The Massanutten Ring, aka Taking Ribbit on a Long Walk in the Woods

The Massanutten Ring has been on my radar for some time now, but I knew I needed to up my technical game before I made a go at it. The Ring is 67 miles and 12,500' of climb consisting of the gnarliest singletrack around. The Shenandoah Mountains, and the Massanutten Ridge in particular, have been the backdrop of my earliest endurance endeavors. I completed my first 24 hour adventure race here, climbing up and over Veach Gap for the second time at the end of the race in the pouring rain, tears rolling down my face as I pushed my bike through the water running down the trail. Years later, that climb seems so much shorter! Fast forward to 2020, a year of so much uncertainty and an entirely blank calendar. I felt compelled to unplug for a day and immerse myself in nature and a challenging effort.

With Jen and Maya as my support crew, a 0255 wake up got us to the Signal Knob lot and ready to roll at 0400. Jen would be waiting for me at the Kennedy Peak trailhead 1/3 of the way through and again at Edinburg Gap a bit past 2/3 through the ride. The moon was almost full, and it never seemed like full night. Heading up Shawl Gap right from the start, you get a sense of just how much you'll be pushing your bike throughout the day, with rock stairs on the switchbacks. The trail is also starting to get overgrown, and at times, you can't see the rocks through the plants and grass. Before dawn, there was this incredible smell on the ridgeline, something blooming, almost like sandalwood? I wished I could bottle it. Once the sun rose, I never caught another whiff. The sunrise was simply incredible.

I continued cruising, with plenty of bike pushing, through the early morning. The first 23 miles are mostly climbing and ridge riding, so dropping to the Kennedy Peak lot felt great to open it up downhill. The morale boost of looking forward to seeing Jen each time was priceless. I flirted with the idea of attempting the ride unsupported, and I'm so happy that I didn't. Libbey Sheldon has the current FKT for the ring, and I knew I was virtually dead even with her at this point. 

After a quick reset, I continued down to Camp Roosevelt and ripped flowy trail for a bit. On the fire road up to Duncan Hollow, I passed a rattlesnake. Less than a mile later, I came out of the shade into full sun and immediately rode over one! Time slowed down, I think I squealed, staring at the rattle, sure I would be bitten, but luckily I was close to its head and likely pinned it down. Crisis averted and on to another zippy descent, which led to the infamous Waterfall hike-a-bike. It's not actually that rocky but too steep to ride for almost a mile. 

The Jawbone descent was a blast after its cruel ridgeline.  Meaner still, Short Mountain. Constantly on and off the bike, deciding whether or it's faster to keep walking or burn another match riding the rocks. I think what I am most proud about on the day is that I was able to keep a positive mindset, accepting the fact that I was going to walk for hours. It was going to suck, but constant forward motion would be key. Adventure racing tactics engage! I ran out of water on the ridge and eventually sent Jen a text saying that I had and would be at Edinburg in about an hour. To my delight, she surprised me by riding to meet me with water about 20min from the lot. Time for an ice cold CocaCola!

Past Edinburg Gap, Jen rode with me for the next hour. I felt like I was riding really well and still had some power moves left. After Jen turned back, I kept cruising. There are a couple of stretches of the Massanutten towards the end that I love. They trend downhill, and you can just roll. It's hard not to smile at this point in the day. After some gravel, which included a steep final pitch up to Signal Knob,  I turned into the trail and thought I was home free. Oh how wrong I was! 4 miles from the finish, I figured I was going to be treated to a delicious descent to the car. Instead, it immediately pitched up to Meneka Peak and then turned into the most technical descent of the day by far. Over a mile of just boulder fields. I started to panic a bit, watching the time slip away. I had run out of power moves and resorted to running down the mountain until it finally smoothed out just enough to ride. With 9 minutes to spare, I finished what I started, taking the Fastest Known Time (FKT) in 16:22. Only 4 other women have finished the Ring to date, and I am honored to join the ranks with Libbey, Lindsay, Sue, and Ellen. 

Not my longest day on the bike, but certainly the most grueling, this experience is one I will carry with me for a long time. While I have no plans for any epic events in the near future, there is something so raw and pure in pushing your body to the physical and mental limit. The fluff and ego gets stripped away, and you may find you're more capable than you thought possible. Sometimes, you may have to go back to the drawing board. I am grateful to Jen for going all in with me on this daydream of mine and making it a reality. The support role can be exhausting with logistics, waiting, and uncertainty. I cherish our partnership, and we are scheming up the next adventure!