Single Speed USA: If you weren't having fun, you were doing it wrong

Last Wednesday, we departed for a week-long adventure up to Copper Harbor, MI for Single Speed USA 2014.  What we hoped for was a damn good time... what we found was the most amazing trip of the year.

We started off with a road trip up to Seve's lil slice of heaven in Minong, WI.  Nestled atop a hill overlooking the Totagatic River with water so clear we could see the ridges of sand at the bottom and large fish as they swam by.  The peacefulness of the location was amplified by the laughter of friends that kept arriving, beers cracked open, and the sound of fresh fish frying on the skillet.

 Camping with the 29nSngl crue is the only way to travel!

 We hit the road the next morning after a tasty breakfast at Flap Jacks, then some interesting photo-opps while grocery shopping....

 We led out the caravan of 8 vehicles with Tim W. at the wheel, Hwood navigating, and me sleeping in the back with my belt.  Only 6 hours to go til we made it to our destination.  The skies were blue, the heat climbed, and the trees got more and more dense as we neared the U.P.

 

Before we left the land of cell coverage, we stopped in Houghton for some food and beers, making sure to leave our mark before we hit the end of the Earth.

Once there, our group split to go set up camp.  Jay, Tim and I shared a lil corner lot in the East Campground and were first to set up.  We jumped on our bikes and headed toward the gravel trail that connected all the campgrounds to town, in search of our 29nSngl buds.  Within 5 ft of jumping on the trail, my front wheel washed out in a gravel/rock turn and I ate $h!t hard.  I ripped open my right knee and elbow and just sat there... stunned, pissed, annoyed.. that side had just healed up from my crit crash in July!  So, I got back on the bike and we found our pals quickly.  The three of us did a short ride out thru a beautiful prairie that led to the trail section called "Downtown" and back for a light spin, then straight to the shower to scrub the &%$# dirt and gravel out of my limbs.  

We laid low that first night, knowing we still had to recover from the previous nite's 2:00am party scene and had much more to come.  We woke around 10:00 Friday morning and headed out for a ride to start checking out the trails which were new to us.  JR hooked us up with the most breath taking trail combo along 'Garden Brook' that we had to ride it twice.  On our return to the campsite, a bee flew into my helmet and I jerked the bars when I attempted to rip off my helmet.. over the bars, flipped into the thistle on my back.  Grrrrrrrrr

So Jay, Tim, Josh, and I found ourselves a sweet little grotto in Lake Superior to rinse off the dander and cool our sore muscles before race night.   Later that night, we headed into town for packet pick-up and the pre-party. Friends from all around were there and the Mpls contingency was strong.  With free beer flowing from the taps and a 16ft wooden teeter totter in the field, it was sure to get rowdy. The only trouble was, that teeter totter was the preliminary round to qualify for the title of SSUSA Champ.. the only way to retain my belt...

I was terrified by the chance of falling off and injuring myself thanks to the Hollywood Hex.. when he'd gone to the UK to defend his SS WORLD Champ title in 2001, he crashed his bike the night before the race and broke his collar bone.  He didn't get the chance to defend his title.  I'd already crashed twice and was a little on edge.

So, to make it easier on my vertigo, Hwood gathered up our THC, 29nSngl, and Twin Six friends to line the teeter totter and catch me if I fell.  "Hold my beer and watch this"... my alter ego "Boozy", donned in the SSUSA belt and "One Bad F'in B!tc#" bikini top, hopped on the rickety old bike and charged for the teeter totter.  I lost speed as I hit the lip of it, but had enough momentum to get to the apex and ride it down the other side!  I howled with my fist in the air once I cleared it, shaking from the adrenaline and excitement of my accomplishment for some 20 min. after.  WINNING!  The rest of the night was a blast with music from the Shindaggers, contests, more beer, and Spinner and I giving our final shouts to the crowd as the current champs.

Riding to the race with the belt in tow

The race/ride morning came fast, and we kitted up for the wild ride ahead of us.. 30+ miles, 3100+ feet of climbing, and the gnarliest trails I'd ever seen.  We started with a 'neutral' roll-out up and around a mine on paved to gravel roads for a few miles before entering the single track.  Still attached to the back of the lead group, I lost contact once we entered the single track and allowed a handful of riders to pass me by in sections I wasn't confident on.  Sections like Garden Brook and Bullwinkle flowed fast through large pines lined with thick ferns and mossy undergrowth.  Ones like Downtown, Paul's Plunge, and On the Edge tested my fortitude.  

And on top of the world, overlooking the Keweenah Mountain side, was a part of 'The Edge' that took my breath away... during the race, I just pulled off the trail and stopped to admire it.  Heck, I did that a lot.. who knows when I'll be back to Cappa Habba, so I might as well take it all in while I can, right?

With the climbing, rocks, and roots that were unrelenting, my back started to give up.  Maybe it was the previous 2 days worth of crashes but, whatever it was, I took my time getting to the finish and trying to take in the beauty and the lessons of the trail as I hunted for the finish.  Sore, tired, and slightly nauseous after the race, I met up with Jay at the finish, grabbed some cold beers, and began to gather our friends for a much needed retreat to our little 612 Grotto in the lake.

There was a mini 'reef' of rocks that nestled about a foot below the water, keeping the water warm and allowing us to sit and cool our aching backs and legs.  We brought music and a couple cases of beer, sharing trail stories and basking in the wonderful warmth of the exceptionally hot day.  It was the most spectacular chunk of time of the entire weekend.  Learning about friends, making new ones, and enjoying the silly childlike jokes of warm spots in the water and seaweed.

 

 #bestdayever

We lounged in the water until our white jersey/shorts tan lines of cyclists began to turn pink and made our way back to camp to ready ourselves for the evening's festivities and final contests.  Unfortunately, Jay and the boys had me convinced they wouldn't start without me since only me and one other woman completed the preliminary round... #famouslastwords.  For those who understand, "Jay-time" has been suspended until further notice.

As we rolled to the park, we saw Fiona riding away with the belt... we missed the derby...  I missed my chance to defend my title.  I was devastated and admittedly unconsolable for an easy 45 min.  It was gone, and there was nothing I could do to change it.

My husband and friends were near enough to try to make it better and somehow only Jorge was the one I'd accept a hug from.  As I tried to process my disappointment and find a way to pull myself out of my funk and not ruin the entire trip, I found a small circle of people starting a drinking game in the afternoon sun.  "Whatcha doin?"  We played a game where only your feet could touch the ground and you had to bend over and pick up an open bottle of whiskey with only your mouth, slam it, and put it back... things were about to get weird.

It wasn't just the "amazing healing power of beer" that helped turn the night around, as my favorite sticker says.. it was the healing power of friends, teammates, and the single speed community that helped wash the salt out of my wounded ego with cans of IPA and shots of jagermeister.  It was the reckless abandon of derbies and games that brought it all back to center... we were here to have fun. Period.

So we raised up our favorite beer coozies and put the F-U in FUN!

Yoga Drinking Games?  Try Down-Dog-Up-Dog-Tandem-Shots!

Once every challenge was bested, we kept having to take it to the next level.  I taught the crowd about butt-crack-primes by starting a derby around a handful of ladies and one young lad who had dollar bills sticking out of the back of their shorts.  

Once the money was gone, we took singles from the crowd and moved the primes into the derby, 612 Mafia style. I may have missed 'the' derby, but the ones we created got rowdy and awesome FAST!  One of the MC's even stopped us to say thanks for bringing the party to the next level.  Dollar Bill Derby = Worst Wedgie Ever!

What we didn't expect was the addition of ketchup to the games.. one guy was spraying us down in the derby with ketchup, making us look like 70's slasher film victims as we rounded the trees lap after lap.  When Tim took the ketchup as a shot, he scared an EMT half to death when he began throwing up a red liquid, but couldn't stop long enough to reassure her that it was just ketchup.

Some of the best photos to sum it up were all caught by one of my fave photogs, Todd Bauer, and the amount of Single Speed debauchery he caught was perfect!  Check out his gallery here.  From late night derbies, awesome beer from Blackrock Brewery (try the IPA!), to the broken teeter totter-picnic table feats of strength, it was a night full of smiles, cheers, and heckling.  For the final contest of the night, the Host City showdown came down to a bucket kick game, where two opponents sat atop a 5 gal. bucket, holding the hands of their opponent, while trying to kick the bucket out from under them.  Seve was the victor, taking the hosting rights once again to win it for Wisconsin!  Third year straight in the upper midwest.. 2015, here we come.

Drunk, exhausted, and trying to follow a straight line, we meandered back to camp to sleep it off before beginning our trek towards home... but first we had to shower off a crap-load of ketchup. #Ihateketchup

Sunday morning, we packed up camp when we woke up and took the scenic route along the lake on our way to Houghton, stopping at Jacobs Falls for a short hike and some beautiful scenery. 

We stopped at Kaleva in Houghton for breakfast and headed straight to Hayward, WI. for the night.  Luckily, we got on the road in time to catch a nice 2 hr ride on the Seeley Pass and some putt putt before settling in for a bonfire with Morgan and Matt.  It was a great way to spend our last night of vacation, filling each other in on all the madness one another had missed during the times we were separated.

We woke to rain in the morning and the campsites beginning to flood, so we packed up quickly and hit the road.  It was fun sitting with the boys, laughing about all the shenanigans and memories we'd made.  We all agreed it had been the best memories of the summer, heck.. the year!  Only 360+ days til we get to do it again.

In the contest of Most Fun Wins, we won with a vengence! 

Countin' down the days to SSUSA 2015, 

Kristy Kreme

Single Speed USA 2013: Taking Winona by Storm!

Reflecting back on this weekend, I still can't believe it's all real... like some fantastically vivid dream that was indescribably detailed and blurred all at the same time.

We headed down to Winona early on Friday to get a spin in before the fun began on Saturday morning.  It was my first ever attempt at Single Speed USA (SSUSA), hosted by 29nSngl, and the anxiety was settling in early.  Jay had worked like crazy all week singling-out my LaMere 29'er with an eccentric BB30 that our pal The Mayor fabricated with the help of Hwood's coaching on dimensions.... time to test it out!

The bike rode awesome and, although some of the sections of Holzinger wore me out on cold legs, the terrain I was sailing over and through was exhilarating and fun!  After an hour of spinning, we returned to the lodge and I was bouncing off the walls over the awesome, rocky decent leading to the finish.  If you would have asked me to do that a year ago, and I would have given ya a dirty look and walked my chicken-butt down the hill slowly.  Oh what a difference a great bike and awesome coach (hubby) can make!

After the ride, we headed over to Gabby's to pick up our race packets and throw back some beers with our buds.  Damn it's cheap to drink in Winona!  $2 for pints of Surly Furious... yes, please!  We tied a few on and I squirmed in my seat as H&K and I talked about the next day's party strategy.  It was a left brain / right brain struggle as part of me wanted to screw around and take it easy... but the racer in me had wanted to win, since the moment I registered.  I never let myself set goals like that - I always try to focus on just having fun... but this was something I couldn't deny that I wanted BAD!

Come morning, my anxiety was thru the roof and I was struggling to choke down some eggs before heading over to Holzinger Lodge.  We fell into rhythm with the crowd as we walked our bikes to an open field for the le mons start (running 1/4 mile on foot to your bike to begin the race
).  Lucky for me and H&K, the trail fairies left our bikes alone and they were right where we left them.  We got into the trail with lil fuss and started heading up the bluff to tackle the 4,000+ feet of climbing that was to come.  H&K had to wait for me a couple times, but then my legs woke up and it was hard to think about partyin'... I just wanted to go FAST!  As ladies passed us, it started to bug me and I just wanted to chase them down.  When we climbed into the Cherrybomb part of the coarse, I'd gapped H&K and had to wait a bit before we went into the woods.  My legs complained and lactic acid started gathering.  Once back on the bike, though, the pain subsided.  We were riding with a few others and I got into a smooth rhythm, watching only the 2 riders in front of me.  Before I knew it, H&K was gone.  I stopped and waited, but my legs screamed and I had to get moving again before I fell totally apart.

I was in time trial mode, now, and picking off the girls who'd passed me before and never looked back.  I caught 5 in Cherrybomb and overtook another as we entered our last Holizinger loop to the finish.  Atop Holzinger with 3 miles to go, I found another.  Once the pass was made, I tried to get outta sight and outta mind fast, pedaling to my limit as I tried to make it to the finish.  Crossing the line, I was blown away when I found my name as 3rd woman on the list!  (although technically I think I was 4th since one gal didn't sign in).  Only 1 minute behind the gal who finished 3rd!  Astonished and boiling over with joy, I threw back some brews with my hubby and pals, waiting for the final battle... please, oh please, let it be a derby!

Sov got on the mic and gave trophies to the 1st place male & female of the race.  Then, it was time to announce the final challenge for the title.. DERBY!  Ladies first!  Lucky for me, Chuck had used my Bianchi MUSS for the race so I was able to use the bike I'd learned how to derby on in the final event.

Walking thru crowd to the derby was calm and slow.  All I could think about was Homey Fest...with my MUSS in hand, we were zen, and it was like I was finally arriving at the moment I'd been dreaming of for months.  Kerry, the defending champ, and the Drunkcyclist gal were my competitors, and we pedaled 'round and 'round inside the wall of onlookers.  Everything seemed to move in slow mo and I played it from a defensive stance, slowing my speed and forcing them to come to me.   Since my smaller size gives me much less momentum than the boys I learned from, using my balance at slow speeds was my most effective weapon.

Drunkcyclist was the first to go, dabbing after losing balance with our impact.  Just me and the defending champ.  We circled twice, setting up our strategies... I brought my speed almost to a hault, slowly pedaled forward, watching Kerry close the gap, waiting patiently for her to come to me.  She attacked me from behind and, once she'd committed to her balance against my wheel, I surged forward to eliminate the support, forcing her off balance and out of the game.  The crowd roared and I let out a 'warrior' scream with everything I had.

It took everything in me not to cry - I did it... I actually did it!  The moment I'd been dreaming of came true, and all of the energy in the circle sparked and amplified in the excitement of it all.

With belt tightly secured around my waist, I watched as the men entered the ring.  With more participants, the derby went longer and got more intense.  Down to the final two, Spinner won it with the same strategy I'd employed, making the other rider come to him.  It worked and we threw up our fists in celebration as the new champion was crowned.  

Next up were heats of Bucketball to help determine the finalists for the next host city.  The excitement was high as the riders rode for their town's honor.  It came down to Pennsylvania, Oregon, and Michigan, with the final feat of strength to take place at the after-party just hours later...

We hit the after-party at Market Street Tap hard with DNF rockin' out tunes as we celebrated and sang along.  "Super Drunk Guy" was quite entertaining as well, rolling around on the floor in a stupor as the crowd rocked out and the guys jammed out awesome tune after awesome tune.  

Fireworks littered the floor as the racers danced to the music and Geno parted the crowds by riding and sliding his single speed on the beer-soaked floor.  The final Host City representatives gathered at Hammerschlagen in the back, taking their turns at driving a nail into a log with the sharp end of the hammer... tough!  In the end, Michigan took it!  Next year, Copper Harbor here we come!

 Spinner and Me - SSUSA 2013 Champs partyin' hard!

The drinks were cheap, the entertainment was awesome, and everything was PERFECT!  As we loaded the cars up with the gear and filtered out into the streets, another derby began.  Hollywood and G-Money found two bikes hooked to a sign via cable lock and snapped the sign to get at 'em, riding the bikes side by side in the derby as H&K watched on with her key in hand.   The crowd thinned and we headed back to camp with Chucker, G-Money, Chris, Wheels, Hollywood, Metal Mike, and Fastway Freddie.  Exhausted and well-embibed, it wasn't a surprise to see everyone quickly retreat to their tents. 

 Packing up the next morning was bitter sweet... so much fun I didn't want to leave, but we had a puppy to get home to.  We said goodbye to the crue, loaded up the Scamp, and pointed the truck north.

I can't thank the sponsors, volunteers, or participants enough for making that weekend so amazing and memorable.  Thanks to 29nSngl for putting on a killer weekend & race, Hollywood Cycles for singling out my bike and making sure I was ready to rock, Podiumwear for the comfortable and durable cycling apparel and letting me do what I wanted with the design (hottest kit there!), LaMere Cycles for the killer bike that flew thru the trails, and the Minneapolis Mafia for teaching me to derby!  And if it weren't for my husband Jay, I never would have experienced all this awesomeness.. I love you to the moon & back!

365 days to wear the belt.... Copper Harbor 2014, here we come!

Ridin' high,
Kristy Kreme

Twelve Hours of WAU-Some!

Sitting here sore, bruised and exhausted, it's hard not to think about what an awesome time we had this weekend at our first Wausau 24 mountain bike race.  As enduro-virgins, Jay and I both opted to do the 2 person-12 hour races.  Thank heavens we did... the couple night laps I did were enough to show me I didn't want to go all night... on the bike, that is.

My friend and fellow Girl Fiend, Amanda "H&K", asked me to join her as a women's 2-person 12 hour team and Jay jumped in with 29nSngl dynamo Pete "Peaches" to tackle the men's 2 person 12 hr challenge on single speeds.  We were regaled with stories of camping and partyin' and ridin' for hours and just couldn't say No.

We arrived early on Friday to inspect the course and set up base camp at the park.  With the whole 29nSngl crew en route, we worked with Lindsay to find the biggest and best spot in the lot.  We circled all the wagons, parked the cars, set up our pop-up tents, tables, chairs, and fire pit and settled in for the fun and schenanigans.

With the race starting early on Saturday, we kept the party low-key on Friday night, enjoying some tasty vittles by the fire, tossing back a few beers, and spending a few minutes planning for the race in between great stories and belly laughs.  

Jay and I were both on board to kick off the first lap of each of our races, prepping for a 300 yd sprint at the start to where our bikes laid in the field in a LeMond start.  As the race began, we were immediately enveloped in a sea of racers and swinging arms.  Within the first 100 yds, my quads were screaming at me "what are you doing?!  we don't run!"  Ha!  But, I had strategically placed my new LaMere 29'er hardtail (aka the "Sparkle Pony") at the farthest point I could so, once I mounted the Sparkle Pony, I was already clear of the bikes littering the field.  

 My first lap was tough, getting caught early in a massive bottle neck as we entered the single track.  Although the slow pace early helped me recover from the run, it hindered my balance and momentum and the first 4 miles got the best of me... throwing me from my bike and onto the rocks 3 times and badly bruising my confidence and body alike.  When I returned to the transition area to switch with H&K an hour later, I was seriously questioning my ability to continue for 11 more hours.  H&K headed out and Jay and fellow Girl Fiend Janna got me to calm down and led me off to the camper to recover.  I ate, discovered zero broken bones, and tried to psych myself up for the next round.

Back in the transition area, H&K came in a few minutes faster than me and high-5'd me for good luck.  My lap was much smoother with reduced congestion on the trail and I took 3 min. off my time.  H&K went out again, throwing down awesome laps on her single speed, and returned to send me off for a 2 lap / 2 hour stint so she could eat, sleep and recover.  My laps stayed consistent, although my brain and body wondered on me occassionally.  Feeling clumsy in the challenging rock gardens, I had to remind myself that I was doing something I couldn't have remotely done a year ago.  And when my back screamed profanities at me, I used the single track to relax and focus on my technical skills, and then attacked the jeep trail as if it were a time trial.

When my 2 hour break came, I took time to get some more protein in my system and enjoyed a quick siesta in the Scamp.  As I headed back to the transition area I found out that we were sitting in a solid 2nd place, now with 8 laps done in 8 hours, and only 2 laps each left to complete.  It was all that I needed to gather up a second win and forget all the second-guessing just hours before.  It was 6:00pm and getting dark in the thick tree cover, so I had my headlamp on for the whole lap.  I played it smart in the rock gardens and was happy when I had gotten to my favorite flow section unscathed.

The trail was tight and rooted and winded around young trees and saplings.  With only a split-second's realization of what was about to happen, the right side of my bars nailed a tree and stopped me cold, throwing me hard onto the ground on the opposite side of the trail.  Pinned beneath my bike with my left foot still stuck in my pedal, I struggled to release myself and catch my breath.  It must've looked gnarly, cuz the man riding behind me gasped and stopped to ensure I was okay..  I was...  my leg warmer was torn at the knee and slowly darkening with blood and mud... it didn't want to bend when I got back on my bike, but luckily I had some time before the next climb.

I fought through the pain and the darkness for the rest of the lap and limped in a few minutes slower than my previous laps.  I must have looked rough because H&K just looked at me and said "Hard lap?" as she ventured off into the twilight.  On time as usual, she arrived to send me off for my last lap as darkness settled in for the night.  I went WAY easy in the rock gardens this time, even choosing to walk through the darkest one as my light illuminated the white painted boulders.

The silence then overwhelmed me as I realized I was all alone... in the dark woods... far from home.   As the fear of being mauled by a bear overtook me, I started singing Janis Joplin's "Mercedes Benz" in a breathy, slightly panicked voice as loud as I could muster as I rode solo for the next 20 minutes.  For the last 2 miles, I began seeing headlights on the trail behind me and began to relax.  Two miles to go... leave it out on the course!  I clicked it into a harder gear and forced myself to ride faster and get H&K out on the course for her last lap.

Fatigue was settling in, by H&K was in high spirits as she headed out, demanding I be "half in the bag" when she crossed the line.  I headed back to camp and got out of my chamois for the first time in 12 hours and bundled up against the cold air that surrounded us.  Just after 10pm, H&K crossed the line grinning ear to ear, sealing up our second place finish with 12 laps under our belts!

Jay crossed the finish line with lights off and his single speed held high above his head as they won the 12 hour OVERALL with 15 laps!  He was exhausted and quickly retreated to the camper to hide under the covers and rest before joining us by the fire.  With all the work over and glory to bask in, we sat by the fire and had a blast as guitars, stories, and farts filled the air and beer, moonshine, and Rumchata-cha filled our bellies.  By 3:00am I was toast, so I headed off to bed to catch some zzz's before returning to the course to cheer on the 24-hour challengers and wait for the awards ceremony.

H&K and Me taking home the glory

Looking back on it, I am more and more proud of our accomplishment.  We didn't 'train' for it, we didn't obsess over each detail, we just did it... and we ROCKED IT!  Add in camping and great friends and you have a perfect weekend!

H&K, Me, and Janna showing off our bling and banged up knees

Huge thanks to 29nSngl for inviting us along for the party - it was awesome!  Thanks to Podiumwear for making some durable cycling apparel that can withstand my multiple impacts with the earth, rocks, and trees.  Thanks to Wausau for putting on an awesome event!  Thanks to Buzzy at LaMere Cycles for letting me rip it up on the 29'er!  And more than anything and always, a huge thank you to my hubby Jay and Hollywood Cycles for getting me geared up and ready for the ride, and being there to support me as a person as I took on a big challenge.

Bruised and feeling Bad A$$, 

Kristy Kreme