The Chalk Creek Stampede, second stop in the Mountain States Cup Regional Championship Series, was held this past weekend in Nathrop, CO and it was a double header for both Gravity and XC riders: Dual Slalom and Cross Country on Saturday and Mountain Cross and Short Track XC on Sunday. Let's just say this: it was RETARDED amounts of fun!
The highlight of the weekend for me was the dual salmon for SURE... DS is what got me started into racing, and every chance I get to run gates and flags I'm all for it. DS racing can be as simple as some flags in the grass, or as elaborate as the track that we built for Chalk Creek: HUGE start deck made from railroad ties and 3/4" plywood and a totally pro gate from the boys at the Yeti Factory, rockets you down to a gentle roller then blast into a blue-grooved 90-degree left. Straighten 'er out at the last second and then hit the two tight doubles land in the rock-hard berm already railing. Hook a little roller, crank three times and then rocket into the Pit: a triple-step-down feature of pure joy. Jump from the edge to one of the steps, or manual the whole thing.
Rail a HARD 90-degree left. Manual or roll through the twin rollers, hook onto the table and pedal your arse off! Next up is the most difficult turn on the track: a TIIIIIIIIIGGGGHT 180 degree right: blue grooved and fast on the outside, a true test of braking and cornering on the inside. Pump tracks don't have turns this tight!
Pedal, glide and lean through a couple of flat corners, just clipping the gates with your shoulders, then stick the rutted as all get out left into a small double that a lot rolled, some manualled and very few jumped. Hammer a soft flat right hander and then crank 'er straight towards the triple rollers and just do what you like: pump all three, hook-in-double-out, double-in-hook-out, triple-manual or for the skilled blast the entire triple. Sneak in a couple cranks on the flat, hit the finish at the base of a table top and style it out old-school.
Here's a few shots from the DS that my roommate took... they turned out super nice! I really like the shot of Mojo Wheels' Bobby (green bike yellow wheels) jumping those doubles, and the pic of Ross Milan (Factory Yeti kit on the turquoise and yellow Yeti DJ) hovering that roller coming out of the berm is SIIIIIIICCCCCCK! Look how he's full-on pre-jumping over that roller coming out of the berm! Also, check out some more action at http://LeeLikesBikes.com/ for more pictures and a full write-up of the event... rock!
The highlight of the weekend for me was the dual salmon for SURE... DS is what got me started into racing, and every chance I get to run gates and flags I'm all for it. DS racing can be as simple as some flags in the grass, or as elaborate as the track that we built for Chalk Creek: HUGE start deck made from railroad ties and 3/4" plywood and a totally pro gate from the boys at the Yeti Factory, rockets you down to a gentle roller then blast into a blue-grooved 90-degree left. Straighten 'er out at the last second and then hit the two tight doubles land in the rock-hard berm already railing. Hook a little roller, crank three times and then rocket into the Pit: a triple-step-down feature of pure joy. Jump from the edge to one of the steps, or manual the whole thing.
Rail a HARD 90-degree left. Manual or roll through the twin rollers, hook onto the table and pedal your arse off! Next up is the most difficult turn on the track: a TIIIIIIIIIGGGGHT 180 degree right: blue grooved and fast on the outside, a true test of braking and cornering on the inside. Pump tracks don't have turns this tight!
Pedal, glide and lean through a couple of flat corners, just clipping the gates with your shoulders, then stick the rutted as all get out left into a small double that a lot rolled, some manualled and very few jumped. Hammer a soft flat right hander and then crank 'er straight towards the triple rollers and just do what you like: pump all three, hook-in-double-out, double-in-hook-out, triple-manual or for the skilled blast the entire triple. Sneak in a couple cranks on the flat, hit the finish at the base of a table top and style it out old-school.
Here's a few shots from the DS that my roommate took... they turned out super nice! I really like the shot of Mojo Wheels' Bobby (green bike yellow wheels) jumping those doubles, and the pic of Ross Milan (Factory Yeti kit on the turquoise and yellow Yeti DJ) hovering that roller coming out of the berm is SIIIIIIICCCCCCK! Look how he's full-on pre-jumping over that roller coming out of the berm! Also, check out some more action at http://LeeLikesBikes.com/ for more pictures and a full write-up of the event... rock!
Toan said:
