JB's Adventure Blog

Stage 3 of Transylvania Epic; Bald Eagle Coburn Stage.

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremiah Bishop) — Wed, 30 May 2012 00:01:00 +0000

Called the “dirt road stage” Stage 3 was probably the fastest of the week at 17 mph for the the 47 miles and 5100 ft of climbing. Since it was mostly on forest roads some pavement riders in the front would battle for position to enter the single track first.

The sections of single track were fast save for the rock strewn fisherman trail with packs drafting even in some sectors of the single track. A fun day all in all but not very restful as the pressure is on and Barry is riding strong and putting a few seconds on me due to some late race cramps.

The pace was mellow for the fist quarter save for some attacks from the South African hornet. Matt wears a jersey that’s black with yellow stripes and his antics remind me of a yellow jacket during apple season. Anyway.

Cannondale Cyclocross World.com rider and all around cool guy Tim Johnson joined in the action taking massive pulls to keep the pace together at the front, it was awesome seeing him back on the trail! And better yet he is on my side.

After the first quarter were all taking pulls and moving fast in the pack toward the first check 17.5 miles in. After that feed I was sitting near the back so Barry Wicks attacked thinking I was in trouble. I wasn’t not yet at least, but the chase revealed my legs were still sore from yesterdays crash and cramps. A major selection was made on the 10 min climb after the fisherman trail. TJ lead into the slippery rocky trail running sections, I was on the back of the group after a local told me its just rail trail coming up. Oops. Guess I should have studied more.

Our group was TJ me Wicks and Matt. A chase group caught on our break away during the rail trail section, our group grew to include 10 riders as Wicks teammate Cory caught on with Chris Michaels Drew Edsall Justin Lindine We sped toward the dark Penns Tunnel. Right afterward Barrys Team mate Corey; nailed it into the base of the biggest climb of the day. Apparently they had a plan for me!

Barry attacked hard but I dug deep to stay on. I could feel legs cramps creeping in to my muscles like hard snakes of mis spend contraction. Uh oh.

Though I had decent energy the cramps from yesterday came back and put a glass cealing on the effort. I unclipped as my hamstings locked up twice! NOT GOOD> I some how managed to match Barrys first attack on the rolling big ring hills coming back but the second hit was too much for my bound legs. I had to hold steady and limit any muscle damage.

My lead has sank to mere seconds but I still have the TSE lead! Come ON LEGS wake up. They always have come around mid race but will they have diesel surge this time? or will I fail to come back to stage race form will too much 90 min XC training change my body into a 1 purpose sprinter?

Stay tuned.

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremiah Bishop) — Tue, 29 May 2012 21:07:00 +0000

Transylvania Epic scare!

Yesterdays stage 1 Prolouge was great. Little slippery on the trails sections so it took accuracy and fitness. I pinned it and caught Drew and even Barry my minute man so I was pretty stoked.

http://app.strava.com/rides/9588141

The spiders in our cabin seemed to chuckle as I prepped for today’s stage though and the thunder and lightning the night before shook the cabin in foreshadowing.

Little did I know I would go down hard on a slick wooden bridge leading the first big stage. Guess the inch of rain and deep Pennsylvania forest attracts gnomes. Today they wanted to come out and test us. The roots rocks and slime covered wood bridges, mud bogs and old downed trees made this one a proper mountain bike back country day

After checking my rear derailleur for damage I took off my mud covered gloves and fought to get back to the lead group of 15. I bruised my shin pretty good and shaken more than injured. I closed back in with calm focus.

Once I realized they were cruising I stopped again knowing that I have to be careful not to over shift into the spokes. I was able to yo yo off the back on for another pit at the first tech zone. Erin my wife helped me hold the Scalpel 29 as I inspected the limits and checked the hanger I hoped back on the bike to find the front again but the extra work was talking a toll.

Barry Wicks was on the front and putting Drew Edsall and Arron Snydor in some hurt on the 2^nd big climb of the day. I linked up with a fast guy from South Africa’s Matt ( Matthys) Bukes. He was drilln it on his 29 Flash up the climb but would lose a lot of time on the tricky single track to come.

I was on the rivet and sweating in the first hot long race of the year. Guess the World Cup training pays off for short and fast but I came up short cramping on the final climb as Barry threw down a mean attack.

I did a great job of damage control and still hold the leaders jersey by a mere 47 seconds. Today I got lucky, I will have to put on the rocket boosters on the short days and diesel in the next few big days to make it happen.! Should be a fun test!

http://app.strava.com/activities/9588144

Check it.

Czeck for Rabbits

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremiah Bishop) — Fri, 18 May 2012 20:32:00 +0000

Euro update is as follows in a jumbled bunch of highlights; low lights and general stuff. ;)

The first leg of my 2 week Europe trip started great. After the tuna can flight across the pond I
met up with my friend Zedenk who I used to ride with in Clemson with he showed me around Sarka park for a great ride, I was waiting at the airport hotel for a day until the team pick up the next morning and it was a great way to kill time The canyon trails of this urban park were a blast and the lush forest poped with flowers. I caught my first skink and my cleat popped out of my shoe.

That night I watched the 18 year running of the Prague stairs race, it was wild a mini world cup with no dirt just riders raging up and down narrow cobbled alleys up a big hill near the presidential palace, and of course ripping down stairs.

Caught a skink! Saw a Giant hair running thru the forest of the Novo Mesto race course that thing was big as a dog! Hawks where out in force. That it for the animal sightings.

We drove to Nova Mesto and got settled into our guest house the "4 Cats"
Our race course was rad! Made for tv with several great loops that climbed a big hill but more important made it great for the thousands of wild spectators.

My race wasn't so hot. Big crash 100 meters in and a guy smashed into rear derailleur almost totally severed the cable and bent the housing. I jumped back on only to realize my bike only had 3 gear and the chain was popping off the ones I had. I took a pit but this min stop early in a World Cup is disastrous because you get passed by a small army of riders blood thirsty for every spot.

At least I put in a hard effort and fought with all I had to finish on the lead lap. It was after all a great course and experiencing the inside of a professional event with all the HD video crews everywhere and thousands of mad fans was a neat scene.

To be honest it left me frustrated to have good fitness and have no way to show it especially with the Olympic nomination hanging in the balance.

Later that evening everyone on Cannondale Factory Racing all went out for dinner and reflected on the day, joking toasting and carrying on. I tried to re focus my effort so I order serious dinner, Rabbit and a salad. Our food was taking forever, after my salad the waiter comes out and said the kitchen is closed. We lamented it was not closed an hour ago when we ordered.  As I walked out of the restaurant after at least having a beer with my salad I saw the red sticker on the window of a rabbit ? Certainly the rabbit got away this time.

What would John Henry do?

Next morning we drove 5 hours to team HQ in Stuttgart for a couple days. I stayed in a local guest house that Tim Johson and Driscol called home between cross race last season. The Stetten village is beautiful and the surrounding steep vinyared hills give way to forest chock full of logging roads and single tracks.

Daniel said he had an hour to show me around and would ride his E bike. A modified Cannondale.
Perhaps pretty hate machine is a better name for it.

I was a little obligated to see what I had against the beastly duo of un shaven somewhat fitt sports director watts (his self procalimed 20 watts ha ha ha + 1 Bauch motor @350 watts mounted on a hybrid Cannondale w 2.25 mtb tires. With a bike weight of 16 kg, I was fond of the math.

I wanted to think i had a surprise in store for him; especially after comments like I'm gonna kick your ass" and "my battery is charged is yours?"

The on- off battle ensued for the next hour thru forest road double track and fine single tracks with lots of climbs.'I was sure I would figure out away to beat the machine.... But the truth was there is no way! He was flying! When he dropped the chain it was a great relief to rest, I played it off with small talk.

Soon we were back at it again ripping along  the forest at cross country speeds; It was awesome because Daniel is a very skilled former racer and could dice through the trail with speed trading the lead.

We dropped a descent crafted by local free riders on a perfectly sandy dirt hill side ravine of steep German hardwoods.
Leaves swirled and I was in chase mode like a fox a nip from a rabbits tail. We whipped at the berms like angry bees, lines crossing but just staggered. The flow resumed, taking my mind off the bad race.
...What is it like to get your ass kicked by Daniel on his hybrid? Freaknnawesome as they say might write it in Deuchland.

My spirits lifted from pre ride thoughts of slimming chance of an Olympic spot. I wonder if the fox chances some time because of the thrill. Yes, think so....

Jeremiah

Souther Discomfort Day 1: 100 Miles, Day 2: 1 Mile Up

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremiah Bishop) — Tue, 01 May 2012 23:38:00 +0000

Sometimes a good road trip can be fun, especially if you do something new. The exploration and adventure that my buddy Chris Michaels and I got into this weekend fit that description like a pair of Daisy Dukes!

So, Saturday was the Cohutta 100. Formerly referred to as "the easiest NUE100" race; that saying was taken care of with a new course that served up some smack-down coated with some sugary singletrack that took our minds off the pain. Here's a video:

Watch more videos on Big Bikes Media & cyclingdirt

The redneck T-shirt shop was hilarious with shirt titles so foolish I would not re-publish them here. The pitbull section was my favorite.

We did get one for friend with a giant bass on it "she's has a big mouth, but I can't let her go" or something like that.. ha ha ha.

The Flavor of the south was in full bloom when I picked up an iced sweet tea the size of a paint can! (only when carbo loading, kids). Thought I was going to get spontaneous diabetes from it, but it was good. Fried everything was available, but I held back except for the pickles and fatboy burger - don't worry after burning 6,200 kilojoules in 7 hours we earned it.

Clingmans Dome was dope! 20.6-mile hill climb, I had no idea if we could even make it to the top without keeling over since our legs were swollen and tired from a seven hour hard effort up grinding steeps and single track the day before. But we did it and it was awesome. Finding a rythm came about halfway in. The road twists turn and climbs through four distinct forest types before spiraling (very steeply) for .5 miles from a parking lot up a bike type path to an observation tower. I was huffing like a chain smoking greyhound as fat women, kids and folks in trucker hats paid little attention to the maximum effort taking place. But at least a couple people noticed.

"You rode you bicycle all the way up from the parking lot?!"

Yes, we did!

Racing in Belgium.

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremiah Bishop) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 01:06:00 +0000

Dispatches from the mother land of bike racing.

Belgium is the Mother land and Houffalize is really the Queen of the World Cup. A race with a lot of history and a rider/fan favorite. This years edition was exceptionally cool with its super steep descents and punchy twisty tape maze of a course made with 20 thousand half drunk paying spectators in mind! Sometimes it was like being in a wrestling match. Disorienting except in your own moment of trail, exciting and painful. Burst of passing and being passed fighting for lines getting in a groove and nocked off your bike other times.. Fun stuff.

Low lights.

Realizing on my drive to the airport that my points from 2010 silver medal at Pan Am Champs had lapsed from my points total effectively making my start grid back in the nosebleed section! Oh no.... The mosh pit.

Dropping my chain to finish just outside of the top 60 (World Cup points go 60 deep)

I was sorry to find out Judy Freeman did a face plant and lost a tooth on the double log drop.

Highlights; feeding Bryan Lopes his Redbull feed on route to a smashing win. (only gold for the USA) at Houffalize in the Sprint Eliminator.

The crispy sugar injected Belgian Waffle. Hmmm

Doubling the double log drop a solid gap of 8 feet without crashing.

Watching a swarm of 30 people with pens and camera phones following the green jersey of cross super star Sven Nys move very slowly thru the venue like a cloud of flies!

Passing 50 times to only take 28 positions thru a small ground war of dust and pure chaos. It was awesome because no one died and I did not get hurt. Pretty sketchy!

There are all these cliches about the Olympic spirit making you inspired and stuff. I certainly believe now this type of inspiration is endemic to being human. Its the struggle this eternal tug of war all people face when they are not sure if they can perseverance against steep odds; it is the stuff of legend and even more of ever day life.

Either way it a worthy challenge. I will be training with focus for the next few weeks then its the last qualifiers; World Cup number 3 and 4 in Czech and France.

"On the mountains of truth you can never climb in vain: either you will reach a point higher up today, or you will be training your powers so that you will be able to climb higher tomorrow."
Friedrich Nietzsche

Sweet home training. Little trip for altitude training/Wiskey 50 and well see if I can turn it around. Either way it will be a good effort worth working hard for.

Jeremiah

Cannondale Factory Racing Launches into 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremiah Bishop) — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 15:18:00 +0000

Finale Legura, Italy was great! Cannondale hosted its team camp 1/3 of the way around the world (from my home, at least) at this exotic seaside location an hours drive west of Genoa.

Upon my arrival, Team Cannondale was humming like a fine Italian sports car; the full-size truck pulled a mobile F1-style Cannondale branded workshop complete with a fine kitchen, riders were building bikes, and several polished team Eurovans and a Sprinter were lined with flags and tents in tight formation. Athletes and staff were buzzing on the atmosphere and preparations; authentic Adriatic food and - of course - sampling the Perfect rides Cannondale' s magic engineers have crafted were high notes. It was a neat experience building my bike as I heard soccer song explosions and cheers from a regional match taking place just 400 meters out of sight. Totally Italy!

Tinker of course still looks fast and tan - I'm not sure how he does it! Mani and Marco were a blast to hang with. Unfortunately, Marco had a tumble in the media ride and has a small setback in the form of a dislocated shoulder. It was great seeing Alex and Krista again and welcoming our new riders too - Taylor Smith and Keegan Swenson.

For the first time in history all Cannondale mountain bike athletes were unified for a media launch. Wine, hors d'oeuvres, local beer and other pomp kicked off our official presentation Tuesday night to the 15 journalists flown in from around the world.

We sat in on presentations about the equipment lineup, though nothing was said about our prototype Lefty! Pretty strange racing on a suspension you know nothing about - but cool too! I feel like James Bond pointing the laser watch at something! So far it's smooth and very responsive.

I felt like a can of olives when I touched down in Texas at two in the morning after almost 22 hours of travel, legs like planks and eyes drooping like a hound. It seemed like I'd angered the gods when I'd proclaimed to Erin several weeks ago "this is great, a whole fall and winter without getting sick!" oops.

So, for being sick, I'll take 6th place as a win! I started well in third, and attacked the hills, bombed the decents, took the A-lines and sprinted like hell - only to get nipped at the line by Sam. With this crazy week I kicked off the season with vigor and got my cowboy boots dirty. Certainly everyone else was more settled for their efforts, so I gauge mine to be good in its own ways.

Now I'm home for some more quality training - the Virginia State Championships - and of course some good family time before the first real test of 2012 - South Africa's World Cup round 1; exciting!

- Jeremiah

NO!!!!! DOG!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremiah Bishop) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 00:45:00 +0000

Impact was eminent. After yelling NO! the small white dog only slowed a touch then resumed full sprint for my front wheel.

In a split second I abandoned my full braking and leaned back to brace for the hit.

That small toothy beast came out a me like fur covered rocket. I was in a solid endurance clip down a mountain valley doing 25 and stopping would have taken 3 seconds more than I had.

I rolled over the dog’s back but since I was still on the brakes a white puff of fur poped up from the squeeling animal like a torn down pillow. I was sure I was going to crash and more sure that this dog back would be broken.

Somehow I kept upright and heard the dogs claws scamper across the concrete. As I came to a halt I saw out of the corner of my eye the dog was moving fast.

I looked back to see the mangled bloody pooch whrithing like a worm that had been cut in two. But as I scanned back expecting major damage from the altercation I was amazed the dog had not so much as a limp. I circled back feeling that I better notify the owner of what had happened since I did catch air from this little dog and he might have some injury. Not surprisingly he didn’t not come over for me to check him out, he stood there composed and calm. Guessed he's ok.

I resumed my ride north towards a small Ski Resort called Bryce. As I rode I tried to make sense of what just happened. Or better yet what could have, it reminds me of the story when Paul hit the deer on Reeds gap doing 60.. Not so good, or when Mike Carpenter hit the Bear mach ing down Dowels draft. Perhaps it was the soft 75 psi touring tires that are 32c. Or perhaps the split second instinct to lighten the front wheel as I have done 100,000 times for logs or rocks that sometimes pop into view in .1 second. What ever the reason I finished the year with a close call and dog… he got lucky I wasn’t just a little heavier or not used to running things over.

Rest of the ride was not as exciting, but it was long and found some new roads deep in the small forested nest of mountains that makes up a maze of dirt road divided by Supine Lick Ridge. As is common for me this exploration had me finding myself pretty far from home with not enough gas in the tank. Mostly since I did not ride in the last week I met up a the toothy part of a what happens when you ambition and your ability are at odds. bad day for my legs everything ached as I struggled to turn the pedals, endurance wattage was out of the question, I thought I was getting sick I was riding so slow and the last few 1k hills looked like a dreaded blacked mountain slopes.

I just took it in stride, and worked to the tops of one hill at a time besides compaired to what could have happened I’ll take it as a good day for a bad day.

This is what the perp looked like. Don't be fooled he is a made of steel!

Olympic Long Team!

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremiah Bishop) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 02:50:00 +0000

Whoo hooo.

Ok; jumped through a hoop and made the odds a little better of making the 2 man Olympic team.

https://www.usacycling.org/news/user/story.php?id=7242

What does this mean? Well that 25% of our 8 man and 8 woman long team will go to London not much more than that. And.....

I may have to stop drinking like beer will be banned next week.
I should not do the heli ski trip i was planning for tuckermans ravine or anything else dangerous well more than mountain bike racing is. ha ha ha.
Team Dicky will have to write a letter of protest on why he should make the long list.
I should learn to speak British. Guday mate. ;)

What else does it mean, it means that when the Sun rises tomorrow over frost covered ground I will remember I am not just riding to stay in shape I am training to make some magic happen and rise to a special occasion.

The pure and great moments of sport are made on cold training days the event it's self is just display of the goods. Certainly I have some major work ahead of me.

Should be a fun carrot to chase and I like my chances.

Thanks for the support my friends.

Jeremiah

Winter stoked.

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremiah Bishop) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 15:34:00 +0000

Well for the 3^rd time I get to proclaim hurray for the off season! I just had a great final race at the official season finally Ice Man Cometh. The nice part about tricking myself this way is I get the last race of the year party more than once!

With a best ever season in the bag that’s a good thing. Why was it a best ever? Hmm. I think because I rode really well in March and August and October! I also trained like I never have in my life. (Suppose that means I have to do it again this winter) I hosted a successful Alpine Loop Gran Fondo that helped raise a lot of money for Prostate Cancer Awarenss Project and SVBC for bike access in Harrisonburg and had a lot of fun hosting the show. Perhaps the biggest reason this season leaves a warm glow in my belly is that I got to show Conrad what Daddy does when he goes away, I brought him and Erin to a few of the races like Bonnelli Park ProXTC and even rented an RV for a week in the woods at TranSylvania Epic! There is nothing like the family times we had this year it was awesome!

For sure crashing at World Championships and limping to the finish was not the way I wanted to end the season anyhow, So instead I had some great fall racing like an a fantastic bronze medal at Pan American Games in Guadalahara Mexico, the fans were great that stoked it up a bit. Of course my Laissez Faire attitude toward training this time of year has left me in this limbo level, in shape but not smoking fast like I would usually want to be for big races, It doesn't bother me though because its all part of the plan. The good trade off is that I have been on the low stress program for a month now with trail work a six pack downhill and several trail runs interspersed with a bit of relaxation and off time drinking beer with friends. This will come in handy when the real work begins in December!

Now its time for a few weeks of wanted winter. Then I will be jazzed for the big push. I am kinda addicted to racing and will never be fully satisfied so it was important that I call it a season before I am racing the Christmas Cross races in Belguim! Ha ha ha...

I exceeded most of my goals like double wins at the first Pro XCT race short track and Cross Country! Top 3 at the Continetal championship in Colombia and at Sea Otter. Brought me back into the limelight as a contender for the USA's Olympic team. Stage Race wins at Pisgah and Translyvania Epic quenched my thirst for Epic. I went for broke at World Marathon Championships in Italy and lead halfway thru despite a bad last 10 miles I had fun. Attacked on Kulhavey and Sauser to take 4^th at the London Olympic Test Event shocking myself and the National Team Coaches. Met a bazillion cool people who love bikes from Mexico to Bogota from LA and the UK!

As I drove the last few quiet miles of Interstate 81 and watched leafs spiral to the ground I was a little sad, last race was over especially since it’s like the end of a great party with friends, the lights and sound wind down everyone goes home. A slight tweak would have been a win at ICE Man but eh 2^nd is solid and besides got to be hungry to train like an animal this Winter so maybe it’s a good thing to keep the fire stoked!

For now its time to rake leaves make sure there is enough firewood for the cold months ahead. I am looking forward to the holidays with family as well as a refreshing change of hiking and cross country skiing that this time of year brings. Next spring is a big one with the Olympic Qualification being decided in the first 1/3 of the year. So for now I hope White Grass gets snowed over like a one of those sleepy winter scenes with the snow globe. I imagine a winter night, glowing orange light in the little window of a cabin with a blue and white winter storm raging outside. Ill keep the fire stoked and enjoy the calm while it lasts.

Thanks to all of the fans sponsors and supporters who have made this year exciting and memorable.

Jeremiah Bishop

Cannondale Factory Racing.

Welcome to the Jungle!

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremiah Bishop) — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 13:28:00 +0000

Pisgah National Forest from a distance looks inviting on a clear day like steep ridges with ripples like a giant potatoes chip covered with green carpet few peaks dotting the skyline. When weather rolls in the mountains take their real form a closer look reveals enchanting wisps of clouds like smoking plums. Vapor swirls up and turns back to rain and pockets where the air flows in strange spirals. Pisgah is a seasonal rain forest The patchwork quilt of the most divers temperate forest in the World is revealed. Cascades of water fall down headwalls and carve thru the sandy clay sediment revealing ancient sand stone and granite and roots like toes of a 400-year-old tribesman. The rhododendron thickets make the steep side hill trails feel like a tunnel into the mountain kingdom.

Pisgah makes a legendary backdrop for a race. A true test of endurance, perseverance, bicycle integrity and nerve. Blind corners lead to 3-foot drops and staircases of gnarly shit that will make a downhiller pucker.

Respect for the difficulty and danger of riding here comes quick. I always am a little nervous at the ramifications of riders racing down evil rock drops caved-in trails and root clusters as steep as a ski slope. It’s amazing that there are so few major injuries at this race. Of course this is super fun stuff to ride and forest gremlins conjure up some amazing trails of unique character only describable as Pisgah.

Sam Koerber was in rare form, blazing the first stage to win by several minutes, winning the third stage, and he fought like a caged tiger the last day! I couldn’t help but wonder if it was his turn to win this one? I could imagine, while chasing him, that he had every square inch of the jungle memorized while I sprinted and slowed cautiously for each blind turn… It made for awesome racing!

Highlights of the week:

Come from behind WIN at the third Pisgah Mountain Bike Stage Race despite an epic battle with Sam “the White Squirrel” Korber and being exhausted from the Alpine Loop Gran Fondo.

Getting to, as Adam Craig says, “rodeo down Black Mountain Trail" at the end of several stages. Wicked drops berms wall rides log stairs and chutes. Yeah! Real mountain biking.

Not crashing too hard. It's not IF you crash but how hard and how many times. Just two for me and some banged up shins and ego. ;)

Having a great time at Pisgah Mountain Bike Stage Race happy hours and spending evenings at the mountain cabin with Conrad, Erin and her Mom. Everyone hung out, had free beer and appetizers and talked story about the day's adventure.

Seeing Sam almost hit a bear while we were at full speed racing, we looked at each other and reflected on how awesome what we where doing really is, then we went back at it trying to smash each other.

In a nutshell Pisgah Mountain Bike Stage Race was very hard - maybe harder than La Ruta - but more fun than any stage race course I have ever done! The magic forest brings me back every year to challenge the Lion.

The Countdown to the Alpine Loop Gran Fondo!

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremiah Bishop) — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 01:20:00 +0000

Excitement is building!

So many things to do so little time. Great news is most of the plan is coming together we have had a few minor setbacks and a few fantastic developments.

Congrats to Ben and Joe for getting the call up to represent the USA at road World Championships. Good luck guys every one here will be rooting for you! In their absence we have Virginia BAR best all around rider and hard man Keck Baker taking up the reigns.

The Gala is going to be a fantastic party and we even have two Leaders Jerseys from the Vuelta Espana to raffle off for charity

Amazing collectors Items.

Below is a route update with some great notes on Aid stations locations and more!!!!

Colorado trip’n

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremiah Bishop) — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 20:34:00 +0000

For sure I knew it would be a different trip to Colorado as I hoped to be prepared for Leadville and I expected to do some things I have not done before but ah.. The best laid plans are sometimes no match against lady luck. The trip was great the race….Well a flat on the first climb had me chase at desperate speeds more suitable to a downhill race and if not for a wheel from Tinker and a solid lead out into the second climb by cross star Tim Johnson I may have not salvaged the top five. For sure have a team approach helped Alex to his best Leadville so far and 3^rd and my 5^th made for a solid team showing and of course hanging out and eating Tim Johnson’s special home baked cookies with ice cream was fun. It was also sweet watching Tinker drink the fishbowl sized margarita I bought him. It was so big he brought it home to nurse it the rest of the evening. ;)

Highlights of the trip included meeting Mike Hall and touring the Uber high tech SRM HQ and seeing the gadgets of the best riders in the world not to mention the imported euro toilette, nice touch.

I went up to Leadville for a pre ride but preferred to stay in the Breckenridge area with my awesome host Kristin and Clay. It was fun to ride the trials there since the LVT100 is the day before Breck Epic I couldn’t fit it in. May as well check out the dope single track there. I randomly hooked up with Josh Tostado for a short jamm session. So much rippn single track there it was killing me as I rested up for the dirt road fest. I am doing Breck next year for sure! Leadville is a scene but the real trails are at Breck.

The other neat thing I did was stay at the Mont Alto cycling house in Nederland. My host were the excectric but bike loving couple that set me out on some great adventures like the sourdough trail. Some tricky high alpine single!

Hmm.. What elses. Now I am in Switzerland for the World Championships of XC. Pretty much like the course but its only 4 k long so.. I go for some wunder riding today. I will bring the camera to share what mountain top I can find. There are many insanely steep ones here. Yesterday I found this half track trekking trail that was eched into the side of a dark green wall of a mountain. It was so steep I had to walk the switch backs like a dwarf staircase thru the ferns and shrubs. Occasional vistas offered a glimps into the life of the sheep herder his summer range house just above tree line and the brave sheep that make that tundra their home. Bahhhh.. You could hear miles away as sound here travels like history sometimes muffled; some times ringing clear for ages.

London to Leadville

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremiah Bishop) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 02:54:00 +0000

As I spun the funky euro luggage cart like a magic wand tethered it “I though to myself that’s how to do it”! I was headed back to America after a great weekend; one where I felt like I learned a few things or at least found great confidence that my training is back on track. Like a merry go round with a huge cardboard rectangle on it I would spin and guide the floating sculpture and let it glide for long stretches. I walked down the hallway box spinning on and realized that just like the seemingly silly all four wheel swivel carts, I too had a good handle on this trip to the Olympic test event because I found the right combination of momentum and direction

I didn't have any expectations from the weekend other than get

some good recon in for team USA; power files video and the like. I knew it was a chance to have fun and even throw caution to the wind a bit. Marc Gullickson, Tom Nebb and Bernard were our ace support for a limited team of Georgia Gould and myself.

I was fortunate enough to hook up with Julian Absalon and his teammate for part of a lap and see how he took the technical sections. It was nice chance to compare lines with the best in the sport. He wasn’t afraid to whip the bike thru the high speed marbled turns and ride the spin cycle section with no brakes at all, it was pretty cool kind of like hitting the speed bag with Sugar Ray Leonard next to your as your pacer.

After seeing just one full lap I actually started to notice how it would flow at speed and I noticed I was really getting good on it. The track is fun and challenging hybrid of a world cup and a desert race because of the tons of very tricky gravel. Sure is steeper and more technical than it looks on the internet.

The 1/2 million dollars of elaborate rock work made for an amusement park of advanced features; one i called blood rocks because on of the Brits went down on the section. I was wondering why that red paint was splatter in a trail about 9 feet long? As I was pre riding the steep sketchy drop it dawned on me that that spray of red was blood. I snaked down the rock stairway thinking “just paint that’s just paint” The whitish gravel and sand corridor makes it look like a F 1 bike path but since the surface is wearing in for only one line in half the track and to pass is riding on apples. Fencing and security measure where immense, Sabine Spitz German defending gold medalist couldn’t get in without a pass! Not only that she was finned 1000 swiss francs by the UCI for riding with no number plate!

The announcer called up each rider and listed off the number of World and Olympic accolades. I was wondering what he would say about me as I paraded around the start loop a part of the gladiator pomp that had been worked up for use in the games. Sure there is a trap door with some Lions somewhere around here.

I had a rough start and got bumped off by Magnus but rallied hard! With the stars and stripes on I had to push back up into the top ten if just to see what that pace was about for a lap, all of the sudden my legs opened up like jet turbines on a winter day. I could tell there where thousands of cheering fans but suddenly it became quiet in my mind. I slowly tracked down Olympic medalist and World Champ Christoph Sauser on his ascent up the leader board; something had clicked, I was riding in the zone for the middle 5 laps. I had the amazing perception that these guys seem like they are moving in slow motion. An amazing feeling to flow thru the turns at full tilt spraying rocks and sweat in my wake. To jump on the pedals out of every corner without any pain is magical. In fact had a small gap out of the switchbacks and put in a couple good attacked to see what i could do, I had them worried! Last lap cramps removed me from medal contention but I had a hell of a race and had the 2nd fastest laps of the race on 3,4 and 5. A great indicator that the training is on target!

Wow! A fantastic race for team USA and Cannondale our camp was thrilled with Georgias 2^nd and my 4^th.

It was a very tough course and will be a worthy test for next years games. No question I could ride well in London, making the team is the tricky part.

As the trolley spun thru to the check in the pre dawn sky swirled like a butter tomato soup and I thought what will my legs have in store for Leadville?

1 Julian Absalon (France) 1:31:48

2 Christoph Sauser (Swiss) 0:01:20

3 Karl Markt (Austria) 0:01:46

4 Jeremiah Bishop (United States of America) 0:02:19

5 Jaroslav Kulhavy (Czech Republic) 0:02:33

6 Kohei Yamamoto (Japan) 0:03:27

7 Maxime Marotte (France) 0:04:38

8 Magnus Darvell (Sweden) 0:04:58

9 Uwe Hochenwarter (Austria) 0:05:14

10 Rubens Valeriano (Brazil) 0:05:46

National Champs Sun Valley Idaho

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremiah Bishop) — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 16:34:00 +0000

I have never been to Sun Valley before, but if my brief 48 hour trip was any indication its a pretty sweet place. I kinda feel like a fool as I type with this band aid on my chin but it wouldn't be the same without a souvenir from this weekends whirlwind. ;)

Highlights included

racing to a close race with a slow leak in the rear tire. I stopped for a few seconds to air it up, i rode like hell for the top of the mountain and nipped JHK for fourth! Great action.
Hanging out with Friends I haven't seen in ages.
Realizing I can still take it on the chin in the short track.
Finding out about the magic of the Idaho popped Corn and marshmallow Cob!
sunset tailgate solo dinner on a mountain side pull out
Troy pulling out his shot gun on some flat brim thugs in a pick up at the parking lot that where hustling some racers; they left pretty quick.

Sundays short track was an frustrating and exciting surprise.

I made it to the front group and had great legs sitting in perfect position. I planned on attacking any moment but slid out on a sandy pavement turn and did the stop drop and roll.

A Little disoriented I pointed my bike in the direction it was supposed to go and put the chain on. I chased hard assessing that I must be fine. If I can catch back up I could still win this thing I thought. As I railed Thur a turn on the back of the course on some river rock I lost it again! SLAMMMM!!!!! I suppose haste makes wast. I felt like I got tackled but a NFL linebacker onto a rock pile. I almost pulled off the course.. I looked back to see that I was still in 5th and could get back on just in time to meet up with 6th place Steven Edinger. I had to redeem myself and get on the podium. I hammered as hard as I could however a little easier in the corners I was going really fast and felt strong, I also felt embarrassed and angry at myself at the same time for blowing a great shot at a win.

After the race Erin reminded me the short track Championships was not even on my radar this year and its no big deal. Dusty my former team mechanic put it well. "You didnt get hurt bad and you can go home and play with Conrad. There a lot more race ahead and lot of great races"

Something clicked at that race and though no one saw it happen I regained my motivation to fight. I will be riding this week in the Troy's custom Skull and cross swords jersey and shorts. Its on! That is exactly what I need to train up next week and finish the season on a high note!

This weekend is the Lost River Classic Road race, It will be fun to ride up and heckly my friends.

Back home for a few days off then its back to planning for the www.AlpineLoopGranFondo.com

Think I talked Tinker into coming out! Other juicy details will follow.

Then next wednesday off to London for the Olympic Test Event. Cool.

Thanks for reading.

Jeremiah

Slower pace please.

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremiah Bishop) — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 07:58:00 +0000

Slower pace please.

The last week.

Racing in the wonderland of the Adirondacks.

Whiteface 100k was a quick trip thru, ah but not without much adventure. My Cape Air; airplane wouldn’t fit a bike so I aborted the second leg of my flight and drove a rental car from bustling rush hour of Boston thru the sleepy green mountains of Vermont. Fog hung like thin cheese cloth on narrow valleys, I passed a few villages, tall thin church steeples and little tidy houses and small tourist signs for rafting or fishing outfitters. Little downpours and a close encounter with a gangly moose made me glad to just make it to Lake Placid without a new hood ornament. My bike the race was just a bonus after that 6 hour drive. The old infrastructure of the Lake Placid Olympic 1930 and 1980 could be seen everywhere including what I first took for a mining tower rising above the pointed pine ridge was not. Red blinking light. OH it’s a ski jump, if I wasn’t already thinking that would be my most feared winter sport that clinched it.

The faded signs sculptures and buildings in fact brought a sense of nostalgia for the old Olympic moment before it was about money and politics. I read some facts about how this little town hosted the games. The fancy hotels where booked and teams like the Polish ski team stayed in host housing!

The race it’s self was mostly road and therefore was fast and had a Killer of a climb on Loose Granite marbles up the access to the steepest ski resort in the East. It was a waiting game for the single track. Whiteface Mountain was a test, Alex and I worked to control the tactics then once we shed Peter Glassford we raced; I narrowly held off teammate for an exciting win by 8 seconds.

Just after that I packed my bike into the box quickly before the awards ceremony then off to Albany for just a 2 hour drive to catch a airplane bigger than a rowboat. I hope that was a good sharpening effort before the World Championships In Montebello Treviso Italy. Never can your prep be perfect but you hope to strike a balance of not being too tired but also trained. I cant help but feel like the Worlds came a little too fast but with so much racing its hard for any one who hasn’t been here for a month to be totally ready and even then..

So the turn and burn went well and I took in the view of waterfalls and glacier carved rock of the high peaks region near Keene NY at speed not known to sight seers.

I told myself I know I will be back, my hope is that it will be at a much slower pace.

The travel to Northern VA to stay with Erin and Conrad broke the trip up nicely. We had a little playtime in the morning and then we had lunch with Grandpa Dean and Patt at Chick Filet.

Conrad and I went down the sticky slide tube of the indoor hamster cage. I cringe at the thought of what made the plastic tube as tacky as a waxed surfboard. Yuck. It was fun to see how entrance all the levels made both of us feel like we where inside a rubic’s cube.

Right now I am on the porch of an old classic Italian hotel San Marco. The terr cotta roofs and steel shutters with brass fitting an copper pipes remind me I am in the land of old well made things and slower pace, wish Conrad and Erin where here but its nice.

Slow in a good way, a lets enjoy life style. To sip a cappuccino with friends and laugh over a 3 hour long dinner is very Italian. The good things in life… Like the story my dinner mates of the German team Bulls team spun. It was a story of walking by hookers in a window on the Hamburg red-light district. Kerstin stops at one woman and says, “How much for hour and the woman replies “75 Euros”. Karsten says, “Come on can you do 100? I really need the money”! Bursting laughter ensued when I figured it out. I mean the things that are important are the hanging out face to face not face book or looking busy. Being in a place this relaxed is a reminder of the value of time not a numbers based productivity but in fact if the things you put you real life aside to do are actually that important like stopping on my pre ride to pick up a 4 inch long stag beetle!

Next stop is home for a couple days off and some fishing with Conrad then some Olympic distance racing (90 mins) Mt Saint Anne Canada for the World Cup.

New York the next cross country World Cup then off to USA National Cross Country Championships. Think I will need a week of nada after that to recharge and take in time with friends face to face over a 3-hour Italian style beetle soup dinner.

Countdown to the Launch

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremiah Bishop) — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 10:04:00 +0000

The new Alpine Loop Gran Fondo webpage and official launch is FRIDAY! (In the meantime, our server redirects traffic to this, my personal webspace.) Stay tuned for all the exciting details.

All the hard work of our production team is paying off and we are about to go live.

This is going to be a great challenge a great cause and a great party!

Many thanks to our title sponsor - Prostate Cancer Awareness Project - and the Shenandoah Valley Bicycle Coalition, as well as supporting sponsors and friends. For more details and daily news, Alpine Loop Gran Fondo is already on Facebook and Twitter.

If your browser doesn't link through with the above, use:

www.facebook.com/pages/Jeremiah-Bishops-Alpine-Loop-Gran-Fondo/144365212300280

www.Twitter.com/JBsGranFondo

- Jeremiah

TSE to Italy

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremiah Bishop) — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 11:36:00 +0000

Here is the link to the TSE blog I was writing for Mountain Bike:
http://www.bicycling.com/blogs/mbword/

What a ride! Great stages, good times and hard racing. The new 29 Scalpel has been a hoot to test on the endless rocks of PA's finest. I wish they had included two days at Michaux, perhaps that's for a 10-day tour. Ha Ha!

Around here things have been a hive of activity. I am about to officially launch my event for this fall. Stay tuned, should be a good time!

For now it's final training tune up for Marathon Worlds. I have a couple of tests left before the event, but all systems are go. It feels amazing to have the super fitness that lasts only for a few weeks. My feet just were moving under me and it was so crazy being able to nail it up Hopkins Gap - a steep local 1.2-mile climb - out of the saddle at 485 watts! The work pays off, and the luck pays off just as much.

Marathon Worlds looks like a vineyard-track/cyclocross race with short Iceman-style wide fast single trails. Did i just say "single trails?"

Conrad has been touting he was "racing on the single trails" at the TSE camp site. I wish one of my early words was single track! Ha ha ha. He was actually ripping down the trail! In fact, I will probably remember TSE most because our first real ride together took place there.

Sure we have been on bikes together before, but under the radar of the busy bike race my little guy was scooting around on his wooden bike honing his coast. Run...run...feet up... glide!

He was getting bold: riding in long straight lines, and much farther - pushing the bounds of supervision (much to Erin's frustration) more than ever before. I said let's ride to the end of the field (about a soccer field's length). Before I knew what was happening my son and I were both landing gear up and moving quickly ahead. The grass was a blur. His little legs out like oars, and getting twice their ground's worth from each stride. It hit me in an instant that something special just started.

I knew the 2011 TSE would be like no other race, but I wasn't sure why. Now I know it was because it was family good time, as well as an exciting race for everyone.

Jeremiah

Bicycling blog;

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremiah Bishop) — Mon, 30 May 2011 02:31:00 +0000

I’m excited contribute a behind the scenes look at the grueling backcountry stage race that is Trans-Sylvania Epic. May 28—June 4, visit Bicycling.com for my daily update. – Jeremiah Bishop, Cannondale Factory Racing

Trans-Sylvania Epic Stage 1 – Time Trial

Though I have a lot of experience competing in stage races, the Trans-Sylvania Epic is particularly challenging because of its many miles of rough, ungroomed rocks, roots, mud and deep forest. There is more potential for things to go wrong when there are twigs, leaves and sandy grime added to a course that is already demanding of bike and body.

So, when I rolled up to the start line of the afternoon’s time trial on my Cannondale Flash 29’er, I knew there was more to loose in the stage than to gain. I needed to put out a maximum effort, but not fall prey to getting too excited: a crash or a flat tire would be disastrous.

I took it to the max, went easy on the corners, making sure to arrive at the finish line in one piece. I had a great ride, and really surprised myself with a nearly flawless time trial.

I’m very excited to pull on the leader’s jersey, and now I have to work hard to keep it: Justin Lidine is hot on my wheels, and right behind him are Chris Snedden and Barry Wicks – a strong team and previous winners of the BC Bike Race. With Drew Edsall in fifth and field of the nation’s leading endurance racers, the race is still wide open. Today was just a taste of what’s in store for us.

The mood around the venue is a buzz with excitement. Everyone is preparing for anything to happen in the days ahead. I’m sure will see a bit of everything here at the TSE!

One hour of racing down, twenty to go.

Jeremiah Bishop
Cannondale Factory Racing.

World Cups, Tea Cups and Bath Tubs

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremiah Bishop) — Thu, 26 May 2011 21:27:00 +0000

Yeah, last weekend was the craziest round-trip Euro-turn-and-burn ever attempted and just barely pulled off.

Was it worth it? Yes. I got lucky. Even a broken seat, throbbing legs and sleepy eyes were of little distraction, as I was going to F (&)*_ ing make this pain in the arse trip worth something.

The trip was planned out smoothly in my mind:

Thursday - flight;
Friday - arrive and rent car, drive to race site, and pre-ride;
Saturday - tune up;
Sunday - race, move up on the grid so when the important races for Olympic nomination come I am not left in the smoking section.
Monday - fly home.

Well, that would have been a nice plan. Let's just say wicked thunderstorms that spawned devilish flashes of lightning and tornadoes and floods made air travel on the east coast an absolute mess. My only option was to fly out of a different airport the next day. By the time that was clear, I had already parked, checked in and gone through security, waited at gate after cancelled gate and all that jazz - all for nothing. Oh the bright side of being stranded at an airport, it was good to get stranded just a 45-min drive from Erin's parents. That part was cool.

Eventually, I made it to Pickering via Manchester, and was lucky that the UCI officials were willing and the CFR Europe guys were able to snag my race registration and number plate for me.

The race itself was like a world cup 'cross race with boulders and free ride lines added. The first part suited super star Sven Nys who started next to me, the later did not. I would lie if I said I wasn't a little scared at the prospect of of a field-sprint to a loose turn with about 200 angry dudes trying to kill one another for position - not my favorite part. I looked over at Sven, a master in such chaos. I said "this is going to be crazy, but maybe the right side will open up." The evergreen eyes of a man who was calm and focused was evident "Ha, what you need is good luck," he said. Later on TV, I heard Sven had face-planted.

For sure there were several field crashes, torn skin and scraping metal. Yelling. I managed to avoid the carnage. Then the inevitable bottle neck of a hundred dudes acting like sport racers at the spring opener trying to ride at 30-mph over a rock pile and into the the single track. I was stopped in the dirt road, standing on two feet for several seconds thinking to myself, 'I am not even moving! This is nuts.' Eventually, after some hail mary sprints up a few climbs and open sections, I found the relative sanity of the top-40 group. JHK was right in front of me. Due to my own stupidity I lost the wheel when I turned around to pick up my SRM head unit that popped off and fell into the grass. My saddle cracking on the last lap and a chain fumble sealed the deal. I would not move up any more, but no worries: mission accomplished SOMEHOW! I wasn't going to get greedy.

It was a fun but short trip. Some highlights include: not getting in a car crash driving on the wrong side of the road, a pre-ride with Nick Craig and Bryan Lopes, and seeing that indeed the Hot Cross Buns of fairy tales and legend really do exist.

In retrospect, my 39th place finish was damn good considering I was as prepared as a cat is for a bath.

Hollar!!! Time to shift gears in a major way. Packing for TransSylvania Epic seems like getting ready to invade normandy compared to the quick world cup sprint race.

Am I nuts? No, I just love racing the stage races. The Olympics is on the back burner until July, then I push!

This weekend was a cup of tea, next the bath tub!
Uh oh.

J

Driving the right direction on the wrong side.

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremiah Bishop) — Sat, 21 May 2011 21:39:00 +0000

Well, finally made it here to Pickering, North Yorkshire UK for the Dalby UCI Mountain Bike World Cup.

It is enchanting being back in the Old World. Stone buildings, great churches and colorful people are something charming against the blooming green and flowered May. I was not sure if the major delays and flight trouble I faced would make racing possible. The fact that I'm not well set up for a Euro World Cup - arriving 24 hours before the start would sure put a damper on for some, but for me it's just another challenge. If anything, on my long road to where I am (though I'm not sure exactly where here is) I have learned that the more hurdles you face, the more enjoyment you get out of making it happen!

No doubt the Dalby course is awesome and has a lot of fun manmade rock features that remind me of the advanced trail building the SVBC guys like to do. I only have a faint memory of the the somewhat tricky course, but I should be good to go with a warmup lap.

It's funny, but this time I'm just glad to have made it to the start of the race. For sure if I move up from my 73rd start position it will be a move in the right direction.

I'll let you know how it goes!

Jeremiah

Ready?

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremiah Bishop) — Sat, 14 May 2011 11:57:00 +0000

With each slurp of fresh coffee I hope more and more neurons join in on the quest to form more than one thought every 2 minutes. It's funny when you're tired: you don't think you're moving slow, but you might notice in a mirror that you have been looking for the match to a blue cycling sock for the better part of 5 mins.

It's 8 a.m. and I have been awake for quite a few hours. I'm heading to Europe this week for the World Cup at Dalby Forest and part of my prep is getting up early. Conrad is now awake and has just informed me that his "NASCAR name" is "Bobby Bishop" Ha ha ha. Man, this is a little different than Ben King's Blog.

Productivity as a bike racer is a relative term. You work SO hard prepping for a race never sure if you are going to fly halfway around the world to earn a fantastic result or flat out of the race. It can be a crap shoot - like the Jefferson Cup road race. For sanity's sake, I judge it by how well I prepared. Seems like if I do that, then there is a real action and result and some sort of relief to be had.

So, how prepared am I for the next two big races: the World Cup in Great Britain then the Transylvania Epic? Uh... Well, I rode my mountain bike off-road for one hour in the last month. Its going Great! If I ride 3 hours today then that's a 300% increase over yesterday.... anyway its coming together. My finger is working fine and ready to go.

I did some bike testing on several of my super fast Cannondale's yesterday, dialing in the suspension and fit for a couple hours. The local test track was in perfect condition for my first mountain bike ride in a few weeks. Training has been a blast, trading knobbies for 700c road wheels for a change.

I raced the Jeff Cup and Winter Green Hill Climb last weekend and logged two killer rides with Joe Wonderboy Dombroski. My motor is running hot and I just posted my best time on Wintergreen at 399 watts average! For sure the coffee is kicking in and that's good since it's lunch time in London. One-hour till race time. I'm heading over to Massanutten for a quick workout then a party for Erin's brother Josh this afternoon.

I think my coffee is doing the trick. I think the prep is coming together quite nicely. It should be an exciting block of racing ahead.

Jeremiah

A Birthday Surprise!

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremiah Bishop) — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 16:10:00 +0000

Bang!

The gun went off on the Pro XTC round 1 in the verdant Bonnelli Park. I was starting back in 20th place with a low UCI standing - a byproduct of my endurance race focus. The hum of the wheels, the crashing sound of two rider bumping bars. Then there was an opening! I shot through the hole and was at the front by the time we hit the dirt. Whoa! The first climb felt like a speed bump... Wow! The legs are good, I thought, but I shouldn't be at the front with 100 guys on my wheel.... I settled into the lead group that was a who's who of international talent: Adam Craig of Rabobank Offroad; Todd Wells who won every off road US title last year; Max Plaxton; World Cup winner Jeff Kabush; JHK; Shultz; Aussi star Sid Tablerlay and on and on!

I was hurting pretty good on the first lap, but after settling in on lap 2 I got my mind ready to race for the win! This all changed when I was in 3rd place riding with Wells and 40 seconds down on Sid, my chain got jammed under the front E type derailleur. NO!!!!!!! I pulled the chain but it was stuck. I twisted, yanked got it back on but as soon as I pedaled it fell down again! Damn... I was having an awesome race... Now I was thinking I'll be lucky to get back up to 4th!

Back on the bike, I was fired up!!! I said to myself, no holding back I am going to fight today. If I can catch Kabush I may get a rest on the start/finish drafting section. My breath and pedaling became a sycronos symphony of pain and speed just at my limit. On the descents my mind was calm and I was on point like a slalom skier in the perfect zone. Tires sliding but controlled not even connected with the ground but floating somewhere between the sky and the earth.

When I caught Kabush, my first instinct was to sit up and sit in to recover. But that meant slowing down, and by now I had Taberlay in sight and I knew I could keep my head down and push on to catch him. It was all or nothing, 40 seconds with one lap to gp, a nearly insurmountable lead. But, I knew if I could make contact there was a chance. Is printed each hill as if it were the last one of the day, and recovered on the downhill. When I made contact with him, he was spent. And once I passed him, it was like a training ride - my mind focused like during the training I had done throughout the winter; telling myself keep pushing, steady, soft through the corners, keep pushing.

Its amazing how quiet and calm it was on the front. I was by myself with no one in site. That last half a lap was surreal, all quiet except when the lead moto jumped up ahead and reminded me I was racing. Then as I got closer to the finish, my excitement grew. Barring disaster, I knew I was going to win and yet I couldn't believe it!

This was a great win for Cannondale Factory Racing in California, and special for me because Erin and Conrad were there to share in the excitement!

Sometimes it's hard to know just how the pre-season training will come together. Now there’s less pressure because I know my training is on target, I’m leading the US Pro XTC series and ready for more! Hope to continue the build up to the next US Cup Triple Crown, Pan Ams and Sea Otter and keep having fun.

- Jeremiah

On your marks....

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremiah Bishop) — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 02:14:00 +0000

Each loop of the ice pack over and under my lower leg makes me nastalgic for time soon when I will not have this some what causal routine. (I banged my shin showing off while doing plyos w Ryan Fawley) One of occupational hazards I had not counted on. Daily training from the conveince of home and in the grandure of the Shendoah Valleys forgotten roads and the mountains endless trails has been awesome. JLD and I logged a solid few weeks. The last two have been full of high power rides and some mountain bike specific training, so fun to shred some for a change.

Soon It will be less organized and simple. Wake up get Conrad and go find some milk for him some coffee for me. Tune on some Curios George while I make us a 2 person batch of Oatmeal. Lately its been all about the microwaved apples that I add. Hmm. cinemon some flax meal some whole milk. And "Pena buba"d "oh you want some peanut butter.. yeah!" That will be good! At some point Erin comes down and joins in. We have some food together and then its check the email and the Noaa.gov for the todays conditions. Ah looks good. 39 and cloudy, at least there is no snow. I finally had that cold weather dialed and now its warming up and the buds are in full effect and little green sprouts portend the flourish of full on spring just around the corner.

Soon it will be off to Cali for the opening rounds of the US Pro XTC races in Bonnelli Fontana, Back for a local race at O Hill between, I am excited to go for a title defense at the Harris Roubaix and of course the family trip to Sea Otter. Nice thing about this years plan it involves a bit of travel and some away races but a great routine of spending more time at home than away is sure to help me feel like I can recharge. This time I have a great plan and ready for just busy enough season that I can rock at the races that count!

Bring it on I am ready for some action! And the routine of RACE SEASON!

GO!!

Jeremiah

chase dogs chase bikes chase dogs.

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremiah Bishop) — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 14:09:00 +0000

Much goes through you mind on steady winter base rides in deep meandering country roads. My mind was focused on the task most of the last few weeks but I was fortunate enough to have some cerebral craw space for some mental tinkering.

Some days I thought about the upcoming races but that comes and goes. The real interesting mental floaters are the ones I assume most readers would find boring philosophy, history and an assortment of other glycogen related anomalies aka brain farts.

Yesterday it was dogs.

Certainly the thought did not start this way. I was trying to explain what to do in training so you don't plateau to fellow rider Jack. Ryan listened intently as I conjured up how the hell I was going to spin it. He doesn't have a power meter I thought.

Ok he has that imperfect heart rate monitor. But what would I tell him if it was the 50's and neither existed??? Then YIKES! out of the corner of my left eye the anti predator alarm bells sounded and I was out of the saddle before I knew I was. The the rust colored yellow beast dashed in full sprint, however it's jaws would stay thirsty for bike blood another day! It did not have the acceleration to close in on us with his planed vector.
I sat down. But then my thought became clear. You could You would just track you stats against the dogs. Dogs are pretty fast.

In fact really fast the Alaskan Malamute's out work an Elite cyclist with ease! Winner by 150% with VO2 max in the 240 range!
THE dogs.

at 20.1 m per second if you counted a Cape Hunting dog (Lycaon pictusas) one you have escaped from a normal cruising speed on flat ground your doing about 3 seconds faster than the world record for 1k.

I could also just count the number of dogs. Estimates range from 20-22 dogs this week. Everything from those tall black poodles to greyhounds boxer mixes and even an occasional hound dog. That's a good week!

Most of the dogs I out ran this week where out of shape some pretty fast but non caught me. Maybe wanting to get chased makes me the chaser of the dogs. :) I thought as the sun set on another big day.... I will have to ponder the question some more. I guess keep chasing the target was my answer if it moves its worthy.

"The greatness of a Nation and its moral progress
can be judged by the way its animals are treated"
-Mahatma Gandhi

If this is true then rural America ranks closely with rural Botswana for on Moral progress.
Hmm.

Anyway back to focus on the task at hand.

J

New Good Ole' Tiger Camp

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremiah Bishop) — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 02:28:00 +0000

What's old becomes new in Clemson.

It has been one of the best trips and training weeks in recent memory; 32 hours of rock solid training, 550 or so miles, and a surprising amount of sun. The good times were on.

I have traveled to Clemson for a few weeks of training each year for the last 10 years, and while some things are always the same, others are different. Following are some stories.

Ian, Tiger Camp Founding Father, looks great these days. He is making his biggest comeback - from health related setbacks. My host of more recent years, Scott, and his wife are expecting a baby. I was surprised when Joe and I visited Ian's place; the spartan decorations and chipped paint had been overhauled. I missed the old bachelor pad.

Winter Bike League in Greenville was a great time. I decided to see how hard hard I could go. Joe and I were in the heat of the action and took turns attacking. I lucked out with the points win redeeming myself from getting smoked at the same ride two years ago. Afterward we went out with Cleve Blackwell and I sat with the Mars Hill Cycling Team. The fresh faces and ruddy cheeks reminded me how exciting it is to be on a great adventure toward the potential and camaraderie that racing brings.

Rides out to Caesar's Head and along Table Rock were on tap, and are old classics from the Eatough days.

Climbed up to Bobs place via the Easatoah Valley and tackled the brutal climb up Sassafras were eye-openers for the new guys. They loved it! It was all new to them. I remember the first time Ian and Eatough showed me that classic route, too.

It was a lot in a week and due to the limits of human physiology we saved a few good rides for the next trip down in few weeks We saved gems like the monster climb up to the parkway on 215 and the Caesar's Head Loop for next time, as well as the NEW Toughest Loop in Clemson Chicken Ride.

The newbies Joe Dombrowski, Andy Johnston, and Cory Rimmer surely had a good time, though Andy and Cory seemed puzzled as to why I barely rode my mountain bike. For sure I will do a lot, but sometimes you have to shake things up.

The new ice cream shop was a nice compliment to the old Nick's, and the sadness of Ancho's being gone was eased by the new coffee shop Spill the Beans.

Next time will be more mountain biking - just like I like it! The force of winter seems like it is waining, the days are longer and the legs are stronger. I am feeling the spring in my step and and great vibe about the season to come, and the new guys got the taste of what Clemson Tiger Camp is all about.

- Jeremiah