That was the most technically demanding race I have ever done. Not technical ?this sucks and is not ridable?, but fun technical that I believe could be 100% ridable with a little practice to figure out the lines. There we a few spots I really wanted to go back and give it another shot, but being a race made that not a good choice. There is some great rock work throughout the loop and lots of cool bridges. The course was in quite good shape considering the rain lately, hardly any mud to be found. Things were a bit slickery, but still very raceable. Course was well marked and everything well organized. My race went just about as planned. My goal was to have fun and not hurt me or my bike the week before Great Glen. I intentionally entered the woods at the back of the pack to avoid getting caught up in the race, this meant I was 9th to start. Through attrition and others bobbles I was up to 5th by the halfway point of lap one. Caught and went by PJ about this time looking good, better than next time I would see him. By the end of lap 1 another rider had faded and I found myself in a nice race for third. We spent most of lap 2 swapping positions having a good time. I had the edge on the less technical areas, but he would come back and get me in the technicals. With a mile to go I let the race get the better of me and decided to try and ?win? 3rd place. The surge was a success and I got to the bottom of the podium not far out of 2nd, but way behind 1st. On my best day I could not have turned laps fast enough to make up the 10 minutes the leader had on me. While hanging out at the finish line for PJ and Dana word comes in that PJ was found upside and knocked out a couple miles from the finish. He was back on his feet and moving again, but Al Raine and I decided to go back out and make sure he found his way out. We found a couple folks on the course that confirmed he had indeed gone by and looked ok. When I got back to the truck he had already changed, but still had a dazed look in his eyes. We head back up to wait for Dana with thunder closing in fast. Not long before the storm hits Dana comes into sight, looking even worse than PJ. A couple hard crashes and dehydration had left him pretty much out of it. Good thing I went, because neither of these guys needed to be piloting a vehicle for a little while. Decided to skip the awards due to the storm that was now on top of us. As we turned onto 101 a most awesome lighting strike hit both sides of the highway right in front of us, instant thunder. I know it had to have hit the course and bet there were some tense moments for the novices who were getting ready to start there race. Now it is time for five days of rest and relaxation before heading up to Great Glen Friday morning.
 
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I agree with Brian on the course description and conditions. It was a fun technical course with no long hills, but very much a technical aspect to it. A few nice switchbacks both up and down. I'd like to go back down there and do a fun ride.

I don't know what I thinking, but I left my second bottle at the truck and when I got to the lap and start areas decided to take the chance that I could make the race without it, being that the parking area three quarters to a mile away. That was my first mistake which cost me, as well as choosing the wrong way over a ledge.

There were nine masters at the start and I lead them nearly half way around the first lap until I hit the tire of one of the younger riders in front of me through an uphill rocky section. Chuck Piper went by at that point, then a few minutes later Norm Collard went by me. Shortly after that I was passing riders right behind those two and decided to pass where the trail went left and it looked like I could go over a boulder on the right. Unfortunately I was going too fast and the drop was too steep with no smooth place at the bottom. My knees and my helmet hit hard and when I came to a stop, my face and left side had sucked up the muddy water. After I shook it off and got going again I noticed my left elbow was a bit bigger than normal and my arms felt like I had just completed an intense weight lifting session. I still hung with the riders around me at that point and completed the first lap in 1:15ish. After I started the second lap though, I began feeling nauseous on the climbs. About half way through second lap my legs started cramping and riders were passing me on the uphills. At that point, I just wanted to finish and slugged in at 2:54:51 (7th out 9 in sport master). About 1:39 on the second lap (ouch). One of the worst finishs for me. If I had had the fluids, I probably would have finished under 2:30.

Arriving back at the registration area, Brian and PJ said something to the fact that I looked like crap (just how I felt). I was unaware until I arrived back at the parking area that PJ had crashed and was banged up (a knarly looking right ear) worse than me. PJ and I both appreciate that Brian was there for a joy ride (3rd place all the same) and chauffeured us back home, or in my case it would have been an hour or more before I came back into it (consciousness).

The Plan was simple. Ride into fitness. Take it easy and finish strong. We came into Exeter with a nice greeting. "Here comes the boys from the mountains". I knew the race course would be demanding as I entered my first expert race there, a few years back. The course spit me out back then, and I was determined to get to the finish line.

I lined up with 10 Singlespeeds, and was proud as it appeared I was the only one in excess of 200 pounds. I took it easy at the start and was 9th into the woods. A couple slip ups by the folks in front sent me up about 6th place. I stayed there and was having a ball, as the course never told me what was coming, I reacted well to each boulder that somehow always seemed to be in my line. I got passed by a slew of Experts and settled in the middle for most of the lap. The first half of lap 2, I was pretty crummy, as I couldn't get my rhythm, slowly I worked my way back into the groove, as I held my own on the parts you could peddle, but didn't have the gas to try to tackle the technical short uphills.

Then I mad a bobble on one of the bridges, and ended up wet. Laughing I got up, when another single speeder passed me. I was about 5 miles from the finish so I decided to pick it up and hang with him and battle it out for 6th. He must have also been cranking it up, but on this semi-technical downhill.....it happend.

Somewhere, somehow I hit a foreign object, got my tire stuck or just plain screwed up. Not sure what becasue it happend so fast. Before I knew it, I was in the air over the bars with a large birch in front of me. That is what I remember, the next thing I know was Derek Griggs asking me if I am ok. I tried my best to put a coherent sentence together, but I knew I was out of it. Thankfully Derek hung with me until the cobwebs were minimized and I was pointing in the right direction. I do remember my first attempt at standing up, and I felt as though I was straddling a invisible bull that was bucking. I hit the tree with my right shoulder and ear/helmet. I only cracked the helmet. Derek let me know of the next easy place to get out and off I went.

I walked for awhile and then another singlespeeder passed me. Finally I got back on the bike and pedaled easy the whole way. I got to the trail where I could take an easy way out, but another MTBminder said it was only another mile to the finish, I rode it out and finished around 2:23 and 8th place.

The course was a blast. and I will be back.

Beers go to CHP for the coursework (Rockboy would be proud), Derek for taking time to check on me, Currier for driving me home, Al for that post race Lemonade, and Dana who actually had it worse than I did.

PJ

At some point we have to get down there for a fun ride sometime... perhaps after monsoon season ends...

Dana seemed ok on our run Tue, hope you are ok PJ. Hearing these kinds of reports only reinforces my feelings that mtbing is DANGEROUS!

Trails must be too easy on the Pinnacle, some of us (self included) seem to be getting soft, going to have to make them more challenging I guess. :D

Ryan

Well Brian....I have some footage here that shows you had some of the lines figured out. Anytime you guys are up for a complete tour of Fort Rock...let me know.....here's a link to a Great Glen video as well....

http://www.mtbmind.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=2031

http://www.mtbmind.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=2006

Nice video as usual, and missed all my entertaining bobbles. Would love to come down this fall, later in October or early November would probably fit well into my plans.
 
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