On the Road Again.....to Mt. Snow, VT

After being home for five days, the Jeffina packed up again and headed for Mt. Snow, VT. Mt. Snow is not hosting a national event this year, but was holding a Rt. 66 series mountain bike race. We don't participate in many of the Rt. 66 races, but Jeff wanted to test his fitness after a great run in Colorado. Outside of that, we love traveling to VT, we love the quaint setting and rural roads, and the course is typically one of the most difficult we will race on here in the northeast. For both of us, this course would test our fitness and handling skills.

We arrived on Saturday afternoon with plenty of time to pre-ride the course. The course started with the traditional parade loop that took riders up the hill from the main base lodge into a section of woods with a short rocky descent back down to the base lodge, and then more climbing to the top. This year, the course took us all the way to top -- we circled the pond before making one more final ascent and then dropped back into the woods for the descent. The descent is broken up by transversing the ski slopes at times and then diving back into the woods. The loop was about 6 miles, but both Jeff and I agreed that it felt a bit shorter. On the pre-ride, I was able to ride just about everything on the descent. After coming back from Colorado, my confidence to ride technical courses is improving.

Saturday evening, it rained most of the night, but we awoke to clear, blue skies, but we knew that the rocks and roots would now be wet and slimey. We were both up for the challenge.

The SS men lined up with five across the line. Jeff's good friend and fellow competitor, Brian, was there, and Jeff was unfamiliar with the other riders. Jeff states that they had a relatively easy start, but by the top of the first climb, Jeff and Brian distanced themselves from the other riders. From there, it would be the two of them going back and forth. About 3/4 of the way into the first lap, Jeff's rear brake cable loosened from the main brake handle and Jeff would end up riding the remainder portion of the race with ONLY a front brake. For any of you who are familiar with the course at Mt. Snow, you must realize what a feat this was. Jeff admits that there were sections so steep that he had to run down, but surprisingly, Jeff would go on to take 2nd in his division.

Similar to Jeff, myself and a rather young gal distanced ourselves from the rest of the expert ladies field early on and we would go back and forth for the entire race. Seven expert ladies lined up, with five of us in the 35+ category. On the 3rd and final lap, I was able to make enough time on the final climb to hold her off on the final descent. I won the overall (and of course, my division) by about 15 seconds. I had a relatively uneventful race and just rode my own race. The course is so tough that I did not want to push over my limits. I admit that at times, my riding was not pretty on the technical descents, but nonetheless, I made it through.

After awards, we stopped at Dot's Diner, a local Dover landmark, and drove home as the sun set. We were both satisfied with our races and hope that this will provide a good tune-up for the upcoming AMBC race in Macungie, PA.

Enjoy the photos!



















































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

Some Photos from Nationals!

EJ found a link that has photos of us at Nationals.

Check it out!

Nationals took place at the Sol Vista Resort in Granby, CO. The length of the course was about 9 miles with 1750 ft. of elevation gain. Both Jeff and I did 2 laps of the course.

More to come.

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

Traveling High in Colorado: Part 1

It's been a busy (and great) few weeks since I last posted an entry. I had good intentions of posting pictures and entries while away, but had continually poor and unreliable internet service. Due to this, I plan to post our adventures in several parts. What follows is part 1.

The Jeffina left town on July 6th after dropping off the 'girly-girls' at grandma and grandpa's house after which we drove 7 1/2 hours to my mom's house in Columbus, OH. Even though we arrived at 10 pm, my bro made the effort to come visit for a hour. In tow, he brought my nephew, Johnathan, and good friend, Mateo. Even though our visit was short, I was happy to see my mom and brother. It was the first time I had seen my bro since his car accident 4 weeks ago. When I saw him, my first inclination was to hug him, but he gently reminded me of his lingering pain when he said, "Don't squeeze too tight...."














Jeff wanted to leave fairly early, but in my family early doesn't mean anything earlier than 8 a.m. We left mom's house by 9 a.m. after enjoying a great breakfast. Our goal for the day was 700+ miles. Driving across the country in I-70, we enjoyed views of mainly farm lands which gave us a sense of middle America. Each city we passed, we pulled out our AAA book to learn about the history, population, and eateries in these areas. It became a routine that was fun and informative. Bigger cities greeted us with the same views from the highway. Time after time, we saw the same chain hotels, the same restaurants, the same stores lining the highways. As much as people may think that we are different,I am convinced that we are more similar than different. We all shop at similar stores and eat at similar restaurants. Of course, cultural backgrounds differ, but Americans basically experience similar environments thanks to the god of consumerism.

Driving through Kansas, we saw huge crosses beside the highway. For me who freely borrows from across the world's religions and mainly identifies as a spiritualist/pagan/Buddhist, we got a good chuckle from these monuments. It was Karl Marx who said, "Religion is opium for the masses..." and perhaps in Kansas, life is tough enough that religion soothes their suffering and the crosses along the highway are a reminder of their faith.














We drove to Salina, KS this day and pulled into a Day's Inn parking lot 11 pm. It was a long day and we were both a bit road wary, but after calculating the miles, we only had another 5-6 hours before reaching Colorado Springs. The highlights of the day included eating at a Chiptotle's in Independence, KS, driving through Kansas City and seeing the two professional ball stadiums, trying to figure out if there was a time change, seeing acrobatic crop dusters, golden fields of wheat, and eating Greek yogurt with goji berries. Thanks, mom! We're hooked now.


















On July 8th, we arrived in Colorado Springs, CO mid-day. Approaching Colorado Springs, the mountains appeared in front of us, and slowly grew in size. I have spent time in Colorado Springs and the spectacular view and the excitement of seeing the mountains, never seems to change for me. Pike's Peak towers over Colorado Springs and even though it's not the highest mountain in Colorado, it is a glorious sight to behold!



















Next entry will be dedicated to our first mountain bike stage race. Stay tuned for more and thanks for reading.

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

Happy 4th of July!

The Jeffina wishes all of our family and friends a happy 4th of July.















May you be free from oppression.

May you be free from injustice.

May you be free from intolerance and hate.

May you be free tyranny.

May you experience peace and non-violence.

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

Oh a Traveling We Will Go.....

Picked up EJ's luggage carrier last night at the final race in the Park Ave. Fat Tire Series in Rochester.

Thanks EJ! We'll try our best for you and the team in Colorado.

5 day 'til we depart.

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.