Progression

The first party errrrrrrrr race of the year is behind me and the biggest base building race I have ever participated in is coming up fast. I was able to see the Icycle results online and this year I got 15th out of 39 riders in the single speed class at Icycle. Yes, you read that correctly, 39 single speed freaks, more than any other class. Talk about a stacked class, I know of at least 3 riders that were swilling beer before the race and two of those were top ten. Way to go fellas, way to go.

So going into my second year racing only a single speed bike, I already feel as though I have improved considerably. I feel as though my bike riding, running and adventurous hikes have really created a good start to bike riding. Why worry about any of these things? First and foremost, a wise man once told me “Bike riding isn’t any fun if you are out of shape.” So why not use some motivational drinking events (some call them races) to help “shape me up a bit.”

With all of this typed, I have a special place, albeit a very very small place in my heart for Eric’s races. Subconsciously, I am terrified by TMHTE. Consciously, I just try not to think about it but it is approaching fast and it is time to give this adventure some serious thought.

Here is the current mandatory checklist that we have to have or we can not start the race. To keep things slightly entertaining, I have listed the actual use of an item and its counter-use as I see fit. I will use A for actual and TS for what Team Safety First might use a particular item for. Also “Q” represents the quantity of the items.

1.Whistle Quantity: 1
A: To blow as hard as you can so someone (besides a bear) can help us out of the woods should those circumstances arise. A special note should be added here as whistles with “balls” in them should be avoided at all costs as they can freeze (hence useless) in the winter. My whistle has no moving parts and is very loud as we found out before last year’s PMBAR.
TS: To blow in team mate’s ear to force them out of bed for the last five stages of this 36 hour race.

2. Pisgah Map Q: 1
A: A navigational tool to help find our way to checkpoints or camp.
TS: Its not THAT FAR on the map.

3. Knife Q: 1
A: I am not sure where Eric is going with this one. . . Maybe to kill Hilton types.
TS: Cutting each other’s eye lids open for the last stage

4. Emergency Blankey Q: 2
A: A tool for preventing the fifth stage of Hypothermia..
TS: To create an orange wing suit for plummeting off of Black Mountain to White Pines.

5. Front Lights Q: 2
A: Umm the race starts at midnight, duh.
TS: A signal for extra terrestrials that might take pity on us and pulverize us to end the suffering

6 : Rear Blinker Q: 2
A: Required for all roads, gravel and asphalt.
TS: A beacon for other racers to follow into the night

7. First Aid Kit Q: 1
A: Carnage
TS: For knitting an extra sweater while sitting at Farlow Gap

8. Water Filter or Iodine Q: 1
A: Have you seen Waterboy?
TS: Filtering old moonshine found in the woods

9. Digital Camera Q: 1
A: Taking pictures of checkpoints for proof of arrival
TS: Proof that we started. . .

10. Winter tights Q: 2
A: Pisgah in February. . .
TS: Water balloon launcher to take out other teams during the start

11. Fleece Jacket Q: 2
A: Pisgah in March. . .
TS: Could I get another piece of that fleece toilet paper?

12. Lighter Q: 1
A: Fire
TS: Quantity: 15

13. Rain Jacket Q: 2
A: Rain, Snow, Sleet, Freezing Rain
TS: Slip N’ Slide down Squirrel Gap

14. Helmet Q: 2
A: come on
TS: we trip a lot while hike-a-biking

15. Sleeping Bag Q: 1
A: One sleeping bag? Maybe Eric meant to put down Body Bag
TS: I am not getting in a sleeping bag with Dennis. . .

16. Compass Q: 1
A: That N, S, E, W stuff is important sometimes
TS: Could that really be the Northern Lights?

Shade and I made the five or so mile run to the top of Paris mountain again last night. This time we went backwards and man it was a blast. I have been using running and hiking as a supplement to my biking as I figure we will be off the bike more than we are on it in next weekend's survival festival. I have to say that Shade is superb. I never would have imagined that I could run 7 - 8 mph through the woods on single track while a dog runs on a leash next to me. Good times!

In HUGE news:

Check it out, we can finally make the connection!!!!!