2018 Carrabassett Backcountry Cycle Challenge [CBCC] 100K Race Report

Not much to say about this event, aside from the fact it absolutely rocked, was the ‘A race’ for my 2018 season, and exceeded expectations on all counts.

All roads led to the Carrabassett Valley this past July - starting last November ‘17 on the rollers, on the freezing porch, racing a bunch of other online hammerhead nerds in Zwift. The solid base built up through the winter with a mix of climbing, endurance, and 1-3 all out short race efforts (35-75 minutes) morphed into pretty good outdoor on-bike fitness, but it took some weeks to re-acclimate to the mountainbike. Late spring and early summer saw good gains and an increased ability to go harder longer out on the trails. This was key to doing well at the CBCC as it’d be a minimum of a 6 hour effort required (based on optimistic projections and a bit of good luck) to finish in decent shape.

2018 Rose Mountain Rumble Gravel ride

It's hard to know if I was rumbled or if I did the rumbling, but the 2018 Rose Mountain Rumble has been completed, logged, video'ed and documented on Strava, No fake news here.

Vermont Overland Pave' Madness (Hot as Balls)

Vermont Overland Pave' Madness 2018 from David Alden on Vimeo.

Trail Boss

Another great Trail Boss ride at NEMBA Fest! Thanks to everyone who rode! #nemba #nembafest #mountainbike -#trailboss

A post shared by Jeff Lenosky (@jefflenosky) on Jun 24, 2018 at 5:50pm PDT

Read on...

2018 Acadia 10K

Jean and I wrapped up a week of camping, riding, and hiking on Mount Desert Island and Acadia National Park with the Acadia 10K, starting and finished in Bar Harbor.

It has been a fun week, in full "vacation mode" and I hadn't been setting the alarm or getting up early (not with cold beers and camp fires at night). But, the race had a 7am start, so I was awoken to Metallica's rendition of "Am I Evil?" at 5:00 to caffeinate and get to the event in enough time to watch everyone do their pre-race stretching. I don't want to say that I'm "anti-stretch," but I do enjoy watching the WIDE array or pre-run calisthenics that people go through as many remind me of a Monty Python Silly Walk skit.

Bear Brook MTB Race Report

Quick report on a fast, (mostly) well run, and successful race: 

So I signed up for the category 3 race which was only 6+ miles.  I was a little hesitant to drive all the way up to NH for a 6 mile race, but I wasn’t disappointed.  The race was in Bear Brook State Park, which is just south of Concord, NH, it’s actually a very easy drive off of 93.  I only got to ride the race trails but it seems like a great place to ride otherwise.  The trails are fast and flow-y, without much tech, at least on the trails we were on.  It seems like there is a lot of riding to be done there, it’s probably worth a trip.  My girlfriend Julia came with me, but unfortunately, based on how the course was set up, there wasn’t much spectating to be had.

On to the race:  As I said above, I signed up for the Cat 3 race.  It was a USAC sanctioned race, so I felt like I was obliged to do the cat 3 race, as that is what I am, but 6 miles is a bit short, and when I did Weeping Willow last year, I did the Cat 2 race (or the equivalent thereof).  All that said, it seemed like they were letting people do whatever race they wanted which was kinda annoying, as I think I probably have Cat 2 ability.  

We got staged in the standard MTB fashion, with the 19-29 first, 30-39 next, and then the 40-49 (my group).  Then the 50+’s, lastly the ladies and juniors.  

WATA Gravel Grinder Video

Read the story here.

WATA Gravel Grinder, Waterbury, VT

And then at about mile 9, I knocked my wife to the ground...

That was just one of the highlights along the WATA gravel ride in and around Waterbury, Vermont.

Ever since we did the Muddy Onion a couple of years ago, Jean and I have been fans of gravel rides. Great routes, great vibes, and great views have pulled us back for more and more rides, and this was our first year at the Waterbury Area Trail Alliance Gravel Grinder.

We opted for the shorter "traditional" loop which included about 27 miles and 2800ft of climbing and it was filled with--as promised-gravely goodness.

ECTA Spring For The Trails Half Marathon

"You're kind of a big guy for a trail runner..."

That comment came at me at about mile 4 while I was chatting with another runner, and I didn't know what to say. I just kept on running, smashing trees and scaring the wildlife like a woodland Godzilla.

Truth be told, that comment came from a really nice woman whom I chatted with for a couple of miles, but I thought it was pretty funny.

This was the second trail marathon of the season and the weather was markedly better than the one in April. While the race in Falmouth skirted freezing temperatures, early May in Ipswich brought bright sun, clear skies and temps in the high 60's. Toward the end of the run, I was so warm that I ran shirtless for a bit. With that said, I should apologize to all that were blinded by pale white skin that shone like a beacon. Squirrels had to avert their eyes, and I covered up before hitting the finish line.

B2 Adventure Ride

The B2 Adventure Ride took place Sunday, April 29th and here's what went down.

Rules:

• Teams of 3, picked by the store staff, no whining.
• Each team gets the same cue sheet, 3 gps coordinates, and grainy photos of said location.
• Teams leave at 3 minute intervals, all are tracked by Glympse, teams have to stay together.
• There are random discarded bike parts hung at each location, each team takes one and goes on to the next.
• Timing is performed by the shop staff using computers, smartphones and possibly an abacus.

2018 Muddy Onion, Montpelier, Vermont

Jean and I have ridden in the Muddy Onion in Montpelier, Vermont for the past couple of years  2017  2016), and the event really set the bar for gravel rides. Great route, great support and an amazing apres ride bash all made for memorable rides. Sadly, the organizing shop, Onion River Sports closed its doors, but some dedicated people are working to keep the dream alive and Onion River Outdoors is being born. And while the doors are not open yet, the Muddy Onion lives on!

Cape Cod Trail Race--Falmouth, MA

It's officially race season! I'm excited that I've got a bunch of events on the calendar--running, mountain biking, gravel rides, and hopefully some cyclocross this fall. I enjoy participating in these even if I toe the line woefully unprepared. In fact, that's my typical strategy, and my race results usually reflect that.

But hey, I can have just as much fun sucking wind in the middle of the pack as I would if I was standing on the top of the podium being deafened by the roar of my fans and burdened by medals and trophies.

With all that said, Jean and I, and Liz and Dan combined the first camping trip of the season with the first race of the season and de-winterized the campers for a weekend at Bourne Scenic Park. That put us in close proximity for the Cape Cod Trail Race in Falmouth. The race was fun, the camping... well... (see below after race pics)

Zwift - Zwifting my ass off this winter

Think ‘Connected Exercise’ is (or is NOT) for you?

Winter Migration

2/9/18: 
My Winter Migration: Riding in the Nevada Desert

Seasonal Affective Disorder aka the "winter blues." Is it a real thing? Yes, indeed it is, and it sucks. The days are colder and shorter, and all you feel like doing is hibernating inside catching up on some of your shows and reading your books. Yes I own a fat bike and yes it does extend the season, but even then riding is limited. Should I buy studded tires for even more coverage? After this year it is a serious consideration. For as long as I live in New England, it may be a necessity. I hit the gym and ride the stationary bike, but that sucks too. This time of year has a high suck factor. I could do only one thing to combat said suckery and that was to head West.

2017 CircumBerzerk!

I like the idea of endurance riding / racing. With the planning, travel, logistics, and household duties to balance any cycling event, long races / rides dovetail perfectly into a reasonable sounding justification. Then there’s the actual ride / race… 26 miles and 3,500 feet of climbing - one large loop around the mountain - nuts! So why not do two of these epic laps? Well, at 4.5 hours in I knew why.

Kingdom Trails with some of the Crew

Kingdom Trails with some of the Racer-X crew, October 2017 from David Alden on Vimeo.

Mountain Biking Has Brought Me Back To Life.

Pic by Kirk Giessinger

Bikerdave Tufts Race Summary Oct. 18, 2017

I must be tired. The first two nights after the last race, I laid in bed with the intention of writing a story for the team blog and I just fell right to sleep.  Both nights.  What a dork.  But, I have been writing for two nights now and I just want to say thanks to you Dave for all your support.  You are one of my best friends and the least I owe you is a story that I've been promising for way too long.

So finally here goes, starting with a statement...

Mountain biking has brought me back to life.

Wow that sounds deep, but it's true. I'll explain later...

This past weekend, I finished the last race of the Gulf South Regional Mountain Bike Series.  It's been 8 great races starting in March of 2017 at locations around Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama.  I want to thank the amazing people who have set up all these races because it has been a wonderful experience for someone like me who has just gotten back into racing mountain bikes after 20 years.

A Busy Weekend of Racing

It was a busy weekend of racing for Racer-X, with Dave Tufts taking 2nd overall in the Gulf South Mountain Bike Series after the Lungbuster north of Jackson, Mississippi, Glen Gollrad, tackling the CircumBerzerk, racing 50 miles with more than 6000ft of climbing in East Burke, Vermont, and Jeff Soderman racing both days at the Gran Prix of Gloucester in Gloucester, Massachusetts. More on all of that coming, but in the meantime, here are some more pics from GPGloucester...

Braintree 357 Gravel Enduro

Braintree 357 Gravel Enduro from David Alden on Vimeo.

Dave Tufts Podiums at Charlotte's Revenge

Congrats to David Tufts for taking 2nd place in the Cat 2 Men (40-49) class at Charlotte's Revenge in Ackerman, MS.

He's been working his way up this season, from finishing races with a concussion to finishing races with a spot on the podium.

With one race left in the series, the Lungbuster in Ridgeland, MS, we'll have to see if he keeps it up!

ECTA Run for the Trails

An impromptu schedule change gave Jean and I an open morning on Saturday 9/16, and we were able to register for the Run for the Trails, put on by the Essex County Trail Association (ECTA).

ECTA does great work and their hands helped shape many of the local trails.

Anyway, there were both 5 and 10 mile options and Jean and I opted for the 5, having us do one loop. Read More

2017 Rose Mountain Rumble Gravel Ride

The 2017 Rose Mountain Rumble gravel ride, in Lyndenborough, New Hampshire was all that you'd want a gravel ride to be...

Read more

And, we're back!

I could make a witty but overplayed "rising from the ashes," statement, but even I'm not that corny. Although, I did feel the need to include a Phoenix pic, so maybe I am.

Either way, we're getting the band back together and Racer X is coming back. Bigger, better, and more powerful than before. Fire and Fury? Maybe. The likes of which the world has never seen? Um.... where have I heard that...

Okay, I'm digressing, but the fact is I'm formulating the plans for the group with activities, product support, rides/runs, and shenanigans. Lots and lots of shenanigans.

One big change/addition will be having both a "Racer X" and an "Rider X" component to the group. Racing is fun, but not for everyone and there will also be an emphasis on just getting outside and exploring, whether that's on the other side of the world or in your own back yard.

More details will be coming soon. In the meantime, check out the fresh content over at davealdenMTB.com and hit me up if you have any questions.

You're One Click Away From Fresh Content

I have let this site get stale, but there's plenty of new content over at davealdenMTB.com (and davealdenBMX.com too). Click on over and bookmark the new page. THIS site might be revamped and revived in the future but for now, my efforts will be elsewhere...

Acadia National Park

>>>Photo gallery<<<

Ride Down Cadillac Mountain

The ride UP is much less entertaining to watch but stay tuned for more from Maine!

Weeping Willow EFTA MTB Race

I was only able to catch the 9:30 group of races due to those pesky work obligations. And with that, I didn't get shots of everyone. What I did get though, is posted here for all to see. Check out that link for access to the 170+ pics.

I should have been out there racing too, but again, I had work, and I wanted to get some pics. Willowdale is such an awesome place to rice...

Anyway, enjoy the pics! See ya!

https://davealden.smugmug.com/Weeping-Willow-MTB-Race-2016/

Muddy Onion Gravel Ride Video

Muddy Onion Gravel Ride, 2016, Montpelier, VT

Jean and I had ridden in an event in Montpelier a few years ago, and we still talk about the great dirt roads, awesome views, and killer climbs. We were registered for the Central Vermont Cycling Tour last year, but that got rained out. We've been eager to get back up to the Montpelier area so when I saw that Onion River Sports was hosting an early season gravel ride, I signed us up. Thirty four miles, a few thousand feet of climbing and chocolate covered bacon... take my money! Read more...

Muddy Onion 2016

Muddy Onion

I'm ready for the Muddy Onion. Sort of. I skipped the "training" and went right into the taper and carbo loading. Should be a good strategy.

More importantly, I've got a front pack for easy access to my DSLR. Story, pics, video, and more after the ride.

C'mon back!

In the meantime, check out some of the content over at davealdenMTB.com.

NECX BAR, Fitchburg, MA (11/29/15)

I have made my not-so-triumphant return to cyclocross racing in Fitchburg, MA, for the NECX BAR. Read more...

Updates--Coming Soon!

2016

Touring Tortola

Head on over to http://www.davealden.com/ to see pics and read about the trip...

Cyclocross World Championships, Louisville, KY

Ice Weasels 2012 A.K.A. Mud Weasels

And so it ends, the 2012 cyclocross season... Read more...


Some might think it would be difficult to encapsulate an entire cyclocross race season in one blog post, but, when you only do one race, it's fairly simple.

Yep, for 2012, it was "one and done" for me. Schedule issues, and an addiction to my BMX bike have kept me off the 'cross scene. But if I had to do one race, it would have to be Ice Weasels. Yes, I did race 'cross in April at the Sea Otter, but I don't consider that part of the real 2012 season, and it was in California, and hot as hell, so that doesn't count.

As most know, the weather was warm-ish but wet for Ice Weasels, making it the PERFECT 'cross race.

Crowds were smaller than I had seen in previous years, but it was still great to see many familiar faces that I hadn't seen for a year or so. I even remembered some of the names associated with those faces (but I am notoriously bad at that... sorry).

Results are not posted as of the time I am writing this (which is ironic Mr. Resultsboy...), but, who cares? Do you care what place I came in? I don't. I was out there to have fun, and I did. And, truth be told, I spent more cummulative time going to and from this race than I actually did racing AND "training" (I did do one training ride... sort of...).

I'll admit, I missed racing. I'm glad I got out there, and I'm looking forward to hitting a few more for 2013... Until then, I'll be spinning around on my little bike as long as weather allows...

Maker's Mark hand-ups! I missed that one, but I did get beer from a pink flamingo...

Yep, it was that kind of day.

SSUSA 2012

SSUSA 2012 was held in beautiful Stowe, Vermont this past Saturday. This was an anti-race event in which we were prepped well ahead of time that it would be a fun ride amongst friends and we were even requested to leave the race kits at home and "wear something a little more appropriate." Though Rob and I didn't wear a costume, we certainly embraced the spirit of being a single speeder and fully immersed ourselves in the revelry of the weekend.
Friday night started with a leisurely ride on the Stowe recreation paths up to the Matterhorn where we registered and were offered a number, "if we wanted it". The two options were 666 or 69 for everyone. The evening was filled with live music, too many good brews, and a crazy late night ride back to hit the sack after 1:00.
"Race" day came and so did the hangover, but we persevered and rode to the start in our silent misery. I think this crowd did a little more "training" for the race than we did. The ride started with very little pomp and circumstance and we were sent straight to climbing hell from the very beginning. The trails were an awesome mix of tight technical single track, ridiculously long climbs, and really fun descents. Our Garmin gave us around 30 miles (there were a few wrong turns) and about 4000 feet of elevation gain. Though it was hard, we had some great liquid "aid" stations along the way. I'm not sure if the booze made it better or worse, but we both finished and no one got carted off on a gurney. Success! There was an after race bike derby for the belts, a maple syrup drinking competition for hosting rights in 2013, and a party at the Rusty Nail to wash away our pain with even more liquid refreshments.
Anyone up for a drive to Minnesota in 2013?

Kingdom Trails, July 2012

Well, the Racer-X interwebs has been a bit quiet lately. I suspect that's because everyone has been out slaying sweet singletrack or ribbons of asphalt. Or, it's because I've been distracted by about 857 other things, and I haven't had a chance to post anything. For example, about two weeks ago, there was an informal gathering of a few of us up in the northeast kingdom of Vermont, for camping, laughing, and of course riding in Kingdom Trails. Yeah, it took me two weeks to finally go through some pics and post 'em. That's not even mentioning the fact it took me nearly two weeks to air out the tent and actually put my camping stuff away from that weekend. Sigh... Anyway, enjoy these pics, and let's get some more info broadcasted to the WORLD WIDE WEB!

Weeping Willow 2012 Pics (finally)

Burlingame Had a Battle. Too Much Work to Find Out If It Was "For" "At" or "Of".

   I went to the Battle this past weekend and had mixed feelings.  The people that put it on really put it ON!  There was a finish chute  and a crowd and a bunch of volunteers that looked like they enjoyed what they were doing.  I don't know if they did, put they certainly put on the attitude of sharing in a good time even though they were trapped behind a registration desk, standing in the woods, or stopping traffic at the crossovers. There were tons of kids cheering when you came out of the woods and a fair amount of NBX guys willing to trade one sentence conversations with you out on the course.  In the end, I believe it's how you feel about a race the next day that really decides if you'll do a race again and on Monday I was sure I'd go back next year.

Sea Otter

So, I've been home for more than a week, and I'm still having trouble figuring out what to say. I had a great time. I raced (and got served), I oogled new bike stuff, hung out with new and old friends, and all in all, had a blast.

Anyway, I've written several paragraphs and deleted them all... I don't want to just run down a chronological report. That's lame. I'm trying not to be lame, but, that's kind of hard... And, to add to that. I had this ALL WRITTEN and it got lost in the Interwebs. Damn. Get the full story...

Sea Otter Teaser

Registered.

Sea Otter

Hell of the North Shore 2012

The name, officially dubbed by Tom Merrill, pays tribute to the "Hell of the North," Paris-Roubaix. Only our ride was much shorter, much easier, and probably much more fun. Glen has been hankering to change  up the typical type of mountain biking that most of us do... loop after loop of the same trails at the same trail network. With literally hundreds of miles of trail in this area, connecting major areas is pretty simple, and for the most part, a massive loop has already been created, the Bay Circuit Trail. In some areas, the trails are less distinct, poorly marked, or winding in and out of neighborhoods. But, the BCT IS there, and it's awesome.

Glen planned out a point to point ride starting in Ipswich, and ending in Andover, covering Willowdale, Georgetown-Rowley State Forest, Boxford Town Forest, Harold Parker, and plenty of other trail networks, many I had never heard of before.

Lost... In Willowdale?

So, my lovely wife and I went out for a cruise at Willowdale with Rob & Renee. We got a little bit of a late start, we were getting hungry, and our plan of hitting all the singletrack became less important than our plan of grabbing some food and beer.

About halfway through our loop, we decided to hop on the fireroads to get back to the car via the quickest route. That's when things fell apart. Read More!

A Forked Up Situation...

So, yesterday, while moving some stuff around in my basement (i.e. bike lair), I decide to get my TT bike ready for the upcoming season...

I swapped the pedals out (I must have last done a duathlon because I had platforms/straps on there and I'm too lazy to change my shoes in a transition area...), and I had some new tires to put on... some nice new Michelin tires. Swapping tires out only takes a few minutes right? That's what I thought...

Adventure Ride Everyone! Who's Ready? Hello? /cricket, cricket/

It ain't Garmin but it'll get me there and back.  

Tape and paper:  8 cents.  

 Not having to be associated with anything Jonathan Vaughters related: priceless.

   The spring classics are upon us so it's time to once again strike out for adventure!  I put out the all points bulletin for adventure seeking riders hoping I would get a couple hardcore guys.  When rain and snow rolled in I figured it would narrow the field further.  Sadly, the Nookinator was working (boooooo!), Glen is struggling with his road biker/mountain biker split personality illness,  2N Glenn doesn't like to get his bike dirty, and evidently DASP has been having some injury issues.  So as the temps hung around 40 degrees and the sky was drizzling it became a solo operation.

King Of Burlingame: Great, Current State of Rap Music: Yuk

 These days I choose my mtb races by watching their helmet cam videos on-line and if it appears I won't kill myself I put it on my to-do list.  Burlingame looked good and it was a time trial so I reasoned I wouldn't be holding too many people up with my constant dismounts and running.  All good until . . . 

Hats!

Yep, it's true. Spring has sprung, and our custom team hats from Walz Caps have arrived.  I'll be getting these out to those deserving folks who have officially signed up on BikeReg over the next week or so...

For the rest of you, get on the ball and head on over to BikeReg and join the fun!