PiMBaR

Tradition.

Everyone should have one.

We round here have one we call PiMBar.

Its a bike race, adventure race, fun race.

Its a hell of a day on the bike, fun in so many ways.

For several Years, Mucaro MTB dot blog spot dot com and I have wanted to have what we would both call a good showing and for years it has alluded us.

First cause I was not well, then him, then me, then this year, not even a day before my PiMbar departure, I was feeling ill.

The whole way up to the race, I was a mess.

"Again" I thought.

"another year".

I hung in there though.

I just had to deal with what I had to deal with, in fact I was more concerned with my kit for the day.

I went with no backpack, putting all my emergency gear in a rear Carousel Seat bag.

I decided on Two bottles in the Feedbags and two bottles in the frame, no frame bag.

The bike was light and at 27lbs I thought I had done a great job with my kit for the days race.

When Rob and I got to Pisgah Forest Late that evening, I was feeling a little better, but was caught off guard by how cold it was.

So cold in fact that I decided not to put up my hammock and just car camp so I could get the most rest possible.

The best way to treat or prevent a cold is with adequate and replenishing rest.

The next morning I woke up, took some Day quil, ate my food and got ready to go out and have a spectacular day in the forest.

The TNGA was the last time I did any real climbing, admittedly I was nervous.

I had done the TNGA with only 18 gears and I had the opportunity on this day to finally test the BEAST in the mountains and try 30 gears on the climbs.

The morning went smooth. The registration fast. Was nice to see all the people I had not seen in a year. I really like them folks, gives the event an 'home away from home' vibe.

Eric and Erinna are an inspiration in what they have done for the Mountain Biking community and I fully admit, I was motivated by his skills and effort into doing what I do down here with Singletrack Samurai Productions.

Before long maps were handed off and even faster the start gun went off and we were told to read the passport before leaving the parking lot.

We did, and it paid off, big time.

Luis is a smart guy and tons of fun to be partners with. Usually I let him pick the route. And I am cool with whatever he comes up with. This year I recommended we hear what the other guys wanna do and shadow them. Less thinking for us, more fun to just ride, we went with it and it worked out well.

All was going smooth, in a matter of moments we were at checkpoint one. My climbing was going well, and I was pretty happy with it. As the day went on, I realized that it didn't take long to remind my legs of them 368 miles I did across Northern Georgia in the mountains.

When we were almost at Checkpoint 3 we came across some familiar faces, Rob Roberts and Mike Kanning, PiMbar aliases, BLACK OPS.

Rob had a furrowed brow with a look of concern, but was happy to see us as well, whereas Mike Looked frustrated. It wasn't long before they revealed to us that they had not read the passport and had not turned in the required Wooden Nickel before leaving the lot instantly getting a 2 hour penalty. Their race, was in essence a done deal, unless they pulled something BIG off.

We completed the checkpoint and continued onto 3 when I noticed that my head set would not stop klunking.

I stopped to make a repair and noticed that my star fangled nut had folded sideways inside. Luckily with help from Mucaro Mtb dot blog spot dot com and Rob from zero Horsepower, we were able to make a repair and it was literally good as new. I had my tour divide repair kit with me and luckily I did, cause the pliers on my squirt leatherman turned out to be the key item to a successful non bike damaging repair.

Black Ops decided to join the party wagon as it rolled across the beautiful landscape of pisgah forest. For once I actually took the time to site see as I whittled away the miles. For once I actually enjoyed the repeated cool creek crossings, and the conversation and the laughter. I was having a blast.

We popped out on the road, finishing our team trek as Black Ops took off for a potable water refuel and a compost porta potty assisted nature break. We finished off our break and rolled on. It was nice to be on a gravel road and my reawakened TNGA legs were just chomping up the terrain in such a pleasant fashion, that I was once again, caught up in the beauty of my surroundings and sounds of the bike as it crunched away gravel undertire.

As we emerged from a climb there was a respite on the hill, grilled cheese sandwiches and cokes, but by the time I arrived, there was no coke for me, and miffed I insisted we push on.

A screaming fun, team downhill later and Black Ops continued to their business and we split off with Rob and Rich up and up to the next checkpoint.

Again my pace was relentless and persistent and it was sheer pleasure. You have them days where everything just comes together, and I was having one of them days. Sure I wasn't on any kind of level that would of won us the race, but there were small victories going on with me, moment by moment.

Back up we went after another nice downhill... I cant remember what the name of the road is. But I knew it was not a long climb and my rhythm was right. I got my 22 ring up front and started putting in a perfectly balanced tempo. Not too hard, not too soft. Legs moving just right, not spinning, not mashing and started picking up speed.

I Pass Team Rob and Rich. Pass by Mucaro MTB dot blogspot dot com and spend the rest of the climb, with my team mate close behind passing riders all the way up. I have to say, the moment was exquisite for me.

This time when I got to the Grilled cheese spot, I was so hungry that I ate a ton of potato chips and drank lots of water.

We took off to conquer the 7 mile trek up the mountain to pilot rock.

Again, I was really enjoying the climb, gradual enough that I found the perfect tempo in my 22 ring and just flew up there till we got to the point that we had to do an ' all in your face' hike a bike the final 1000 feet.

When we got to the top we scored our fourth checkpoint, and contemplated briefly with the thought of waiting for team Rob and Rich. But I was against it, I know how much effort it took for us to get up there an Rob had been slowing down all day. I wanted to be done before dark, so onward we pushed.

The descent down the treacherous pilot rock took a long time as I carefully picked my way through the technical boulder rock strewn mountainside. Sharp tight, heavily penalizing switchbacks and super long 500 foot rock gardens. How quaint.

I made it to the bottom and without a break I was in the big ring attacking the course. It was time to chase who we could chase an beat who we could beat.

AND the attack was merciless.......


Till I ran out of food and water,........

And then it was a painful slog up pressley gap. Then a slog to the top of black mountain for the final descent. I was so starved all the sudden I was having to take the downhill slow cause I was having trouble focusing my eyes on the terrain.

And then, either my system found a good pocket of body fat to burn or that last bit of peanut m and m's I ate before descending clawhammer took hold, cause I started feeling myself again and was able to really attack the downhill.'

Down to the finish we were chasing team downs, completing our final passes 'Radical Rick style' on the fastest sections of lower black mountain determined to get as many spots forward as we could before the races end.

We crossed the finish line, completing our mission and finishing happy and strong and ready to eat.

That night the celebration was short.

There was more internal celebration going on as I dozed off while watching Ride the Divide on my droid, feeling like a champion for conquering the PiMbar to my level of satisfaction.

Thanks Luis for being such a heck of a team mate and competitor.

Take Care,

Laters,

The NaKeD InDiaN