Blood, Sweat and Gears

[Carlene]

Hi there! I am new to this "chatting" thing and new to your forum. I have really enjoyed being a voyeur and reading all the great things others have been saying this past year and now I have taken the plunge to talk to you.

I am from southwestern Virginia and I did the metric route at the Blood, Sweat and Gears in Boone last year. It all started out dandy and the scenery was fantastic but the last ten miles or so are all downhill and very curvy. I love taking it fast downhill, but took sharp angle too fast and slid on the old butt about 8 feet and the jeep that was hogging the road slid about 4 feet. I trashed the right side of my bike, slashed a tire and took off about 2 pounds of my right hip (slightly exaggerating!). At the end, my best friend cheered my arrival and asked me if I had witnessed some big wreck back up on the route. Ha.

I'm all better now and have a new bike, but I will be doing the 5-day Bike Virginia ride this year. Next year I'll join you guys in Boone.

[Blueberry]

Hubby is thinking of doing this one. I *suck* at climbing, so I doubt it would be the ride for me, though the area is BEAUTIFUL!!!

Any advice on how realistic a goal the metric would be for someone who doesn't climb well?? My longest ride this year was today - 30+ a little, on my touring bike, half pulling a trailer...

Also, how do you ladies know it's filling up? I just emailed to find out when the cut off would be, and they said you could register the day before (no mention of it getting to capacity...)

Anyone doing Hilly Hellacious Hundred in August - I'm thinking that might be a better (more realistic) goal, though I would love to do both.

[profàvélo]

I think they posted a rider limit last year. Just keep an eye on the web site. The shorter version is actually shorter than a metric:

Half Century: The Half Century ride, approximately 47 miles,will start and finish at the Valle Crucis Elementary School. The course follows a mostly separate route and is fully supported with 2 aide stations. The uphills are not too bad, and there are 2 really great downhills. The cumulative climbing elevation is 5,800 feet. All riders will be computer timed when they cross the finish line.

You've got two more months to get in some climbing. On a related note, George Hincapie's "mind coach" spoke at our bike club meeting last night (primarily as an intro to a full-day workshop that she was recruiting clients for). For years he believed that he wasn't a "climber"; she helped him figure out that it was due to an incident from his teenage years (he raced with great success in NY, went out to Colorado to race and did not do well in the mtns., labeled himself a non-climber...never considering that the altitude change had anything to do with it). Bottom line: his belief that he was not a climber kept him from reaching his potential. So you should think of yourself as an improving climber, not a non-climber.

Anyway, I did the metric version of the Hilly Helacious last summer, and I remember being glad that I had not chosen the English century, but it was a great ride, nice route, plenty of climbing.

I think you ought to shoot for both of them.

[Blueberry]

profàvélo -

Great advice on climbing...it's amazing how much of it is in the mind (I'm much happier riding into a stiff headwind than up a hill...) But, I'm trying to change that

Haven't registered for either yet - will probably shoot for the 47 at BSG, the Tarwheels Century in early August (Bike Fest) and then *maybe* the century at Hilly Hellacious Hundred - remains to be seen how things progress

[profàvélo]

CA, Doc, Bouncy...anybody doing BSG next weekend? (24th) Come on...

[skibum]

My niece goes to ASU in Boone so I am driving up from Georgia to visit her and do the ride while I'm there. It'll be fun to see how the mountains in NC compare to the ones we have down here.

[doc]

You bet I am!!