Hilbert I

I bowed out of the Enduro Category at Camp Hilbert this year. Decided I’d see how fast I was and race the SS category instead. As it turns out, it’s pretty hard to redline for 18 miles.

There was some good carnage at the start. Somebody clipped a wheel and went over the bars, which is not a good way to start a race. I led out in 2^nd behind GWad. He would disappear after about 2 miles and never be seen again. So the fight was on for 2^nd. I had a guy with the loudest creaking EBB on earth chasing me for all of the first two laps. He’d mash the hills and get right on my arse, then I’d get separation in the twisties when he was recovering. It was a bit of a mind-game. I tried to yield the trail to him after 1 lap, but he didn’t want it, so I led out for lap 2 in 2^nd place and it was much of the same for the duration of the next 6 miles.

Start of lap 3 I picked up the pace a bit and got some separation on the creaker. However, in some of the early turns I started noticing a good bit of traffic behind me, and I got nervous. Maybe ½ way through, I was overtaken by another singlespeeder, and another settled in right behind me. Ugh. This is typically the time where K29er starts falling apart, yielding trail, veering off into the woods and collapsing like a whooped puppy. Fortunately, the guy that passed wasn’t throwing down too badly, and I was able to dig down and hold his wheel, quietly contemplating how I was gonna get my spot back.

We rolled that way in a tight 2-3-4 pack until the turn to the dam loop, a short straight away, followed by a quick steep climb, and nasty little descent, and then a short grinder to the finish. When we hit that turn to the straightaway, I opened it up, took the inside track, and got 2^nd back. It was hard, but it felt good. 3^rd finished 3 seconds back, 4^th only moments behind him. GWad was about 1.5 minutes up on me…not too bad. I have work to do if I am going to keep w/ that guy.

All in all, it was a great day. Beautiful weather and fantastic trails. Good to see the team out en masse, and to catch up w/ some of the SoMD contingent.

Its odd to look ahead to May knowing that the 12 Hours of Lodi won't be a part of it. I've been doing that race for years now...maybe 5 or 6 straight. This year, the kid's baseball team has the trump card, and I've sorta always been curious about the Middle Mountain Momma on the Sunday after Lodi. So that's that. Given my lack of enduro base miles, its probably for the best, though I'll likely give the XXC @ MMM a shot. Why not?

Before I forget, lets recap the Ride the Ridge Race. It was drizzling when I left my house, and I knew the course was going to be tough. I also knew there were at least 6 single speeders registered, so I'd have some work to do. I had the all-conditions tires mounted up, my belly was full (perhaps too full) and I was off. At the starting line, I see Gordon and his blinged out Superfly. I'v ridden with this guy twice, and I know he is silly fast. I recognized one or two others, but Gordon was the only one that worried me. He was running XR1s, an interesting tire choice in those conditions.

We took off w/ the sport riders and hit much traffic on the early climbs. Lots of dismounts and running, but it made Bear Hole go by pretty fast. Before long I was closing in on Gordon. We ended up rolling together for 1/2 a lap or so, chatting it up and having a good time. I was under the impression he was in 1st, so when I passed him, I was feeling good. I expected him to hold my wheel, but after a few turns, I lost him. Two climbs into lap two, I see a guy off his bike on a climb, bellowing encouragement to me. He mounted and I noticed he was on a single. Hell....where did he come from? I give chase, but he maintains a good lead. Maybe a mile later, he has his bike upside down on the side of the trail. I ask if he needs anything...he says no...and I take off, pretty sure I *really* have the lead this time. I dismounted for plenty of muddy climbs, nervous every time that I'd see one of those two hammering up behind me, but I maintained my gap. Shortly after I passed the lead man, I lost my chain, but I got it back on it a few seconds and got rolling again....maybe a 20 second ordeal in all. Note: tighten up that EBB before the next race.

So, I won, against some pretty solid competition. I think we are all in our early season condition...not quite where we'd like to be, and I know Gordon will likely hand me my arse next time, but it was nice to start the season off with a win. I felt pretty good throughout, despite the lack of early season saddle-time.

Next up...Hilbert #1. Fun will be had.

nuff said.

Wow...coming up on a year since my last post. Madness. Here's a quick update...

Knee hurts when I ride gears, so I am trying to refrain from doing that. Running has fixed it in years past, and I was doing a lot of that, but I gave myself Peroneal Tendonitis in the right foot with some forefoot running, but I am getting over that. Have found that forefoot running is the long-term answer to running comfortably though (despite the moderate tendonitis setback). Back to running and single speeding as much as possible.

Head coaching the big boy's baseball team this spring. We are the Astros, at long last, and the team is sponsored by Bike Factory. Its like a merging of all my passions...family, baseball and bikes. Madness. Should be fun. First game is Saturday. Same time as the little one's first T-Ball game. Bah.

First race this year will be BRS' Ride the Ridge. That promises to be a painful experience given my lack of training. 13 days out. I'm just trying to relax and have a good time and not stress about it too much. Fun will be had. Beer will be consumed.

And lastly, I have a major Ti fetish at the moment that I can't seem to shake. Must have Ti. SS Ti.

9er, out.