Mid-South Trails Association

Steve K, Kevin F, new guy Chris C, and I were doing trail clearing and met 3 of the "B" group on the yellow trail and the "A" group in the BMX parking lot. We cleared all the fallen trees we could find so the trail is now cleaned up, at least for the moment.

Now, let's hear about the ride....

Here are a few pics:
From Herb Parsons after lunch, at mile 55



From the top secret, easily accessible wide double track. We are at mile marker 63



From Lakeland, it's looking rough now, we have 82 miles down and Laurie is minutes away from two consecutive flats



Post ride refreshments at Fat Tire #2

Chris you had the pictures up before I got home!

Wow was that fun! Wow did I get cramps!!!!!!

Not sure where to start. Had a great time and actually finished, not without some help along the way.

Started from Chris' place. Did a lap on the Tour de Irving. Had everything wicked descents, rock garden, climbs, turns, trees. Road ride next to some woods near his house. Another trail to ride cutting through the neighborhood.
Did a lap at Stanky and hooked up with Tim and BrianC. Now fourteen of us. Started the Blue and Tim goes down in the first two seconds of the trail. We did a fairly quick lap and by the double dip had two deers (I referred to the L. Pope dictionary for the correct use and spelling of term 'deers') dart across the trail a little ways in front of us. Suddenly a third makes an unscene dash and comes pretty close to Chris. Finished lap and had our drinks and food and took pictures. Sorry we missed you Brian. Saw Brian at TDW and he came on the double dip area and front tire was hit by one of the deer running by him.

Proceeded to Jackson and it was very dry and a load of fun. Lance was the next to biff with a spiffy maneuver where the front tire got away from him and he go boom. We all have a good laugh and we happen to notice a bit of Gu on the ground where he'd been laying. Turns out he had a flask malfunction and it was pouring out of the mesh on his fairly new hydration pack. Pull flask and reseal. Later Tim has an issue and falls into a deep 4x4 rut. Not sure how he didn't get completely soaked but he managed to put a leg and hand into the muck and stop rest of body from the dip. Jackson trail was my favorite part.

Proceeded to the WRT from Summer. After getting around the pipe construction under Summer we managed to get to the trail. It's in great shape no overgrowth at all...................for about a mile. Then the briars came in on ya. Lance loses the rest of his Gu when it comes open again and it dripping down leg from pack. Finished that portion of the trail and saw Laurie, Patrick and Bill heading toward construction zone after completing the TDW. our group was splintering pretty well and we had three or four groups on the trail. Not many people out. Everyone gathers at end of TDW and have food and gatorade and a picture. Time to hit the WRT to GT Road. We see Brad, Steve, Kevin and Chris just completing their work on the trail. They did a great job gang. Nothing to stop you on the Blue and White. You no longer need to do the re-routes. Excellent work guys!!

WRT were great. First cramp appears as Andy and I hit the White Trail. This one was Andy's. Stop and we both hit the electrolytes. This will be too late for me. Guys wait for us and the parking lot and we hit the Orange Trail to Grey's Creek. Lot of fun and group is slowing a bit from fatigue and the trail itself.

Grey's Creek. I've been cramping pretty well by now and the climb up the other side was quite fun for my condition. Everyone passes their bike up over the top to guy ahead and then finish the climb over the edge at top. Hike time for a while and the severe cramps start hitting me. I held up Schmidty, Andy and Jason for a time as I whined on about them. They let up and I attemp to climb over the very large log and now I'm stuck there with the darned cramps. Had many more and now I've run out of fluids. At Houston Levee I get a bottle of water from Andy, and some gummy energy things from Schmidty. Thanks again guys. And to everyone for waiting on me.

Lunch time at Herbs. Pam Irving is there with sandwiches for everyone. But then she also had bananas, water and oranges. There were containers with banana peppers, jalapenos and olives. All of caused the biggest sales day of the year in the store there buying gatorade, coke, peanut, candy bars and the like. Time for a lap now. Thanks, Pam!!!

I believe it was pretty uneventful there til I cramped climbing over another large log. Laurie and Schmidty stuck behind me. Jeez cramps were bad and now its a calf acting up. Not the hamstrings. Archery event reported by Laurie after she did an extra lap ahead of us. We get to the road and don't get back on the trail.

We get on Macon and ride a bit and Chris has everyone turn on the fairly well established dirt path/road. How does he find this stuff? We ride back and turn onto a less used farmers path and then cut behind a field to this six foot fence. And he starts climbing over!!!!!!!! We start passing bikes over and by now it's many of us cramping and of course we're the last to attempt the passing of the fence. Much help needed for quite a few of us but Laurie and I may have been the worst. Laurie got the wound of the day with that crossing. Jason had to come back over the fence to help me over. I couldn't lift my leg that high.

Now we're riding on the new, 'yet to be finished' 385. pretty easy riding and no traffic. Smooth well packed gravel. Almost like riding on pavement for most of it. Many notice the vultures overhead along this route. They didn't single anyone out and start circling.

Canada Road and the gas station. More food and drink. Also a spigot to rinse ourselves off a bit. Many of us are really hurting now but it would let up at different times for each of us.

Lakeland. Three different groups and all riding it in a different way. Time for a picture. Now we are told about yet another path. Chris promises it will shorten the ride. We pull away and Laurie has a flat. Replace tube pump up, remove pump and valve come out. Another flat. Another tube and CO2 this time.

Extra trail time. Double track through the woods. Back to Chris' place. Jason reports 85 miles on the computer.

Pam has some awesome recovery drinks there. Everyone partakes. Now a beer. New Belgium and every flavor too! I'm presented a great Klein Tools bottle opener. Pam announces dinner is ready, a big pot of spaghetti and garlic bread. Man was that great. Everyone at two tables talking about the day, other rides and about everything else.

Back outside for a brew. Gotta use the new opener some more. Pam announces there is homemade peach cobbler and ice cream inside. In some of go, who still have room, and get some delicious cobbler. Still hot and the ice cream..... cold. Mmmmm good good stuff!

I really had a great time and still getting some cramps. I hopped in truck and my arch in foot cramped.

Thanks to Chris and Pam for doing all they did today and for allowing all of us stinky riders into your wonderful home.
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Worst wound....Laurie.

Mechanicals... two flats, broken bottle cage, dry chains, lost camelbak bite valve (thanks Paul for going home for one).

Riders I never saw suffer. Laurie, Chris, James, Lance. I think the rest
of us did bonk, cramp or suffer at some point.

Biggest leap for a long ride. Patrick! Longest before today was 30 miles and he did this???? Pretty darned good Patrick!!

I left out a lot. This had fun on it from start to finish.

OUCH!

no real horror story except for lots of cramping from about half the riders. i think everybody hit some low points of not wanting to continue. but we all kept going with a little encouragement (guilt laden harrassment ) from others.
all in all, a GREAT day on the bike and thanks to chris i. for putting on a great unofficial event.
the REAL hero of the day is MRS. IRVING for delivering lunch to another county and then having a dinner prepared at the Irving estate upon our completion.
oh yeah, 14 riders and 10 finishers.
thanks again to the Irvings.

yep, what larry said pretty much hit the highlights, it's tough to recap almost 10 hrs of abosolute insanity! needless to say, i think the ol mtb bike accumilated more hrs in one day than it's seen all year! and as i toasted 'da gang' afterwards, whoever said mtber's can't ride the distance just let me know, i'll staighten them out cause you guys and gal can flat out put the hammer down! so very impressive. and thanks larry for not notating just how much and how bad some of us (ahem) started cramping!

i tell ya, i pull 100 miler's on the road bike in 5 hrs, do all kinds of road racing (racing 3 times in a weekend a lot), but that 85 on the mtb yesterday had to be one of the hardest, if not the hardest, ride i think i've ever done, YA'LL ROCK!!!!!

thanks for everything chris, jon, james, and chris' wife for the vittles! i tried to eat everything they had at the finish! and yes, i'm back on the road bike today!!
john

Great ride and great times.

When we were finished, I think we all really had a sense of accomplishment. Pretty cool to see it all in one day.

Here are the best and worst for me from the day:

Best Trail Section - Riding Chris's and James's wheel through the Goat Section of the WRTs. We were FLYING and it seemed like everybody's lines were perfect.

Worst Trail Section - The gel-dripping, sticker-infested death march from Summer to Walnut Grove

Best Visual - Larry climbing over the chainlink fence and half way over yelling out...Cramp...Cramp...Cramp...

Worst Visual - Laurie climbing over the chainlink fence with the help of about 8 smelly bikers. I was truly concerned for all of us.

Best Quote - (Schmidtty on the cell phone at Lakeland) "I don't know how far we've gone...like 127 miles or something on this B.S. track that Irving has come up with" - HILARIOUS

Worst Quote - (Chris Irving as we rolled out of Lakeland toward his house) "I've got this one last trail to get us home" - What?

Best (least) Suffering - This has got to go to Laure - I mean hell, did she even break a sweat?

Worst (most) Suffering - Tie between Larry and Patrick - Larry sweats more than any one person I've ever seen. His entire body was covered in salt residue. Patrick on the other hand had a longest ride of 30 miles in the two months he's been on the bike. D@mn! THAT GUY DESERVES A NEW BIKE!

And Drum Roll Please....

Best Overall Moment - Rolling into Chris's driveway 10 hours after we started and seeing that Pam had cold homemade Frappachinos waiting for us. Then, five minutes later, the best spaghetti I have ever had! Next year, I am skipping the Ironbutt and just hanging out and eating at Chris's

Worst Overall Moment - I really can't think of one!

BIG thanks to Chris and Pam!

Great job Ironbutt riders!

LP

I personally would like to thank Chris and especially his wife for putting this together. Also, Billy, thanks for clearing all those spiderwebs on the WRT to grey's creek. I hate spiders. Laurie, I must also thank you for eventually helping me lift my tank of a bike off me after that endo I pulled just as my calf was cramping. I weighed the bike today; officially 37.6 lbs. New bike; 25 lbs. Next year will be easy.

I had a great time. I would just like to point out that the mtb group in this area is great, as Lance noted I just started riding in May, and it is nice to have been offered the opportunity to participate in events like yesterday whne I am so new to the sport. Thanks.

I feel horrible today. I am dreading the two day effect.

Patrick S

I think I’ll rename it “TiredButt” next year. I believe everyone was pretty well toasted by the time the ride was over. I did say that it would not be an easy ride and I think everyone is in agreement now.
Here are a few things I’m thankful for:

1.) That there was not a tall tree nearby when we reached the six foot cyclone fence that was separating us from our gravel “shortcut” (at 385 under construction near Herb Parsons). I surely would have been lynched if anyone could have found a rope. It was an ugly sight, only then did I realized how many folks where cramping and would have difficulty in scaling a fence. The only comical part was when the crampees would be balancing on top of the fence saying “Don’t touch me I’m cramping” and would stand there motionless on top rail of the fence until they could move again. Last night I was trying to remember what I could have done to make my shoulder sore when I remembered it was used as a step ladder at the fence.

2.) That I was no where near Laurie when she saw the trail across the log and up the cliff at Gray’s Creek “You have got to be kidding me, this is the trail?”

3.) That I was nowhere near John Schmidt when going through the barely discernable trail from Summer Ave. to Walnut Grove. It was a little thick to say the least. I think John might have threatened my life at some point.

4.) That John Schmidt kept going after Shelby Farms when I promised him that the trails were much better from here on out. He wanted a group hug to keep going, but we refused.

5.) That Larry “Cramps” Dunn didn’t turn into a big block of salt as he was sweating so much. He started cramping halfway into the ride and made it another 40 miles and rode Lakeland.

6.) That my wife took care of the food, and had ice cold frappuccinos waiting on us at the finish, they really hit the spot.
We had a good turn out and had a record number of finishers, it was so easy that Lance was talking of a “DoubleButt”, I think he might be by himself…

The Best quote was Lance telling me I could ride his "monkey" and then when I refused that, he offered to let me ride his "Badger" when he got it. I steered clear of that character the rest of the day

It's amazing what some people consider fun, but that really was agood time

Hey everybody,
Michael and I also had a great time. I am sure Michael would have stuff to add, but he is out mowing the lawn
Best Moment: Gotta be the sandwiches at Herbs and the Frap's at Chris and Pam's. Thanks guys. (oh yeah, the beer too) You can tell what I was thinking about the whole ride.
Worst Moment: Toss up between being behind Chris, asking where he found the trail off of Macon and him telling me Google Earth, then seeing the fence. Then, Chris digging around in his pack for what I think are chain cutters and pulling out a tiny piece of cloth. Then, thinking I was going to be the third over, before everything was fine tuned and feeling the chain link sink into my calf.
The other, of course, is thinking we had 2 miles to go, then seeing my flat, then my other flat.
Another best moment coming along with the flat: I felt I earned a little respect from " the guys" when I did get the flat. I didn't have anybody take my bike away, cause I was a girl, and try to change it. Of course, until I started getting mad after the second flat, and everyone just wanted to get home. Thanks, for the help.
Another worst moment: When I come around after riding Herbs(and almost get shot by an arrow) and find everyone eating sandwiches and was told I had to ride it again to be an official finisher.
Thanks for the help: Patrick and Bill, for clearing the spiderwebs and helping us find a way up the wonderful trail Chris had for us at Gray's creek.
Another best moment: Seeing Patrick seemingly hit "nothing" and do a complete somersault with his bike coming down on top of him.
And of course, the deers stories after the ride
I am glad I got to finally meet and get to know all of you. Next up, you all need to do a 24 hour adventure race. That will be nothing. Laurie

OK. You all know I bailed out towards the end of TDW. I thought I was feeling OK and trying to take it easy on the recently injured back. But the ride home from TDW to Daybreak (close to Stanky) kicked my "baby butt" all the way home. I get home and know that I am having issues clicking out out of my SPD pedal on the left side so I drop the right foot. I breathe for a second and try to get my left foot off the pedal.... Then my left hamstring yells, "CRAMP"!!!!!!! I'm dancing and hoping none of the neighbors are looking. Finally, It eases up and I finally get my left foot out of the SPD.

Fun ride, but I'm paying for it today. Back is aching.

I salute all of you true IRON BUTTS. I'm unworthy to say I even rode with any of you.

Tim

Ah Tim you are being too hard on yourself. I'm the biggest sissy in the world when it comes to pain. I'll grip and moan at the slightest cut or abrasion. Heck I basically wanted to stop and take a shower and do laundry yesterday after the gel incident! If I had any serious damage to my back as you did, I would be a couch jockey for months.

Take it easy, let the back heal, and you'll be kicking our (Iron)butts on hot laps at the Stank in no time!

Good to see you out and just remember...It is NOT always a race

LP

Left a few items I wanted to mention.

To repeat myself and others.... the frappacino recovery drinks were great.

Also hung around long enough to try some of the spicy sausage dip, cajun style. Ooh yeah!

How can you ride with Schmidty without mentioning the shoes (witness Herbs photo above for fresh pair after lunch... untied)

Andy sorry about the misinformation on ride distance. I thought I remembered 60 from somewhere not 80+ for the ride.

Critters. Deer(s), turtle, ticks, spiders, dogs, vultures, hawk. Still no bobcat for me.

Prizes to take home. Don't know about everyone else but when I took off my helmet at the various stops the vents were full of crud.

One homeless woman at Summer. Nobody at CP. That compound was torn down.

the 'I've thought that myself' quote. Laurie mentioning our ride up Houston Levee was something like 'Whenever I'm driving and see a biker on HL I think they're nuts.' Yup!

Another thanks to Chris for offering Cramps Dunn a chair at Herbs.

Chris also provided an 'Ironbutt 2006 Route sheet. Properly folded and inserted in ziplock so you could see the first two sets of instructions. It had 64 turns excluding the trails. I'll include a portion after Herb's.

43. Turn left on Macon
44. Turn right at 4th dirt road (look for radio tower)
45. Pass through Gate
46. Look for cyclone fence.
47. Scale fence
48. Ride 6.5 miles on wide double track
49. Exit at Airline Rd.

We didn't see the exit sign for Airline Rd. Apparently they go up after the paving.

64. (optional) Ride one more yard lap.

I neglected to take the option.

Got out this morning and did a slow lap + at TDW. Only time I pushed was up the climb from the fire road. Didn't hurt but I didn't want to so that was the most I did. I hurt more going up stairs than riding the bike, except in the place where I sit. Somehow a dragonfly did manage to fly between my head and my helmet strap and get stuck.

A lot warmer today than yesterday. We got a break there too.

Thanks again. Had fun with everyone! We all rode with each other at one time or another and that was cool. Long time no see Bill. Got to introduce myself to Michael, who I've seen at many events along with Laurie, walking across the big sand dune along the Jackson Trail.

WOW ! I knew ya'll would have fun, I'm sorry I missed it and the Legends Race. Hopefully I get to make up some of the fun of the missed events with the upcoming endurance races. At least I got to experience some similar moments with some of the same group of riders when I did the New Years ride this year. I didn't notice Tinker in any of the photos. Was he not able to catch up with you guys?

I thought that question might come up, Tinker did start with us and with Chris D. not able to attend this year, he buddied up with Patrick (Been riding 3 months and rides 77 miles, slacker) apparently the pace was a little much for Tinker, we waited several times for him, he finally told us we were going to fast for him and he was going to ride back to Durango, CO. The last we saw of him he was headed out one of the neighborhood cuts at Stanky heading west.
Here is a start photo:

Chris, Hats off to you and Pam. I don't think I could of finished if your wife did not hook us up at Herb's. I just want to thank you and your wife for putting on this unofficial event. I was telling my self yesterday, never again but today I am ready to do it again next year! I also want to thank all of your guys who waited up for me when I was cramping, you know who you are!! And another shout out to Chris, thanks for being everybody's ladder at the fence. Sorry I did not stick around for the post ride festivities but I was not feeling my best. Nothing a hot shower and about 10.5 hours of sleep did not fix!! Great event, I had a blast.