- First, thanks to the following dudes: Markup, Fuse, CrossStitch, FlexSeal & all of the Ruckers who conveniently all became the Q of Signage, Kodak & Wildcat from Boone, Pilgrim’s Progress from the Gashouse, Medball & Tatted Swanson as the Q of Howard’s Gate/Bouncers of Howard’s Gate, Spokes, Breaker Breaker (Gashouse) for our COT Prayer, Goodwill, and countless dudes who did not hesitate to offer their opinion or insight for improvement. It’s truly welcomed.
- Speaking of improvement, the good news is that there’s a lot of room left for that….that’s what she said.
- World’s Most Uncomfortable While Getting an FNG Nickname award goes to: Chipmunk and Theodore. I think that’s what the names were. Anyway, that was a lil weird.
- World’s Best F3 Nickname? Tie: Dookie Thumb & Suppository.
- Strava is a great resource for routing each leg, but horrible for routing the entire course.
- Will consider adding RunGo or Ridewithgps that can offer turn by turn directions for 2022
- Gaia may have saved a couple of dudes lives on Leg8
- But can we have a moment between dudes here: It’s not like you can request a refund, right? If the term Free Race doesn’t set off some alarms that this thing has a high potential to be ghetto, then you may have a screw or two loose.
- Back to the regularly scheduled program: Leg 8 is possibly what will make this race the stuff of legend
- Pilot Ridge Road (Leg 12) is part of what inspired this race. My Pops, 2.1, 2.1’s friend, and I were cruising the backroads one day and ended up in Gragg by happenstance. As we drove up PRR, RC thought to himself: some dumb a$$ needs to run this one day. Seed planted.
- The other seed that started this was that Yours Truly had mapped out a 100 mile relay that covered the Greatest F3 Region Known to Man. That’s Foothills for those playing at home. It was going to start in Conover, head up to Granite Falls, up to Lenoir/Hibriten, and then back down to Hickory for a whopping 5,600 ft of gain. Don’t believe me? Put this in your pipe and smoke it.
- Howard’s Knob was an afterthought, but admittedly a good one. Original ending was to be at Kidd Brewer, until a dude just simply said “we should end it on Howard’s Knob.” Done and done.
- And that’s what RC loves about feedback and/or your opinions. They matter. Feel free to send them.
- In fact, feel free to call me if you want to discuss: 828-687-5309. If you want to remember that phone number easier, just sing it to yourself: Eight, Six, Seven, Five, Three, Oh, Niiiiine. Thick in the skull? Try This
- I know they put their pants on the same as you and I, but I think it was pretty cool to see the dudes behind IronPax out there, along with the Headiest of the Head Cheeses, Slaughter. Call me a fanboy or whatever, but those are some solid dudes. If you folk are reading this, a tip of the cap to ya.
- Same for my boys from the Gashouse: now known as the Gateway. Thick in the skull? Listen Up
- And Boone pax? Solid dudes. Still can’t figure out who (other than Kodak) actually lives there or has a house there. Please clarify.
- F321 should be a thing too. Some type of super region combining the Super Cool dudes from The Gateway, Lincolnton, Foothills, and Boone. Maybe we just call it Pangea. Ok, maybe it doesn’t make any sense to do anything like that, but I do like the term: F321. Hey someone make me a shirt will ya?
- How about the Ruckers? Pretty cool, but we need to talk about timing. Y’all finished about 10 hours too early. And – speaking only to the Foothills dudes – I know y’all aren’t fast, so let’s work on that start time ok?
- Speaking of Rucking, Race Committee is a HC for Growruck Metro. Hey Q of Metro GR, asking for a friend, but are you guys going to require a dress code? Khakis and a collared shirt perhaps? Sorry, I know you’re the Regional Banking Capital of the World and all. I kid, I kid of course but please let me know if I need to show a copy of a W-2 to enter the city limits, ok?
- I’ll probably have to wade through someone’s hot tub or clean their Ice Cream Shoes for that comment.
- RC’s own Team Soup Sandwich truly lived up to their name. Runner 3 pulled up lame. Runner 1 too. Runner 4 was 1/2 gimped up before the start.
- Has there ever been a race where the own Race Director disqualified himself from his own race? Maybe, but that happened yesterday. But the cool thing is that no feelings were hurt. No one stomped off and took their ball with them. Maybe that’s because no one could have gotten a ride home from Mortimer, but still we all had a great time making the best of a soupy situation (see what I did there?). Those dudes keep me inspired to make myself better and that’s really all that matters in the end. I hope that you have dudes that will do that for you too.
- There isn’t one single dude out there that I wouldn’t give a kidney for. I truly appreciate your willingness to do something stupid and trust that RC wouldn’t kill you during the process. Hope to see you next year.
- How about that weather at the finish? Man, that felt good up there.
- There’s a small uproar about starting a Short Mort and/or Linville Loop this summer/early fall. Stay tuned and we’ll give you a date to save on your calendar.
Peace, love, and hills,
RC Out