downhill race!

Before I agreed to work trail crew this summer, I told Andy (my boss) that it would mean a lot to have the day off for the downhill race planned for the end of the season.  As it was, I had to work for Targhee's first ever downhill race, but it was pretty relaxed and Andy let me get my race runs in (thanks!).

The downhill course starts at the top of our advanced trail, Buffalo Drop, where the expert riders have the option of hitting the "big" drop on the mountain--a 6 to 15 foot drop depending on how you hit it.  The landing is great, and there's no gap to clear, so it's a pretty safe drop, I've been hitting it all year, even on the hard tail once.  Buffalo drop ends at a mid-mountain junction of all the trails.  It used to continue, but the lower section was and remains closed by the forest service due to nothing in particular except a power grabbing forest representative.  Technically it's a drainage, but there's no water (ever) and the trail surface is rock (most durable surface out there).  So at the juncture you hop on the lower section of Sticks 'n Stones, about half of which we built this season.  The lower section is very rocky, has some great off camber rocky sections, good slow technical spots, some fun gaps, and finishes with a fast jumpy section.  It's a great trail.  Then you have about a mile of fast drifty road to crank out before you hit the finish.

My hands have been hurting, and I tried to take it easy as best I could before the race.  They didn't feel great but were good enough to hold on.  I took a pre-race run for course inspection after practice was done, and i was riding well even with 30 pounds on my back.  

I intended to set a solid first run without crashing.  Ride the way I always do, pedal when I can and be smooth.  Buffalo drop was smooth.  I started losing my front tire coming into the drop (never come in so fast or had such a loose entrance), but managed to get the bike under me before I went off.  On Sticks I dropped my chain a couple of times, but recovered without losing more than a couple of pedal strokes.  Kept it together, pounded out the road as best I could, finished, and lay down.  On the loudspeaker Andy announced the fastest time so far-- 7:19.

My fastest time held up through all the first laps in my category.  Ed posted a faster time in his category (older) and really good bicycle designer Lance Canfield posted a 7:10 in his category which would remain as the fastest time of the day.  My second run was not so good.  I blew one corner and dropped a chain in a major way (I really need a chainguide to race...).  I posted a 7:25, and was edged to third by a 7:15 and a 7:10.  It's my best result ever, and I'm stoked just to have avoided crashing.  I'm historically quite bad at not crashing in dh races, but managed two crash free runs!  I got a summer season pass for my efforts.