McLain Farm Adventure Race 2023

I may offer few words, compared with the miles - many more felt than the record bears; this adventure was a toss up as to whether a gravel/drop bar bike was preferable to a MTB/flat bar bike - though the only question for me is whether i should have run my 27.5x2.1”, rather than my 700x40mm setup. If i were a living time machine, i’d definitely go back and favor the bigger volume. I managed all the ups and downs, and hops and slushes with the pride of a trialist, but definitely dealt with a lot of twitch and drift on the down-climbing!

Looking down to the farm with about 20 to go… Looking up to the “scenic overlook” from the finish…

But the story i have to tell begins with this being my third year coming out here.

The first year, on my own, i drove out Friday evening and found a (veteran’s memorial) public park just a couple miles from the farm to van camp (in stagnant air for fear of mosquitos) the night before the race. I did the 60ish miles of hardship in 90+ degrees with leg cramps holding me tight the last 20 miles.

The second year, with my bestie riding friend, we got proper and enjoyed a fine dinner and view at an Italian place (Pastaio Cucina Rustica Italiana) in Wintersville, then camped at Jefferson Lake State Park, before doing the 40ish mile version of not as intense hardship, but still rewarding adventure in 2022.

Now, we come to now (a few days ago), circumstances brought me alone again and feeling like - why the k not, if i’m coming out here wouldn’t i subject myself to all there is to experience again - the 60ish mile course and sleeping in my van; so i drove out Friday evening to the old memorial and, behaving like i was exceeding my expectations for endurance, dinner and no drinks, i got a window of the van rigged (which was much more of a process in the red headlamp than i would like to admit) with screen so i could breathe without the mosquitos drinking me to death, and drifted toward sleep about 22:30. Enter the local youth to their local party place, same logic as i had for going to this hidden from the road, country hide-away; but they came with who-knows what and beer for a restless, reflexive Friday night good-time. We could have shared the space but after some drinks they got curious, read: ‘is that van got dead people in it, or’? The less drunk of the crew had a more accurate assessment in supposing ‘someone was sleeping or k’ing in there, let them be…’ i was only trying to be the former…but the more drunk kept coming near and promoting their exploits…"we’re good people, just kids having a good time, we’ve got beer…wanna…”. After a couple dozen minutes of this developing, i determined to relocate to the farm (though i hadn’t asked - it was all good), as i slid back into the driver’s seat, another car arrived and i was sure to roll out. So, about midnight, i wound my way to the field at the farm and settled in for a peaceful rest (i would need) before the pleasantly hazy sky broke light over the valley; just me and another camping in the field for the night - i would be second in and maybe third out as it is…

Third out…well, that’s a bit later - like almost 6 hours - after i was maybe 6th to last coming in, but giddeup, that was a great ride - i’m competitive but not here to compete - a mountain bike trials rider at heart

here’s what mattered to me - and i would’ve turned to redo as needed: i rode and cleared with no dabs, every up/down, over and through, this course had to offer - oh, what a lot of great challenge for the pleasure of all who will!

I got to ride with friends, change another’s failure into a completion by virtue of the Stan’s dart’s i carry (hey, man - nice shot!), chase down another’s missed turn to avert a potentially long-lost wandering, and double back up-hill to buddy-check another i’d passed after their point of crash on the crazy (i love it), ‘closed road’ section, coming down from the church climb.

My man P has some great video to show some of what i felt; no matter how much i might have stopped to capture, could this be expressed in film; but those climbs, beautiful rolling river traverse’s, and crazy ass decent’s - oh, how could i pause, but he’s got camera atop his helmet to share…see below.

In my first go at this ride, cramps had me off and trying to figure out how to stretch on the climb up to the farm overlook - about 20 miles to go. This year, i made it to the last climb before i put a foot down and got off to stretch; apparently 3 liters of water, 3 bottles of electrolytes, 2 protein/energy bars, 2 banana’s, and 2 chewy sodium/sugar packs wasn’t yet enough to avert cramps - pain i felt for a couple of days to come.

This was my first, full transition ride, coming back from a 1x drivetrain to 2x; and it felt, and performed, great! Having done a significant amount of research, i also changed to a Silca hot-wax lube; this also, was a great success - and the conditions of mud/sloppy earth, and dry/dusty gravel validate this experience; i’ll report if this position changes, yet i am confident after this initial test.

Maybe it’s unnecessary to say, but we all hear how we do, i hope to do this great time again next year!