Snowshoe Village Report on December 18, 2023. Right before the first big storm of the year!
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Snowshoe Village Report on December 18, 2023. Right before the first big storm of the year!

This is our ‘Village Report’ because we couldn’t go skiing – the weather was crazy at Snowshoe village in West Virginia. As you can see, the wind was howling (not unusual for Snowshoe) and raining. The good news is that the wind and rain left overnight and allowed us a good day of skiing on Tuesday, December 19th.

Snowy Adventures at Snowshoe: Celebrating a Special Birthday on the Slopes | Ski Vlog 2023/24
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Snowy Adventures at Snowshoe: Celebrating a Special Birthday on the Slopes | Ski Vlog 2023/24

Celebrating another birthday, Kim and I returned to Snowshoe Ski Resort in West Virginia. Our journey began with the memory of our first ski trip three years ago, marking my 50th birthday. This year, we faced mixed weather conditions, from disappointing rain to exhilarating snowfall. Despite the weather’s caprice, we relished a memorable birthday dinner at 10 Prime. The promise of fresh snow reinvigorated our spirits, leading us to enjoy the less crowded slopes of Silvercreek. The trip was a mix of challenging weather and joyful skiing, perfectly embodying the unpredictable yet rewarding nature of winter sports.

Snowy Weekend at Snowshoe: Discovering the Perfect Ski Conditions | Ski Vlog 2023
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Snowy Weekend at Snowshoe: Discovering the Perfect Ski Conditions | Ski Vlog 2023

Embark on our snowy adventure at Snowshoe Ski Resort. This vlog captures our second visit of the season, filled with the thrill of skiing and serene winter landscapes. We start by picking up Kim’s new skis at Snowcreek Mountain Sports, warming up with night skiing. Despite mixed forecasts, we find joy in the simple things – from ice cream treats to fresh, fluffy snow at Silvercreek. Experience with us the excitement of discovering perfect ski conditions and the anticipation of more snowy escapades. It’s a glimpse into the joys of winter sports and the beauty of Snowshoe’s slopes.

Gravel Bike Ride: Old Falls River Road in Rocky Mountain National Park
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Gravel Bike Ride: Old Falls River Road in Rocky Mountain National Park

Kim surprised me with a trip to Fricso, Colorado over Labor Day weekend 2023.   We took the gravel bikes with us on this trip and were looking for a good gravel rides.   I wanted to visit Estes Park (also knowns at the Rocky Mountain National Park) and we found a gravel ride review for Old Falls River Road.

The reviews said it was a challenging but beautiful ride.  We watched a Youtube video review and decided, why not, let’s do it.

We drove down to Estes Park and as usual, ended up with a later start than planned.  That seems to be our MO these days.

Tri Bike Vs Road Bike

Tri Bike Vs Road Bike

There is always a lot of discussion amongst ‘us racers’ as to whether or not there is a significant advantage of riding a Time Trial/Triathlon bike in a time trial.   Most of us are aware of all the marketing around aero frames, wheels, helmets, position, etc.  You know what I’m talking about, this wheel will save you 40 seconds, an aero helmet will save you a minute…

A2 Wind Tunnel
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A2 Wind Tunnel

From cyclists to race cars, the motion of an object is determined by the sum of the forces acting on it. Those forces have both strength and direction and they can be observed and measured to predict future motion. Watch how an aeronautics engineer works with Newton’s three Laws of Motion to test the best posture and helmet for a cyclist in a wind tunnel.

Racing in North Carolina

Racing in North Carolina

I raced a 10 mile Time Trial on July 23rd at Lowes Speedway. I finished 2nd in the Cat 4 group with a time of 21 minutes and 24 seconds. This was also good enough for 17th overall. So I felt like my fitness was pretty good. This weekend was a big race weekend in Charlotte. There were Criteriums Thursday-Sunday around the area. There was also a Team TimeTrial on Thursday.

Cackalacky Cup 2010 – The Legs Fell OFF!

Cackalacky Cup 2010 – The Legs Fell OFF!

This past weekend was the Cackalacky Cup held at Lake Norman State Park. Charlotte Sports Cycling hosts on a Mountain Bike Time trail on the Itusi and Mombo trails. The first TT is on the Itusi loop with some man made obstacles (a skinny, limbo and cones). If you were to fall off the skinny, not clear the limbo or knock over a cone, you were assessed a time penalty.

Race 3 – 2011 North Mecklenburg Cyclocross Series

Race 3 – 2011 North Mecklenburg Cyclocross Series

Proper cyclocross weather finally came to the Carolinas for the last round of the North Meck Cyclocross Series on Tuesday night. Racers were challenged with a wet, windy course and temperatures in the high 30’s.  Afternoon rain tapered off before registration opened, but the course got slick and muddy as the night went on.  Promoter Neal Boyd setup a slightly less technical course for the conditions, and DeFeet provided some nice prizes for the final round podium finishers.

Race 1 – 2011 North Mecklenburg Cyclocross Series

Race 1 – 2011 North Mecklenburg Cyclocross Series

The North Meck Cyclocross Series kicked off Tuesday night in Huntersville with great weather and a fast dry course for the opening round.  For the fourth year of this USAC sanctioned training series, promoter Neal Boyd used a similar course setup from previous years- featuring traditional barriers, wooden stair- step run-ups, and a short gravel section near one of the softball fields.  The course winds through several flat grassy areas, but takes advantage of some sidehills and off-camber sections as well.  North Meck Park has lights for the softball and soccer fields, and the course is well-lit for night racing.

Race 2 – 2011 North Mecklenburg Cyclocross Series

Race 2 – 2011 North Mecklenburg Cyclocross Series

Charlotte area racers were treated to a tight, technical course for round 2 of the North Meck Cyclocross Series on Tuesday night.  The race management crew from Charlotte Sports Cycling added a spiral section, several off-camber turns, and reversed the course direction from last week- providing a good challenge and a much different feel from last week’s course. 

2011 Ion Smack Down – Charleston, South Carolina

2011 Ion Smack Down – Charleston, South Carolina

I headed to Charleston, SC for a weekend of criterium racing.  I left on Friday, April 15th after going for a 25 mile ride in Mooresville.  We arrived in Charleston around 6:30 and Leah and Neal arrived shortly thereafter.   We all went to dinner and celebrated Neal’s birthdays. 

I woke up early (5AM) Saturday morning to help Neal set up the crit course. We arrived at the venue around 5:45AM and started unloading his trailer to get the stage and truss setup.  Things were pretty nervous as the forecast was for major winds and rain.  We got everything setup with 15 minutes to spare.  The good news was that the rain held off and the course started drying up.