Thursday, January 21, 2010

Just rolling along


Hey ya'll thanks for reading. The blog has rolled over to here. It's now on the website. Check it out and let me know what you think. Photo by Justin Mitchell

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Finally thawing

Well, it's been two weeks now and I'm finally thawed from Snake Creek Gap. Why was I frozen?
The temperature never made it over 30 maybe 25 and as you can see from the photo I chose to walk the creek.
"Yes, Shanna" you say "but it looks like you have trash bags on your feet." I did. As soon as the bottom of my shoes hit the bottom of the river, the bags had holes and my feet were wet. I stopped about 30 minutes later to take care of my feet. I changed my socks which consisted of removing three frozen pair of socks (the socks next to my skin were even frozen), putting a dry pair of socks on and a handwarmer between that pair and the outer frozen sock. My right toes warmed right up and the left ones remained frozen the entire race.

I have had friends ask, "you stopped in the middle of a race to change your socks?" I sure did. I was a whitewater kayaker in a past lifetime and have had lots of frozen toes. I try not to mess around with frozen extremities as I enjoy keeping them all. Call me greedy if you will. I realized in the beginning that this race was going to be really fucking cold but I was there so I might as well make the most of it. That being said, my goal for Snake Creek Gap #1 became to have the most fun (that's always the goal even when I'm suffering) and be safe. Mission mostly accomplished as I still have some issues with my left big toe being numbish. Next time I'll wear booties and ride it like Marshall did. My hands, thanks to that prior whitewater life, were so sweaty it was almost unbearable. Notice the pogies in the photo. 1 more plus for single speed and no cold hands here.
Fun though, I had a lot of it! I mean, look what I'm wearing, it's 2010 bitches and I brought that first 2010 bike race in with Endless single speed style! I chatted away with lots of the riders that either passed me or I passed. I met some new folks. I saw friends that I only see at this event. I cleaned a lot of the technical ridgeline and thought to myself a lot "wow! I raced this rigid last year?" I spent some energy cheering on the single speeds too. Sorry geary fellas (Marshall included), I cheer for the ladies (I only saw 1 other on the trail) and the single speeds.

Thanks to Mike Tiano for giving Marshall and I a ride in the Pope Mobile, all of the volunteers who ventured out on that really freaking cold day to put on one of my favorite events, the photographers for taking photos, and the racers for being out there getting it. I posted my slowest time yet and I'm registered money class. Right now I'm sitting in dead last by over 40 minutes. I guess I set that bar really, really low.


Hope to see you at the Icycle on January 31! Oh yeah, I'm also looking for a ride to SSUSA in February if you know of anyone who has an extra seat and rack. If not, I'll be back at Snake #2. Either way, it's gonna be fun and EndlessBikeCo is a sponsor of both!



Wednesday, December 30, 2009

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!


Thursday, November 5, 2009

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!

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

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. 

Friday, October 30, 2009

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!

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

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