Racing From the Edge

PMBAR

2010-05-02T08:53:00.002-04:00

Eighth place! Though suspiciously missing from the list of results? Hmm...that's three out of four races so far with either mistaken, or flat out misplaced identity!

GSC #3 / SERC #4

2010-04-26T19:40:00.004-04:00

Jeremy Bore??

Muddy, muggy and mispelled...

Eighth place, and another race under this year's belt.

Six Hours of Heritage

2010-03-15T20:17:00.004-04:00

Cafe:ine/Addictive Cycles takes first place in the duo men.

Scoping out the scene bright and EARLY, Edge and Matt set up to represent -

then at 10:00 a.m., Edge kicked off the six hour road to perdition.

Coming in after a couple laps, Edge sat down for a quick mud assessment (not too bad), and tried to decide whether to have scones or biscuits with his post-ride tea.

There were many flawless transitions all afternoon, with Matt specializing in stealth mode ninja transition splits,

and tip toe getaways. Then, just before heading out for his last lap of the day, he did some swift mental calculations. He figured if he came back in by 3:25 at the latest, then they'd have a shot at sending Edge out to sweep the course and get one more lap in before the clock ran at 4:00.

Well, Matt defied the odds. Fueled on pickle juice and pure moxie, he laid it down and was back in the pits at 3:25---on the DOT!! (**editor's note---it was AWEsome!). So with exactly 35 minutes on his side, Edge scooted out of the pavilion, setting the dust on fire.

And the ominous heavens flirted with his ambition...

But alas, despite his valiant effort, Edge still made it back five minutes too late.

No need to be vexed; the scones paid off, and the pair secured a delightful first place win.

And once again, the rest of Team Cafe:ine did not make themselves scarce; Shea and his wife took first in the co-ed duo, and Andy Christman took second in the solo sport (after his chain broke in two places!). YEAH!

By the way, this is the first race in the "Dirty Spokes" series which Chain Buster has now taken over, and their first party really was a good one. Everyone was pleased with the smooth operations, the Fat Tires for first placers, and the unexpectedly good swag bags...

They gave away 26" tubes, tires, snowflake socks, and puppies!

Really fantastic, and I can't wait to see what they give away for the 12 hour swag next time. See ya then!

Lake Russell

2010-03-09T17:41:00.004-05:00

What has no arms and no legs, sitting in a pile of leaves? Russell/Rustle! Ha ha, but contrary to one of the best quadriplegic jokes in history, riding through the leaves at Lake Russell is no laughing matter - just look at the mugs on these guys; let's get serious.

As we pedaled out of the parking lot, Andy light-heartedly wondered if we'd be riding straight up a mountain, straight out the gate. We all kind of chuckled anxiously, then immediately found ourselves at the bottom of a three million foot climb - what the...

No worries though, because going up is the only way to see nature at her finest, like this beautiful waterfall,

and Andy holding up a tree for Clegg while he gets a quick back rub from another tree across the way.

Bill has since pointed out that pain is a sign of weakness leaving the body; for me, it's oxygen. I was so depleted from all the fun I was having, I don't even remember this picture being taken.

Lake Russell is part of the wonderful Wildlife Management Area near Cornelia and Toccoa, and really is a lovely place to become one with nature for a few hours...unless of course you think you're surreptitiously taking a leak on the side of the trail, only to get caught by these guys with your pants down (unsuspecting girl in blue, you know who you are).

After looping around and crossing a dam, we hit some paved road which was sweet relief for about a second--then it turned out to be a paved trial of mental fortitude---commencing the second three million feet climb of the day.

Ahh, but waiting for us at the top was Chenocetah Mountain, and with it a spectacular view of our progress to the right:

and a kind of New England-y, cool looking fire tower to the left, boasting TONS of patio space;

a perfect place to corral the bikes and snack on some potatoes and shot block...balls (heh).

We didn't know it at the time, but we were about to be rewarded with a truly magnificent downhill back to the parking lot...

It was an AWEsome day.

12 Hours of Santos

2010-02-25T17:16:00.002-05:00

Jeremy Epar and Bill Landizlotta take first place in the 12 hour men's duo.

Wait, WHO??

Well, apparently the lady on the phone taking care of race registration had giblets in her ears, but at least she got their first names right. Anyway, despite the case of wrong identity, the Team Caffeine boys cleaned up in nearly every category they entered down in Florida last weekend.

Making their presence known early on, the crew shook out their winter legs and got it done.

(For fear of the copyright police, I can't show you what was happening between Bill's elbows and knees)

Raise your hand if you love pain! And beer!

Not only did Caffeine take the duo men, but David Hall took first in the 12 hour single speed, and Andy Christman topped it off with first in the 12 hour sport. Nice job guys, on this most auspicious start to the 2010 season!

New Tires

2010-02-14T20:06:00.004-05:00

We welcome the newest addition to the Edge clan!

A fuzzy little quadruped, called---

Tires.

He'll be on Edge's heels at all the races this season...see ya then!

Snow Sucks

2010-02-11T12:16:00.002-05:00

"Ah yes hello, God? Yeah hey, this is Jeremy. Yeah. Hey listen, I was wondering if you could cut the crap with the weather. Yeah, I know, it's just that---well yeah, exactly, it's freezing, which is fine, but the actual snow and shitty road conditions are getting on everyone's ner---what's that? Oh, well yes, I guess it is kinda pretty, it's just that---what? Yeah, the cows are handling it ok, but the thing is, they don't ride bikes, so it doesn't really matter what they think.......mm hm...oh, yeah? Okay, well I never really thought of it that way, it's just that the race season starts soon, and training has been pretty tough----no, I know, being stoned would be a lot tougher---right, and at least we have wheels----yeah, yeah, ok got it. Well nevermind then I guess. Yeah. Ok sure, talk to you later."

God says maybe later.

EDGE VISOR

2010-01-28T15:47:00.003-05:00

From Pace Sportswear, check it out!

That's right, Edge used to customize his cycling caps by cutting out the tops and hemming the edges with bright orange thread when he still lived in Columbia. Not only were they crafty projects, but they also prevented his buzzed head from overheating in the summer months. One of the Hawley folks caught a glimpse of his creation on a routine group ride, recognized the fabulousness of it, and turned Edge's prototype into a reality.

As the Ghost of JR always says, those of you following along in your catalog can find this dynamic visor under CLTH1221. Be sure to look up all the available ribbon colors:

Black and white checkers,

and even better...

rainbows!

Why is Pisgah so steep?

2010-01-16T21:46:00.013-05:00

Yep, it's about that time again.

Time to get off the ol' ass and take a spin toward Spring. Not to mention the upcoming race season, which, dare I say, is less than FOUR WEEKS away??? Sheisse! Quick, grab your Gatorade and let's go!!

Who cares if it's 20 degrees and they're predicting freezing rain; find some good Cane Creek folk, the omnipresent Wild Bill and is son, and head for the fire roads.

Cold out? Don't even think about it. Being so profoundly immersed in the off season, it may be easy to let the dropping temperature and constant uphill climb get on your (sciatic) nerves, but keep your chin up. See, CC Chris stopped at one point to consult the map, but thankfully it assured us we had to keep going up,

which CC Paul thought was the best thing he heard all day.

Snow, ice and hundreds of feet of trail blocked by downed trees just meant tons of extra fun with all the extra hike n' biking (more hiking).

Nothing could dampen our euphoric moods; we were just glad to be outside!

It didn't matter that we had women and children on the ride, or that "stuff" kept freezing in WB's goatee...Edge prolonged our fun as long as possible, and we eventually got to slide down the mountain back to the cars.

Tho slightly hypothermic at times, it was a great ride and we made it back before the rains came, as evidenced by Bill's dance of mountain bike joy. Yeah!

Looking forward to a great season in 2010...see ya at the six hour maiden voyage in February!!

Chicopee "Joy Ride"

2009-11-17T21:57:00.007-05:00

Or, "29er Annihilation."

Why didn't you bring your niner, didn't you get the memo??

"Hey guys, I'm gonna be in town this weekend, so a group of us are riding out at Chicopee on Sunday if you wanna come. Nothing hard core, just an easy going, social ride coz it's going to be a super nice day out."

Heh--yeah right!

Sure, the original plan was for a peaceful, Sunday stroll, but with mugs like Wild Bill and Niner Mike, suddenly half the Terrapin team plus a former single-speed champion and retired endurance racer all decided to come. What the! And as soon as we found out Shey Lindner was coming, all bets were off---the Chicopee fun ride instantly became a veritable crush fest.

Loehr gets it done, despite feeling "under the weather."

Niner Mike emerges with his new carbon fork!

Hey, did you guys see my niner? Yeah, did you see mine? Yes, but check mine out:

The parking lot was FILLED with niners, and most of them were on our ride...but alas, a few us didn't get the memo that day. What we did get were busted lungs trying to chase down the Terrapin boys (or maybe that was just me?).

But they're pretty awesome...I'm not saying we don't WANT niners, I mean look!

Look at that handsome green stallion!!

Look at Loehr making it back to the parking lot!

Look at the orange and silver!!!

Even on 26 inch wheels, it was a very enjoyable ride, full of sun, leaves, speed and only one bike wreck hanging upside down from the trees...

...and despite the smack down, we had a really great time. The parking lot comradery was awesome, and it was great to see folks we haven't seen in a long time. After the post ride pow wow, we packed up and headed straight for the chips and salsa up the road, stuffed our faces, then drove home fat and happy.

Stay tuned to find out how Edge's cyclocross debut in Hendersonville goes next Saturday. Wooo!!!

Swank 65

2009-11-11T20:59:00.007-05:00

Thank God it has come and gone!

Once again not knowing what lay ahead of me, I should have know something was up when we got to Cove Creek Campground and saw that people had to submarine their cars through a "creek" just to get to the parking lot!

But after a brief introduction and a few half-assed cartwheels in the LeMans start, we were off.

Being at the front of this train wreck was the only way to ensure a safe passage into the single track, and from there on out, it was all UP.

Except for Farlow......and it went up even more than I had remembered...

After survivng the climb and downhill of Farlow (beatdown), I staggered my narrow ass down the last stretch of fire roads, praying the whole time for someone to make the monkey in my head stop pounding the symbols.

With the finish in sight, Todd greeted me with a Fat Tire Ale and a smile.

"Whaddya think?" he asked, and my only response was...

" I survived".

Thanks again to Todd Branham and Blueridge Adventures, and all the volunteers for all your support and time in this year's race series!

Farewell Old Friend...

2009-10-28T10:19:00.002-04:00

We miss you already.

Ian Foyster

Frady Branch + Fun = Broken Teeth

2009-10-26T21:04:00.008-04:00

We ended up staying in Athens this weekend, and wonder of wonders, it didn't rain! Knowing we wanted to ride, were we about to sleep in Sunday morning, then leisurely caffeinate ourselves in front of the tv? No WAY.

Met up with a few fine folks of yore, and headed to Frady Branch for our own version of wildlife management. Undaunted by the 30 degree morning or the bridges that weren't there, we jumped on our bikes---then immediately got off in order to carry them across the river to get to the trails. But then, it was awesome!!

We rode on some of the southeast's only 'triple track', we laughed, we sang, we admired the beautiful foliage..and some of us participated in a few marvelous crashes. Assisting with some routine trail maintenance, Edge caught a tree in the face and cracked his helmet clean through the foam and titanium ring. The arboreal head-on collision was also enough to break a tooth and add some zest to his grill!

As for the rest of us, one sprained his right ankle and couldn't get his foot out of the pedal for the rest of the day, one of us endo'd downhill and caught a branch in the eye, another landed in numerous ditches because he was willing to try any and everything, and one...well? One of us (ahem, Cleg) made it through the day totally unscathed.

Rock n' roll everyone, good company and injuries are what make getting out of bed early on a Sunday morning totally worth it. We had a great time, and of course, the post ride imbibing helped us forget about silly teeth, ankles and eyeballs for a little while longer. Pfff, who needs 'em. Let's ride!

Pisgah Stage Race Day Four

2009-10-18T13:48:00.013-04:00

A mighty win.

Wouldn't you know, missed the finish by about three minutes. Aaargh!! Promoters were forced to cut an 8 mile loop out of the final stage due to ice and general precariousness, wreaking havoc on my punctuality. Missed them on their bikes, but still caught them in their kits--Bill in his stage win jersey. Yow!

But once the kits were off and the winter jackets were on, we sat in the massage queue with Fat Tire in hand and had a conversation about the weekend's events. So? How was it??

Edge: This race was everything I expected it to be, and more! It had epic trails, awesome competition and a splash of gnarly weather thrown in for good measure. After stage 2 I had lost what lead I had on Peter Butt by three minutes and had some work to do on stage 3. Then at the start of stage 4, it was voted that Farlow would be taken out due to unsafe conditions, so my only ace in the hole was out. Instead, I had to keep pace with the Aussie all day or at least keep him in sight.

At the end of the race, I lost by two minutes.........It was hard to swallow, thinking back on all the times I could have gone a little harder and didn't or couldn't.

But all in all I had a great time, rode some epic trails in very epic conditions, and got a chance to see a lot of Pisgah I hadn't seen yet.

Edge and Pete Butt were the only ones to finish in their class...each got "a custom medal."

WB also had a great race, and reigned supreme of the elite masters!

Terrapin later rocked the HELL out of their custom medals, making a nice book end to their wonderous, four day feat of icy, mtb glory.

See ya'll at Swank and you can believe that next time, Farlow will be ON!

Pisgah Stage Race Day Three

2009-10-17T15:54:00.000-04:00

First in class.

Survey says?

It's F@%$#*! FREEZING!!!

Cold and rainy to start with, and it only got worse. With body and extremity temps already LOW, racers were further subjected to a "creek" crossing - knee deep - FIVE TIMES. Edge got stuck behind "some guy" for one of the earlier crossings and had no choice but to tip over and submerge his right hand and arm into the frikkin freezing abyss. By the time he got to rest stop two, he had icicles all over his arm warmer and couldn't feel his hand. Thank God for Bruce Dickman, who valiantly stepped in and loaned Edge a new set of gloves for the duration. When racers got to 4,000 feet, they were greeted with snow flurries. At 4,700 feet, they were taunted by falling snow. And by the time they reached 5,000 feet, they were flat out heckled by snow...ON THE GROUND.

30 minutes after the finish, Edge still couldn't feel his feet but was still able to hobble over to the massage table...maybe they could help...

Stay tuned for the finale tomorrow!!

Pisgah Stage Race Day Two

2009-10-16T21:25:00.003-04:00

First in class.

The race went from a 6 mile, 800' elevation time trial, to a 37 mile, 9,000' elevation race today!

Survery says?

Wicked gnarly!!

Pisgah Stage Race Day One

2009-10-15T21:36:00.005-04:00

Time Trial - Second in class.

Survey says??

The course is WET.

Dirty Spokes 12 Hours of Unicoi

2009-10-12T23:17:00.005-04:00

Second Place - 12 Hour Solo

Well, the forecast was for RAIN, and lots of it. How befitting to complete the race season by enveloping it in a monsoon sandwich, finishing up in the mud like we did earlier in the season at Ft. Yargo. And though it did POUR during the wee hours of the morning, the race itself was mercifully "dry" with a lower incidence of slick casualties than there could've been (mercy for some, but not me, as Edge later witnessed my spectacular wipeout on the two-way bridge... heh...).

The racers lined up early on, with the omnipresent Terrapin crew stashed at the front.

Tim began the countdown,

and they were off.

The Terrapin boys maintained their lead while chasing each other down the short road added to the beginning of the course, which kindly postponed the usual, instant uphill heart attack by a few extra minutes.

Edge came through the pits 41 minutes later, third only to fellow Terrapins Shey and Jafer (both six hour).

Maintaining an overall pace of just over 6 minutes per mile, he came and went all morning...

...until his sixth lap, when he came in with a busted bottom bracket and a failing left knee cap.

But since his rabbit had just scooted out of the transition area, he decided to go out for at least one more lap and see how he felt.

Welllll, even with a broken bike and practically no ligaments left in his poor geriatric knees, Edge still easily caught the rabbit, did an easy spin with her for a couple miles, then casually beat her back to the finish...all the while she struggled to reclaim the lungs she left somewhere back at the bridge (that stupid, ridiculously slippery, evil stinking bridge).

It was a difficult decision to make, but after seven laps and a gentleman's agreement with third place, Edge called it quits. No point in ruining his body before the four day stage race coming up this weekend. It just made more sense to take it easy and double fist some beer.

Time passed, it got dark, and we waited for the awards.

Turns out he didn't need his kneecaps after all, because Edge still secured second place for the race,

and second in the Dirty Spokes series overall. We enjoyed meeting and hanging out with Tony Cervati waiting for the race to end, so it was extra nice to share the podium with him, too. Wicked nice guy!

At the end of the day, Unicoi is a tough course. It's only eight miles, but it feels like 15 of it is uphill climbing. How can the ENTIRE stinking course be uphill climbing?? But despite the hills and hazards (heh-bridge), it was a great race, and it's hard to believe the season is nearly over. Once again, thanks to Hostel Cyclist for their support, and congratulations to them for their wins, also taking second in the race and second in the series in the 12 Hour Four Man Co-ed.

ROCK!!!

Las Montañas + Bicicletas y Dinosaur Amigos = ¡DIVERTIDOS!

2009-10-07T20:43:00.001-04:00

What better way to break in your new backyard, than to ride your bike through it with a bunch of friends?

That's it, lean your bikes up against it,

Raise the roof in it (weeeeee!),

Pop a wheelie on it,

Heh, definitely "don't" fall,

And as usual, smile while you're there, it makes people wonder what you're up to. No seriously, what gives?

Who cares? Today's ride in the backyard is like, totally the GREATEST!

Er, at least it was, until...

Sheeee-ooooooot...

Forget it, let's get outta here.

No, wait! Today couldn't have been sweller!! BFF forever.

All the dinos are happy, further cementing the great idea that NC migration has turned out to be.

See you at the Dirty Spokes finale next weekend!

It's Been Swell

2009-09-30T12:01:00.000-04:00

Edge arrived in Columbia last Spring with a short list of things to accomplish before the day came when he'd be on his way again and would leave ole South Carolina.

Move into new apartment with screen door. Check.

Overcome fear of the ubiquitous giant white shark. Check.

Start drinking a beer in March...

Help baby elephant reclaim its dignity. Check.

Single-handedly lower the price of gas for the Leprochauns. Check.

Stick it to the Governor. Check.

Finally finish beer six months later with pals from work. Total Check!

Well, that's everything on the list. Having conquered Columbia, Edge has now surrendered his screen door in favor of a sweet back porch in the mountains of North Carolina. The only item on his list for the move, was not to forget Miss Kitty.

So long 100 degree Columbia blacktop! ¡Adios la ciudad de mucho calor!

It's been swell.

More Asheville Awesomeness

2009-09-10T13:22:00.034-04:00

Or, the day we couldn't find Kenny.

Well, the weekend began auspiciously enough, with a nice casual ride in the Pisgah National Forest Saturday afternoon, in preparation for a group ride in Dupont the following day. Instead of climbing the usual 45 degree angled service roads, we opted for the more pleasant 60 degree angled root gullies.

The serenity of the mountains made it easy to contemplate important issues, like, what will the ride tomorrow be like? Will it be as easy as today? Will it be as beautiful? Who will bring the beer?

The mountains said nothing.

"Hey Jerm, exactly who is coming, anyway?"

Jerm was extremely busy holding the roof up on a cave so I could get through without getting squashed. But in between breaths, he managed to relay that of course Cane Creek Eric and KB were coming, and as a special treat, so were El Ciclo Mundo and Kenny!

Sunday came, and with it another swell tour of Dupont State Forest. El CM came, as did everyone else on the list. But after hours of waiting, it became clear that something was amiss...where was Kenny?

CC Eric: "I just checked the woods, and Kenny wasn't there."

Edge: "Yeah, and I just checked Big Rock, but all I saw was a drunk guy going like this---I looked, but it wasn't Kenny. "

CC Eric: Hey, do you think we should leave your bike up here so Kenny can find us?"

Edge: "Naw, let's leave a blood trail instead, that way I can still ride my bike down the mountain."

El CM: "I'm getting hungry. Let's head back and go get lunch - maybe Kenny is waiting for us in town somewhere waiting to eat."

We tried, but after three hours of wondering, the group conceded the fact Kenny just wasn't going to make the ride that day, and we were all really bummed about it.

Then something very strange happened!! After I got home and enlarged our group fun photo by 5000x, I saw the very fellow who had been missing from our company all day long...Kenny! Had he been there the entire time?? Does it look like he's trying to say something to us?! Ooo that's creepy...The Ghost of J.R., indeed...

Rivers Edge Mountain Bike Marathon

2009-09-02T09:55:00.041-04:00

First Place

So I ran up to Charlotte for the Rivers Edge 50 mile marathon, once again not knowing what was awaiting me!

The course was slippery when wet and fast when dry, with a couple of climbs thrown in for good measure. Right out the gate I saw my opportunity to move to the front and took advantage of it! Escaping the traffic jams, I began to settle in and focus on what lay in front of me.

After a couple of ping pong ventures with some trees and a reminder of how slippery roots can get,

I got a grip on things and set a pace that would only be bested by Andy Applegate and Rick Ryle.

After 4 laps I ended up 3rd overall and 1st in my class. I had a great time at the Whitewater Center and enjoyed some Widmer Brothers post race beer before heading to the awards.

Many thanks to the Hoffenchard support crew, and to Cane Creek Eric and his missus for allowing me to extend my stay in the NC mountains and cool down at Dupont on Sunday. Awesome!

Fool's Gold 50

2009-08-18T13:22:00.071-04:00

He said...

Five o'clock came mighty early on Saturday morning, and after a quick breakfast provided by the folks at the Hiker Hostel, it was off to the race start. By 5:30 we were sitting in the grass field at Camp Wahsega wandering around in the dark waiting for the 7am start.

After the 100 mile class took off the line, Lauren and I worked our way to the front off the start line only to be greeted by the antics of the Faster Mustache race team. After much anticapation Eddie gave us the count down and off we went!

The Terrapin Beer squad immediatly took control of the front of the race and set the pace for the rest of the day. Throughout the day there were ups and downs, rocks and roots, mechanicals, and gravel road climbs - in the end, the Terrapin Beer squad emerged with riders on the podium in every class.

Jafer took 4th in the 100 mile open men behind Chris Eatough, David took 5th in the SS 100 mile, Bill had a strong start and was leading the 50 mile race until a mechanical threw him into 3rd overall in the 50 mile open men, and as for me, I ended up 2nd overall in the 50 mile open men.

At the finish we were all greeted by beer, bars of soap, and food. On a side note Lauren Paquette (The Hammer) finished strong in 8th in the 50 mile open women. I had a great time and will be coming back next year!

She said...

Oh man, first solo race ever plus my first 50 mile mtb ride...and it was awesome!! Considering how bad my nerves were for a full week and half before the race, I still can't believe how UNscary it ended up being, and how smoothly everything went.

Preparation began the night before with a pasta feast at the Hiker Hostel followed by a quick lesson in supplements and race day nutrition.The next morning we got up for a 5am breakfast with the rest of the bikers staying at the hostel, and I had a funny conversation with someone while waiting in line for french toast.

Lady: "Oh, hi! Nice to meet you, are you the paralegal?"
Me: "Yes! Wow, what are you, clairvoyant?"
Lady: "Well, I'm from Tallahassee."
Me: "..."

So anyway, then we headed off to the camp and on to the race.

Since I had never done anything like this before, I had no expectations and my only goal was to merely finish, that's it. Kept it slow but steady, and by the time I reached SAG 2, I had worked out the kinks in my lungs and my seat, and by mile 22, I was like, holy crap, why do I feel so good?? Yeah! And began passing people for the rest of the day.

That isn't to say of course, that by mile 40 my body didn't begin to fall apart. My neck muscles began to rebel against having to hold my head up, and my hands lost the will to hang onto my handlebar grips. But then I finally reached the last cut into the woods and a friendly volunteer informed me there was only one more mile, and my legs suddenly felt like I hadn't done anything all day! Well sort of, but I high tailed it to the finish, got my soap, and SAT DOWN.

Tons of support from Edge, Hostel Cycling, the SAG volunteers, millions of butterflies in the woods, and all the nice bikers who helped make time on the trails fly by. I was definitely spoiled by having my first solo race experience be such a great one.

Awesome!

Training...for FUN!

2009-08-10T21:02:00.032-04:00

With the Fool's Gold 50 right around the corner, it'd be prudent to "get a feel" for what to expect in Dahlonega next weekend. So let's go to Pisgah!

Come on, we can practice pedalling up forest service roads for two hours...just to see what it's like, it'll be great!

What? You're a mountain biker and you hate riding up hill? Welllll, don't get mad, but it turns out we may have "accidentally" climbed 4,000 extra feet, past the trail we were looking for...

But don't get discouraged, look at this cool chimney we found:

That doubles as a bomb shelter!

And don't worry, this is way steeper than Dahlonega, and after three hours of going up, we get to coast downhill, easy peasy:

Fwoo! By the time you get back to the car you'll feel confident you've got next weekend in the bag, because no matter how bad Dahlonega is, it won't be as difficult as today. Right?

**Except that Dahlonega will be today times ten---last year the last guy to finish took 17 hours. Have fun!

Assault on Mt. Mitchell

2009-07-29T21:47:00.012-04:00

First time assault = 27th out of 302 riders!!

Blue Ridge Adventures is not shy about promoting this race for what it is---extremely difficult, extremely demanding, and even dangerous...in other words, totally BRUTAL. Edge further reports:

ORAMM, what a weekend! Showed up to the race Sunday morning not knowing what the mountains had in store for me.

Needless to say, 6 hours, 62 miles, and 11,000 feet later I finished my first assault and all I gotta say is, "Man what a wild ride!"

After the dust settled and the beer was flowing, I checked the results to find out that I had finished 27th overall and 12th in open men. All in all a great event and I would suggest it to any mountain biker wanting to test their might or just get a great and up close look at the Pisgah National Forest---I will be back next year!

Dirty Spokes 12 Hours of Tribble Mill

2009-07-14T19:06:00.144-04:00

Edge takes third in the 12 Hour solo...without even trying?

Welllll, not exactly. The day began with ideal racing conditions; sunny, dry, and remarkably, not too hot. Edge sat poised at the front of the line...

...then shot out in front of over 200 other riders.

By the time he finished the parade lap, he took the corner with noone even close to riding his hub, and was first into the woods.

Hours went by, the eight mile trail was lapped
over and over, and despite varying problems with

heat and nausea, the day was strong.

UNTIL-- eight hours in, his rear, tubeless, 29er tire busted a seam while jumping out of the last taco stand and leaked tubeless goo all over the ground.

A final inspection in the Terrapin/Hostel Cyclist pit revealed he wouldn't be finishing off the last two and a half hours of the race, becoming instead, an official piece of the Hostel Cyclist cheering squad.

Well it turned out the Edge was far enough ahead when his tire popped, that he was able to sit down, have a beer, hang out for a couple hours...and still place third in his class.

Many thanks to the Hostel Cyclist support crew, and his new hat.

F.A.T.S. = Awesome!

2009-06-30T07:51:00.027-04:00

If you wanna beat the heat and mtb monotony, then grab your gear, Fun Edge, and head to the F.A.T.S. trails in Augusta. They're super!

You'll be amazed that even after two and a half hours of riding, you'll be coasting downhill the entire time, as if the trail system was designed by M.C. Escher!!

For maximum fun, don't forget to rub your mountain bike genie's belly for good luck,

bring along a former 24 hour single speed champion,

and ENJOY!!

**Don't worry if you don't have a Fun Edge. If we're there, we always bring extras. Awesome!

Cowbell Challenge

2009-06-25T16:36:00.007-04:00

Ninth Place in the Pro Open

Cowbell....what can I say...HOT. I mean, heat I haven't felt this year thus far. Short of that, the event was spectacular! The in-town start in Davidson, NC was fun, and watching Jafer take off like a bullet out of a gun was impressive. Harlan, Andy, Shey and I all looked at each other like, "who's going to chase the Pro Roadie down the greenway??" I voted to lay back and not blow up, but stayed with the lead group to the farm.

Once there, the trails were fun, technical and fast. I could have done without all the field crossings come high noon, but all in all it was a good race. Throughout the 6 laps I saw more and more bodies laying trail side with the look of dehydration and defeat. I rode my race, fought through the same aspects as everyone else and came away with 9th place in the pro mens class, just happy to survive.

GSC #4, Heritage Park

2009-06-18T22:27:00.008-04:00

Just a few short months ago, racing at Heritage was a freezing experience with sleet, winter hats, and teammates succumbing to hypothermia. This time around it was 150 degrees, or, as my grandma used to say (who would've been 101 this July), it was hotter than 40 ovens!

Three laps and 27 miles without enough water meant that eating a giant burrito later was the most rewarding event all day. See ya at the bovine challenge this weekend!

Day off + Coffee + MTB = Swell time!

2009-06-10T22:48:00.046-04:00

The first step to enjoying a weekend off from racing is to begin the free day with an enormous cup of coffee!

Then, take your mountain bike
for a pleasure spin on miles of
uphill on the first hottest day of the year!

**Be sure to bring gears-- they increase morale on a ride that is almost exclusively uphill climbing for most of the day**

<--- Gears ------------ No gears --->

Find the elusive waterfalls 13 miles later, and say "hello!"

Go ahead and get in, the water can't be too cold, right?

Never stop smiling!

After your body recovers from the shock of going from 95 degrees to 20 below, grab a girl on your way out and tell her what a swell time you're having!

12 Hours of Tsali

2009-05-26T13:05:00.015-04:00

12 Hour Solo Male - Second Place!

Jeremy was awake for 23 consecutive hours this past weekend, with 12 of them spent on a bike, pedalling over 100 miles. It took two days for the whites of his eyes to turn white again, and the same amount of time to answer the question on everyone's minds:

How'd he do?

Well straight from the Edge, here's how it went down:

"Ok, it was going to be the first dry race of the season and I was so excited--finally, a race against other riders and not against the elements. The rider turn-out was good and Gone Riding always sets up a great venue, so all I had to do was wait around till eleven for the start, then out the gate I was third in the run and fifth into the woods.

Once in the woods I led the race for three laps, until I made a crucial mistake and let second place (Geoff Bergmark) slip by me into first, thinking he was in the single speed catagory. Around lap five I was updated on Bergmark's progress while passing through the pits, so from that point on all I did was chase, chase, and chase some more..... I had let Bergmark outta my sight for 45 seconds and he managed to put 3-4 minutes on me by lap seven.

So by the time I came in from lap 11, I was a lap ahead of third place, a lap behind first, and with 15 minutes left before the 10:40 cutoff, I decided to call it a race. Took second place and a lil' pocket money with me back to Athens, GA that same night (morning!) to spend the rest of the weekend with friends, food, and good beer!"

Dirt Sweat & Gears 2009

2009-05-11T18:55:00.005-04:00

Terrapin Racing takes second place in the Duo Pro

Indeed, all the plays on words have already been taken, but seriously--the mud, the sweat, the broken gears, broken backs and in some instances dented skulls, were everything this race was composed of...and a LOT MORE.

Holy cow! This weekend in Fayetteville was unlike anything I've ever seen...almost laughable if I hadn't actually seen it for myself. Whilst sitting in the pits, I saw people "ride by", but really it was a lesson in pushing your bike with 80 pounds of mud on it and wheels that would no longer spin in an attempt to at least make it to the finish line. Many did, but many did NOT...lap times were inflated to three times their size, and the "unlimited beer" supply at the end was a welcomed consolation prize...

BUT! So many people plodded through to the end, and so many racers deserved more praise than they were given. Tho it was a veritable hike n' bike walk of attrition through the woods, there actually was a race going on!! So that being said, the Terrapin Racing Team gave the factory pros a run for their money in the Duo Pro category, making Sam Koerber and Thomas Turner work for their win. Sam and Thomas made impressive time especially in the final lap, but Wild Bill Lanzilotta and Jeremy Edge were on their tails the entire time, with lap distances, at times, of less than eight minutes.

A brief interview with Wild Bill after his second and final lap went like this:

me: "So? How was it?"

WB: "You really wanna know?"

me: "Uh...yeah?"

WB: "In the 25 years I've been racing...this is BY FAR, the worst race I have EVER done..."

me: "hunh--wow..."

Worst as in messiest and most difficult, but as Bill and Jeremy later agreed, it also by far, built the most character.

The Terrapin pit before the mudslide

Jeremy off for his only 'normal' lap
"She's a maaaniac, MANIAC, on-the-flooor..."

Bill comes back from his first taste of the track

Yowza!

Jeremy advises Bill on how to carry his bike

Final lap, finally over...

A glorious victory for everyone

Dirty Spokes 12 Hours of Yargo

2009-05-03T21:10:00.004-04:00

Top Honors in 12 Hour Solo Expert

Jeremy was nearly comatose when he collected his medal after completing a grueling 115 miles (by himself) in "just" 11 hours and 38 minutes. Endurance racing is bad enough on a good day, but this race day brought a monsoon during the third lap which turned the single track into a flowing river...with water up to the rear hubs in some parts of the trail.

And then it stopped.

But THEN, the progressive laps by hundreds of riders quickly turned the river into first a muddy slip n' slide, and finally to a trek of peanut buttery, cementy, quick sandy, SLUDGE. At least my team was comprised of three other dudes, with four people total sharing the energy sucking burden, yet we still complained of being tired and spent after two laps each. Well, Edge plowed through the morning,

afternoon, and night...

...never taking a break except for brief stops every transition to replenish his stock of liquid food. By the end of the night, he had quite a crowd at the finish line awaiting his return from his tenth and final lap, when he emerged from the darkness looking like a mine shaft rescue:

At the end of the epically long day, Jeremy was still able to stand up just long enough to accept his award without falling over. And for those of you wondering, he owed his big win to his snappy new haircut.

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

2009-05-01T22:04:00.002-04:00

When I used to describe Jeremy to people who didn't know him yet, I'd say, "yeah, he's a six foot three mountain biker with tattoos, earrings, and long, curly, strawberry blond hair." To me, his very diagnostic traits were in fact, being ridiculously tall, and that long, thick, big hair.

I had never known or seen him any other way. So when he showed up the Friday before Dirty Spokes 12 Hours of Yargo with nothing on his head except a scalp with fuzz, I was admittedly, pretty...surprised.

me: (gaping) OH MY GAWD! What did you---DO??

JE: (grinning) what do you mean?

Well it turns out, that by shaving off the masses of hair I've coveted since we met, he has also shaved off many minutes of cool down time, something essential for any over heating cyclist. He will debut his new 'do at the 12 hour endurance race on May 2nd, and find out if his two bits was worth the shave and haircut...

...I think so.