What, me worry?

Breck Epic is next week.

I had "goals."  Not so much as to how the event would go for me, but what I would do in the lead up to aid in my making of not-so-great-but-definitely-a-finish bike race.

1. Lose weight... at a logical, healthy rate.

2. Drink less beer... as part of #1, but also just to do so.

3. Ride nothing but the Vertigo Meatplow V.7 avec le Fox Forque for the purposes of all off road pleasures from June 19th until some time in September.

Well... best intentions and whatnot.

I knew the first two would be a challenge, being that I had my birthday weekend trip, then the decision to attend the Tour de Burg, then my planned attendance of the UCI World Cup Race in Snowshoe.  Those kinda of things tend to come with certain poor lifestyle choices, and then it becomes a revolving door of bad behavior.  I was off to a good start, but each spit was followed by a certain amount of sputter.

I did lose weight.  Not the amount I wanted.  Not even close.  I was on track for a pound a week, but then 3 steps forward would lead to 2.99 back.  Being hungry for a hobby doesn't work for me like it used to. Beer followed suit as well.  Whatever.

I did manage to ride only the Vertigo from June 19th until (aside from TdB)... well, this past weekend.  Although the purpose was to get me back in single speed shape but also the single speed mindset, I'm pretty sure I managed that.  The bike felt all well and good on a 40 mile/5,300 feet day in Wilson Creek a few weeks ago, so as I was staring at all the money hanging on hooks and collecting dust this past Saturday, I decided I needed to love my children all the same.*

As if I meant to do so, somehow I scheduled a dentist appointment and my annual physical in the week leading up to heading to Breck.  I thought I would add to all the anxiety of travel, packing, logistics, and anticipation as I remember just how hard riding two hundred something miles with a billionty feet of climbing at about 10,000 feet of elevation really is.  Too bad I still didn't have an '87 Suzuki Samurai that needed an annual emissions inspection.

You would think I'd be getting better at dealing with this kinda crap since this is the 9th(?) time I've headed out for the Breck Epic.  I blame it on getting old... or the fact that the constantly compounding anal-compulsing issues are increasing at an exponential rather than linear rate.  I don't think I get more nervous about any event more than Breck Epic, which is odd because I've never considered it a race I could be any good at ever since the elevation handed me mine own ass the very first year I participated.  I might try to occasionally make great bike race from time to time, but I'm only at Breck to see if my body can still do these things.

And see frands.

And ride some of the most incredible trails on dog's green earth.

And to spend a lot of time kinda alone on or next to my bike while talking to myself and staring at the sun.

And to get outta Charlotte at a time of year when I think my brain is in danger of being properly baked, even if it's only a week of relief.  How many 90° days in a row are we at right now?

Anyways, doesn't sound like a bunch of shit that I should be all anxious about, do it?

* Speaking of all my children (and also anal compulsing), I was going to bring my Vassago Meatplow V.9 to Breck.  That was my motivation to swap the Grip 2 damper to a Fit 4.  Then again, I also daydreamed about spinning up the false flats at Breck that have me walking alongside Eaglers astride my Epic EVO (even though I know my legs have no idea how to do that).  Then I was able to get my hands on a Stepcast 32 (non-boost) for my Vertigo, but then that created a problem... a "problem" in as much as I make things a problem.

I've gotten used to my other two mountain bike type cycles having all the Mr Fix It stuff attached to them in some manner or another.  I enjoyed zero jersey pockets full of things at the Trans-Sylvania Epic 100%.  So what do?

Hate on the Big S all you want (and shoving tools in all your holes), but the poorly named Conceal Carry tool has all the minimal tools a single speeder would want, including a chain tool and spare links that I've literally never needed since I started SS'iing in late 2003.  I don't have room in my frame for a Topeak Ninja tool, and I think strapping a mini-tool into a strap with a tube slows down the kinda quick fixes you carry a tool to do.

My Dynaplug tool fits nicely under my Breck required Super 8 strap (gotta keep a vest/jacket/arm warmers/tiny hat handy), and it's one of two plugger do-dads I carry... because I wanna cover all my bases.  

Speaking of...

Tucked in right next to it are my spare plugs shoved inside a shortened, de-inked Bic pen.

Now obvs, I'm not being anti-Tülbag.  I mean, I sorta invented it.

If I don't carry it, I won't have some other things I carry, like a tire boot, Gorilla tape wrapped around a rectangle piece of Maxxis plastic, a piece of paper clip (to pick dirt outta things like loose cleat bolts), or a $20 bill for an emergency burrito.  

I might figure that shit out between now and then.  Mebbe.

Who knows?  Who even knows who would know?