[ghostrider]

So, which Monkies will be there? I finally got my team drama sorted, we are doing the 4-person men's veteran. We are team Numbnuts. If there are other Monkies going, stop by our campsite, and identify yourself for a free beer. We are in sites 212-214.

 

[-BB-]

Originally posted by ghostrider
So, which Monkies will be there? I finally got my team drama sorted, we are doing the 4-person men's veteran. We are team Numbnuts. If there are other Monkies going, stop by our campsite, and identify yourself for a free beer. We are in sites 212-214.

When is the race?

 

[ghostrider]

This weekend. www.grannygear.com

 

[Captain Cogset]

Originally posted by ghostrider
So, which Monkies will be there? I finally got my team drama sorted, we are doing the 4-person men's veteran. We are team Numbnuts. If there are other Monkies going, stop by our campsite, and identify yourself for a free beer. We are in sites 212-214.

Heidi and I will be there as spectators. Be sure to save 2 beers for us.

 

[ghostrider]

Originally posted by Captain Cogset
Heidi and I will be there as spectators. Be sure to save 2 beers for us.

Done.

 

[Heidi]

Originally posted by ghostrider
Done.

Woohoo!!

 

[BrickTop]

Originally posted by ghostrider
So, which Monkies will be there? I finally got my team drama sorted, we are doing the 4-person men's veteran. We are team Numbnuts. If there are other Monkies going, stop by our campsite, and identify yourself for a free beer. We are in sites 212-214.

I'll be there - in site #112. I'm racing men's solo.....

 

[Heidi]

Originally posted by BrickTop
I'll be there - in site #112. I'm racing men's solo.....

You should change that to women's solo.

 

[BrickTop]

Originally posted by Heidi
You should change that to women's solo.

You should change to campsite #111.:angry:

 

[Heidi]

Originally posted by BrickTop
You should change to campsite #111.:angry:

Why, will they have more beer for me?

 

[BrickTop]

Originally posted by Heidi
Why, will they have more beer for me?

Most likely. Currently we have designated zero beers for you in campsite #112 based on your poor team attitude and questionable hygiene.

 

[ghostrider]

Here's a link somebody sent me regarding the course. Sweet. Ethical Question: If somebody crashes in front of me should I stop or just run their ass over??

http://www.mybikesite.com/socal/messages/messages/88036.htm

 

[Heidi]

Dammit Ghostrider. They switched the campsite assignments around - I was in #215. I couldn't remember what your team name was so I couldn't find you guys. I do remember seeing your big sign Numbnuts though - hilarious

Brutal course - I rode two laps in the AM before the race started and it was pretty tough!

 

[Echo]

LOL, you were neighbors

 

[Heidi]

Originally posted by Echo
LOL, you were neighbors

No, they switched up the campsites at the last minute.

 

[ghostrider]

I'll have a full report soon. Quick summary:
We finished 6th out of 17 teams in Men's Vet. 25th overall (98 teams). We completed 19 laps total. The course was pretty brutal, we had crashes, bodily harm, and worse, bike harm. If I can judge the amount of fun I had by how tired and sore I am today, I'd say we had a good time.

More to come...

Heidi, how could you forget "Numbnuts" - especially after you saw the sign????

 

[Heidi]

Originally posted by ghostrider

Heidi, how could you forget "Numbnuts" - especially after you saw the sign????

I'll blame that on beer.

 

[Echo]

Did you finally kill off the Bullit so you can get your Blur? :devil:

 

[El Jefe]

Congrats to BrickTop who finished 5th in the men's solo competition!!!!!

I tried to provide some motivation. I hope it worked.

 

[Softy]

OMG Jefe I would ride like the wind from your version of running man. That was quality motivation.

I hope lots of Monkeys goto Idyllwild. You guys look like you had fun.

 

[ghostrider]

Finally, my race report:

Pre-ride: I decided to go for a slow pre-ride to check things out after hearing everybody's horror stories about the course. I was a bit surprised about the downhill sections. They reminded me of something Edmund Hillary said about the Hillary Step on Everest - a fun challenge for an afternoon at the local climbing club; damn near impossible at 28,000 feet. Same is true for the downhills here, a fun challenge for an afternoon trail ride; very difficult at night, while racing, after 1000 bikes go through. The problem I was concerned about was traffic. Many were rutted, with only one line, and once you started, you were committed. Later this proved even worse, because all the brake dragging along with people walking down made it nothing more than a sandy rut to drop your wheels in and then just try to stay upright to the bottom. Anyway, that and the steep climbs, I knew we were all in for a good challenge. Luckily none of the climbs were too long. Much of the singletrack is perfect, roller coaster style, what I live for on my bike.

Lap one 3:35 PM: My first lap was fun, I set a reasonable time, and had no major mishaps other than feeling a bit more tired than I had expected. (Not helped by the fact that I decided to bring the family including our 14-month old daughter. I got about 3 hours of sleep Friday night as a result). 1:11 lap time.

Lap two 8:30 PM: First night lap. Trying to ride a fast pace, multiple close calls on the 'xxx' downhills, mostly due to visibility - there was always a dust haze in the air making it hard to tell if you were riding on hard ground or soft sand. I successfully negotiated all of the 'xxx' sections and was home free in the "Tunnel of Love", catching some dude, when all of the sudden my bike squirted out from under me at high speed and I went head first into the trees. I absorbed the entire impact on my left shin and right testicle. I jumped up and continued riding in considerable discomfort. When I got back to the tent, some lady pointed at my leg stating something like "that hurts me just to look at". My shin looked like somebody put a baseball under the skin, with blood oozing out the top. Luckily it looked worse than it was, but even still, I was considering an early retirement, considering I still had more laps to go in the dark. Meanwhile, all of the other guys had some crashes as well, one of them folding over his front wheel beyond recognition. Not looking good for Team Numbnuts. Lap time 1:17.

Lap three 1:52 AM: Not sure if it was the time of night, or the fact that I was riding tentatively given my gross-looking shin, but I was riding like a great idiot on this lap. I crashed again, this time off the edge of one of the ridgelines. I landed in a pile of flowers, quite comfortable, and I considered just sleeping there. I walked stuff that I had no business walking. The only thing of note was a quick conversation while pushing up "Burning Calves":
Me, to random fellow racer slogging up a hell climb in the dark: "Why does my bike feel like it weighs 80 pounds?"
Random fellow: "Is that a Bullit?"
Me: "Yes."
Fellow: "That would be why."
Smartass. Lap time a disappointing 1:28.

Lap four 7:25 AM: Daylight! The course is transformed from the beast of the night to a fun, perfectly rideable trail. No issues on this lap except I exploded a Power Gel on my left shifter/brake lever. It looked like I...well, it looked like I was having a very fun lap. It also glued my finger to my brake lever, which was a bigger issue than you would think. Taking it easy on the climbs (in case there was a lap 5) the lap time was 1:18.

That ended up being my last. We finished 19 total, sixth place. Overall, it was a big challenge and I was probably more tired driving home than I had been in years, and the next day, pretty much everything hurt. Given that is why we do this, I think worked out well. I really like the team aspect and camaraderie of the relay format, and am looking forward to some more, forgetting my middle of the night vows never to do this again. My hat is off to BrickTop and the soloists, who really achieved something by racing 24 on this course. Finally, I've attached our famous camp poster. We heard quite a few really funny questions coming from 4-year-old girls as they walked by with mommy and daddy.