Withlacoochee Weekend 2012 - Scouting the Rail Trail

OK, so where was I?

Oh yeah.  Bonk recovery.  Ahhh.

After our Croom ride, the bike shop team of Popeye and Cap'n Bligh went right to work fixing my pedal. 

Miraculously, all the pieces had hung on for the entire fifty miles.  They just had to be coaxed back together. 

An hour later, when the hammer comes out, I make for the showers and follow with a drink.  I can't believe how lucky I am to have such excellent (and tenacious) mechanics in house.  They finally got it - in slightly less time than it took to do the ride.

Popeye and Cap'n Bligh

 in the captain's La Casita Bike Shop.

  

After the pedal repair, the guys got right on the air mattress problem.  Hole located.  Hole fixed.  Tire patches sure come in handy.

Then, hooray, time to light the campfire and bring out the snacks.

One of the many excellent reasons for riding is eating.

Zucchini Bread fit for a vegan.  But omnivores like it too.

Scout and Pie Man have the fire going, so we mosey up to their site.  On the table is a jar of pretzels the size of a pony keg.  PieMan and Breeze are dipping them into peanut butter.  

One of the most frequently asked questions of the evening is "So, what's this about a detox?" 

My reply, around a mouthful of Sailor's delicious hummus, is, "The most important thing to remember about detox is, don't do one."

The snacks just kept coming.  I don't think anyone but Popeye and me took a break to eat an actual dinner.

It's amazing what eating as much as you want, and the luxury of a well inflated air mattress, can do for ones ability to ride.

After a nice alarm-free sleep, we get up with the sun - not before it, for once.  Birds sing.  Coffee steeps.  Sailor comes out of the camper with a big pot of steel cut oats, laced with nuts and cinnamon and cranberries, and we all dig in.

Popeye and I will be packing up soon enough, but for now it sure is nice to sit around in shirt sleeves, sipping our coffee, watching someone else do it.

Cap'n Bligh and Sailor

Ready to go with the sweet new bike rack on the sweet new Tacoma.

    

Scout and Popeye are ready to go too.

Go ride the Rail Trail, that is.

Geographically, the off road trails and the rail trail are adjacent to each other.  But this Sunday ride on the Withlacoochee State Trail could not be farther in character from Saturday's Croom crush.

Did I ever mention how Pie Man got his name?   How about Scout?

Wherever Pie Man goes, there is spectacle.  He can't help it, his outgoing personality just seems to draw a crowd.  I'm sure Scout could tell this better since she was there and I wasn't, but the bare bones of the story is this: 

Once, on a multi-day ride in Wisconsin, Pie Man (who weighs maybe... 120? 130?) stopped in at Gina's Pies Are Square Cafe, and ate several enormous pieces of Guinness pie.  As usual, a crowd gathered, cheering him on.  For the rest of the week, riders all along the rail trail kept pointing him out.  "Look!  There goes the Pie Man!"  

Scout, on the other hand, is the quiet one.  She is the one with the plan, always scouting out the next job, the next purchase, or the next great adventure.

Today Popeye and I have no mileage goals and no agenda.  Except maybe to head north toward the little bakery in Floral City.  We tag along after Scout, along the trail, then off the trail, as she checks out the local real estate possibilities.  We not only follow along, but egg her on shamelessly, since we'd love to have a place to come visit in this neck of the beautiful Withlacoochee woods.

Scouting for land.

The property along the Withlacoochee River has my vote.

6 baby alligators flop into the water as we wheel up.

Scout says from here you can get all the way to the Gulf of Mexico...

...in a shallow draft vessel, of course.

Back to the trail and on to the bakery. 

Why I didn't think to take one picture at the bakery, I don't know.  Could have been the distraction of freshly baked brownies, though.  

The very nice lady who owns the place is out front on the porch.  She puts down her newspaper to come inside and wait on us.

Speaking of real estate regret, I realize this appealing little bakery is literally one house south of a property that Scout and I scoped out a couple years ago.  We had decided then that it would make the perfect, trail-side, square-pie type shop.

Potential Pie Shop - 2009

When the brownies and streudal are history, we go to the next block and see that the beautiful potential pie-shop, along with its beautiful oak trees, has been bulldozed.  Coulda shoulda woulda....  sure hope this isn't a condo next time we ride here.

Back on the road again.

But which way?

It really doesn't matter which way you go.  The trail is full of surprises.  On the adjacent horse trail, these (Menonite?) folks stop to chat with Scout.  They are on their way home from church.

Off they go...

One thing there is no shortage of along the Withlacoochee is variety. 

Pie Man calls to tell us he is on his way to a biker bar called River Ratz for lunch.  OK, now we definitely know which direction to head.

We find paddlers, motorcycles, cars, horses, and Pie Man already there.   Neither Popeye nor I ever thought to bring locks.  We just don't normally stop when we ride.  Luckily both Pie Man and Scout are well equipped for this sort of relaxed riding, and we add our bicycles to the  assortment of rides in the parking lot.

As I am taking pictures, the horse lady comes over.

Her half-Arabian, half-Chincoteague Pony gets a root beer to slurp.

Bridge over the barely moving Withlacoochee.

Pie Man, bless his heart, has found us trail-bikers a table

far away from both the vroom-vroom variety of bikers, and the band.

After a couple weeks of eating carefully, the salad and burger I split with Scout sits pretty heavy on the ride back to the campground. 

This is the part of relaxed riding that I would need to come to terms with.  I can barely bring myself to pause for a sag snack, let alone a full-stop lunch of sandwiches and beer.

We will need to practice though.  We had such a good time on our relaxed ride that day that we went and committed to the week-long Bike Florida in March. 

Yikes.  Although, it's good to have a new and different goal. 

Six long, relaxed, 60-something mile days.  Camping. 

And don't forget lunch.  

You can come too.  There're still openings for a few more good eaters.  I mean, riders. 
http://www.bikeflorida.org/bf2012/2012.php

So.  Who's up for a lunch ride?

Gosh, it's good to be back in training.

  

BikeLaCoochee, 2012. Croom 50. Withlacoochee Rail Trail.

According to Wiki...   Coacoochee was a Native American chief and the term coochee is used in various Florida place names including the Withlacoochee River. The river named "Withlacoochee" may be from a Muskhogean dialect compounded of we (water), thlako (big), and chee (little), or little big water. 

I like the big picture, so I love maps.  Not the little blue polka dot view on my iphone, or those plastic, easy-fold variety.  I love big paper maps that unfold to cover my co-pilot's side of the dash all the way to my knees, all noisy and rustling, and annoying the heck out of the driver. 

Without the big picture, how would you know that not only is there a Withlacoochee, but also a Lacoochee, a Trilacoochee and a Croom-A-Coochee?   

I decide our weekend at Croom is a BikeLaCoochee.  A little-big ride.  I realize as I scan the map what a huge tract of land this is, and how little preparation I have made to ride it.

Almost no effort, thought, or planning on our part, goes into the actual ride at Croom.  Once you've endured initiation-by-Felasco in January, riding Croom in February should be no big deal, right?   

Oh, there's plenty of effort, thought, and planning.  Just nothing to do with training for the ride.  

Layers and tights and gloves, sorted and packed.  Food ready.  Camping equipment organized.  Cooler full.  Lights charged.  Sailor and Cap'n Bligh saving a spot at the campground.  PieMan and Scout right across the road.

Easy-peasey, right?   A full schedule.  Good friends.  The perfect weekend. 

Friday night ride.  Croom 50 on Saturday.  Rail trail on Sunday. 

All we had to do was show up and pedal.

Ah, the best laid plans...

Sparing everyone the details of detox, let's just say one should probably refrain, especially in the two weeks before a weekend with a fairly demanding ride schedule.  

Popeye gave himself a week to get his energy back.  I wasn't that smart.  10 day detox = sick + tired = blowing off the night ride = my own darned fault. 

The rest of it was just bad luck.  The midnight surprise of a bottomed out air mattress.  Busting my pedal on a rock with 47 miles to go.  Unexpected warm temps instead of the cold I had prepared for.

OK, so it wasn't my best Croom ever, but it's still in the running.    Because well, there's just no ride like the ride you're on.

There's nothing better than paper when you're off road.

Except big colored arrows stapled to trees, of course.

Mudcutter Jim and Cap'n Bligh at the start.

At first it seemed a minor annoyance, whacking my pedal on that rock. 

The guys were out of sight in a heart beat or two.  Oh well, I am accustomed to riding solo.  This time it was sooner than later, that's all.  

Besides, I was busy.  Persuading my shoe to clip in was taking all my attention.  I stop to look.  The cleat is secure on the shoe.  OK, good.  But a chunk of the pedal is flopping loose.  Uh oh, not good.  I'll be hard pressed to finagle the shoe back in and get it to stick. 

By the time it finally snicked in, 20 minutes later, I realized this  same old ride had a new found challenge. 

I really believe that anyone with a decent bike can ride the Croom 50.  Some folks up the anty by riding it hard tail.  Some, like Mudcutter Jim, ride it single speed.  But, has anyone ever ridden the Croom 50 without unclipping?  Probably not, right?  

Ok, so it's not a realistic goal, not for me anyway.  But as Master Chung used to say, "When there is something to strive for, make effort."

Sinkhole

Uh oh.  Neither of the two guys ahead of me made it up the other side without unclipping.

I was motivated, though.

  

Sag#2

Alien's ahead!

Area 51 at Mile 23.

Jello shots mid ride?

These Aliens must be hashers.

At mile 23, I unclip.  Alien hospitality is just too hard to come by on this planet. 

Besides, I'm overheating. 

I am always drenched, but I am surprised to look down and see wavy white salt lines crisscrossing the fabric of my black shorts.  My arm warmers have been down around my wrists for miles, and the long fingered gloves should have been stashed in the Camelbak long ago.  

I collect my alien lollypop for later, and grab some radioactive-green Gatorade.  Then it's back to the slow job of pedaling with the right foot, and scuffing away at the pedal on the left, until the shoe finally clips in and I can get on with it.

I am lucky.  The burned sections of the forest are unexpectedly un-sandy.  It's pretty smooth sailing through most of it.  Which is good, because my calves are firing their first warning shots.  Cramping will follow, and soon.

The goal of never unclipping is forgotten.  Mile#...  I don't know.  I'm standing over the bike, at the top of a little rise, stretching out my right hamstring. 

Riders pass, a lot of riders. 

"You ok?" 

"Yeah, I've been cramping too."   

More than one person wonders where the heck sag #3 is.  "It's gotta be soon," someone moans. 

Then a guy in a red jersey says, "Vicky?"

The pedal clicks in fairly quickly this time and I keep up with Gobbler - for awhile. 

Eventually, like a good hasher, he takes the hard route, even though he's lost his rear brake.  I opt for easy.   It's not long at all til he catches up again.  We finally arrive at Sag#3, the Red Neck Rest Stop.

Mile 38 - The Red Neck Rest Stop

Canned beer and Conquistadors.

(Oreo cookies with peanut butter and banana on top.)

Gobbler, with hasher fuel. 

(Back at home, I decline Popeye's offer to crop my finger out of this photo.  I dunno.  I like it this way.  It's way more focused than I was at that point.)

    

Gobbler's had his beer and bananas.

I've re-upped my Gatorade.

Time to git to it.

Somewhere in the next ten miles my bonk sets in for real.  I stop for breath at the top of almost every rise.  I can't focus.  Gobbler gives me two of his Endurolytes and they help.  I've lost track of him though, which is good, there's nothing more he can do anyway.  I don't want to throw up.  But I kind of do. 

With mile 48 showing on my computer, I decide it would feel better to walk.  Just to the next bend.  Seemed rational at the time.  Moving forward.  No arguments from a stupid pedal.  

I enjoy the novelty of being off the bike for a minute.   I walk around the bend.

And there's the parking lot.  Riders, tents, lots and lots of lovely, salty food.  Popeye has my dry clothes.  Gobbler hands me a cold one.   

About everyone had 48 miles on their computer for the Croom 50 this year. 

So, our Croom ride came up a little short.  Which probably saved me riding in on a stretcher.  

Croom, I apologize.  You got my attention.  I won't treat you lightly again. 

It's amazing what some salty pasta and a friend with a well stocked cooler can do.  By the time we say good bye to Gobbler, I am feeling much better.  We even remember to pick up our tee shirts, which, yippee, aren't tee shirts at all.   

Perfect ending.

Because you can't drink out of a tee shirt.

*6pm.  Time to locate my lights and meet Popeye on his evening commute.  Tomorrow, the rail trail.   

Food for Thought - and the Croom 50 - Protein Bites

Croom is coming up on Saturday!  50 miles of fun easy singletrack in the Withlacoochee State Forest.  A similar ride to San Felasco in the fun, easy, single track department.  Different in the added challenge of tent camping and campfire cooking instead of staying at the cushy Cabot Lodge and eating out.
 
We learned a lot in the last ten days on our abbreviated version of a detox diet.  Mainly don't do one.  But that said, all of the recipes from the detox were delicious.  We just wanted more.  More recipes, more food, more protein...  But that was the point, I suppose.  (Personally my biggest lesson was that I actually can say no to myself.  At least for ten days.)

One of the recipes on the snack list of the detox diet (Whole Living Magazine, February) was for Dried Fruit and Nut Bites.  Pretty basic, pretty tasty, and super easy.  Although this much fiber and fat on long sustained efforts, like a 4-5 hour bike ride, could be trouble, we thought these were great snacks for when you're feeling empty on sedentary days.  

Left:: recipe as written 

Right: with a touch of chocolate

Whole Living's Dried Fruit and Nut Bites:

1-  In a food processor, pulse 2 c. dried fruit.  Transfer to a bowl. (I recommend sticky fruits, like dried cherries and pitted dates.  And if you are done detoxing, and have some organic dark-chocolate coverered raisens to throw in with the dates and cherries, all the better!)

2-  Pulse 2 c raw mixed nuts and seeds until finely chopped.

3-  Add nuts to fruit, with a dash of cinnamon and pinch of salt.

4-  Knead together and form 1 inch balls.  Roll each ball in sesame seeds.  Makes 20, serves 5.


These tasted pretty darn good when all you had to eat so far that day were a kale smoothie and a salad.  They provided sweetness, plus the hunger squelching fats from nuts during our week of restricted  dieting and (resulting) low effort. 

Delicious, yes, but the high percentage of nuts seems a little too tough on the digestive system to risk taking along on a lengthy physical effort.  For long rides, we have found that we need more easily digestible carbs, with a little protein and some stuff to help with electrolyte transport.

The look of this snack reminded me of the protein balls we make for long rides.  And since the Croom 50 is this weekend, it's time to switch out the detox recipe for our distance version.

* You might remember that Just Plain Mike wanted to name these snacks Popeye's Balls.  Suggestions for a better name are welcome.  Let's just keep it PG though, ok?

Biking Bites, Protein Balls, whatever...

Distance Bites

(especially if you don't eat enough)

In a food processor, pulse up:

2/3 c. pitted dates (no added sugar)


1/2 c. tart dried cherries (no added sugar)


1 tsp honey


1 tsp apple cider vinegar


1 tsp lemon juice


1/8 tsp salt


1/2 c. high quality protein powder (about 40 gr. protein)


1 c. Kashi Oat Cereal


1 T. all natural peanut butter (no hydrogenated fats!)

Pulse until the mix is coarsely chopped.

Grab up a bit, smash and roll it into a ball in your hands. It should form a firm ball and hold together.

We thought ours was just a little dry, and added water a tsp at a time. 2 tsp water, perfect!

Yield: 16, 1" balls


Serving size: 3


Protein: 9.75 gr.


Carbs: 38.4 gr.


Fat: 1.5 gr.


Calories: 189

original post, January 2010:
http://bikeeatsleeprepeat.blogspot.com/search/label/protein%20balls