Trans-Sylvania Epic - Stage 6

State College, PA
Trans-Sylvania Mountain Bike Epic Sunday May 30, 2010
by: Joseph Castle

TSE Stage 6 - The Queen Stage

I was looking forward to the start of this stage since the beginning of the week.  Besides Raystown, this was the next one that I wanted to ride.  When I rode it two weeks ago, I bonked midway through the ridgeline trail because it was hot and I didn’t do my nutrition properly.  Today was a different story though.

I had a hard time falling asleep last night and I woke up early because I was really excited to have a good day on the rocks.  The fact that it is the second to last day of finishing my first ever 7-day stage race didn’t hurt either.  The trails are covered with rocks pretty much from start to finish.  There are a few breaks where we were on gravel or fireroad but for about 90 percent of the time it was nicely maintained single track.

The race started with an initial lead-out by the pros at the front. We rode for about three miles at 16mph and I managed to hang on to the pack.  Luckily, it was flat enough that I could draft a bit and not feel too bad.  When we started heading uphill, I started to fall back a bit but still ahead of most of my friends.  I knew this stage well and felt I could do well today so I tried to create some space right from the beginning of the race.  I also knew it was only going to be 25 miles which meant a three to four hour ride depending on how my skills were on the rocks.

Up the first fire road climb, I managed to separate from a slower group while running down a couple people.  It was a brutal climb of 8 miles with over 2k ft of elevation on an 18% grade at times. It was hot too which meant my clothes were soaked about half way up the hill.  Once getting to the top, there was a fast, loose, downhill where I just tried to hang on to the bars. A couple times, my hands slipped off the brakes because my gloves were so sweaty. It was great!

Next came a good and dangerous descent into a steep rock strewn trail. I knew this was coming and how scary it was. As I descended, I manage to pass a couple riders who were off to the side of the trail and walking. It made me feel good to know that I could ride some technical stuff that others were struggling with. One guy was having a hard time because he had a broken bone in his forearm so it was understandable that he was walking. At this point, I had a good lead on the average people and some others as well.

In my haste to get a bigger gap, one of the directional signs didn’t register and I took a wrong turn and went off the course.  I turned around quickly and got back on course only to find out later that five people that I would have beaten, finished before I did.  Figures!

In the end, I had the day that I wanted. I raced hard and fast to the point of exhaustion when I was done. I raced so hard on a road at one point that I rested my forearms on the handlebars, put the gearing as high as it would go, put my head down, and just a full on push. It was so hard and fast that I had nothing left for the last short hill into the finish.

Today was my best day of the race. Raystown was fun and fast but today I felt so in tune with my fitness and my bike. I can see how riding for six days has changed my fitness, skill, and racing mentality. I am starting to feel more like a competitor even though I have been long out of contention in my bracket.

My goal coming here was to get some experience and finish the race. With my fingers crossed as I try to sleep tonight, I will finish the 20 miler tomorrow.  The celebration will begin shortly thereafter.

Note: The picture includes me in the middle of the bus aisle sitting next to Mark Weir of WTB. He is a pro and their spokesman. Pretty cool!