds as the racing transitions into the night.
Photos of our camp
The course was about 7.5 miles in length and consisted of primarily twisty single-track. There were no extended long climbs, but plenty of roots, and ups and downs to keep things interesting. All in all, this course receives a 'thumbs up' from us.
As the gun went off at 12 noon on Saturday, Tommy took the opening lap for the team and impressed us all when we saw him emerge from the trail in the lead position. Tommy's time on this first lap would hold up for the fastest lap time. Jeff was next up and had an open trail as he headed off for his first lap. As the afternoon progressed, we all took a rotation and kept a careful eye to the results board to watch our team position. We all agreed that the team would pull me out of the night laps thus essentially reducing the team to four members -- since I suck at riding at night (I get spooked at every little thing that moves in the woods at night and am REALLY SLOW) -- and so to compensate, I rode three day laps before 8 pm. Throughout the night, the guys rode lap after lap as I rested. Their times stayed relatively consistent.
Jeff catching some zzzzz's
The energy surrounding these types of events during the night makes it hard to completely relax. It is not to say that people are loud, noisy, and partying, but rather, people are quiet and peaceful as they relax around camp fires, drink beer, and encourage riders coming through the transition area. In the background, there is always upbeat music coming out of the transition area. I always find the transition area somewhat magical -- out of the darkness appears a moving light and you're never sure who the rider is until they literally ride into the light of the transition area where they are welcomed by all who wait.
As dawn came, I was up at 4:30 to prepare for my morning laps. The guys had ridden solidly throughout the night with just a few minor mishaps: Tommy crashed and was left with a somewhat swollen knee; EJ flatted towards the end of one of his laps; Jeff's head lamp got pulled back from a stray course ribbon which forced him to ride a lap with his head cocked backwards; and, there was a 3 hour rain storm. EJ rarely sits the entire event always making sure that people are ok, well fed, and bikes ready to go, whereas, Jimmy will lay down from time to time. Jeff would come and go from our tent during the night and when he would lay down beside me, I made sure to hold his hand. All told, the guys did a wonderful job and now, it was my turn to give back. The strategy worked well since I was able to get back into the saddle and resume riding with the same lap time as 9 hours before.
Pre-dawn preparations
My first morning lap was extremely foggy due to night's rain mixed with the heat and humidity from the day before. There was no reason to have a light on as the light would only glare back, so I rode into the fog and mist and found it refreshing. Despite having over 100 racers in attendance, I only saw two riders that morning and enjoyed the quietness of the woods. At this point, the guys were relaxing and I continued to ride another lap. Tommy and Jeff would take one more lap, before I took my final turn. I mounted my bike at 11 a.m. Sunday morning for my final lap and finished up at 12:05. I was greeted by Jeff and EJ. We had won the co-ed 5-person division by 2 laps! Collectively, we put in 28 laps! What a great feeling! What a great team!
A great ending to a long race
Jeff, EJ, and Jimmy started pulling down camp as I changed for the final time out of my cycling clothes. Racers were greeted to a wonderful pasta meal and the awards ceremony soon followed. As we sat on the lawn waiting for the awards, we reminisced about the last 24 hours and exchanged congratulatory words with those around us.
Waiting for awards
Our winning team
Jeffina feeling the love
I want to thank EJ, Tommy, Jimmy, and Jeff for taking care of me throughout this event. I was feeling a bit flat coming into it, but by the end, I had such a great feeling of satisfaction. They are wonderful teammates and people.
I encourage anyone looking to compete in a well-organized and racer-friendly 24 hour race to consider the HardCore 24 in the future. The race is held at a wonderful venue, the course is great, results are posted on time, there is food, music, families, and unique trophies for all finishers. The Park Ave boys once again out did themselves.
To see additional images from the race, click on the Flickr link at the top of the page.
We'll be enjoying some time at home before competing in the Highland Forest Classic in Fabius, NY.
Together, we are Jeffina. Crankin' out the love, crankin' out the miles for Crankskins.com.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
6 Hours of Power (HOP) Race Report
The 6HOP takes place at the Holiday Valley Ski Resort in Ellicotville, NY. Ellicotville is located in western New York in the Allegeny Mountains. Ellicotville is near and dear to our hearts. It is where we first met about nine years ago through a common friend. Likewise, this race marks the first time in our relationship where we were teammates not only in life, but for a race. For those of you not familiar with the 6HOP format, here is a quick description. As the name implies, it is a 6 hour mountain bike race that racers can compete in as a team or as an individual. The team competition is like a track relay race. One person rides a lap, the riders tag, and then the next person rides a lap. This alternating format continues for six hours. Whereas, solo racers complete as many laps as possible during those six hours.
In previous years, both of us have competed with other teammates (Jeff teamed up with Brandon and I rode with Anne A.) and have completed this event as a solo rider. I find the team competition especially difficult because every lap is like doing an interval. You must warm up, cool down, and nourish between each lap while being careful to pace yourself throughout the event. This year would mark the first time that both Jeff and I would compete in the duo/co-ed division. Who else better to do this with than your trusted and beloved spouse?
We arrived Saturday in Ellicotville with plenty of time to preride and found the course to be nearly identical to that of year's past. A loop is about 10 miles in length, starts with a moderate climb across a couple of ski slopes and once on top, there is flowing single track. The descent down off the mountain is broken up into segments and undulates in and out of wooded sections before dropping you off at the bottom of a ski slope. We did our preride with a lot of relaxed conversation about our first few years together.
Sunday morning arrived and as expected, it was clear and dry. The weather forecasted temperatures to be near 90 later in the day, but the morning air held a refreshing chill. We went through our regular morning-of-the-race routine and headed over to the ski area to meet the rest of the team. EJ, Jimmy, and Tommy arrived and we immediately went to work setting up the 'pop-up' tents and organizing our stuff. Jason B. along with his brothers also made the trip, as well as Dougie, and a few others from the Buffalo area. All told, team Crankskins would have 10 riders competing in multiple categories.
Setting up camp
Our faithful supporters
Prior to the race, Jeff and I did the math based on previous year's times and worked out a plan that we hoped would pan out over the six hours. As a teacher, I always need a plan to work from for these longer types of events. Jeff would do the LeMans start and take the first lap and by doing so, he would end up with an extra lap at the end of the day. Barring any unplanned events: Jeff would ride 4 laps and me, 3 laps.
Jeff smartly positioned himself towards the front of the group for the LeMans start. We decided that his strength and speed would provide us with a strong start which is needed in an event such as this. As the gun went off, Dougie, one of the Crankskin riders, took off and eventually 'won' the run and Jeff mounted his bike in about 6th position. This was a great start for us.
Jeff at LeMans start
I began my warm ups and soon enough, Jeff was spotted hurling down the final descent. We had a smooth hand off and exchange of words, "You're doing great....I love you!"
Waiting for Jeff in transition area
At the transition
After our first two laps, we had a good sense of where we were running in the larger scheme of things. We were running within minutes of the other co-ed/duo team and when I recognized their names from the WV state series, I left Jeff a note back at camp, "We need to stay on it...these people are serious contenders." EJ has a great system devised for these types of events. Knowing that teammates don't actually have time to speak to one another, but still need to communicate, he posts a large piece of paper so we can record lap times and other important information.
Throughout the six hours, Jeff maintained 45-50 minute lap times and I consistently rode sub-60 minute laps (approx. 58-59 min). At the start of my 3rd lap, we were only 1 minute ahead of our competitors and I knew that there was no lull towards the end. I rode the best I could (despite one minor crash that bent my derailleur hanger that restricted me to a limited gear range) and stayed under 60 minutes for my lap time. At the final hand off, I said to Jeff, "Stay on it, babe!" knowing full well that our competition was within hearing range and was waiting for his rider to come in. I have seen Jeff in these situations before and he never ceased to amaze me. I stayed at the start/finish line until I saw our competition hand off and at that point, we had 6 minutes. At the end, Jeff would keep our first place position and the competition would take back 3 minutes on Jeff. What a thrilling finish! I was waiting for Jeff as he came across the line and threw my arms around him. His parents who joined us for the afternoon were ringing cowbells to signal their pleasure and congratulated him with hugs. We were all hot and sweaty, but it didn't matter.
Collectively, Team Crankskins had great results. Jimmy and EJ would win their category; Jason and Tommy got 2nd; and, Jeff and I won the co-ed/duo division. This event traditionally does not offer anything exceptional for prizes, but for us, just winning the category was satisfying. Our friends, Paul S., Margaret T., Tamara L, and Tracy competed in the solo division and all did really well in their respective divisions.
Afterwards, racers were treated to a pasta meal and watched the 6 Minutes of Power Children's Race.
Heading home along the NYS Thruway, we were both exhausted by our efforts. I dare to say that even today, I am still feeling the effects of Sunday's race, but as we move through these summer months, this type of racing is excellent training for the upcoming mountain bike races.
Ellicotville is a great area to ride and a great place to visit. The race director holds several events in this area throughout the year, as do several local organizations. I would encourage anyone looking for a weekend get-a-way to consider Ellicotville.
To see additional photos from the weekend, click on the Flickr link at the top of the page. EJ took some great photos!
Next up for the Jeffina: The HardCore 24 Hour Mountain Bike race with Team Crankskins. We are competing in the 5-person category with EJ, Jimmy, and Tommy.
Together, we are Jeffina. Crankin' out the love, crankin' out the miles for Crankskins.com
In previous years, both of us have competed with other teammates (Jeff teamed up with Brandon and I rode with Anne A.) and have completed this event as a solo rider. I find the team competition especially difficult because every lap is like doing an interval. You must warm up, cool down, and nourish between each lap while being careful to pace yourself throughout the event. This year would mark the first time that both Jeff and I would compete in the duo/co-ed division. Who else better to do this with than your trusted and beloved spouse?
We arrived Saturday in Ellicotville with plenty of time to preride and found the course to be nearly identical to that of year's past. A loop is about 10 miles in length, starts with a moderate climb across a couple of ski slopes and once on top, there is flowing single track. The descent down off the mountain is broken up into segments and undulates in and out of wooded sections before dropping you off at the bottom of a ski slope. We did our preride with a lot of relaxed conversation about our first few years together.
Sunday morning arrived and as expected, it was clear and dry. The weather forecasted temperatures to be near 90 later in the day, but the morning air held a refreshing chill. We went through our regular morning-of-the-race routine and headed over to the ski area to meet the rest of the team. EJ, Jimmy, and Tommy arrived and we immediately went to work setting up the 'pop-up' tents and organizing our stuff. Jason B. along with his brothers also made the trip, as well as Dougie, and a few others from the Buffalo area. All told, team Crankskins would have 10 riders competing in multiple categories.
Setting up camp
Our faithful supporters
Prior to the race, Jeff and I did the math based on previous year's times and worked out a plan that we hoped would pan out over the six hours. As a teacher, I always need a plan to work from for these longer types of events. Jeff would do the LeMans start and take the first lap and by doing so, he would end up with an extra lap at the end of the day. Barring any unplanned events: Jeff would ride 4 laps and me, 3 laps.
Jeff smartly positioned himself towards the front of the group for the LeMans start. We decided that his strength and speed would provide us with a strong start which is needed in an event such as this. As the gun went off, Dougie, one of the Crankskin riders, took off and eventually 'won' the run and Jeff mounted his bike in about 6th position. This was a great start for us.
Jeff at LeMans start
I began my warm ups and soon enough, Jeff was spotted hurling down the final descent. We had a smooth hand off and exchange of words, "You're doing great....I love you!"
Waiting for Jeff in transition area
At the transition
After our first two laps, we had a good sense of where we were running in the larger scheme of things. We were running within minutes of the other co-ed/duo team and when I recognized their names from the WV state series, I left Jeff a note back at camp, "We need to stay on it...these people are serious contenders." EJ has a great system devised for these types of events. Knowing that teammates don't actually have time to speak to one another, but still need to communicate, he posts a large piece of paper so we can record lap times and other important information.
Throughout the six hours, Jeff maintained 45-50 minute lap times and I consistently rode sub-60 minute laps (approx. 58-59 min). At the start of my 3rd lap, we were only 1 minute ahead of our competitors and I knew that there was no lull towards the end. I rode the best I could (despite one minor crash that bent my derailleur hanger that restricted me to a limited gear range) and stayed under 60 minutes for my lap time. At the final hand off, I said to Jeff, "Stay on it, babe!" knowing full well that our competition was within hearing range and was waiting for his rider to come in. I have seen Jeff in these situations before and he never ceased to amaze me. I stayed at the start/finish line until I saw our competition hand off and at that point, we had 6 minutes. At the end, Jeff would keep our first place position and the competition would take back 3 minutes on Jeff. What a thrilling finish! I was waiting for Jeff as he came across the line and threw my arms around him. His parents who joined us for the afternoon were ringing cowbells to signal their pleasure and congratulated him with hugs. We were all hot and sweaty, but it didn't matter.
Collectively, Team Crankskins had great results. Jimmy and EJ would win their category; Jason and Tommy got 2nd; and, Jeff and I won the co-ed/duo division. This event traditionally does not offer anything exceptional for prizes, but for us, just winning the category was satisfying. Our friends, Paul S., Margaret T., Tamara L, and Tracy competed in the solo division and all did really well in their respective divisions.
Afterwards, racers were treated to a pasta meal and watched the 6 Minutes of Power Children's Race.
Heading home along the NYS Thruway, we were both exhausted by our efforts. I dare to say that even today, I am still feeling the effects of Sunday's race, but as we move through these summer months, this type of racing is excellent training for the upcoming mountain bike races.
Ellicotville is a great area to ride and a great place to visit. The race director holds several events in this area throughout the year, as do several local organizations. I would encourage anyone looking for a weekend get-a-way to consider Ellicotville.
To see additional photos from the weekend, click on the Flickr link at the top of the page. EJ took some great photos!
Next up for the Jeffina: The HardCore 24 Hour Mountain Bike race with Team Crankskins. We are competing in the 5-person category with EJ, Jimmy, and Tommy.
Together, we are Jeffina. Crankin' out the love, crankin' out the miles for Crankskins.com
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Windham Race the World Report
Last year, Windham Mountain Resort, nestled in the small village of Windham, NY in the Catskill Mountains, hosted the first US-based World Cup mountain bike race since Vail, CO held it in the mid-1990s. This year, Windham did another outstanding job hosting the World Cup race. Bringing in mountain bike racers -- cross-country and downhill -- from across the globe, this is one spectacular event. The race draws racers, spectators and race supporters from across the region and brings a not-so-quiet solidarity to a sport that typically takes a backseat to other mainstream sports. Spectators hike into the woods and stand at optimal viewing spots to catch a glimpse of their favorite riders, riding some of the most technical terrain the east coast offers. Racers are greeted by cheers, and the sound of cowbells while navigating around each other and the professional photographers and other video equipment which broadcasts onto a live jumbo screen at the start/finish line.
Amateurs, such as ourselves, are privileged to ride the same course as the pros the day following the World Cup Race. This year, the amateur racing brought together racers from the NYS mountain bike series with the Route 66 series who are not only competing against one another, but also for their respective series points. For us, this event holds much weight due to the large fields which it draws and of course, the idea that we are racing in a true World Cup venue.
Windham Mountain
Start/Finish Line
Leading up to the race, we pre-rode the course on Friday and found it to be identical to the previous year's course. The course itself is 5.5K in length with approximately 700" of climbing. The course climbs the first 4K up the ski slope, into and out of the woods with the remaining 1.5K dedicated to a technical descent which is broken up into sections. While Jeff is strong in the technical sections, I still struggle with nerves and fears, but felt more comfortable than ever knowing that I did relatively well last year. For me, the mental portion of my riding is often times the component that can make or break my race.
Saturday morning, we awoke early to get in an easy spin on the road with our good friend, Paul S. We enjoy traveling with Paul and find our time with him especially easy due to his laid-back personality and gentle nature.
Jeff after our ride on Saturday morning
Paul after our ride on Saturday morning
Afterwards, we headed over to the "mountain" (as the locals say) and took in the pro race. Prior to the start of the women's race, I was fortunate to find the gals from the Mexican National Team (whom we met while in Wisconsin) by using my very weak Spanish-speaking skills on their team director, "Hola! Donde esta Laura?" He replied something in Spanish and pointed me to her. She remembered us from Wisconsin and was very welcoming. We took a few photos and wished her and Daniella good luck. During their race, I cheered for them, "Vamos, Laura....go Mexico."
Following the women's' race, we watched the start of the men's race and then decided to get out of the heat and sun and return to our rooms to relax prior to an early dinner. Last year, we found a quiet out-of-the way Italian restaurant near the hotel and would return this year knowing that the quality of the food was excellent. Our pre-race meal -- well, what else but spaghetti and meatballs.
Sunday morning arrived quite early as the Cat. 1 race started at 8 a.m. To enable plenty of time for our food to digest, we awoke at 4:45 to eat a breakfast. Jeff woke up not feeling well, still feeling the effects of something he had earlier in the week. Knowing that this was not going to be a good day to race, he begrudgingly took off his bike number and asked for me to turn it in for him at registration. My thoughts were with him and it was difficult for me to think of anything else. Yet, despite of the situation and at Jeff's urging, I went through my usual race preparation. Paul and I left at the hotel (and Jeff said he would try to make it to the race course to watch part of the race) and headed over to the mountain for warm ups. I missed Jeff. He is my rock.
Our start time drew near and I lined up with about 12 other women in the 35+ field and prepared for the short 3 lap race. Shasta was not happy about the shortness of the race, but I liked the idea that we would be out there a minimal amount of time. The trade off would be that the race would be high intensity. As the gun went off, I led out the group up the first climb and would hold this spot well into the climb. It was myself and two other gals in tow and as we made our way into the descent, I began losing time on time. They were able to navigate the downhill much quicker than I despite riding just about everything. I was hoping to play catch up on the 2nd lap, but was unable to close the gap on the climb and made a few small bobbles which caused me to lose more time. As I started my last lap, I was solidly in 3rd place and would finish as such. I was extremely pleased with my ride as I did the best I could and I was especially pleased with how my new 29er handled.
Jeff and his parents would meet me at the finish line with hugs. As the morning wound down, we watched the cat. 2 and 3 races, chatted with many of our friends, took in the sights, ate some food, and waited for the awards. Unlike last year, the awards were not held on the larger UCI stage, but on a podium near the main lodge.
We hope that Windham will continue to host this event, but we heard through the grapevine that the cost to put on such an event is $100,000 which is paid directly to the UCI and as you might imagine, in these tough economic times, does come easily especially in New York State.
The next few weeks will keep us closer to home which is sounds good this time of year as our garden is coming into it's peak season. It will keep me busy.
We'd like to thank EJ for his generosity and personally, I'd like thank Brent Mooreshouse for helping me move through my back pain. I had a pain-free race.
Also, good job to all our friends who participated: Paul S., Margaret T., Christina P., Tamara L., Vanessa, and Shasta J.
Together, we are Jeffina. Crankin' out the miles, crankin' out the love for Crankskins.com.
Amateurs, such as ourselves, are privileged to ride the same course as the pros the day following the World Cup Race. This year, the amateur racing brought together racers from the NYS mountain bike series with the Route 66 series who are not only competing against one another, but also for their respective series points. For us, this event holds much weight due to the large fields which it draws and of course, the idea that we are racing in a true World Cup venue.
Windham Mountain
Start/Finish Line
Leading up to the race, we pre-rode the course on Friday and found it to be identical to the previous year's course. The course itself is 5.5K in length with approximately 700" of climbing. The course climbs the first 4K up the ski slope, into and out of the woods with the remaining 1.5K dedicated to a technical descent which is broken up into sections. While Jeff is strong in the technical sections, I still struggle with nerves and fears, but felt more comfortable than ever knowing that I did relatively well last year. For me, the mental portion of my riding is often times the component that can make or break my race.
Saturday morning, we awoke early to get in an easy spin on the road with our good friend, Paul S. We enjoy traveling with Paul and find our time with him especially easy due to his laid-back personality and gentle nature.
Jeff after our ride on Saturday morning
Paul after our ride on Saturday morning
Afterwards, we headed over to the "mountain" (as the locals say) and took in the pro race. Prior to the start of the women's race, I was fortunate to find the gals from the Mexican National Team (whom we met while in Wisconsin) by using my very weak Spanish-speaking skills on their team director, "Hola! Donde esta Laura?" He replied something in Spanish and pointed me to her. She remembered us from Wisconsin and was very welcoming. We took a few photos and wished her and Daniella good luck. During their race, I cheered for them, "Vamos, Laura....go Mexico."
Following the women's' race, we watched the start of the men's race and then decided to get out of the heat and sun and return to our rooms to relax prior to an early dinner. Last year, we found a quiet out-of-the way Italian restaurant near the hotel and would return this year knowing that the quality of the food was excellent. Our pre-race meal -- well, what else but spaghetti and meatballs.
Sunday morning arrived quite early as the Cat. 1 race started at 8 a.m. To enable plenty of time for our food to digest, we awoke at 4:45 to eat a breakfast. Jeff woke up not feeling well, still feeling the effects of something he had earlier in the week. Knowing that this was not going to be a good day to race, he begrudgingly took off his bike number and asked for me to turn it in for him at registration. My thoughts were with him and it was difficult for me to think of anything else. Yet, despite of the situation and at Jeff's urging, I went through my usual race preparation. Paul and I left at the hotel (and Jeff said he would try to make it to the race course to watch part of the race) and headed over to the mountain for warm ups. I missed Jeff. He is my rock.
Our start time drew near and I lined up with about 12 other women in the 35+ field and prepared for the short 3 lap race. Shasta was not happy about the shortness of the race, but I liked the idea that we would be out there a minimal amount of time. The trade off would be that the race would be high intensity. As the gun went off, I led out the group up the first climb and would hold this spot well into the climb. It was myself and two other gals in tow and as we made our way into the descent, I began losing time on time. They were able to navigate the downhill much quicker than I despite riding just about everything. I was hoping to play catch up on the 2nd lap, but was unable to close the gap on the climb and made a few small bobbles which caused me to lose more time. As I started my last lap, I was solidly in 3rd place and would finish as such. I was extremely pleased with my ride as I did the best I could and I was especially pleased with how my new 29er handled.
Jeff and his parents would meet me at the finish line with hugs. As the morning wound down, we watched the cat. 2 and 3 races, chatted with many of our friends, took in the sights, ate some food, and waited for the awards. Unlike last year, the awards were not held on the larger UCI stage, but on a podium near the main lodge.
We hope that Windham will continue to host this event, but we heard through the grapevine that the cost to put on such an event is $100,000 which is paid directly to the UCI and as you might imagine, in these tough economic times, does come easily especially in New York State.
The next few weeks will keep us closer to home which is sounds good this time of year as our garden is coming into it's peak season. It will keep me busy.
We'd like to thank EJ for his generosity and personally, I'd like thank Brent Mooreshouse for helping me move through my back pain. I had a pain-free race.
Also, good job to all our friends who participated: Paul S., Margaret T., Christina P., Tamara L., Vanessa, and Shasta J.
Together, we are Jeffina. Crankin' out the miles, crankin' out the love for Crankskins.com.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
The Cookie Ride Ends with No Cookies, Sort of....
Fair Haven, NY, located on Lake Ontario is an ideal summer spot -- it's small town atmosphere, slow-pace, and beautiful state park makes it a wonderful weekend get-a-way for central New Yorkers. For these reasons, Fair Haven is one of our favorite places to visit for the day.
On this 4th of July weekend, we packed up the bikes and headed north to the lake for a leisurely ride that always ends at the Fly By Night Cookie Company situated on Ranchier Ave. Thus, the ride earns the title of Cookie Ride due to it's final destination spot. (Special note: The Fly By Night Cookie Company is a 'must-see' place in Fair Haven. Bonnie owns the shop and has earned much attention with her creative cookie-making skills, but beyond that, the building itself deserves mention. Her son, a noted carpenter, carved out the porch pillars and inside, customers enter in a single 'cookie room.' When I walk in, I am transformed into a wild-eyed child who wants to try one of every cookie.)
Years ago when I first moved to central New York, I came upon the Cato-Meridian rail trail which spans from Fair Haven south towards the Cato-Meridian area. According to one of our local friends, he says the rail trail is now maintained by a snow mobile/ATV group and has further expanded and thus open year round to anyone who wishes to ride, walk, run, etc.
From Fair Haven to Cato-Meridian, the trail is 14 miles in length and travels through some magnificent country side where animals abound -- there are plenty of turtles (Jeff calls this the my "summer of my turtles"), toads, deer, a random turkey, and deer. At times the trail is open and at other times, the trees form a canopy blanket. We chat and talk the whole ride and in general, just enjoy our time together. For me, this is a welcome respite from the typical grueling rides I endure with Jeff.
The Jeffina taking a short break
For me, the ride was the third day I have been on my new 29er and another test to see how it handles. The set up was comfortable on my arms, legs, neck, and back.
As our ride ended, we made our way back into Fair Haven and decided to take the back roads into the state park as to avoid any car traffic on the main park road. We followed the lake around and entered the park. We immediately headed for the water's edge and joined the other hundreds of people doing the same. We parked the bikes, took off our shoes and socks, and dipped our legs into the cool water.
Our final stop on this day would be the Fly By Night Cookie Company. We retraced our path and stopped to buy cookies, but we were greeted by a sign on the door, "Sorry -- SOLD OUT." Myself and another group of people who had just unloaded from their car stood there in disbelief. One young gal in the group, peeked inside and said, "I can see cookies...they have cookies...." We all chuckled realizing that the lure of cookies was powerful, but on this day, there were no cookies to be had.
Jeff and I made our way back into town, loaded up the car, and headed for Ontario Orchards where we not only picked up some fresh produce items, but also two half-moon cookies -- one for him and one for me. In West Virgina, we don't have half-moon cookies and I think that anyone who opens a shop in WV that sells just half-moon cookies would make a fortune. Who could not like a half-moon cookie?
Our next race will be at Windham, "Race the World."
Jeff's words of wisdom for the day, "If you've never been a skank, you'll never be a skank." These words were spoken after seeing the 'sights' at Fair Haven State Park.
Together, we are Jeffina, crankin' out the love, crankin' out the miles for Crankskins.com.
Enjoy the remaining pictures from the day.
On this 4th of July weekend, we packed up the bikes and headed north to the lake for a leisurely ride that always ends at the Fly By Night Cookie Company situated on Ranchier Ave. Thus, the ride earns the title of Cookie Ride due to it's final destination spot. (Special note: The Fly By Night Cookie Company is a 'must-see' place in Fair Haven. Bonnie owns the shop and has earned much attention with her creative cookie-making skills, but beyond that, the building itself deserves mention. Her son, a noted carpenter, carved out the porch pillars and inside, customers enter in a single 'cookie room.' When I walk in, I am transformed into a wild-eyed child who wants to try one of every cookie.)
Years ago when I first moved to central New York, I came upon the Cato-Meridian rail trail which spans from Fair Haven south towards the Cato-Meridian area. According to one of our local friends, he says the rail trail is now maintained by a snow mobile/ATV group and has further expanded and thus open year round to anyone who wishes to ride, walk, run, etc.
From Fair Haven to Cato-Meridian, the trail is 14 miles in length and travels through some magnificent country side where animals abound -- there are plenty of turtles (Jeff calls this the my "summer of my turtles"), toads, deer, a random turkey, and deer. At times the trail is open and at other times, the trees form a canopy blanket. We chat and talk the whole ride and in general, just enjoy our time together. For me, this is a welcome respite from the typical grueling rides I endure with Jeff.
The Jeffina taking a short break
For me, the ride was the third day I have been on my new 29er and another test to see how it handles. The set up was comfortable on my arms, legs, neck, and back.
As our ride ended, we made our way back into Fair Haven and decided to take the back roads into the state park as to avoid any car traffic on the main park road. We followed the lake around and entered the park. We immediately headed for the water's edge and joined the other hundreds of people doing the same. We parked the bikes, took off our shoes and socks, and dipped our legs into the cool water.
Our final stop on this day would be the Fly By Night Cookie Company. We retraced our path and stopped to buy cookies, but we were greeted by a sign on the door, "Sorry -- SOLD OUT." Myself and another group of people who had just unloaded from their car stood there in disbelief. One young gal in the group, peeked inside and said, "I can see cookies...they have cookies...." We all chuckled realizing that the lure of cookies was powerful, but on this day, there were no cookies to be had.
Jeff and I made our way back into town, loaded up the car, and headed for Ontario Orchards where we not only picked up some fresh produce items, but also two half-moon cookies -- one for him and one for me. In West Virgina, we don't have half-moon cookies and I think that anyone who opens a shop in WV that sells just half-moon cookies would make a fortune. Who could not like a half-moon cookie?
Our next race will be at Windham, "Race the World."
Jeff's words of wisdom for the day, "If you've never been a skank, you'll never be a skank." These words were spoken after seeing the 'sights' at Fair Haven State Park.
Together, we are Jeffina, crankin' out the love, crankin' out the miles for Crankskins.com.
Enjoy the remaining pictures from the day.
Monday, July 4, 2011
Meatless Mondays
On Mondays, we typically go meatless. In our household, this tradition started a few years back and based on my readings in some popular magazines, the trend to go meatless on Mondays seems to be a wave sweeping the country. For health and environmental reasons, many Americans seem to be joining in.
While I was in graduate school, I lived cheaply (as most graduate students do) and learned very quickly how to eat healthy while living on a paycheck that put me at poverty level status. The two main staples I often included in my diet were beans and rice. There is a variety of beans to choose from (e.g., black, red, pinto, kidney, etc.) and depending on your cooking preference, consumers can choose canned beans or dried beans which need to be soaked and then cooked. As for rice, I always choose brown rice and I have a personal preference for organic short grain.
While most Americans were eating hot dogs and hamburgers on this 4th of July holiday, Jeff and I ate vegetable quesadillas. Here is the recipe, but feel free to modify as needed as just about any type of vegetable will work.
Yellow squash
Fresh mushrooms
Sweet onion
Black olives
Green pepper
Fresh spinach
Plum tomatoes
1 can of black beans
Fresh cilantro
Whole wheat tortilla shells
Grated cheese
Sautee hard vegetables in a pan with a small amount of canola oil. Towards the end, add spinach, black beans, and plum tomatoes. When heated through, remove from heat.
Heat griddle to 300 degrees and add a small amount of canola oil. Place one tortilla shell on the griddle and load up with cooked vegetables. Sprinkle some cheese and fresh ciantro on top of vegetables. Place another tortilla shell on top. Flip the quesadilla when one side is slightly browned and let other side brown. Remove from heat and eat.
Top with salsa, sour cream, or just eat plain.
Enjoy!
Together, we are Jeffina. Crankin' out the love, crankin' out the miles for Crankskins.com
While I was in graduate school, I lived cheaply (as most graduate students do) and learned very quickly how to eat healthy while living on a paycheck that put me at poverty level status. The two main staples I often included in my diet were beans and rice. There is a variety of beans to choose from (e.g., black, red, pinto, kidney, etc.) and depending on your cooking preference, consumers can choose canned beans or dried beans which need to be soaked and then cooked. As for rice, I always choose brown rice and I have a personal preference for organic short grain.
While most Americans were eating hot dogs and hamburgers on this 4th of July holiday, Jeff and I ate vegetable quesadillas. Here is the recipe, but feel free to modify as needed as just about any type of vegetable will work.
Yellow squash
Fresh mushrooms
Sweet onion
Black olives
Green pepper
Fresh spinach
Plum tomatoes
1 can of black beans
Fresh cilantro
Whole wheat tortilla shells
Grated cheese
Sautee hard vegetables in a pan with a small amount of canola oil. Towards the end, add spinach, black beans, and plum tomatoes. When heated through, remove from heat.
Heat griddle to 300 degrees and add a small amount of canola oil. Place one tortilla shell on the griddle and load up with cooked vegetables. Sprinkle some cheese and fresh ciantro on top of vegetables. Place another tortilla shell on top. Flip the quesadilla when one side is slightly browned and let other side brown. Remove from heat and eat.
Top with salsa, sour cream, or just eat plain.
Enjoy!
Together, we are Jeffina. Crankin' out the love, crankin' out the miles for Crankskins.com
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