CFiTT 2010

What possesses a person to want to ride 180 miles of mostly off road terrain?

Now what possesses a Person to want to do it on a bike that has no suspension, does not shift and does not coast.

I don't know and now I have done it two years in a row.

Regardless I was gonna race it geared, but I really wanted to test my fitness and new things I have learned on my Fixie, plus my geared bike is not even cleaned or fixed after the TNGA.

So I had two goals, Beat my time from Last year and Beat as many Geared riders as I could.

Now be advised, Just because I am on a fixie, I have no respect for their gears and contraptions, I have no respect if your pro or semi pro, you line up against me I am going to attack, its a race and that's what I do.

And that Crisp morning after my Lil'r Naked Indian Reminder checklist was completed and the whole SSP clan rolled into the parking lot inside of Rob Roberts Rave Wagon, it was quick prep to get the ride rolling.

Once we did, I took off the front. Led the charge. The route had changed because we could not use the single track and I knew that I had to really work hard this first 40 t0 80 miles to keep myself in the race. And I was in front for a little bit, but when we hit Paisley Road I could not match Rob's Counter attack.

Eventually, as the wash boarded Chaos ensued, Bryan Frantz passed me. ThenTom Rassiga caught and passed me. I look back and there sitting comfortably was Roberto Infante and Lynne Daniels. I started wondering what happened to Mike, where the hell did he go?

As I thought that, Roberto Creeped up and passed me and I had to quicken my already fast cadence to keep him in sight. I knew if I could keep the three guyst in sight, when we hit Billy Bay I could pass them, maybe break their spirit.

Mike eventually comes up from nowhere and proceeds to chase down all the riders that had just passed me and put a huge gap on me.

Just as we start reaching the north end of Paisley road, the sand got deep, and I took advantage to slowly reel in Both Tom and Roberto, hit the pavement, and entered Billy Bay Determined to close the gap.

I see a rider up front, assuming that it was Mike Kanning.

I pedal, pedal, pedal and eventually reel the rider in and see it was Bryan Frantz. I thought, Damn, Mike put the turbo boosters on. I kept going, finished the road, got on the pavement, dropped my snickers, had to stop and grab it. As I finished up, Bryan countered my attack and caught me. I kept him in sight on the Dragon's Tail Forest Road, gaining serious ground on him on the climbs. But eventually as it flattened out and got harder packed, Bryan took off. ON Forest Road 10, Tommy Caught me.

I got to Silver Glenn, Got my supplies, and got into the water, fully dressed, got out and got on the bike. Bryan, Mike and Tommy were taking it easy, but I think once they saw me blazing through the swim, it forced them to hurry up.

Eventually on the pavement Bryan Caught me again, then Mike Kanning, Then Tommy.

All the work I did seemed to be lost on the hard packed forest road, it was obvious that I had to just accept the spot I had and hope I could stay close enough to close a gap if they got tired. As I entered Lake Eaton, I came across Bryan, I still had him within 20 minutes. So I got motivated to work again and had the worst and my first Off road over the bar experience on a Fixie. It was a little painful, but I got up fast and got through there fast, and chased on the forest road for miles, and It felt bright and hot, and I was glad I had dark glasses.

Right before making it across State Road 40, Roberto caught me. Brother was riding a good race, and seemed very calm as he pedaled no handed up the climb and ate food all at the same time. I was pretty smoked all that work I was doing was catching up to me.

I had only touched the bike once since the TNGA, I had done tons of work early, and had only ridden my fixie once since May, LOL.

Regardless, I kept my pace even, took my pics, kept hydrated, ate, rolled.

Cleared the River, Cleared the swamp, then got to the gas station, grabbed water and a sandwich.

As I finished Greenway cycles checkpoint, I look and see Roberto sitting there. Cool as a cucumber, waiting for a pizza pie. I go to the parking lot where his wife and Bryan's wife are at. I lay on the pavement stretching my tight back, the first real rest in 102 miles.

I felt so sore already, felt like I had done so much already, but I still kept my stop brief and rolled on, despite how sleepy I felt, I knew I had to try and clear as much of the Santos Singletrack I could before darkness.

At some point, I sat a bench to put on my lights and Team Tandem flies by.

I catch them at the Landbridge parking lot, give them some motivation and keep going. AT some point on Nayl's trails the exhaustion had gotten the best of me and I had to stop and just sleep right there on the side of the trail. I was riding really technical trail, feeling super sleepy.

I decided thirty minutes should clear my head. So I slept, and in the distance I could hear a bike and I see Roberto Roll up. I'm thinking damn he ate fast and left fast and is flying.

Then Team Tandem rolls up, and I sleep just a little more and get up and roll out feeling alot better.

Since about mile 60 I had been fighting cramps. Instead of stopping to let the pain overcome me and lock me, I would get off and walk, I figured any forward movement was better than zero movement.

At one point in Nayl's Trails, I cut a corner short, went over the bars, landed in the bushes, both my calf muscles locking up simultaneously. As I sat there and watched my calf muscles ripple in electrical painful backfires, I got a call from Rob Roberts.

He was concerned about some people he came across in Potts. I told him just to roll on through like he owns the place, he should be fine.

I got up, got going, and eventually as I emerged from the forest onto State Road 200 I caught up to Team Tandem.

I told them I was going to Wal Mart to try and put myself together. ON the road I was impressed at their speed. AT Wal Mart I drank coffee and used the facilities, changed my gps batteries and after a stretch rolled out.

I was feeling good, getting a rhythm going. Climbing, descending, coasting when I could. My right Toe got caught in the rear wheel. It was painful, but the bike stopped rolling. I get off immediately removing my tire, trying to smack it against a tree to get it straight.

But it didn't work. I didn't really know what I was doing. Plus I was tired. It seemed easier for me just to keep walking forward. So I did. I get a message from Rob saying he was done. Awesome, great ride. I keep moving.

Team Tandem rolls up and Paul said he could help me fix it. And he did, and about 1 hour or less later, I was on the road, pedaling again. I decided I would help them over the Haltapa hell track fence and stick with them for awhile, and not long after potts, as we negotiated the thick fog, I lost them in the hell track.

I waited at the end to help, but I got tired of waiting and went to the gas station on the route, to get more coffee and regroup once again. I was pretty hurt at that point, but happy that my cramps had finally stopped.

At the Gas Station I could see Jeanne was hurt, I encouraged her to rest, I was in no rush. At that point I was so happy to be alive, and still in the race. It had been such a hard day for me.

Amazingly enough we rolled on. We got on the levy, crossed the fence, got through potts, reached the caboose and after my picture I decided it was time for a stretch and take a nap.

Team Tandem joined me and we all snoozed right on the pavement, HOBO style.

That was probably a Bad Idea.

When I woke up, I felt so cold that I had to retreat to the bathrooms. I went in there and attempted to dry out, took another nap.

Decided I would get up at 6am, get dressed and leave.

This decision took some time. I was thinking maybe I could not beat my record and didn't know if I felt like bothering with it. But I didn't give into it.

I put on my dry socks.
I put on my wool base layer.
I only had a right arm warmer and a left leg warmer.
I put on my mismatch combo, zipped up my paper towel stuffed shirt and made the choice to pedal to the finish, I knew I could beat my time.

2 miles in I had to stop, the urge to pee was strong, but hardly nothing would come out, then I had to stop again. This went on for the next 15 miles, I didn't realize that I was dehydrated.

I kept going, and before long, as the day got bright I emerged at the Tucker Hill parking lot, satisfied that I had beat my record time by 22 minutes. Not the 18 hours I wanted, but maybe there will be another time.

Rob showed up. It was easy to cat nap. I must have been a comical sight in my mismatch attire.

I hogged out at Denny's, slept a couple more hours at his house and fell asleep super early that night. I was beat.

I was super impressed with how prepared everyone came out and how much homework they did. It was great to see the differences from last year to this year.

I was not satisfied entirely with my ride but I know I did ride strong and I rode hard and I finished.

25 hours and 15 minutes.



Take care,

Laters,

The NakeD InDiaN