Winter Wow

[smarty]

http://wowmtb.com/WinterWOW.html

The registration for the Winter Wow is now up.

Questions abound:

Will John defend his title as defacto Ontario SS Champion?
Will Lepper remember his shoes this year?
Will Mr. and Mrs. Monster pre-purchase a sump pump?
Will wee Tom wound himself again?

[rkj__]

Who's Tom?

(have not seen him around in a while)

[osokolo]

Chili. I may as well race the race then, I think...

Originally Posted by smarty

http://wowmtb.com/WinterWOW.html

The registration for the Winter Wow is now up.

Questions abound:

Will John defend his title as defacto Ontario SS Champion?
Will Lepper remember his shoes this year?
Will Mr. and Mrs. Monster pre-purchase a sump pump?
Will wee Tom wound himself again?

[veteran_youth]

Will the course be marked well enough to avoid massive confusion in the last 2km?

Unfortunately AJ Racing is putting on the Riverdale CX that day so I will be racing and or volunteering for that one way or another. So I will just tell myself the HH Singletrack Challenge were the defacto SS championships despite suggesting it was WW about a week ago.

[Unglued]

I'm in. I never miss a chance to ride on snow...

[garage monster]

Originally Posted by smarty

Will Mr. and Mrs. Monster pre-purchase a sump pump?

I was going to say that we'll be there come hell or high water but I don't want to subject myself to that sort of karmic inevitability. Suffice to say that last year's new sump pump is still humming along quite contentedly and that I'll be there with my chili-eatin' spoon in my back pocket.

For a double dose of winter insanity, Mrs. Monster and I will be spending that Saturday up in Bancroft with cowbells and rally horns cheering the intrepid drivers at the Rally of the Tall Pines. If you haven't ever been, go!

[nspace]

How did I miss this thread!

rkj: I was just backpacking around Europe for 2 months, that would explain my disappearing act.

I am going to, once again, plan to make it out to this race, if not for the sufferfest or the low hanging snow covered branches, but for the brownies and chili.

I too, hope there is no confusion with the course.

[rkj__]

Originally Posted by nspace

How did I miss this thread!

rkj: I was just backpacking around Europe for 2 months, that would explain my disappearing act.

I'm sure you must have made a ton of memories that you will never forget. Welcome back by the way.


ps, I'm looking forward to visiting Europe for the first time this winter (Birmingham/London)

[thedumbopinion]

I registered for this today. Only two weeks away.

[brodie_rider]

Hrmm...I dunno if I will do this.

[garage monster]

Officially registered! That souvenir toque is as good as mine!

[serious]

Somebdy wants to race very badly.

[garage monster]

Originally Posted by serious

Somebdy wants to race very badly.

After two weeks off my bike, don't worry, I plan on racing very badly!

[Jouko]

I have not been on my mountain bike since September 18. I took a planned 4-week quasi-rest period after CTS and now I have been down with the flu for the last two weeks with no rides with the exception of two indoor attempts, both abandoned around 1.5 hours. In general, I feel like crap. I decided to sign up for the Winter WOW anyways, for if it kills me, it will make my next-of-kin stronger.

[Nerdgirl]

Jouko, you can ride with us! I've been ridiculously busy with work since CTS, so barely been on MY bike. What? Two months is too long for a taper?

I'm in it for the chili, anyway.

[JamieDavies]

first MTB ride since CTS was last Sunday. Race plate, water bottles were still on the bike and the BB was seized solid.
Im going for the brownie!

[osokolo]

whose bike have you been on???

Did Mr bring you a Japanese version of the 29er? I mean, the same just way smaller?

Originally Posted by Nerdgirl

Jouko, you can ride with us! I've been ridiculously busy with work since CTS, so barely been on MY bike. What? Two months is too long for a taper?

I'm in it for the chili, anyway.

[osokolo]

reminds me when I came back from LaRuta - I hated my bike... By the time I was over with the hate, I had to replace everything that had bearings or bushings in it, as teh last section on the last day included riding through 2 feet of ocean water for hundreds of feet at the time...

Originally Posted by JamieDavies

first MTB ride since CTS was last Sunday. Race plate, water bottles were still on the bike and the BB was seized solid.
Im going for the brownie!

[serious]

Dear Mother Nature,

I know you cooperated and gave us great weather for the last 2 races (Fall Epic 8 Hour and 50K Challenge). Could I ask for another miracle on Nov 22nd ... please! I promise I will not whine about the weather or ask any more favors until next April. OK?

[Mysty]

I will not be doing this one - even though I really want to... I've been off my bike since July... so next year.

Good luck everyone. Maybe you will get good WOW weather like this past weekend

Originally Posted by serious

Dear Mother Nature,

I know you cooperated and gave us great weather for the last 2 races (Fall Epic 8 Hour and 50K Challenge). Could I ask for another miracle on Nov 22nd ... please! I promise I will not whine about the weather or ask any more favors until next April. OK?

[nspace]

I should probably get around to registering tonight. Can't wait!

[superlightracer]

hmmm..if i can get a ride from Guelph.. im there.

[JamieDavies]

Word on the street is the single speed cat. will have some elite riders and 1 very fast junior. I am willing to bet the overall winner comes from SS. Shaping up to be a great race!

[Nerdgirl]

Originally Posted by JamieDavies

Word on the street is the single speed cat. will have some elite riders and 1 very fast junior. I am willing to bet the overall winner comes from SS. Shaping up to be a great race!

Sadly, there's no SS chick category for me to win by dint of being the only entrant.

I made the mistake (well, really, who cares when there's chili, but still) of entering as Female AND SS Open a couple of years ago, being too dim to realise that "Open" meant no gender categories.

You gonna do the SS thing?

[Jouko]

Word on the street is the 40+ men's cat. will have some kool riders and generally fun time racing. I am willing to bet the overall winner isn't one of us. Shaping up to be a great race!

[JamieDavies]

Originally Posted by Nerdgirl

You gonna do the SS thing?

Yes

[serious]

JamieDavis: Word on the street is the single speed cat. will have some elite riders and 1 very fast junior. I am willing to bet the overall winner comes from SS.

It happened at the Hardwood 50K Challenge, so it would hardly be a surprise. The real surprise would be for me to still race in the SS category.

[nogearshere]

meh.
and meh some more.

[thedumbopinion]

SS'ers have been kicking my ass since I started riding. Why should that change?

[Nerdgirl]

Originally Posted by nogearshere

meh.
and meh some more.

But, chili! How can you be "meh" about chili?
Plus the weather forecast is totally for "not snow".

And I have been uniquely blessed with fine weather racing all season (Seriously. I know DSG was mucky, but I didn't technically race that, did I???). I am going. Ergo, the weather will be perfect. Why do you think the anti-race was so nice?

[nogearshere]

Originally Posted by Nerdgirl

Plus the weather forecast is totally for "not snow".

i just dont ride well under 'nice' conditions.

i want to but i dont.
it'll be a game day decision.

[Nerdgirl]

Originally Posted by nogearshere

i just dont ride well under 'nice' conditions.

Well, that makes it easy then. Ride with Marc and me. I don't ride well under any conditions. Perhaps we can browbeat Mike into creating a new category: Singlespeed trio (or more if anyone else wants to ride with us!).

[trailtrash]

I here its an out and back , 20km each way so you may want to prepare like these guys.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJ0Sazr9Yh4

[Jouko]

Meh??? Forecast now calls for sunny and 10°C. This is going to be nicer than the Mansfield O-Cup!

Originally Posted by nogearshere

meh.
and meh some more.

[smarty]

Amazing day for it. Fun was had by all (most?).

Here are some photos.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/smarty-...7622856862074/

There was food:



There was birthday cake:



There was racing:



There were racers:



There were podiums:



There were more podiums:



There were prizes:



There were more prizes:



And there was a weird Mustang with a door mural on the drive home:

[osokolo]

hard to imagine a better day/trails for this race... certainly compared to last year's race..

Congrats to all that podiumed.

Few usual suspect were misteriously missing, but more fun was left to be had by those that showed up... What a way to conclude the season - for the most of us. My corpse will appreciate some rest... Unforgettable season - thank you to all who i shared it with...

2010 promises to be even better... MUCH better...

Back to our regular programming...

Originally Posted by smarty

Amazing day for it. Fun was had by all (most?).

Here are some photos.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/smarty-...7622856862074/

There was food:



There was birthday cake:



There was racing:



There were racers:



There were podiums:



There were more podiums:



There were prizes:



There were more prizes:



And there was a weird Mustang with a door mural on the drive home:

[ryanstrive]

Pics are up:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ryanstr...7622733356395/

A small selection to tempt the would-be clickers:







On a related note, that picture of me in front of the cake is pure gold; I simply must have a full resolution version of that!

Ryan

[serious]

Yeah, Mother Nature deliverd big time.

Great day, great race organization, great trail conditions, singletrack to die for, good friends to laugh with after the race. And nice food too.

Congratulations to all podium finishers and especially to osokolo who managed to edge out Guy by seconds (Guy had a big bulls eye on him as we all tried to keep up with him ).

[thedumbopinion]

The weather was amazing, the trails were perfect and I was suffering....what a great event. I didn't do as well as I wanted to but it was a good time none-the-less.

It was my first ride on my newly built 29er which took about 15k to get used to. I guess it was a good way to break it in. My arms are pretty sore because my front fork is rigid. I know, I know so was everyone else's but it I gotta get better gloves or grips or something. I can't go on like that.

70k at the Marathon Championship in September seemed so much easier.

And Ryan, nice pic of me in my Buffalo Stance. I was so tired and sore I'm surprised I'm standing.

[trailtrash]

Survived my first winter wow.Some serious cramping in the last 10 km but managed to get it done in time for the food.Still had a great time out there.
My wife made podium in her group.She even beat my time.
Thanks to all the race organizers and volunteers for a great day.