Highlight Mountain Raccoon

The mastermind behind many an idea, John Fennel himself is pictured below. Fennel is one of those guys whose gonna "not race" until he's eighty, end up world renowned regardless and show up to races at age 75 sporting the best beer gut you ever saw. Just a prediction. Fen thought it might be a fun idea to watch roadies wreck at the bottom of George Hayes during Blood, Sweat, and Gears while drinking tequila sunrises. We thought he was spot on. Then he got recruited to man a gravel road sag station just down the road. We didn't hold his official status against him, and he gave up the 8 a.m. party to be a helping hand. Or did he.......
That is an official looking T-shirt, John..........


And while we were finishing up our glasses of OJ, who would roll up, but Doug??........

Doug started BSG much earlier than all the other riders. And at a different location for that matter. So when Doug rolled through our checkpoint, he was already 75 miles in, whereas everyone else who had passed us was freshly spinning at mile 20. Doug was my favorite DFL of the day (well, the only one), so I rode with him for a few minutes until I realized that I had other places to be. I left Doug to finish his epic ride in peace and made my way to the Farmer's Market......Really, I couldn't think of a better place to be at that point in time. Except that when I got there I quickly realized that the FM was no place for a decently drunk and stinky crazy-looking lady. I bought a plant. Then I left.

Fast forward six hours later, Lottie and I pulled up to Raccoon Mountain, in Chattanooga, TN. I heard something about a bike race going on the next day.....??? Well, we made it just in time for these beauties to shade the mountain with their glory. I swear, I've never seen rain scatter a bunch of "mountain bikers" like it did these Racer Ricks. I guess I don't melt in the rain, so I went for a ride.....


And managed to prick my leg one good time....


I ran Lottie around and then we headed off to find food and shelter. We were going to crash in the car, but once we got off the mountain, I realized we were going to be "gated out," so there went my plan original. Burrito in stomach, we stopped at the gas station to load up, and that was when I realized I needed to watch my step......
Some poor, sweet, white girl drove off with the gas nozzle still in her tank. Glad 'her' was not me. Regardless, I spent 28 minutes in said gas station, trying diligently to pay $33.31 for a tank of gas and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. I will just say that I have NEVER been at the mercy of such a gainfully employed, stubbornly incompetent woman as that night, and I hope for her sake and mine we never share any life-time together again. I took the "gas station drama" as a reminder that I had had a full day, and perhaps would benefit from some sleep before racing the next day......

So I bucked up and got a hotel room. Lottie slept at my feet and I passed out in white sheet heaven....albeit at 1 am. Although sleep was good and breakfast pretty decent, other factors contributed to a severely damaged race on Sunday. Perhaps I am suffering from an injured self more than I have given creedance to. No matter- I got some good shots of one of the best race courses I've yet ridden this year. I'll give it to them Chattanoogians- Raccoon Mtn has got it going on. Fast and twisty single, with enough rocky-fun obstacles and punchy climbs to keep it interesting, but still fast. Going back- oh yeeaahhh.....


This looks so much cooler in real life....the right side drops straight off- you can't tell from the shot but when you're riding it, there is plenty of inspiration to stay on the ledge!! After it rained it was all slick and slippy too. Thank god there's still a little bit of mountain left in mountain bike racing.