(post-blogged on 6/1/2005)
This is the start of my trip down to Blacksburg, VA to embark on this stupidly big deal that I've been training for for more than 4 months, The Mountains of Misery. To preface this - the next few blog entries, I have post-blogged them on June 1st. Today, I woke up completely miserable - full force head & chest cold. I could barely breath, I had a sore throat, my head was pounding, nose was completely stuffed up, and hacking up mouthfulls of lung chowder - not a good morning to set out and drive 6+ hours down to Blacksburg. I was even more fearful of the possibility that I may not be able to even participate in the Mountains of Misery. The challenge was already there - It IS a brutal climb, of many sorts...about 5 mountains..and the last - the most brutal. I may not be able to finish the thing even if I was in perfect health - but fuck no...I happen to get this fricken cold on the ONLY crucial weekend this year.

Storm Highway

So be it. I was already packed, ready to rock n roll, tossed the last of my shit in the car and popped a few more non-drowsy cold pills, my coffee, a ton of water and I was off. It was a beautiful day to begin with - and the traffic was not too bad, I stopped a few times to visit the little boys room (was trying to hydrate, from cold meds..also in preparation for the next day). Took me a while, but I finally got down to Blacksburg, checked into the hotel, registered with the MoM crew...got my "race packet" - I was now to be #39... Went up to my room, layed a few things out, ran to the store to get a gallon of gatorade and a few provisions, came back to the hotel, went to the Bike Expo, bought a few things, picked up a few pamphlets on some new centuries...grabbed all the freebies...bumped into a crapload of people I know from other centuries and training.

Then went to this all you can eat pasta thing with a guest speaker, Mike Magnusen (had him Autograph my copy of his book) - he was quite amusing, he was also to participate in the ride the next day - was really nice to talk with him. Cool guy. I sat at this table with 4 guys who were doing this "for training", because in the next couple of weeks...they were going to be participating in the Race Across America, this totally sick but cool ride/race (literally race 24/7 to get across the USA...in about a week...they bike all day all night....they doing it as a team, to raise $$ for a Kidney transplant awareness program (one of the team members riding is an actual kidney transplant recipient). They all live up in NoVA, and we've seen each other on our training rides - small world.

Finished 4 plates of pasta, salad and headed up - was too sick to do anything else..I layed out all my stuff for the morning, qued up coffee, and carb push for morning. Fell asleep watching of all things "Pretty Woman" - oh barf!

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Phew - just a quick note. I am exhausted - and not feeling well, damn cold I got from a colleague (rather his kid). I didn't forsee this - but regardless, I am gonna drive down to Blacksburg for the Mountains of Misery and have a great time, despite my whole head being stuffed up, cannot breathe, snot-o-rama - least the sore throat is gone. I just hope it doesn't settle in my chest.

Work was wicked - and then it calmed down, after we are about to embark on a 3 day Memorial Day weekend. It was an incredibly beautiful day outside - got up to 80 degrees, and sunny - put smiles on people's faces. Which is contagous.

Went on what was supposed to be a very short stretch out ride - but I sorta dilly dallied around, stopped by an outdoor concert in Herndon, watched the people and listened to the band for about 20 minutes. 34 miles total. Came home later than I needed to - then had a late dinner with my parents, they made an amazing Steak (slathered in marsalla mushrooms & onions), Corn on the Cob, asparagus.

update: Mother's wrist came out of the cast (post surgery a week ago) - another month in a new fiberglass cast before that comes off, she's not happy about it. Least the new cast is lightweight.

Spent the rest of the evening cleaning/lubing my bike - it's in pristine condition (I have the routine down to an hour and 20 minutes - how anal retentive), finishing packing for trip, paying bills, made a few phone calls.

I am very much looking forward to this weekend. It will be relaxing, yet miserable...lol. I'll be back on Monday. (will post-date blog entries for the next few days as placeholders)

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Even though it's Thursday night, and a few days before I hump my fat ass up the hill ("Hill of a Ride", Mountains of Misery, aka "MoM") - I am now officially psyched. After a really anxiety driven day at work, and a beautiful day outside - I was busting at the seams waiting to get out there and rock and roll with my bike club.

We set out on a really fast and furious pace - from Herndon and to all around Ashburn, out towards West Virginia and eventually back - fast assed pace. Total of 52 miles. On the way back, I was talking to a few fellow riders, the ones I was aware who have also been training for the MoM - it was interesting, varied experiences. Collectively, we are all ready and waiting the challenge.

So here I am, Thurs night, doing all laundry, and packing, double checking all gear and printing out maps, confirmation numbers, et al... fun fun. Tomorrow night will be a quick post - I have to totally strip my bike down, clean and totally relube everything, put back together, load car...and try to relax. Saturday will be a long ass drive (I don't do well doing any trips over 5-6 hours).

Vite Vite Vite! Alez Alez Alez! ALonz-y! (speaking of which, I need to pack my "Heft on Wheels" for Mike Magnusen to sign Saturday night , he is the guest of honor at the all-you-can-eat pasta dinner [screw you carbs!, I'm gonna burn yer ass off like crazy])

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Just a busy day. Work was a mess, it rained all day, took a really damp and cold 44 miler training ride, car repair got botched (damn jinxed car), home late, too many things to do before weekend.

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Mountains of Misery, 2005 Click on photo for enlargement illustration by d. scott gregory

It's a good thing that I'm on "wind-down" mode before I head out this weekend for the MoM, it rained all friken day. I ended up sleepy at work, on a less than stressful day...made for more drowsyness....I'd better not be coming down with something. All this stress is wearing me out.

I suited up after work to ride - but it was torrential downpour..I thought "shit..if I do this..I'll be miserable..and I'll have to spend 2 hours cleaning my bike...3 times this week. Fuck it. I went to the gym and did a spinner class. What a bunch of ....curbs that thought. Let's just say that in the 28 miler I did there in the gym...coached...I barely broke a sweat. These people have zero concept of what cycling is about. I'd better hope that it was a beginner's class.

Drove home in the rain, in traffic...over an hour and a half. What a waste of time and gas.

Gathering more crap and making more preparations for the weekend. Synced up my calendar with my family - as to vacation/reunion plans...I have a busy summer between my cycling events, moving, and vacations. Booked a thing for the View Trail 100 in SouthEast MD...near Ocean City, on the 18th of June. Looking forward to that. I'm hooking up with some friends for part of the weekend. I need to even out my damn cycling tan.

Above illustration I made to show what kind of a ride this MoM is...or really any of these 100+ mile Centuries. I like to keep a bird's eye perspective on it.

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What a busy day - and not done yet. Work was a wild mess of activity and drama, but it all miraculously became resolved. It rained all morning - and all afternoon. I was uncertain what the weather was going to be like for after work. It was a constant downpour with bad lightning - I was prepared to go to the spinning class at the gym (but I hate cycling indoors...I'd rather bike in the rain). I decided to wait it out and see what happenned.

And the day of car crap to take care of. I made an appointment for Wednesday to take in the damn car to attend to the coolant leak - I had a previous estimate (@ 500 bucks, damn VWs aren't cheap). I do NOT want anything impeding me to get to the Mountains of Misery this upcoming weekend. SO I'll bite the bullet. On the way back to my car, I noticed the muffler has a flap of metal hanging off it...sheesh...what next, a fricken VW expensive repair trifecta.

Finished up work at about the same time the sun came out and the roads began to dry. There was a lot of fog, was neat - reminded me of cycling in Germany when I lived there as a teenager. Pictures on the right are of the trail and of some wildflowers along side. Did a short 38 miler - I need to back-train, slow down twice this week before Sunday.

Busy packing and double checking confirmations, gathering tools, meds, recovery items, all weather scenario equipment, et al for this weekend. I'll be off Home base - so I have to overcompensate. It's fun packing in anticipation for the adrenaline.

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photo by d. scott gregory

It was tragically beautiful today. And I am happy to report that I enjoyed all of it - as much as I could.

Domestic stuff aside, i finished all my chores before noon, then headed out to look at an apartment in Herndon - I was itching to not be indoors looking at indoor spaces - but I need to. Finished up and headed to Leesburg for my last "mountainous" training ride before Mountains of Misery (a week from today) - I took in some breathtaking weather and views up near Hillsborogh, et al - a 54 miler total, licking the edges of West Virginia.

Came home, took a nice short hot shower and spent the next few hours cooking some gumbo with shrimp, chicken, spicy sausage, wild rice and some sauteed fiddleheads (fern tops, pictured) in a garlic herbed basting sauce.

Starting of a work week, sucks again - an addition to having to put my car in the shop for the day - coolant leak, changing belts, et al....I need to make sure everything is functional for my trip next weekend. Reminds me I need to make a list of shit to do and call to confirm my confirmation. I'm anal about these things.

Sum up this week of cycling milage - milage for week: 304 miles (489 kilometers), milage for year to date: 5,450 miles (8,771 kilometers)

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