Well, PMBAR is tomorrow. We are ready. Here’s a small taste of what is to come. Goodnight all! Have a great weekend of riding… I know I will.

Laura and I jumped in the car at 5am for the 3 hour drive to the 6 Hours of Warrior Creek. Well the drive ended up being only 2 hours so we arrived bright and early around 7:15 with the sun just having risen. The sun rise was beautiful and the only I have seen in quite a while. On the way in I started to get nervous about my gear selection and bike choice. The area looked really steep but as with single speeding, run what ya brung…

We got an awesome spot in the vendor area of the pit and after a little deliberation and moving once we settled on a spot, got our tent up and headed to registration. I got to meet Paul and Jason who as part of the BMCC put on the event. I had time to mingle with some friends new and old and hand out some spoke cards too.

I was a little nervous about the “kit” I had chosen for this event… would it be too loud? would the pocket I sewed on last night hold? would folks be offended by my seriousness? I mean the rigid bike with a bell, horn, streamers, 8 spoke cards and a matching helmet might be enough. Have I gone too far? I decided that I didn’t care and since I had left no choice as far as the bike or “kit” were concerned I relaxed, put it on and was ready to race.

This race was a special one for me. It was my first 6 hour race and my best friend was there to race too. This was going to be Laura’s first race!!! Yahoo!

Well as is the norm for me, I don’t really remember most of the specifics of the race. I know that I started near the front. I know that Mark told me I better get on it as we were climbing the road. I remember my legs were really tight on the pavement. The most memorable part of the first lap, aside from 20lbs too much pressure in the front tire, was hitting the section of single track berminess that was like a moving snake and just being overwhelmed by how cool it was to see the 10 riders or so in front of me swooping in those berms. If I have one photo in my mind of the race, that is it. I wish I really could have stopped and taken it in. It was amazing! I was so excited on the first lap that I did a lot of laughing and giggling. I had never ridden trails like this before. All photos courtesy of Ryan Sigsbey Photography

In lap 2 I started getting my first ever saddle sores. I changed my shorts and used chamois butter between laps 2&3. It was too late. I spent the rest of the race (3laps) trying to stay off the saddle as much as possible. Thats really hard and didn’t really work.

I chatted with a lot of people during the race. I actually got to race a little with Joel Watson and Mike Pierce after having never ridden with them but racing the same events. That made me smile.

I cheered for and encouraged all of the ladies I passed or who passed me. I’m just glad I’m not the only woman out there.

I tried to race the 4th lap as slow as I could because I knew I was in first and didn’t really want to go out for that 5th lap. I had told myself that I would do as many laps as I had time for… I finished my 4th lap with 20 minutes left and being hardheaded like I am it meant doing a 5th lap. It was all good. I saw more folks… I saw the 4th single speed lady… I got to cheer her along. I rode everything on the course at my pace… when I finished, I was totally spent and ready to chill.

The after race event was pretty cool with lots of door prizes from a variety of sponsors. The beer was gone when we got there though… pbbbblllllaaaaa! Oh well luckily the podium spots all got a 6er. After hanging out for a bit and enjoying some BBQ we headed home. I into a week of just not feeling quite right as I had totally spent myself.

Of course this post is about a month late, but whatever at least it’s done before PMBAR. I’ll try not to take another month getting that post ready. I’m stoked! Laura and I have some cool outfits planned and I hear there are lots of ladies teams this year.

Until next time… I’m going to have more fun on the trail than you! HA!

Love ya’ll,

Shanna

Hmmm, I never really know how to start these things, you know blog posts. I guess I’ll start at the beginning and try to make it short.

I rented a car on Friday and Marshall and I were out of town by 5:00pm.

We arrived in Dalton around 9 and I dropped Marshall off at the hotel to prepare himself for the race or whatever he does and went to the finish line to do some pre-race partying with some of the event volunteers and participants. Event announcer Bruce Dickman helped me put up my banners and I settled into the evening. I love that this race has no large sponsor and that some local people who just love to ride put it on. I also love that I got to hang with them and learn some more about the event. Did you know that the event raised, I’m not sure the exact number, but it was between $1000 and $2000 for the local boys and girls club? The folks are also building a pump track and have over 40 bikes for the kids to use. Now that is an event that I want to be a part of. This event is put on for the people of the community, not just the racers. After 2 beers and a shot of the best lightning I’ve ever tasted, I decided it was time to go have a snack in the hotel and crawl in bed. Afterall, I was there to race and since I registered $ class I should try to be “serious”.

Snake Community. Photo by Conrad Fernandez.

The alarm went off at 6am and I dragged myself into the shower to wake up. It worked as it always does and aside from a little breakfast expectation stress, I was alive and happy. Off to the races…

I went to check in, distributed some spoke cards, chatted with folks and headed to the top with Marshall. There were only 4 other vehicles up there. It was nice to get to the top with the sun shining and no wind with 30 degree temps. No way it wasn’t going to be a nice day nice.

Racing this weekend was quite a different experience from the rest by going to the top early. I would say that in the first half of the race I was passed by only 5 people and I passed no one. That’s the difference starting early makes. Carey Lowery who won on her single speed being one of them. Somewhere I crashed in the middle of a creek with a lady in front of me and a lady behind me. Good thing I was wearing a skirt, cause it saved me from being completely submerged by catching on my saddle. Whew, that was close! Our good Asheville friend Jon Stang caught me on the final ridge and I was able to ride with him for a bit, but only because he kept cramping. The ridgeline was fun and beautiful as always! I tried to offer encouragement and cheer for folks as they either rode past me or I rode past them, cause why not? We’re all on our own bikes, but for a few seconds we’re in it together. One fella even apologized for his brakes being loud. I told him “It doesn’t bother me, I only get to hear it for a little while.” That’s the truth. I saw my friends Jason, Barry and Brianna a little into the last 17 miles I think they were sweeping. That’s always nice to have folks cheering for me. I also saw an older gentleman and maybe his grandson a few times and I thanked them for being out there. I love seeing folks cheering out on the trail as it feels less lonely and a little encouragement never hurts.

When I finished at 4 hours 9 minutes and 47 seconds, Bruce Dickman just couldn’t wait to tell me what Lisa Randall said about me when she came in. So excited in fact, he had her tell me herself. “You were so chipper out there I just had to get away from you.” That makes me smile. So did this.

Photo by Conrad Fernandez

Overall I know I beat all of my times from last year because I beat Beth’s best time from last year by about 6 minutes. I placed 4th in the women’s money class too! Snake Creek Gap TT #3 2010 was definitely a win for women on single speeds as Carey Lowery placed 1st in the women’s money class on her single speed beating her time from last year by almost 3 minutes. Becky Kicklighter stomped the 17 mile single speed class beating all the boys out for first place! Way to go ladies. I know that this year I wasn’t the only single speed lady out there and that there were at least 2 other ladies on ss other than Carey, Becky and myself. I love this. Way to go girls! Ya’ll rock.

Well, spring is springing and I look forward to smiling with you on a bike soon!

Shanna

Whew! February has come and gone fast. Snake Creek Gap happened, but I didn’t feel like braving the cold again so I didn’t. Congrats to all of those amazing souls who did. Asheville On Bikes held their annual Bike Love party and it was awesome! Here is a link to my favorite photographer’s website and blog. He made a video of his stop-motion project at the party. I think it’s worth a watch or two! Endless sent out our blue haired superhero. FUN!

Jeff Zimmerman Bike Love 2010 Stop-Motion Video

I’ve done some babysitting, gone to some baby showers, run the bike shop, ordered and sold cogs, made lots of spoke cards and just tried to chill through the chilly winter. I’m hoping for warm weather in Dalton this weekend for the final race of Snake Creek Gap. Should be an interesting day… I’m taking some of these too.

I also have information that Carey Lowrey may be racing Snake Creek Gap in the money class on her single speed. That’s what i hope she is going to decide anyway.

I also mailed some Kick-Ass Cogs to Harlan Price last week! Yahoo! Two really awesome people, bike racers and just all around good badasses are riding EndlessBikeCo. products. That’s what I like to hear.

In other news, Tom Parsons was able to head out to Arizona for SSUSA this year. I hear that might be one of  his last single speed races until SSWC10 in New Zealand as he is gonna try out gears this year. I think he’ll be back. At least someone is gonna represent for me at SSWC10 since I’m not going to make it.

I’ll report back soon. Thanks for reading!

I guess you may have noticed by now that the website has a slightly new look and the blog posts directly to the website. I think this is awesome! I would like to thank Todd Heckeler the owner of consume:design. Thank you Todd! You rock!!!