13.3.06

Ahhh...the NOC!

The NOC is one helluva secret hidden away in the mountains of North Carolina. Find out for yourself what it really is....

The last few days have been paradise. Lots of riding. Great power. Amazing scenery. Great teamates and competitors. I've had the most fun yet so far this year in the last four days. It's like being in Tucson with all your best friends, training parterners, and teammates, with no job or school to do. In fast, that's exactly what it is!

No pictures yet, but I here's a snipnet of what I've done...

Friday--climbed up Whya road, a 1500 ft mountain, descended it, climbed back up on 7-11, an unmaintained fire service road, and descended it. 80 miles, lots of tempo. 4.5 hours.

Saturday--Group ride. Up winding stairs, down it, then up a NASTY, ridiculous 1000 ft mountain bike climb on a gravel road, followed by a 15 mile descent on the same stuff. Later on, we climbed up the 1500 ft Whya peak from the backside in only 30 minutes. Ouch! 90 miles, 5.5 hours.

Sunday--Ride with IS Corps and the "A" team from UW Madison. LT's on all hills. 1 super-steep switchback climb that I WON the race up. Yep, me, a non-climber, beat all the skinny-legged superclimbers on a pure climber hill. Sketchey descending, more climbing, then up Junaluska, a 30 min gradual climb. I won again. Wow, the legs feel great. 102 miles, 5.5 hours.

Monday--Supposed to be recovery--yeah right! 70 miles of tempo up Whya, down, then up and down 200 foot hills for 30 miles. A wonderful ride all in all! 4 hours.

The legs are begging for mercey, so it's time to take a recovery day...so we can hammer up Blue Ridge road 4000 feet later this week!

Enjoy the winter back home....

3 comments:

Waite For It said...

Seems like both of us "non-climbers" are doing pretty well with climbing...and I should be even faster when I can get rid of my 22lb bike and ride my 17lb custom Italian bike. God I miss the NOC.

Ryan Baumann said...

I just found out we may be heading to the NOC for a training camp later this year...on the cheap. I'll keep you updated, keep racing those pasta-lovers asses off in Italy.

Waite For It said...

With UW or with Brazen? Cuz that would pretty much rule...I'll need something to remember what climbing is like when I get back...