After a few years of unplanned world stoppage I am back with more cheers and happiness and joy and I even brought along a few friends known as #TheDirtyMouseketeers! Look for more info on our fun, dirty team at @thedirtymouseketeers on Instagram. Now to continue the story – and the journey!
In 2021 racing started again but I was not ready to fully jump in with both feet. I started a new job, did not have proper training, and just wasn’t motivated to get back on the saddle and do what was needed to race. Belgian Waffle Ride San Diego was shifted to July and with the expected weather being predicted to make this really The Hell Of The North (County) I chose to switch my race to Cedar City and do my part as a volunteer for BWR and also to help out my friends at IRC Tires. I did make the decision earlier in the year to race Rebecca’s Private Idaho Queen’s Stage Race to see if I had to do a race without a coach – more on that in another post. And a few weeks later headed to Cedar City for my 1st Belgian Waffle Ride there and chose the Wafer as I was already planning on shifting my racing to shorter courses with the exception of Dirty Kanza – now named Unbound Gravel. I had deferred my entry earlier in the year to 2022 as there was no way I was ready to tackle 200 miles of gravel chasing Dorothy and Toto and trying to find the Yellow Brick Road to the Wizard of Oz. BWR Cedar City was an amazing fun event and I cannot wait to go back again this year.
Enjoy life to the fullest and celebrate all wins appropriately! Post 2022 Belgian Waffle Ride San Diego weekend!
With this said, please visit this page over the next week for some updates from 2021 leading to the craziness of 2022 which will lead to one more mind bending experience in 2023! The #PowerGauntlet Challenge is almost complete and the power to snap us all back into reality will be in my hand – or at least bring me back to my own reality once 200 miles in Kansas is over!
2022 Belgian Waffle Ride WAFFLE – FINISHED! TIME STONE achieved as it felt like TIME STOOD STILL that day!
IRC Tires 700 x 40c Boken – best all around fun tire for all purpose riding in Southern California!
So now that nutrition and wheels have been discussed, now it is time for the final HUGE piece of the puzzle – tires. And just like with nutrition – there are a lot of companies with a lot of products to filter through. Hopefully my 3 Belgian Waffle Ride race experiences as well as 3 long years of training and riding can help you with your own selection.
TOP ROW – Formula Pro, Marbella, Serac CX Sand BOTTOM ROW – Boken, Boken Plus Images courtesy Pure Gravel
As can be seen in the image above, tires come in all shapes and sizes and different tread patterns. Another thing to see in this whole post is that my tire brand of choice is IRC Tire thanks to my good friends at Pure Gravel. But, I started down a different route for my 1st Belgian Waffle Ride. For the 2017 race I rode an endurance road bike (2017 Giant Defy Advanced Pro 1) which did not have a lot of clearance for big tires. I was able to fiat a Schwalbe G-One Speed 700x30c front and rear however due to my lack of gravel experience and hesitation with such small tread, I was very timid through the rock and dirt segments. I was really worried about getting flats or crashing so I took my time through those segments and through the nasty dirt climbs and sandy sections – basically I was slow for 40% of the race due to my lack of confidence in dirt. In 2018 I upgraded to a cyclocross bike (2018 Giant TCX Advanced Pro 1) and installed a MTB style set up with a Kenda Happy Medium 700x32c in front and a Schwalbe G-One Speed 700x30c in the rear. The reason for these different tires and sizes was I wanted more grip and control in the front and more speed in the rear – keep in mind this was my second year attempting the race and I was much more confident with my dirt skills! For 2019 I upgraded again this time to a gravel bike (2019 Giant Revolt Advanced Pro 1) and installed IRC Serac CX Sand 700x32c and crushed everything in my path. However – could I have gone smaller and been even faster considering the course had no mud and I knew how to maneuver through all the rock gardens and sand pits and dirt segments really well?
Could one of these be the perfect tire for San Diego Belgian Waffle Ride?
These are my choices for San Diego Belgian Waffle Ride – 700 x 32c Serac CX Sand or 700 x 28c Marbella.
This brings me to 2020. With the weather looking like it could be another dry spring and potentially the course being pretty much the same with minor changes or additions, should I go smaller and will it help me to be even faster on the road segments? will the 4 mm of girth make that much of a difference in terms of speed and handling? Or should I go for it all and go with what the pros use and go with a 28c with no knobs (by the way this is a sarcastic question as I am NOT a pro nor am I crazy enough to run a smooth tread tire as I want to have fun in the dirt and rock segments). Look above for the choices in 28c and look below for the differences between the 32c Serac CX Sand and the 28c Marbella. Which would you choose?
One final note. I am not worried about weight (I have no idea how much my bike weighs but it is lighter than others I have held and to me it is light) so with regards to tire sealant I add 4 oz to each tire. The main reason for doing this is through experience the only flats I have had were due to sidewall slashes but after numerous rides I have seen evidence of punctures but did not succumb to an actual flat. I have tried Stan’s and Orange Seal with the latter being my choice do to the fact that is has a thicker solution and I just purchased a bottle of Muc-Off to try over the next few months. Also, I do carry a can of GUP Kwiki Sealant as well as a new frame bag with a tube, tire levers, plug kit, Co2 cartridges, and a multi-tool as a backup. Last year I had a fanny pack with all my tools but it bounced around a lot and put strain on my stomach and lower back so I do not recommend it – I did carry extra food in it too but I realize I can just stuff my jersey pockets and by top tube bento box with all the GU Energy nutrition and hydration supplements I need. The tire pressures I ran last year were 40 psi in front and 44 psi in the rear but this is something everyone has their own magical numbers for so find yours and you will feel cushy all day long!
Out with the old – In with the new! The old are a set of Spinergy prototype carbon fiber gravel wheels while the new are GXC wheels with bladed spokes!
Last post was about nutrition and what it takes for me to get through my training days as well as Belgian Waffle Ride. Now we are going to move on to the fun stuff which is the actual machine that will get me to the finish of every Power Gauntlet race I have planned for this year as well as the training rides leading up to each race. For me, hands down the items that have concerned me the most on the bike are the wheels and tires as these are the main components which have to work flawlessly to get me from start to finish. Today we discuss wheels.
Images courtesy Spinergy.
So many bicycles come complete with carbon fiber wheels from the factory including the 2019 Giant Revolt Advanced 1. So why would I change the wheels for a different set of carbon fiber wheels. Well the answer to this can be found in the hub and the spoke technology of Spinergy wheels. The hubs are manufactured by Hadley which in my experience have been used when building wheels for football players so I know they are virtually bomb proof. The spokes feature PBO technology which in easy terms means that unless you cut them with scissors they are not going to break which also leads to less truing of the wheels as the spoke tension does not fluctuate from getting hit by objects. Put these two things together and essentially you have a wheel that will keep spinning for miles and miles of smiles.
My 2019 Giant Revolt Advanced 1 with Spinergy prototype carbon fiber gravel wheels. Image courtesy Todd Gunther
For more than a year I have been riding on a set of prototype carbon fiber gravel wheels and a set of GX aluminum gravel wheels both from Spinergy. The goal was to try everything I could to break the rims or spokes or hubs and after more than a year I can saw I threw everything I could at both sets of wheels and nothing happened. In fact when I had my new 2020 Giant Revolt Advanced 2 custom built the aluminum wheels were installed then swapped for the prototype carbon fiber wheels to prepare for Rock Cobbler and the service technician was amazed that both sets of wheels were true and asked when was the last time I trued them which I answered “Never, that is how they came from the factory” much to his amazement. The best story of putting the prototype carbon fiber wheels through hell was at Gravelstoke Great Western Reroute 2019 where there is a nasty rocky downhill section and I essentially hit everything in my path and heard a few loud hits from rocks but when I came to a stop at the bottom nothing was wrong. Similar story earlier this year while out on the Spinergy PBO Ride through Penasquitos Canyon with the GX aluminum wheels in the cobble area where I went through the nasty rocks bouncing around and hearing loud pings and at the end of the ride nothing was wrong and the wheels did not need to be trued.
Prototype carbon fiber gravel wheels on the left. GXC gravel wheels with bladed spokes on the right.
Feel free to reach out to me with any additional questions or if you are interested in getting your own set of Spinergy wheels. The colored spokes can be custom designed in your own pattern as well as the color of the wheel decals. They also offer road and MTB wheels which I have not personally used however I have heard the XC wheels are just as awesome as the gravel wheels.
3 different gravel wheels to help you get dirty. Which one will you choose – or maybe get 2 sets for different tires? Top images courtesy Spinergy.
Let me start this off by saying I am in no way a nutrition expert and this is just what works for me and every person is different so it may not work for you. But this is what I do and maybe it will help you.
One topic that is brought up a lot while riding or when discussing rides and racing is nutrition. This encompasses food and hydration and every one of us has things that work and little tricks and have experienced things that do not work or just have some bad experiences. I have been through it all and have found what works for ME and it took me almost 2 years to dial everything in but now I have my go to products that I want to share with YOU!
Liquid fuel and refuel.
Liquids. These are very essential and have proven to be one of the hardest things for me to consume while on the bike. I carry 2 x 26oz water bottles on my bike when riding to ensure I do not have to stop very often during my rides to get more water. However I have a tendency to forget to drink or not drink enough so one thing that I do is the day before a ride or a race I drink a full bottle of my hydration supplement throughout the day and evening to prime my body. The morning of the ride or race I make a cup of coffee then drink a full bottle of hydration supplement to ensure my body is ready to go as during the first hour on the bike I rarely think about reaching for a bottle as this is the time when I am in a zone of pushing hard. Due to the fact that I am Chonky (thanks Marc Chilcote for this term) I reach for GU Energy Roctane for race days or really long days under the sun – for every day training I just use their normal drink tabs. And one thing that I always do is reach for the recovery powder after all rides and I love the Roctane Protein Recovery as it helps to replenish my body quickly.
Stuff to chew on while biking.
Solids. This used to be an area that gave me problems not only from the standpoint of what I was eating but also frequency. As I stated before, it took me almost 2 years to dial in my nutrition and find a brand of products that gave me everything I needed to keep me pedaling whether for 30 minutes or 12 hours – and yes I do eat a supplement even before a 30 minute ride as I have trained my body to use this type of fuel. As you can see from the image above there are gels and chews and I like to pair them up to keep me fueled and allow my body to push as hard as possible. The one key thing that I have learned (thanks Terry Ford and Matteo Pistono) is on race day to eat real food for at least the first 2 hours before changing over to supplements. This has helped me out a lot as before a ride I eat waffles or an egg sandwich and I have found that continuing to eat clean REAL food for at least 2 more hours afterwards keeps my body going at full tilt – mind you the first 2 hours of Belgian Waffle Ride will see most riders burning matches so having the right fuel will help for the long nasty dirty ride ahead! And yes – I eat Uncrustables as this was a product that I just discovered early in 2019 and it is small enough to fit 2 into a jersey pocket but gives me the extra fuel I need during those 2 hours. Also Matteo made me these amazing rice cakes with maple syrup and bacon which were wrapped in little wax paper and they were delicious as well and very easy to eat while pedaling up Highland Valley towards Black Canyon. After that initial 2 hours I eat a gel and 2 chews or during race day I have a refillable bottle of gel that is easier to consume while pedaling as their is no package to open. Once again Roctane is my product of choice for race day gels with the Salted Watermelon and Caramel Macchiato being my choice for every day gels.
Also – with regards to race day. There are numerous aid stations with a lot of yummies and goodies. For race day I will grab a banana and a mandarin orange however I do not utilize any of the nutritional supplements as I have tried numerous brands and have found that Gu Energy works for me – other supplements made my tummy hurt or did not taste good or did not seem to give me the nutrition that my body needs. I will also reach for a stick of beef jerky and some potato chips when available and also even a small can of Coke towards final aid stations for that cold refreshing surge of sugary deliciousness.
Essential recovery liquids – one bourbon, one scotch, and one beer!
I hope you have found this post informative. Please once again keep in mind I am not a nutrition expert.
TOP SECRET NEW GU ENERGY FLAVORS – More info on March 2!
This is my 300lb gorilla on a bicycle picture from my 1st race – 2016 Quick n Dirty Filthy 50
The quick and easy answer is YES. But read on!
So I started riding a MTB in 1992 when I was in Cincinnati, Ohio and purchased my 1st bike – 1992 Bridgestone MB-3. No suspension, touring tires, cantilever brakes – how did we do it back then? I remember riding singletrack trails with my friend and crashing and slamming into a tree doing no damage to my bike but cracking my helmet – yes I must have a thick skull. Move forward to 2016 and the image above is at my 1st MTB race and this was the hill leading up to Raptor Ridge and my the time I made it up there I wanted to quit the race. FYI – those shoes were from when I purchased my Bridgestone bike in 1992!!!
The three images above are of my Belgian Waffle Ride (BWR) progression – 2017 image courtesy of Phil Beckman 2018 image courtesy of Todd Gunther and 2019 image courtesy of Tony Brandotti. in 2017 I wore a club jersey as I was big and bloated and not in the best of shape and did not have a coach. 2018 I wore a sport jersey as I had slimmed down a lot and was in much better shape but still did not have a coach. And in 2019 I am wearing my TASCO MTB race kit and was in amazing shape and crushed my previous year time by 30 minutes and had, and still have, an amazing coach named Chi also known as Outdoor Fitness Coach.
Outdoor Fitness Coach / Chi putting in work on a rocky climb.
So from 2016 through end of 2018 I tried to do this racing thing alone and saw progress but did not see any major leaps and bounds as I just rode my bike a lot at my own pace all over north county San Diego and come race day I lined up and gave it everything I had in the tank. I had cramping issues. I had hydration issues. I had exhaustion issues. I had some stomach issues and nutrition issues. But as 2018 progressed I fixed those issues but still was not seeing any progression on the bike. Yes I could ride my bike for 2 or 5 or 7 or 12 hours but I would not be very competitive and found myself literally in last place or barely making it to time cut-offs at all of my races. At one endurance race I literally crossed the finish line with 3 seconds left on the time clock.
Outdoor Fitness Coach 2020 BWR training ride #1 – Image courtesy of Todd Gunther
Moving forward to the end of 2018 and I met Chi Planken who is the owner of Outdoor Fitness Coach. She and I met and discussed my goals and my existing training plans and what I had accomplished and where I was with my overall physical health. After setting a training schedule starting in early February due to concentrating on Belgian Waffle Ride and with myself being out of town for most of January it was time to get to work! And let me tell you – I did a LOT of work. In the current world of everything being on the interwebs yes there are numerous free training programs and schedules and some of the new cycling computers even have suggested programs built in. However the number one thing about having a coach is accountability and secondary is direct communication. Yes, it would be easy to take an existing program that you find on the interwebs and use it for yourself but what if you are lazy or if you decide not to do the whole workout or just decide not to do the workout at all and just ride your bike? By having a coach these things are thrown out the window and it is like having a teacher with homework and if you don’t do your homework you will be reprimanded – I have never had this happen and don’t plan on finding out what that would consist of. There have been mornings when I have woken up and delayed training until later in the afternoon but knew that I had to get it done – yes it has been sunny and warm here in Southern California but it has been cold and overcast in the morning and I really don’t like having to wear layers when training as I know I am going to get hot and then where do I put the layers. The hardest part of training which made the biggest impact was intervals. I had never done them as I never sought out a training program as I just thought I could achieve my goals just from spending time on the bike and adding more miles as the race day crept closer. Yes this is something that is recommended however adding in intervals and proper recovery days have helped to make me lean and stronger – and I know there is much more for me to achieve especially with my crazy schedule this year.
Outdoor Fitness Coach 2020 BWR training ride #1
Another aspect that having a coach brings to the table is being able to ride in groups with similar levels as yourself. There are a multitude of weekly training rides now in Southern California with riders of all skill and strength levels which is amazing but being able to ride with a larger group where everyone is working together at the same or similar level is amazing. In the photograph above there is a mixture of Waffle and Wafer riders whether past, present, or future registrants which also helps to bring better aspect to the universal goal – completion of the race. Yes, Chi is the coach however every one of us who has done the race has different insight and experiences which is knowledge that can be shared with everyone.
Less than a mile to go to the finish of 2019 BWR and Chi surprised me by finding me on the course and pedaling me in to the finish!
So now it is up to you to decide if a coach is right for you. There are many here in Southern California as there are a lot of professional and ex-professional racers who are willing to share their knowledge with those who are seeking it. And of course if you need a referral or have any additional questions comment below and I will respond quickly!
Well. My 1st official gravel race of 2020 was last week and I must say it was the most difficult miles I have ever ridden on a bike. Thankfully I had a great mechanic put together my dream gravel bike (this is only stage one as more upgrades will be added over the next few months) and it was everything I expected once I put it through the nasty, dirty miles.
The image above is the way the bike came from the factory. It was built with Shimano 105 components and a Praxis crankset. Handlebar and stem were aluminum as well as the wheels. Well I wanted this bike because of the color so Nate at Moment Bicycles in Carmel Valley eagerly waited for Santa Claus to deliver boxes of new parts so he could begin stripping the bike. I chose to go with Shimano Di2 due to my existing joy with the drivetrain on my Giant Anthem Advance Pro 29 which was also stripped and custom built. The one thing I love about the drivetrain is that it does the thinking for you and self adjusts and over 2 years of racing my Anthem I have not had to touch the drivetrain or make any adjustments – with the exception of a few new chains. So with the plan to build a beast of a bike to tackle nasty, muddy conditions (I am looking at you Dirty Kanza), I went with Shimano GRX Di2! More detailed reviews on all the parts will be posted in the future but for now, here is what got me through the soul sucking Rock Cobbler.
The Man, The Myth – Sam Ames. He warned me that I might hate him on Saturday.
Well. I chose the Soul Stone as the achievement for Rock Cobbler and I definitely made a good choice. I truly feel that I left my soul at mile 42 or after the hike-a-bike section so I guess that just means I will have to go back again next year and try and find it! Hands down this is the hardest ride, race, or event I have ever done on a bicycle. It was filled with smiles and cheer, then replaced by curse words and almost tears, and I hear some blood was shed and I almost puked, but in the end I rode an amazing race, spent some quality riding time with multiple friends, then enjoyed some delicious food and beer before getting back on the Pure Gravel x Rouleur Brewing Co. Party Bus back to San Diego while having a few shots of Henebery whiskey with more friends!
The night before the insanity. Thanks again Pure Gravel and Rouleur Brewing Co. for the Party Bus!
Many thanks goes to both Pure Gravel and Rouleur Brewing Co. for organizing the Party Bus from San Diego to Rock Cobbler and back – thank you Steve, Kris, Shelly, and Rawley and to the drivers of the vans with our bikes! We were all safe and relaxed on the way up while enjoying a few cold pints and after the soul sucking ride we were able to relax once again and many of us passed out from exhaustion. This was an epic way to experience Rock Cobbler as if I had drove up I probably would have had to spend a second night as I was one who passed out for a little nap on the way home. I am looking forward to future events where Pure Gravel will offer similar transportation packages!
Just a few of the Party Bus crew trying to stay warm before the cobbles start attacking.
I had met Sam Ames for the 1st time on Friday night at packet pick up and told him how happy I was to finally meet him. He smiled and laughed and said that when I see him at the finish on Saturday I may actually hate him. I laughed as well and said there was no way as I heard his race was epic and fun and crazy but I must say even though hate is a strong word I had to agree with him during certain sections of the course. There were definitely some fun, happy, flowy, jumpy segments but there were so many crazy sections that it was mindblowing! After the initial road section including a long climb the first surprise of the day was a go-cart race track to get the party started. Then we dropped into the dirt and at mile 15 we exited a housing area and faced a heavily rutted climb that looked like something out of a horror movie. I saw lots of riders try and make it up only to slip and some almost riding right into a rut. From there it was fun and flowy for a while with a random boat sighting and one crazy steep downhill where I watched Adam from Velofix miss the turn and go into the bushes but somehow saved himself and made it back on the trail. After this there was more dirt fun and we caught up to Tim from Lost Cyclery and went through some fun motocross trail sections including an area with a lot of sheep which both Adam and Tim swear they did not see – from far away they looked like rocks but up close they were definitely sheep. Shortly after the sheep we made it to aid station one, had some snacks, refilled our water bottles, then jumped back on our bikes for more flowy dirt fun. This lasted for a while until we made it to the pavement at which time we also hit the break off for Pebbler riders which is where Tim turned and headed back to the start. Adam and I continued on towards more dirt and a little more pavement before we hit the worst most abusive part of the race. There was a huge open field that we started riding alongside and smiling and having fun and then the course turned 45 degrees and we started riding over nasty ruts that jarred us and made it hard to pedal and even thought it only lasted for .3 miles the abuse was felt for many miles after.
Friendly sheep cheering us on!
Soon we came upon a large clearing with lots of sheep – there was no way to miss them as they were on the trail and grazing in the fields next to the trails. They sounded like they were cheering for us as we rode past them and slowly around them before heading for the next dirt hill to climb. We spent some more time on some fun dirt sections before getting back on the road and heading to the next aid station which was right before the 1st nasty big climb of the day. When we got to the aid station we were greeted with smiles and cheers and a cold beer and a beautiful pig! Thanks Brown Monkeys Cycling for the epic aid station!
Now THIS is an epic aid station!
Then came the 4 miles of continuous climbing through an amazing private farmland – thank you Sam Ames for arranging this section for the race as it was like we were in another world. That 4 miles seemed to take forever as we dodged cow patties and some ruts and lots of cobbles. About 2 miles in there was a cow relaxing next to the trail and I took at selfie and Adam yelled at me to hurry and get on my bike as he swore the cow was in attack mode and was getting ready to charge at me. The terrain in this section was gorgeous and looked like something out of Jurassic Park with rolling hills and deep cut valleys. I truly feel that somewhere during this climb is where I lost my soul and procured the Soul Stone for the Power Gauntlet. This was just a long winding segment and the sun was beating down on us and we just wanted to find the top so we could start coming back down to civilization.
We finally made it to the top and started the dirty decent which included a few more climbs and we joined a couple of other riders to push through this section towards the next aid station. The crazy thing was the numbers of crows circling above us and the number of vultures circling in the distance – were they waiting for us to drop over and feast on our flesh? We finally made it through an orchard and managed to meet up with a lot of our friends who had already done the 10 mile out and back segment. Due to time restraints Adam and myself had already decided to skip that section and since a lot of our friends were there we all started to ride back together. Passing through another orchard and riding along the Kern River we started to gain speed as we knew the end was close but we also knew the dreaded hike-a-bike section was coming up as well.
Terry on the hike-a-bike. You can see the riders on the ridgeline at the top and the number of signs we still had to hike past!
And what a hike-a-bike section it was. Thankfully I had installed spikes on my shoes to make the climb a little easier. The young lady in front of us almost slipped and fell but managed to knee the ground to stabilize herself but I know that had to hurt as she hit the ground hard. Luckily at the top was another aid station and then we were happy as there were only 12 more miles – little did we know it would be a long, hilly, painful 12 miles. We made it to the start of another motocross section which had a big drop and somehow Terry was ejected from his bike but luckily he was not hurt. It was here that we lost Adam as he pedaled forward and managed to finish 24 minutes ahead of us. Once Terry got back on his bike we had a lot of fun flowing to the bottom with some high berms and nice fun dirt before we met the trail gnome who we thought was leading us to the road and to the easy way to the finish. Nope – nothing easy about the last 10 miles.
Over the course of the next 8 miles every time we thought we were heading to the road to pedal to the finish the trail turned back in and lead to another climb. Then we headed back to the road and then another climb. Then we headed into a small canyon section with high berms but we were so exhausted that we couldn’t keep our speed so we rode through the center as we began slipping on the high berms. It was here where a hiker and her family decided it was a good day to climb up the canyon and Terry almost hit her coming around a blind turn. After one more berm we saw the road up ahead and we started to cheer but then the route turned in to itself with yet another climb. Needless to say I was cursing and almost ready to cry and Terry was not too happy as well but we were just watching the miles slowly tick away. The highlight of this dirt section was MORE SHEEP and I swear I heard them screaming BAAAAAAD TERRY!
Finally we made it back to the road, pedaled up yet another hill, then made it to the small cyclocross obstacle course which we barely managed to step over, before heading to the bike path. We got to ride on the opposite side from the morning so we spent more time in the dirt before reconnecting to the paved section near the end. Another surprise was waiting for us as our friends who had finished yelled at us to stay on the course and ride the BMX race course. This was a really cool way to end a very long ride and finally we came around the last bend and there was the finish!
Power Gauntlet Challenge Race 1 – COMPLETE!
It was so awesome to see our friends Casey, Echo, and Ryan at the finish and they were nice enough to give us their beers! What an amazing way to finish the race and when we made it to the party area loud cheers and high fives and more smiles were waiting for us and some delicious food! I was able to say thank you to Sam Ames and told him I really did not hate him but damn he put together a very tough course! And the finisher prize was a mini- cast iron skillet – so awesome as it is a functional award!
Thank you to everyone who made this event happen and thank you to everyone who supported me for this race and for the rest of 2020. Many thanks to all my friends including some new ones for all the encouragement and smiles and cheers and hugs and beers! Now it is time to get dirty again as the Power Stone is next on April 25 at Epic Rides Whiskey Off-road 50 Proof!
Time to celebrate with Henebery #CelebratedWhiskey. And yes – the finisher award was a small cast iron skillet!
For 2020 I have decided to challenge my nerdy self in my own way by doing 6 well known, difficult races both on my MTB and my gravel bike. And because there are 6 races I decided to treat myself and get a Power Gauntlet where for every race I complete I will add a stone and by the end of the season I will have a complete Power Gauntlet.
My planned race season so far includes:
Rock Cobbler – Gravel – Soul Stone – I heard this race can suck the soul right out of you!
Whiskey Off-Road 50 Proof – MTB – Power Stone – With that huge climb I think this race has the power to destroy anyone!
Belgian Waffle Ride San Diego – Gravel – Reality Stone – This will be my fourth time racing this event and it has changed my outlook on gravel racing forever!
Dirty Kanza 200 – Gravel – Mind Stone – I heard this race can make your mind do crazy things plus this will be the longest one day ride ever so I may be brain fried afterwards!
Rebecca’s Private Idaho 4-day Stage Race – Gravel – Space Stone – Since this is over 4 days we will be traveling to distant places!
Belgian Waffle Ride Cedar City – Gravel – Time Stone – With this being the final race of the 2020 Power Gauntlet challenge time will stand still once I finish!
Image Courtesy of Marvel and Avengers Infinity War
I am sure everyone can tell that even though I am doing some insane riding I still can keep a smile and keep happy thoughts during everything. This is something that has been conveyed to me by a couple of riders with “Miles of Smiles” and “Smiles for Miles” and “Just Keep Smiling because it takes away the pain thoughts and makes you faster” and of course “Remember there is beer and whiskey at the finish” all being spoken at some time of a ride or when we are all just hanging out post ride and laughing about our adventures.
With that said, it is time to make some last second adjustments to my new 2020 Giant Revolt Adv custom build, pack my gear, and head out to Bakersfield for Stone 1. More details on my new bike next week!
Image shot at Henebery Whiskey home of “CelebratedWhiskey
I love living in Southern California as it seems like every day of the week there is an organized ride or a weekly ride occurring somewhere. I live near La Costa Preserve and I know there are organized weekly rides every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday for MTB riders – maybe the other days are covered too. On Thursday we have Rouleur Brewing Company Thursday Night Gravel Rides. On Wednesday there is a weekly Eliel Road Ride. And these are just the weekly rides that I know of. Recently Pure Gravel started their Shredtastic-ness Rides, Gravel For The Rabble started Eggos not Egos Training Rides for Belgian Waffle Ride, Gravelstoke will start having monthly rides in different locations around San Diego, and soon there will be official Belgian Waffle Ride (BWR) Recon Rides. After BWR there will be the famous (or is it infamous) No Fcks Rides and I hear there is a crazy ride known as Italian Sausage Ride coming up in a few months too. And let’s not forget the annual Gravel and Whine, SPNDX Stampede, Gravelstoke Hunt of the North and Great Western Reroute rides scattered throughout the year. And then when we are out with our groups we always run into other rides and other organized group rides and other friends randomly out for a ride. Essentially no matter what day of the week it is there is always a way to get out there and get dirty with friends. My training buddy and good friend got me hooked on #Terry2sday rides so we are now doing different training rides every Tuesday and we always invite our friends and are happy to have had two smiling ladies ride with us the past 2 weeks. Where will you get dirty this weekend and who will you share the memories and smiles with?
As we are all deep in training and preparations for our 2020 races and events, here is a look back on the day that was Cinco De Mayonnaise aka 2019 Belgian Waffle Ride! Special thanks goes our to Michael and the amazing team at Monuments of Cycling and Belgian Waffle Ride as well as the staff at Lost Abbey!
2019 Belgian Waffle Ride Recon Ride with Gravelstoke – image courtesy of Todd Gunther
2019 has come and gone and 2020 race season preparations have begun. 2019 Belgian Waffle Ride was an adventure that words really cannot fully describe – you really just need to do the ride. Yes, this is a race and yes there are cutoff times at certain areas (although many times these are not firm and riders are given the opportunity to keep on riding with the risk of finishing past the actual end cutoff time or not being able to finish at all) but the main thing to understand is that THIS IS AN ADVENTURE which will probably take you half a day and you may lose a little bit of your soul, and a lot of your sanity. This was my 3rd year attempting this crazy, difficult ride with myself completing 115 miles in 2017 and 113 miles in 2018. During the previous rides my friend who originally suckered me into this “fun” ride was able to finally complete the ride after 3 tries – so I was hoping the third time was not going to be a strikeout for me and was going to be a charm. As many of you know I have been training like a loon since the start of 2019 (in reality BWR training never truly ends as once you cross the finish line you are already thinking about what to do better for the following year even though during the race you are questioning your sanity and swearing you will never do this dumb, insane, mind crushing race again) and even went so far as to swear off beer during this time to really lean out as much as possible and get as strong and healthy to ensure I would have no issues on race day. Well, the training, or was it just the craving for beer, did help as not only did I complete the race but I also crushed my 2018 segment times in some places by 30 minutes (yes that was my huge accomplishment for the 1st half of BWR segment on Strava) which made me even happier – and actually allowed me to have a few beers with friends to celebrate all of our amazing accomplishments. Well, let’s see just what it took for me to conquer the “Hell of the North County”.
Pre-BWR “pro” photoshoot – image courtesy of Gabe Keating
A few days before the race we all received the email with the course, and I smiled a huge smile and sighed a breath of relief as the course was the exact same as 2018 and I knew the segments like the back of my hand. Since February there have been a few organized rides with fellow gravel adventure friends, so they too knew most of the segments leading to the actual course reveal. Even better was looking at the weather reports and seeing that it was going to be cool with the chance of slight moisture – the moisture stayed away until Monday, but the weather stayed cool and beautiful. I am sure many riders on the Waffle were questioning their decision as there is no telling the weather will be like (in 2017 it was 97 degrees up at the Mesa Grande aid station) and many went for the Wafer this year with the intentions to work up to the Waffle next year.
On race day, I was up at 4:30am to prep my breakfast and coffee and get ready for the day. I already had my bike set up with the exception of tire pressure and all my nutrition was laid out and packed as needed so I just really needed to get to Lost Abbey, get dressed, dial in my tire pressure, eat a couple of waffles, and get to the starting area to line up for the group start. I had met with a few friends the day before to discuss strategy of staying together to pace each other and give each other support during the ride and even though we lined up together, ultimately the idea never really came together for us as a group – a few of them were able to stay together and I was able to meet up with another in the middle, who I quickly lost again, and then another near the end who rolled in with me at the finish line The greatest thing about this day for me was the comfort of friendly faces and other riders taking the time to say hello and chat for a few as we played cat and mouse or they just passed me and I never saw them again for the rest of the day. This race for me just shows how large the cycling community is and how much this crazy group of riders really supports each other and I can’t say thank you enough to all the riders I passed or passed me for just taking a few seconds to say hello or wave or just acknowledge another looney rider!
The collection of looney riders at the start – image courtesy of Terry Ford
As far as the actual race itself I am glad to report that I did not have any issues, physically or bike related, and I came away with no injuries or damage to my bike. The first road segment leading to Lemon Twist is where our little group got split up and once we made it to Lemon Twist, we were completely separated with over 500 racers trying to swim upstream like salmon. The cool thing about the road segment here is that you get a chance to see the leaders climbing out of Lake Hodges dam and cheer them on as they speed uphill like missiles. I was able to make it through Lemon Twist unscathed but there was carnage already from flats to broken chains to dropped chains to injured riders scattered throughout this area. I did get caught in the mess and had to dismount and run for a bit at there was no way to get back on the bike and get traction in the loose sand and gravel. Once we made it to the downhill leading to the wooden bridge I was able to pass a few riders as my Lauf Cycling fork (look for more on this carbon fiber marvel in a future review) did its job and soaked up any bumps and rocks in my way and I already knew that unless I slammed into a bladed rock my 32c IRC Serac CX Sand tires paired with Spinergy GXC wheels would hold up without any issues – many training miles over race segments and super gnarly singletrack gave me the confidence that I would not have any problems with my wheel and tire setup! Climbing up past Lake Hodges dam I was able to pass a few more people and then the fun began. First, there was the Del Dios road climb where I was able to hear the cheers of numerous friends and other riders who looked confused already seeing us headed in the opposite direction – many of them were on the Wafer course. Once we made it back to Lake Hodges the dirty fun began and it was time to put my dirt skills to the test and start passing as many riders as I could before making it to Mule Trail to avoid getting stuck behind slower riders in the sandy segment. Before this was the swooping turn leading to the creek crossing where I witnessed someone going wide and riding right off the trail into the bushes – luckily there were plenty of spectators here to lend help. For me I threaded the needle again and at the creek crossing I went to the outside around the palm tree, like most riders do, and made a huge splash to the cheers of my good friend Tony yelling “That’s the way you do it Michael” – thank you for the cheers and the awesome picture! I must say this segment really does dumbfound me in the number of riders who dismount and tiptoe across the little stones – maybe that photo of the rider belly flopping last year has a lot to do with that – whoever you are you are a hero to me as you still took a risk and went for it even though you went for an early bath. After the creek crossing it was all about pedaling like a beast to make up time lost entering Lemon Twist. As we came to aid station 1 at the start of Mule Trail, I was amazed at how many riders were already stopped – and standing in the middle of the trail like they expected every rider to stop here. I had to slam on my brakes and drift around a rider who casually decided to walk across the path in front of me to his needed refreshment as another rider almost slammed into me from behind – I think this aid station needs to be pulled back closer to the Farmer’s Market to make sure no one is blocking the riders who are choosing not to stop here! Once we got onto Mule trail it was literally a train of riders with a few random passers risking hitting a sand patch by crossing into oncoming traffic – yes there were a few casual riders and walkers out for the Sunday exercise but most of them were standing to the side cheering us on and avoiding getting run over. As we took the right turn to the start of Highland Valley I heard quite a few riders let out a sigh or a huff and one with “Here comes the start of Hell” but I think Hell is down and Heaven is up so wouldn’t this be the start of Heaven? And then the climb began. Oh – and right before we hit the turn is when I finally got passed by the faster Wafer riders as they were going balls out as they just had to go up the start of Highland Valley before dropping down to Bandy Canyon so they were full of energy and burning matches as fast as possible! Climbing up the firstzig-zags of Highland Valley I caught glimpse of my good friends Shelly and Tanya and remembered that I did not make up the 5 minute gap they had on me as they started right before our wave – I wonder if they were still stuffing their faces with waffles when their wave started. I decided to be strong and pull past them even though I knew eventually they would catch me, but I was still feeling the power of many months of training, so I went for it. Then as I burned one more match I heard them give me a cheer and pass me – but that also gave me motivation to stay with them as much as possible that day as I knew they were stronger than me and I would try my best to climb as fast as them to get through the hardest climb of the day as quickly as possible. As we were about to crest the zig zags, I heard another cheer from Alyssa as she smiled, gave me a big cheer, and passed me by (congrats on the 3rd place Wafer finish on a MTB). Once we crested the zig zags it was time to say goodbye to the Wafer racers as they would turn left to continue to Bandy Canyon as we continued our grueling climb towards Ramona. It was here that I was thankful that Tanya is good friends with Velofix North San Diego as she was wearing their bright red jersey which served as a target for me during the race to make sure they did not get too far ahead of me. As we started the long climb I settled into my pace and noticed that I was well ahead of my 12.5 mph planned average speed which put a smile across my face as I knew that if I could stay above this speed I would finish the race ahead of my planned 10:45 of moving time – this number does not take into consideration aid station stops and tequila breaks. As we crested the top of the Highland Valley climb, I got passed by a large group but we hit the light to turn into Ramona so I caught up to the group and was able to say hello to my friend Ryan and chat with him for a bit and then pulled in behind their little group to weave our way up to Black Canyon.
Image courtesy of Belgian Waffle Ride and Steve Driscoll of Lift Studios
Once we made it to Black Canyon I was able to access my own support for a few fresh cold bottles filled with GU Roctane as well as dump my fanny pack with my tools to risk the gravel climb and road segment without a spare or tools – I had a can of GUP and my phone and crossed my fingers that I would not have to use either! As I left the aid station Steve from Lift Creative Studios who is my IRC Tire hook up ran up to me to take some pics and made me feel like a pro running alongside me to cheer me on as I started the 10-mile dirty rollercoaster segment to Mesa Grande – his pro picture was used so show my excitement for the kUDOs award. I have trained this segment many times and learned to use the mile marker signs to conserve energy and push once I get up to the top. The weather was perfect that day, so it literally felt like a nice Sunday morning ride with friends. It was during this segment that I saw Marty and Rick (sorry that you had too many flats and was not able to finish the ride) and they were kind enough to give me a few words of encouragement before riding off towards the top. As we crested the climb and came up to the Mesa Grande aid station, I knew my good friend Tomas from GUP Industries was going to be there and had a special surprise to kick in some extra power – margaritas! As I was enjoying my quick cold refreshment I looked over to see my good friend Terry who was refueling himself and I knew that I finally had a training buddy to ride with so I jumped back on the bike and started riding towards the halfway marker which is near Julian Pie Company. Unfortunately, I lost Terry and was not able to see him until he rolled into Lost Abbey at the finish, but I did join up with some groups and we were able to get through the nasty headwinds heading towards Sutherland Dam with ease. Once we made it back onto Black Canyon, I knew the hardest part of the day was almost over and that the fun of Bandy Canyon (aka Sandy Bandy) and Lake Hodges was just a few downhill miles away. Once I made it back to the Black Canyon aid station I refueled again, popped open a can of Pringles to munch on and share with other riders who were smiling with joy for those little salty chips, lathered on a fresh layer of Amp Human PR lotion on my legs, grabbed my fanny pack with spare parts and tools for the upcoming Lake Hodges segment, and got ready to ride down towards San Pasqual Valley road. I met with a few groups of riders and discussed staying together to get down the road as a group safely and everyone agreed that we would stick together. It was here that I was told that Shelly and Tanya had already taken off, so I jumped on my bike and started to chase them down. Little did I know that they actually did not leave the aid station ahead of me, so I spent the rest of the day trying to chase rabbits that did not exist. As our groups made it to San Pasqual Valley road we stayed together and sped downhill as fast as possible trying not to get blown off the road by the nasty headwinds. Staying together as a group really helped as traffic was kind enough to stay behind us until the bottom where there was a shoulder and we were all able to pull to the side and let them pass.
Laura’s happiness at the Lemon Twist aid station
At the start of Bandy Canyon was another aid station which I chose to skip as I had enough food and hydration to last me until Lemon Twist, so I just kept pedaling. It was so good to see Amy out on the course guiding us where to go (I know you will conquer the course yourself this year) and as we got to the deeper sand, riders started to drift left and right with one rider almost slamming into the wooden fence. When we made it to the end of this segment it was time for the road climb out of Bandy Canyon and it was here that I decided to take a quick breather and walk a little. The irony of this was that some of the riders would pass me but they were really not moving much faster than I was. Once we dropped down the original zig zags that we had climbed earlier in the day on Highland Valley it was time to get back on Mule Trail and crush dirt through Lake Hodges back to Lemon Twist again. At the aid station at the Farmers Market I saw Joe and thought he was with the rest of my group but I kept riding as I did not need any aid and I also knew they were stronger than me so they would easily catch up – little did I know that Joe was by himself and the rest of our group was at least 20-30 minutes ahead of us at this point. When I made it back to the creek crossing I went for my same line from earlier in the day but with the number of riders that had already gone through I almost got stuck in deep mud and let out a scream of lots of bad words to power through and scared a bunch of hikers who were out for their Sunday walk. The rest of the ride to Lemon Twist was very uneventful with the exception of my rattlesnake incident. After Hernandez Hideaway is a long segment of gravel overlooking Lake Hodges. I was in a zone and knew I needed to get to Lemon Twist to refuel and as I came around a turn in the middle of the road was a rattlesnake trying to cross to safety. Instead of riding around the back of it I had a momentary lapse of sanity and rode right in front of its head! Luckily for me it must have been shocked that I would choose to do that as it did not bother with me and just let me pass before continuing its own journey. As I made it past the dam, I was able to see Del Dios highway and see riders climbing up towards Elfin Forest. We cheered for each other and waved as the ride was slowly ending for all of us. As I reached the Lemon Twist aid station, I was happy to see the smiling face of Laura who grabbed my water bottles and filled them up for me. I dumped my fanny pack again since the rest of the ride was mainly road, ate some GU Energy gels and chews before drinking a cold Coke and jumping back on the bike. It was here that Joe finally caught me, and I found out that he was alone and that the rest of our group was ahead of us. It was also at this point that I found out that Tanya and Shelly were not ahead of me so I could finally stop chasing the rabbits, but it was now time to handle the final climbing segments of the day which would lead to the finish.
Unicorn at the Oasis aid station
The Del Dios climb is where my body finally started to say “enough is enough” and I started to slow down. I kept my eyes on riders ahead of me and kept pedaling and Joe eventually pulled ahead of me and at the final climb before turning towards Elfin Forest I was able to catch back up to him only because he had to wait for a stop light. Once we got into Elfin Forest, I started to feel energized again as I knew the final climbing segment from Questhaven up through San Elijo to the top of Double Peak was all that was keeping me from finishing my 1st Belgian Waffle Ride. I slowly pulled away from Joe as I also knew I was finally going to make it to the oasis and that gave me even more incentive to pedal harder. As I got closer to Questhaven I could hear the DJ and the music, and I had to smile as I knew the end was very near. I quickly refueled and jumped back on my bike to start the long climb to the top of Double Peak. It was a slow climb and I was very happy to see my TASCO teammate Michael standing here and cheering me on as he knew how much I had trained for this and his cheers gave me more energy to keep on pedaling! As I approached San Elijo road I started to feel a weird twitch in my leg and was scared that I was going to start cramping. So I pulled out a bottle of Pickle Juice and took some time to do some stretches before walking for a bit to give my body a quick rest. It was during this time that some riders were able to pass me including Joe so I knew it was time to get back on the bike and pedal to the top. Once we all pulled onto Double Peak road it was time for the final climb of the day – and I was exhausted and not looking forward to it. Once again Michael was there to cheer me on and as I started the final climb to the top I had to stop and start walking. I was so close but my body was telling me that I needed to stop and rest. But there was no resting allowed so I kept walking and then something strange happened. A vehicle slowly crept up to me and slowly rolled down the windows and there was Steve and the rest of the IRC crew heckling me to get back on my bike and pedal. I started laughing and they were laughing too but at the same time I knew they were right and got back on my bike for the final pitch to the top. My friend Erick from Wild Glass Photography was taking the pictures at the top of Double Peak and I had called him when I was on Questhaven to let him know where I was as he had told me earlier in the day that I had until 6pm to get to the top to get my picture taken. Needless to say, I did not make it there by 6pm but as I came around the final corner there he was! What was so awesome was that he ran to the DJ and as I came to the top of Double Peak he was cheering me on which made me feel so amazing and I started laughing as Erick also ran alongside me all the way to the very top of Double Peak to make sure I did not stop. Once there I took a deep breath, took in the view and smiled as I knew the end was just a few miles away. As I headed back down Double Peak there were many riders who were walking up the hill and I cheered them on as I knew exactly how they felt but I also knew the joy of making it to the top and speeding downhill towards to finish.
Top of Double Peak – image courtesy of Belgian Waffle Ride and Wild Glass Photography
On the last segment of dirt Joe and I stayed together and as we went down the hill towards the finish, I couldn’t help but smile as my journey to the end of the Belgian Waffle Ride was near. As we rolled through the last neighborhood, I called my wife to let her know I was almost done and she said a lot of my friends were waiting for me which made me smile. As we exited the neighborhood in the distance Joe, and I could see a rider on the side of the road. As we got closer, I realized it was my coach Chi from Outdoor Fitness Coach there to guide us to the finish. She was so happy for me as my goal was within reach and she had helped me through the grueling journey with 4 intense months of training. As we rolled towards Lost Abbey, I could hear the music and the announcers and knew it was my time! As I got to the finish Jim and the guys from TBG Event Timing cheered me on and then I was swarmed by my friends and teammates and random other riders who I had seen during the day – thank you to everyone for really making me feel the joy of the community as you all had a lot to do with my success and perseverance.
Chi aka Outdoor Fitness Coach bringing us in to the finish
The joy of finally completing the Belgian Waffle Ride is something that needs to be experienced as it is literally the “Hell of the North County” and is the hardest one day ride I have ever done!
2019 Belgian Waffle Ride FINISHED!
The machine that made it all happen:
Well that was me!
The gear that made it all happen:
Bicycle – 2019 Giant Revolt Advance 1
Fork – Lauf Cycling Grit
Wheels – Prototype Spinergy GXC with Pink PBO spokes
Tires – IRC Serac CX Sand 700 x 32
Sealant – Orange Seal – 4 oz per tire
Handlebar – Contact SLR D-Fuse
Bar Tape – Supacaz Sticky Cush Star Fade Neon Pink
Brakes – Shimano Ultegra
Front Der – Shimano Ultegra
Rear Der – Shimano Ultegra RX
Chainrings – Absolute Black 32 / 48 oval
Crankset – Praxis Zayante
Cassette – SRAM PG-1170 11-36
Chain – Shimano CN-HG701
Chain lube – Wend Wax with Pink outer coating
Saddle – WTB SL8 Team 127mm with titanium rails
Pedals – XT-R PD-M9100
Bottle Cages – Supacaz Fly Anodized Oil Slick
Shoes – Shimano S-PHYRE SH-XC9
Gloves – TASCO Recon
Kit – Squadra TASCO MTB Team
Helmet – Giant Rev Mips
Eyewear – Oakley Racing Jacket
Nutrition – GU Energy Roctane
Pre-Belgian Waffle Ride – image courtesy of Gabe KeatingPost-Belgian Waffle Ride
As much as I want this blog to be filled with smiles and cheers and happiness today I want to take the time to remind everyone to take a moment and reflect on who you are and what you have done in your life. Right now there is a lot of fear and sadness just from the news headlines and that is all we see as it is in our face. But remember to think of those who we don’t hear of or friends or loved ones who we can see or visit or speak to just to say “hello” and reflect on life.
I went back to school 2 years ago and one of the assignments was to look at my life and see what one thing I wanted to change. The one thing I realized was deep down I was a very selfish person not only for myself but also with regards to my family. I realized that I had been doing so much for myself and my family but not doing anything to share with others outside our little circle. I was gaining new knowledge and had years of knowledge and experience but I was keeping it all inside and I decided I wanted to change that. This was the period in my life when I decided to be more outgoing and do more for the one thing I love the most – cycling. I chose to reach out to families that I saw at the local bicycle retailer I worked at and interact with them more than just “selling” them things as one thing that I loved to see was smiles from families from the joy of cycling. I shared my experiences of cycling and racing and the ups and downs and saw many eyes light up with shared interest and thoughts of trying something new. I had already raced Belgian Waffle Ride and was racing in the Quick n Dirty Summer Series and I shared my trials and tribulations from those events with all that would listen and months later I would hear “thank you” from many families and new friends as they took my experiences and made them their own or for their family.
This is the main reason I started this blog as in San Diego there is an amazing cycling community and I have met many new friends because of this. But the amazing thing is I continue to find new friends as this community continues to grow and each of us has so much knowledge to share with each other with helps to build strong bonds between each other. Just yesterday someone I have recently become friends with helped another friend with learning how to set up her cycling computer as we could not figure out how to upload the route for our ride. And someone who has become a good friend due to cycling adventures helped me with some duct tape knowledge as I tore a hole in my sidewall and of course did not have my plugs or a tube so I needed some way to limp my bike a few miles back home. The duct tape did not completely fix the tear but it did allow me to pump and ride and pump and ride to at least make it to my home and swap bikes to head back to finish the ride.
So today, and continuously in the future, take the time to say hello to someone new whether it is on a ride or at a brewery or when grabbing a cup of coffee. I find it very easy to speak to those that are already in our cycling community however the trick is to just find someone random to say hello to and strike up a conversation and share your thoughts and knowledge in anything and make sure to take the time to listen to them as well. You never know who you will meet and what they have done to impact this world and you never know what knowledge you could get from them to better your own life. Just look at this happy smiling group of dirty riders below and just imagine the knowledge that each individual has that can be shared and make a difference whether small or huge in someone else’s life!
Image courtesy of Niels Vande Casteele via Dirt Division
So the title for this blog was something that I had thought about when I was selected for the kUDOs award at 2019 Belgian Waffle Ride (BWR). I understood the thought process behind the Hardman and Hardwoman awards and also behind the kUDOs award (which I still appreciate) but deep down I really felt that even though select individuals are chosen for the kUDOs award that it should really be shared with everyone. There are many riders on the course who in their own little way bring happiness and joy to those around them but more importantly just take the time to say hello or ask how someone is doing when being passed or passing someone or just taking the time to ask if a person not on their bike is in need of help. It is these little things that I feel makes many riders kUDOs winners and the reason I feel that all cyclists, especially those entered into the BWR, deserve a pat on their back whether they won the race, did not finish, could not finish, or was the Lantern Rouge. I give lots of credit to Sunceray Chamblee Rickard for her accomplishment as I can only image the spookiness of coming through Questhaven and around Double Peak in the dark – I have always heard there is a ghost walking the woods in Questhaven and I really don’t want to meet her.
My 2019 BWR buddy Terry and my mentor Casey taking a pie break while training for 2020 BWR and other crazy fun races and events.
With this said, remember to spread your own kUDOs joy and happiness when you are out in nature. Take the time to smile when you see other riders and say HI and if you can WAVE and if they are pulled over to the side looking at their bike at least ask them if they need help – normally they don’t but at least you offered and hopefully a rider will do the same for you when you are on the side of the trail or the road. Do the same for hikers and dog walkers and riders on horsies. And don’t forget to wave at the domestic and wild animals while you are riding as even though us hoomans may look weird to them I believe in some way they understand us waving at them or saying HI as we pass by – except for the cows who just look at us like we are dumb for riding bicycles especially when at the Mesa Grande intersection in the winter when it is COLD! LOL
Yep. It is time for me to share my kUDOs joy with people everywhere. As many of my friends know not only did I complete the Belgian Waffle Ride in 2019 but I was also awarded the kUDOs award. As taken from the BWR website here is the description of what that means:
KUDOS AWARD
The kUDOs award is quite possibly the best acknowledgement a rider of the BWR can receive. The award is bestowed upon the rider (or riders in this case) who exhibit a spirit, a will, an unselfishness, a Belgian hardness, an unwillingness to let anything get in the way of living the full experience… and sometimes these things take on a meaning that transcends the big day’s event and pervades the lead up and the post event formalities…
The kUDOs award is in honor of our fallen friend, Udo Heinz. Udo was tragically struck down by a NCTD bus driver in Camp Pendleton, who took him out from behind leaving a wave of destruction in his path, including seriously hurting or maiming the other riders with Udo. Udo grew up in Germany where he discovered a love of riding bikes and racing cyclocross at a young age. Udo loved to be out on his bike, and he loved the dirt. He had an infectious laugh and a gentle, youthful spirit that always made riding with him a blast. These are the attributes of the kUDOs winners: unselfish, festive, positive, playful and caring. You can’t spell KUDO without UDO!
For me this was a huge surprise as as many know I was actually on a spin bike doing intervals when I started getting random messages congratulating me and I actually did not find out until later that day what the messages were for. And WHAT A SHOCK. Not only was I not expecting this award but when I saw the other award recipients I thought for sure there was a mistake (other award recipients included well recognized names in the cycling scene including Kris Gross, Ryan Dahl, Brian Scarbrough, Alison Tetrick, as well as the Lantern Rouge recipient Sunceray Chamblee Rickard). But nope, no mistake was made and this description of why I was selected for this award is spot on:
KUDOS—MICHAEL MACARE
Michael J Macare loves a good time. He’s not one to turn down a beer, a hug, a ride or a high five. He’s here to bring joy, but even with his predisposition for happiness, the Canyon Belgian Waffle Ride has been anything but joyous for Michael…
Both of the last two years, Michael had shockers (keep in mind, tons of people just don’t finish the BWR). He didn’t finish either event after experiencing every kind of headwind, road block, mechanical and/or physical issue to make finishing a non-reality. Not one to let such silly things get in the way of fulfillment and happiness, Michael dedicated himself to being physically, mentally and equipment ready for the biggest day of his life on the bike. And, as they say, third time is a charm.
While it is commendable to come back, again and again, to finally devour the Waffle, but what matters more is that Michael used his own personal journey to complete the event by engaging with everyone around him with encouragement and positivity. Letting many know, “Hey man, I’m doing this, and you should too, it’s going to be great.
Michael was a regular on the Thursday Rouleur Gravel Rides and all the BWR Recon Rides, as well as all the Gravelstoke rides and his stoke became a staple of the local cycling community.
Udo would have loved riding with Michael!
Image Courtesy Tony Brandotti
Well. I am going to keep this kUDOs train going and in 2020 I will be spreading the joy and cheers and inspiration outside of California with my goal to get to Dirty Kanza 200, Steamboat Springs (SBT Gravel), and Rebecca’s Private Idaho 4-day stage race! Follow along on this awesome adventure and if you see me out there let’s share a beer, or scotch, or bourbon, and lots of smiles!
kUDOs for cyclists everywhere! 