Mental Grit

Waterlogged
The race parking marshals directed us from under golf umbrellas. Phil and I biked to the start as the monsoon soaked our socks and shoes and the road became a river of running water. Earlier that morning the wind had been howling and the Doppler Radar showing strong cells nearby as we sat at breakfast, mixing homemade plum jam with our oatmealand joking about going to the Biltmore for the day.

Rhodo Tunnels and Rivers
The other racers were in good spirits as we lined up at the start, with pros Jeremiah Bishop and Sam Koeber at the front line and Kim, a local fast woman next to us. After a 45-minute climb on gravel road, we entered the trail, which, at this point, was a river of mud. Slightly downhill, it was almost fun to slide and splash down, except there was always the uncertainty of whether a rock or root was going to surprise you. The “rhodo tunnels” were tight, with wet, thick leaves brushing riders and making visibility around the next corner tricky. For the next 10 miles, the trail (called Squirrel Gap) undulated along the edge of Laurel Mountain, with rocks and root ladders stretching across the 1.5-foot wide trail. Numerous streams bringing water off the mountain cut through the trail in mini waterfalls. At one point, I navigated a raging stream that swirled around my knees and tugged at my bike wheels.

Bikes Revolt
In addition to every biker being covered in grit, bikes were started to revolt. Most racers’ brakes were grinding with silt and micro-stones and rubbing most of the race (including mine and Phil’s). At one point, my dropper seat (filled with grit) was sinking every few minutes until a mechanic at an aid station helped me lock it out. One racer replaced both front and rear brakes twice during the race and still did not have brakes on the final descent (see photo of worn brake pads from the local bike shop, The Hub, post-race). Speaking of the final descent. After the abovementioned Squirrel Gap trail, a welcome section of gravel road led to a singletrack gradual climb of greasy red/orange mud to the 7-mile Black Mountain Trail. This climb up rooty switchbacks had numerous hike-a-bike sections. The view from the peak was obscured by fog, but by this time the rain was light. The descent down the backside to the finish was on a 100-year old trail, where erosion had created three foot, staircase like drops that required mental focus, a position way off the back seat and strong arms to hang on! The Vermonters held our own. Phil finished the race in 5:03 and I rolled in at 5:33. Despite the challenge, it was an adventurous day and in some strange way, I enjoyed the craziness of the conditions and the wildness, old-school trails in the Pisgah forest. After some time at the bike shop, we cleaned up, went to the awards gathering where we met the White Squirrel mascot (who is a really night guy who yells at you on the trail..) and then settled back in the cottage to rest up for tomorrow’s race out of the Cradle of Forestry (the Birthplace of Forest Conservation in America). The stage will include the famed Farlow Gap trail and the weather forecast is SUNNY! More tomorrow!