Camp Cohutta, Part3

My Spring break ended with a three day weekend "training camp" to State College.  Eli and I departed Friday morning for a guys weekend.  We arrived in SC around 2pm just as the UPS truck pulled in the driveway with my new deraileur.  Thirty minutes later, the new shifter was in place and we were good to go.  My Dad, Eli and I suited up and went out to Coburn (yes, 45 min more in the car) to ride one of the train tunnels.  We got in a good (good for Eli) 9 miles on mostly flat rail trail.  But there were muddy sections and the tunnel was full of deep puddles and big rocks.   Eli wasn't up to navigating the rocks in the tunnel even though I was pretty sure he could make it through. 

Start of Old Shingletown Descent

On Saturday I ate a big breakfast and then was out the door shortly after 8am.  I took a full bladder of water, two full bottles, can of coke, ham sandwich, two tubes of cube chews, two granola bars and a big bag of swedish fish.  I would need all of it to make it through the day.  It was a foggy chilly start with temps around 45.  I wore a jacket to start and kept it through the first climb and descent before stashing it in the pack.

My plan for the day was to ride strong all day and not cramp up or blow my legs for the end.  That meant being judicious in applying my climbing power for much of the day to not burn out too soon.  I hoped to log 8 hours of saddle time, get close to 10k feet of climbing, and to practice riding lots of rock gardens.

I started out through Boalsburg and began the fire tower climb of 1000 ft on Laurel Rd to join the W101 course at roughly mile 30; it is a nice climb because most of it is 5% to 7% and you can keep a good rhythm.  Then I jumped off on to Old Shingletown Rd which is a bumpy descent dropping 1000'.  Funny thing, there were about a dozen Asian hikers way out in the middle of this path?!  Then it is a gentle cruise down to Wipple's Dam to start climb 2.

The drop in for Croyle Run descent.

The climb up Greenlee Rd is a long one, some 1300 feet vertical.  The first half is a forgiving 7-8% but then it rises up to 12-15% for the second part.  It seems to go up forever.  Just at the summit you enter the Croyle Run drop.  You feel much like a ping pong ball bouncing back and forth across the rocks.  Mostly you point your front wheel down the center and pray for the best.  I made it down without incident.  It looks like someone had gone through there to prune back the bushes -- thank you!

Dropping down in to Alan Seeger I met four young women hikers.  It is nice there were other people out enjoying the day.  Alan Seeger truly is magical, like being in a different world.  Old growth forests line both sides of the road and you feel like an Ewok is going to pop out behind the next tree.  The aroma only adds to the magic, the air always seems cooler and fresher in here.  But the respite is brief, because a 25% wall faces you immediately out of Alan Seeger.

The climb on Seeger Rd is a true brute.  The road gains 1200ft but most all of it is 12% to 16% without much relief.  The first quarter mile features grades between 17% to 25%, so it kicks you in the legs right from the get go.  Today I was able to set a good tempo, staying seated most all of the way and grinding up at a halfway decent clip. Yet still being able to keep my heart rate and effort level in check.  I stopped for a lunch break up near the top at the turnoff for the fire tower. 

Then the real insanity starts with several trails that are mostly all rock with a few dirt gardens sprinkled in.  Pigpile, then Sassapig, then Sassafrass, then Beautiful Trail, and the insane drop off of Noname Trail.  In the race last year I went out too hard.  I suffered badly on the climb up Greenlee and was completely blown by the time I limped to the top of Seeger Rd.  I had nothing left and when I encountered the never ending rocks, I had zero strength. I walked almost all of it.    

"Rock Chute" going down Sassafras

But not today!  I settled in a comfortable pace and was able to navigate almost all the challenges.  Tons of rocks, rock bridges, rock see saw, rock ramps, rock gardens on top of boulders, big rocks, little rocks, rock this, rock that.  Even a rock chute down a steep sketchy descent with a loose, off camber switchback right in the middle.  I nailed it all only dabbing a handful of times.  I was having such fun I forgot to stop to take pictures.  It was really nice to know I can make those big climbs and still have the legs to make it through the rocks.  Still, I was ready to be off them by the time I finished Noname. 

Top of Stillhouse Hollow Climb

I crossed 322 at the underpass and then climbed the big, steep jeep trail that is Stillhouse Hollow, the last true monster climb on the course.  I rejoined the early part of the course (mile 10?) and followed it back through Crowfield to Penn Roosevelt.  Then the climb on Thickhead Mountain and down Detweiler. One more climb over the top to Bear Meadows and then a nice romp on Longberger before heading home.

In all, I was out on the bike with a ride time of over 8 hours, 80 miles, 9500' climbing.  It was truly a smashing success.  I feel very ready for the 100 milers coming up this season.  Now just add to the fitness and not get injured.   

I took two bikes to State College, the Superfly 100 and my new El Mariachi.  I ended up riding the El Mariachi exclusively, so the SF just went along for the ride.  I really really love the Salsa bike. It just seems to fit so well.  I like the 2x10 gearing, the wide bar, and the looks.   It has this kind of underdog thing going for it too -- it isn't an exclusive race wagon, just a blue collar get r done kind of bike.  But it works.  I'm half contemplating riding it for the Cohutta race.  I know the SF is about 2lbs lighter, it has full susp which will make for a more forgiving day, but I'm just in love with the Salsa bike at the moment.  Maybe it will help me go slower at the start!?   

Special kudos to the good crew at Freeze Thaw.  My shifting was still not dialed in and I arrived all smelly and dirty after my ride.  They fixed up my bent deraileur hanger right on the spot even though they were obviously very busy.