Tahoe Sierra 100 mountain bike race

Another hundred miler! (the veterans call them 'hundies'):

Tahoe Sierra 100
results (google doc)
12hr 35min
35th out of 84 in Open Men
Cycling News coverage

Scene: Zeno's bar in State College, PA. A live band is playing and we have to almost yell to be heard.
Characters: Matt, Steevo, Steevo's bike racer friend Straub, Straub's roommate Rich

Straub: Matt and Steevo are racing the Shenandoah 100 this weekend and Matt is racing the Tahoe-Sierra 100 the weekend after that.
Rich: I'll be at both of those too. Sweet.
Matt: You are going out to CA for the 100?
Rich: I work for Giant Bicycles, so I fly back and forth between CA and PA a lot.
Matt: Maybe you can help solve my dilemma. I need to get my bike from one to the other and it is going to cost me a ton. Any ideas?
Rich: Hmmnn. I've got a trailer full of 2009 demo bikes in CA. You can ride one of those, unless you have to ride a rigid single-speed.
Matt: Whoa, really? I'd hate to be responsible for one of those bikes.
Rich: No man, it's what they are for.
(Steevo nudges Matt's leg under the table)
Matt: Okay. You sure?
Rich: Yeah man. I'll have a 2009 Anthem in your size waiting.
Matt: Sweet!

So three days after getting back from the PA trip, I am flying to Sacramento with Sufiya. We stay at my Uncle Bob's house, the same awesome Uncle I stay with for the Auburn Triathlon (2006, 2007, 2008), the first night. On Friday we drive out to the campground start/finish which 45 miles on one windy mountain road from the nearest town.

This is what a lot of the course looks like

Definitely in a beautiful area

more

Friday night we camp, which is Sufiya's first time camping. Ever. It went well. The stars were amazing and it didn't get too cold. She asks me where I am meeting Rich in the morning. When I tell her we just said that we'd see each other she expresses concern that we have no plan. You didn't set up a meeting point? Oops.

In the morning, after walking over to registration for some coffee, I notice a black SUV parked next to our car. It's Rich and his crew. Who needs a plan? He hands me the bike. We roll over to the start and at the gun I take my first pedal on a bike I've never ridden.

Stole this photo that I am in from a forum on mtbr.com.

This is getting long so here are my notes from the course:
zero single track
super dusty
hot as hell all day!
5-mile climb twice in first 25 miles- brutal
undulating sections, lots of climbing
gravel, rock, dirt, double track
big rocks on dirt road downhills hidden by thick dust
not as fun as Virginia, course and riders
finished strong: passed about 12 people on the last two climbs and descents
no veggie burgers at BBQ. Only thing I could eat was corn
a rigid single-speed 29er is a lot different than a 26inch full-suspension cross-country bike

Stories and a good blog:
teamdicky.blog.com

Thanks for the bike Rich. And congratulations on finishing 7th overall!