JB's Adventure Blog: January 2005

Upper Springs.

The fatigued had me a bit nervous to do a tough work out like the one Hunter had me slated for today. Chris Beck, Chris Eatough, Nick Wait and John Devine set out on an epic road ride to the mountains on North Carolina border.

I did it and then some. 5 1/2 hrs and 3 tough mountian climbs including the dreaded upper springs.
Local road hot shot Thad Dulin of (Jittery Joes) discovered this beast a few years ago. It is absurdly steep with a stretch of 22% or so! We are talking hernia steep. For the record I was going HARD and I was barely turning over my compact road gear. This bontrager crank rocks, it is especially good on stuff like this because it has a 36t inner ring.

A short stop at the gas station and we where charged up for the rolling terrain back to the homestead.

Peace: Jeremiah Bishop

posted by Jeremiah Bishop # 8:17 PM 1 comments

clemson Training Camp Day 2

The toughest, longest loop in Clemson!

Today the cold temps and clear skies made a mountain bike ride on Ian Davidson’s toughest loop the best choice for today’s training mission.

Though not mountainous, this ride will render your arms sore and your legs limp.
The roller coaster non stop single track was a great time, we chased each other for hours and even added in the lake trail and the damn trail I think it was called.

Any five hour mountain bike ride will leave you wooped but this ride with it’s steep grunts and endless turns takes it out of you. The adept crew assembled made for a really testing work out.

I have to give the Man Hours Award to Zedenic a rider from the Czech Republic that stormed the whole ride on a single speed, my hero!

Later on Johny (Noxville) Devine rolled in from his weekend in Athens GA. Ian made double money by winning his online bet on the football game and by kicking Chris Beck, Chris Eatough and Johny Devine’s butts in poker.

I opted for some much needed rest and some Pilates in the Monk house.

Peace: Jeremiah Bishop

posted by Jeremiah Bishop # 8:22 PM 1 comments

Clemson Training Camp Day 1

The Chicken Ride.

Cold and misty conditions are in place for the training camp kickoff. I thought weather like this was sure to scare off most anyone, but the group was a large pack made up of Clemson area riders, University crew, the clan of the chicken (us fools) and a few folks hiding from the frozen climes of Asheville.

I met a seasoned looking rider named Colin who coaches some of my Trek teammates; Andy Mills and Caitlin Thule. We talked training mumbo jumbo for who knows how long.

There’s nothing like good group ride conversation to keep your brain off the pain of numbing hands and feet. Some even took short cuts on today’s foray! Shame, shame Ian. Rest assured, we enjoyed the hot food Ian so skillfully cooks for each of these rides that have become the making of Clemson lore and tradition.

Happy trails!

Jeremiah Bishop

posted by Jeremiah Bishop # 7:20 PM 0 comments

Blame it on Alberta

CCCCCCHHHHIIIIILLLLLYYY ....

Today was the kind of cold that kills... and Todd Helmick and I were stupid enough to go out to the high-mountains of Augusta County for a grudge match of "who is gonna fold first" ... I did.

Trepidation:
After excruciating pain on my face and toes I decided I was scared of how cold it would be at the top of Shenandoah mountain! The recent 70 degree temps made me forget that I owned winter shoes. So that was for sure a big factor in my lasting only 1:15. We crossed a stream rendering Todd's derailleur inoperable. I told Todd about the peeing on the frozen derailleur trick that Chris Scott told me. He looked at me strangely at first, but then I told him to turn his head and I demonstrated the magic of this life saving fix. The trick is to bounce the bike up and down and run thru the gears before things get cold again. Voi La.

We bailed down the ice blackened stretch of route 250 and I was like hallelujah when we saw the gas station. The white trash mocha was to be our savior! We sure got some strange looks from the rustic looking men in leaf costumes. They didn't understand WHY some one would ride bikes outside in 14 degrees and blasting 20 mph winds, and neither did I.

Redemption:
After getting the much needed re-load I decided I hadn't thrown in the towel yet. It seemed like a waste to drive all this way and ride for an hour. So with much duct tape, a pair of shoe covers, and some heat packs on our toes we headed into the mountains again. We decided that all single track was the warm way to go, so I lead us up the 40 minute snowy climb up the Dowels draft trail. We did make it to the top this time and the shimmering blue and white view was breathtaking as was the wind chill. We ripped it, carving S's in the snow all the way to the bottom.

Relaxation:
Todd split for home back in Williamsburg and I headed back to thaw my bones out in H'Burg.
A fantastic ride, followed by some hot tea.

My face still stings a little and feels wind burned, a small reminder of our adventure.

Keep warm:

Jeremiah

posted by Jeremiah Bishop # 5:50 PM 2 comments

Back to work

Hey you.

It was like 32 degrees today. Todd and I rode for 5 hours in the jagged, rocky single track at Wolf Gap! Bitchin last down hill off of Big Schloss.

Winter is back in force and just in time for me to start training a lot. Clemson's not that far away and I can hold out for a few cold rides until then. It looks like Nick Waite and John Devine (who is visiting) are high tailing it to the warmer climes of South Carolina already. I don't blame them; it is like a meat locker in the West Virginia high country right now.

Tomorrow's 5hr ride at Ramsey’s Draft should be killer as well, a bit colder - highs in the upper 20's

Oh, did I mention it is snowing.

Just a dusting, it's good for the man hours.

Have fun riding or sipping beer by the camp fire.

Jeremiah Bishop

posted by Jeremiah Bishop # 6:53 PM 0 comments

GNARLY NORTH FORK somewhere deep in WV

One of the leaders of H'Burg's magic mountain biking crew calls me up the day before setting out on a ride that is usually impossible in January due to deep snow and short days. It seems he had already fooled someone else into his crazy plan. This ride will often take 8 hrs! Outdoor phenomenon and a fantastic all around athlete from Blacksburg, Adam Childers, was in town and fired up to go for it.

Epic is the perfect word to describe this fantastic voyage! I woke just before 6 and the boys rode over to my house and loaded up the van. 8AM on the bike and 37 degrees, not shabby. A 1500ft climb and we set off on close to 30 miles of amazing single track. Big cliffs, off-camber rocks and ribbony trail snaking it's way to the biggest arm pumping, big hit, super juicy dicey yikes down hill! You descend for 5 minutes and stop to see a sick vista that reminded me of Durango. And then MORE descending. Mike and Adam got a gap on me and I chased but got to a rock ledge that freaked me out. Once I stopped I could see off the edge and got at it again but they where GONE, I was getting smoked! As their hoots and hollers got farther away, I carved further down the now fast and undulating, mind blowing, slate single track just smiling.

Now halfway between deliverance and salvation we began the last leg of our ride on some long lost mountain road. Mike starts singing, "country road... take me home ...to the place ..I belong ..West Virginia…mountain mama… take me home…country road". Man, I was thinking how much I wanted to get back to the Euro Van. Phew I was wiped out.

As we were driving back home we talked about Frisbee golf and as soon as I let Adam and Mike out they ran over to the park with Frisbees in hand! "You guys are nuts!" I skipped on the Frisbee and made some hot tea.

To Adventure!

Jeremiah
noth fork.html

posted by Jeremiah Bishop # 7:38 AM 0 comments

Two way headwind.

Andy and I went for a jaunt into the southlands of the Augusta triangle, an area famed for excellent roads and an excellent chance to get lost too.

The birds were singing and the warm south wind made for a steady workout. We never caught up with Chris Scott, he was sidelined with his charity mission to return Mike Carpenter’s stolen commuter bike.

I am sure he had just as good of a time on what most would have considered a REALY nice day in May.

Made a donation to the American Red Cross to help with aid relief in Asia today. I'm not one for giving away my hard earned money usually, but they are dealing with the world's biggest-ever natural disaster. The only other organization that I entrust my money to is IMBA. If you’re not a member and you ride trails, you become one! They do a great job in both advocacy and education.

Later on I got the story on Chris's disappearance and it look like we just missed each other. All was made well when he offered to let Erin and I use his hot tub!

SWEET.

RACE TIME SOON.........:)

Peace JB

posted by Jeremiah Bishop # 7:54 PM 0 comments

Chasing bear on bike?????

Hello freinds.
I have had the good fortune to buy groceries, drop off mail, even deliver lunch with the help of my friend the bicycle but today’s adventure was totally weird.

So I am in the basement of our new house getting ready to ride to the hardware store with Erin. She comes running down the outside steps of our basement with a really distressed look on her face there is something going on next door! "There are cops every where and a reporter running around with a camera chasing some one." I ran upstairs with my new top fuel in hand I care fully look around the bend to check for danger and hop on my bike heading towards the disturbance. I asked the neighbor what’s going on and he said a bear is on the loose! A bear I said? As soon as I said that the rounded shaped shadow of a large black bear burst in to sight. Whoa! The bear was lumbering across the street into the next back yard. His one front leg elevated from injury slowed the stealthy creature down to a labored running pace.

Not a normal sight in Harrisonburg for sure. The bear must have been awakened by the mid January Indian summer and came in town to do some shopping at the mall when he the wrong turn into our very residential neighbor hood. Erin and I felt bad for the poor creature. It was be chased around by no less the 6 police a reporter a couple of curious neighbors with cameras and now me on my bike. I kept my distance knowing the bear didn't need to be bothered any more at this point.

Just as I though I had lost track of which back yard he was in he sprinted across the street away from the block the cops where on I followed the bear as he some how jumped over fences bushes and any other obstacles that stood in his way. I could just see glimpses of him as he built up speed heading between housing behind the 900 block of south dogwood st.

I waved to the cop car now heading my direction. The bear stopped in the back yard of 909. I waived the location of the scared animal to the authorities. The forest ranger was in close pursuit and was walking our way with and officer that had a long-range rifle with a scope on in.

With the Bear staying put in the back yard the police range the doorbell. I could hear the bear tearing into or banging on the basement window of the side of the house. The lady who answered had no clue what was going on but she had to be pretty surprised at what the office had to say.

I was starting to get cold so I caught up with Erin and we split. I didn't care to see them shoot the poor critter, I hope they tranquilized it and took him to get fixed up.

Good luck Mr., Back yard Bear.
Blogging out, have an adventurous day: Jeremiah

posted by Jeremiah Bishop # 1:08 PM 0 comments

Clemson Training Camp, Day 3