1speed
Incredibly profound yet fantastically flawed
Hello, folks! Just joined site. I actually live in PA (just north of Philly), so I guess I'm a gate crasher. But I'm originally from Jersey, born and raised, if that counts! Grew up in Monmouth County. In fact, my first taste of riding was at Hartshorne in Atlantic Highlands way back in 1900's. And it kind of grew from there -- since then, I've been lucky enough to ride and race all over the country.
About five years ago I had an epiphany wherein it was revealed to me that I am, in fact, what's known as "slow". I struggled mightily with this revelation, attempting to balance my all-consuming need to pay complete strangers significant portions of my income to let me suffer needlessly alongside other delusionals with my fragile ego's need to feel superior to those same indivduals. Being a practical sort, I decided that perhaps if I could not outrun them, then maybe i could outlast them. And so I started racing Enduros. Turns out, the fast people seem to go just as fast if they have to ride 12 hours or 2, so to say it hasn't exactly been a straight run of podiums would probably be, as they say, "accurate." But I do really enjoy it, and as long as I can finish early enough to have time to sneak behind the awards area and steal a trophy now and then, I can still at least appear to be good at this stuff. Chicks dig stolen trophies. So I've got that going for me.
Over the past few years, I've raced 24 Hour solos, several NUE races (including my favorite race of all time, The Shenandoah Mountain 100, which I think every mountainbiker on the planet should try at least once. It's crazy hard but so far beyond fun that you really wouldn't mind) and more six and twelve hour enduros than I can count. And I've never won a single one! But it keeps me from doing bad things like drinking too much or murdering hobos, so, once again, I've got that going for me.
My bikes: more than I need but less than I want. I have a semi-custom all-mountain Trek Fuel EX (now on its last legs from overuse), a hardtail Trek 9.9, a Kona Stinky Deluxe (for those days when I want to recapture the thrill of the horrific crash) and my baby, a Misfit DiSSent AL that I built myself. I built it last winter and I raced it all season this year. I love that bike in an almost unhealthy way. It's like one of those really violent, toxic, co-dependent relationships only with 29 inch wheels and where the abuse it heaps on me, while ceaseless and destructive, isn't in the form of passive aggressive comments or veiled threats to my psychological safety.
Anyway, that's the long version. I figured I'd join here because I do still ride in Jersey whenever I get back that way to visit family, and there's always room for learning more about trails within driving distance or interacting with other people who think putting your heart in the red zone while getting covered in mud is a great way to spend most of your free time. In exchange, since I currently live within spitting distance of some of the east coast's best trails, I would happily share any info I may have to help get anyone to some of these great spots (like Wissahickon, Blue Marsh, or Middle Run.)
Cheers! 😀
About five years ago I had an epiphany wherein it was revealed to me that I am, in fact, what's known as "slow". I struggled mightily with this revelation, attempting to balance my all-consuming need to pay complete strangers significant portions of my income to let me suffer needlessly alongside other delusionals with my fragile ego's need to feel superior to those same indivduals. Being a practical sort, I decided that perhaps if I could not outrun them, then maybe i could outlast them. And so I started racing Enduros. Turns out, the fast people seem to go just as fast if they have to ride 12 hours or 2, so to say it hasn't exactly been a straight run of podiums would probably be, as they say, "accurate." But I do really enjoy it, and as long as I can finish early enough to have time to sneak behind the awards area and steal a trophy now and then, I can still at least appear to be good at this stuff. Chicks dig stolen trophies. So I've got that going for me.
Over the past few years, I've raced 24 Hour solos, several NUE races (including my favorite race of all time, The Shenandoah Mountain 100, which I think every mountainbiker on the planet should try at least once. It's crazy hard but so far beyond fun that you really wouldn't mind) and more six and twelve hour enduros than I can count. And I've never won a single one! But it keeps me from doing bad things like drinking too much or murdering hobos, so, once again, I've got that going for me.
My bikes: more than I need but less than I want. I have a semi-custom all-mountain Trek Fuel EX (now on its last legs from overuse), a hardtail Trek 9.9, a Kona Stinky Deluxe (for those days when I want to recapture the thrill of the horrific crash) and my baby, a Misfit DiSSent AL that I built myself. I built it last winter and I raced it all season this year. I love that bike in an almost unhealthy way. It's like one of those really violent, toxic, co-dependent relationships only with 29 inch wheels and where the abuse it heaps on me, while ceaseless and destructive, isn't in the form of passive aggressive comments or veiled threats to my psychological safety.
Anyway, that's the long version. I figured I'd join here because I do still ride in Jersey whenever I get back that way to visit family, and there's always room for learning more about trails within driving distance or interacting with other people who think putting your heart in the red zone while getting covered in mud is a great way to spend most of your free time. In exchange, since I currently live within spitting distance of some of the east coast's best trails, I would happily share any info I may have to help get anyone to some of these great spots (like Wissahickon, Blue Marsh, or Middle Run.)
Cheers! 😀
