RACE REPORT: MoCo Epic (not a race... a ride)

 

 

RACE REPORT: MoCo Epic (not a race... a ride)

 a few days have passed since the MoCo Epic

as with any "race report" the sooner after the event the greater potential of recalling details

details are basically a blur

we will see what I can bring up

in the weeks leading into the MoCo Epic I was planning on volunteering at an Aid Station with the mountain bike Club\Team that I am a part of DCMTB

then... as we got really close to the event... a week maybe days away I saw a call out on Facebook

Michael Winnings was looking for people to volunteer to do Sweep\Course Demarking   

hmmm... 

this sounded interesting to me

I could volunteer and I could ride  

so... I abandoned ship 

stepped away from the notion of hanging at Aid Station 2 with DCMTB

but instead 

I would volunteer to do Sweep... while only having a rough idea of what "sweeping" would require

made contact with Michael Winnings

offered up my assistance 

Michael was overjoyed to get another volunteer

we agreed that I would volunteer to do Sweep of the 70 Mile Loop

which would be 26 miles of Sweeping and Demarking 

since I had never done "sweep" before... I was anxious to know more about my assignment

there was a long set of emails and pdfs with details

the details lacked a few specifics

the instructions had me starting at Aid Station 6 on Riffe Road at 2:15

but it was not entirely clear what to do about starting

there was mention of volunteers signing in at what is known as "The Mother Ship"

The Mother Ship is the large white tent in the fields near the Germantown Soccer Plex by the pump track 

this is the Start\Finish and the registration tent as well as the location of the post event party

but...

where would I park?

how would I get to Aid Station Six?

I would want to be near my car when I finished... would my sweeping take me back to the finish?

I sent some emails around with some questions

Julie, Michael, and the other 70 Mile Sweep riders all eventually responded

in short... YES... park at the the Start Finish and then RIDE to Aid Station 6 

then... there were several recommendations on how to ride there

Pepco Power Lines or the road would be the most immediate way to get there

Petr, one of the 70 Mile Sweepers, would be riding the 40 Mile Loop before his volunteer session 

after some thought and discussion

it was determined that I would meet up with another 70 Miler Sweep volunteer to ride the SRT to the Aid Station... Chris said he would hit the SRT and do a "chill ride" to get there

we agreed to meet at the Sign In table after noon for a 12:30 departure

the day of arrived

I threw a bag of gear in the car and the bike on the rack

made the short drive from DC to Germantown

arrived at the Soccer Plex to see the MoCo Epic in Full effect 

RIDERS WERE ON THE COURSE

the day was very much happening

it was simple enough

I met and signed in with Julie

Chris was at the start 

we mixed we mingled

then I suited up to ride 

Chris and I entered Schaeffer Farms... took the White Loop towards Black Rock Mill where we would jump on the SRT 

Chris and I chatted as we rode

Chris and I are roughly the same age and know some of the same people

both growing up in the area 

when we hit the SRT I was super stoked about the trail conditions

amused but not agitated by Chris' notion of a "chill pace"

Chris is fast and fit... and was leading at a healthy pace

we knocked out the SRT at roughly half the time that Michael Winnings had estimated for our ride time 

which got us at the Aid Station with plenty of time to socialize, refuel, and wait for the other two volunteers to arrive at AS6 

time passed... 

I started to get excited... I wanted to start rolling...

Boomer and Petr had yet to arrived

when it hit 2 PM we wanted to call the riders

as it got closer to 2:15 we started to reach out

sending text messages to the other volunteers and then Julie our Volunteer coordinator 

it was confirmed that Petr had signed in early and was doing his 40 mile pre-volunteer ride

and then... as it would turn out Boomer had signed in... left out to ride to Aid Station Six but got turned around and found himself at the Start Finish... deciding then that he would not volunteer... 

okay... sure... fine... 

Chris and I wondered if we would be doing this task as two people instead of four...

then shortly after learning that Boomer was dropping out of the game, Petr showed up 

I know Petr... we have ridden together before... I know Petr and Petr's brother Martin... they are both super cool guys... with strong athletic backgrounds...  

We chilled and allowed Petr to rest and refuel... Petr and Chris had both done Sweep\Demarking Before

I was the virgin

I would be tagging along and learning from them as we rode 

We discussed the routine.... the idea of Demarking and then also how to deal with riders we encountered along the way... 

The Aid Station was supposed to cut off riders as the hit this station... sending slower 70 milers to finish on the 55 miler as we would be taking down arrows.... there were also a handful of 100 Milers... I think they had a different set of rules... but still we factored them into the planning 

 

on the bikes and up Riffe Road 

pulling down markers (Arrows) from he 70 Miler

passing the entrance for the SRT 

then further up the road we took a right hand turn into the woods 

Petr and Chris lead

the pace was not "chill"

the pace was "fast and fluid"

the trails were at their best

all fallen logs and limbs from summer storms had been removed

all over growth had been trimmed back

the trails were their SUNDAY BEST  

the system was simple

the lead rider would stop for the Arrows

following riders would pass the person stopped to de-mark 

stopping at the next arrow

we got a rhythm 

this method of three riders allowed us all to "get our ride on" 

 

there were moments of conversation as we rode

or when we pulled arrows near each others 

I made sure to never lose sight of the riders ahead of me

for fear that the arrows would be pulled down and I would miss a turn

it did not play out that way 

we rode the power lines and then connected ourselves to the MoCo South Trails

Muddy Branch and the Bluff Trails

once in the woods 

the markers were few and far between

only when NECESSARY 

which again... allowed for some good riding 

days prior I had race in an Alleycat

Wednesday was 10-9

Messenger Appreciation Day

I met up with a bunch of bike couriers and did this messenger race

managed to land on the podium

finished second  

Race Report from the Messenger Appreciation Day Alleycat

https://gwadzilla.blogspot.com/2024/10/race-report-andy-zalan-hosts-10-9.html 

 legs felt good

but honestly

a few years ago I tore my achilles

I am stilll recovering from that injury and just started mountain biking again

been sort of "off the bike"

just starting to feel okay again 

 

more Alleycat racing than Mountain Bike Riding these days 

 

it was an amazing day for a mountain bike ride

perfect day for the MoCo Epic

it had been brisk and cool in the days leading up into the day

this day was a little warmer

maybe in the low 80's

no need for a jacket 

a three quarter jersey over a regular jersey 

with long xc cargo shorts over bib shorts worked for this day

I had a backpack and a "feed bag" on the handlebars as part of my tools for the day 

except... I misunderstood the recommendation of "feed bag"

I had a bike packing "feed bag"

when the recommendation of a feed bag was more of a roadie Tour de France style fee bag

which I have

but foolishly did not bring  

no worries... the backpack worked well enough 

eventually I would work a system where I would put the arrows under my external jersey between the bibs and the skin tight jersey

giving me a bit of an appearance of a massive belly as the Arrows stacked up 

 

as we rode we pulled into Aid Stations

at the Aid Stations were were welcomed

as the SWEEP would be the last riders through 

these volunteers could pack it up and head home  

we also would be able to drop off the Course Markers

Arrows and Wooden Stakes 

allowing us to not have to carry the bulk of things all the way to the finish 

this system worked out well 

as said... 

the trails were amazing 

there were not too man riders in need of SWEEPING

we nipped at their heels and they all picked up the pace and pulled away

their riding pace and our stopping for arrows and markers made it such that they were able to ride ahead of us  

except for one 18 year old kid doing the 70 milers

at one point were on this kids tail

his pace was slower than ours

so we rode behind him at his pace

he was moving good 

he was not cramping 

he was not bonking

he was just moving at a slower pace 

my method was different than Chris and Petr 

rather than ride on the kid's wheel at his pace

I would take my time pulling my arrows

let them pull ahead for a bit

hit a section of trail with a little flow

then catch the trio of riders

and then repeat the process 

I started to get tired

my legs were freeing it

so... the kid's pace was fine for a bit

I rode on is tail... trying to be supportive

eventually I would pass the kid and just make my way to the next aid station

figure I could rest and refuel before the the final miles to the finish  

at Black Rock Mile I was feeling it

36 miles of single track would be a solid enough effort for the day

we had to pull ALL the ARROWS from the final miles of trail

I was pretty much spent at this time

my ability to cleanly pull the arrows off the trees was gone

I damaged some arrows as my fatigue displayed itself 

we laughed as we rode together and looped through Shaeffer Farms

more twisting and more turning

I was ready for the finish 

we regrouped when we hit the Soccer Plex fields 

so we could hit the Finish together

the grassy field that was filled with efficiently parked cars was nearly vacant

my cars which was one of the last cars to park was alone on field 

only a handful of cars remained  

sure enough... more markers to to grab in the final miles

we rolled into the Finish and Rang the Bell

Bruce Buckley Snapped a photo at the finish as we ended our volunteer duties  

the band was till playing 

and all sorts of volunteers remained

in the volunteer tent there was food and there was beer 

| created a big plate of pasta

my eyes were bigger than my stomach

I was able to consume the beer but my stomach was not interested in the pasta 

my gut was filled with all the energy gels from the Aid Stations

I enjoyed mixing and mingling with all the remaining Volunteers

although the masses had already left for home

there was still plenty of socializing to be had 

then also

there was a DCMTB teammate still on the course

we all were waiting for Shawn Smith to finish the 100 Miler

even the MoCo Police Had to stay until the final racer pulled in

this was fine... I was in no real rush to get home  

my buddy George... also DCMTB was present

George had marked the trails that I de-marked

George is one of my main riding partners

for a spell the course we volunteered to mark\demark was our Sunday Ride trails of choice 

George was waiting of Shawn

and then also

George had been drinking as was ecstatic about my arrival

this would give him a ride home and he could leave his car and not drive home drunk

mature decision George

I respectfully will drive you home 

taking George home to Bethesda would not slow my path to home by much 

I would get to my excited dog

a mishap of an Uber Eats order with my son Dean would have a Vietnamese dinner waiting for me

BONUS SCORE

PHO!

Pho and Spring Rolls!

my stomach did not turn that down

the caffeine and the other Energy drinks would make it such that I would not crash until hours after midnight 

GOOD TIMES

THUMBS UP!

THE MOCO EPIC WAS EPIC! 

Thank You MORE for all you do for the local mountain bike community!

and...

if you read this far

AMAZING

not sure if I will proof this

I need to get out and do some UBER EATS on the Bike

Currently "between jobs"

working on several bicycle themed photo books

DC Bike Messenger 2004- 2024 being the most interesting\important 

Donate and Share or Ignore

my GoFundMe Campaign

https://gofund.me/c3e1a390 

again... thanks MORE

although my volunteer duties made it such that I missed the post ride party

I got to experience a different MoCo Epic

at the finish only a Skeleton Crew remained

it was fun to see some of the key players post event

MORE's Executive Director Jali was still actively moving about... connecting all the dots... making stuff happen 

MORE Legend Todd Bauer was mixing between dancing and getting on the Mic making announcements 

and then there was a cast of MORE Characters that I do not see enough... it was great catching up with old friends

IT WAS AN AMAZING EVENT!

WONDERFUL DAY !

AMAZING WEEKEND! 

MORE and MOCO FOR THE WIN!