Shoot out at the Not-So-OK Corral!

Last week we posted the challenge for Halloween -- make a donation to the Wounded Warrior Project and you get to vote on what costume I wear to race my bike in. The grand winner is . . . the 187s! Chief 187 picked me to dress up as a old-west Marshall, perhaps Wyatt Earp. Well, you asked for it:

Photo ccourtesy my lovely bride

The yellow helmet bag is not exactly period-correct, I grant you. Yes I look like I'm about to reach for my six-shooter but alas I had none. I did have the Sheriff star badge but it kept falling off. And you can plainly see all the tired ponies laying about. More photos exist to prove I actually raced the C race in this get-up (swapping the cowboy had for a helmet) that I am working on getting permission to use. Will post them soon.

Too bad we didn't think to get pictures of my lovely bride. She dressed up as "The Devil as played by Josephine in the theatrical production of "Tombstone"." She looked absolutely stunning. My bride also won the prize for "costume with the longest title." Which I didn't think existed outside of the Halloween party in Athens, OH. But this was instead Uncle Steve's in Marysville, OH. Cap City Cross race #3.

I didn't win any prizes for my costume nor for my riding. I did win the "first guy to wipe out" in the C race. To set the scene: All people wearing costumes got a call-up on the starting line (A call-up meaning you get called to come up to the front of the pack). Heading up the front stretch, through the first turn and down the next stretch it's Scooby Do followed by yours truly. YEAH, alright! But it didn't last so long as going into the left hand 180 I grabbed a bit too much rear brake and slid right at the front of the field. A recipe for disaster as we all can imagine. (Lesson #4: Less rear brake. More Cowbell). However most people were able to avoid me and such falls are pretty common place in a cyclocross race so evasive maneuvering is a quickly mastered skill in this line of racing/havoc. I quickly got back up and back in the race. Which meant I pedalled to the point of oxygen deprivation and tried not to cross that line. I didn't pass out so I guess I succeeded.

The course for the most part was very technical; tight, winding back and forth on itself like a really long, really confused snake. Maybe the snake reached oxygen deprivation and fell over. I don't know. There weren't many long stretches that allowed for a lot of speed and most of the long stretches we had were really bumpy. Wonkers, my shoulders have never hurt so bad from a bike race. And then we went down a STEEP drop off into the creek bed, following the creek bed for a good 75 yards or so. Pure vintage 'cross. The mud was more than ankle deep and halted anyone who attempted to ride it, although many tried and many more would ride just up to the muck. I just hopped off the bike prior to the drop off, jumped down and ran. Run, dumb bike rider guy, run! Then climb back up, hop on and pedal like mad to the start/finish line to do it all again! Not a fast course but that probably suited me OK as I haven't worked on holding a fast pace in the straights.

All in all, I held on for another 11th in the C race. And yes, I did indeed race the B race again. My beautiful bride and those who challenged me at the last race to do it showed me that I can indeed handle it and I increased my placing over last race - 7th place in the B (Masters 35+). Not bad considering I wiped out shortly after the start of the race and was DEAD LAST coming out of the first series of S turns. It was a little further in and was just one of those racing things. We were all wadded up trying to get through the S's and my front wheel overlapped a rider ahead of me with nowhere to go. So it goes. I ended up passing some guys who got me in the C race and now I'm beginning to think that the longer nature of the B race might suit me a bit better. Not the fastest off the start but able to maintain the output a bit longer. And hey, we had beer hand-ups! What's not to love?

We did observe but not participate in the Columbus City Championship race. I can't tell you all the details due to some super-secret double probation but it involved a shortened course, the ability to cheat at will and LOTS of Boon's Farm. Yes, *that* Boon's Farm. It was the scariest thing I saw all Halloween.

Next race is at Infirmary Mound in Newark, OH. It's a great place to race, hope it is laid out like last year. Sort of. However it's an OVCX race and the OVCX group brings some serious guys. So I'm expecting a LOT of riders and might get run over. So it goes. But I'm sore, tired & ready to go again.

Hope you are, too. Or at least ready to donate to the Wounded Warrior Project. What's stopping you?

Thanks for reading.

Halloween challenge!

At the last Cap City Cross race, I not only raced in the C category (where a guy who has only raced three races ever in his life should) but I also raced with the B group due to several people taking up my challenge and contributing to the Wounded Warrior Project.  Holy cow, at first I thought I wasn’t going to make it. I thought I was going to just suck wind all day long. But as the race for the Bs went on I realized not only was I going to make it, but I might just pass a few people! Whoah… even after completely wringing myself out for the C race I still had enough left to not just roll over and die in the B group. I was actually getting by a few people. Very few, I’ll grant you that, but I did pass a few people. Certainly that was a boost to the morale.

Which is a long way of saying Thank You. Thanks to the people who took up the challenge and forced my hand to race in a category I didn’t think I was ready for yet. Thanks also for CONTRIBUTING to the Wounded Warrior Project! Thanks to my beautiful bride for knowing that I could do it long before I thought I could. And thanks to the Wounded Warrior Project for giving me the opportunity to race for something bigger than my own ego.

But we are not done with the challenges, oh no! We need new people to donate to the Wounded Warrior Project. And we aim to do that with a new challenge. How, what, when and where, did you ask?

Sunday in not only race day, but it’s Halloween. Which means – yep, you guessed it – time to race in costume. Maybe. What costume should it be, if any at all? I’ll let new contributors to Wounded Warrior Project have their say. So if you make a contribution then also leave a comment below with your costume idea. To the 187s – you made your contribution earlier this week so you get to vote, too. And heck, I may still do both races. Yes, I know, I’ll have an oxygen tank at the finish line and the wheelchair. And *then* I will re-insert my brains.

So what do I get to be for Halloween? Make your contribution HERE and then type in your suggestion BELOW.

Thanks for reading. Thanks for your contributions.

Grog talks about bicycle racing

Some of you may know of Grog. For those who don't, grog is my inner caveman. Or alternate personality. Or part of my sadly delusional failing mind. Take your pick. But now that we are back in town, I thought it best to let Grog talk.

Grog like bicycles. He go lots of places on bikes. Grog sometimes go for faraway rides. Grog sometimes ride in circles. Grog gets grumpy if Grog no ride for several days. Grog not know why. Just is.

Grog likes racing cyclocross. Grog think it a good excuse to play in dirt like he 7 years old again. Grog think whoever dream up idea of cyclocross racing must have been really drunk. But Grog like it anyway.

Until Grog get halfway through race. Then Grog think he crazy. Going so fast he can't breathe is no way for Grog to live. Grog get ready to say hell with it all. Grog think he crazy to do this. Grog wonder what he thinking, then Grog remember that Grog don't think.

But Grog keep going. Grog no like to be quitter. Grog think "Die first, THEN quit." Grog finish race and feel tired. Very tired. But good. Grog feel alive.

Grog not know what he can do until Grog try. Grog not do any better unless Grog keep trying. So Grog keep trying.

Grog be back. Maybe you see Grog at next race? It on Halloween. Maybe if Grog get new person to contribute. Grog like that, too.

Grog thank you for reading.

Who's your inspiration?

From large projects to small, seemingly inconsequential decisions, we are at times inspired by someone or something. Perhaps it's your faith or belief system. These "inspiration factors" can take on big or small roles in our lives and sometime differing roles at differing times. For now I'd like to touch on people who've had an influence in my life. I certainly can't touch on them all but here's a brief highlight.

My father is a big inspiration, which is probably obvious to anyone who knows us. He has a great sense of humor but is very engaged and thoughtful at times. Whenever he takes on a project he is very meticulous. Sometimes we kid him on the amount of time it takes him to complete a model or other project but you can be assured that he has paid much more time and attention to all the small details. Details that no one else would seven see, let alone notice. But he know if he is going to do something that he is going to do it right.

My grandparents have inspired me to be kind, helpful and generous to those you don't know. Being kind to others not only helps you maintain a better keel, but you never know when you may see them again.

My bride, of course. Through the good and the bad that goes with staying with someone for more than 20 years she's managed to open my eyes on more than one occasion. Had it not been for her I can say I would not have considered becoming an EMT or Firefighter, for example.

Our sons at times inspire me. At times they have a different way of looking at things as well as a great sense of humor (perhaps there's a trend here?). Besides, at times they ask me some simple questions that I had never considered and it makes me take a moment and rethink things.

When it comes to bike-related activity, Kent Peterson is one person who really motivates me. When he first tackled the Great Divide mountain bike race in 2005(?) and wrote about it, I read that story to by boys at night for a few nights. (Read the story yourself here). It prompted me to get off my butt and start doing something. I haven't, and probably won't do anything as grand as Kent has but it makes me think and gets me doing.

After we lost James the Lima Company Marines and the Leathernecks Nation really stepped up and showed us what being a Marine is about. Without hesitation (and sometimes without even being asked) they will and have helped us however they could. Their actions and manner of taking care of their own has really made an impression on me and has me striving to act in the same manner.

Of course, there is our son, Lcpl. James Kimple. On his second tour of Iraq he didn't want to just work in Logistics. He was certain that he needed to look out for his fellow Marines. That is why he volunteered to work security patrol for that tour. Which leads us to why we are raising money for the Wounded Warrior Project. James felt it very important to look out for his brothers and sisters, and so we are inspired to do the same.

Some of the soldiers that have been helped by the Wounded Warrior Project are tremendous inspirations. For example, just watch this video clip here or this one. These soldiers have lost their limbs and yet continue to do some amazing things.

So what inspires you? Hopefully, we can inspire you to give to the Wounded Warrior Project. Please do so here. Thank you.

Who or what has inspired you? Hopefully

The first event - the Frankenbike 50!

For our first event, we’ll be attending the Frankenbike 50 on the 5th of September. Now that I say it, it sounds sort of ominous. But, what exactly is the Frankenbike 50? From the Cap City website, “The FrankenBike50 (or FB50) is a bike tour or race depending on who you ask. It's meant to to be a fun test of your overall abilities. It will be about 50% dirt/gravel forest roads, 30% paved road and 20% singletrack. It will have some great climbing, fun downhills and beautiful views of southern Ohio. It will have technical sections, flat boring road sections, long hills, a hike a bike, and it will probably hurt a little.”  What that means is, if you like the idea of an “epic adventure” than this is the ticket. If you think you’d look good in black & white in a Rapha catalog, here’s your in.



Having had the “pleasure” of pre-riding some of the course with Andy and Mason (Cap City Cross organizers) I can tell you that it will be a leg-cramping, lung-burning, lunch-launching good time. That is, if you consider pushing your woefully out-of-shape body to the extreme, then launching said body over the ledge and continuing on anyway despite the fact that your head is spinning so hard you can’t see straight a good time.

Well... I do, so I will. Jovid, well, he’ll ride along and look at me like my tendons have been exchanged for very loose rubber bands and say something like “What’s the matter old man?”  I won't have enough breath to answer "We've got 40 more to go!"

"Whoa, sounds like a great time! Can I join in the frivolity? Where's it at?"
In and around the Scioto Trails State park and forest. About an hour south of Columbus, Ohio.

"Um, yeah, don't think I'm quite in the mood to ride that..."
Not a problem. In that case, we'll do the suffering for you! All you need to do is donate (at any time!) to the Wounded Warrior Project. After all, that's what this is all about.