Milford Bike Festival

After roughly six months of planning, the day came yesterday; the Milford Bike Festival. I attended it in the past but helped out this year in the form of begging for raffle items from local businesses. I also helped attempt to drain the kegs of beer soda pop that various breweries in the area donated. After logging 28 miles patrolling during the day, the beverages were tasting quite delicious with some great music post ride to top it off! 

A gold star to Motor City Mountain Bike Association President Katherine R. for putting it all together and for having to put up with 20 different opinions (and Builder Bill) during our planning meetings. 

Below are some pictures from various trails I patrolled during the day. With so many riders in attendance, thankfully but surprisingly there were no injuries reported by anyone. I heard one report of a flat tire and that was it. Some good riders out there I guess.

Trail on.

Trail Head

Sarah V. at Highland Rec Area

patrol director Randy K. at Highland Rec Area

Milford Trail

Milford Trail

Proud Lake (horse poo on trail)

Proud Lake (horse poo on trail)

Milford Trail

Highland Rec Area

Highland Rec Area

Highland Rec Area

Bruno McSorley (good tunes)

raffle time - MCMBA President Katherine 

Bruno McSorley (good tunes)

forgot this band's name but they were good

playing possum - literally

The scene is about 8 AM this morning on a beautiful holiday; a great day for a loop around Walled Lake for this scribe. There I was, checking my bicycle and saddle bags for all the supplies needed when I noticed the towel in the bag move. After further review, it was determined that a possum had taken shelter in my saddle bag. After the chest pains subsided of having my pulse up to 200, I moved the bike near a tree and 'shood' (not sure if a word) the varmint away.

Heads up for the possum in your bags!

Trail Head

  

Feeling Prune

The fingers tell the story for today's No-Mo charity kayak fish outing  as Mother Nature blessed us with some H2O for the plants/grass on the wacky universe we hang out in. Good for the plants/grass, bummer for someone fishing in a non-motorized fishing tournament. 

Thanks go out to the Lake Oakland homeowner who let me hunker under his power boat canopy while rain number one (of three) came through.

No victory cigars for the tournament this year as I caught an early keeper but nothing worthy after while another kayaker coming out had three bass and a pike for a kicker so my entry fee was going directly to the Make-A-Wish group; which is what its all about.

Trail Head   

feeling good with this one about 8 AM but nothing worthy after

New Sheriff in Town

Yep, Sheriff Buford T. Justice is officially out on the trails, looking out for the Bandit (ha). I had my first official patroller ride tonight with MCMBA Bike Patrol Director (fancy title) Randy at Hickory Glen Park. Besides a down tree blocking a portion of the trail that said writer reported to the trail coordinator (never knew the term "trail coordinator" until this year), that was the drama of my first ride. I won't bore you with these reports from here on out but I'm looking forward to hopefully helping the cause in the pedal world.

Trail Head

Race #2 - Baby Steps

Go Team GDI!!!!

While there are still many areas for improvement, race number two Saturday morning, Mud Sweat & Beers at Mt. Holiday in Traverse City, marked an improvement over race one for this scribe. Rather than being lumped in towards the bottom of the final standings, I managed to claw my way towards the middle. Besides a shoe lace that managed to get caught up in my chain (another lesson learned; some good cussing during the lace destroy) that might have put me in the top 10, I was happy with my ride.  

A little different format than the first race with respect to starting. Rather than going off individually every 30 seconds, you were lumped in with your group and others at the starting line. With that, taking off at the same time were Men/Women sport, Men/Women single speed, Men/Women fat bike and Men Clydesdale. You have a chip on your riding plate so it doesn't matter if you start in front or back, however, rather than pace myself from the back like I did, I should have inched toward the front as getting out of the initial cluster of bicycles takes a mile or so of "on your right" calls and a bunch of apologies as everyone is getting in everyone's way.  

Another difference was the finish line. The race name is Mud, Sweat & Beers and they make sure you get all as about 10 yards before the finish line is a very large, man made mud puddle that every rider must go through; a tradition I was told. I get to clean my bike now....yippee (insert sarcasm).

Ride on.

Trail Head

man made mud puddle at finish line

initial herd taking off

the cattle getting ready

 

 

man made mud puddle at finish line

the scene

Small World

In the "it's a small world" category, there I was last Friday at a Northville establishment watching the Tiger game, glancing up occasionally to watch the action while also focusing on the inhalation of my chicken nacho (big nacho). I don't know why I was watching at the time but Victor Martinez hit a foul ball, it bounced off the press box, up in the air and right in the hands of a girl who works at said Northville establishment I was watching from. I said to the person next to me, "Was that KT?" Others in the place saw the replay and up went the cheers for KT's 20 minutes of fame; video below. An amazing catch with no spillage of her beverage!. She even got a post catch interview with the station covering the game (of course her hubby had to loot in on the exposure once the cameras came in).

An incredible catch it was KT. Congrats!

http://m.mlb.com/det/video/topic/47150896/v1332061783/cwsdet-fan-makes-nice-snag-on-foul-celebrates-grab
Trail Head

Not Last

eat dirt #36 B. Bartzen!!
(have to trash talk to someone)

Yep, not last but definitely not first yesterday at the Yankee Springs Time Trials in Middleville, MI.  I came in 35th out of 38 in the 50-59 Sport class and I think the guy that came in last had a flat tire. As Coach Stevenson used to say, there is always someone better out there and I found out yesterday that there are a LOT better. Some areas for this rider to improve on (read: excuses) in his second race ever:

- don’t fall down

I took a nice spill through a sandy area and ate some dirt. The lungs took a hit but there was no time for whimpering. The dirt sandwich was delicious.

- don’t try to shift the large gear while climbing

Duh!!!! Why I did it I don’t know but off went the chain (not broke; just had to stop, walk the hill and put it back)

- know the trail

I had only ridden the trail once before yesterday so I forgot when the hills of hell came into play; and there were some hills.

- stop day dreaming

The ‘ADD’ in me will unfortunately always curtail my performance I think as it was such a nice day to ride and the park had so many beautiful hills, I found myself in some deep thoughts during those moments when I wasn’t getting passed by a pack of 20-somethings. Snap out of it!!!!

- find out what the 70-somethings are eating

Three guys in the 70-79 class beat my time so I need to pick their brains.

view coming off the starting line

Excuses aside, the event was great. They had 777 riders and were so well organized. The minutes leading up to the race are almost as exciting as the race itself. You are assigned a riding number with all Sport riders due to take off at noon; pro riders at 9:30 AM (most of the pictures below are the pros). They herd the riders (feel like cattle) into the starting line staging area by number, similar to the maze you go through at the bank. I was mixed in with not just the 50-59 riders; it was all age groups. Every 20-30 seconds or so a rider is announced and off that person goes. The adrenaline was going for me as my start approached. I was next and……then they announced they were ahead of time and to hold off for a bit so they could catch up. First in line but waiting. Boo. The trail overall was in good shape. I enjoyed the people that planted themselves at various points within the trail cheering you on. One group had a cowbell and I had to say it while going by.......“need more cowbell!!!” And more cowbell I received.

As the recent book I read, "The Subtle Art of not giving a fuck" taught me, there a only a certain amount of things that you should give a fuck about and while winning would be cool, don't get me wrong it would be the shit, the mountain bike addicted atmosphere is just fine with me and there is only one way for this slow rider to go but up.

Look out Traverse City as I'll see you in two weeks for race number two and 34th place!

Trail Head out.

yours truly at the finish line

starting line

I am getting ready to take off here after these three - exciting!!!

finish line

the bicycle herding area prior to launch