cx race
chuck ripping springer
me hitting the cornice
road ride?

any ride in p-county is good
horses

My goal is not to fall asleep while writing this. I am completely exhausted and it's not even 8pm. Why am I so tired? I'll start out today and work backwards.
Today was the bruceton cx race at don parks house. The course rolled around his yard, some fields, and back up his driveway for a lap. The expert race was a little over 1 hour long. A couple warmup laps to check out the course and bird-boys course modifications. Lined up for the start. There were like 3 mtbs and all the rest were cx bikes. Never seen so many cx bikes at a wv cx race before. I felt great for the first 100 yards of the race then slowly faded over the next few laps to 12th out of 13. Even though i was suffering the whole race, i still had a blast. It was good to see so many familiar faces that i hadn't seen in a long time.
Saturday Chuck and i went down to whitegrass. Conditions were good for skiing, great compared to last year and excellent for november conditions. Started out with my skinny xc skis, and headed out to springer orchid. Chuck skied the whole day on some sweet fat karhu guide xc skis. They looked like some skis that will float good in the powder, so i knew i'd have to work hard to keep up. Started over to springer but then started hiting the cornice snow by the lodge. I don't think i have ever been to wg and not sessioned the cornice snow before heading out. headed over to springer and found some great powder skiing. sessioned springer at least a half dozen times before heading up to roundtop and baldy. Tried to crisscross many of the trails instead of heading straight up to baldy. Bot up there took in the view and decided to ski back down the main trails toward wg to get back down. down to round top over to upper springer, all the way down springer and back to the truck. I was itching to try out my new skins. I got them last year for my birthday and had not gotten to use them. Traded out boots, slapped on the tele skis and skinned back over to springer. What a difference in skis. I was completely exhausted heading back over but once we got there it was well worth it. A couple more sessions then back to the truck and off to siriannis to refuel. 11 miles of skiing for the day according to chuck's gps.
Friday night i went with chuck and jonny to accident md to xc ski some of the trails. It is pretty awesome to ski at night with a group. Left the truck and about 10 minutes later my headlight died and jonny didn't bring one. Wound around the trails for about 3 hours. It was 8* when we got back to the truck.
The weekend before went on a couple of road rides. Did the gladesville loop and a road/cross ride with chuck. Gladesville was like 50 miles and the road/cross ride was another 30some.
This is my last week in petersburg, then back to fairmont for the month of december. Hopefully the snow keeps falling and can get more skiing in next month.
gravy

A weekend off?

Last week consisted of working in petersburg until wednesday night. I had planned on staying till thursday morning and driving home but then in a last minute decision i decided to go on wednesday night after work. Trying to get home i was going a little fast and came around a turn in the small town of thronton. Instantly the blue lights come on in front of me. Effff. I got nailed good 65 in a 40 zone. He gave me a smaller ticket and then proceeded to write me a warning for having an obstructed license plate b/c of my bike rack. I almost laughed, but didn't and went on home. Did some work around home on thursday, then went for a 20 mile road ride. Friday was teh similar thing-work around home in the morning then went out for a 25 mile mtb ride at valley falls. I felt ok, for not riding for 4 weeks and my shoulder didn't bother me. Saturday i went down to timberline to ride downhill. It was supposed to be their last weekend and i really wanted to get some runs in before the snow flies and they close down the trails. It was a great day ended up with about 17 runs total. I just rode non-stop and packed my lunch and ate on the lift. It was also super cold-temp started at 38* at the top and by the end of the day had dropped to 34*. Afterwards i met up with chris, andy and matt and we went for dinner at hellbenders. It was my first time there. It was so weird to go to davis and not eat at siriannis but i survived and hellbenders was great. Sunday i went for a 25 mile road ride then packed up to head back to petersburg.
Not sure what the weekend plans bring this weekend. I have to head back thursday morning to get to the dentist. The filling in my front tooth broke loose on friday out on my ride. It didn't fall out but rattles around in my mouth. So lately everything i eat has to be bite size. really sucks.
probably ride friday, work sat, ride sunday, and back to petersburg.
Sorry ain't got any pictures. Had the camera with me at tline but didn't stop to dig it out.
Ride on
Gravy

A little of everything

Early morning frost:Tunnel:
Top o the climb out of valley falls
Chuck:
Haunted cabin along the river
Chuck riding at mini moab:
more mini-moab:
By the river:

Ok i think i am jinxed, i wanted to update early last week but never got to. So here it goes...
Last sunday consisted of a ride out on the backside of valley falls or the area on the other side of the river from the park. Its mostly 4wheeler trails but some good riding. Met up with chuck at his house and we headed out. Got a variety of riding-6 major climbs, mini-moab slick rock, valley falls. I felt great thorugh the ride and my shoulder didn't bother me. Just tried to take it easy and not wreck on it. It will take awhile to really open it up on the downhills again. Monday i went to the dentist for a root canal. then did some homework the rest of the day. Tuesday, wednesday, thursday, friday and saturday i worked. I snuck out early friday morning and rode around town a bit before work. Sunday morning i went out by myself to valley falls. Rode out from my house around the park once and back home. Felt really good, i had my camel bak on my shoulders and it didn't bother me. Had a little bit more confidence on the downhills, but my shoulder did hurt one time on a quick flinch. Spent sunday afternoon packing and headed down to petersburg on sunday night.
Started work at judy's drugs in petersburg on monday. I am in the education department, alot of counseling and classes. Gotta work mon-wed this week. Not sure on weekend plans yet. May stay here on wed night then go on a road ride thursday since i got my road bike with me. Work lasts till 7 so really can't ride at night here. I really want to go to timberline this weekend. Its their last downhill weekend of the season and i haven't got to ride dh for awhile and its along time till april or may.
Really trying not to watch tv tonight because of the election results. I voted early last week so i am not in a hurry to find out what happens. I hate turning on the tv and there are these biased analysts giving their own opinion for their candidate. So glad it will be over tonight. I am glad to hear of the big turnouts today. It is great because so many people realize that their voice matters in our country. I have looked at this election many times as the south park episode where stan had to choose between the giant douche and the turd sandwich and wouldn't vote. I felt the same way about both candidates, but finally choose one.
That's all for now.
Gravy

Gettin there...

I've been feeling better everyday. Today was 2 weeks. I still have some shoulder pain but feel its getting better. I went for a couple rides this week. I went out wednesday morning and rode down to colfax and back on the road. Just like an easy 5 miles but didn't hurt except when pulling on the bars when climbing. Went out early friday morning just after sunup before work. Had an hour to cruise around east side. Went down to hit the rail trail but it was closed at the tunnel so went up to the BMX track to check it out. Haven't been up there to ride all summer (could be good or bad). Rode around it easy a couple times then back out to the road and home over sawmill hill. Felt really good, although out of shape, but my shoulder didn't bother me too much. Plan on trying to get out tomorrow morning with chuck before he heads off to cincinnati for a week. We're heading over to the other side of valley falls. The trails are mostly grown over jeep and 4 wheeler trails and shouldn't be too bad. We'll see.

Today was the downhill race at nationals. I've really been bummed the last few days. I'm not for sure i could've raced competitively, and didn't want to hurt myself worse. It just sucks because it is the last collegiate nats for me. I've been to so many over my collegiate career and it sucks to miss this one. i've been to new york, new mexico twice, 7 springs twice and boone, nc.

Rotation has been good this month at giant eagle. 3 more days left next week, then 4/9 done with rotations. Next month i am at Judy's in petersburg doing diabetes education. I've got a little practice this month since GE does some diabetes stuff.

Wednesday afternoon I signed with CVS. Mainly because i've been there for a few years now and they've been good to me and i've heard good things from the pharmacists that work there. Not sure of the exact store where i'll be working but it's somewhere in the north central wv area.

Mondays the dentist, i'll try to get an update in this week before i head to petersburg agian next weekend.

Ride on

Dave

Ouch!

So the weekend started off perfect! Everyone was ready to hit up the ride. Camelbak stuffed full ready to roll. head out of camp with the crew for some road sections before the trail. Go to ride over the gravel pile at the state road garage-nothing out of the ordinary, then it happened. I was the first to hit it and there wasn't really a backside to it. Pretty much caught my front wheel halfway down the backside and splatted head first at the base. Don't think i knocked myself out b/c i knew what was going on, but really couldn't control myself either. then i realized i busted my tooth, or later find out 4 teeth. As i sat and talked with the crew they realized my helmet was split in half. I insisted that they go on, but we hung out and talked for a bit then i headed back to camp to recover and they went on. I got my shoulder/collarbone area pretty good and it is still sore a week later part of the reason i didn't update for so long because it hurt to type. I don't think it's broken, it's just hurts on the ends, nothing puffed out or anything. My neck has been stiff but is getting better everyday. I'm just taking some time off now till i feel better. My head is still hurts to the touch and shoulder is only about 30% of normal.

All criminals return to the scene of the crime and so i had to later in the day to see how it all went wrong. My track is the small streak in the middle of the other two where my front wheel grazed it before impact:

This was monday morning before work, tooth is patched for now:

i hung out with the crew at camp on sat night then went down to snowshoe with them on sunday. Amber and I walked some of the trails while they were riding. Chuck gave me his tricked out camera and i took a ton of pictures, as long as i could hold my arm up. It was nice to be able to do some walking and slow down and see what it looks like to see other people riding.

I went to the dentist on tuesday to get my tooth fixed. they began with xrays then the assistant came back and i asked if it looked like it could be filled. Her reply the dentist will be in to talk to you. He looked at it and the nerve was sticking out of the broken tooth, and the other side needed a cavity filled, so i gotta get a root canal on the tooth. Effffff. They filled it temporairly and gave me an estimate on the remaining work. gotta go back on the 27th.

Been working alot this week mainly because it doesn't bother my shoulder too much and I don't have anything else i can do. So this week i got in 52 hours.

With my wreck i completely blew my shot at nationals. I'm not even able to go now. Super bummed since it's my last collegiate nationals. Probably stay home and work now.

It seemed like such a regular routine over the bars wreck but i guess i just landed the wrong way. Take some time off. Slow down a little, and possibly try to ride at tline one day before they close. Hope everyone else can get out and ride this fall and enjoy the weather.

gravy

Stoked!

It's coming...this weekend...the grand finale to summer. This could possibly be the best 2 days of riding ever put together. What does it consist of? Saturday morning-North fork mountain epic ride rolling out at 8am with the wv crew from seneca and returning 70 miles later. Sunday is dh at snowshoe the last day of the season for riding there. The fall colors should be perfect. The roster so far is: Me, Jon, Chris, and Andy. Chris and andy have never done the ride before. I can't wait! Hopefully i'll get a ton of pics.

Been working alot lately 6 out of the last 7 days between my real job and rotations. Got the next couple of days off though. This past Sunday i went down to camp and did a little work and went for a ride. Hit up a close by road ride down there out and back on lower timber ridge. The 30 mile ride is uphill both ways. It'll kick anyone's ass. The leaves are starting to change over there and should be killer for this weekend.

Looking out toward north fork mtn:

The usual 1st checkpoint/snack spot on the spruce ride along lower timber:

Dolly sods/Roaring plains in the distance:

Get out and ride!

Gravy

Home Sweet Home

Sorry about the lack of updates lately. I had hopes of updating more often but was kept busy in Petersburg the last couple weeks and trying to get moved back home. So here's the ketchup:

Had a good collegiate race at big bear. Ended up with 5th place in the tt and 4th in the xc race. I felt godd in the techy stuff but was struggling on the hills and speed sections. Returned to petersburg with hopes of getting a solid training plan in for the remainder of my stay there. I rested on Monday, did hill climbs on the 2 mile climb on tuesday, then set out wednesday on a moderate ride. My legs felt really bad so i decided on a flater route up towards moorefield. The rid eto more field was kinda short so i kept on riding past it, just trying to get a couple hours in. I was averaging 18mph when i turned around and was able to keep it all the way back to petersburg. Then i rode around town to make it 45 miles in 2:30. The fastest long ride i have probably ever done by myself, although it was all flat. I took the the rest of the week off-a little recovery and a little busy. Wroked on saturday in fairmont, after work i went to the store and felt my sinuses getting tense. Effffffff. I got a cold. The next day was the final race at wisp for the season. I showed up in the morning trying to get as many practice runs in as i could. it was a familiar course that we used for many collegiate races. i had it pinned on the top part but bobbled slightly on the bottom part and i'm guessing that's were i lost time. I ended up 4th i think. There were only seconds between all of us. I felt like crap with the cold the following week. I went out on really easy road rides on tuesday and wednesday do just spin the legs a little. I finished up with my rotation on friday and packed up and headed south to camp at seneca rocks. Amber met me down there on friday night. I've been trying to get the camp cleaned up and ready to roll all summer. Although i still have a few things to do-painting and landscaping.

Saturday brought the revenge of the rattlesnake. My body told me no all week with this crappy cold but i went ahead and raced. It was an epic race-going into dolly sods and then crossing over to the trails on canaan mt before finishing in davis. pretty much 2 totally different areas linked together in a race. I had an absolute blast. I tried to pace myself for the whole race. After the sods lop and heading to canaan mt i started to feel a little tired and got passed a couple of times. I reached into my camelback on loop road and pulle dout the emergency red bull and when i got back on plantation i felt great and it was all gas to the finish. I probably saved a little too much or taken the red bull too late because i felt like i could've rode some more at the end. ended up with 19th place overall and 11 in the open class. pretty good for not riding the mtb since big bear.

Finishing up crossing the blackwater river in davis:

Met chuck and bobbi in davis and headed over to camp with some sirianni's garlic chips and pizza. Sunday was the double down dh race at timberline. It was their 1st dh race in a long time. It had poureed the rain for days and didn't want to stop for the race either. I had put on the mud tire on the back the night before and was so glad for it on the first practice run. i was able to get a couple practice runs on each course before the race, so i knew what was coming. i registered for expert since that's what i always race. the start order was pro's, exp, spt, beg. there was one registered pro. the name sounded familiar but didn't know him. then it was experts. I wanted to go first and get my run out of the way. I knew the pro time before was like 4:10. i took off out of the gate stuck the slaloms at the top,blew a high speed turn but hopped back up on the trail and pinned the steeps and across the flat to the finish-3:45. I couldn't believe it. i expected someone to beat it since i blew the turn and had to climb up the hill but as the riders came down noone did. so i ended up with 1st in the first race. the second race course was totally different. Start order was the same as the first race. I was really stoked from my first run and really wanted to pin it even harder. i took off out of the gatet cleared the first rock garden cleaned the shole run and still mustered up the legs that i had left to do all the sprints to the finish. When i finished jr the race director came up to me and said we lost your run. it really took it awhile to set in. i think he told me like 5 times. then he was like i'm not kidding you gotta go again. I was cool with it, it really didn't bother me too much my fears were being able to clear the rock garden agian and trying to get the sprints in. I told him that i would go last. back int he starting gate again. Cleared the rock garden again and headed down the mountain. At the sprint sections at the bottom my legs said no. i sat down once and tried to keep pedaling to get to the next trail section. then managed to sprint for everyone at the finish-4:32. The fastest time on this course too. I ended up winning the whole shebang! I couldn't believe it.

Sprinting at the end of race #1

Sprinting at the end of race #2 (1st run):

JR telling me i had to go again:

Yeah it was muddy out there:

Maximizing lift time with the crew:

Afterwards the whole crew-johnny, lb, chris, chuck, andy, and i hit runs until they shut down the lift, then it was to siriannis for more pizza and garlic chips. i spent sunday evening at camp. Monday consisted of some more work there, then packing to head back to fairmont. tuesday was spent unpacking and doing laundry all day. Wednesday started my oct rotation at giant eagle in motown. I to work 12 hour days whcih is pretty cool because i already got in 24 hours this week and only had to work 2 days. i had today off of rotation but the weather looked crappy so i decided to go in to cvs and pick up some extra hours today. Gotta work there again tomorrow. Might go back to camp on sunday not sure yet. I have to work in motown on mon, tue, and fri, next week. Next weekend is the closing weekend at snowshoe. I'm planning on heading down there at least one day. Collegiate nats are coming up in a few weeks. I'm hoping to sneak down for the Dh. It's kinda sad this is the last i'll ever get to do.

that's all for now.

Gravy

btw, i'm always heckling folks to ride a wheelie but since i was out racing at the revenge here are a couple from the race:

North Fork Trail-Abbreviated Version

Living in Petersburg has its perks like being 5 miles away from North fork mountain trail. I headed straight there after work yesterday. The plan was to ride out south branch road, climb up redman and ride the last third of the trail back to the car. Headed out the road mostly rolling climb to the entrance to redman. Redman started out as a road climb then turned off into some great uphill singletrack. As i climbed up i noticed a clearing ahead and it leveled off, then i could see the top. Could this really be the top already-Sweet. Headed out the ridge line catching glimpses of others fresh bike tracks and taking in the occasional overlook. Sometime after passing landis trail but before chimney rock i caught up with them. It was a couple of guys from charleston-prem and kevin. they told me to go ahead so i took off. I went on up and stopped at an overlook. As i went to find the trail i accidentaly found the spur trail up to the very top of chimney rock. I panicked for a second when i lost the main trail but as i headed back to retrace my route i saw the other guys riding just below and caught back up with them. The final part of the trail is the longest downhill in wv probably a solid 2 miles or more of rockin downhill. Back to the car. 2:20 and 18 miles. It felt way longer. The other guys had set up a shuttle and done the whole trail-major props wish i had the day off. I can't wait to do this whole trail this fall with the crew.
Start of Redman singletrack:
View from the top of redman on nfm trail. It is raining over on Dolly Sods-glad it stayed over there:Looking over at chimney rock:
Some of the milder singletrack:Looking out along the rock face on the final downhill:
Last chance at an overlook before the end:
Gotta work tomorrow here in pburg, then back to fairmont for saturday night. Sunday brings the WVU races at big bear. Not sure how i'll fair but hopefully middle of the pack in A.
Gravy

Summer Wrap-up

So it has been forever since i updated this. I spent last month at chestnut ridge hospital. Luckily they did not admit me, but it was a great experience to see all the different types of patients. August started out with a double downhill weekend including timberline and the second race of the mid atlantic series at wisp. I went down to timberline on saturday with chris and johnny to check out the trails at timberline. The have a new mountain bike program that is working on reviving all of the old trails. It was a great day of riding. It rained and the trails were good gnarly. Sunday i was a little tired from riding on saturday and had a really crappy race at wisp. The cdourse had a flat/uphill section in it and i was too tired to pedal. Chris and johnny showed up after the race and we rode at wisp the rest of the afternoon. The next weekend consisted of a ride down to camp at seneca rocks from fairmont. After 90 miles of a little rain the skies opened up over the last mile and it rained/hailed and the temp really dropped. It took forever to finally get warm after that experience. The next weekend was the Wild 100. I being the broke college student who just had to pay tuition couldn't justify $140 for a race. The whole WV niteclub crew was down there for the race. I showed up at the start on sat morning planning to ride until i was tired, then head back to the finish since i didn't pay to race. I fell off the back of the lead group heading up the first climb-it was like 9 miles. At the top of the climb i ran into Morgan who had completely ripped off his derailler. I stopped and helped him to fix is bike into a single speed but it is hard to get it perfect not being able to adjust chain tension. Heading to CP #2 i ran into Chris, LB, and Andy heading back. They said the checkpoint was right there and since i didn't need to check in i turned around and started riding with them. It turned out to be one of the best races ever because we rode together the whole race all the way to the ultra checkpoint and the finish. I think our time was around 10 hours 15 minutes. The next day the crew headed over to snowshoe for some of the best downhill riding on the east coast. I met up with chuck, johnny, lb, andy, and chris and we didn't stop all day. Probably close to 20 runs. Big props to chuck and johnny who I convinced to hit the road gap. It is one of the biggest things i've ever hit, but it is a load of fun and is so addicting.
Hitting it in race #2, got my head cut off:
Chuck hitting it:

After this i took some time off to recover. I felt tired over the next couple weeks whenever i tried to ride, so i figured some recovery time was needed. Labor day weekend i went to snowshoe for the final race of the series. I showed up late on Saturday and only got 1 run on the course, then it started raining and they closed practice. After it stopped raining in the evening i convinced amber to drive shuttle for me and i did a couple of extra practice runs. MEt up with chuck in the evening at silver creek campground. The next morning brought fog and overcast early that opened up to sunny skies. The course was super slick and sketchy fast. Which is good for me, but if you crash its going to happen quick and hurt, so i was a little nervous. By the time my time came around to run it had almost completely dried. I had done runs all day so i knew it was drying up. I took off for my run and felt that it was clean and semi-fast. I always have a clean run at snowshoe and finish middle of the pack, so i was expecting the same. I finsh at 5:45 and am waiting for others to finish watching the times since the higher seeded riders go last. I saw a time of 5:43 come in and i knew there was still a couple more riders. As they came down the hill I watched the seconds tick by. I couldn't believe it, could i have really gotten 2nd at snowshoe. It was the first time in 3 years that i have ever got to be on the podium at snowshoe.
Reality quickly set in after the race as i had to head to petersburg for rotation #3. I have a really nice place to stay here and the riding is awesome. I am wondering if i will be able to cover it all in a month. Good thing i am coming back in november. Here are some pics from a ride and the town.
This is from a road ride near moorefield:
The hill in the background is the start of a 2 mile climb right out of town.
View of town from where i'm at:
This weekend is the big bear ultra and WVU home races at wisp and big bear. I gotta work on saturday so that makes that decision easy, Sunday i plan on racing at big bear at the wvu race. Hopefully i can get out and ride some local trails this week.
Gravy

rainy days

I went out today and rode the mtb at valley falls. This was the first time i have rode my mtb in over a month since the epic ride to bb and the first time out to valley falls since may. The race is coming up next week there but i'm not racing ( got the family reunion to go to on sunday). I rode out from my house and as soon as i was riding around rock lake it just started pouring the rain down, i just kept on riding. Riding in the rain on the trails reminded me of racing back in the junior days when it didn't matter what was going on it was just being out and riding. Anyways had a blast and just rode a variety of trails. Probably close to 30 miles in 3:30. Hope to get out more on the mtb this week it was a blast.

The collective released the new video "seasons" last month and i got a copy of it. It follows riders through the seasons and has some really good video and music. Most of it is up on youtube, search for seasons.

This past winter I did some training for the pond jump at the appalachian classic. I ended up having to work that weekend but here is the video of my backflip.

summer catch-up

Welcome all!
Summer has been going fast! I took my final final ever on May 9th, then busted it to get down to massanutten VA for the yee-ha dh race. Little practice time on sat morning but still ended up with 7th in expert 19-29. Next adventure was memorial day weekend. I went down to snowshoe with jonny and chuck for the day and did a ton of runs. They had the western lift running so it was nonstop all day. Sunday was a race at wisp, it was a non-mac race and there was the us open at Diablo so the turnout was not the best. The day turned out good for me and chuck getting 1st and 2nd overall.

I got the weekend of 24 hours at bb off at work and headed up to big bear to check it out. It worked out great because amber wanted to go up but had to work. So I hopped on the mountain bike and rode up from Fairmont. 50 some miles later I arrived at big bear and hung out with some friends and heckled on the racers. The capitol cup was my next weekend off. It was a huge race since it was a gravity east event and drew over 100 racers. It was a combined time of 2 courses on 2 different days. Saturday I went up solo, got in some p ractice runs and ended up getting 4th. Sunday chuck rode up with me, got in some more practice for Sundays race and ended up with 3rd and 3rd overall for the event in the expert 29-29 class. I took this july 4th weekend off and headed down to Seneca rocks for some rest. I did a great ride on Saturday heading down to see chuck who was supposedly camping but bailed when it started raining. It was still a great ride on some back roads down in the mountains.
Outside of all of this I have been working a ton I think 38 hours/week was the least I worked since school was out. Spending time with amber and trying to keep up around home. I got a garden that I have been working on (more pics later). Also been trying to do as much riding as possible when I got time. I met up with a new group of guys that ride around Fairmont http://www.fairmontflyers.com/ and they keep me motivated to ride my road bike. I need to go on a mtb ride soon though. I started rotations last week. This month i am at rational drug therapy which deals with insurances.

Pics from capitol cup weekend: