The Finding!

This blog post is long but not about GPS, or GPa , or even GPO! Instead of searching, this post is about FINDING.

Last week, I did a virtual gravel bike race as part of the 2020 Durty Bikes Virtual Gravel Series. Virtual in this case means that the race organizer sets up a course, and us racers ride it on our own and report our times via Strava. That way there is no group to assemble. Given my heart and lung issues, we’ve chosen to race during mid-week to further reduce my odds of contacting others while on the trail.

I’m not strong or confident while riding off road to be in a group race setting; therefore, virtual, solo racing has been great for me. I’m doing something new and seeing new places because if this! And, this race helped me FIND something that I’ve lacked for awhile!

Also, tucked in further below is a quick blurb “GPO “Hall of Fame” – Seneca Falls, NY PO.”

Winona Gravel Race – August 7

The race course was primarily on the gravel trails of the Winona State Forest and at 1500’ then climbed into the Tug Hill State Forest at 2000’. Link to Strava.

Start through First 5 miles

We arrived at the CCC (Civilian Conversation Corp Camp) to park for the start of the race. CCC Camps were created during the 1930’s depression to put people to work. This camp housed citizens in camp barracks who were then employed at working to clear roads for logging. Both Winona and adjacent Tug Hill State Forests are active, low impact logging locations of which I saw several during this race.

The start of the race was at the exact same location as the Winona Forest Tour-a-thon XC ski race with the first 5 miles on XC ski course. A wave of nostalgia came over me.

The last time I was on this trail was in an XC ski race with my son in 2011. He was likely the only football player also racing XC skiing in HS. He won his age group in the race and placed in the top 10 overall. He was (is?) a great skier, but given his size at the time, we spent a small fortune on broken ski poles!

It also was the first time that I’d broken 3 hours on that course, cutting my time by over 30 minutes of the previous year. I’ve not raced XC ski since (primarily due to global warming reeking havoc on our winter ski conditions).

I’m racing? Yes, I’m racing again!

That initial gravel section led to a 2 mile road section, then I was back on to gravel. At this point, I can feel a giant smile across my face! I was having a tremendous amount of fun! A 2nd, very powerful, wave of nostalgia hit – I WAS RACING! I had lost that feeling, now it was FOUND!

For the previous 3 races, I’d take my time; almost a tourist pace. This was due to my inexperience on gravel and fear of wrecking. Although, I’ve established that I’ve often wrecked, I certainly don’t look forward to wrecking! On this day, that fear was not there, I was letting loose like I used to do!

The racing feeling has always been special to me. After football ended, I searched for the giddy, hyper-hyped feeling that I’d get before a game. I tried other activities, but nope; most were too mundane. Then I found running and eventually triathlon.

Triathlon caused me to train (practice) hard and think about my plans (football chalk talk). And the results were put on display on race day. NO HIDING. Me, the clock, my results versus the other racers!

One could hide on a football field, but I don’t have that type of constitution. When I perform, I want to be front and center! I put that same effort into tri training and racing as football, and race day, like game day I’d display my hard work. I WAS HOOKED!

At Winona, a elixir of confidence, adrenaline, endorphins, and little bit of pain to remember that I was alive – PUT THAT SMILE ON MY FACE, a racing smile that was lost, now FOUND!

I love the feeling of racing. It was not quite the 1990’s feeling. Back then, I was aggressive almost to the edge of careless. A few times I pushed the pain to levels that could have permanently hurt (or killed) me. I’m a little wiser now, BUT NOT MUCH, because I was hurtling my bike down small and large rocks and in ruts like I’ve not done, EVER!

Crankenstein!

After another 18, mostly gravel miles, at mile 25, we turned again onto road to the largest hill on the course. I left Winona at 1500′ of elevation, and at the top of this hill, I entered Tug Hill State Forest at 2000′ elevation. It was tough climb, but on road and not gravel. I felt in my element on road and pushed, hard; THAT’S FUN!

Once in Tug Hill State Forest, the song Frankenstein by the Edgar Winter Group played on the phone in my pocket. A 3rd wave of nostalgia hit! This was much less…nice 😦 The last time I was in Tug Hill State Forest was in 2001. Myself and 3 friends went to the Tug Hill Crankenstein and mountain bike races.

So, what’s a “Crankenstein?” Well, it’s incredibly fun trail relay race, that’s what!

You and a partner compete as a team in a combined biking and running event. At the start, one starts mountain biking while the other partner is running. The cyclist bikes ahead and drops the bike in the weeds along the trail, and starts running from there.

Then, the initial runner runs to the dropped bike and rides ahead of their partner and drops the bike for their partner to pick up. This process of using their bike as the “relay baton” continues to the end of the race.

This event requires some strategy! Partners need to figure out who’s the better runner and cyclist of the partnership, when and where to drop a bike, how to drop the bike so it doesn’t get lost in the weeds causing the trailing runner to run past it and gets lost! Then add to this other friends as partners and competitors creates a riot on two legs and two wheels!

In 2001, it was about a month after 9/11, as with much of the USA, I was in a 9/11 fog. I was scheduled to fly to Italy for work at 11:30am on 9/11 through JFK. The stress of being in an east coast airport waiting to get on a plane, while watching the events unfold on TV, caused an attack that put me in the ER overnight! I later learned through email that a HS friend lost her husband in one of the towers.

So, getting out in the woods to do something different was necessary. Even though my partner, Dennis K. and I finished behind our other friends Dennis M. and Frankie Q., it was a fabulous way to improve my mindset.

After the Crankenstein, there was a also a mountain bike race. It was on the same roads as my current gravel race. BUT the 2001 mountain bike race also included several gnarly off road, single track trail sections with large rocks. As I’ve mentioned, I don’t have bike handling skills, especially for gnarly terrain. Needless to say, I wrecked! I WRECKED BAD!

I was in the lead! First time ever! I was determined, to my detriment, to stay. I hit large, craggy rock on a downhill section at high speed… large rocks are NOT IN MY BAILIWICK of skills! I hit the craggy rock, the bike stopped dead, I went over the handlebars! Bam! On my back, shoulder, and hip. My poor hip, it’s been the brunt of too many wrecks and has the look of cottage cheese, even when it’s not bruised and bloody!

Dennis M. found me on the trail and helped me back to the van. While driving back, we found out that the US had launched Operation Enduring Freedom. It was a short lived escape, but much appreciated escape nonetheless.

Back to the Gravel Race!

This 3rd wave of nostalgia about 9/11, my wounds from the wreck, and the new Gulf War were enough of a downer to take me off my “I’M RACING” high.

By mile 40, I exited Tug Hill. Having lost that I’m Racing high, the last 9 miles were a drudge, and included some single track…ooooh, I don’t like single track, especially on a gravel bike, but the single track connected back the XC Ski course and took me back to the start finish.

That big “I’M RACING” smile returned to my face! Great to have found it! WHAT FUN! LET’S DO THIS AGAIN!

Next, and final race is this week from Naples (no, not that Napoli!), NY. Here’s the route – the Hills of High Tor! Tough, but I can’t wait!

GPO “Hall of Fame” – Seneca Falls, NY PO

The Seneca Falls PO was built in the early 1930’s as part of the New Deal and placed on the Registry of National Historic Places in 1989.

Seneca Falls is also famous for being the inspiration for Bedford Falls in It’s a Wonderful Life. A large sign adorns the town’s entrance to that effect! In addition, Susan B. Anthony’s suffragette originations are from Seneca Falls.

The PO’s exterior features 6 limestone columns with limestone corners. The limestone frames sandstone block on the right and left edges.

The interior features INCREDIBLE verde marble that has been sculpted in several areas. In addition there are verde brass or copper sconces! The final piece is the gold inlaid lettering. The interior also has a bulletin board that has some history of the post office and the era.

I did the ride to this PO in 2017 at the start of GPO, but before I started the GPS. It’s VERY MUCH WORTH THE 70+ MILE BIKE RIDE DOWN, I’ll do it again! ANOTHER GREAT FIND!