bike bFAT

7/30 Little Beaver State Park;  Back on the WVMBA race series after a six week break from being in that go fast forever mode.  Brrummp.  Waaay to hard of a start with not much of a warm-up.  Hey it was hot , I was sweating - I was ready to go.  Thought something would come up,  I have never puked from riding or racing.  Thought about giving it a try.  Guess I have to try harder.  The course was relentlessly twisty rooty and rocky, not any even any place to regroup or gather parts of the body that wanted some chance of relief.  A small class of Master Marcus and Master Root wasn't going to things any easier, till Scott dropped out with inflation issues.  I will take my second place points, thank you very much.  That is a string of three.  Next week in Athens Ohio  is the next throwdown gathering on the ticket.  Should be a super track and good time from our good friends up the river at  Athens Bicycle

8/3 Bluestone River & Pipestem State Park;   In need of a cool solitary soaking and the second river crossing on the River Trail cleansed the soul, baptism by bike, a so very refreshing dip then air drying on the climb back to the campground.  Complete cycle of Mother Nature. 

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7/26

Land speed 6MPH

45 total miles

7:35 total time

6:15 time on Trace

19 fence crossings

12 hooting downhills

forget the climbing

e

&

me

went like this

•                                              7:16    ON bike at Hurricane Ck Rd

•                                              7:30    left on Poindexter cr30

•                                              7:54    pass Coleman cr30/1

•                                              8:18    water at Fraziers Bottom (end 13mi prologue)

•                                              8:34    m31 KT trail

•                                              8:40    m30

•                                              9:10    m31

•                                              9:31    m27   on top of lookout point

•                                              9:41    leave lookout point

•                                            10:03    Guyan Creek

•                                            10:24    m20 Blackjack

•                                            10:35    video session

•                                            11:27    video session  6mb movie

•                                            11:35    Barkers Ridge

•                                            12:05    m11 (goat trail)

•                                            12:30    Blue Sulpher Road xing

•                                            12:36    video session  6mb movie

•                                            12:39    m9 hit head   12mb movie

•                                            13:00    Big Cabell Trail   (road)

•                                            13:25    m6 back on top of KT

•                                            13:35    flat tire

•                                            13:50    m5 KTTT leg start

•                                            14:41    KTTT leg stop

•                                            14:49    m0    

• I know that the log above may not be for those that just don't understand and may not be the most applicably interesting.  Then realize that it may not be for you.  But this is a trip that I have been waiting on for so long, but somebody holds the key.  That  someone is a Hell yes man, with a let's do it attitude.  So when I got the call from e that he would be in town for a ride, I blew away a vacation day and a full KT crossing was set in motion.

•  

• Not a single "rude" surprise, but rather a progressively groomed single track as we counted down the miles to zero.  The last time I was around the mile 30 marker back in the Spring season everything was status quo - except for a single survey marker.  Now with the construction of the new Rt35 thoroughfare well in progress the sight is completely different.  Approaching the edge of the clear cut  we stopped to try to find a line through the construction site.  The track-ho operator busy working on a retention damn shut off his machine and told us "that if we was looking for that trail we should cut through here" and he stopped his excavation till we passed.  I was told that easements would be put in place so that trail users could make it through.  Very professional and welcome surprise, I must say.

My fastest and truest KT to date.  A hike-a-bike at mile 13 straight up to Gobbler Knob was bypassed.  The Big Cabell / Adahi route around mile 7 is longer, more ride-able, but may be slower.  I guess I will be checking that split time in the near future.

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7/22   Back in the groove on a fabulous weekend to be on the bike, cool dry temps topping out with a high at 80 degrees.  Caught the hardpack trails at Barboursville park on Friday and Saturday before embarking on a 1/2 KT trip for a lot of sprucing with some time taking in the sights and enjoying all that the trail provides.  Half the trails is near steady gunning conditions.  What the other half has in store will be unveiled this Thursday with a shakedown run on the whole KT.  Hopefully not to many rude surprises in store for the land speed record attempt for a two man team on the Kanawha Trace  Western Assault.

6 between the legs...

dropping off and along the ridge around mile 14

No no no don't make me ride through the briars! ... cobbler time.

7/21 A' rolling a downhill at Barboursville Park

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7/16 Down time; from the bike, the 9-5, the bloggin.  Another blue Monday back to work for the man. 

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7/6 Life in the pack at the Tour de Burg;  Wake up with the sun and eat a light breakfast then follow that up with a hearty breakfast, prep the bike and get to the start of the race venue, try to get the head straight for a full day in the field.  Once on the bike try to drink a full 100 ounce bladder of water, one bottle of energy drink and a Powerbar before stopping for lunch.  Save some energy when the going is easy and try to ramp it up for the timed stages.  Evenings in the 'Burg consisted of all you can eat buffets and ping pong tournaments to keep the legs loose.   Then repeat for five days.  Two mountain bike time trials, two road stages, and three days on groomed trails with all the support needed to keep it going is as good as it gets.

This big block of cycling is a definite a peak for my year.  Not necessarily to produce race results but chance to take in and enjoy some of the best maintained trails that I know of on the east coast.  The road stages kicked my butt and on my first 100 miler for the year I dropped off the fast pack in short order and rolled most of the timed trip up route 250 in a civilized group of four riders.   The mountain bike stages where advertised as a technical riders delight.  I was delighted by the trails so I guess I am a technical rider, but just knowing most of the trails and what was in store was the mental boost that kept me moving along so nicely.  26 total hours to wrap up with some juice left for a quick trip on the final stage down the rocks on the Heartbreaker to produce my highest finish at this tour in the 18th slot.   

Also of high interest was how Tomi faired on the quest to fix the tour.  Most where nay-sayers with comments of how it could not be done.  Those people just don't know how slow it can go in the back of the pack.  I welcomed the addition of McMillar back in the slum.  Truly amazing ride with the standard sight in the parade of the fixy topping all the climbs out in front of the peleton and then spinning out the other side, over and over.  I just can't imagine the mind-set to pull this off, have a kudo Tom.

        The peleton in the wake of the fixed gear           and         the fixed gear in the wake of the peleton

chillin on top of Reddish Knob

the spoils of the victors

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5 days

26,200 feet of climbing 

12,000 feet on one day

0ver 300 miles

5 days of not worrying

where to ride

when to ride

what to ride

who to ride with

Tour de Burg

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\bike bFAT

Beech Fork Association of Trails

Barboursville's Fun Awesome Trails

bFAT is an informal group of riders who appreciate the land and ride for a healthy well being.

Beech Fork is mostly a single track trail that follows around the lake leading into a combination of creek bed, hill climb, and fast downhill back to the lake.  Barboursville's Park has some nice runs from the top with  numerous scenic overlooks from the  sheer  cliffs and steep drops. The flat single track that follows the river and comes out behind the lake - is where the real fun can begin or end. Click on the link at top of page - above (right or left) to see a map!    The  Kanawha Trace and Adahi Trails are 32 mile and  17 mile multi user trails crossing over private land.  Check with the Tri-State Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America for trail information and registration.

bFAT email groupo<----click here  Become a part of an e-group forum that will let all subscribers communicate (free!). Send an e-mail with the word "join" in the subject or body and you'll get hooked up with other riders, to do fun group rides, get trail info and conditions, technical advice, etc.

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for more info  Michael Boyes