Sunday, September 5, 2010
I am new to the enduro discipline of motorcycle racing, but I was invited to attend the Little Brown Jug enduro in Clinton, SC. This would be the first race I have gone to without my beautiful pit crew, Michelle. To get the trip started I met the other three riders in our party in Tampa at 7:30 on Saturday morning. We loaded four bikes in the trailer, stuffed our gear in the back of the truck, and then started the drive north. I have raced on and off since 2004 and have had my wife with me for all of them. We have a routine on where we like to eat, where we like to stop, and everything else that goes on with our race weekends. This experience was going to be completely new to me. What happens when I have to pee and they hand me a bottle because we have to make time. Luckily, they were all real cool and the trip up to Clinton was smooth and hassle free.
We arrived at the track (State Forest) around 5pm on Saturday with just enough time to get our riders packet and then bench race a little. The weather was perfect and the other racers were nice and accommodating with questions raised about the track. After hanging out at the track for a little bit the crew decided that we should get checked in to the motel and grab some dinner. We dropped the trailer, headed to one of two motels in the area, checked in to our fine rooms, then headed to one of two sit down restaurants in the area. Dinner was a feast at Fatzs. The food was good and the racing conversations were as diverse as the four guys at the table. Once dinner was over we headed back to our home for the night to grab a little sleep before the big day.
Race day; for any racer it has its range of emotions. I like to eat good before I race. No nibbling for me. I walked down to the lobby at 6:15 and it was packed with other racers. Nothing looked appetizing so off I headed to Hardee’s. Two country ham biscuits, one cinnamon raisin biscuit, and a diet coke later I was ready to head to the track. The rest of the crew finished up and we were off. We got to the track and the mad dash for prep began. Numbers were put on, camelbacks were filled, hydration tricks were utilized, and tools were put in the backs just in case. With about an hour to go until race time my rituals began. I want go into details but for some reason if this doesn’t occur at least three times I feel like I might not have a good race. It sure is hard to go through these rituals dressed in knee braces, riding pants, and racing boots but it all was okay and it was about that time.
It’s 9:18 and my line has just gone off. Only 60+ miles to go. The dust was a little tough, but man what a trail. I’m a Florida boy so this hard terrain with elevation is just thrilling. I started to get more comfortable and was having a blast. I don’t think I was going real fast but I was chasing other riders and that is always fun. During the race I had a couple of weird moments but nothing that would ruin my race. First one was that my left hand flew off the handlebars while accelerating in third gear. That got my attention. The second was completely doing a 180 while crossing a gravel fire road (those things are tricky). The third was losing my electrolyte chews somewhere on the trail in a zipped up camelback. Lastly, I somehow hit a tree head on, and self diagnosed that I did not suffer a concussion because I knew my name and could tell how many fingers I was holding up. Other than that the race was just awesome and I was actually sad when my four plus hours of seat time was over.
After the race was over it was time to clean up and make the trip back to Florida. A quick rinse with a bucket and homemade shower, fresh clothes, and a repacked trailer and we were off. After a hard day of racing the only dinner that would suffice was a steak buffet style restaurant. The trip home was as uneventful as the trip up and we hit Tampa around 1 o’clock Monday morning. The rest of the crew had Labor Day off but I headed to the house to grab a few hours of sleep before a full day at FSC. On the way home from Tampa, with my bike in the back of the truck, I thought about how lucky I was to get to do the things I do. Okay, so I was up at 4 o’clock in the morning to leave for a race, I went without my wife, and it was now 3 o’clock in the morning and I had to be back at the office at 10. That wasn’t important. I was racing. I was doing and not spectating. All I ever want to do it compete and I was getting to do it. I hit the driveway at 3:15 am, grabbed a quick 4 hours of sleep and was in a meeting at FSC at 10am. My next race isn’t for a while as I now take my competitive spirit and put it towards my tennis team. Also, the next race will be my first harescramble of the new FTR season.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Lochloosa Enduro
Saturday, August 28, 2010
So it is 1:15 on Saturday afternoon and we are finally headed out for Trey’s first enduro. Unlike Hare Scrambles, enduros are considered one day events, so we weren’t in any rush to arrive. After stopping at Subway for lunch, Michael and Michelle’s for oil, and BP for gas…we were finally “on the road again!” This time we are off to a new place for a new race adventure.
Adventure is definitely the right word!!! Even after all of the stops we made before leaving Lake Wales, we still managed to arrive at the racetrack with no ice. So we set up the camper and asked around for advice on a good place to eat. As silly as it might sound, I was thrilled to hear that there was a Sonny’s Barbeque in the next town. Loaded up in the truck again, we set off for some Sonny’s and (hopefully) ice. We ran into Austin and his dad, Ronnie, as we were leaving, so they hopped in and headed to dinner with us.
It wasn’t long until we found the barbeque place formally known as Sonny’s, now renovated into “Diane’s”. Disappointed in the finding we decided to try a local hot spot, known as “The Yearling.” Curious about this place I decided “Google” it as we headed that direction. I soon discovered that is had been around for many years and has been a recipient of the Golden Spoon Award by Florida Trend magazine for the past eight years. Okay, this place must be good. As I researched a bit more I found that they had a sampling of their menu listed on their website. Grilled chicken, catfish, steak…followed by what they called the more “traditional” selections…soft-shell clam, gator, venison, and cooter. Yes, I said they served cooter. Needless to say, the waitress (who was very patient and understanding) finally had to ask what had us so tickled all through dinner. We couldn’t ask her about the cooter. But, as she turned and left the table we realized that the back of her shirt was covered in big letters, “Eat Mo’ Cooter”. I love this place!
The evening finished up with a gourmet dessert from the local convenience store. I believe we left with a miniature tub of “Crybaby” ice cream, a pre-made snowcone, and a Kit-Kat bar. Oh – we got the ice too. Now it was back to the camper and into bed. Tomorrow’s racing begins at 9am. Looking forward to it!
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Bright eyed and bushy tailed was not exactly an accurate description of myself as I fixed Trey a ham-egg-and-cheese sandwich this morning. It’s not that I mind fixing breakfast for my darling, who is about to ride 66 or so miles on his bike. It’s just that the camper was so cool and my bed was so warm. Not to mention how fluffy my pillows are and how well I sleep on that silly little camper mattress. And how the air blows right on my back and sometimes I get chills so then I pull the covers up and cuddle them under my chin. But I didn’t mind leaving all that behind to cook breakfast…really. Anyway, Brianna was just starting to awaken and you could hear bikes beginning to warm up around the camper. That can only mean one thing…racing is about to begin!
Time flew by as it always seems to do on race day, and before we knew it Trey was in his gear and heading for the start. Brie and I grabbed our goodies and headed after him as fast as our little legs would go. Having never been to an enduro we really didn’t know what to expect so we wanted to get there in plenty of time. It was right at 9am when we made it to the start and the first row was just leaving. I was aware that these starts were different from that of a Hare Scramble, but it was not what I expected. Every minute one row of five riders was started. As Trey was in row 17 and Austin was in row 19, Brie and I had quite a while to wait until we got to see our riders.
We decided to be brave and cross the starting line between rows in hopes of getting a better view. Semi-hidden in the trees, we were able to get a clear view of the riders as they waited for the starter to release them. Row-by-row we watched until finally it was Trey’s turn to leave the line. As with the previous rows, this start was rather dull. The bikes were already running and the riders simply drove off as if they were leaving their campers. Dull as it was, Brie and I were still cheering as the leader of the MTB crew took off.
This enduro was comprised of two laps totaling about 66 miles. After the first lap, the riders made their pit stops back at their camp. This gave them an opportunity to refuel the bikes as well as their bellies. Trey and Austin had about 30 minutes to down some liquid and put enough calories in their bodies to get them through the next lap. Thinking a 30 minute pit stop is plenty of time, we were all pretty relaxed. But we soon came to realize that it was time to get back on the trail.
As the boys were completing the first lap, Brie and I had gone back to the camper and passed the time playing games in the air conditioning. When that got tedious, we decided to explore the track and see if we could find a good location to watch the boys pass by. We had carefully maneuvered our way through the cactus and over a barbed-wire fence to find the perfect location. As the boys were following the same trail for their second lap, Brie and I decided we would follow the same plan we had tried this morning. Games…exploring…spectating!!!! We watched Trey make his was through our section and waited for Austin, but he never came. After realizing that we were only about six miles from the finish, we decided that we should head back to the camper to wait for them.
Unfortunately, Austin had taken a pretty rough bounce through a few trees and was unable to complete the second lap (glad we didn’t wait any longer to see him ). It wasn’t long until Trey arrived at camp and filled us in on the in’s-and-out’s and up’s-and-down’s of the race. It was awesome to hear the excitement in his voice from a new experience. Next weekend, he is off to South Carolina with a few of the guys from FTR to take on the “Little Brown Jug” enduro. Sorry, I will miss it, but I know that he will have a blast!
So it is 1:15 on Saturday afternoon and we are finally headed out for Trey’s first enduro. Unlike Hare Scrambles, enduros are considered one day events, so we weren’t in any rush to arrive. After stopping at Subway for lunch, Michael and Michelle’s for oil, and BP for gas…we were finally “on the road again!” This time we are off to a new place for a new race adventure.
Adventure is definitely the right word!!! Even after all of the stops we made before leaving Lake Wales, we still managed to arrive at the racetrack with no ice. So we set up the camper and asked around for advice on a good place to eat. As silly as it might sound, I was thrilled to hear that there was a Sonny’s Barbeque in the next town. Loaded up in the truck again, we set off for some Sonny’s and (hopefully) ice. We ran into Austin and his dad, Ronnie, as we were leaving, so they hopped in and headed to dinner with us.
It wasn’t long until we found the barbeque place formally known as Sonny’s, now renovated into “Diane’s”. Disappointed in the finding we decided to try a local hot spot, known as “The Yearling.” Curious about this place I decided “Google” it as we headed that direction. I soon discovered that is had been around for many years and has been a recipient of the Golden Spoon Award by Florida Trend magazine for the past eight years. Okay, this place must be good. As I researched a bit more I found that they had a sampling of their menu listed on their website. Grilled chicken, catfish, steak…followed by what they called the more “traditional” selections…soft-shell clam, gator, venison, and cooter. Yes, I said they served cooter. Needless to say, the waitress (who was very patient and understanding) finally had to ask what had us so tickled all through dinner. We couldn’t ask her about the cooter. But, as she turned and left the table we realized that the back of her shirt was covered in big letters, “Eat Mo’ Cooter”. I love this place!
The evening finished up with a gourmet dessert from the local convenience store. I believe we left with a miniature tub of “Crybaby” ice cream, a pre-made snowcone, and a Kit-Kat bar. Oh – we got the ice too. Now it was back to the camper and into bed. Tomorrow’s racing begins at 9am. Looking forward to it!
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Bright eyed and bushy tailed was not exactly an accurate description of myself as I fixed Trey a ham-egg-and-cheese sandwich this morning. It’s not that I mind fixing breakfast for my darling, who is about to ride 66 or so miles on his bike. It’s just that the camper was so cool and my bed was so warm. Not to mention how fluffy my pillows are and how well I sleep on that silly little camper mattress. And how the air blows right on my back and sometimes I get chills so then I pull the covers up and cuddle them under my chin. But I didn’t mind leaving all that behind to cook breakfast…really. Anyway, Brianna was just starting to awaken and you could hear bikes beginning to warm up around the camper. That can only mean one thing…racing is about to begin!
Time flew by as it always seems to do on race day, and before we knew it Trey was in his gear and heading for the start. Brie and I grabbed our goodies and headed after him as fast as our little legs would go. Having never been to an enduro we really didn’t know what to expect so we wanted to get there in plenty of time. It was right at 9am when we made it to the start and the first row was just leaving. I was aware that these starts were different from that of a Hare Scramble, but it was not what I expected. Every minute one row of five riders was started. As Trey was in row 17 and Austin was in row 19, Brie and I had quite a while to wait until we got to see our riders.
We decided to be brave and cross the starting line between rows in hopes of getting a better view. Semi-hidden in the trees, we were able to get a clear view of the riders as they waited for the starter to release them. Row-by-row we watched until finally it was Trey’s turn to leave the line. As with the previous rows, this start was rather dull. The bikes were already running and the riders simply drove off as if they were leaving their campers. Dull as it was, Brie and I were still cheering as the leader of the MTB crew took off.
This enduro was comprised of two laps totaling about 66 miles. After the first lap, the riders made their pit stops back at their camp. This gave them an opportunity to refuel the bikes as well as their bellies. Trey and Austin had about 30 minutes to down some liquid and put enough calories in their bodies to get them through the next lap. Thinking a 30 minute pit stop is plenty of time, we were all pretty relaxed. But we soon came to realize that it was time to get back on the trail.
As the boys were completing the first lap, Brie and I had gone back to the camper and passed the time playing games in the air conditioning. When that got tedious, we decided to explore the track and see if we could find a good location to watch the boys pass by. We had carefully maneuvered our way through the cactus and over a barbed-wire fence to find the perfect location. As the boys were following the same trail for their second lap, Brie and I decided we would follow the same plan we had tried this morning. Games…exploring…spectating!!!! We watched Trey make his was through our section and waited for Austin, but he never came. After realizing that we were only about six miles from the finish, we decided that we should head back to the camper to wait for them.
Unfortunately, Austin had taken a pretty rough bounce through a few trees and was unable to complete the second lap (glad we didn’t wait any longer to see him ). It wasn’t long until Trey arrived at camp and filled us in on the in’s-and-out’s and up’s-and-down’s of the race. It was awesome to hear the excitement in his voice from a new experience. Next weekend, he is off to South Carolina with a few of the guys from FTR to take on the “Little Brown Jug” enduro. Sorry, I will miss it, but I know that he will have a blast!
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Scenic 17 Sprint Triathlon - August 1, 2010
Sunday, August 1, 2010
BEEP!!! BEEP!!! BEEP!!! Really…its 4:00 in the morning and for the life of me I cannot figure out why my alarm is going off. So, with a hand that feels extremely heavy, I reach over and smack the “off” button. But through my grogginess, I really feel like I should be getting up. As I roll over and curl up in my warm, cozy covers with the fan blowing the most relaxing, cool air over me, I can’t escape the worry that is preventing me from my morning slumber. Then, as I really begin to get grumpy, it hits me…TRIATHLON!!! Of course I promptly sit up (now in panic mode) and try to figure out how long I have been lying in bed contemplating this dilemma, fearing the worst. Finally, I get my wits about me and realize that this seemingly prolonged event has lasted only moments. WOW! What a way to start the morning.
Now that I realize I have plenty of time, I calmly climb out of my nice, comfy bed and begin my normal morning routine. You may disagree about the need for a shower before going to get sweaty and nasty, but no one can argue with the need to brush my teeth. So everything is now clean and I am getting dressed for the big event when I hear Brianna’s sink running. Now this may sound great, as you are probably thinking that Brianna has gotten herself up early and is ready to cheer for everyone in the race. But – Brianna is not home. It is at this point that I realize I had not completely gotten my wits about me as I had previously believed. It occurs to me that it is Drew using Brie’s sink, which leads to my next realization – Austin is sleeping on the couch. These thoughts further lead me to remember that I am cooking breakfast for us this morning. So my first triathlon has already taught me a lesson…a triathlete needs more than four hours of sleep the night before a race in order to be mentally ready!
Before I head out to the kitchen I make sure that Trey is getting up and ready. It was reassuring to know that he was no more aware of the circumstances for the first few moments of waking than I was. Being the well-prepared person that I am (sometimes), I had put out the griddle, pans, and cooking essentials the night before. And I was really thankful for that at 5:00 in the morning. So, I think that I am fully awake and aware now, and as I cook breakfast I really feel like I should be waking up Austin. My best idea at that time was to make as much noise as I could as I prepared the breakfast of champions – French toast, pancakes, and sausage. But apparently Austin went to bed late as well because all I could get out of him was a few grumpy noises and a roll-over-and-cover-up, presumably in an attempt to ignore my clanging!
Breakfast was almost ready as Drew and Trey made their way to the kitchen. Since I was busy finishing up my task, I convinced Trey that he should be the one to awaken Austin. He too was greeted with a few grumpy sounds, but it wasn’t too long until Austin climbed out of bed and joined us for breakfast.
By now it was almost 6:00am and we really wanted to get to Webber early so that we could take care of the various race day preperations. Plates and leftover food on the table, we gathered our stuff and headed out the door. This brought about yet another realization for me this morning…it is ESPECIALLY dark at 6:00am in the summer. I am just not used to seeing this time of day in August. Drew hopped on his bike and headed toward Webber as the rest of us quickly – and carefully – placed our bikes in the bed of the truck and climbed in for the brief ride.
Within a few minutes we were carrying our transition essentials and walking our bikes to the transition area. Along with preparing for the transitions we had to make our way to the registration area to obtain our scoring chip. This nifty little transponder secures safely (or so they say) around your ankle and records your times as you enter and exit the transition area. As 7:00 drew near we all double checked our transponders, did a final inspection of our transition area, and did the best we could to make sure that we were mentally prepared for the challenge.
As all of the participants gathered on the beach, we saluted the flag to our country’s national anthem and began the final countdown to the start. We were to begin the race in two waves: the men would begin at the sound of the first horn and the women and teams would take the water 3-4 minutes later at the next horn. Before we knew it, and with little warning, the first horn sounded and the men were in the water beginning the swim to the first buoy. It wasn’t until that moment that I felt the nervous, but so excited, butterflies in my stomach. It was like going on a first date with your biggest crush. The thoughts so quickly ran through my head, all forming questions beginning with “What if….”! But as these questions soared around in my head I chatted with the other participants and we waited for our turn. And then…the horn sounded…and my mind was clear. My only thought was to swim. To the first buoy – then the next – and I was on the home stretch. All I had to do was make it to the sand and I was on to my second challenge. As I gracefully exited the water (okay, well maybe not gracefully) I began the short jog to the transition area. I was feeling great, but now I was about to go through transition which had been my biggest fear.
Thanks to the cheers of my wonderfully supportive family and friends, I managed to forget my fear and jogged past a few of my fellow participants, entering the transition area like a pro. I was able to get my clothes changed, shoes and helmet on, and bike of the rack with no problem. I was also sane enough to check on Michael after hearing that he was out of the race due to a poorly placed accidental swim kick from another participant. However, I quickly let my rookie experience show through as I dropped my energy chews while trying to prepare them for consumption during the bike ride. No problem, I will just grab them and head for the exit. I calmly bent over, picked up the bag, and stuffed them in the pouch under my seat. Thinking that I am now prepared to finalize my transition I hear my mom (I have now been in transition long enough that she has made it up from the beach). “You stepped on your sunglasses”. Again, no problem, I just picked them up and was ready to go. Of course by now my mind is in about the same shape as it was at 4:00 this morning and I begin to climb on my bike. It was at this time that my Dad yelled at me, “Walk to the cones, then get on”. Still smiling, I calmly (at least that is how I remember it) exited the transition area and begin the 15 mile bike ride to Frostproof and back.
Through another awesome display by the “MTB Cheerleading Crew” I turned on to Highway 17 and began my peaceful ride. Having accomplished this ride before, and knowing that I made it out of the water before a number of my competitors, I was relaxed and ready to pound out the miles. But only a few minutes into my ride, I was being passed by road bikes. As I attacked the lengthy hill taking us out of Babson Park, I contemplated my third realization of the day – road bikes make a huge difference. It was probably good to have my mind on this realization as I was up and over the hill in no time and was now to one of the less demanding portions of the course. As the course was requiring less effort at this point, I decided it would be a good time to pop a few energy chews and rehydrate. Thankfully, this process was uneventful and completed just in time for the climb past Mullinsville Road heading into Frostproof. As I turned onto Mullinsville road I had once again managed to be out there by myself since the road bikes just blew by me and left me behind. This left me only one option to keep my mind off my third realization. So as I passed the cows in the pasture, I was sure to tell them good morning and inform them that the putrid smell that was greeting me early this Sunday morning was not appreciated. They didn’t really seem to care. It wasn’t long before I came upon three horses enjoying an early morning breakfast, so I sent a friendly greeting their way as well. They didn’t even look at me.
So now it was time to attack the hills that I had enjoyed descending not too long before. Small gears and LOTS of pedal rotations later, I had made it out of Frostproof was now enjoying the final descent back to Webber. A few more energy chews and some water would give me the kick I needed to meet today’s final challenge. More cheering from the MTB Crew helped too!!!
As I approached my last time in the transition area, I dismounted my bike and mentally prepared for my biggest challenge of the day. This transition went much more smoothly than the previous. I was able to put my bike back on the rack and make it out in only 40 seconds. I had made it to the last leg of today’s journey. I had managed to complete the swim using only the freestyle stroke, I had completed the bike ride with more ease than ever before, and I was NOT going to let myself down by having to walk during the 5K portion. I believe it was Yoda that said, “Try? Do or do not. There is no try.” I was going to DO!!!
As I began jogging out of the transition area and towards the exit of Webber’s campus, my legs were gradually feeling more reliable. Once again, I received a much appreciated cheer as I made the turn onto Scenic 17 for the short jaunt to what we have appropriately deemed “Roller Coaster Road”. I hadn’t made it too far down the road before I started meeting up with my fellow MTB crew headed in to finish the race. As we crossed paths, we exchanged a quick word of encouragement and I enjoyed the momentary escape from counting my steps (such a tedious habit). Having passed most of the crew I figured I would just have to pound out these last two miles on my own, as I have done many times before. I slowly made the ascent up one of the larger hills followed by a relaxing downhill that led to the halfway point. Amazingly, I had gained on this guy that had been running just ahead of me since we started. As he entered the cones that guided our u-turn I was shocked to discover that I had been following Austin this whole time.
Now I had a new goal - I picked up my pace and set forth to pass Austin. Unfortunately, he quickly figured out my plan and he was not going to let that happen. Realizing that my efforts would remain in vain, I decided to settle in to my normal pace and assure that I could finish strong. I was now down to the last mile and, aside from the sun beginning to scorch my face, I was feeling good. I soon exited Scenic 17 and began the final run around the softball field leading up to the finish line. Then came the cheers from the crew…I was almost there. The last few yards were approaching and I was still running. Before I knew it, I had crossed the finish line, handed over my transponder, and was enjoying the refreshing taste of a cold bottle of water. What an AWESOME feeling!
I soon discovered that I was not the only one excited to have completed the event. As I observed other competitors I found that each had their own story to tell about this challenging journey we had completed early this Sunday morning. While exchanging stories, we headed down to listen to awards and begin the process of rehydrating and nourishing our bodies.
The MTB Sports participants had a great showing for the day with Drew Hollis and Austin Wade taking 1st and 2nd place in their age group, respectively. Brad Hutzleman also received a 2nd place trophy in his age group. Of our nine MTB participants Drew Hollis finished with a time of 1:35:39 followed by Heath Williams with 1:38:49 and Trey Heath with 1:39:16. Brad Hutzelman crossed the line with a time of 1:44:36, Michelle Heath with 1:51:50, and after many mechanical issues with this bicycle Gus Rickman came in at 1:52:07. Determined to finish the run ahead of me, Austin Wade brought his journey to a rough end in 1:54:15 leaving his breakfast for everyone to see (sorry, Austin…I have to give you a hard time). Michelle Yodonis closed it out for the MTB crew with a time of 2:12:24. Although Michael Yodonis suffered an injury in the swim and had to disqualify himself, he did complete the race with Michelle and was scored in with a time of 2:15:35.
“Awesome Work” does not even begin to describe the efforts of the crew throughout the training and completion of this challenge. Thanks for the support and alliance as we met our goals. I also want to the thank our family and friends who were not participants in the race, but who helped us complete the training and cheered us on as we put our training to work! Looking forward to the next one!!!!
BEEP!!! BEEP!!! BEEP!!! Really…its 4:00 in the morning and for the life of me I cannot figure out why my alarm is going off. So, with a hand that feels extremely heavy, I reach over and smack the “off” button. But through my grogginess, I really feel like I should be getting up. As I roll over and curl up in my warm, cozy covers with the fan blowing the most relaxing, cool air over me, I can’t escape the worry that is preventing me from my morning slumber. Then, as I really begin to get grumpy, it hits me…TRIATHLON!!! Of course I promptly sit up (now in panic mode) and try to figure out how long I have been lying in bed contemplating this dilemma, fearing the worst. Finally, I get my wits about me and realize that this seemingly prolonged event has lasted only moments. WOW! What a way to start the morning.
Now that I realize I have plenty of time, I calmly climb out of my nice, comfy bed and begin my normal morning routine. You may disagree about the need for a shower before going to get sweaty and nasty, but no one can argue with the need to brush my teeth. So everything is now clean and I am getting dressed for the big event when I hear Brianna’s sink running. Now this may sound great, as you are probably thinking that Brianna has gotten herself up early and is ready to cheer for everyone in the race. But – Brianna is not home. It is at this point that I realize I had not completely gotten my wits about me as I had previously believed. It occurs to me that it is Drew using Brie’s sink, which leads to my next realization – Austin is sleeping on the couch. These thoughts further lead me to remember that I am cooking breakfast for us this morning. So my first triathlon has already taught me a lesson…a triathlete needs more than four hours of sleep the night before a race in order to be mentally ready!
Before I head out to the kitchen I make sure that Trey is getting up and ready. It was reassuring to know that he was no more aware of the circumstances for the first few moments of waking than I was. Being the well-prepared person that I am (sometimes), I had put out the griddle, pans, and cooking essentials the night before. And I was really thankful for that at 5:00 in the morning. So, I think that I am fully awake and aware now, and as I cook breakfast I really feel like I should be waking up Austin. My best idea at that time was to make as much noise as I could as I prepared the breakfast of champions – French toast, pancakes, and sausage. But apparently Austin went to bed late as well because all I could get out of him was a few grumpy noises and a roll-over-and-cover-up, presumably in an attempt to ignore my clanging!
Breakfast was almost ready as Drew and Trey made their way to the kitchen. Since I was busy finishing up my task, I convinced Trey that he should be the one to awaken Austin. He too was greeted with a few grumpy sounds, but it wasn’t too long until Austin climbed out of bed and joined us for breakfast.
By now it was almost 6:00am and we really wanted to get to Webber early so that we could take care of the various race day preperations. Plates and leftover food on the table, we gathered our stuff and headed out the door. This brought about yet another realization for me this morning…it is ESPECIALLY dark at 6:00am in the summer. I am just not used to seeing this time of day in August. Drew hopped on his bike and headed toward Webber as the rest of us quickly – and carefully – placed our bikes in the bed of the truck and climbed in for the brief ride.
Within a few minutes we were carrying our transition essentials and walking our bikes to the transition area. Along with preparing for the transitions we had to make our way to the registration area to obtain our scoring chip. This nifty little transponder secures safely (or so they say) around your ankle and records your times as you enter and exit the transition area. As 7:00 drew near we all double checked our transponders, did a final inspection of our transition area, and did the best we could to make sure that we were mentally prepared for the challenge.
As all of the participants gathered on the beach, we saluted the flag to our country’s national anthem and began the final countdown to the start. We were to begin the race in two waves: the men would begin at the sound of the first horn and the women and teams would take the water 3-4 minutes later at the next horn. Before we knew it, and with little warning, the first horn sounded and the men were in the water beginning the swim to the first buoy. It wasn’t until that moment that I felt the nervous, but so excited, butterflies in my stomach. It was like going on a first date with your biggest crush. The thoughts so quickly ran through my head, all forming questions beginning with “What if….”! But as these questions soared around in my head I chatted with the other participants and we waited for our turn. And then…the horn sounded…and my mind was clear. My only thought was to swim. To the first buoy – then the next – and I was on the home stretch. All I had to do was make it to the sand and I was on to my second challenge. As I gracefully exited the water (okay, well maybe not gracefully) I began the short jog to the transition area. I was feeling great, but now I was about to go through transition which had been my biggest fear.
Thanks to the cheers of my wonderfully supportive family and friends, I managed to forget my fear and jogged past a few of my fellow participants, entering the transition area like a pro. I was able to get my clothes changed, shoes and helmet on, and bike of the rack with no problem. I was also sane enough to check on Michael after hearing that he was out of the race due to a poorly placed accidental swim kick from another participant. However, I quickly let my rookie experience show through as I dropped my energy chews while trying to prepare them for consumption during the bike ride. No problem, I will just grab them and head for the exit. I calmly bent over, picked up the bag, and stuffed them in the pouch under my seat. Thinking that I am now prepared to finalize my transition I hear my mom (I have now been in transition long enough that she has made it up from the beach). “You stepped on your sunglasses”. Again, no problem, I just picked them up and was ready to go. Of course by now my mind is in about the same shape as it was at 4:00 this morning and I begin to climb on my bike. It was at this time that my Dad yelled at me, “Walk to the cones, then get on”. Still smiling, I calmly (at least that is how I remember it) exited the transition area and begin the 15 mile bike ride to Frostproof and back.
Through another awesome display by the “MTB Cheerleading Crew” I turned on to Highway 17 and began my peaceful ride. Having accomplished this ride before, and knowing that I made it out of the water before a number of my competitors, I was relaxed and ready to pound out the miles. But only a few minutes into my ride, I was being passed by road bikes. As I attacked the lengthy hill taking us out of Babson Park, I contemplated my third realization of the day – road bikes make a huge difference. It was probably good to have my mind on this realization as I was up and over the hill in no time and was now to one of the less demanding portions of the course. As the course was requiring less effort at this point, I decided it would be a good time to pop a few energy chews and rehydrate. Thankfully, this process was uneventful and completed just in time for the climb past Mullinsville Road heading into Frostproof. As I turned onto Mullinsville road I had once again managed to be out there by myself since the road bikes just blew by me and left me behind. This left me only one option to keep my mind off my third realization. So as I passed the cows in the pasture, I was sure to tell them good morning and inform them that the putrid smell that was greeting me early this Sunday morning was not appreciated. They didn’t really seem to care. It wasn’t long before I came upon three horses enjoying an early morning breakfast, so I sent a friendly greeting their way as well. They didn’t even look at me.
So now it was time to attack the hills that I had enjoyed descending not too long before. Small gears and LOTS of pedal rotations later, I had made it out of Frostproof was now enjoying the final descent back to Webber. A few more energy chews and some water would give me the kick I needed to meet today’s final challenge. More cheering from the MTB Crew helped too!!!
As I approached my last time in the transition area, I dismounted my bike and mentally prepared for my biggest challenge of the day. This transition went much more smoothly than the previous. I was able to put my bike back on the rack and make it out in only 40 seconds. I had made it to the last leg of today’s journey. I had managed to complete the swim using only the freestyle stroke, I had completed the bike ride with more ease than ever before, and I was NOT going to let myself down by having to walk during the 5K portion. I believe it was Yoda that said, “Try? Do or do not. There is no try.” I was going to DO!!!
As I began jogging out of the transition area and towards the exit of Webber’s campus, my legs were gradually feeling more reliable. Once again, I received a much appreciated cheer as I made the turn onto Scenic 17 for the short jaunt to what we have appropriately deemed “Roller Coaster Road”. I hadn’t made it too far down the road before I started meeting up with my fellow MTB crew headed in to finish the race. As we crossed paths, we exchanged a quick word of encouragement and I enjoyed the momentary escape from counting my steps (such a tedious habit). Having passed most of the crew I figured I would just have to pound out these last two miles on my own, as I have done many times before. I slowly made the ascent up one of the larger hills followed by a relaxing downhill that led to the halfway point. Amazingly, I had gained on this guy that had been running just ahead of me since we started. As he entered the cones that guided our u-turn I was shocked to discover that I had been following Austin this whole time.
Now I had a new goal - I picked up my pace and set forth to pass Austin. Unfortunately, he quickly figured out my plan and he was not going to let that happen. Realizing that my efforts would remain in vain, I decided to settle in to my normal pace and assure that I could finish strong. I was now down to the last mile and, aside from the sun beginning to scorch my face, I was feeling good. I soon exited Scenic 17 and began the final run around the softball field leading up to the finish line. Then came the cheers from the crew…I was almost there. The last few yards were approaching and I was still running. Before I knew it, I had crossed the finish line, handed over my transponder, and was enjoying the refreshing taste of a cold bottle of water. What an AWESOME feeling!
I soon discovered that I was not the only one excited to have completed the event. As I observed other competitors I found that each had their own story to tell about this challenging journey we had completed early this Sunday morning. While exchanging stories, we headed down to listen to awards and begin the process of rehydrating and nourishing our bodies.
The MTB Sports participants had a great showing for the day with Drew Hollis and Austin Wade taking 1st and 2nd place in their age group, respectively. Brad Hutzleman also received a 2nd place trophy in his age group. Of our nine MTB participants Drew Hollis finished with a time of 1:35:39 followed by Heath Williams with 1:38:49 and Trey Heath with 1:39:16. Brad Hutzelman crossed the line with a time of 1:44:36, Michelle Heath with 1:51:50, and after many mechanical issues with this bicycle Gus Rickman came in at 1:52:07. Determined to finish the run ahead of me, Austin Wade brought his journey to a rough end in 1:54:15 leaving his breakfast for everyone to see (sorry, Austin…I have to give you a hard time). Michelle Yodonis closed it out for the MTB crew with a time of 2:12:24. Although Michael Yodonis suffered an injury in the swim and had to disqualify himself, he did complete the race with Michelle and was scored in with a time of 2:15:35.
“Awesome Work” does not even begin to describe the efforts of the crew throughout the training and completion of this challenge. Thanks for the support and alliance as we met our goals. I also want to the thank our family and friends who were not participants in the race, but who helped us complete the training and cheered us on as we put our training to work! Looking forward to the next one!!!!
Monday, February 15, 2010
Mardi Gras 5K 02-13-10
Saturday, February 13, 2010
While the majority of the population is spending their Saturday morning relaxing in bed, watching cartoons with their kids, or eating a tasty breakfast part of the MTB Gang is up and ready to run in a local 5K race. My parents and I began participating in 5K races about two years ago when I got the wild idea that I wanted to become a runner. All of my life I have hated running (and have been HORRIBLE at it). When I started, I was 27 years old and unable to run a single mile. My parents had recently lost a substantial amount of weight and were also eager to take on a physical challenge. So I searched the vast knowledge of the internet and found a running program for beginner runners. We started the nine-week program and followed it religiously. The results were as promised…we were all three able to run/jog for 30 minutes (about 3 miles) at the conclusion of the nine-week training. It was after we accomplished this goal that we decided to participate in various 5K runs just to keep us in shape and motivated.
This time we managed to talk Trey and his mom, as well as Brianna, into joining us for this event. We had heard all last week that the temperatures this weekend would be below normal; however we were really hoping that it would not be terribly cold. To our disappointment, the temperature was not rising above 48 degrees and the sun was nowhere to be found. Yet, there was no way we were backing out because of come chilly weather. The six of us put on our layers, hats, and gloves and headed for the starting line. The first mile would all be uphill followed by small undulations from there on. There we were, at the bottom of the hill bundled up like Eskimos waiting for the signal to start.
Finally we were off, pounding our way up the large hill. It didn’t take long for the group to separate and for each person to get into their own rhythm. It was now time to relax and enjoy the opportunity to run. Besides being extremely chilly for an event in Central Florida, the run was awesome. Trey beat his personal best finishing with a time just over 25 minutes. I improved my time as well, crossing the line in 30:48, but still have not reached my goal! I will continue my interval training and hope to reach my goal within the next 5 weeks! Looking forward to the next 5K…perhaps a 10K one day!!!!
For a copy of the 5K training program that we used, check out the "TRAINING" page on our website MTBsportsonline.com!
While the majority of the population is spending their Saturday morning relaxing in bed, watching cartoons with their kids, or eating a tasty breakfast part of the MTB Gang is up and ready to run in a local 5K race. My parents and I began participating in 5K races about two years ago when I got the wild idea that I wanted to become a runner. All of my life I have hated running (and have been HORRIBLE at it). When I started, I was 27 years old and unable to run a single mile. My parents had recently lost a substantial amount of weight and were also eager to take on a physical challenge. So I searched the vast knowledge of the internet and found a running program for beginner runners. We started the nine-week program and followed it religiously. The results were as promised…we were all three able to run/jog for 30 minutes (about 3 miles) at the conclusion of the nine-week training. It was after we accomplished this goal that we decided to participate in various 5K runs just to keep us in shape and motivated.
This time we managed to talk Trey and his mom, as well as Brianna, into joining us for this event. We had heard all last week that the temperatures this weekend would be below normal; however we were really hoping that it would not be terribly cold. To our disappointment, the temperature was not rising above 48 degrees and the sun was nowhere to be found. Yet, there was no way we were backing out because of come chilly weather. The six of us put on our layers, hats, and gloves and headed for the starting line. The first mile would all be uphill followed by small undulations from there on. There we were, at the bottom of the hill bundled up like Eskimos waiting for the signal to start.
Finally we were off, pounding our way up the large hill. It didn’t take long for the group to separate and for each person to get into their own rhythm. It was now time to relax and enjoy the opportunity to run. Besides being extremely chilly for an event in Central Florida, the run was awesome. Trey beat his personal best finishing with a time just over 25 minutes. I improved my time as well, crossing the line in 30:48, but still have not reached my goal! I will continue my interval training and hope to reach my goal within the next 5 weeks! Looking forward to the next 5K…perhaps a 10K one day!!!!
For a copy of the 5K training program that we used, check out the "TRAINING" page on our website MTBsportsonline.com!
Parrish 02-05-10
Friday, February 5, 2010
We try so hard to teach our children about responsibility. We tell them that once they have made a commitment to something, they must honor that commitment even when it is not convenient. We preach that they should be there for their team and work hard to achieve their goals and aspirations. That said we didn’t get on the road to Parrish until after Brianna’s gymnastics class ended at 7:00. Sometimes doing the right thing is terribly inconvenient.
Being the wonderful parents that they are, my mom and dad volunteered to pick Brie up from gymnastics. This allowed Mimi and I a little extra time to grab some dinner and complete any final preparations for the weekend’s camping expedition. Mimi had planned to go and get Brie, but the opportunity to save fuel and have a few extra moments to relax seemed like a nice option. When Brie arrived at 7:45, after having enjoyed a quick bite of McDonald’s, Mimi, Brie, and I promptly loaded into the truck and headed out for our 2 hour journey.
The ride was uneventful, as we only encountered a tiny amount of rain. Luckily we were able to see the poorly marked streets in the dark and made it to our destination with no problems. Apparently there had been a decent amount of rain early in the evening though because we were re-routed to an alternative entrance into the back portion of the parking area. The road that we utilized was extremely hard packed and easy to maneuver, the problem arose as I exited the road and made my way through the grass toward the campers. It was at that time that our road tires demonstrated exactly why they are meant for the road. Fortunately the ground was hard packed, but our tires just didn’t have enough tread to grip the slick grass and the muck that lay beneath. Five or six times we spun our tires losing the grip that was required to move the apparatus forward. After starting and stopping many times we finally managed to maneuver ourselves into our assigned spot in the compound. The next little while was spent setting up the camper: jacks down, awning out, carpet spread, generators attached, and everything locked down. The three of us girls had made it. Now it was time to settle in and head to bed. After a few moments of relaxation, we completed our nighttime routine and drifted off to sleep.
Saturday, February 06, 2010
Another wonderful morning of rest and relaxation! It was about 8:00 by the time Mimi, Brianna, and I were out of bed and getting ready to start our day. The forecast called for a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 68 degrees. I can say that the forecasters were partially correct as our morning certainly consisted of clouds; the sun however was nowhere to be seen. With no sun and a constant breeze of around 12 miles per hour it was proving to be very chilly. Nonetheless, we got ourselves up and going and ventured outside to see what we were missing.
It didn’t take Brianna long to jump right into the mix and begin playing with the other munchkins. Mimi and I were a bit slower getting into the racing routine. We moseyed out, set up our chairs, and took a few moments to sit and take in the racing atmosphere. It wasn’t long before we noticed Michael putting on his gear and double checking his quad. He was followed closely by Michael J. who was preparing for his practice as well. That was our cue to prepare to head to the track. Conveniently, we were parked near the pee wee track and the starting line so it was a short walk to check out what Mikey J. was up to. They decided to break the 30 minute practice time that the pee wees usually had into two separate 15 minutes practice sessions. This would allow the larger and faster quads an opportunity to let their bikes do what they are meant to do while also allowing the slower quads to practice without as many distractions. The pee wee quads had a great turn out and even with the separate practices each practice had around 12 quads.
As the first group took the track they immediately had a pile up. One of the turns through the palmettos had a young oak tree that was preventing the wider quads from passing through. After finding an ax and chopping down the tree, it was determined that the path was still too narrow for the quads and an alternative route was established. The remainder of practice went on without incident and the MTB munchkins seemed to enjoy themselves.
It was then back to the camper, but as always, the time passed rapidly and before we knew it we were headed back out to the pee-wee track for the munchkin racing. Mimi and I headed out to the back portion of the track where we had watched practice. It was an open track, so we were able to see the majority of it from our location. We were also able to get some entertainment from watching the children maneuver their quads through the many double-greens that were part of the track.
As we were preparing to head back to the campers we noticed that the Saturday morning bike races were just preparing to start. Since the pee wee track was located directly beside the starting line Mimi and I wandered over and took a few moments to watch the start. This turned out the be far less interesting than the Sunday races, but it was still nice to get to see a bit of racing that we usually miss out on.
After chatting with Jason and Katie for a bit, we made our way back to the camper to enjoy a bite of lunch and wait around for the quad race. With about two hours until the start, I figured we had time to waste. Yet after chatting and watching the munchkins enjoy the freedom that they seem to acquire on race weekends, I soon realized that Michael was beginning race preparations. That was our cue to end the playtime, take turns in the potty, gather our stuff, and head to the line.
Michael got off the line in 4th place, giving him a nice starting position heading into the first turn. After watching the remainder of the rows, we were off to find a prime location for viewing (and also for the kids to play). It didn’t take us long to spot an open area where we could watch the boys come by. Michael, Keith, and James all looked strong as they passed their cheering section. Of course James and Michael flew by us without as much as a glance in our direction. Keith on the other hand stopped by to say hello, grab a drink of water, and put a smile on the kids’ faces (perhaps the adults too).
For the most part, the race came to an end with few incidents. But, Michael had the best story to tell. It was the last mile of the last lap of the race. He was moving along just fine until out of nowhere a tree just jumped out in front of him (well, that is Michael’s version). Anyway, he managed to roll three times and land with the quad on top of him. As he laid their beneath the quad yelling for someone to get it off of him, he realized that the group of boys that had been laughing at the incident were the only ones around to come to his rescue. Obviously at that point he didn’t care who got it off of him as long as the quad was removed from on top of his body. The kids were able to help and Michael quickly hopped back on and was on his way…thankfully uninjured. A great story to tell and no trip to the hospital, those are the best!
As the sun was going down beyond the horizon the steady breeze was getting colder and the night air was beginning to settle in. We made our way back to the camper and began to prepare a simple dinner. We really just wanted to get some healthy food in our bellies so that we could walk next door and get some ice cream (yes, we parked next door to the ice cream man!). And that is exactly what we did. After our quick dinner the gang all walked over and enjoyed the ice cream man’s delicious treats. What a way to end an awesome day of racing!
Sunday, February 07, 2010
Trey finally arrived this morning at about 3:45. I, of course, was curled up so warm and cozy in my comfortable bed as he dragged himself in from the cold. He tried his best to carry on a conversation, as we hadn’t seen each other since Thursday, but this time of morning was not the best time to be friendly with me. When he realized that he was having a one-sided conversation he decided to give up and get ready for bed. It wasn’t long until we were both cozy in our comfortable bed and sound asleep…that is of course until the beautiful sound of our Angel’s voice yelling, “Can I get up now???” So, we all got up and got our day started.
Trey decided that he would skip practice this morning and take on the course like a GNCC. After a yummy breakfast sandwich, we all headed out to watch the start of the morning race and see if we could locate another viewing area for this afternoon’s race. Austin had shown up to spend the day as a spectator so he joined us as well. He should be back as a racer at Gatorback in two weeks, but he is playing it safe until he has signed his paperwork with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office – smart move, Austin. We wandered over past our viewing area from Saturday and headed out to find a creek crossing. It wasn’t long until we found one and it was pretty deep. After viewing a variety of methods for crossing the creek, much discussion occurred regarding the best manner in which to approach the crossing. Jason and Trey decided to take it slow and easy in an effort to stay dry – sounds like a logical plan.
We stuck around and watched for a while before heading back to the camper to make sure that things were in order for the afternoon race and to grab some lunch. Time flew by once again (I am discovering that is a common occurrence at the races) and it was time to prepare to go racing. It wasn’t long until Trey and I were on the line and the first row was rounding the first corner. This meant that Jason’s row was coming up soon. It was his first race in five years, so we were all eager to see how he would do. The horn sounded and his row was off the line. This meant it was getting close. Trey and I had decided to try a new process for his starts. We had done it in previous years and had practiced it last weekend on the property – and it worked great! It’s not like we were trying anything unusual, just the normal holding the kick starter back and starting the bike in gear. This is perfectly common. Yet, we found a way to screw it up. We aren’t exactly sure where we went wrong, but I got kicked in the arm and Trey missed the kick starter completely. We are going to have to try that again…perhaps with a longer tape?!
Fortunately his start was not worse than usual, so we hadn’t really lost anything in the process, but hopefully gained some knowledge. When the start had concluded, the gang all headed to a creek crossing where the munchkins could play in the dirt and I headed out to the crossing where we were this morning. As with the morning race, riders had many different theories as to the best way to make it across. Some just stayed on the gas and flew through, others slowed a bit and held their legs up on the radiator shrouds, while others stood or put their feet behind them on the seat. Then there were those who slowed to a snail’s pace and just crept across – this is what I was expecting from Jason and Trey. I finally saw Jason rounding the corner and heading for the crossing, but he wasn’t slowing down. What happened to the plan??? Not too long after that Trey came through, and yet again the plan was out the window. I knew the boys couldn’t sacrifice even a few seconds just for their comfort!
After I saw Trey make his third trip through the creek, I decided to head back and meet him at the camper. I am not sure that it was the best choice I have ever made, as I was greeted with rather unpleasant language and a rather grumpy face. Just one of those days, I suppose. After a few moments of venting and a nice warm shower he was back to his normal self. He then began to focus more on what he could learn from the track, as opposed to just being perturbed by his performance. That’s the attitude I like!
As another racing weekend was coming to an end, the children spent their time playing and getting dirty while the adults packed up and prepared to head home. It was then off to get our Sunday night dinner. Personally, I was hoping for a cozy barbeque place, but since we couldn’t locate that choice, Chili’s made a nice second option. It was a great dinner to complete another wonderful weekend of family, friends, and racing! I can’t wait until Gatorback!!!!
We try so hard to teach our children about responsibility. We tell them that once they have made a commitment to something, they must honor that commitment even when it is not convenient. We preach that they should be there for their team and work hard to achieve their goals and aspirations. That said we didn’t get on the road to Parrish until after Brianna’s gymnastics class ended at 7:00. Sometimes doing the right thing is terribly inconvenient.
Being the wonderful parents that they are, my mom and dad volunteered to pick Brie up from gymnastics. This allowed Mimi and I a little extra time to grab some dinner and complete any final preparations for the weekend’s camping expedition. Mimi had planned to go and get Brie, but the opportunity to save fuel and have a few extra moments to relax seemed like a nice option. When Brie arrived at 7:45, after having enjoyed a quick bite of McDonald’s, Mimi, Brie, and I promptly loaded into the truck and headed out for our 2 hour journey.
The ride was uneventful, as we only encountered a tiny amount of rain. Luckily we were able to see the poorly marked streets in the dark and made it to our destination with no problems. Apparently there had been a decent amount of rain early in the evening though because we were re-routed to an alternative entrance into the back portion of the parking area. The road that we utilized was extremely hard packed and easy to maneuver, the problem arose as I exited the road and made my way through the grass toward the campers. It was at that time that our road tires demonstrated exactly why they are meant for the road. Fortunately the ground was hard packed, but our tires just didn’t have enough tread to grip the slick grass and the muck that lay beneath. Five or six times we spun our tires losing the grip that was required to move the apparatus forward. After starting and stopping many times we finally managed to maneuver ourselves into our assigned spot in the compound. The next little while was spent setting up the camper: jacks down, awning out, carpet spread, generators attached, and everything locked down. The three of us girls had made it. Now it was time to settle in and head to bed. After a few moments of relaxation, we completed our nighttime routine and drifted off to sleep.
Saturday, February 06, 2010
Another wonderful morning of rest and relaxation! It was about 8:00 by the time Mimi, Brianna, and I were out of bed and getting ready to start our day. The forecast called for a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 68 degrees. I can say that the forecasters were partially correct as our morning certainly consisted of clouds; the sun however was nowhere to be seen. With no sun and a constant breeze of around 12 miles per hour it was proving to be very chilly. Nonetheless, we got ourselves up and going and ventured outside to see what we were missing.
It didn’t take Brianna long to jump right into the mix and begin playing with the other munchkins. Mimi and I were a bit slower getting into the racing routine. We moseyed out, set up our chairs, and took a few moments to sit and take in the racing atmosphere. It wasn’t long before we noticed Michael putting on his gear and double checking his quad. He was followed closely by Michael J. who was preparing for his practice as well. That was our cue to prepare to head to the track. Conveniently, we were parked near the pee wee track and the starting line so it was a short walk to check out what Mikey J. was up to. They decided to break the 30 minute practice time that the pee wees usually had into two separate 15 minutes practice sessions. This would allow the larger and faster quads an opportunity to let their bikes do what they are meant to do while also allowing the slower quads to practice without as many distractions. The pee wee quads had a great turn out and even with the separate practices each practice had around 12 quads.
As the first group took the track they immediately had a pile up. One of the turns through the palmettos had a young oak tree that was preventing the wider quads from passing through. After finding an ax and chopping down the tree, it was determined that the path was still too narrow for the quads and an alternative route was established. The remainder of practice went on without incident and the MTB munchkins seemed to enjoy themselves.
It was then back to the camper, but as always, the time passed rapidly and before we knew it we were headed back out to the pee-wee track for the munchkin racing. Mimi and I headed out to the back portion of the track where we had watched practice. It was an open track, so we were able to see the majority of it from our location. We were also able to get some entertainment from watching the children maneuver their quads through the many double-greens that were part of the track.
As we were preparing to head back to the campers we noticed that the Saturday morning bike races were just preparing to start. Since the pee wee track was located directly beside the starting line Mimi and I wandered over and took a few moments to watch the start. This turned out the be far less interesting than the Sunday races, but it was still nice to get to see a bit of racing that we usually miss out on.
After chatting with Jason and Katie for a bit, we made our way back to the camper to enjoy a bite of lunch and wait around for the quad race. With about two hours until the start, I figured we had time to waste. Yet after chatting and watching the munchkins enjoy the freedom that they seem to acquire on race weekends, I soon realized that Michael was beginning race preparations. That was our cue to end the playtime, take turns in the potty, gather our stuff, and head to the line.
Michael got off the line in 4th place, giving him a nice starting position heading into the first turn. After watching the remainder of the rows, we were off to find a prime location for viewing (and also for the kids to play). It didn’t take us long to spot an open area where we could watch the boys come by. Michael, Keith, and James all looked strong as they passed their cheering section. Of course James and Michael flew by us without as much as a glance in our direction. Keith on the other hand stopped by to say hello, grab a drink of water, and put a smile on the kids’ faces (perhaps the adults too).
For the most part, the race came to an end with few incidents. But, Michael had the best story to tell. It was the last mile of the last lap of the race. He was moving along just fine until out of nowhere a tree just jumped out in front of him (well, that is Michael’s version). Anyway, he managed to roll three times and land with the quad on top of him. As he laid their beneath the quad yelling for someone to get it off of him, he realized that the group of boys that had been laughing at the incident were the only ones around to come to his rescue. Obviously at that point he didn’t care who got it off of him as long as the quad was removed from on top of his body. The kids were able to help and Michael quickly hopped back on and was on his way…thankfully uninjured. A great story to tell and no trip to the hospital, those are the best!
As the sun was going down beyond the horizon the steady breeze was getting colder and the night air was beginning to settle in. We made our way back to the camper and began to prepare a simple dinner. We really just wanted to get some healthy food in our bellies so that we could walk next door and get some ice cream (yes, we parked next door to the ice cream man!). And that is exactly what we did. After our quick dinner the gang all walked over and enjoyed the ice cream man’s delicious treats. What a way to end an awesome day of racing!
Sunday, February 07, 2010
Trey finally arrived this morning at about 3:45. I, of course, was curled up so warm and cozy in my comfortable bed as he dragged himself in from the cold. He tried his best to carry on a conversation, as we hadn’t seen each other since Thursday, but this time of morning was not the best time to be friendly with me. When he realized that he was having a one-sided conversation he decided to give up and get ready for bed. It wasn’t long until we were both cozy in our comfortable bed and sound asleep…that is of course until the beautiful sound of our Angel’s voice yelling, “Can I get up now???” So, we all got up and got our day started.
Trey decided that he would skip practice this morning and take on the course like a GNCC. After a yummy breakfast sandwich, we all headed out to watch the start of the morning race and see if we could locate another viewing area for this afternoon’s race. Austin had shown up to spend the day as a spectator so he joined us as well. He should be back as a racer at Gatorback in two weeks, but he is playing it safe until he has signed his paperwork with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office – smart move, Austin. We wandered over past our viewing area from Saturday and headed out to find a creek crossing. It wasn’t long until we found one and it was pretty deep. After viewing a variety of methods for crossing the creek, much discussion occurred regarding the best manner in which to approach the crossing. Jason and Trey decided to take it slow and easy in an effort to stay dry – sounds like a logical plan.
We stuck around and watched for a while before heading back to the camper to make sure that things were in order for the afternoon race and to grab some lunch. Time flew by once again (I am discovering that is a common occurrence at the races) and it was time to prepare to go racing. It wasn’t long until Trey and I were on the line and the first row was rounding the first corner. This meant that Jason’s row was coming up soon. It was his first race in five years, so we were all eager to see how he would do. The horn sounded and his row was off the line. This meant it was getting close. Trey and I had decided to try a new process for his starts. We had done it in previous years and had practiced it last weekend on the property – and it worked great! It’s not like we were trying anything unusual, just the normal holding the kick starter back and starting the bike in gear. This is perfectly common. Yet, we found a way to screw it up. We aren’t exactly sure where we went wrong, but I got kicked in the arm and Trey missed the kick starter completely. We are going to have to try that again…perhaps with a longer tape?!
Fortunately his start was not worse than usual, so we hadn’t really lost anything in the process, but hopefully gained some knowledge. When the start had concluded, the gang all headed to a creek crossing where the munchkins could play in the dirt and I headed out to the crossing where we were this morning. As with the morning race, riders had many different theories as to the best way to make it across. Some just stayed on the gas and flew through, others slowed a bit and held their legs up on the radiator shrouds, while others stood or put their feet behind them on the seat. Then there were those who slowed to a snail’s pace and just crept across – this is what I was expecting from Jason and Trey. I finally saw Jason rounding the corner and heading for the crossing, but he wasn’t slowing down. What happened to the plan??? Not too long after that Trey came through, and yet again the plan was out the window. I knew the boys couldn’t sacrifice even a few seconds just for their comfort!
After I saw Trey make his third trip through the creek, I decided to head back and meet him at the camper. I am not sure that it was the best choice I have ever made, as I was greeted with rather unpleasant language and a rather grumpy face. Just one of those days, I suppose. After a few moments of venting and a nice warm shower he was back to his normal self. He then began to focus more on what he could learn from the track, as opposed to just being perturbed by his performance. That’s the attitude I like!
As another racing weekend was coming to an end, the children spent their time playing and getting dirty while the adults packed up and prepared to head home. It was then off to get our Sunday night dinner. Personally, I was hoping for a cozy barbeque place, but since we couldn’t locate that choice, Chili’s made a nice second option. It was a great dinner to complete another wonderful weekend of family, friends, and racing! I can’t wait until Gatorback!!!!
Brighton 01-22-10
Friday, January 22, 2010
It was 2:34. My kids were waiting at the door with their backpacks on and ready for the weekend to begin. They never seem to realize that we are ALL waiting for the weekend to begin. The minute passed, the bell rang, and the munchkins were out the door. I promptly shut down my electronics, gathered my things, and hopped into the truck. My afternoon would now be devoted to my final run of the week and preparing the camper for our weekend excursion.
As soon I arrived home, I was doing my best to utilize the time that I had so that I would have Brie’s and my stuff prepared to go when Trey arrived home. I was taking care of Brianna’s and my packing, as well as the food, when I decided to call Trey and see when he would be home. As I asked how he was doing, the pathetic voice on the other end was not a good sign. Soon I discovered that Trey had somehow managed to send his back into spasms and was barely able to move. We worked it out so that he would pick up Brie and I would try to get everything done, except loading the bike. Amazingly, I was just finishing up when Trey and Brie pulled in the driveway. Now for at he important stuff…the bike and its extras. We managed to finish up rather quickly (especially under the circumstances) and were on the road by 8:30. As with the past few races, this one was only about two hours away so we would be there in no time.
With our gas and money stops along the way, we finally arrived in our camping spot (thanks to the Hedin’s to saving it for us) at about 11:00. Of course Brie was sound asleep, and stayed asleep in her booster seat for the next 30 minutes while we unhooked the camper, put down the jacks, and eventually carried her in to her bunk bed. Trey and I then finished unloading and preparing the generators (but we left the bike chained in the truck) and headed in to bed as well. Racing starts tomorrow and we all want to be rested and ready!
Saturday, January 23, 2010
As usual, Brianna was the first one up and ready to get out of bed this morning. Although awaking to her adorable voice is one of life’s many pleasures, I really wish that she would let me sleep for just a few more minutes. As I slowly opened my eyes and enjoyed a morning stretch, I realized that Trey had been lying awake in bed for some time. As Brie made her way into our bedroom he decided he would make his way to the kitchen and grab a bite to eat. Yet, thanks to his newly acquired back injury, the process of getting out of bed had become a five minute ordeal. After the moans and groans, he finally grabbed a granola bar and was able to enjoy a nutritious breakfast. Within a few minutes, I too had dragged myself out of bed and was headed to the sink to eliminate my not so pleasant morning breath.
While Trey and I finished up our morning preparations, Brianna enjoyed an episode of Scooby-Doo and began her routine. In no time at all, breakfast was eaten, teeth were clean, hair was brushed, fresh clothes were on, and she was ready to face the day. Much to her delight she was greeted by Karlee, Karson, Kalob, McKenzie, and Michael J. Michael, Michelle, and the kids had just arrived and were only able to stay for the day, as Michael was on call. Brie made a rapid exit from the camper and was off to begin playing. Meanwhile, I finished the camper setup that I neglected last night due to our late arrival.
As we all went about our business we were enjoying the warmer weather and beautiful sunshine that this race weekend was predicted to have in store. Time flew by and both Michael’s began preparing for their morning practice. As soon as his gear was on and the quad was ready, Michael Sr. headed out to see what challenges might lay ahead on his eight-mile Saturday course. Michael Jr. was right behind him waiting for Michelle to hop on the back of his 50 and make their way to the pee-wee track.
Today’s pee-wee practice proved to be an adventure for the riders and spectators alike. The course consisted mostly of single-track with very few passing areas and lots of woods, much like a full size track – just shrunk down to miniature size. We soon found out that kids just aren’t patient enough to wait for the right opportunity to improve their position. Now I understand that these are children and they are riding on a miniature track so that they can learn the proper manner in which to ride and race. But here is the situation. Following a left-hand turn, riders had to maneuver their quads through two trees. It was common and acceptable for a child to misjudge the turn and bump into a tree. An adult would then scurry out to the middle of the track to help the rider. Another adult would usually place his or herself before the adult and the rider to slow down or stop the approaching riders – this is commonplace on a pee-wee track. Normally this procedure is effective in preventing further pile-ups or incidents. But today the kids decided to take matters into their own hands. Instead of following the guidance of the adults, the riders chose to go around them, or force them off of the track. The riders then blocked each other, resulting in a complete traffic jam. Once all of the riders had become a part of the problem, the adults were then able to pull them apart and begin to send riders on their way. Luckily no one was injured, but I am not sure if the riders learned anything from the experience.
After Mikey’s practice, we all headed back to the campers for a snack or lunch. The children gobbled down their food and immediately resumed playtime. The rest of us enjoyed our meal and spent a few minutes relaxing and socializing until it was time to head back out to the pee-wee track for Mikey J.’s race (we can’t forget that Kalob and Karlee race too). Curious to see if the race would present the same challenge as practice, Trey and I took off to the infamous corner where the morning pile-up had occurred. We soon heard the horn sound and the munchkins were off the line. Contrary to practice, the race went extremely smoothly and was uneventful. Kalob pulled of a second place finish, Mikey came in seventh, and Karlee scored . Way to go MTB munchkins!
More relaxing was in store for the MTB Gang for the next little bit. As we sat around discussing life’s many questions we noticed that the warm sun which had greeted us this morning had recently disappeared behind the looming clouds and it seemed that rain may be in our future. As time progressed and Michael’s race was nearing, he spent his time ensuring that his quad and his gear were ready to go. The rest of us dug out our umbrellas and ponchos that we weren’t expecting to need this weekend and prepared our “spectators’ gear”. Eager to see the start, the kids promptly piled on the Hedin’s mule while the rest of us hoofed the half-mile trail to the line.
Before we knew it the first lines were off and it was only seconds until Michael would be racing towards the first corner. The horn sounded and the line was off. They took off around the first few corners and into the straight headed towards the woods Michael had taken the lead. What a start for the MTB Gang and #529!
By this time the rain was coming down fairly intensely, so the MTB Gang made our way directly to a patch of trees to take cover. The munchkins however, had no intentions of staying out of the rain. Having parked ourselves in this patch of woods, the kids saw it as the perfect opportunity to practice hanging from limbs and climbing trees. Being an eight-mile track seemed to work out perfectly for them, as the riders took a while to make it back to our viewing area. The mucnhkins spent the quiet time becoming part of the treesThe climbing consumed the kids’ time until they heard the sound of the quads coming around the corner. At that time they settled down and watched the best riders make their way around the slippery corner. It was then back to climbing.
It was 2:34. My kids were waiting at the door with their backpacks on and ready for the weekend to begin. They never seem to realize that we are ALL waiting for the weekend to begin. The minute passed, the bell rang, and the munchkins were out the door. I promptly shut down my electronics, gathered my things, and hopped into the truck. My afternoon would now be devoted to my final run of the week and preparing the camper for our weekend excursion.
As soon I arrived home, I was doing my best to utilize the time that I had so that I would have Brie’s and my stuff prepared to go when Trey arrived home. I was taking care of Brianna’s and my packing, as well as the food, when I decided to call Trey and see when he would be home. As I asked how he was doing, the pathetic voice on the other end was not a good sign. Soon I discovered that Trey had somehow managed to send his back into spasms and was barely able to move. We worked it out so that he would pick up Brie and I would try to get everything done, except loading the bike. Amazingly, I was just finishing up when Trey and Brie pulled in the driveway. Now for at he important stuff…the bike and its extras. We managed to finish up rather quickly (especially under the circumstances) and were on the road by 8:30. As with the past few races, this one was only about two hours away so we would be there in no time.
With our gas and money stops along the way, we finally arrived in our camping spot (thanks to the Hedin’s to saving it for us) at about 11:00. Of course Brie was sound asleep, and stayed asleep in her booster seat for the next 30 minutes while we unhooked the camper, put down the jacks, and eventually carried her in to her bunk bed. Trey and I then finished unloading and preparing the generators (but we left the bike chained in the truck) and headed in to bed as well. Racing starts tomorrow and we all want to be rested and ready!
Saturday, January 23, 2010
As usual, Brianna was the first one up and ready to get out of bed this morning. Although awaking to her adorable voice is one of life’s many pleasures, I really wish that she would let me sleep for just a few more minutes. As I slowly opened my eyes and enjoyed a morning stretch, I realized that Trey had been lying awake in bed for some time. As Brie made her way into our bedroom he decided he would make his way to the kitchen and grab a bite to eat. Yet, thanks to his newly acquired back injury, the process of getting out of bed had become a five minute ordeal. After the moans and groans, he finally grabbed a granola bar and was able to enjoy a nutritious breakfast. Within a few minutes, I too had dragged myself out of bed and was headed to the sink to eliminate my not so pleasant morning breath.
While Trey and I finished up our morning preparations, Brianna enjoyed an episode of Scooby-Doo and began her routine. In no time at all, breakfast was eaten, teeth were clean, hair was brushed, fresh clothes were on, and she was ready to face the day. Much to her delight she was greeted by Karlee, Karson, Kalob, McKenzie, and Michael J. Michael, Michelle, and the kids had just arrived and were only able to stay for the day, as Michael was on call. Brie made a rapid exit from the camper and was off to begin playing. Meanwhile, I finished the camper setup that I neglected last night due to our late arrival.
As we all went about our business we were enjoying the warmer weather and beautiful sunshine that this race weekend was predicted to have in store. Time flew by and both Michael’s began preparing for their morning practice. As soon as his gear was on and the quad was ready, Michael Sr. headed out to see what challenges might lay ahead on his eight-mile Saturday course. Michael Jr. was right behind him waiting for Michelle to hop on the back of his 50 and make their way to the pee-wee track.
Today’s pee-wee practice proved to be an adventure for the riders and spectators alike. The course consisted mostly of single-track with very few passing areas and lots of woods, much like a full size track – just shrunk down to miniature size. We soon found out that kids just aren’t patient enough to wait for the right opportunity to improve their position. Now I understand that these are children and they are riding on a miniature track so that they can learn the proper manner in which to ride and race. But here is the situation. Following a left-hand turn, riders had to maneuver their quads through two trees. It was common and acceptable for a child to misjudge the turn and bump into a tree. An adult would then scurry out to the middle of the track to help the rider. Another adult would usually place his or herself before the adult and the rider to slow down or stop the approaching riders – this is commonplace on a pee-wee track. Normally this procedure is effective in preventing further pile-ups or incidents. But today the kids decided to take matters into their own hands. Instead of following the guidance of the adults, the riders chose to go around them, or force them off of the track. The riders then blocked each other, resulting in a complete traffic jam. Once all of the riders had become a part of the problem, the adults were then able to pull them apart and begin to send riders on their way. Luckily no one was injured, but I am not sure if the riders learned anything from the experience.
After Mikey’s practice, we all headed back to the campers for a snack or lunch. The children gobbled down their food and immediately resumed playtime. The rest of us enjoyed our meal and spent a few minutes relaxing and socializing until it was time to head back out to the pee-wee track for Mikey J.’s race (we can’t forget that Kalob and Karlee race too). Curious to see if the race would present the same challenge as practice, Trey and I took off to the infamous corner where the morning pile-up had occurred. We soon heard the horn sound and the munchkins were off the line. Contrary to practice, the race went extremely smoothly and was uneventful. Kalob pulled of a second place finish, Mikey came in seventh, and Karlee scored . Way to go MTB munchkins!
More relaxing was in store for the MTB Gang for the next little bit. As we sat around discussing life’s many questions we noticed that the warm sun which had greeted us this morning had recently disappeared behind the looming clouds and it seemed that rain may be in our future. As time progressed and Michael’s race was nearing, he spent his time ensuring that his quad and his gear were ready to go. The rest of us dug out our umbrellas and ponchos that we weren’t expecting to need this weekend and prepared our “spectators’ gear”. Eager to see the start, the kids promptly piled on the Hedin’s mule while the rest of us hoofed the half-mile trail to the line.
Before we knew it the first lines were off and it was only seconds until Michael would be racing towards the first corner. The horn sounded and the line was off. They took off around the first few corners and into the straight headed towards the woods Michael had taken the lead. What a start for the MTB Gang and #529!
By this time the rain was coming down fairly intensely, so the MTB Gang made our way directly to a patch of trees to take cover. The munchkins however, had no intentions of staying out of the rain. Having parked ourselves in this patch of woods, the kids saw it as the perfect opportunity to practice hanging from limbs and climbing trees. Being an eight-mile track seemed to work out perfectly for them, as the riders took a while to make it back to our viewing area. The mucnhkins spent the quiet time becoming part of the treesThe climbing consumed the kids’ time until they heard the sound of the quads coming around the corner. At that time they settled down and watched the best riders make their way around the slippery corner. It was then back to climbing.
Myakka City 01-08-10
Friday, January 8, 2010
“Okay, we’ll leave by 4:30!” Well that didn’t happen! After final preparations and last minute inspections of bags and bays, we got on our way by around 6:00. We made a quick stop at the Frostproof McDonalds and we were on the road for the two hour drive to Myakka City. This race was another relatively close one with a pleasant evening drive. We encountered a bit of rain as we neared our arrival, but barely enough to dampen the roads.
When we arrived, the Hedin’s already had their rig set up and Michael, Michelle, and Mikey J. were completing the final tasks for their setup (McKenzie stayed home with Mimi to go to a birthday party). We picked our parking spot and began our setup process. The air was damp and the temperature was around 40 degrees, so we got organized quickly. Our setup was complete in record time! Of course the frigid weather did not stop the munchkins from enjoying each other’s company. They went right on ahead running around and tackling each other onto the cold, damp ground…and loving every moment! Our evening socializing, and the kids’ playtime, was cut short by the chilliness though. It wasn’t long before we all headed into our warm, cozy campers for a good night’s sleep.
Saturday, January 09, 2010
Our camper must have been extremely warm and cozy this morning because even Trey slept in until 8:30. It was about that same time that I heard my Angel inquiring about the location of her donuts. That was my cue to get my warm self out of bed and begin my day. I got Brie her donuts and peeked outside to check out the weather. The thermometer that we installed last night was reading 40 degrees and there was a light, but steady mist. I took my time getting ready while Brianna watched a few episodes of her newest Scooby-Doo series that Santa brought her. Trey on the other hand, got up and going fairy quickly and was headed outside to see what was going on.
Michael was already warming up his quad and preparing himself for his morning practice. Michael J. was following in his Daddy’s footsteps and getting his gear on as well. Trey went out with Michelle to Mikey’s quad practice and his Daddy joined them after his practice was over. Brianna and I chose to stay in the camper for this excursion and let the rest of the MTB crew handle pee-wee practice. Brianna and I passed the time watching a bit more Scooby-Doo and playing games. The crew soon arrived back at the campers and spent some time relaxing as well.
The time passed quickly and before we knew it, we were all out at the start of Mikey’s race. The official called for hands on their heads and the horn sounded. As always it was an exciting start – some are quick, some a bit slower – but it is always exciting. Then, as if another horn had sounded, the parents raced to snag a prime viewing position on the track. Brie, Trey, and I opted for the back portion of the course. The whole track was pretty muddy and we managed to find a corner with mud, roots, and trees – it doesn’t get much better than that. We witnessed a few rear end collisions and almost got to see a few riders turn upside down, but fortunately there were no major incidents. Both Karlee and Michael J. seem to be getting faster and more confident with each racing experience. Way to go, Munchkins!!!
It was back to the campers and time for lunch for the MTB Gang. In an unusual change to our routine, lunch was served inside our campers and very little lunchtime socializing was done. All of this thanks to the frosty weather. Now it was time to wait until Michael’s 3:30 quad race. Trey had some work to do on his bike, so Brie and I explored her new travel games. They all have little holders for the extra pieces and they fold up so neatly. Where was that kind of stuff when I was a kid??? Anyway, we played, watched TV, and snacked until it was time to pack up and head to watch Michael.
As with the start of the pee-wee races, the big-boy starts never fail to provide quality entertainment. We saw one well-maneuvered spinout, as well as the #1 quad racer miss the double greens and have to turn around to come back and go through them. Michael got a solid start in the middle of the pack and was off to endure an hour and a half of pain and pleasure in the freezing cold. Since we were unsure of the whereabouts of the rest of the MTB Gang, Trey, Brianna, and I headed to find an interesting viewing spot. We ended up near the backside of the pee-wee track watching a hill and a creek crossing. It was amazing to see the mud that had covered the quads and the racers as they came barreling across the creek. Although it was chilly, our spot allowed us to see the racers use their various skills to maneuver diverse terrain. Unable to feel his extremities, Michael pushed through and completed the race in second place. It was another positive finish for MTB Sports.
After seeing Michael’s final pass through our viewing area, the three of us headed back to the camper to get warm and check in with the rest of the MTB Gang. As we walked into the MTB compound (AKA our camping area), we saw a rather distressed version of Michael rolling around on the ground and Michelle pulling on his boot. Okay, we saw him five minutes ago…did he break his leg in the last few miles of the race and make it back to the compound?! After some inquiry we determined that he was suffering from cramps in his calves. That doesn’t sound so bad, but amazingly it can bring about pain unlike any other. After a minute or two of stretching, the old Michael was back and headed in to take a shower. Whew…no hospital visit today!
Racing was done for the day and everyone was ready to get warm and relax. Trey and Michelle decided that they needed snacks from the ice cream man and endured the freezing cold to go and get them. When Trey returned, our camper was full of munchkins – Karlee, Kalob, Karson, and Brie had all gathered in our warmth to watch a movie and play. However, it only took them a moment to realize that “Uncle Trey” had warm boiled peanuts. In less a minute our table was surrounded by munchkins popping open peanuts and gobbling them down. From two year olds to adults – the ice cream man’s boiled peanuts were a hit.
Soon it was off to our individual campers to eat some dinner. Our normal outdoor dinner gathering was just not going to happen in the 36 degree weather. A quick meal of hot dogs and soup filled our bellies and we were ready for whatever the night had in store. For Brianna, that meant more playing with her friends, followed by the remainder of “A Bug’s Life” and bedtime. Trey spent the time trying to figure out the most effective technique for keeping his bike from freezing during the night. With the low expected to be 28 degrees for a sustained period of time this was a valid concern. He decided to treat the bike like a plant and cover it with a blanket (or two) and hope for the best. I spent my evening chatting with Mimi, who had just arrived, and writing.
Aside from the always entertaining racing that occurred today, our time was rather uneventful. Extreme weather conditions seem to have a considerable effect on our camping routine. However, as always the MTB Sports Gang had an AWESOME day of racing! Can’t wait until tomorrow – the high is supposed to be in the 50’s!!! I never thought that I would be glad for the 50’s!
Sunday, January 10, 2010
To practice or not to practice…that is the question of the morning. The temperature is just above freezing and the track will likely change quite a bit before the race, so is there any point? On the other hand it is an opportunity to get some ride time on challenging terrain and get a feel for the track before race time. After a chilly discussion, the boys (Austin, Steven, and Trey) decided that they would brave the cold and ride practice.
Slightly frozen and numb, the boys arrived back at the camper just in time to eat a warm breakfast sandwich and head out to watch the morning race. The MTB munchkins all loaded up in the Hedin’s Mule and off we headed to the starting line. There was a slight delay in start time because of an incident during practice, so we had to endure the chilly wind a bit longer than planned. The first class got off the line at 11:00 and Trey, Austin, Garrett (Austin’s friend), and I headed to the creek crossing behind the pee-wee track as we had done yesterday. Not only did this spot provide great viewing, but it was also warm and sheltered from the freezing north wind. However, the boys had to get back to the camper to grab a sandwich and get prepared for their race, so we headed back after only one lap.
As we do on most race days, the time before Trey’s race is spent relaxing and making sure that everything is ready to go. Trey had a slight issue during practice with the new brake line he installed yesterday, so they worked on that for a short time and were able to resolve the problem with plenty of time to spare. Then it was a quick sandwich and final preparations for the race. I prepped the CamelBak and goggles while Trey took care of his gear and the bike. As we were working on these final tasks we were pleasantly surprised when Keith offered to let Trey wear his helmet camera. I immediately handed the goggles over to Keith and he got it all set up for us. This was going to be a novel experience for us, as we have never seen the track from Trey’s viewpoint.
As usual, the time passed quickly and it was nearly 1:30 before we knew it. Down to the last few minutes, I made final arrangements for Brianna and handed her the CamelBak loaded down with snacks, Benadryl, and water. I hopped on the back of Trey’s bike and we were headed to the line. Because of the cold weather his bike did not want to start, so while he took his final potty break I was assigned to “revving up” the bike to help get it warm. As I stood there in the cold with the near deafening sounds of the bikes all around me, I was entranced by the amount of power I was holding at the mere twist of the throttle. All I could think about was how incredible it would feel to hop on the bike and take it for a lap around the track. Then I snapped back into reality and I realized that I would probably kill myself. It was about that time that Trey made his way back to the bike and resumed the job of bike warming. Our next few minutes were devoted to Keith’s helmet cam. I verified the directions and prepared for my new job as “helmet cam operator”. Trey took a moment to speak with his competitors and performed final checks on the bike and his gear.
The moment had arrived…the horn sounded and the first line was off. Only four minutes left. My new job had made me a bit uneasy, so I went ahead and pressed the power button and pushed the record button into the proper position. The helmet cam was up and running! Trey took his position on the line and I took my position holding the bike. The horn blew, we exchanged “I love you’s”, and Trey kicked the starter. Apparently I was not a qualified “bike warmer” because the bike failed to start on the first two tries. As they say, “the third time is the charm” – the bike started and Trey was off the line. Austin followed behind him after having starting issues as well.
After the final class got off the line Mimi and I headed for the creek crossing. The rest of the MTB Gang headed to various spots on the course to find the premier viewing locale. For the MTB munchkins that place seemed to have a great deal of dirt in which they could build sand castles. Mimi and I enjoyed our spot as we got to see the riders select various lines. Some turned out to be a good selection, while others decided to try a new line the next time through. Like this morning, this location provided shelter from the wind and at one point it was almost warm enough to take off our sweatshirts. Even with the AA riders flying through as if they were one with their bike and the sun keeping us warm, the best part of watching the race from this spot is that I got to see my sweetheart jump the creek. He didn’t take the “safe” route as he has so many times in the past, but he “Cowboyed Up” and rode to his capabilities. Regardless of his finishing position, I am proud of him for pushing himself! Great race, Darling!
As the race concluded, Trey came off of the track in 9th place. We chatted for a few moments at the finish and Brie climbed on the bike to head back to the MTB compound with her daddy. The rest of us grabbed our chairs and made our way back through the mud. Our camping adventure had come to an end. The time had come to devote our energy to packing up…once again! The cold weather was an inspiring presence to encourage us to hurry the process along. As we were finishing the process Keith made the unfortunate discovery that their camper would not start. Luckily, through the use of two sets of jumper cables the boys were able to get it going. Before we knew it the kids were loaded in the Hedin’s rig and we were all headed to Pizza Hut for a nice warm dinner.
When we arrived, we left the front parking spot to the Hedin’s. They had discovered that the problem originated with the battery-generator connection and once it was turned off it would not start again. Everyone quickly piled out of their respective rides and made a cold dash for the warmth of the Pizza Hut dining room. What a surprise it was to us all to discover that Pizza Hut was not equipped with a heating unit. So, out we ran to the campers to unpack all of the sweatshirts that we had just packed up. Although it was a chilly dining experience, the pizza and the company was terrific.
With our bellies full we loaded up to finish up the drive home. Another race weekend had truly come to an end. It was time to unload and clean out our weekend home…until the next time!
“Okay, we’ll leave by 4:30!” Well that didn’t happen! After final preparations and last minute inspections of bags and bays, we got on our way by around 6:00. We made a quick stop at the Frostproof McDonalds and we were on the road for the two hour drive to Myakka City. This race was another relatively close one with a pleasant evening drive. We encountered a bit of rain as we neared our arrival, but barely enough to dampen the roads.
When we arrived, the Hedin’s already had their rig set up and Michael, Michelle, and Mikey J. were completing the final tasks for their setup (McKenzie stayed home with Mimi to go to a birthday party). We picked our parking spot and began our setup process. The air was damp and the temperature was around 40 degrees, so we got organized quickly. Our setup was complete in record time! Of course the frigid weather did not stop the munchkins from enjoying each other’s company. They went right on ahead running around and tackling each other onto the cold, damp ground…and loving every moment! Our evening socializing, and the kids’ playtime, was cut short by the chilliness though. It wasn’t long before we all headed into our warm, cozy campers for a good night’s sleep.
Saturday, January 09, 2010
Our camper must have been extremely warm and cozy this morning because even Trey slept in until 8:30. It was about that same time that I heard my Angel inquiring about the location of her donuts. That was my cue to get my warm self out of bed and begin my day. I got Brie her donuts and peeked outside to check out the weather. The thermometer that we installed last night was reading 40 degrees and there was a light, but steady mist. I took my time getting ready while Brianna watched a few episodes of her newest Scooby-Doo series that Santa brought her. Trey on the other hand, got up and going fairy quickly and was headed outside to see what was going on.
Michael was already warming up his quad and preparing himself for his morning practice. Michael J. was following in his Daddy’s footsteps and getting his gear on as well. Trey went out with Michelle to Mikey’s quad practice and his Daddy joined them after his practice was over. Brianna and I chose to stay in the camper for this excursion and let the rest of the MTB crew handle pee-wee practice. Brianna and I passed the time watching a bit more Scooby-Doo and playing games. The crew soon arrived back at the campers and spent some time relaxing as well.
The time passed quickly and before we knew it, we were all out at the start of Mikey’s race. The official called for hands on their heads and the horn sounded. As always it was an exciting start – some are quick, some a bit slower – but it is always exciting. Then, as if another horn had sounded, the parents raced to snag a prime viewing position on the track. Brie, Trey, and I opted for the back portion of the course. The whole track was pretty muddy and we managed to find a corner with mud, roots, and trees – it doesn’t get much better than that. We witnessed a few rear end collisions and almost got to see a few riders turn upside down, but fortunately there were no major incidents. Both Karlee and Michael J. seem to be getting faster and more confident with each racing experience. Way to go, Munchkins!!!
It was back to the campers and time for lunch for the MTB Gang. In an unusual change to our routine, lunch was served inside our campers and very little lunchtime socializing was done. All of this thanks to the frosty weather. Now it was time to wait until Michael’s 3:30 quad race. Trey had some work to do on his bike, so Brie and I explored her new travel games. They all have little holders for the extra pieces and they fold up so neatly. Where was that kind of stuff when I was a kid??? Anyway, we played, watched TV, and snacked until it was time to pack up and head to watch Michael.
As with the start of the pee-wee races, the big-boy starts never fail to provide quality entertainment. We saw one well-maneuvered spinout, as well as the #1 quad racer miss the double greens and have to turn around to come back and go through them. Michael got a solid start in the middle of the pack and was off to endure an hour and a half of pain and pleasure in the freezing cold. Since we were unsure of the whereabouts of the rest of the MTB Gang, Trey, Brianna, and I headed to find an interesting viewing spot. We ended up near the backside of the pee-wee track watching a hill and a creek crossing. It was amazing to see the mud that had covered the quads and the racers as they came barreling across the creek. Although it was chilly, our spot allowed us to see the racers use their various skills to maneuver diverse terrain. Unable to feel his extremities, Michael pushed through and completed the race in second place. It was another positive finish for MTB Sports.
After seeing Michael’s final pass through our viewing area, the three of us headed back to the camper to get warm and check in with the rest of the MTB Gang. As we walked into the MTB compound (AKA our camping area), we saw a rather distressed version of Michael rolling around on the ground and Michelle pulling on his boot. Okay, we saw him five minutes ago…did he break his leg in the last few miles of the race and make it back to the compound?! After some inquiry we determined that he was suffering from cramps in his calves. That doesn’t sound so bad, but amazingly it can bring about pain unlike any other. After a minute or two of stretching, the old Michael was back and headed in to take a shower. Whew…no hospital visit today!
Racing was done for the day and everyone was ready to get warm and relax. Trey and Michelle decided that they needed snacks from the ice cream man and endured the freezing cold to go and get them. When Trey returned, our camper was full of munchkins – Karlee, Kalob, Karson, and Brie had all gathered in our warmth to watch a movie and play. However, it only took them a moment to realize that “Uncle Trey” had warm boiled peanuts. In less a minute our table was surrounded by munchkins popping open peanuts and gobbling them down. From two year olds to adults – the ice cream man’s boiled peanuts were a hit.
Soon it was off to our individual campers to eat some dinner. Our normal outdoor dinner gathering was just not going to happen in the 36 degree weather. A quick meal of hot dogs and soup filled our bellies and we were ready for whatever the night had in store. For Brianna, that meant more playing with her friends, followed by the remainder of “A Bug’s Life” and bedtime. Trey spent the time trying to figure out the most effective technique for keeping his bike from freezing during the night. With the low expected to be 28 degrees for a sustained period of time this was a valid concern. He decided to treat the bike like a plant and cover it with a blanket (or two) and hope for the best. I spent my evening chatting with Mimi, who had just arrived, and writing.
Aside from the always entertaining racing that occurred today, our time was rather uneventful. Extreme weather conditions seem to have a considerable effect on our camping routine. However, as always the MTB Sports Gang had an AWESOME day of racing! Can’t wait until tomorrow – the high is supposed to be in the 50’s!!! I never thought that I would be glad for the 50’s!
Sunday, January 10, 2010
To practice or not to practice…that is the question of the morning. The temperature is just above freezing and the track will likely change quite a bit before the race, so is there any point? On the other hand it is an opportunity to get some ride time on challenging terrain and get a feel for the track before race time. After a chilly discussion, the boys (Austin, Steven, and Trey) decided that they would brave the cold and ride practice.
Slightly frozen and numb, the boys arrived back at the camper just in time to eat a warm breakfast sandwich and head out to watch the morning race. The MTB munchkins all loaded up in the Hedin’s Mule and off we headed to the starting line. There was a slight delay in start time because of an incident during practice, so we had to endure the chilly wind a bit longer than planned. The first class got off the line at 11:00 and Trey, Austin, Garrett (Austin’s friend), and I headed to the creek crossing behind the pee-wee track as we had done yesterday. Not only did this spot provide great viewing, but it was also warm and sheltered from the freezing north wind. However, the boys had to get back to the camper to grab a sandwich and get prepared for their race, so we headed back after only one lap.
As we do on most race days, the time before Trey’s race is spent relaxing and making sure that everything is ready to go. Trey had a slight issue during practice with the new brake line he installed yesterday, so they worked on that for a short time and were able to resolve the problem with plenty of time to spare. Then it was a quick sandwich and final preparations for the race. I prepped the CamelBak and goggles while Trey took care of his gear and the bike. As we were working on these final tasks we were pleasantly surprised when Keith offered to let Trey wear his helmet camera. I immediately handed the goggles over to Keith and he got it all set up for us. This was going to be a novel experience for us, as we have never seen the track from Trey’s viewpoint.
As usual, the time passed quickly and it was nearly 1:30 before we knew it. Down to the last few minutes, I made final arrangements for Brianna and handed her the CamelBak loaded down with snacks, Benadryl, and water. I hopped on the back of Trey’s bike and we were headed to the line. Because of the cold weather his bike did not want to start, so while he took his final potty break I was assigned to “revving up” the bike to help get it warm. As I stood there in the cold with the near deafening sounds of the bikes all around me, I was entranced by the amount of power I was holding at the mere twist of the throttle. All I could think about was how incredible it would feel to hop on the bike and take it for a lap around the track. Then I snapped back into reality and I realized that I would probably kill myself. It was about that time that Trey made his way back to the bike and resumed the job of bike warming. Our next few minutes were devoted to Keith’s helmet cam. I verified the directions and prepared for my new job as “helmet cam operator”. Trey took a moment to speak with his competitors and performed final checks on the bike and his gear.
The moment had arrived…the horn sounded and the first line was off. Only four minutes left. My new job had made me a bit uneasy, so I went ahead and pressed the power button and pushed the record button into the proper position. The helmet cam was up and running! Trey took his position on the line and I took my position holding the bike. The horn blew, we exchanged “I love you’s”, and Trey kicked the starter. Apparently I was not a qualified “bike warmer” because the bike failed to start on the first two tries. As they say, “the third time is the charm” – the bike started and Trey was off the line. Austin followed behind him after having starting issues as well.
After the final class got off the line Mimi and I headed for the creek crossing. The rest of the MTB Gang headed to various spots on the course to find the premier viewing locale. For the MTB munchkins that place seemed to have a great deal of dirt in which they could build sand castles. Mimi and I enjoyed our spot as we got to see the riders select various lines. Some turned out to be a good selection, while others decided to try a new line the next time through. Like this morning, this location provided shelter from the wind and at one point it was almost warm enough to take off our sweatshirts. Even with the AA riders flying through as if they were one with their bike and the sun keeping us warm, the best part of watching the race from this spot is that I got to see my sweetheart jump the creek. He didn’t take the “safe” route as he has so many times in the past, but he “Cowboyed Up” and rode to his capabilities. Regardless of his finishing position, I am proud of him for pushing himself! Great race, Darling!
As the race concluded, Trey came off of the track in 9th place. We chatted for a few moments at the finish and Brie climbed on the bike to head back to the MTB compound with her daddy. The rest of us grabbed our chairs and made our way back through the mud. Our camping adventure had come to an end. The time had come to devote our energy to packing up…once again! The cold weather was an inspiring presence to encourage us to hurry the process along. As we were finishing the process Keith made the unfortunate discovery that their camper would not start. Luckily, through the use of two sets of jumper cables the boys were able to get it going. Before we knew it the kids were loaded in the Hedin’s rig and we were all headed to Pizza Hut for a nice warm dinner.
When we arrived, we left the front parking spot to the Hedin’s. They had discovered that the problem originated with the battery-generator connection and once it was turned off it would not start again. Everyone quickly piled out of their respective rides and made a cold dash for the warmth of the Pizza Hut dining room. What a surprise it was to us all to discover that Pizza Hut was not equipped with a heating unit. So, out we ran to the campers to unpack all of the sweatshirts that we had just packed up. Although it was a chilly dining experience, the pizza and the company was terrific.
With our bellies full we loaded up to finish up the drive home. Another race weekend had truly come to an end. It was time to unload and clean out our weekend home…until the next time!
Brooksville 12-31-09
Thursday, December 31, 2010
The MTB Sports gang got on the road at about 10:00 this morning. The weather was cool, but the clear blue skies and sunshine made the two hour drive to Brooksville quite enjoyable. After a quick lunch stop at the local McDonalds, we were back on the road for the last 15 minutes of our relatively short journey.
As members of the club, we were able to arrive at the track a day early and search out the premier parking and camping location. The back corner of the club parking, by a large oak tree, seemed the perfect spot for the munchkins to run around and play. However, the club decided that our generators would disturb the tent campers, so we moved to the next best spot a little further up. This seemed to meet everyone’s approval.
As usual, we spent the next little while setting up the campers and getting organized. Stephanie decided to be a part of the MTB gang this weekend, so Michelle filled her in on the ins and outs of camping shower and bathroom etiquette. The kids got into their camping routine quickly and began running around and playing while the adults continued setting up.
We then set out to enjoy one of the other perks of having our club host the race. We got the kids geared up and headed out to the pee-wee track for some free ride time. Michael J. hopped on his quad and took off – ready to go. Brie was a bit tentative, so Trey led she and I – with me hanging on tightly to the fenders – around the track for her first practice lap on a real race course. We spent most of the afternoon at the pee-wee track taking turns riding the quads and the TTR 50. By the end of practice Mikey J. had improved his lap time, Brianna was more comfortable on a racetrack, and McKenzie was enjoying riding around the track with her Daddy and Brie. A successful afternoon for the MTB Munchkins!
A new experience was in store for the two Michelle’s in the late afternoon. Michael and Trey decided that they wanted us to experience what they do on race day. So, we threw on our helmets (Michelle had to wear McKenzie’s…which didn’t exactly fit) and hopped on behind our husbands. Off we went, not sure exactly how well having a tag along on the back of a quad or bike was going to work on a harescramble track. After a good 30 minute ride, the MTB wives have a completely new respect for our husbands’ abilities. Maneuvering through the tight woods, in and out of trees, up and down hills, around tight corners, and through mud and sand cannot be easy with someone sitting behind you holding on to your shirt for dear life. All in all, I hope we get to do that again!!!!
The club was providing fried turkey for the club members for dinner, so while we were waiting, the MTB gang decided to wander around and get some ideas for how we were going to handle the GNCC camping. We found a few enclosed trailers that seemed workable, as well as a two room tent with sleeping room for two queen size air mattresses. I say we go with the enclosed trailer, but the tent would save a lot of money. We’ll have to debate that a bit more when the time comes.
The club dinner was fabulous. The pot luck choices made a great addition to the wonderful flavor of the five turkeys that they fried. Dessert finished it all off with the sweet taste of brownies, chocolate mousse cake, and a variety of pies.
The remainder of the evening was spent by Michael’s campfire. The boys worked on Trey’s bike; Michelle, Steph, and Michael J. played “Tip It”, the girls did girlie stuff, and I worked on crossword puzzles. Everyone was relaxing and enjoying the blue moon (which we won’t see again for another 15-20 years) until Michael had to mess with the fire. Okay, so it wasn’t his fault, but all of a sudden the grass beneath the fire pit was ablaze. Michael was trying to kick dirt on it and stomp it out, Trey grabbed our 7 gallon water container and began pouring water on it, and Michelle grabbed a little water bottle. The rest of us…we just sat and watched. The newly appointed MTB fire squad saved the day, well night.
Once the excitement ceased our activities resumed, until the rain started. Then it was a frenzy of people covering generators, chairs, bikes, and quads. It was about 10:00 anyway, so we decided to head inside and get ready for bed. We knew tomorrow would be a day filled with excitement, especially for the MTB munchkins. Good night to all and Happy New Year!!!!
Friday, January 1, 2010
Happy New Year!!!!! What an exciting feeling, to wake up on the first day of a new year. Trey was starting the year off with a morning run and I was enjoying sleeping in (Pea-Pod was enjoying it too!). That worked out well for us girls, as the rain from last night was not ceasing and the wind had picked up, but Trey was going for his run anyway. As he opened the camper door at the completion of his run, soaked basically from head to toe I realized how proud of him I should be. He started the New Year out right, no matter what Mother Nature had in store. Brie and I were still lazing in bed.
So, I finally got up and got ready to face the world. Brie wanted some pancakes, so I set up the generators and the griddle. We prepared the pancake mix and we were ready to get started, when the clouds really let loose. The pancakes got soaked on the griddle and I was a mess. Brie and McKenzie had escaped to the safety of the camper and left me to handle the cooking. Needless to say, six pancakes were the only things to get cooked.
Meanwhile Trey, Michael, and Mikey J. set off toward the pasture to work on the track. The cows had eaten many of the arrows and knocked down a few of the posts, so their job was to get everything back to race-ready. They had planned to be back in about an hour, but with the downpour, it was a good two hours before they arrived back for lunch. Not long after shoving down an amazing chicken salad sandwich (thanks Daddy!), they were back on the track hard at work. Michelle, Stephanie, the munchkins, and I made a Wal-Mart run for a new pair of boots (Trey’s got destroyed in the mud) and a few others odds and ends.
The boys returned to the camper shortly after we returned from Wal-Mart and the MTB Sports gang decided to explore the track on foot. Trey, Stephanie, Brie, Kenzie, and I headed for “The Claw” while the rest of the gang helped the Hedins unpack. By the time we had mastered “The Claw”, “The Log”, and a number of other hills we had one muddy tush and some dirty hands, but we had a great adventure. As we headed toward the motocross track, we ran into the rest of the gang and spent some more time on the muddy hills.
By this time we were all ready for a hearty dinner – cheeseburgers and Amish macaroni salad (the Amish macaroni salad from Wal-Mart has become a favorite of the MTB gang). As we were preparing this seemingly appropriate camping meal, Michelle and I realized that it was New Year’s Day and we hadn’t prepared our New Year’s food. We scurried in to round up our canned black-eyed peas, canned collard greens, and the slab of hog fat (better known as hog jowls). Steph took over the indoor cooking and I handled the outside food preparation. I thought I was going to freeze to death, but I managed to survive and we all enjoyed a tasty dinner.
The evening concluded as usual with the kids playing and the adults chit-chatting about anything and everything. Another incredible day at the races!!!!
Saturday, January 02, 2010
So the morning started a bit off track since Trey overslept and was late heading out to his work post. Fortunately he was able to get on his way quickly and the rest of the gang got back into our Saturday routine. Michael headed out to his practice and Mimi arrived a bit before Mikey J. headed out to his pee-wee practice. As usual watching practice was interesting – anywhere from 50cc to 90cc quads with munchkins from 4-11 years old all on the track at the same time. Mikey had fun though and made it through…even Karlee was out there this weekend.
Then it was back to the camper to chill out until Mikey J.’s race. A bit of playing was in store for the kids and more chatting for the adults. It wasn’t too long before it was Mikey J.’s time to race. The MTB gang (now known as Mikey J.’s cheering squad) was strategically placed over the track – prepared to rescue anyone from a tree or perhaps a pile up in a tight corner. Luckily no one needed rescuing and the race was a success. Michael J. finished ____ and received a participation medal.
Lunch and more relaxing was in store for the next few hours while we waited until time for Michael to race. As the day progressed we realized that the weather forecast was on target this time and a cold front was upon us. So we grabbed our hoodies, beanies, gloves, sweaters, blankets, and a Snuggie (yes…Stephanie has a Snuggie) and hiked out to the track to watch Michael race. Thankfully the afternoon sun kept us warm for the first half of the race, but as the sun sank down behind the trees the north wind made it extremely chilly.
More important than the comfort of the MTB spectators, Michael got off the line in second place. As he passed Trey in the pasture he had acquired first place. Unfortunately he crashed not long after and was back to the end of his class. He toughed it out and made it through, which paid off in the end. Another rider dropped out and Michael finished in second.
Then it was back to the campers for another camp meal. Michelle was in charge tonight and got busy stirring her huge pot of chili. So, Steph and I made a quick trip to the gas station to get gas for the generators (a couple of limeades from Sonic were our reward for the trip). By the time we got back the boys had finished eating and were headed to the Harescramble Committee Meeting. I decided to join them just to hear what issues were being discussed, so I grabbed my bowl of chili – and a warm blanket – and went to the sign up tent. After a good hour of discussion and not accomplishing too much, I thought I should get back to check on my munchkin. It was just too cold to do much socializing tonight so the munchkins watched a bit of Curious George and we all headed to bed. Yet another fabulous day for the MTB gang!!!! Looking forward to tomorrow!!!!
Sunday, January 03, 2010
So, this morning started at about 4:30 when Trey noticed that the camper was unusually chilly. After trying to get the furnace to put out some heat, he realized that we were out of propane in the active tank. In a valiant effort to rescue the ladies from what seemed to be turning into an ice box, Trey ran outside to switch the tanks – in his underwear! Did I mention that the temperature was barely 30 degrees??? Needless to say, he made a mad dash back inside the camper and slid beneath the covers. We quickly fell back to sleep for another few hours of warmth.
7:30 came too quickly, but Trey was up and ready to head out to practice. While he walked in the freezing cold to sign-up, I threw together an egg sandwich. Soon after gobbling down breakfast he was geared up and heading out to the track. My Angel was still snoozing, so I went ahead and got ready to go. This included my thermal undies (shirt and pants) as well as a long sleeve shirt, hoodie, jeans, two pairs of socks, and my boots. At a little after 10:00 Brie finally awoke. She hastily brushed her teeth and piled on the same layers as her mommy. We just aren’t used to the chilly weather.
The Saturday races were not permitted to use “The Claw” or any of the surrounding area, so Trey wanted to go out and watch the Sunday morning racers attempt the challenge. Most who tried any of the three uphills made it without a struggle, but there are always a few who have difficulties and today was no exception. We witnessed a few bobbles, as well as a few complete failures, but fortunately no injuries.
Soon it was time to head back and start the preparations for Trey’s race. Brie was completely enthralled with watching the excitement at “The Claw” so she opted to hang out with the rest of the MTB gang (except Michael, who was working the race). Trey and I ate a simple lunch and suddenly realized that time had flown by – it was time for serious race preparations. My next 30 minutes or so consisted of filling Camelbak’s (one for Trey and one for Brie), bandaging various sensitive areas, prepping goggles, etc. Trey spent his time getting on his many layers of gear (some for protection and some for the cold) and trying to relax as it was nearing 12:45.
As usual we finished the preparations just in time to head to the line. I left Brie (equipped her Camelbak and snacks) with the MTB gang, grabbed my Thermos and my chair, and hopped on the bike with Trey. After four days of camping it was finally time to do what he was here for. We approached his line, the fifth row back, and took one of the few spots that were left. He didn’t have the best starting location, but he usually doesn’t. As 1:00 drew near, Trey took his last potty break and spoke with a few of his competitors.
Finally the horn blew – only four minutes to go. The time flew by and soon row four was gone. One minute to go – the B250 boys moved to their line and, as always, Trey told me he loved me. Each competitor on the line was looking at his bike (probably hoping that one of us holding their bikes for them didn’t drop it). The horn blew and they were off. Unfortunately, Trey’s bike didn’t start (not uncommon) and he got off of the line in 18th place. There was one competitor that had worse luck than him and started last. As the laps went by Trey managed to make up time, completing the race in 11th place. A pretty good finish for the MTB Sports team.
The MTB gang gathered up our chairs, snacks, blankets, gloves, etc. and headed to finish to hear all the ups and downs of the race. It seems Trey made some great moves and had a few bobbles, but he got some more ride time and finished in one piece. It is all part of the work necessary to reach the ultimate goal. Three years, Baby. Keep pushing!!!
The next hour or so was spent cleaning and packing up the mess that it took us four days to create. Amazingly we were not the last ones to leave (we usually are). After a final check to ensure that the camper bays were locked and our antennas were down properly, the MTB Sports gang was on their way to dinner – Waffle House here we come.
Dinner together on the way home from our races has been a tradition since Trey and I started our racing journeys five or so years ago. It’s nice to sit down for a few minutes and discuss the highlights of the weekend – and the track. It took about two hours to get home, which is a short journey compared to most, leaving us time to get the camper unpacked before heading in to relax.
Our New Year’s race weekend has come to an end – too soon! Tomorrow we head back to our normal lives. But I am thankful for another safe and fun race weekend with my family. I am looking forward to a busy week of cleaning and re-packing to do it again next weekend – the Myakka City make-up race!!!!
The MTB Sports gang got on the road at about 10:00 this morning. The weather was cool, but the clear blue skies and sunshine made the two hour drive to Brooksville quite enjoyable. After a quick lunch stop at the local McDonalds, we were back on the road for the last 15 minutes of our relatively short journey.
As members of the club, we were able to arrive at the track a day early and search out the premier parking and camping location. The back corner of the club parking, by a large oak tree, seemed the perfect spot for the munchkins to run around and play. However, the club decided that our generators would disturb the tent campers, so we moved to the next best spot a little further up. This seemed to meet everyone’s approval.
As usual, we spent the next little while setting up the campers and getting organized. Stephanie decided to be a part of the MTB gang this weekend, so Michelle filled her in on the ins and outs of camping shower and bathroom etiquette. The kids got into their camping routine quickly and began running around and playing while the adults continued setting up.
We then set out to enjoy one of the other perks of having our club host the race. We got the kids geared up and headed out to the pee-wee track for some free ride time. Michael J. hopped on his quad and took off – ready to go. Brie was a bit tentative, so Trey led she and I – with me hanging on tightly to the fenders – around the track for her first practice lap on a real race course. We spent most of the afternoon at the pee-wee track taking turns riding the quads and the TTR 50. By the end of practice Mikey J. had improved his lap time, Brianna was more comfortable on a racetrack, and McKenzie was enjoying riding around the track with her Daddy and Brie. A successful afternoon for the MTB Munchkins!
A new experience was in store for the two Michelle’s in the late afternoon. Michael and Trey decided that they wanted us to experience what they do on race day. So, we threw on our helmets (Michelle had to wear McKenzie’s…which didn’t exactly fit) and hopped on behind our husbands. Off we went, not sure exactly how well having a tag along on the back of a quad or bike was going to work on a harescramble track. After a good 30 minute ride, the MTB wives have a completely new respect for our husbands’ abilities. Maneuvering through the tight woods, in and out of trees, up and down hills, around tight corners, and through mud and sand cannot be easy with someone sitting behind you holding on to your shirt for dear life. All in all, I hope we get to do that again!!!!
The club was providing fried turkey for the club members for dinner, so while we were waiting, the MTB gang decided to wander around and get some ideas for how we were going to handle the GNCC camping. We found a few enclosed trailers that seemed workable, as well as a two room tent with sleeping room for two queen size air mattresses. I say we go with the enclosed trailer, but the tent would save a lot of money. We’ll have to debate that a bit more when the time comes.
The club dinner was fabulous. The pot luck choices made a great addition to the wonderful flavor of the five turkeys that they fried. Dessert finished it all off with the sweet taste of brownies, chocolate mousse cake, and a variety of pies.
The remainder of the evening was spent by Michael’s campfire. The boys worked on Trey’s bike; Michelle, Steph, and Michael J. played “Tip It”, the girls did girlie stuff, and I worked on crossword puzzles. Everyone was relaxing and enjoying the blue moon (which we won’t see again for another 15-20 years) until Michael had to mess with the fire. Okay, so it wasn’t his fault, but all of a sudden the grass beneath the fire pit was ablaze. Michael was trying to kick dirt on it and stomp it out, Trey grabbed our 7 gallon water container and began pouring water on it, and Michelle grabbed a little water bottle. The rest of us…we just sat and watched. The newly appointed MTB fire squad saved the day, well night.
Once the excitement ceased our activities resumed, until the rain started. Then it was a frenzy of people covering generators, chairs, bikes, and quads. It was about 10:00 anyway, so we decided to head inside and get ready for bed. We knew tomorrow would be a day filled with excitement, especially for the MTB munchkins. Good night to all and Happy New Year!!!!
Friday, January 1, 2010
Happy New Year!!!!! What an exciting feeling, to wake up on the first day of a new year. Trey was starting the year off with a morning run and I was enjoying sleeping in (Pea-Pod was enjoying it too!). That worked out well for us girls, as the rain from last night was not ceasing and the wind had picked up, but Trey was going for his run anyway. As he opened the camper door at the completion of his run, soaked basically from head to toe I realized how proud of him I should be. He started the New Year out right, no matter what Mother Nature had in store. Brie and I were still lazing in bed.
So, I finally got up and got ready to face the world. Brie wanted some pancakes, so I set up the generators and the griddle. We prepared the pancake mix and we were ready to get started, when the clouds really let loose. The pancakes got soaked on the griddle and I was a mess. Brie and McKenzie had escaped to the safety of the camper and left me to handle the cooking. Needless to say, six pancakes were the only things to get cooked.
Meanwhile Trey, Michael, and Mikey J. set off toward the pasture to work on the track. The cows had eaten many of the arrows and knocked down a few of the posts, so their job was to get everything back to race-ready. They had planned to be back in about an hour, but with the downpour, it was a good two hours before they arrived back for lunch. Not long after shoving down an amazing chicken salad sandwich (thanks Daddy!), they were back on the track hard at work. Michelle, Stephanie, the munchkins, and I made a Wal-Mart run for a new pair of boots (Trey’s got destroyed in the mud) and a few others odds and ends.
The boys returned to the camper shortly after we returned from Wal-Mart and the MTB Sports gang decided to explore the track on foot. Trey, Stephanie, Brie, Kenzie, and I headed for “The Claw” while the rest of the gang helped the Hedins unpack. By the time we had mastered “The Claw”, “The Log”, and a number of other hills we had one muddy tush and some dirty hands, but we had a great adventure. As we headed toward the motocross track, we ran into the rest of the gang and spent some more time on the muddy hills.
By this time we were all ready for a hearty dinner – cheeseburgers and Amish macaroni salad (the Amish macaroni salad from Wal-Mart has become a favorite of the MTB gang). As we were preparing this seemingly appropriate camping meal, Michelle and I realized that it was New Year’s Day and we hadn’t prepared our New Year’s food. We scurried in to round up our canned black-eyed peas, canned collard greens, and the slab of hog fat (better known as hog jowls). Steph took over the indoor cooking and I handled the outside food preparation. I thought I was going to freeze to death, but I managed to survive and we all enjoyed a tasty dinner.
The evening concluded as usual with the kids playing and the adults chit-chatting about anything and everything. Another incredible day at the races!!!!
Saturday, January 02, 2010
So the morning started a bit off track since Trey overslept and was late heading out to his work post. Fortunately he was able to get on his way quickly and the rest of the gang got back into our Saturday routine. Michael headed out to his practice and Mimi arrived a bit before Mikey J. headed out to his pee-wee practice. As usual watching practice was interesting – anywhere from 50cc to 90cc quads with munchkins from 4-11 years old all on the track at the same time. Mikey had fun though and made it through…even Karlee was out there this weekend.
Then it was back to the camper to chill out until Mikey J.’s race. A bit of playing was in store for the kids and more chatting for the adults. It wasn’t too long before it was Mikey J.’s time to race. The MTB gang (now known as Mikey J.’s cheering squad) was strategically placed over the track – prepared to rescue anyone from a tree or perhaps a pile up in a tight corner. Luckily no one needed rescuing and the race was a success. Michael J. finished ____ and received a participation medal.
Lunch and more relaxing was in store for the next few hours while we waited until time for Michael to race. As the day progressed we realized that the weather forecast was on target this time and a cold front was upon us. So we grabbed our hoodies, beanies, gloves, sweaters, blankets, and a Snuggie (yes…Stephanie has a Snuggie) and hiked out to the track to watch Michael race. Thankfully the afternoon sun kept us warm for the first half of the race, but as the sun sank down behind the trees the north wind made it extremely chilly.
More important than the comfort of the MTB spectators, Michael got off the line in second place. As he passed Trey in the pasture he had acquired first place. Unfortunately he crashed not long after and was back to the end of his class. He toughed it out and made it through, which paid off in the end. Another rider dropped out and Michael finished in second.
Then it was back to the campers for another camp meal. Michelle was in charge tonight and got busy stirring her huge pot of chili. So, Steph and I made a quick trip to the gas station to get gas for the generators (a couple of limeades from Sonic were our reward for the trip). By the time we got back the boys had finished eating and were headed to the Harescramble Committee Meeting. I decided to join them just to hear what issues were being discussed, so I grabbed my bowl of chili – and a warm blanket – and went to the sign up tent. After a good hour of discussion and not accomplishing too much, I thought I should get back to check on my munchkin. It was just too cold to do much socializing tonight so the munchkins watched a bit of Curious George and we all headed to bed. Yet another fabulous day for the MTB gang!!!! Looking forward to tomorrow!!!!
Sunday, January 03, 2010
So, this morning started at about 4:30 when Trey noticed that the camper was unusually chilly. After trying to get the furnace to put out some heat, he realized that we were out of propane in the active tank. In a valiant effort to rescue the ladies from what seemed to be turning into an ice box, Trey ran outside to switch the tanks – in his underwear! Did I mention that the temperature was barely 30 degrees??? Needless to say, he made a mad dash back inside the camper and slid beneath the covers. We quickly fell back to sleep for another few hours of warmth.
7:30 came too quickly, but Trey was up and ready to head out to practice. While he walked in the freezing cold to sign-up, I threw together an egg sandwich. Soon after gobbling down breakfast he was geared up and heading out to the track. My Angel was still snoozing, so I went ahead and got ready to go. This included my thermal undies (shirt and pants) as well as a long sleeve shirt, hoodie, jeans, two pairs of socks, and my boots. At a little after 10:00 Brie finally awoke. She hastily brushed her teeth and piled on the same layers as her mommy. We just aren’t used to the chilly weather.
The Saturday races were not permitted to use “The Claw” or any of the surrounding area, so Trey wanted to go out and watch the Sunday morning racers attempt the challenge. Most who tried any of the three uphills made it without a struggle, but there are always a few who have difficulties and today was no exception. We witnessed a few bobbles, as well as a few complete failures, but fortunately no injuries.
Soon it was time to head back and start the preparations for Trey’s race. Brie was completely enthralled with watching the excitement at “The Claw” so she opted to hang out with the rest of the MTB gang (except Michael, who was working the race). Trey and I ate a simple lunch and suddenly realized that time had flown by – it was time for serious race preparations. My next 30 minutes or so consisted of filling Camelbak’s (one for Trey and one for Brie), bandaging various sensitive areas, prepping goggles, etc. Trey spent his time getting on his many layers of gear (some for protection and some for the cold) and trying to relax as it was nearing 12:45.
As usual we finished the preparations just in time to head to the line. I left Brie (equipped her Camelbak and snacks) with the MTB gang, grabbed my Thermos and my chair, and hopped on the bike with Trey. After four days of camping it was finally time to do what he was here for. We approached his line, the fifth row back, and took one of the few spots that were left. He didn’t have the best starting location, but he usually doesn’t. As 1:00 drew near, Trey took his last potty break and spoke with a few of his competitors.
Finally the horn blew – only four minutes to go. The time flew by and soon row four was gone. One minute to go – the B250 boys moved to their line and, as always, Trey told me he loved me. Each competitor on the line was looking at his bike (probably hoping that one of us holding their bikes for them didn’t drop it). The horn blew and they were off. Unfortunately, Trey’s bike didn’t start (not uncommon) and he got off of the line in 18th place. There was one competitor that had worse luck than him and started last. As the laps went by Trey managed to make up time, completing the race in 11th place. A pretty good finish for the MTB Sports team.
The MTB gang gathered up our chairs, snacks, blankets, gloves, etc. and headed to finish to hear all the ups and downs of the race. It seems Trey made some great moves and had a few bobbles, but he got some more ride time and finished in one piece. It is all part of the work necessary to reach the ultimate goal. Three years, Baby. Keep pushing!!!
The next hour or so was spent cleaning and packing up the mess that it took us four days to create. Amazingly we were not the last ones to leave (we usually are). After a final check to ensure that the camper bays were locked and our antennas were down properly, the MTB Sports gang was on their way to dinner – Waffle House here we come.
Dinner together on the way home from our races has been a tradition since Trey and I started our racing journeys five or so years ago. It’s nice to sit down for a few minutes and discuss the highlights of the weekend – and the track. It took about two hours to get home, which is a short journey compared to most, leaving us time to get the camper unpacked before heading in to relax.
Our New Year’s race weekend has come to an end – too soon! Tomorrow we head back to our normal lives. But I am thankful for another safe and fun race weekend with my family. I am looking forward to a busy week of cleaning and re-packing to do it again next weekend – the Myakka City make-up race!!!!
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