Can't wait to get back to the bad roads state

Tomorrow I leave for the Trans-Sylvania Epic, so expect a one week blackout here.  The start list is now published.

No surprises there.  Sticking with the Trans-Sylvania theme here...

You've seen how prepared I am, at least from a gear/food standpoint.  What about me, the human, the athlete, the organism?

Ribs.  On the mend.  Less pain and more stiff and angry.  Interestingly enough, the affected area has grown and wrapped around to my side.  Whatever.
General well being.  Fajita got sick last week, The Pie picked it up early this week, and I was less than diligent in protecting myself.  It started with a sore throat, which I countered with generic Zicam.  I've tried it once before, and it seemed to work.  Fingers crossed.  I just had a five layer sneezing fit (tying my record) followed by a rogue sneeze (can not be counted in the record), so there's that.

Weight.  I did my usual "that was a big race and I did really well and my metabolism's fucked and I just wanna eat and what weight is too much before it's time to back down again?" thing.   Some outta control eating followed by some restraint ending in last night's oatmeal/craisin cookie binging washed down with Double Wide IPA.  I've certainly lost some focus on that front, but with my next "A race" being almost two months away, I think I'll be where I wanna be when I need to be.

Then again, my whole "one more shot at a sub-5:30 ORAMM" might be out the window since part of the route was washed away.  Any rerouting around Old Highway 70 means the 5:30 goal goes is no longer applicable.  Shit.

Mental.  I'm ready.  I love riding in Central PA.  Ill-shaped fuck faced rocks and all (Peter Keiller™).  Riding, racing, whatever you call it.  Tons of good people on that start list and regardless of my standings in the single speed class, I look forward to rubbing elbows and knees with that fine group of people for seven days.

A crowded Sprinter means I get to take one bike.

The Misfit diSSent Brontoawesomeous Meatplow V.5 gets the nod.  I've been swapping bikes back and forth all year now, and the next two months will be no different.  The Pisgah Enduro will get the Meat Carver treatment (now with Thomson drooper), and then BC Bike Race is up in the air... either rigid  Dickstickel Meatplow V.6 or the Brontoawesomeous... I just dunno.  I really love all these bikes and am stoked to have assembled such an awesome "quiver." 

Albeit 100% single speeds.

So yeah, the blog returns in a week with tales from the back of the single speed pack.  It's not gonna be pretty, but it should be pretty fun.  I seriously wonder, given the strength of the SS field, if the starting of stage eight before stage seven moment of solidarity will take place this year.

Heaven forbid  we repeat the awfulness that was 2011 when we actually "raced" the seventh stage (and I dropped from second to third overall with a flat... *sigh*).

Is it wrong for me to look forward to a stage race because I can sleep in for seven days straight?

Until next time...