[Earthmover]

I had a great time, course was challenging, but my race run was clean. Broke my middle toe in morning practice! Wish my time was a little faster, but, I probably wouldn't have had a clean run then...I loved that finish line jump! Finally a sweet lip in a WIM race. Let's hear some stories, and see some pics.

 

[mplutodh1]

a sweet lip? sorry but race jumps usually dont have "lips"? haha just had to start the jump discussion again, hope everyone had a great time! bummed i couldnt make it but hey the money working was nice

 

[Ice Bullit]

Ya that course was really tough, it was loose dusty sand all the way down. The main line was rutted so staying upright was a real challenge but I managed to only fall once during my run. The last section was the hardest comming off the large decent, if you took the inside you felt a huge G-out but if you stuck to the outside you where fine. I hit it the best during my race run so I was pretty stoked about that.

This was my first time racing and I ended up with 3rd place (Beginer) so I am pretty happy with that. The first place guy was a total sandbagger, he was only off by 1 second from the 1st place sport leader.

Overall this was a great experience and I hope to make more races in the future, its great to see everyone out there - especially all the monkeys that I ran into while there.

 

[RhinofromWA]

Overall this was a great experience and I hope to make more races in the future, its great to see everyone out there - especially all the monkeys that I ran into while there.

Sorry I wasn't more talkative when I ran into you at Levanworth....I am nursing a sun burn on my head....and Rhino does not like the heat

Congrats on your medal!

I had a clean (slow) run. I never fell....but had a few moments where I almost endedup on my head. After the bunch of rock gardens there was a little kicker jump about halfway down....I sailed ov er that fine but the little rock garden after that just about did me in. I came into it pretty hot and beforeI knew what happened my rear wheel was out to one side and I was going sideways into the next rock section.....I looked up to see the course marshal and first aid guy steping back all the time feeling the wheel plowing through the sand. One quick swap to the other side and my bike straightened out as I hit the rocks. ALl I could do was laugh as I hear the guys giggle and chear me on. To funny.

I was total wuss this weekend...I didn't even do the finish jump that was pretty well built.... I just have some demons I need to work out. I did carve the easy out pretty well! : Actually I thought for my first time at speed I took the easy out pretty well.....fast, leaning thebike over and carving.

Oh well.....it gave the rest of the guys in my class another warm body to beat. It was fun to ride the course when it was dry like that because it is rare that we get stuff that loose and it is good experience. I was not passed though the guy behind me was about 10 seconds back at the finish. I was glad when I heard I hadn't help him up/back. I had a good time....

Now if my face would stop burning...... Damn sun

 

[oly]

Fun weekend....not without its problems, but whats new?

The race run had some new changes, but overall it was almost the same course. As always the lines changed the whole time, all the way up to race time. Some of the new lines were good, a few were close to cheating and at least got shut down. Cutting a corner after the tape is one thing, but going through 10 feet of 2 foot high brush is a little much. There had been some work done to the road gap that was pretty dangerous. The teeter-totter plank got removed by the end of the first day practice. The big part of the jump stayed put, but the low line was moving all around. It almost sent me OTB once. The rock gardens as usual didnt stay put. The only one that didnt get blown out was the one that could be jumped, and this year i could jump it!, last year i wasnt able too.... The dust was unbearable at times, but only in practice. I never had dust in my race, although the guy behind me said he was starting to come up to my dust cloud. He was the guy that got 2nd...off of first by .02 second! Now thats a close call.

Shuttle lines were real long becuase of the length of the road, They did have a bunch of trucks that were open... i managed to stay out of the "hot box" the whole weekend. The good thing about the shuttle was being dropped off above the start so we didnt have to climb the hill....although i did hike the hill a fair amount since sessioning sections was better than waiting another hour for a shuttle. It also took them a couple shuttle rounds to realize the need to controll the loading. The people mid line were getting screwed by guys jumping intrucks in the back of the line.

My race run was clean. I power slid a few times, and had a little trouble getting clipped in at the top, but i never went down. On the steep hill to G-out corner i almost slid down hill off the course, but managed to stay in the tape and powered into the finish jump. Yes! POWERING into a WIM finish jump. Thanks to whoever built that one. It was very well done. Maybe they can follow suit and do something better for the wenatchee finish jump. Last years was too short and stabby....... In the end my time was 2:05 and change putting me in 5th place. I was off 4th by less then 2 seconds.

So all was good, clean run, stoked to be in a place for podium, drinking beer in the beer garden,..... So heres where i get burned. During awards as my class is being called, im all ready to walk up and they call another name for 5th place.... WTF?? whats going on.... there was a change?> when did this happen?? There was alot of confusion since the posted times and names they called earlier didnt match. Then after going to check out the board i see the old list, 15 riders....last place a guy with a time of 2:43..... then at the end of all the other times was a new list with this same guy all the sudden moved into 3rd place with a time of 1:59... WHAA??? How did that happen? They didnt announce this guy having a second run, or that they had changed the times.... I know now you must re check the times...all of themn.... when they call for final posting..... BTW, i never heard them call that out either.....but oh well. Since i wasnt the only one pissed and confused we went to talk to gino. I asked wendy earlier and she said a guy got a second run becuase he got a flat at the start.... but he had finished his run?? thats bogus. she said we had to talk to gino because he made the call to allow it..... Well gino never know why this guy showed up with a note saying re-run. Seeing how he is real busy at the top, and the bottom side
had alot going on someone took advantage of a mis communication. He even eluded to that the the guy he knocked out of 3rd place..... Made the comment that he was pissed after his run and that someon asked if he wanted a 2nd run (not an official, maybe the transponder getter...). The guy said sure, and somehow got a note from someone who didnt exist,.....according to all the crew left after awards. So, after some heated words between gino and others they determined this guy never deserved a 2nd run. We got our medals we originally won, and they will be adjusting times accordingly. For me the points dont matter as much since i cannot go to the final, but for the others who are doing real well and planning on Idaho it makes a real difference.

Lastly.... this thing about the flat and re-run just bugged me...... If you have a flat in the start line before your actually started, you stop and dont do you run, ask for another run later and get a ride to the bottom to repair your mechanical. Even if you flatted in the first few yards of the course you hike back up and let them know you had this problem...and see if gino will allow another shot....but if you have problems after you really get going its fair game. Who knows when this guy reallY got the flat? I dont see how he could have really run from the TOP with a flat and still make a time of 2:43 and have a rim intact. Im just glad i said something. I almost went home pissed off about the whole thing. It was good that we confronted gino and found out that there was some abuse of the system. I hope this keeps the guy off podiums if he makes it to idaho...and who knows, maybe hes a lurker. It just wasnt right man.

Cant wait to see what goes down at wenatchee.......

 

[ummbikes]

Shesh, line cutters should be flogged! They must have been the same bunch who were cutting at the $1 beer line at the Tacoma Rainiers game last week. So you ended up with a podium Oly?

 

[oly]

I didnt get on the podium in front of everyone, but i did get my medal and points.

 

[MUTOLI]

Good to here you got some answers Oly.....That sucked! The Mutoli's had a great weekend...as we both won! I am sooo happy that I was able to do both the drop/jumps on the course...last Tuesday was my first drop ever so the fact that I hit all of them on a race course was pretty cool! I didn't have a steller race run, I had a few bobbles....I did try to make up some time on the last steep stretch coming down the mountain....and I hit the last jump at the bottom better than any of my practice runs...Just a little more speed and I would had backside.....but I am totaly happy with they way I did. I was really suprized when Mike announced that both Mutoli's took 1st....I thought maybe I just took first in my age group...when I actually took 1st out of all the sport women....which is pretty great since there are some fantastic riders in my class! All in all it was a fantastic weekend...good times camping and hanging out with friends and riding bikes...even though the course was very challenging in spots....See you all at Wenatchee! ~J

 

[RhinofromWA]

Shesh, line cutters should be flogged! They must have been the same bunch who were cutting at the $1 beer line at the Tacoma Rainiers game last week. So you ended up with a podium Oly?

You would have loved to see Chainwhip modifiying the course then....



He broke the tape by accident and was going to leave it......but it was right where that BIG cheater line was so we all gave him a bad time and coached him into tieing it back up. lol All this as the race was going and we were watching the experts rip down teh upper section.

Oly, Glad you got your medal....Jessah and I left jsut before you were going up.....I was toasted from teh sun and we were ready to head back...ended up stopping for eats in Wenatchee (didn't find something decent for my Vegi Fiance) and went on to Levanworth (where I ran into Ice bullit) so as far as getting over the mountians.....we weren't any farther ahead than the people who waited thru all the awards. Glad you got your medal though.

Rhino

 

[PsychO!1]

....Even if you flatted in the first few yards of the course you hike back up and let them know you had this problem..........

I think even that is being too generous....IMO, once Gino says 3,2,1, GO!!! Your race run starts and there ain't no turning back.

That's racing.

 

[MUTOLI]

I didnt get on the podium in front of everyone, but i did get my medal and points.

so what place did you end up with?

 

[oly]

I think even that is being too generous....IMO, once Gino says 3,2,1, GO!!! Your race run starts and there ain't no turning back.

That's racing.

Exactly, If your sitting on your bike when you got called and the tire is flat.... or even in the first few feet you notice it, then maybe its cool, but once your out of site of Gino your well enough in your run.

 

[oly]

so what place did you end up with?

I got the green.....5th.

 

[RhinofromWA]

Anyone heard from Sebring MG? He had a light case of heat stroke jsut from driving his car around on Sat....he looked to be OK on Sunday but was throwing up thru practice on Sat.

Hope he made it home alright.

 

[Skookum]

I didnt get on the podium in front of everyone, but i did get my medal and points.

That's better than a kick in the junk!

I actually took 1st out of all the sport women....which is pretty great since there are some fantastic riders in my class! ~J

I knew you were gonna do good when you passed me outta N.W. Timber trail on Tiger.

 

[SebringMGB]

My weekend was alright. saturday wasnt the best as rhino mentioned, but i think i slept through the worst of it. That course was something else took my usual dumb avoidable kack (although, i chrash so fequently, im getting good at going down poping up and riding off quick) cleanish run otherwise. got hung up on the first rutted right hander. got going to slow to lean it over, and ended up steering to the outside of the turn into the side of the rut all the way through to stay up. then ran good untill i chrashed somehow, somewhere in the middle, right before the short flat doubble-track section. then hauled arse through the rest, went down the steep hill at the end fingers off the brakes.... but i ended up leaning so far back, when i hit the g-out and the bottom, my ass hit the tire and sucked me up against the seat (smashing my bladder).... but that slowed me nicely for the turn went right to the porta-potty right after my run to make sure my piss was the right colour. and it was. i think i finished 11th, dont remeber what my time was, I took this one Budman! :evil:
I made it all they way home fine. I started feeling way too hot again after the race waiting for times, so as soon as the times posted, i got the hell outta there, stocked up on 5L of gatorade and a bag of ice. i put on a hat soaked with water from the gas station about 30 mins into the trip, as my mellon felt like it was getting cooked.
Good weekend, nice seeing the pac-nw monkeys out. Thanks to the people who helped me with finding lines, after only one practice run, i wasnt caught off gaurd by anything. Be back for more July 10-11!

 

[evilbob]

Evil Me played it safe and stayed off my head in the corners, had fun on the jumps and got 4th for my effort. The last jump this year is a keeper for next year. I spoke with Stacy after the race and R&R entends to have this race a month earlier next year so there will be some moisture still left in the ground. So with the possibility of some real traction next year and a fun course I will be back again next year for Chelan. :evil: :evil: :evil:

 

[oly]

Evil Me played it safe and stayed off my head in the corners, had fun on the jumps and got 4th for my effort. The last jump this year is a keeper for next year. I spoke with Stacy after the race and R&R entends to have this race a month earlier next year so there will be some moisture still left in the ground. So with the possibility of some real traction next year and a fun course I will be back again next year for Chelan. :evil: :evil: :evil:

Congrats EB.....
I liked the finish jump...... (attached pic is from Pauls camera i believe)

We need a bunch of people to e-mail wim to request a decent finish line jump and the removal, or avoidance of the spool jump at wenatchee......

 

[RhinofromWA]

Congrats EB.....
I liked the finish jump...... (attached pic is from Pauls camera i believe)

We need a bunch of people to e-mail wim to request a decent finish line jump and the removal, or avoidance of the spool jump at wenatchee......

Haha Spool jump! I loved it 2 years ago...it was dug into the ground....last year it was ontop of it. te take off was like a foot lower 2 years ago so it sailed you out instead of UP like last year.

The spool should be lowered or make the ramp longer to ease the angle it is hit at.....saw a bunch of people kiss the ground after that one last year.

Instead of dirt how hard it is to use reinforced plywood ramps inplace of some of those kickers(logs they roll out) every year? Reusabel ramps jsut to spice things up.

Make sure that Picnic table is there! Serious. Squilchucker = Picnic table.

Rhino

 

[evilbob]

Congrats EB.....
I liked the finish jump...... (attached pic is from Pauls camera i believe)

We need a bunch of people to e-mail wim to request a decent finish line jump and the removal, or avoidance of the spool jump at wenatchee......

Nice pic.....that jump was nice. If WIM allows more jumps and drops like that they will get a boost in regular attendence I believe.

As for the "Spool O Death" It can go or better yet be setup as the horned one mentioned. I also agree the picnic tables must stay. Last year I enjoyed listening to everyone bitch and moan about how stupid the picnic tables are on a DH race course. What I enjoyed even more than that was seeing just how many upper level riders (who were Bitching and moaning) blew up right there on those tables. Hehehehe, let the bitching begin. :eviltongu :eviltongu :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:

 

[knucklebutt]

Was looking at one of the BMX forums and someone posted this link:

www.golakechelan.com/!2004/June/BikeFest/

A few pics for those who went.

 

[oly]

thanks for the link. I found myself in a pic....

Im on the right with the k2 logo on the shoulder.....

also check this guys site.... www.richarduhlhorn.com . He was the guy at the finishline in red with the big ole lense. I kept his buiz card but havent looked at his site...... he said theyd be up in a few days,.,,,,

 

[Ice Bullit]

Here are some pictures that I got while there:

Me doing finish jump weeeeeee

 

[Ice Bullit]

Last corner:

 

[Ice Bullit]

Steep section leading into final corner:

 

[WSU DH'er]

Re-run because of a flat... thats retarted... I got a flat somewhere near the top of my run but I kept riding on it... didn't even take the time to figure out what had happened. Then bout half way down my tube got wraped up in my cassette... now no gears and a flat... did I stop.. NO and I hit the finish line jump with all that I still took 5th in beginner and 1st in coliegent c. forget re-runs just ride on or bag it.

 

[Earthmover]

Was that you who took off your helmet before exiting the taped finish area? Props to hitting the finish jump on a flat...that was sweet!

 

[WSU DH'er]

i don't remeber if i took off my helmet or not... but i would be the wsu rider that was swearing through the last half of the course.

 

[ggrubb]

BTW...... about 2.5 hours of video footage from practice and races........

still going through it.

 

[Earthmover]

Cool...look for #306, green flame jersey! (I seem to be invisible to film, though)

 

[oly]

Ice, heres a pic of you on da podium!

 

[Ice Bullit]

Where did you find that oly?

 

[oly]

Where did you find that oly?

In my camera!
It was one of the 5 pictures i took all weekend.....

 

[WSU DH'er]

and me too!... go cougs

 

[ggrubb]

Some editing still to to do. And still waiting for the release for the music.
Here is the cover for the DVD. Hopefully ready for Wenachee.

 

[SebringMGB]

Do you sell these videos you make of the races? i keep seeing your clips on here, but never hear of them being for sale......................

 

[ggrubb]

That is the plan. I was selling them at the Chelan race, but ran out pretty quick. I will have more at Wenachee. I have 10 more copies of the Winthrop race now. I can have more printed up if there is enought interest. I really need to get a webpage up.

Right now I am trying to finish up editing on the Chelan race and waiting for the music use to be legal. I will try to get a teaser up today or tomorrow.

There is footage of a nasty wreck just before the road "gap" of sombody that looked alot like SebringMGB, bike flinging off into the bushes.

 

[SebringMGB]

well, if you had a video camera, and you got me on film, chances are pretty good it was me taking some sort of fall. im really good at saving all my crash work for the race.

 

[ggrubb]

I sampled the soil and went back of seconds (thirds and fourths) during my race run. Crash13 did alot of the taping and was kind enough catch some of those moments in history for all to enjoy.

 

[Bullitrider]

Ok so I'm late with my 2 cents but here goes. I had a blast riding the course all weekend. The only thing that bugged me was the straight cheater line that appeared in the first "S" turn. WTF? I guess it says something to get as many practice runs in as possible. Oh yeah what about the domestic violence disturbance Saturday night? That was creepy but kinda funny in a white trash "Cops" episode kinda way. That dude was one loud curse-word away from having three tired bikers coming over to kick his drunk ass.