Fool's Gold 2011

[clj2289]

We have registered for Fool's Gold 50 mtb race. I do not think there is an official tandem class. We rode the bull/jake trails right before AORTA and they are in super good shape. We love the amount of climbing offered in route.

Any other tandems planning on making it? Al & Jan? Applegates?

It would be fun to great to get some more Fandangos up there. PMK: you guys would rule on the downhill.

Dahlonega seems to have all of our favorite things: food, wine and great trails.

-Chris

[PMK]

Not sure about any events at this point until the wedding for our daughter is behind us.

PK

[PMK]

Chris, I assume this is the 50 mile version?

PK

[clj2289]

Correct, we are only doing the 50 mile version, but there is a 100 mile version for the brave.

-Chris

[eischman]

We will be there riding the 100 on my red fandango 29er (beautiful) we have the Wilderness 101 next though. Anybody ridden the Wilderness 101 trails?

[andy a]

wilderness 101 is an awesome course... the first half you will love on the tandem... , mostly fire roads, with some not super techy downhills.... THEN all hell breaks loose and the course gets tougher and tougher as it goes. You WILL be off the bike a bunch cursing as you negotiate rock gardens in the last 15 miles... but that is all part of the fun

[eischman]

Had some issues on the wilderness....at 22 miles on a flat gravel road the rear derailleur exploded and we were forced to convert the bike to a single speed. Tried the middle ring and middle back but it kept shifting putting too much tension on the chain. Had to move it to the small front 20T and the rear 32T so max speed 4-6mph on the flats. We reached the 40 mile rest stop where the support had a rear derailleur. (we did find a way to use a stick to help us go faster than 6) Only problem is we only made the cutoff by 15 min. Tried to makeup time but barely made rest stop 4. Got over the next mountain at 80 mile and could not continue because we did not drop lights (we never expected to need them) Very frustrating because the rest of the course was flat and a few rollers (all gravel)

Rock....I never could have imagined all the boulders. We ended up walking some because it was not worth the effort to power over them.

Well fools gold is next weekend...should be fun! Can't wait to meet some of the other teams

[clj2289]

Say hello to us if you see a red Fandango 29er! Good luck!

[eischman]

attached

[eischman]

we'll say hello from my red fandango 29er