Navy weekend and other happenings

This past weekend was the navy race. or actually kinda 2 races-a crit and a tt. but the TT ended up being cancelled for 1/8 inch of snow. Arrived at the crit late as usual and hurried to get ready. head down to get in a few laps before the race but they are already lined up. guess no warmup. no problem i know the course from a few years ago. man says go and everyone takes off. decent start but not where i wanted to be in the very front. First tech turn and head up the hill my legs are feeling the warm up that didn't happen. Lost contact with the blown apart pack early and work with a VT guy at the end of the race. Results said I was 14 but know at least 1 person ahead should have been behind so at least 13th. Got to hang out the rest of the day and watch the other races and take some pics. Woke up to a light skiff of snow on sunday. In fact being from WV i wouldn't even call it that, but it was enough to cancel the tt :( Head out with some of the team for a ride in the morning in annapolis. It was short due to flat tires and everyone being cold. I really felt like a veteran going to the race because i have been to enough before that i knew to bring ALL of my cold weather gear. I was toasty with booties and vader gloves.
Other happenings recently include a skiing day at Whitegrass with amber. It was her 1st time XC skiing but she did great going uphill and back down. We headed over towards springer up to roundtop and on up to bald knob then down powderline and 3mile.
Went to tline with chuck 2 weekends ago. Conditions were marginal with a little snow on top of bullet-proof ice. Chuck said it was the worst conditions he has seen all year, but he's been spoiled. The highlight of the day was the 15-car pass going across 33 by glady. They were going anywhere from 5mph to stopped, saw the straight stretch perfect opportunity, nobody taking advantage, go for it.
Been getting in the miles on the bike too. Working on trying to get in some of the classic road rides in. itching to get out on the mtb soon.
that's all 4 now
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Review: Trek Darth Vader Gloves

From this:
To this:

So my old 99-cent ebay special winter cannondale gloves have seen their last days of riding. They were great gloves and really kept my hands warm for a long time but my fingers slowly started poking out the ends and they really weren't functional anymore. So time to find new ones and a trip to the bike shop to see what was available.

There were 2 options but these seemed the most extreme so I got them. I wanted something that would keep my hands warm on road rides to at least 25 *. Picked these out and then proceeded to take them out and test them the following day on a 5 hr road ride in 30* temps. Here's what I gathered:

Cons:

Cuff comes a long ways up the arm-couldn't really check watch

Kinda bulky-hard to feel the shifters on the road bike and distinguish between the levers

No terry cloth for the snot rockets, but the neoprene is kinda soft

Pros:

Kept my hands warm

Kept my hands warm

Kept my hands warm

I'd recommend these gloves to anyone who wants to ride outside in below freezing temps. They did great for being on a road ride and its nice to have the separate fingers instead of lobsters or mittens. I'm sure there may be others out there but these are what i'll be using till they fall apart.

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Snowy Times

Singlespeeds-walk early and walk often

Ok, so its been awhile. I’ve been at Camden-on-gauley, wv for the past month. Its been great, and the month has flown by.
Quick recap of December. Spent a lot of time working. The rest of the time was spent balancing riding and chores around home. It was great to have the month off school, but in a way it kinda felt like just another rotation month too.
Ok now to January. I’ve been down here outside of Summersville. There are a lot of great places and things to do in the area. The only problem is that I gotta work till 5 then its dark. Been riding my trainer at least 2 times a week while im down here. I have also been getting out to ride on the weekends. I went out with jon, chris, and a few guys from the Fairmont bike club a couple weeks ago. Went up to coops for a few hour ride. Last weekend I got some new part in for my bike, thanks to the gracious sponsors of the cycling club. I finally got a set of disc brakes. Went out to valley falls last Sunday and slugged around in like 5 inches of snow. This past weekend I had to work on Saturday, then went out to dinner with amber and the fam since it was my birthday. Sunday I went on a ride with chuck to waters smith state park. There is some awesome riding there, I just always seem to forget about it. I just can’t wait for longer days to ride more.
Got 3 and ½ days this week down here then back to Fairmont to work on Friday. Hopefully on Thursday afternoon I can get out and check out the area before I leave, possibly fish or do some riding or both.

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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.
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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
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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.
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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