Frog Hollow 25 hr

Two weeks since the event and I finally found the cable connecting my camera to the computer.

This was the second annual Frog Hollow 25 hr race. Why 25 hours?? Well, every event needs a hook so they schedule it over the time change making it the longest one day race in the world.

They use the same course as the 6hr event I did in October. It uses parts of the JEM and Hurricane Rim trail with double track connections to complete the loop. All in all not a bad track though I could do without the chunky uphill out on the Rim. That section at night is less than enjoyable.

View from camp

It was nice being so close to home, we commented on it being the best nights sleep before a race ever. Some of the families came and hung out for a few hours giving the atmosphere a different feel.

The participants in this years festivities from left to right;

Yours truly, THE J Russ in his homage to Evil Kneivel, John T, and newby to the race scene C- Pettigrew

Lap one's Lemans start.

Frog Hollow 25 from El Scorcho on Vimeo.

JT on the FrankenPit bike

This late season there is a legitimate 12 hrs of dark which at times seemed interminable. At 5am I was sitting by the fire with JRuss as he was contemplating his impending 7th lap. He made the observation, " I have already done more laps than I have ever done in a 24hr race and it's still dark!"

Due to some blistering laps by JRuss and JT with some solid, yet unremarkable laps by myself and Pettigrew, Team Shift for Brains (it's a single speed team, get it?) was able to lock up 2nd place in our category. That team on the top step is F. A. S. T. Beat us by two laps--the little lady on the right is a former 24hr Solo SS World Champ so I feel down right lucky to be that close.

Accepting accolades and a box of new eye wear for the effort. First time and possibly the last that I will ever be on a podium so I soaked it up like Paris Hilton on the red carpet.

With only 20 -30 minutes of bad sleep in him, JRuss fell asleep as I was talking to him. It took me 2 minutes to realize that he was out cold so we snapped a shot. BTW that outfit = speed.

Somewhere over the Rainbow

I was finally able to get the video inverted from the Rainbow Rim trip that we did in the spring. Putting this together makes me want to go right back and ride it again before the snow flies.

Rainbow Rim from El Scorcho on Vimeo.

I know what I am

I like bike racing, but there is one major flaw in my plan for total domination......I am not fast.

I wish I was fast but if you have seen me you know that I am not built for speed. Maybe short bursts of speed but long term endurance, that ain't me.

I sign myself up for long endurance events in order to scare myself into training more and keep away the doldrums that I run into during the year. This past weekend I competed in the 6 Hrs of Frog Hollow. I raced Solo and Single Speed and came in 4th, wait for it.......out of 6.

Middle of the pack is where I live and I am OK with that. I think that I enjoy the planning and the training for the race more than the race itself, mostly because that is the only day that I have to endure the company of "Racer Guy." Racer Guy still thinks that someday he will be discovered for the true talent that he is, instead of an aging, angry, tool bag.

As you can see I started out slow and then tapered off. I was having gastrointestinal trouble and felt pretty terrible before lap #4. I ate half a PB&H to try and settle my stomach before heading out, I saw that sandwich again 25 minutes later. Why do you always feel better after exporting cargo?

What is Team Taciturn? I am glad you asked, Taciturn defined is; aloof, antisocial, brooding, clammed up, close,closemouthed, cold, curt, distant, dour, laconic, mum, mute, quiet, reserved,reticent, sententious, silent, sparing, speechless,tight-lipped, unexpressive, unforthcoming,withdrawn

In other words, I don't want to be on your team racer boy.

My 13yr old daughter came along as pit crew, moral support and photographer. In my haste I put the helmet cam on upside down again, thanks to the little misses for sorting that out.

Shot the vid on lap three which I rode completely alone, I think I saw one other rider, just the way I like it.

Frog Hollow from El Scorcho on Vimeo.

Going Old School

The fall has finally begun here in the StG. Temps are lessening, the days are shorter, and we are looking at 7 days of intermittent rain.
I usually really like the fall but this year it is also the fall of my 39th year on this planet. Shouldn't I have amounted to more by now? 40 sure used to sound a lot older.

I ran across this gem from 2006 when this young man's fancy had turned to riding bigger travel and riding off and down the nastiest stuff I could find. Oh how times change. Knee surgeries will take the fight right out of you.
Big ups to Bob the Wheelbuilder for putting this together, I will forever have documented proof that I rode "Upper Body Bag"(5:55) and "Lower Body Bag"(2:42)
Most of he guys involved have moved on to other endeavors, sorry for all the inside jokes, I appear as CGR.....long story.

O' dark-thirty

The only time that I can call "mine" is early in the morning before the Family wakes up and work starts piling on. During the summer it's great, sunrise is about 5:50am so as the days get shorter it puts my normal early morning rides in jeopardy. I remedy this with the use of lights, really good lights. One on my helmet and one festooned on the bars. Last fall I purchased a set and it has really lengthened the season for me.

This was what I wanted to buy, the Lupine Tesla 4, price tag $384


This is what I bought; the Magic Shine, price tag $85




So they may be cheap Chinese knock offs but I have to say, they have been great. And for 1/4 the price they are almost disposable.

One of the benefits to starting in the dark is that you get to see the sunrise, my photo skills and equipment are veeerrry sub par but I hope you get the picture.

Stucki Springs looking back to St. George, light setup on the bars.

Looking into the Virgin River Gorge and the town of LaVerkin.

Sunrise over Zion NP. There is a wildfire up on Cedar Mt and the smoke made the colors really spectacular.

I also did some exploring the other night and above St. George City, trying to connect a couple of points on the map for a project I will disclose when I am further along. I nearly got lost and that's not a feeling I can ever remember having. As well as being a life coach I have an internal GPS.

Maybe I should bring my heart rate down before trying to take a picture.

Movie Night

I have put together a little video of cool stuff (cool to me) I did and things I saw this Spring and Summer. I am not sure why it shows up so small, I will work on it.
Get the popcorn.

>

Spring / Summer from El Scorcho on Vimeo.

Week in pictures

Good stuff this past week, take a look at the calender

So out of order we have the Great Salt Lake as seen from Elephant Rock up Mueller Park Canyon.

D and Stella arriving at Elephant Rock. Fun fact: D and I have been friends for 30 years.

A view of Elephant Rock from the trail.

Sunrise over St. George from Stucki Point. That's Zion NP in the faaar distance.

The only picture I took on Thursday morning, I was with Rusty the new guy - he just got a bike so I was showing him some of the trails in the area.

Out of respect and the fact that I don't know him all that well I did not photo him with his pants down picking cactus out of his keester. It would have been a great shot and I have a little remorse that I was so kind in the moment.