It's business time

I now have less than two weeks to focus on one of the bigger events I'll be doing this year...

I feel good enough to make an attempt at this race, even if it is claiming that it is, "The Longest Mountain Bike Stage Race in the US of A", not to be confused with the US and A even if it's the same thing. We'll be covering over 200 miles of Central PA terrain in less seven days, an area littered with rocks left over by giant glaciers millions of years ago. Although I am excited as a little school girl I find myself in an interesting place at this time of my life, a place I haven't been in some time.

My weight is at least five pounds heavier than it has been in the last ten years or so in mid May. That would have a lot to do with the fact that I have cut back on my early morning riding quite significantly while increasing my regular beer portions on the home front. This has a lot to do with the fact that I am no longer in the mood to get up even earlier than I already do just to ride around the urban landscape that is Charlotte, and it certainly doesn't help that over the winter I discovered that I really like GOOD beer. The good news is that my mental game is pretty keyed up, and I feel quite fresh... albeit only from a mental standpoint.

I'm pretty stoked about the idea of driving to a stage race as opposed to flying with a bike case, a 50lb duffel, and a carry-on. I'm having a hard time figuring out just what I might take with me. Spare bike? Sure, a spare bike means a spare everything a bike needs. Losta fresh clothing? Sure, if there's no weight limit on my bag why not bring everything I own and figure out what I'm wearing when I get there. Air compressor? I sleep better at night knowing it's in the next room when I'm at home, so perhaps I should throw it in the car as well. Road bike? That would be silly.

Having a spare bike will present a bit of a conundrum. Stage five was originally announced to be somewhere in the neighborhood of five Super D races in one day. The Death Stick would be quite the proficient descender now that I have the proper spring from the guys at Suspension Experts. The Death Stick only weighs @ five pounds more than the Meatplow, and it does sport 5" of rock gobbling travel with a slightly more stable geometry and high bottom bracket for bashing into things. It would feel like cheating, but then again I think that given my current physical condition I deserve a little leeway. The stage description has been changed though, from "multiple Super D's" to "3-4 mini XC's", so I might have to reassess the situation on site. No matter what ends up happening I will use every advantage I can scrounge up. I mean shit, I gotta race against TWO TIME 24 Hour Solo Single Speed World Champ and Rebecca Rusch boy toy Greg Martin.

Sharp looking fellow, eh? Rebecca must have high standards. Anyways, the only times I think I've actually been on the same course with Greg would have been the SSWC08 and some moments out on the Dirt, Sweat, and Gears Mudfest of 2009 trails in the early deluge. I look forward to hanging out with him, even if I have a stupid reason. Not only do I plan on finding out how exactly one lands a quality beer sponsor the real exciting reason is that I've never known a Greg, and since I'm a fan of Flight of the Conchords I can't wait to refer to Greg as Grig (that's New Zealand'esque for Greg).

I'll have my fun (unless Rebecca tells me to leave Grig alone).