We struggled with the RV hydraulics for way too long since the race organizers wanted us to move the RV to another parking lot prior to signing in. This, of course, made us sign in later than we would have liked. By the time shuttles starting to move riders to the start location (30 miles away), Jonathan hadn’t returned from the registration trailer, I was still getting dressed, and Fred was still in his sleeping bag.

Long story short (too late) Jonathan and I ended up getting a shuttle from one of the race volunteers to the start of the 17 mile section instead of the start of the 34 mile section. We hit the trail at around 11am – still well below freezing – and immediately starting into a very long, very steep climb. If you’ve ever climbed the Chimneytops trail in the Smokies, imagine doing this on a bike. very similar. 600+ feet of elevation climbed in a couple of miles on loose, rocky singletrack.

After a long climb up to the ridgeline, a screaming fun descent back down into the valley, and another long climb back up a gravel fire road, we hit the 17 mile sag stop. It was at this point that I bailed out at 8 miles in and left Jonathan to represent us for the last 8 miles. Jonathan finished the 17 mile section with a time of 3hrs, 23 minutes. I spent the rest of the day succumbing to a virus that is just now starting to release me from it’s clutches.

Next race in the series is on February 6th.