First Hundie of the Year

Well, this was a valiant effort. Cohutta 100, a course I heard about, wasn't what I expected but suffered through.
Started out riding a pace just behind a race aquaintance, Cricket Butler. This was consistent, but slowly Cricket got ahead & I noticed a few other girls passed me by pretty early. On easy stuff I was just pedaling such a slow cadence......hhmm, the 29er is slowing me down is my first thought!! wtf, everyone says these big wheels roll fast on smooth...it doesn't get any smoother than Cohutta!! Well, I think it was just hitting the repetitive multi-miles of gravel rollers (SHOOT ME!) that I just wasn't keeping momentum on & got completely frustrated. Then the pelting rainstorm rolled in, with nonstop bolts of lightening just as I crested the one BIG climb to a check. Just happens the check had a sweet cabin with a cozy fire inside and a TON of bikes on the porch. As I see Cricket and some other girls ready to roll from the check.....
I quickly ask 'what are all those bikes?'....
the checks say 'people are inside, not finishing due to the weather is so bad'.
REALLY? Wow!! I say 'awesome, can I go in?' Thus a downward spiral of giving up sets in.

Once inside, I lay my soaked items by the fire, & chat a little. Thunder and lightening are booming outside, I wonder how many peeps in the front are really finishing. As time goes on, I slowly begin to think that the people in the cabin are being a little over exagerrated about the weather & I think I don't belong in this group! I didn't come here to start a pattern of DNF for no good reason. So after an hour of drying off, I valiantly head out the door, ignoring the cries from inside of: "you could die out there", "your crazy", "your gonna wreck on the DH"......WHATEV!!!!!

So, now extra far behind I do what I can to make the last timecheck. Miraculously I do come across a few peeps riding this far behind. One is a young 23 YO doing his first ever long event, he is pooped but really trying so we ride together for quite a bit which is nice. We make the check and hit the fun, long DH to home. I come in to find my carpool a little anxious to hit the road, as I have now ruined the trip home and we have to stay overnight somewhere 1/2 way. They shove a cold plate of food in my face, help me dunk my stuff in the river to clean up and towards home we go. I also find out, most usual front runners all finished despite the cries of such insane weather, go figure!!!

The area of the Cohutta is beautiful to drive into, unfortunately the course itself is not quite so scenic or exciting. It is a nice set up, and if it's close for you worth the entry. Not worth a 9 hour drive.