Finally In Chattanooga

Well, I finally made it to Chattanooga. This will be home for at least the next three years. I plan on making it awesome and really taking advantage of everything that there is to offer in the surrounding area. Today, I road the River Gorge road race course. This was my first full day here and I don't know all the roads very well, but I don't have very many free days to do a ride like this. It was a lot more climbing than I expected. I haven't climbed like that since Fall of 2007 when I was in Colorado. I think I left my climbing skills out there too. The mountains kicked my butt today. The ride included five category 5 climbs and two category 3 climbs. It also included the climb that I did on the steep slopes of Brow road which wasn't part of the course and the category 5 climb in the TT course. In between climbs four and five a wasp landed on my shorts and stung me. That sucked. Almost as bad as not being able to find water and having to deal with some really hot water from the back of a run down hotel.

The ride did take me on a nice tour of the country side. I went to Georgia and did some miles there before heading back to Nickajack lake and riding along the river for a while. Then I headed into Raccoon mountain. The descent to the base was thrilling. I topped out at 50.2 mph. It felt great. BUT, then I had to start the cat 3 climb back up out of the valley. It was long and arduous on my tired legs. I saw a snake sliding down a concrete ditch at one point. It's that steep. After I made it to the top I had to keep going to find some more water before I could try to make it back to my car. Thankfully, I found someone that was practicing the TT course and asked him how to quickly get back to my car and where to get water. The descent back to the car was pretty fun too. The road was narrower and not as smooth so I couldn't risk as much as I had done before, but I was still cruising at 43 to 46 mph. Fun stuff.

I haven't had a ride that I sweated so much and had so much salt deposits on me. My new helmet had huge salt crystals on the straps from my head sweat. My sunglasses had a gooey film around the edges made of salt and sweat. My shorts and jersey both had big white rings on salty sweat deposits. It was a hot day. I hope the race is not as hot. I also hope there isn't a break because I know I won't be able to go with them. I only hope to score points in the road race. This omnium is definitely a climbing race and I am not a climber. I'll give it my best though and hope for great finishes in the TT and crit.

Here is the map of the course: hardest 40 mile race

Entering Raccoon Mountain

Last bit of the Cat 3 climb to Raccoon Mountain

Head Sweat