Shenandoah 100

The Shenandoah 100 is a 100-mile mountain National Ultra Endurance (NUE) bike ride with 16,000 feet of climbing. ( Finishing Times are listed at end )

Pat Peddy and brother Ted hold the record in our group and Pat was on podium and Ted took 15th place in age category below 

The typical day starts with registration at Mt. Solon the day before the race below. The registration desk below in the middle of the camp grounds – what a great setting.

 

beautiful spot to sign in and start the race

Then we all go out to dinner at Clementines below in Harrisonburg

 

Above from 2012 our Baltimore group it was L to R:  Robby Burch, Mike Borisky, Rob Woodward, Paul, Dave Goodwin, and Bob Travers (me).  Simon Ritchie was not there for dinner.  We dined at Clementines above in Harrisonburg Virginia- it is a must to fuel up with some great grub, down some good craft beers and listen to some good music before ending the evening to get the necessary sleep in our tents before heading out to battle the next morning or to go to hotel – Yea I like hotel

Rob and I, just stayed up and drank and pillaged all night long and went directly into battle below. Why not??

In the morning we all meet at about 6Am for line up and the sunrise is incredible at the observatory below

Then we line up in time categories below

 

So then the race began. The Story: we valiant warriors we felt the excitement of the ensuing battle but even in this knowledge we were unprepared for the anger of the gods and the maelstroms they prepared for us. Short Story from one of our years coming here 

The gods (They) would laugh at us in our trials and tribulations. The forest held:  witches, ghost dancers, demonic gnomes, poisonous flying elves, wicked snakes, shape shifting demonic animals, borgs, demonic voices from the underground and the like.  So on to our ride:

Sunday morning at 4 AM we were awakened into the darkness before the sun raised its golden head above the horizon, had coffee to start the engines, grabbed something to eat and made the final adjustments to the Steel steeds we would be riding for the next 10 to 16 hours. It was raining at 4 Am and by 6 Am, we saw it was going to be a demonic morning.  Our powerful steel steeds were nervous to get out of the gate as they loved to run free, away from the confines of the stables.  They were fearless, so we had to hold them back.  It was those steel steeds that would carry us for our 100-mile. We would run them up and down the hills and race them through the streams and narrow single tracks for more the 13 hours.

Our ride started in the darkness of early morn at the camp site under a dark canopy of thick clouds that had thrown us a soupy mix of extreme humidity, rain and slippery off camber trails, tree roots and knife edge rocks.

Our Group below

 

The group above in the early morn.

Wow this as going to be bad!!  I was just hoping the gods would not take us out one by one by the forest demonic creatures that lived there.  As soon as we entered the thick forest we were consumed by the rain and humidity.  It swirled around us and entered our lungs and it was heavy and  I was being sucked into the soft ground below- like quicksand.

The ground consumed us and the longer we rode forward the more it grasped and consumed our souls. – I started to feel hopeless- the forest gods cursed us all for being there, wow so early on I was fearful.  Along the way our support troops were falling to the pain and suffering of the forest demons.  We saw the results of their battles.  We saw their broken weapons: (bottles, tubes, derailleurs and bikes), along the way.  It looked like they put up a fierce battle but they were destroyed. Some of the wounded men from the heat of battle below. Many of us have not finished due to mechanical problems as this is one difficult race

The forest hid the keys to magic.  Stones came to life in the form of little gnomes, Rocks changed into snakes with poisoned fangs, weird sounds would flow in and to of reality to confuse ones mind.  Unfortunately even our strong steeds became victims of  demons.  My bike was severely wounded in the first skirmish and was destroyed and had to be put down by the third stop. Out for the count I was by mile 45.  This mighty team (tandem below) fought bravely to the end wow.


Simon’s steed lost its legs and after two endovers with significant wounds was put down by the fifth skirmish. (Simon has third best time on our group) 

 

Dave another valliant warrior with his mate Paul, below

Dave  and Paul (above and below) were way-laid and destroyed in one the fiercest battles of the day.  Rob was deceived by the magic of the forest and he was killed in the last battle with the last sword by the worst demon man has known.

Along the way these men,  they fought off many gnomes, demons and vipers, but unfortunately they were overpowered and their wrists and bones destroyed – they will be remembered in the book of life.  

Ok to the finish here are some photos of us finishing

 

Rob Burch above and Ted and Pat Peddy below

Pat got a position on the podium below

 

 

And then the party starts 

 

Simon, Mark and Ted about to party up 

 

 

 

 

Sully below yea he can party 

Shenandoah results new records in our group  or Joes Bike Shop

OPEN MEN

Chris Lane (jb) 9:15  

Greg Ritter (jb) 9:27

Open Women

Carla Williams (jb)   9:51  

Kathleen Sheehan ( jb)  11:15 

Esther Schaftel  (jb)  12:34

 

Open Men our group 

Pat Peddy 9:54             (2016) (2018 took top ten with 10:17)

Ted Peddy (JB)  10:44        (2018)  (took top 15 in age group 2018)  

Simon Ritchie 11:07     (2015)

Charlie Bezilla 11:41.   (2011) 

Mark Sullivan  (JB)  11:58     (2015)

John Mosmiller 12:16 (2009) 

Joe Trail  (JB)   12:30)         (2014)      

Bob Travers 12:30      (2016) 

Robby Burch 13:13      (2012)

Mike Borisky 14:35        (2012)

 

50’s MENS :    

Pat Peddy   10:17   (2018)

Mark Sullivan 11:58 -(2015)   

Bob Travers  12:30 – (2016)

Mike Borisky 14:35    (2012)

 

Men’s 60:    

Bob Travers 12:30  (2016)

 

 Women 50’s

Kathy Judson 11:58 (2015) 

Siobhan 15:38. (2011)

 

SHORT STORY WOTH PHOTS BELOW

 

 

 

(This man crushed the demons and fought the good fight wow so honorable.)

Now Robby and Mike carried the waters of Life forward and bravely fought on.  As they mounted the tired steel steeds the gnomes came to life again and were laughing.  Robby and Mike kept going fighting the good fight.

Wow severely wounded warrior below but still standing and she finished below,   so honored.

Finially, Mike and Robby entered the behemoth when the golden orb had closed its tired eye leaving a blood stained crimson horizon beneath the leaden sky that hung heavy overhead.  As they entered the woods there was no light, only darkness and everything faded into the darkness.  The light from sting, their shimmering sword, only illuminated the spindly trail as they weaved through the forest floor, everything was  absorbed into the maelstrom of no return.

Their lights cast eerie shadows in the darkness where the shadows ran from themselves as we passed.  Ghost dancers faded in and out of reality only to return again down the serpentine trail.  The demons followed and haunted Robby and Mike and then they would disappeared into the darkness.

At times ghosts of emptiness seemed to reach out and grab them and poison their steeds. The sounds were muted in this demonic forest and all was absorbed, nothing escaped.  It is way to Twilight zone here.

other wounded warriors above, so honored.

Robby below, truely a great warrior-

 

 

 

Well Mike and Robby carried the tourch to the end in the darkness of night and were anoited by the king when they reached the Kingdom of Middle Earth.

Robby below at 13 hours and 14 minutes awesome

13 hours not bad for only riding for 8 months . Other shots from this day below.

 

Hot Chicks above

 

Thank you my fellow warriors: Mike, Patty, Ted, Pat, Rob, John, Alan, Mark, Siobhan and Charlie.  Nice time you had Charlie, you saved the town

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