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!

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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.