Swanky, fryparty, holidaze, snowstorm wrap up!

Hey blog fans, the year is almost over so here's a catch-up of what's been going on.

I finished Swank this year with the time in the photo! Youngblood beat me by 5minutes and 5seconds. I placed 3rd on my single speed and my time placed me 38th overall! EndlessBikeCo. sponsored athlete and all around good guy Thom Parsons came down from

Massachusetts to placed 3rd overall on his single

speed! I'm so proud of Thom. Photo by Laura Goetz

The Pisgah Brew Crew was out in full force cheering racers on at the bottom of Farlow Gap and my number 1 fan Laura Goetz was there as well. Check out these photos!

As I expected, I was the only person in a tutu and only one person asked me "What's up with the tutu? Don't you know Halloween's over? He doesn't know shit and I'm pretty sure I beat him. With the Brew Crew on Farlow though, I was not the only person with an awesome outfit! Photos by Laura Goetz, The Living Pixel and an unknown Brew Crew member.

In November Marshall put on a "Fuck It, Fry It" party. What is that you ask? Well we fried whatever anyone brought. Here's a photo of some of the things that went into the turkey fryer. Bacon wrapped chicken wings, bacon coated bacon, turkey, oreo cookies, flour tortillas, mini snickers, wontons... lots of things. It was a good party, but the grease hangover lasted far longer than, well... I would have liked. The guy at the Red Cross Platelet Donation center the next day was not to happy with me either, but I donated the platelets successfully nonetheless. We did have one casualty when Otto crashed a bike on the way back from a cream cheese run! The cream cheese arrived at the party safely and Otto made it back for dinner with a broken collar bone after the ER visit too! What a trooper. Photo by Phil Shaw

Laura and I had an impromptu pie party! Rode Black Mountain Trail in great outfits on a Sunday! She was wearing a home made bear suit and a nice

dress cause it was Sunday and there is no hunting on Sundays. Sorry we didn't get a photo with the bear ears and armies! Good lookin' photo nonetheless.

We had Thanksgiving with friends! I'm thankful for all of them. Photo by Laura Goetz

In December we experienced a snowstorm which is rare for Asheville. Laura, myself and the crew spent a lot of time riding bikes in the snow and enjoying each others company in this rare (for Asheville) winter splendor, we also helped Justin put on the Holidaze Alleycat! We had reindeer games in the back yard. I always wanted to be a reindeer with wings and look, Laura really can fly! Photos by myself and Justin Mitchell

Well, that's all for now. Getting ready for the Snake Creek Gap Time Trial Series in Dalton, GA

which will be Saturday January 2, Saturday February 6, and Saturday March 6.

Please support NW GA SORBA and come on out!

The weather man (whomever that is) calls for 36degrees on Saturday as of today with rain and snow showers on Friday.

Good thing I have a "HOT" outfit for the race! It's gonna be so much FUN! Report soon. Ciao!

Oh Swank!

Well, one of my favorite Pisgah races happens in 3 days and after a week of not knowing... I'm in! The Swank 65. Of course, I'll be racing single speed and again I'll be breaking out the tutu. This race is going to be awesome! Check it out! Oh and the Green Race is this weekend too! Hope you get to make it out to one of these local extreme events or at least get to have one of your own. Love!

Post Halloween post

Photo stolen from Jeff Zimmerman

Well, Halloween has come and gone, as usual, my favorite holiday included lots of my favorite things... bikes, beer, friends, costumes, more bikes and more beer! Thanks to Asheville On Bikes for getting people on bikes for the Pumpkin Pedaller and to the Wedge for not kicking my silly, costumed, single speed bike riding, Halloween spirit filled drunk ass out! I feel really lucky. Oh, I almost forgot...thank you Laura and Beth for not leaving me at the Wedge and making sure I got home safe. I guess I tried to win the Halloween Party...I'm good for that. 

EndlessBikeCo. Halloween

Here's a heads up on what EndlessBikeCo. will be doing for Halloween. Check out the Asheville On Bikes Pumpkin Pedaler! Hope to see you there. Here's a sneak peak into my costume. My favorite story book super hero. Sally Jean the Bicycle Queen. Hey, she rides a single speed too!

It's about SORBA time!

Well folks, I've finally done it. I've sent a check and EndlessBikeCo. has become a member of the Pisgah area Southern Off Road Bicycle Association. Now it will feel really good supporting us knowing that we support our trails. Like I said, it's about time. 

Photo stolen from Karen Into

Black Bear Rampage

Wow! This post is way late, but whatevs. Marshall and I left early Sunday Morning September 13^th to race the Black Bear Rampage at the Ocoee Whitewater Center in Tennessee. The drive took about 3 hours and we arrived about an hour and a half before the start of the race. Really nice to roll up and see some familiar single speed faces, 29er crew folks as well as some good Asheville buddies.

The Black Bear Rampage was on a really cool course with lots of climbing and lots of twisty sandy riding. Some bits were real technical and I loved riding beside the river that I spent two summers raft guiding and kayaking on. I had never been on these trails even with the amount of time I spent here. The race was hard. I chose to run a 33X20 and when we reached the steep climbing bits that we had already descended, I was regretting my choice as I got off and walked. I kept up with Ursula for about the first 15 miles, passed her on a technical rooty section, and then she passed me on a climb never to be seen again. That 50-year-old lady is FAST! I also met a nice lady named Rachel who also raced in the women’s single speed class. Whew, we were lucky. 3 ladies make a class.

I placed second. Pretty cool. Something to look forward to next time. Hopefully the Black Bear Rampage will continue to get more single speed women and therefore more competitors. Nothing like racing single speed mountain bikes with other single speed ladies! Thanks to the 29er crew for hooking me up with a spot! It was awesome!

ORAMM 2009

And the winner is... Carey Lowery! What does that have to do with EndlessBikeCo? I was the 4th woman across the finish line, and the only one to race a single speed. PODIUM! I took 1hour and 15 minutes off of my time from last year.



I feel good about that.

Marshall! Marshall! I won a Cowbell!

was probably the last thing Marshall wanted to hear after sweating for 6:30:51.861 as my support at the 2009 Cowbell Challenge Marathon. This race was HOT! Literally, with the heat index around 115 degrees. I couldn't have finished this race without him. Luckily for me I was able to talk him into sticking to the plan and going with me on Friday night (he almost bailed...fucker). The 2009 Cowbell Challenge Marathon started with a 6 mile road ride from the center of Davidson, NC to the course at Fisher Farm Park. Though I thought it was awesome that many local families were out cheering us on with Cowbell's of their own, I was thinking..."they must really hate us silly single speeders to make us ride on this silly road for six miles." I do understand though that it was because the community wanted to be involved. From the road, we hit the greenway and the first big climb. When we hit the climb the geared riders that had just passed me immediately got off of their bikes. Wooo Hooo! "Rider" I don't think I saw many of those folks again. It was really awesome to get to the first climb and be able to ride it specially when the gearys were walkin'. I rode every climb every lap (6) thanks to my 33x20 Kick-Ass gearing. The single track was really great! Super twisty technical with some skinnys and whoopdeedoos as well as a few steep, muddy down into muddy uphill, slide, got it's! A few wooden bridges, rock gardens, and really techy spots. Then there were the really hot field spins and the even hotter than hell Kudzu climb. That kudzu climb lasted about 20 seconds but I swear it was 10 degrees hotter and really put the hurting on at the end of every lap.

Luckily, Bruce Dickman was pouring bottles of ice water on the competitors as they passed the timing tent. Thanks again Bruce! Marshall was also there at my rescue each lap with fresh bottles of energy with ice and two fresh ice bottles for my back pockets to keep me cool. So glad he didn't really bail. 

With Marshall as my pit crew, I was able to finish all 54 miles of the race when many of the other racers were quitting. I finished first in the Women's SS category with a time that would have placed me 4th in the Men's SS category. Come on! I have to be proud of that! Anyway, back to the Cowbell... I was super stoked when I was standing on the podium in first place with

 Sherry George in second and they handed me a Cowbell (a few other things as well). What a great prize! I guess you have to really know me to understand my excitement...I rung it proudly for the rest of the weekend cheering on the other competitors when I wasn't racing. 

I raced my bicycle on Sunday too in the 2009 Kenda Cup East Cowbell Summer Solstice Cross Country race. It wasn't as hot as Saturday, but with 54 miles in the day before... two laps were way better than 3 which Marshall and the Pro class raced. I placed 1st in the Women's class and this time placed 3rd in the Mens. 

It's so fun to toe the line with a bunch of silly single speeders...I fit right in. We'll that's it for the weekend, listen for me ringing my new Cowbell at an event near you. If I'm not sweating right along with you, of course.

SSUSA 2009

And the winner is...

Wooo Hooo! What a fun weekend SSUSA was. Saturday offered up a short track race and a night time trial.

I was super confused when they called me up to stand in #1 on the podium. I placed 2nd between Kylie and Rebecca in both events on Saturday and about 4th of 5 on Sunday's 20 mile cross country race...but I won the kiddie bike bike race which was the race for the belt and SSUSA champion...Marshall "of course you did."

This weekend was awesome fun all around and I got the opportunity to meet some awesome folks. Thanks Robb for putting on an awesome event. Here's a photo of the men's belt podium.

DeJay got first and yeah that's Pisgah Works very own Bruce in third.

Bike riding in March

Well folks March has come and gone with lots of diverse weather as well as bike riding therein. Here's just a small taste of the month.

March started with some snow... on March 1.

My Cute little snow angel.

Bikes waiting while Marshall and I had a snow-day coffee at Izzy's

Me on Beaucatcher Rd. It was cold over there.

Marshall riding back into the light under Helen's Bridge.

Saturday March 7, 2009

I wasn't able to race the 3rd Snake Creek Gap due to hurting my back after the Asheville On Bikes, Bike Love party but this enabled me to watch Marshall take 3rd in the mens money class with an exciting sprint finish as well as Beth taking 2nd in her class.

Marshall's trophy and training/racing info.

Friday March 13, 2009 Alex Bryenton's Birthday Whiskey Crit!

To start this one off, I want to let you all know that I didn't participate in this one, cause I just don't drink whiskey like that...ever!

The crew!

Kylie with the start...ready GO!

I won't show the pictures of what happened next. Actually the crit went off without any trouble with Alex, the birthday boy winning. The ride afterwards was different. 

3 crashes, 1 broken collar bone, 2 broken teeth a swollen knee a swollen finger and a broken hand later...Marshall and I went home.

Sunday March 29, 2009

I have recently introduced my friend Laura to not only the world of Single Speed, but to 29ers as well. She purchased herself a Gary Fisher Rig in March and has been riding the shit out of the "Turdcicle" ever since. We have been riding a bunch together, with the Dupont Save the Trails Challenge being the most interesting so far. First we threw all of our stuff into the bug...

We thought Laura was going to stop when we reached our buddies at the 18 mile marker at rest stop 2. When we arrived, Beth was freaking out! "Where have you been? Is everything ok?" We couldn't tell why she was so upset. Well it was 4:00 and we were actually at mile 29. Laura's longest ride yet and we had no idea. It was awesome! Here are some more photos of Laura and I hamming it up in Dupont.

We're gonna go back for that sweet car...

We had the most fun of anyone all day! 

At the top of the slick rock of Cedar Rock Trail.

Snake Creek Gap Time Trial 2

Well Snake Creek Gap Time Trial #2 was totally different from the first, but no less awesome. To start off, the weather was clear and beautiful and about 60 degrees. Quite the far cry from the 12 degree weather Asheville experienced the previous week.  My body doesn't do well with these extreme weather changes, so I'll leave photos of myself out of this post...

Except for one.  This photo taken by Jason Burnette is the author and David Eifert at the start. That's Rhonda and Jubal Janes taking photos on the left. David raced the men 60 and over class on his single speed and kicked some major butt! He took about an hour and 21 minutes off of his January time, I was very impressed. I took 20 minutes off of my time. I also had a really cool person to chat with at the beginning of and after the race. I met a lot of cool people again at this race, which is always my goal. I love racing, because I get to meet lots of people with very different backgrounds who love to ride bikes. Some have been riding for years and have been many places on wicked long rides and some are just starting out and have been very few places. We all have bikes in common. Bike Love! Until next time... 

Snake Creek Gap Time Trial 1

With the second Snake Creek Gap Time Trial almost upon us, I decided that I should have added a new post weeks ago. That being said, Snake Creek Gap Time Trial kicks butt! This event was awesome! Definitely the most organized event I've ever attended. 

EndlessBikeCo. along with the Pisgah Brew Crew had a great showing on January 3. Myself and Marshall rented a car and met Beth, Jut and Kylie at the hotel. Well, Marshall and I rolled in after everyone went to bed around 12pm. We also caught up with Bruce and Rob on race day. 

This was my first fully rigid SingleSpeed race and I had a really great time! The picture above was taken by Jason Burnett of NWGASORBA. For me the whole race was foggy and mysterious. 

On to race results... they don't matter too awful much to me, but are a part of the event. 

My goal for the first race was 5 hours:

I finished with a time of 4:50:58. Placing me 18th in SingleSpeed class;

Marshall finished 3:17:28, placing him 4th in Mens Money Class;

Beth finished 4:29:55, placing her 3rd in Women 30 and over;

Jut finished 3:57:42, placing him 4th in SingleSpeed class;

Kylie finished 4:04:39, placing her 2nd in Women's Money Class (on a SingleSpeed I might add);

Bruce finished 3:57:43, placing him 5th in SingleSpeed class;

Rob finished 3:27:18 placing him 1st in SingleSpeed class.

At the end of the race we were treated with chili and mini moon pies as well as a nice warm fire. 

Well, those are the results thus far... next time I think we'll have a few more racers with the Asheville crew. Thanks for checking us out!