http://www.nwgasorba.org/the_snake.html So the second part of the three race series is this Saturday.  I am pretty sure we are gonna have the biggest group from Ohio ever and I think it is awesome!  The first time I did the race was when I was living in Tenn. in the winter of 2006.  I was just looking around on the internet for some close races and there it was, 32 miles point-to-point, registration for all 3 races was only $60 with a t-shirt, cool!  It was going to be my first year racing as an expert and I figured that 32 miles would be a good way to test myself.  My god did it test me, I finished the race in 4:20 and could barely pedal due to the insane cramps in my legs!  I questioned myself after that race would I be able to compete as an expert?  I was determined to due better and decided that these races would be part of my winter training.  So that is what I did the second race I finished in 4:14 with all kinds of issues like a broken chain and  a flat tire but he cramps were not near as bad this time.  Before the last race I completely replaced my destroyed drivetrain and had a really good race and finished at 3:42, I shaved 38 minutes off my first attempt. 

I have become a more complete cyclist since then and this race continues to challenge me.  This race will challenge your mental fortitude like no other I have raced.  Since I first raced it has went to 34 miles and I think it's challenge is part to do with the time of the year too.  But it could have something to do with the fact that the last 7 miles are just brutal.  For anybody who has rode Mohican state forest, just add 10 miles and over double the climbing, and instead of the beginning being the hardest part the end is.  The people at this race totally rock. I cannot say enough about how well this race is run or enough about how good the chili and the cobbler are after the race.

For some reason I thought maybe I could catch Thomas Turner this year but he is faster than ever.  Not to say I am not going to try I always do but my realistic goal for Saturday is 3:00 or less.  We will see if the mountain bike gods are friendly this race.  I am really glad to see this race has turned into something really big and I think it will continue to grow in the future and be the premier east coast winter race.

Here are some cool old photo's from the first year I did the race.  If you look close my bike still had a set of old xt cranks on it.  I upgraded to full xtr for the last race.

So my teammate and good friend Jake came into town for the Mongoose demo and we decide we are going to go to Mohican on Monday.  Tim Mould had a doctors appointment so we got on the bikes at about 2 pm, good thing to cause the high was only 20 degrees.  The trail was in perfect shape, I think frozen ground has to be the best traction there is possible it is down right amazing!  I started out with a windproof coat on but within two miles I was stopping to shed it, cold or not I can't ride with one on it cooks me.  My wool jersey with a long sleeve under it was plenty for me.  I had my first experience on my new smallblock eight tires on ground that wasn't muddy and I was favorably impressed with there performance, but I think I still prefer the Karma.  We started out with a strong pace to get warmed up and then I didn't let up for a minute my final time was 2:20 not bad after two day's of solid riding with the Mongoose boys at Ray's.

Monday night I get a call from Brad "Hey Tim, wanna go to Mohican tomorrow?" sure why not.  So it is Brad, myself and Brian.  We meet at like 1pm and there is about an inch or so of snow cover, cool!  Were getting suited up and Brian comes up and says "got an extra helmet?" nope I forgot mine to I realize, duh.  Well we decide to ride anyway, probably not smart but we were there so we did anyway.  Right after the first climb Brad passes me and lays it down, I had no chance I was totally spent.  I had enough to stay in front of Brian but Brad thoroughly kicked my ass.  I end up just about 2:30 not bad for felling like shit.  The trail was a ton of fun in the snow, smallblock eights continue to impress me with tons of traction in the snow I didn't miss one climb in the snow!

Mongoose is having demo days at Ray's this weekend.  You will be able to ride just about anything in the lineup from the Canaan to the ECD.  Darren and Chris are here both reps for Mongoose and also Eric Carter "downhill and fourX pro"  will be attending this year.  So if you find some time come out and check out the scene it should be alot of fun!

I have been training in the valley a lot lately and I am greatly disturbed with what I see happening on the multi-purpose trail I love to ride so much.  Road bikers supposedly have an etiquette they live by  and that I think it is their excuse for being rude.  Well that is all fine and dandy when their on the road but when they chose to ride where other people are I think it sucks!  Just so everyone knows multi-purpose means exactly that, when you chose to ride it you have to deal with runners, walker, strollers, children, roller bladders, dogs leashed and unleashed, dogs with 60ft. leashes, other bikes, and mountain bikes, plus who knows what else.  Since local roadies make rules governing public roadways I am making some rules over the multi-purpose trails and it doesn't ban anybody.  It is really pretty simple " BE NICE"  here are some examples and try to enjoy what we have here instead of being rude to people even if it doesn't fit your so called etiquette.  See ya on the trail.

   So the Snake creek gap has been my first race for three years now!  It is also one of the hardest races I do all year.  The race is 34 miles and my gps showed 5000 ft. of climbing.  The terrain is some of the most brutal I have ever encountered anywhere.  You get to the halfway point and then that is when things start to get interesting.

   I went into this race with high expectations for myself.  My goal was to do the race in under 3:10!  Everything was going as planned at the 17 mile mark, my time was 1:17 leaving me 1:50 to finish the last 17 miles.  The second half is a bit more difficult with some super tricky climbs due to all of the rocks that cludder them!  With about 8 miles to go I am riding along feeling good the I-pod giving me good motivation in the techno variety, I tear a sidewall on my front tire and get a flat.  Since I have converted to tubeless with stans I have only flated once before in a race.  Going against my norm I went into this race prepared with a tube and air.  Sweet!!  Just as I finish fixing my flat Garth passes me I catch up to him and pass him but not for long.  His strength is climbing and he does a great job at the end of this race to drop me and end up with a time of 3:14:30!  My finishing time was my best ever 3:16 putting me into second place in the money class behind Thomas Turner(Pro Cannondale rider) his time was 2:50.  That guy is an animal!!!

   This was my first race on the new Mongoose and my new wheelset.  The new wheels are the new NoTubes ZTR race 7000 series.  This wheelset weighs in at a hefty 1210 grams. To put that into perspective a xtr wheelset is 1530 grams and so is Mavics Crossmax slr, that is 320 grams lighter almost a pound!  My Canaan as it sits right now is weighing in at a respectible 23.2 pounds with a full 4 inches of travel front and back.  All I can say is that this bike is simply amazing.  It climbs like a rocket and the new fox suspension is by far the best I have ever been on.

   Well all in all it was an awesome weekend with incredible weather, dry and almost 50 degrees.  Ohio was representing once again Chip Meek and Rob Krantz both posted incredible times on single speeds to boot, 3:23 and 3:29 I believe first and second in single speed class!  Brad Wilhelm and Dave Hall came down for there first ever run at the snake and ended up 5th and 6th in the money class with a 3:26 and a 3:29!  John Davis ran his best run to with a 3:34!   My girlfriend Lauren did the 17 mile race and ended up 2nd with a time of 2:44 which put her in the middle of all the men  who did the 17 mile race, what a badass!!