Its gotten so bad that we know carry entire rolls of toilet paper when we ride. In the meantime, South Carolina has been the place to be for riding dirt. Since spring has decided to show up, on the asphalt at least, the road bike has been the place to be for North Carolina miles. My continued state of work up-in-the-air-ed-ness has allowed me to do quite a bit of riding. It has also put into such a financial bind that distant races are quickly dropping off my calender.
The biggest casualty thus far is the Arizona Trail 300. This was one I was really looking forward to. All this riding had me feeling pretty good on the bike. More importantly, 300 miles is completely manageable for me. Elevation wouldn't be an issue, and the profile is friendly less the Mt. Lemmon climb, but its pavement. All in all, almost a sure thing. And I needed a sure thing after last years CTR hospital induced debacle.
With AZT300 off the schedule, it makes getting to Syllamo's a little different. It was literally on my way home from Arizona and at a good time frame to allow some recovery from those 300 miles, and feel fresh for the race pace 50. Now I'll have to make a blitzkrieg drive into the night if I'm going to make that race. With only $50 invested, it hardly seems worth it unless I can scrounge up some other South Easterners who are interested.
The rescheduled P36AR was an option, until my Mom decided to turn 60 that weekend and my brother and I decided to get the family together for a celebration. Family time is going to last through Saturday, thus eliminating a Friday midnight start from my realm of possibilities. In other Pisgah Productions news, if don't go to Syllamo's revenge, I can do PMBAR, but it may be sold out, and I haven't even thought about a partner.
So now what. I was going to race early this season, and then take the second half of summer and fall off to do some bikepacking trips semi local, and dust off the rack and start climbing the myriad of 600 foot cliffs within a 90 minute drive from my house. Its all a little up in the air. And with the rest of life a little up in the air as well, its tragic to see "biking life" fall into that category as well.
4 comments:
no TNGA?
I'm just now starting to pick my cycling life back up from the up-in-the-airness life, 17 months later...
Luckily you're in the heartland of great riding. Racing is overrated.
Still coming out here in August?
mmm....August. I'd like to say yes. Given that I'll be working more early, and sacrificing some racing, another stab at the CTR is enticing, and financially feasible.
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