[Capt. Jack Sparrow]

Okay, just how bad was the mud at Snowshoe? It was like this: one of the many times I crashed on the DH sport course's short "poop chute" on Saturday... I slid on my belly down the chute and could not climb up it. I'd climb up three feet and then slide down five feet. I had to walk off the course, climb up, and then try to retrieve my bike. Sometimes people would pile up in that section and writhe around like earthworms.

 

[caboverpete]

The pro/expert course was 95% "poop chute"

 

[Capt. Jack Sparrow]

The pro/expert course was 95% "poop chute"

Yup, and I heard that on Friday a good portion of the XC course had mud that was higher than one's chainrings! Racers apparently had to carry their bikes a lot. Was it like that for the XC races Saturday and Sunday? Kirstin? Anyone?

 

[Peete]

The pro/expert course was 95% "poop chute"

I don't think the pro/ex course had the SMELL of poop like the sport/SuperD course. The SuperD was fun but climbing up to a waste treatment plant? Who's sick joke was that? But it was one more thing to laugh about at the finish.
My son did @ an hour of practice in the rain on the MtnX course. He came back looking like he spent the time on the DH course! Good times

 

[wannabeabonedoc]

I didnt race so I cant tell you first hand, but I stood and watched at the botttom of the log drop and then the next left hand turn where there was a small mud lake forming. It looked pretty nappy

 

[SDH]

shoot................

First, somebody must have been on the magic mushrooms if they thought that a beginner could make it down that!

but the good news was that at least it was steep enough and the mud was thin enough that your wheels rolled down it. To give you an idea, we ran the sport course to clean off our bike so we could do another run of the expert/pro course! On the expert course you hit mud bogs at 5 mph that just locked up your wheels. I tried running in my race run and I almost lost my shoe in the mud. It was way past my ankles!

The log drop was another story, after my second lung transplant as a result of the mud field, you had to slug through this wood section that the berm/ruts would swallow your wheel hub high then hit a rock or something you could not see in the mud. Worst course I ever rode!

OH, and I usually perfer and excel in muddy wet conditions until this weekend!

 

[Dartman]

Well I did my part to carry 100 lbs of mud on my bike off the pro/exp course so the pros would have it easier. I found the course unrideable for me and had to resort to dragging my bike by the fork leg behind me since I couldn't either push it or carry it. Pretty stupid fvcking idea to cut a new course one month before the race in the wettest part of the year. I was glad the pros enjoyed it. I watched them and figured out the technique. Just stay in the air all the way down!!!

Mike

 

[kirstin]

Yup, and I heard that on Friday a good portion of the XC course had mud that was higher than one's chainrings! Racers apparently had to carry their bikes a lot. Was it like that for the XC races Saturday and Sunday? Kirstin? Anyone?

um, yeah, the XC course was gross. by the time i got to my second lap, every part of the course that was not a fire road was axle deep in goop, and i ended up walking about 1/3-1/2 of it. i would say it ranks in the top 3 least fun races i've ever done... blech.

my arms are sore from carrying my bike so much and from maneuvering it through the muddy sections, my legs are sore from the hellacious climbs (3+ miles on the last one!), even my stomach muscles are sore - that's never happened before.

basically, i'm glad i only raced XC, doing DH as well would have made me just too depressed

 

[Capt. Jack Sparrow]

um, yeah, the XC course was gross. by the time i got to my second lap, every part of the course that was not a fire road was axle deep in goop, and i ended up walking about 1/3-1/2 of it. i would say it ranks in the top 3 least fun races i've ever done... blech.

my arms are sore from carrying my bike so much and from maneuvering it through the muddy sections, my legs are sore from the hellacious climbs (3+ miles on the last one!), even my stomach muscles are sore - that's never happened before.

basically, i'm glad i only raced XC, doing DH as well would have made me just too depressed

Good job, Kirstin, and congrats!!! I saw some guys Friday night who had practiced XC and were totally beat down. One decided not to race due to the course conditions being so over-the-top messy. You kept your head above water with a smile on your face! Way to go!

 

[kirstin]

Good job, Kirstin, and congrats!!! I saw some guys Friday night who had practiced XC and were totally beat down. One decided not to race due to the course conditions being so over-the-top messy. You kept your head above water with a smile on your face! Way to go!

woooooooo!

though i do have to admit, i did (very briefly) consider dropping out myself. my competitive spirit won out in the end, thank goodness... and yes, i'm always smiley during races - the spectators are always surprised, most people refuse to break their concentration and acknowledge the cheering, but i grin and thank them. because, well, they help keep me going!

 

[whale]

woooooooo!

though i do have to admit, i did (very briefly) consider dropping out myself. my competitive spirit won out in the end, thank goodness... and yes, i'm always smiley during races - the spectators are always surprised, most people refuse to break their concentration and acknowledge the cheering, but i grin and thank them. because, well, they help keep me going!

that's about the only thing you can do (smile) to get through the mud. it will be even better for the 24 hour race... and this time, you'll get to do it in the DARK

 

[kirstin]

that's about the only thing you can do (smile) to get through the mud. it will be even better for the 24 hour race... and this time, you'll get to do it in the DARK

thankfully, i'm not doing the 24-hour race after all... one of my teammates got hit by a car while riding his bike, the other had a last-minute business trip scheduled that he couldn't get out of. i'm not disappointed at all

 

[whale]

thankfully, i'm not doing the 24-hour race after all... one of my teammates got hit by a car while riding his bike, the other had a last-minute business trip scheduled that he couldn't get out of. i'm not disappointed at all

i see. well, the experience was fun... but, now you know why i wouldn't ever do it again (at snowshoe).

24 hours of moab... i just might have to do that one of these years.

 

[kirstin]

24 hours of moab... i just might have to do that one of these years.

ayep, that would rock.

 

[Booker]

I spent a good 3 hours yesterday washing my bike and taking everthing apart. I had to hose off my armor in the driveway befor i put it in the washing machine. I have never had so much fun playing in the mud. The poop shoot was a mess but i found the hardest part was the the mud pit at the bottom. I would braaap it through the poop shoot and then stop dead in my tracks when i hit the swamp at the bottom. The "slate hill" section right above the poop shoot was the section that gave me the most problems. On my race run i shoulder checked a tree and couldn't get clipped back in. Good times.