25 Hrs in Frog Hollow: a simple plan… that failed

It all started with a simple plan. Role into Frog Hollow early on Friday afternoon. Leave the beer at the brewery…. for the most part. Toes up at sunset. Wake up rested. Ride for 25 hours.

That was the dream at the Back of the Pack, the Alternate Reality. Then the Real Reality set in. The 12 hour sleep on the cold desert floor didn’t promote much of a super hero effort. Talk about a misguided strategy. And therefore reality ain’t that exciting this time around.

So, this blog posting is pretty dry. As we didn’t promote Ludacracy. We didn’t pound the killer IPAs. We just showed up and slept the weekend away. Well, we put in a total combined effort of:

41 hrs…. in the horizontal position… which means sleeping on the desert floor

200 miles on the SS machines

Yes, pathetic.

Anyway. Our plan of clean living and fast riding didn’t pan out. And we are a bit confused on how to move forward. What’s your vote?

what’s the future… at the Back of the Pack

and even if we didn’t party… at all

we can always find a hula girl that’ll keep our spirits up

So that is about all there is to say about this adventure. If you are adventurous, or have A LOT of time on your hands, you may find some more info below the pictures. But we all know that motivation is running low in the 11 month of 2012. My feelings won’t be hurt if you just close your browser and open up a good book… or go for a walk… or cruise down to your local Walmart or Target.

Or….

The Trail, The Video, The Tunes:

the views on the Frog Hollow trail are some of the best in the great Southwest

check it out

and remember, fully rigid single speed = a rough video

25 Hours in Frog Hollow from Judd Rohwer on Vimeo.

just cruisin’ the trails at Frog Hollow

What Really Happened, if you care:

The rough coarse, but super fun course, at Frog Hollow beat me to a pulp. My broken tailbone was excruciating on the rough downhills. The downhills created vibrations and shock waves that rattled my tailbone to a state where I simply could sit on ‘the saddle’. Likewise this sciatic nerve thing flared up again. Which resulted in the left leg going numb below the knee. So, due to the pain I decided to drop out after 63+ miles. (And then I dropped back in for one morning lap – it’s called guilt.)

Oh well, I’ll heal up and be back in action. I think. I hope. Or I’m just getting old and my days are… numbered.

But just for the record: I’m pretty sure I’m the champion of the solo single speed fully rigid clydesdale division. (The Lt Col and his phatness weighed in at 199 – right below the clydesdale threshold)

And then there is The Lt Col. He rolled the SS until 1am. Then he caved into the demons. It happens. But we can’t give him too much crap – as he has a lot on his mind with his upcoming retirement from the USAF. That’s right. The Lt Col upgraded his status to ROAD – Retired On Active Duty. He’s out in mid January and he’ll be free loading on the US Taxpayer til around April 1st.

Just a Thought. I’m not in the military. But I think I’ll upgrade my status to ROAD for the next 15 years. Why not retire in place? Everyone else does.

Toes up at 7:30. What does that mean?

The old dudes are getting old. It’s the start of a vicious cycle of sleeping instead of hardcore riding. What ever happened to the days of pounding beer til 1am then racing for 24 hrs. Like the 2010 season at old pueblo and enchanted forest.
the old guys aren’t that old. They just give up the sinful living. So the old guys have just grown up. Finally.

Either way. Toes up at 7:30 is borderline pathetic. No matter what the reason. And whatever the reason, it didn’t help the racing.

AND A FEW BIZARE & RANDOM PARAGRAPHS:

Am I alright?

Around 6:30pm The Lt Col and I were pushing up a hill. A foxy mama blasting up a hill, slowed down and said “you guys alright. Anything I do for you”. Damn. Yes I’m alright. I’m just walking cuz I’m tired! Thanks for asking though.

The Haunted CRV:

The Lt Cols 2002 CRV has 189,000 and has a very active mind of its own. The damn alarm goes off whenever it wants and for as long as it wants. No joke. And when you (me) open the hood to pull the battery cables, cuz The Lt Col is sound asleep with with teddy in the tent, the alarm will go off right when you lean in under the hood. What? Did you say something? I think I’m now deaf.

Gears & Suspension:

As I was getting smoked on all the rocky technical downhills at Frog Hollow, I began to realize how blasting down the trails with no care about line or hazards is supported and encouraged with full suspension and gears. It’s amazing what one can do with 110mm up front and 6″ in back. (That doesn’t sound right. Does it.) I’ll stick with one speed and stay fully rigid. That’s how I roll. ( I’m really hurtin’ for material, aren’t I?)

RIDER BACK!

Just looking back at some to the ‘funny situations’ that we routinely deal with… at the Back of the Pack.

I’m looking for a safe place to pull over – your 1st words are “Any time now!”

I’m cranking away down the hill, but was just yelled at…fLashback… “Any Time Now!” I feel the presence of another fast racer. I look back. I lose control. I auger into the bushes. Awesome.

I pull over at the top of a short climb. You slow down to take a drink, instead of taking the opportunity to pass. I get stuck in a dead end… at a bush and topple over. Cuz you are in no hurry to execute the pass – I am now off the trail and in a bush.

I’m rolling down the left side of a three track. You’re a foxy mama, you ring your bell and yell out ‘Rider Back!’ cuz the middle and right tracks aren’t good enough for you.

I’m walking up a hill on the far left hand side but close to the smoothest track of the 2 track. You ring your bell and yell out ‘Rider Up’ and shoulder swipe me. Because the track less traveled ain’t good enough for you.

I Wonder:

If the Grand Canyon started 17 million (or so) years ago. And all land masses were interlocked in Pangaea up to about 200 million years ago. Does that mean the layers of the Grand Canyon were (are) part of Pangaea? Does that mean that when you stand at the bottom of the Grand Canyon that you are staring right in the middle of the layers of ancient Pangaea? Wow. Are you confused? I am, at times.

And Just a Reminder:

The End of the World will be here on Dec 21st. I’m predicting destruction and Judd’s abduction via Alien Invasion. But you know that by now. So… TIME to pay YOUR MAKER. Whoever that is. OR NOT.