Laddie's Loppet - Maplelag

The mass start...

Suicide Hill x3

Some downhill.
Sight for sore eyes!

Hmmm... let me see... a weekend of mountain biking & camping at the beautiful Maplelag resort in Callaway, MN?... Ummm... Yes please!

What a great event. Already marking my caly for this next year! Lots of fun bike events including a time trial and short track concluded by the cross country races on Sunday. The sky was blue, the air was crisp, & the only chores were keeping beer cool & the tires pumped.

Raced Citizens class & definitely underestimated the energy output required for the 3 laps of the course layout. The course included a lot of fire road double-track where I found myself enjoying the luxuries of my freewheel & the scenic flora around me instead of pedaling. Guess ya gotta pedal if you wanna win the race (that's for you Reed). The second half of each lap included a bit of climbing starting with Suicide Hill which wasn't too bad, but just bad enough to tire me out for the rest of the punchier singletrack climbs that were littered with roots. I hate roots. Give me log piles, give me rocks, but you can keep the roots for yourself! A 3rd place finish in my age group & I'm happy. Although, I did miss the awards ceremony as I thought they would be outside... they were in the lodge. :( Me: Outside wandering around, drinking beer, smelling the flowers, wondering why it was so desolate - yet never putting 2 and 2 together to notice all the bikes outside the lodge - indicating that everyone was inside at the awards... doh! Oh well. I can be spacey sometimes & I'm ok with that.

Overall, excellent weekend!

Race Afterthoughts: Feeling a little too complacent with my efforts & results this weekend. Feeling like I didn't leave it all on the trail like I did at Afton & Mont Du Lac (which were much more difficult courses both physically & mentally). Hoping to get this sorted out before Powder Monkey (Spirit Mountain in Duluth) this weekend. Hoping to finish the race season with feelings of satisfaction & accomplishment instead of regret. Sometimes I feel like mediocrity is enough to satisfy me & that doesn't sit well...

Over & Out.

Seriously... is there anything more cute?

Salsa 24

The Goat

Lap #3 - 2nd Night Lap

After all the rigamarore of going back and forth between riding solo or filling in on a 4 person co-ed team, I landed myself on a co-ed duo team w/good pal "the goat" (given that name for his extreme climbing abilities). He kept me on my toes from the start of the race when I had to scurry to put his # plate on his bike amidst all the other bikes scattered about for the start. Orange Kona... found it!Phhhsssshew.

First 6 laps we did one on/one off. My first lap was nice. It was only hour 2 of 24 & I knew we had a long way to go. I felt I pushed myself in a conservative fashion. This being my second year at Afton & 3rd event here, I felt I had a better handle on the course & what to expect. I did my best to stay on my damn bike for the hills, but Shady Lane & Manhandler still got the best of me... not that walking those gave much relief! My heels have developed a hatred for me, for not wearing socks on my first 2 laps. The technical & gnarly down hill sections that I was repeatedly warned about were not an issue (minus the teeny otb at the sharp left hand turn into the steep,rooty/rocky descent... which one right?). I had my fastest lap at sixty one minutes & eight seconds... damnit - was hoping to have a sub 60 minute lap this year... there's always next year. Laps 2 & 3 were in the dark... and dark they were... legs were getting heavy, grass was getting dewy, the wind was starting to hit you on the face of the mountain like a throaty whisper reminding you how cold, dark, & lonely it was out there. Not to mention, I had to keep visions of bears & wolves at bay as my imagination has no boundaries in when it's dark & I'm alone... Usually, I like riding alone, not having to worry about passing or being passed, but some company sure would have been nice out at those moments.
Sleep, that night was elusive. The damp, the cold, the loud MORCers... it just wasn't possible. At least I was fed and off my feet.

Morning came - wasn't sure how I was going to feel considering after my 3rd lap I was feeling pretty beat up. Goat started the day & I followed. Lap 4 felt pretty good.

Ended up with 5 laps - the goat with 7 - we finished 1st out of 3 teams in our category. The swag left much to be desired for a first place finish, but I won't complain - I enjoyed every minute & am looking forward to another year at Afton! Maybe solo next year?...

Time to prep for Laddies Loppet in Maplelag this weekend... Over and out.