2012 New Years Ride

Usually on New Years Day there's a ride out of Gainesville that's become a favorite for local old school roadies. When I got the word that it was not happening this year I decided to put together my own New Years ride. I put the word out and hoped for the best and well...the best showed up.





Top of Woody Gap

 

I decided to start the ride at 8:00AM from Turner's Corner General Store. I reasoned that if we met early we could get back by lunch and have the rest of the day to spend with family. However the weather once we returned made my plan seem...wrong. I mean when was the last time it was 64 degrees on December 31st??? Instead of starting in 32 degrees we could have waited two hours and started in 45 degrees. But it didn't matter. The guys who showed up were ready for the weather and ready to have a great time on the bike.



Dustin Mealor's wheel change.


I brought left over stuff from 2011 to give anyone that came so if you didn't brave the cold you didn't get the swag. There were goodie bags from the Lt. Governor's ride, t-shirts from the BPBC Spring Ride, and Joe Elam gave everyone a Habersham Bicycles water bottle. I also brought all my cold weather clothing in case someone needed it. And a big bag of medical supplies...in case someone needed it.

Mike Mahalic is a newbie who actually did something newbie's seldom do. He bought a good bike. Newbie's almost always start out on the cheapest, heaviest, poorest shifting bike they can find. It puts them at a considerable disadvantage right from the start. Plus if they actually catch the cycling bug they end up loosing all that money because they figure out what they have isn't what they need. They end up selling their first bike to another poor newbie. It's a vicious cycle. (pun intended).

Mike walked up to me and asked what kind of vests I had. I gave him my wintex Hincapie vest which later proved to be his new best friend. Another newbie in attendance was Trent Smith. He's an experienced mountain biker but was joining us on what was only his second foray on the road. He was riding a "newbie" bike. I basically had to completely redress him. He was layered up like an 80's teen idol. I gave him a thermal long sleeve base layer to go over his regular short sleeve base layer and then he wore a Hincapie wintex jacket. He did have some newly purchased LG lobster claw gloves on though.



Top of Neels Gap aka Blood Mountain

 I opted for my new LG winter bibs and my trusty Hincapie cycling coat. It only seemed like too much during the climb on Wolf Pen when Robert "Young Punk" Loomis drove the pace up until my eyeballs popped out. Otherwise it was perfect.

We set out and climbed our first of three main obstacles for the day Neels Gap or as it's locally known Blood Mountain. This is a long climb. Although not super steep the time spent going up gets in your head. I could feel the nervous energy coming from our two first timers. Trent is a twenty something and a bit kamikaze so it was no surprise to see him powering along with the lead group. Mike however is more cautious. He was trying to pace himself in the face of the unknown. I give him 5 points for being willing to take on the GAP's. Trent gets no credit. He'd jump off the mountain if you told him it would be fun.

Joe Elam is the owner of Habersham Bicycles. He's a great friend and a good Christian man. I'm impressed so much with his integrity that I don't mind constantly shamelessly promoting his shop. Lately he's admitted to being a bit lazy and not riding much so I knew he'd be suffering as well. I've ridden with Joe many times and I can always tell when he's operating at his limit. His breathing becomes more like an epic battle of bodily forces. It's like his mind is saying "keep going", his legs are saying "you can do this", but his lungs are saying "this air is terrible!" He sounds like a sneezing horse. Like his body is rejected the quality of the oxygen in the air. It's very funny. He would say his body is rejecting the quantity of oxygen in the air. I like Joe a lot. Joe gets 5 points for breathing technique.

A good friend of mine once told me that riding in the mountains will teach you all the physics you need to know. A man who weighs 160 pounds may use less energy to get to the top than a 200 pound man but the heavier guy will  use absolutely no energy getting to the bottom and do it faster. Keep in mind I'm talking in the context of group riding, not racing. My example in this case is David Latty. He was the heaviest one of us. But what a heart and what a strong rider. When we started the decent from the top of Blood Mtn. I got passed by him and had to pedal like crazy just to stay close. David did nothing but touch his brakes to scrub speed in the sharp corners. David scores 5 points for being fearless in pursuit of victory over the mountains. The other David (Mr. Shabat) scores points for sporting the new team kit seen here and resplendent with Hayes Automotive. Double points...because they're mine to give.

Top of Wolf Pen Gap

Our next and most testing obstacle (hmm...if that were a compound word what would it be) was Wolf Pen Gap. With pitches up to 13 percent and unending switchbacks this climb seems to never end. I have to say that Wolf Pen is my favorite climb of all the GAP's. There's no traffic, lots to see, and it's a better climb mentally. My favorite phrase when climbing is "It's like eating an elephant...one bite at a time!" If I'm climbing and hanging out it doesn't matter but if I'm resolved to climb fast I need to focus on taking steps up the climb and not just "where's the top!"  So on Wolf Pen it's easy...go to the next switchback...then go to the next one...don't let your mind wonder where the top is. Concentrate only on getting to the next switchback. For me climbing is mental. Or...maybe I'm mental.

Anyway, we all rode together for a while and then like a big dummy I pushed the pace to see who wanted to hammer. Unfortunately Robert Loomis was all about it. He went to the front and shredded us all. Robert losses 10 points for beating up an old man. When I got to the top I turned around and went back down to film and check on everyone. I followed Mike Mahalic with the camera as he made the top.

Here's the VIDEO!

On the way down the final climb we were moving at the speed of sound when I heard a most disagreeable one. It was the sound of a cell phone smashing onto the pavement. All I saw was the back of someones Smart Phone sliding by my wheel. Once we stopped at the bottom, also known as the Stone Pile, I learned it was Robert Loomis' phone. Not good. He turned around and rode back up to look for the pieces. We all said a little prayer for him and headed on back to the General Store. Our beloved SAG Driver Ralph Atkinson followed him.

We returned to Turner's Corner General Store to find Seth (the Owner) ready to make us some cheeseburgers. When Ralph drove up and I changed clothes I went inside and bought a cream soda and a Zero bar. Don't ask me why, I just wanted it. Robert showed up with a fully functional, snapped back together smart phone and a smile on his face. Each rider found me to say thanks. We all stood around for some time enjoying the sunshine and talking about our journey. It was a nice morning on the bike for some and an epic undertaking for others but we all enjoyed the ride.

On the way home Stephen Sisk and I reminisced about some crazy weather we've ridden in. We've been caught in the snow 24 miles from home. We've seen the effects of 110 degrees on tires. The Gap's always produce a story. Maybe not for us today but I'm sure our friends made great memories. Above all we remained safe. Thanks for coming guys! 10 points for everyone!

Chad

The GAP's

The Six Gap Century held every September

There's a phrase that cyclist's in North Georgia use to describe a ride in the mountains that takes them over at least three climbs and possibly six. Those mountain climbs are called "The GAP's". They are; Neels Gap, Jack's Gap, Unicoi Gap, Hog Pen Gap, Wolf Pen Gap, and Woody Gap. If you do all six you'll have covered 70+ miles and 10,000 feet of climbing. The Tour de Georgia used many of the Gap's to add tough climbing and attract the best pro riders. At the top of  Jack's Gap if you want to add the word "Epic" to the days ride you can take a turn and climb the famous Brass Town Bald Mountain. This climb will make you cry for your mommy.

Stephen and Casey get ready to climb.

I've ridden the Gap's many times and in many orders. You can start in Helen. You can start in Dahlonega. You can start at the Stone Pile or Turner's Corner. The beauty of the Gap's is that wherever you start from you can make a loop right back to it. The only thing you need to tell your buddies is where to meet. If you ride them one way this weekend you can do the same route backwards the next weekend and it's totally different. The Gap's are feared by some and revered by others. Every cyclist knows about The Gap's. But not every cyclist has ridden them. Such was the case for my friend Lt. Governor Casey Cagle.

Casey Cagle and Stephen Sisk climb Neel's Gap

He's talked to me about them on several occasions. "Do you think I can ride them?", "How hard is it?", "Do I have the right gearing for it?" The inquisition became greater after he found out he'd be starting the riders at this year's Six Gap Century. As we build up to The Lt. Governor's Century ride on October 15th things are getting very exciting. He and I have talked about what riders in Georgia like and how to make his benefit for FCA the best it can be. One thing he wanted to be able to say is that he's ridden the Gap's. So this Sunday afternoon we started from Turner's Corner and rode Neels, Wolf Pen, and Woody's.

Casey on Hwy 180 after the Wolf Pen Climb

Not knowing how he needed to pace himself was probably his biggest challenge. Neel's Gap is a 7 mile climb that took us almost an hour. I slowly paced us up while Stephen gave Casey some tips on climbing. And what a beautiful day! 78 degrees! Breezy! Sunny! Perfect for suffering. Once at the top it was time to evaluate. Do we turn around and call it a day or do we continue the journey? Reaching the top of his first "Gap" was a victory for sure but I think Casey knew he would've gone harder. There were still two unknown climbs to go and he was under some purely unintended peer pressure. He had no intention of stopping. As we got ready to leave I saw a guy coming down the stairs from the store with a goofy grin on his face. He was wearing a leather jacket like some Harley rider but was too small and gangly to make me worry. As he got closer I recognized him as my friend Stephen Dean. He was riding motor bikes with his father in law. I told him he should be on a pedal bike and he told me lies about his intentions this winter. I like Stephen Dean, he's funny.

We descended Neels and started the fun and exciting Wolf Pen Gap climb. Casey was taking it easy I could tell because he was able to carry on a conversation with us. We didn't care because we understood what he was going through. Being unsure of the obstacles ahead can drain you mentally and physically. You stay tense and end up using more energy. But Stephen and I also knew that once we got done he would be so excited. It's fun knowing how someone else is going to feel. I mean emotionally. Physically he may be telling a different story.

We rolled through Suches and up over Woody Gap and then a long fast decent down to the Stone Pile. All brand new to Casey. What a scary/thrilling ride it must have been for him. On our way back to Turner's Corner we worked on drafting. Casey rides by himself a lot so like all newbies he stayed back too far or rode outside the draft. He was uncomfortable being close behind another rider. On the way back home Stephen and I shared our thoughts on drafting in cycling.

Drafting Example

First off there's a trust between riders that is magnified on group rides. If you're drafting behind a rider you need to assume several things;
1. He knows not to hit his brakes. 2. He knows not to swerve unexpectedly. 3. He knows not to surge and slow, surge and slow. 4. He knows to tell you about dangerous objects or holes in the road and moves over slowly to avoid them.
You should assume these things until a rider demonstrates he doesn't understand his responsibility in this regard. You then have the right to correct him in a manner that reflects the danger of the situation he may have just put you in.
Beyond that, drafting is a valuable way to survive a hard ride and/or win a race. It's widely known that drafting a rider saves you 30% of your energy. In other words the guy on the front is working 30% harder to go at the same speed you are. If you aren't as strong as the guys you're with then you need to use all the draft you can. And believe me they don't mind. They'd rather you rotate off the front quickly than to blow yourself up and loose contact with the group. You can really over think the whole thing if you're not careful. Bottom line is ride in groups to get better at drafting.

Me, Stephen Sisk, Casey Cagle on top of Woody's Gap

 Well we made it. Three Gaps from Turner's Corner. Another great Gap's ride for me and Stephen and an Epic ride for Casey Cagle. Time to eat, sleep and be merry. Now I'm pumped for the Six Gap Century this weekend! Something great always happens on an epic ride like that. I'll be at the start line with a white balloon so my friends can find me. Join us for a great time in the "Gap's"!

But don't think riding in the mountains is all I did this weekend. Oh no my friends! It was time for the Dawgs to catch up with all the other, smarter schools who start their schedules by playing teams you've never heard of like Kent State or Florida Atlantic or Middle Tennessee State. This week we took on the powerhouse of Coastal Carolina! This is the type of game you can get extra tickets for so we took the kids.

 I've also spent some time painting the routes for the Lt. Governors Century for FCA on October 15th. It's going to be a great ride for a great cause. Stay tuned for some cool new announcements about the lunch after the ride!

Homer, GA is half way for the 100 mile riders.

During my birthday celebration week I garnered a lot of advice from friends and relatives. We're talking everything from "Now it's time to act your Age" to "Let the party continue..". I take all advice and give it it's due attention. For me there's advice that is battle tested and foundational. The people I trust in this world are on a very short list. I don't trust the Internet. I'm not a self help book reader. No, when it comes to getting guidance about my life there's always something solid for me in the Bible.

Titus 2:2
Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love, and in 
endurance.
 

"Worthy of respect! What a goal for our lives whether we are men or women! Don't you want your life to reflect the character of God because our faith expresses itself in a life of self-control. This work of the Spirit in our lives happens only as we dedicate ourselves to being what he is at work trying to accomplish in us."

Thanks for reading! Hope to see you out there!

Chad