velomech - A big fat thanks to Lindner and Da Hoff!

09:24 am - A big fat thanks to Lindner and Da Hoff!

They both madde a sizable contribution to the puppy fund over the weekend. Many thanks my friends. Deb and I are starting to think that some of the puppies may be boxer or st bernard mix...They are freakin huge, and only a 12 days old.


Yesterday was the snake. I met Hoff and Dan, and T.roy at the start. They looked pretty fit. I ended up crashing at bailey house the night before. As I did not have a car. Friday....and I say this with great sadness, the fifty 8 died on me. Yeah, I have only had it back for 6 months, and the motor was about to turn around 300,000, so I cant complain, but it did put me in a spot. Now, I have no car. So, I am relying on everyone else for a lift, and I will be riding to work until I get this latest issue resolved.

What a pain in the ass.

So, Bailey wakes me up at six, and brosche rolls in around 620. We hit the road and grab some macdonalds, hotackes and sausage, and burritos. This happens to be a much better breakfast than, lets say, Krispy kreme donuts!!! That was Jeffrey's idea of a nutritious balanced breakfast at the firewater 50. It didnt work so good.

So, I ate good yesterday am. We got to the lot early enought to catch the first shuttle. I ran into a lot of friends which is always nice. Wattson was there and looking fit, as always. I'll let the cat out of the bag right now, I wanted a time that was close to wattson. He wins a lot of local races and has pretty much set the bar around here. So I intend on using him for a target. It's an awesome rivalry, I think we will be exchanging punches all year long which is gonna be fun. The only thing is he races geared and I race single speed.
Still, I wanted to keep in in site, so to speak.

I also wanted to see how my time would compare to all the guys that were killing me all year long....Hoff, lindnder, Smeltzer, Wild bill and the bunch. Last year my fastest time was aroung 4:15. My goal was to break 4 hours. It was lofty, even though I was training my ass off, Im not used to big pay offs, just little baby steps of improvement. So, sub four would have been great.

To get to the start, we had to ride on a bus. I couldnt help but notice the bus driver was a lady, cut directly out of a bus driver mold. Brash, slightly loud and a little rude. Our bus was seriously over loaded in my opinion. If Dan's fat ass wasnt aboard, we probably would have been ok, but he was hovering over me in the Isle. Anyhoo, back to the bus ride of death.
Im sure you will be hearing about this from everyone, so here is how I saw it. We got on the road down the mountain behind some ahole in a compact car, going rediculously slow. The driver was immediately on the horn behind him. Yelling at him to go, and that busses dont stop as well as he thinks they do.
We were all yapping and having a good time until we heard the buzzer. Buzzers on a train or bus are never a good thing. All of a sudden things got a little quite. As we were careening down the moutnain faster than the car in frnt of us, the driver decided to go into the other lane so as not to run over him. Only problem was, there was a big white truck coming int the other direction and he was really fond of his lane and wouldnt move, so we narrowly avoided death there.

Then as we were finally almost out of the woods, that same ahole in the tiny car was still in front of us. by now I was wishing he was under us. the atmosphere on the bus od death was a little high. As we were coming to the bottom of the mountian he decided to slow down. On goes the buzzer again. That buzzer tells us that the airbakes dont have enough pressure to make brakes, so with out brakes, ther eis no stopping. Everyone was scared shitless. We watched the bus lady hitting the horn and waving this asshole to go, but it wasnt working. Niether were the brakes. So We went flying passed him into the oncoming trfffic lane, and pulled right in front of his ass. He got a couple of "he's number one" waves from some people and the bus driver was cussin up a storm.

I was honestly terified of going of the side of the mountian.

So, we made it to the start parking lot. My bladder almost ruptured, if it wasnt for dan and hoff distract me by waving bottles of water in my face the whole way, I dont know what I would have done. Thanks guys.

I was rolling up to the line and Hoff was in line for the toilet, and the rest of the Yazoo boys were waiting. I decided to go ahead an start and try and stay ahead of them. They usually roll up to me and pass me. So, I figured I would haul ass while the hauling was good.

I started with a bunch of Geared bikes. I got immediatly destroyed as the first couple miles is flat as a pancake, then you get a couple miles of straight up double track. I must have been dropped and passed by 25 racers right off the bat.

As we got to the climb, I decided I would pay any attention to anyone, and manage my own speed and ride my own race. I started to pass a couple of people...pretty soon it was a bunch of people, then I think close to 30 before I hit the woods. I caught Crazy eyes and Hall, then I htink I went by Hans. I wasnt exactly flying, but I was keeping a pace that was managable. Every single racers I came up on let me by, I asked politley, and got polite replies.

Really cool bunch of people. I caught Norma, and gave her props, she was drilling it. THen I thoght I saw Wild Bill, which I was thinking no way, As I came up on him, I asked "is that you Bill?"

"whos that? Scotty???"

"Yeah man"

"Good job bro!"

We exchanged pleasantries and I motored on. I got to the halfway point and hit the rest stop. I drank a bunch, ate a bunch and bolted. Well, I didnt exactly bolt, but I rode on. I came up on Brosche, who had flatted, but i didnt have a tool, so I could help. I think I lost about 30 seconds to a minute there.

I got back on and brosche told me I was only 25 minutes behind turner. There was no way I was 25 minutes behind Tommy, so I thanked brosche for lying and took off.

I steadied my pace. Climbed some while I was in the saddle. My body was really taking a beating. My tricepts were locking up, and my taint was raw. I was staring to second guess my fitness and my form, and my sub four hour goal. I remebered what Nate said. Keep my central nervous system firing and Ill be fine, so I grab some more sugary circus peanuts and a little lateer, I was firing on all eight cylinders again. I mosied up to the 8 mile left to go mark and that when I staretd to drag. I was eating and drinking really well, but It's the first race of the year and I was 3/4 into it. I was definelty on a bike with too tall of a gear. So my legs were straining. I starte to feel the beginning of a cramp or two.

As it turns out, I want passed by anyone until the four mile mark, when Chip came by. We both got to the hike a bike seciton at the same time, but he was pushing an even taller gear than I was, and even though we were WALKING he was dropping me. I knew I was on the edge of bonking. So, I tried to keep a decent pace and not get caught by anyone else.

I bounced off of a lot of trees and rocks. I came up on a guy who had just taken a header into some pretty big rocks and had some blood gushing out of his face. he insisted he was ok, but I grabbed his bike and leaned it on a tree. I told him he might be fine, and he might feel fine, but he should at least just hang out and chill for a minute. It would be the safe thing to do, and he did. I think I lost a couple minutes there, But it's only a race, and he was genuinely injured. Help before hurry.

As I was hittin the big rocks right before the tower, Hoffman had not caught me yet. This was the final crest befor ethe downhill to the finish. If someone doesnt catch you here they wont catch you. Last year, Lindner caught me here. I waas heart broken. I tried like hell to keep lindner from catching me last year, but he got me at the rocks.

So, This year when I had gotten there without being caught I was super happy.

There was a guy there, he said, 300 yards to the tower. I thought "Hell Yeah!" Then I felt three muscles all cramp at once. I started thinking "Hell no."

I pushed through the cramps and walked the big rocks. Then coasted all the way down to finish. Smiling.

I was thinking I broke four hours. In fact, I was so sure, that I made myself remember my start time. 10:59:30. I yelled that to Dickman, who was blabbering on about something on the mic, and he told me 4:30 hours...And I said dammit really?? He looked at his watch again, then up at me and said..."Oh, No....Um...3:30 Hours....Wow, good job hodge"

I did it. I broke 4 hours. My time was 3:31...So, Im super happy with my form, but I owe it all to my coach Nate. If anyone wants his info, let me know, he turned a fat slow old guy into a competetive old guy.

I Also kept clsoe to Wattson. Im thinking next time, I dont stop for anyone, maybe my fitness will be a little better, and I break 3:25.

Thats my goal, next month, 3:25.

Maybe it's doable.

I had an awesome freakin time, chili and cobbler afterwards, and a yazoo beer. Hoff hooked me up with a six of pale ale form yazoo, which is one of my favs.

I wish I could have hungout a little longer but my ride was leaving. The yazoo boys camped out and rode again today...good on you boys!

I have a recovery ride to do, and I need to play with the kids for a while...


Cheers and beers
And congrats to everyone who did a great 1st race and keep up the good work, it's gonna be a fun season!


Hodge