Woke up that morning to the sounds of roosters in the distance and the sun shining down. There was no rush in the morning because the race start was not until 10:00 a.m.. Something I am not used to but it was nice to sleep in. We lined up at 9:45 a.m. with the male and female podium winners from the Boondoggle 4 hour up front. At 10:00 a.m. the truck and moped took off leading us in a neutral roll out. Continue reading “Olivia’s Boondoggle ’45’ race report”
It was a fast start. I have never raced a road race before or gravel so this was a little new to me. The pack split right after the truck pulled off the front. I saw one woman stick with the lead pack and attempted to hang on but glanced down at my power and it was way to high to sustain the effort.
Continue reading “Olivia’s Dirty South Roubaix 100k Race Report”
From the mouth of a novice woman mountain biker: Going into this with 2 major mountain bike races under my belt, I was a still a little nervous for my first 100. I have completed several 100k’s and training road century’s but this was a different kind of beast. Continue reading “Red River Gorge MTB 100 Race Report”
As someone just starting out, crashing seems scary. No one wants to get injured, sadly we have day jobs. I know I am always thinking about my hands as a dental hygienist. Some days I cannot overcome this fear and have to realize it or I start making silly mistakes and Continue reading “3 fears of mountain biking and how to overcome them”
Ever finish a long mountain bike ride and find yourself at your car so hungry? If you are anything like me, when I go on mountain bike trips I am nowhere near restaurants or electricity for that matter. So when I finish my rides I need a hearty meal asap or on comes the “hang-er.” After many hangry moments I have finally found 5 meals that do not need refrigeration or cooking that don’t suck. I hope these 5 Meals that require no refrigeration or cooking help others be able to re-energize quickly to get back to adventure. Continue reading “5 Meals That Don’t Require Refrigeration or Cooking”
I am often asked how I can sit on the trainer for 2-5 hours at a time. Here is what motivates me to just jump on and train. 4 reasons to get on the trainer is an article that I hope can help you find motivation to train indoors. Continue reading “4 reasons to get on the trainer”
Its that time of year again. Specialized has released their 2018 models and now we are all searching for a new favorite bike. Most of the buzz is around the Specialized Epic Expert vs. Epic Pro. It is a tough decision between the two. There is only one question that really matters and that is “what the heck am I getting for that $1300.00 price increase?”
This is a “post-ride” inspection. Looking over the bike after a ride gives time to order parts and make repairs before the next ride. The trailhead is not the place to discover mechanical issues. By the time the bike situation get sorted out, your friends have already shredded all the singletrack and are out having beers.
Perform this 7 step bike check to avoid getting left behind. Continue reading “7 Step Bike Check”
A common conversation I have:
Friend: “Do you ever work?” “How do you afford all these adventures?”
Me: “I am frugal with my time and frugal with my money. Here is how you can travel cheaply and frequently too…”
I have had this type of conversation many times with friends and acquaintances. They are always surprised with how little these trips actually cost my wife and I to go on. A 4 day trip to Pisgah National Forest costs us about $90-110 in gas, $25 for food, and a few bucks for coffee shop WiFi and drinks. Here are 5 tips for adventures on a budget. Continue reading “5 Tips for Adventures on a Budget”
We spend thousands of dollars shaving grams off our bikes only to stuff our pockets and camelbaks with an extra 800g worth of unnecessary items. I will admit that it is a risk vs reward decision. This is a list of exactly what I carried during the Cohutta 100, Mohican 100, Pisgah 111k, Wilderness 101, Breck Epic, and 12 Hours of Capitol view this past season. Continue reading “What to Carry During a Bicycle Race or Ride”