[Zark]

This past weekend was the first event at Vail Lake, the Hillbilly Bike Bash.
I took off at 6:15am Sat morning and made the 3.25 hour drive to lovely Temecula, CA, packed to the gills with race and camping gear.

Venue:
Vail Lake is pretty cool! They've got a ton of campsites, a huge private lake, waterslides, and RC car track and a ton of trails. Whats not to like?

Track:
The DH track was in a word "loose". Really loose sand and silt with random loose rocks. The course was 100 gravity driven, none of the usual flat pedaling section stuff. Parts were quite steep. There were a couple wooden drops and a double near the finish. Pretty cool track and had a neat flow.

Pits:
Moongoose, Turner, Intense, THE, Division 26, Yeti and more all had booths. There was a great industry turnout fersure

People:
This is what I love about our sport, the coolest folks around! Met a ton of folks and saw more old friends. Finally got to meet the man behind the kinematics, DW was there kicken back some cool ones and watching the show.

Antics:
The hillbilly games on Sat night were freakin hilarious! Toilet seat horseshoes, bobbing for pigsfeet and tire racing. Miranda was commentating over the PA, making nicknames for folks in the competition. If you didn't camp out, you missed out!

Race day:
It rained a little overnight and morning practice had me pretty excited about some extra grip in the silt, but it dried pretty quick. Still, the lines had burned in pretty good over practice and it was time to rail. Strong, cold winds made the wait up top very chilly. My run was a mix of good and bad. I had the upper course pretty dialed and I was off the brakes, but two really sandy turns caugt me off guard and might have cost me some time.

Results:
Well, there were some issues with the timing After waiting around for a while EC said it was gonna be another hour to get something, so I decided to head out for my 3 hour drive home. Turns out the problem was more extensive and he's still trying to get it sorted.

Opinion:
They need more events like this, it was a freaken blast. Major props to EC and everyone who helped put this event on.

 

[bradking192]

Does anyone know when they will be posting results?

 

[Ian Collins]

when is the next one?!?!? I wanted to go but had to work....? Hopefully more will follow. So cal misses the race scene....

 

[kidwoo]

Sweet pictures.

 

[Zark]

Sweet pictures.

You wouldn't want to waste the eyestrain of any photo I'd take
Check out this thread for pics and video
http://www.socaltrailriders.org/forum/trail-talk/25316-vail-lake-dh-race-november-8th.html

EC said he's working hard on final results and something should be up on pcamtb.com as soon as he does.

 

[sriracha]

Finally got to meet the man behind the kinematics, DW was there kicken back some cool ones and watching the show.

what kind of beer was teh DW drinking?

PBR?
40 of ole E?
or some kind of oatmeal stout nut brown vanilla blueberry-bitter frothy deal?

 

[PatBranch]

^ 32oz Highlife?

From the pics, that course looks really fun.

 

[Shyrmp]

Nice write up Noah!

It was great seeing you this weekend, next up Fontucky?

Wasn't sure if you got to see the video Orven got of you, so I'll post it up here.



I'll see if I can do a little more spectating and photo taking and a little less sitting around at Fontana.

 

[Zark]

Thanks Heather!
Yeah, saw the vid. Pretty good quality out of that helmet cam too!
You are super preggers! Take it easy on the pics at Fontucky, can't have you going into labor on the mountain

what kind of beer was teh DW drinking?

DW had a Tecate in hand I believe, he was saying something about computer modeling of the inebriation curve, but he was inturrupted midsentence by a flying cow tounge
Like I said, if you didn't stick around for the hillbilly games Sat night, you missed out!

 

[cheetaprowlerDH]

when is the next one?!?!? I wanted to go but had to work....? Hopefully more will follow. So cal misses the race scene....

amen
i'd better have a bike by then!

 

[Alloy]

Great review Zark! My thoughts exactly. This race was awesome. It was a great venue, great attitudes. Carter did a excellent job of managing and keeping everything in order. He also put some doubles on the DH track! It's about time someone brought back jumps in downhill.

...I heard there's already ideas for a live timing system floating around. Non the less things are getting better for racing. I had a great time last weekend, I'm sure everyone else who attended did too!

Not to mention this was also the first California DH race since Big Bear where skinny tires didn't have an advantage! If that doesn't say something I don't know what does.

 

[Fonzie18]

Def. a good time!!

 

[DHS]

Nice write up Noah!

It was great seeing you this weekend, next up Fontucky?

Wasn't sure if you got to see the video Orven got of you, so I'll post it up here.



I'll see if I can do a little more spectating and photo taking and a little less sitting around at Fontana.

awesome video heather

 

[offtheedge]

Cool video and great to have something new in SoCal. Thanks to all involved

 

[Mike Buell]

Looks Fun, on the list of places to go!

 

[BC VAN]

WOW, thanks so much for all the understanding and kind words,


want to address timing, we screwed up, and we apologize for it, we were assured that the timing system that we rented would be top notch, and it is but the guy that was hired by the company to run it didn't have a complete understanding of the system.... i place no blame on the company or the guy hired to time it though....

we didn't take the time to run a back up system or a test the day before and we should have done both.... we didn't realize how screwed up everything was and how far in over his head the system operator was until the results were finished.


I can tell you all that i still had a blast....I'm exhausted but i had fun, to see everyone so stoked about riding DH bikes in So Cal makes it all worth it.

Thanks to everyone who came out to our first event, if you realize it or not you guys made a long time dream of mine possible! we are still decompressing from this past weekend but plans are in the works for more events for sure.....i can tell you they wont be during the Fontana winter series...

it isn't fair to the riders to have them have to make a choice of events and doing it off weekends would make riders have to race 12 weekends in a row....

also it isn't fair to Donnie and the whole SRC crew who have done a great job of holding events for us in So Cal.....

look for stuff during the spring and fall.

and for sure there will be a 2nd annual HillBilly bike bash!

thanks again,

E.C.

 

[bradking192]

So will you guys be able to get the timing situation sorted out and post them or is it just too bad that you cant?

 

[Acadian]

Nice write up Noah!

It was great seeing you this weekend, next up Fontucky?

Wasn't sure if you got to see the video Orven got of you, so I'll post it up here.



I'll see if I can do a little more spectating and photo taking and a little less sitting around at Fontana.

one of the few helmet cam footage that I've been a able to watch (and enjoy) from start to finish...good job!!

 

[BC VAN]

So will you guys be able to get the timing situation sorted out and post them or is it just too bad that you cant?

we should have the times and results by Wednesday late afternoon....there is a running tape that has all the info on it but it takes a while to hand calculate it.....the guy running the system for us didn't want to do it,so we had to have someone else do the calculations from the tape.

 

[bradking192]

we should have the times and results by Wednesday late afternoon....there is a running tape that has all the info on it but it takes a while to hand calculate it.....the guy running the system for us didn't want to do it,so we had to have someone else do the calculations from the tape.

okay sounds good.

 

[Alloy]

I know you don't want to step on Donny's toes, but have you considered doing an alternate race schedule for the winter series with Southridge? You guys both have good venues, adding a little variety to the series could be a good thing for the racers.

...You may even attract more people in the long run. As you know there's tons of riders out there who don't race southridge because of the wall. Vail lake would be great for those who don't have time to train sprints. Riders who do want to pedal still have the Super D.

(Which reminds me, seeing that jump trail got me thinking... you could pretty much create the best Super D race of all time. Part DH, part cross country, and part mountain cross. How rad would that be!!!)

Anyways Vail lake is a cool place. We need more races there much sooner then next spring.

If anyone agrees with me post up!

 

[cheetaprowlerDH]

^^definitley, more races would be SO sick!

EC, was the owner of Vail at all impressed with the turnout? it looked like there was alot of people there! especially for a race that was pretty dang spontaneous!

and how is the process to get out there and help build trails? would i have to pay a gate fee still?
damn i ws there was a bus route from here to there! haha

 

[BC VAN]

I know you don't want to step on Donny's toes, but have you considered doing an alternate race schedule for the winter series with Southridge? You guys both have good venues, adding a little variety to the series could be a good thing for the racers.

...You may even attract more people in the long run. As you know there's tons of riders out there who don't race southridge because of the wall. Vail lake would be great for those who don't have time to train sprints. Riders who do want to pedal still have the Super D.

(Which reminds me, seeing that jump trail got me thinking... you could pretty much create the best Super D race of all time. Part DH, part cross country, and part mountain cross. How rad would that be!!!)

Anyways Vail lake is a cool place. We need more races there much sooner then next spring.

If anyone agrees with me post up!

There are a number of issues as to why we don't want something before spring.....

1st the consumer....even if a bunch of guys come on here and say they want to go back to back weekends..the reality is 99% of the racers have real jobs and lifes away from the racing....in the end they will make a decision with either Fontana and or Vail Lake...we don't want people to have to do that.

2nd respect for Donnie's series....see above.

3rd trails....the next time riders come out to the resort we want there to be a vast improvement to the trail network as far as quality and quantity....we want riders to come out and be able to practice and race the race course as well as ride the other trails, if we spend the winter focused on trail network instead of events everyone will benefit in the end.

its our goal to co exist with other race venues and series so the so cal racers benefit.

we still would like to see people post thoughts and interest as we can provide a better experience for everyone with info.

thanks for the jump line thoughts, we are already planning it as part of a Super D as well as a stand alone jump line race.

 

[BC VAN]

^^definitley, more races would be SO sick!

EC, was the owner of Vail at all impressed with the turnout? it looked like there was alot of people there! especially for a race that was pretty dang spontaneous!

and how is the process to get out there and help build trails? would i have to pay a gate fee still?
damn i ws there was a bus route from here to there! haha

The Johnson family was very excited and impressed...any of you who were out there this weekend, thanks...you guys did so much for the momentum of the park with the owners seeing the turn out and smiles on everyone's faces.

now that we have contact info through sign ups we can send out info on scheduled trail build days much easier.....there will be no cost associated with the work days.

 

[bullcrew]

...You may even attract more people in the long run. As you know there's tons of riders out there who don't race southridge because of the wall. Vail lake would be great for those who don't have time to train sprints. Riders who do want to pedal still have the Super D.

If anyone agrees with me post up!

I am 50/50 on the wall! LMAO I hate it if I have to pedal so I usually coast and sit!
So pedal = I hate it
coast it = sit back and cruise!

 

[dw]

Hey Noah,

It was great to meet you in person, and EC, great work my man! You really killed it and I am psyched that I had the chance to get out there for it. I'll be back out that way in a few weeks, can't wait to ride.

Dave

 

[Jeremy R]

That vid was cool, and the course looked like a ton of fun.
I am glad that So Cal is getting more races now.

But man o' man, how big of a pain in the ass is it to tape off an entire DH course without trees? Ha, I bet that took all day.

 

[BC VAN]

That vid was cool, and the course looked like a ton of fun.
I am glad that So Cal is getting more races now.

But man o' man, how big of a pain in the ass is it to tape off an entire DH course without trees? Ha, I bet that took all day.

2 hrs to tape but 2 days to pound stakes

 

[Orvan]

Hey Noah,

It was great to meet you in person, and EC, great work my man! You really killed it and I am psyched that I had the chance to get out there for it. I'll be back out that way in a few weeks, can't wait to ride.

Dave

I thought you needed a haircut, d. Nice seeing you again.

Great job and efforts, EC. Looking forward to more.

Here's the other flick I posted in the socal forum. Twas the guy's first time on a Dh bike and he's hooked.
Just doing my job in getting people on bikes .

 

[William42]

Going to give me something to do when I move back to socal, looks very cool, and sounds like fun times

 

[jamesdc]

Carter, I really hope you start running more races in the near future. This weekend was really fun and it was definatly worth the extra hour drive than fontana.

 

[BC VAN]

results are up here, thanks again for your understanding on this issue
http://www.pcamtb.com/results.html

 

[Zark]

EC beat me to it.

I got 3rd in spt 27-34, woot!

ultranoob, you got 3rd homie! kickass work dude!

 

[Fonzie18]

Thanks EC! good times, stoked. Seeya next time.
-Alf

 

[BC VAN]

I'm going to address this topic one last time so everyone knows where we stand.

We understand that there are some times that are questionable based on the feedback we have been getting after posting results,

We have had the results combed through in detail to get these results....we used all the information that we had supplied to us from the timing company.

i apologize if there are any incorrect results we hired a company to do a job and they didn't deliver.....unfortunately it puts egg on our face and we are embarrassed by the situation, please know that we were assured in advance that this exact situation would not happen.....

we still take full responsibility for the issue as we were not proactive enough to have our own separate hand timed back up system and that is completely our fault, and is a lesson learned and noted for the future.

that being said, 95% of the feedback is still good and all of you want more events, so we are discussing when the next events will be.....

we are going to offer a one time $10 off discount to all the racers that attended the Hill Billy Bike for Bash for one of our events in the spring or fall of 2009.


thanks again for your support,

the crew at PCA

 

[kylieava]

Hate to say this, but my time is way off.

Ran sub 2's in practice and no glitches on race run

Maybe, the incorrect timing on my run, had something to do with me sitting on the start platform for 2 1/2 min. waiting to get the okay to go down ?

45+ sport #157


Still had a great time camping, riding and racing!

Mike

 

[Fonzie18]

Hate to say this, but my time is way off.

Ran sub 2's in practice and no glitches on race run

Maybe, the incorrect timing on my run, had something to do with me sitting on the start platform for 2 1/2 min. waiting to get the okay to go down ?

45+ sport #157


Still had a great time camping, riding and racing!

Mike

See above post bud.

 

[kylieava]

E.C

As you were posting, I was writing

My bad

Just want to say "Your're the man" for telling it like it is!

Thanks Again,

Mike - Toiletshoes Champ

 

[BC VAN]

E.C

As you were posting, I was writing

My bad

Just want to say "Your're the man" for telling it like it is!

Thanks Again,

Mike - Toiletshoes Champ

My father taught me that when your honest people will respect you even if you mess up....

He was a wise man and it seems his advice is ringing true.