Happy Birthday, MYROO!

Just wanted to send out a Big tHD Happy Birthday to our Fellow Hot Dogger, MYROO!



Wheeeeee!

- tHD

Leinie's Revenge

Hot Dog and I had the privilege of introducing our co-worker Tim around Stony Creek for his first taste of Singletrack goodness last Friday evening. Armed with a brand new Giant Revel, a helmet and a water bottle, Tim set off to with HD to meet me at "the big hole in the fence" at Stony. With a lap already in me, I wandered around the back roads for a bit before catching the awesome tHD jersey comin' my way.

After a short hello, we were on the 2-track headed towards the Pines section of the trail. I took the lead, keeping a slower pace to make sure our "virgin of the singletrack" wasn't sacrificed to the Stony Creek gods too early on. After a few minutes, it was apparent that we needed to step up the pace because it looked like Tim was on my wheel and ready for a real challenge.



We spit back out onto the 2-track before climbing back up "The Snake". It was at this point where Tim got his first taste of climbing hills. He dug deep, muscled through and made it to the top of the climb just in time for a beautiful view of HD suffering from what I like to call "Leinie's Revenge." This, of course, is a condition in which your mountain biking skills suffer due to one-too-many Leinenkugels Octoberfests before a ride.

After a well needed rest by both Tim and HD, we headed down the "Roller Coaster" Section. For a beginner, Tim handled the coasters pretty well, only falling down once, but didn't even draw blood, so that doesn't count. We took down the remaining miles of the trail before completing the loop. Tim and HD headed back towards downtown Rochester while I rolled back to the parking lot for some well deserved Advil.

I finished up the night with a little over 18 miles, a Dave and Amy's Burger and a couple of Sam Adams Octoberfest. As for Tim, he rocked Stony Creek and I think he's hooked on this Mountain Biking thing. I'm pretty sure that we have a future Hot Dogger on our hands, Folks! All in favor???

- Steve

Finally, an O2S recap!

I was going to wait til I had some pictures to do my report, but the Thd team photographer dosent have them "ready" yet, but, the blog must go on.

I felt decent at the start, not terribly strong on the road roll out, but I never feel strong for a few miles anyway, so I just put my head down and tried to get warmed up. The plan was to go out hard, get up over Lucy hill I think it is, and just settle into a decent pace. After we hit the trail from the road it was thick with riders, So i had to sit back in the group, decided not to waste a ton of energy passing, as the first big climb will seperate the group. Which it did, i rode it without much problem, then the trail opened up a bit. Tried to draft when I could, was feeling pretty good around Ishpeming. Then we hit the water... A two track about 200 feet long, maybe 12-20 inches deep. My derauiller somehow jammed up and was all the way forward. Had to stop in the water, which was almost knee deep on the side, pull my chain down, rinse it off in the water, blah blah. Got it freed up and continued on to the power lines, arguably the hardest part of the race. They were tough, it was hot and I was getting warm. The pace was fast through there. I looked at my time, about the same pace I was on last year. Cruised to misery hill, which is where I think I lost it. Walking up the sun was beating down, I was sweating a ton more than normal, just baking. Had an ice cold gatorade at the top, hopped back on for the decent, rode the next few miles really hurting. I felt dehydrated, hot. Shitty actually. Tried an endurolyte, some cytomax, wasnt helping. Seen Angie about 23 miles in, and I probably should have bailed there. Ended up going another 10 miles or so to the aid station after those lovely road climbs. I debated just suffering on, but I had some blurry vision, and felt like I just wanted to lay down, was sweating something fierce, just decided to throw in the towel. Wasnt my day, and normally I would be pissed for quitting, but I still am glad I did. No use getting hurt, crashing, ect. While in the truck riding back to Marquette I was amazed at the number of people getting medical treatment for heat exhaustion, dehydration. I was looking at my Garmin data, thinking maybe I went out too hard or something, but that didnt look like the case. My average HR was the same as it was last year. Think it was just hotter than I thought, and I have been having trouble in the heat this year. Oh well, get em next year! Was still an awesome weekend in the UP.

Postponed - tHD Ride @ ILRA this Saturday

This ride has been postponed due to the fact that we're afraid to get wet...I have called off the attack seagulls. Tomorrow perhaps?

We're planning a ride at Island Lake this Saturday 8/21 at noon. Plan on doing at least a blue/yellow loop and we'll see how we all feel from there. You better show up or else these seagulls will hunt you down and kill you!!!

- Steve

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Blonde Beaver

I know the O2S reports and pics will be rolling in soon... I just wanted to quickly post a pic of my favorite souvenir of the weekend that I indulged in after mowing the lawn this afternoon. This is the glorious "Blonde Beaver Ale" from the Tahquamenon Falls Brewery. It's as good as it looks.

And Timmy... you see, if you are going to post a picture of beer, there are a few things you need to keep in mind. 1) There is actually beer in the mug 2) The mug the beer is consumed in was actually earned by racing one's mountain bike 3) The beer is actually something good, and not macro brewed with a Budweiser or PBR logo on it and 4) no gay photoshop!

Anyways, I really enjoyed my Ore to Shore weekend with Team Hot Dog. It ranks up there with some of the best biking trips I've been on. If you want to see some of the cool pics I've taken from our trip, mosey on over to my Flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jdx26/

Bambi everywhere

Okay, here's a ride report...
John and I decided to take a cruise up the Paint Creek Trail last Friday night. The "cruise" turned out to be one of the fastest ride we had up the trail. Speed was not the real highlight, it was the deer that were jumping out in front of us like grasshoppers.

Pictured above, one of two tiny twin fawns crosses just in front of John. If you look to the left you can see its sibling in the grass.

Mom looks nervously onward from the right side of the trail as she is separated from her two fawns.

The missed shot of the day was a 10 point buck near the cut-off trail towards the Bald Mountain North Unit. That deer had velvet on its antlers. The light was bad and it scurried into the bushes before I could pull my camera out.

The best shot of the night was these two blonde does walking along the trail near Goodison.

tHD Sets Sights on O2S 2010!

Well kids... it's the weekend we wait all year for!! Ore to Shore is upon us! At this time tomorrow night, we will be carbo loading on our beer of choice underneath the Mackinaw Bridge.

Nothing but tumbleweeds have been blowing through the Hot Dog blog lately, but ol' HD isn't going to stand for that anymore... no sir. Enjoy a pic of Shaun and I with our Myoplex after last year's edition. Looking forward to another fantastic weekend with the Bassetts and good friends!! (and maybe some Blueberry Wheat Ale)