JB's Adventure Blog: 10/23/05

What up peeps?

So after yesterday's almost 7-hour ride, my coach tried to kill me with what I thought to be an impossible ride, but ''m as tough as a cockroach and perhaps as stupid.

I thought I had a good idea going when I left a note on the car door for Erin, it said "pick me up on Reddish Knob after your ride please".

I was looking to get in a final push to today's epic ride. I was exhausted, but the coach wanted two hours at tempo in the end of today’s ride. I had an Idea; even as devastated as I was, “you have to go hard to go uphill right”? There is something scary about doing a 10-mile climb in the dark not dressed warm enough for the descent and with no water. I was dazed in the rhythm of the pedals and the plume of exhaust from my lugs mesmerized me into a trance state. “I got it”. Was my mantra. HR 164, altitude 2,975 ft the last time I could read it. It is too dark now. The trees moved like black apparitions in the night, the snow my only saving light. As I got higher, after 35 minutes of climbing at a stiff tempo the air got colder. I was generating alot of heat but I was barley staying warm. If She doesn't get that note I am screwed I thought. I could look 2,000 ft down now and I saw a light. Was it the Volkswagen or just a bear hunter’s truck? I monitored it closely and it disappeared. If I were standing at the top it would take Erin almost 20 minutes just to drive up this climb!... Yikes... that would be bad.

Caught in the moment of my 3rd wind I continued, I had a little doubt but it is only then that you know you are closing in on your limits, perhaps a little in harms way.

I waited at the top and the wind wasn't bad this time 10 mph and the red ribbon of the sun that had set almost an hour ago was all but gone. It was below freezing and I was dressed for 50 degrees. I was smoked and drenched with sweat at 4,500 ft and no sigh of help. Time to move. I left Erin a voice message and made a slow start to the decent. I saw a few hunting trucks I thought about waving one down but I hadn't even resorted to the emergency method of running to stay warm. I continued….. all I could see was the silhouette of the new silver guardrail. I better watch out for black ice, that freaked me out a bit. Then rounding one of the switchbacks were the trademark lights of a VW. Sweet Jesus. Hi Erin ...I tried to play off the nerves as casual.

So.... Erin was a bit mad. I was sorry to make her worry but I guess if your coach is a maniac then you have to be a bit nuts to step up to the challenge. Thanks Hunter...

5:15 mins, 8,400ft of climbing finishing in the dark, that’s a tough mountain bike, ride. But nothing compared to next weeks monster.

Be careful out there.

Jeremiah

posted by Jeremiah Bishop # 1:25 PM 0 comments

Way Hugh Jass ride.

Carpenter gave me some good ideas on todays ultra 6 1/2 hr expedition. I should have been a little more conservative.

My hands are just thawing and my eyes bleary. Thanks to Erin for cooking cause I can barrly wiggle this blog.

Snow mud slush and grime will be the subject of treadmill like night visions. I somehow maped out a route that had me well above snowline for hours. Bad move. It was really slow and to add insult I got lost making my rendevous with Erin for a short evening ride about 1 1/2 late. I skrew up and she was pretty good about it. I will reel it in for tomorrows 5 hr jaunt.

Later Yall

Got to sleep: Jeremiah so tired

posted by Jeremiah Bishop # 8:34 PM 1 comments

FINDING WINTER

OK.. the weather was foul and I am talking chickens, geese, and partridge! The damn sky was falling. Dark dismal with cold rain is how I would describe it in laymen’s
terms.

I finally got out the door at 11:45 and jammed on a mission toward the daughter of the stars Shenandoah mtn. I shocked to see the white coating the tops of the mountian had received. Cranking it out at a solid endurance pace of 140+hr I got to the mouth of the mountains where a tongue of small river escapes. The temperature dropped 10 degrees in 10mins! yikes, It was now also totally cloudy. As I started my At Effort I built up a enough heat to fight the cold. I couldn't quite attain the hr I wanted to due to the cold 40 degree temps. As I start getting to 2500 ft the snowy wind picked up and gusted pulling the still fire colored leafs. Another turn and white. Some branches where white. Another turn and bam a hillside frosted another turn and powerful storm gust ripped leafs and limbs from a tree. Amazing now just the road was not covered in snow. Then I got to 3000ft and I was in the middle of a dangerous snowstorm with driving winds and temperatures in the 30s. The trees where all bent over from the unexpected weight of inches of snow on
Leafs with 4-5 inches of snow and slush on the pavement I couldn't help but think of a woman who died here 100 years ago while trying to make it over the mountain.

I checked out and jogged a bit to keep from freezing on the way down.

I got in my 20 accelerations they where only at 85 % of max. And then my 3/5 min blow out hell intervals went ok the 1st one was only 3 mins and the following ones where maybe 4 mins and change..

Tonight’s cross race was a bit disastrous but because I got last place due to a loose seat. Because of always chasing it made for a really hard interval workout with some massive strength work riding up run ups in a bad gear makes your muscles want to explode. Erin and I had a great time sprinting around the cross course, it reminded me of some fond moments from winters a few years ago when we went to the mid atlatic cup races.

I didn't have a power meter on but it was an over load of intervals. Ouch.

Cheers JB

posted by Jeremiah Bishop # 8:30 PM 0 comments

"Hail to the King"

Ian Davidson Jr wins Masters worlds in Hawaii!

There are few people who are able to win a world championship title I am glad to say I know why Ian won this one.
His tireless motivation discipline and downright gritt made him the man to beat in my mind despite this being a nervous endeavor for him.

An excited Erin snaged my attention last night and gave me the news she couldn't beleive it.

We are very proud of Ian, had he skiped our wedding to lose I would have been pissed! Just kidding. :) But he won and not just any race it is the one that millions of moleuclues of rubber had to pay dearly for one at a time. Good inspiration for us lads, good indeed my man.

Ciao, JB

I wonder what Brian Fawleys doing?

posted by Jeremiah Bishop # 1:16 PM 0 comments

He's going the distance....

Way Hugh Jass ride.

FINDING WINTER

"Hail to the King"

Archives