Wednesday night series opener

Wow!

Last nights race was a tough one.

I moved back up to the expert category this season as it seems a better fit for me.

These are the fast guys.  Birds hill park has some of the best most technically challenging singletrack in the province.  Don’t believe me, ask any seasoned rider where they’ve folded more front wheels or shoulder checked more trees.

At the start tone it was self proclaimed pro skateboarder Leonard getting the whole shot.  He was moving.  I looked left of me and noticed nobody was filling the gap behind him …I moved in.  By the sand hill he and I had already gapped the pack a bit (so much for pacing myself).  just as we turned up to leave the staging area A branch reached out and grabbed a firm hold of my helmet.  Twisting my head and my glasses around what seemed to be 360 degrees I was able to stay upright but now had a sideways helmet and glasses half off my face, Len was not slowing.  I continued to ride like this for the trip down the doubletrack (hope someone got a picture).

Somehow I got past Len and found myself in first, I backed right off.  Not the race I had in mind.  I heard a call to pass on Len, then on me, It was Dylan..  I tried to sit in with Dylan, watched my heart rate ramp and shut it down, good god man.  Luc caught me and passed, I was able to hold on this time.

From somewhere  Hal showed up.  Perhaps a void in the space time continuum.  Singlespeed 29er.

Hal has POWER.  After he passed me and Luc, we sat in his draft.  Thanks Hal.

We sat in his draft for the next two laps.  For those who don,t know, I am riding a new bike this year. Trek top fuel 9.9 ssl this thing is insane.  I can honestly say that in the twisties I was able to back right off and conserve a bit of energy allowing my hr to drop a couple of beats and at this level that’s a lot.

Steve “The Viking” came from mid pack to close within 5-10 seconds of us, unfortunately even his ridiculous wattage wasn’t able to compete with three riders working the straight sections together.  I for one am glad

With Dylan off he front picking blueberries, It was down to us three for 2nd through 4th.  I was sure I had saved enough to win the impending sprint. I was wrong.

Luc got ahead of  Hal on the section before the carousel, I sat in.  Luc started to ramp up, I sat in.  Over the final hill by the parking lot shelter Luc was about ten feet up from Hal and I.  Go time.  I dropped three gears and stood up.Hal has no gears, he stood up. Hal beat me by a wheel……a wheel!

Fourth place.

My first race back in Expert I am not complaining at all. Thank you again to Karin, Kevin, and Jane for a very well organized first event.  Not easy to do.

See you at the Beach!

Dave.