Just a quick ride report:
Last time I rode was back in Feb 2012, and the time before that was...I can't remember....I've been very busy at work with some upgrades at our facility and really have not rode much at all within the last year or so. I am saying that I am super rusty and out of riding shape.
I decided to enter this event based upon a couple of things 1, the weather 2, this race is not an annual event. If my memory serves me right, the club only hold races at this location every 3 or 4 years, so the trails are in prime shape.
I really did not have any intention of trying to run with the guys in my class, I just wanted to ride the course and enjoy the day.
It had rained up in this area for a couple of days and I knew there would not be any dust, in fact the course looked pretty wet and slick in some spots, great....my Maxis IT is toast, but I'd make due.
I lined up on towards the inside of turn one and when the air horn was sounded, one kick and I was off. I was about mid pack into the first turn and I feel in the conga line as the course funneled down into a tight single track trail. I could feel a couple of guys behind me so I moved over and let them by, as I was did not want to hold any of the faster guys up who may be trying to advance in points. One of my down falls is that I always seem to run the first lap slower so I can get a feel for the course, and this day was no exception. It was pretty slippery out there in the shaded spots and it never fails I was picking up a few spots as other riders went off the course. I gained a few spots, but I let those guys by as they caught back up to me. About 95 percent of the course was all single track and it was hard to make a pass, except on the two track sections.
My bike ran perfect all day long and I didn't feel under powered at all, as the course which was 7 miles long was all single track. It was around on the second loop where there was a massive bottle neck in a tight up hill rocky section where we came to a complete stop. Being on row two we had caught up to the slower classes in the bottle neck. It was a classic site, 4 strokes over heating, steam bellowing from those big 450's and the smell of over heating motors and burning oil
It's times like this that I am happy to be on my 2 stroke and having a catch tank for my cooling system. I was able to push and shove my way to the bottom of the hill only to find 4 bikes all stalled on the hill laying on there side. There was no one helping out the downed riders within a few minutes a course worker was on site to help remove the downed bikes. I knew that there was only one way to get this cleared up, and that was going to be through team work. So....being a nice guy I offered to help out a couple guys in my class to get up the hill, in return to assist me if I needed it.....well that did not go as planed. I helped two guys push and shove the bike to the top...only to find them not repay the favor for me
Yea, I was a little pissed, but I shoved my way to the bottom and pinned it and made it to the last rocky section and was spinning the tire like crazy on the wet muddy rocks. I got of the bike and pushed it over the last set of rocks and was GONE
My goggles were toast, my heart rate was sky high and my breathing was out of control. I managed to clean the goggles and control my breathing. That was the only real adventure of the entire race. The next loop the course was changed and that section was bypassed. I wasted about 10-12 minutes in the bottle neck.
All in all I was pleased with my results for not racing with my peers for over a year. I finished 14th out of 20 in class and 46th out of 117 total according to what was posted after the race.
The bike ran great all day, my rear tire is NOW finished, toast and all I really need to do is get myself back into race pace and I know I can improve my finishes. It really was a great day, managed to not sample any soil, no damage to the bike, and I walked away only to ride another day.
I turn 50 in Nov so I will be moving into the B Super Senior class.
