A little late but here goes:
Well, RideSFO stepped up this year to take over the reigns for the Groovy Gravity Games previously put on by Team Wrong Way. The name has been changed to the Corral Hollow Down Hill (CHDH) due to threatened litigation from OLN. Go figure....
The event is by far one of the best grassroots events out there. We had a full 300 rider field. RideSFO put together an awesome list of sponsors and had the best raffle I`ve ever seen.
Saturday`s practice was a bit of a mind game. The weather in the Bay Area has been crazy rainy for the past month. Since the fire road was still wet, it was all about the hour long hike to the top of the mountain. Surprisingly, the course itself was in pretty good shape. Great berms this year as opposed to those of the past. The real issue though was the wind. There were some serious gusts anywhere from 10-30mph. I went down hard three times as a result. The section at mid course really was the key to winning or loosing and that`s where I went down the hardest. It kind of played on mind Saturday night as I layed in bed.
Sunday dawned clear and sunny with little to no wind. Yeah!! The shuttle trucks where up and running and I managed to get in one practice run before the event started. The course had dried up nicely overnight and was super fast! I put the troubling section out of my mind and flowed through it nicely, albeit not a full race speed.
Start time rolls around and I`m full of butterflies. I watch a few guys go down the first shoot and notice no one is using the line I`ve practiced all weekend. Maybe a second or two advantage right out of the gate? 10 minutes to go and I find a quite place to sit down and visualize the course top to bottom. I`m a huge believer in this and visualized a perfect run just being fast and smooth.
1 minute to go. I`ve already made sure I`m in the right gear and everything is functioning properly. It`s game time and the butterflies are raging now! 30 seconds to go and the rider in front of me goes. I roll into the start gate and wait for the count down. 10 seconds, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 - GO!!!
Three pedal strokes in and it`s all about concentrating on the course. The butterflies are gone and I`m in full race mode. My field of vision is sniper scope narrow, yet I can still pick up the sounds of people cheering me on. I nail the section that gave me issues on Saturday and I`m feeling fast. I make up 30 seconds and catch the guy in front of me at a pretty opportune place on the course. Either he doesn`t hear me telling him to let me pass or he simply chooses not to let me pass. I can hear the crowd going nuts yelling at him "Let him by!!" "Let him pass!". Unfortunately, I`m stuck behind him for the next 300+ yards. Urgh!! I`m loosing time! Finally get to a safe passing zone and I`m off. I rail the last section of the course and I unknowingly pinch flat the front tire with one corner left to go. I lay it into the berm, no brakes, and the front wheel washes out. Argh! I get up as quick as possible, grab the bike and run across the finish line which is maybe 5-10 yards out. Wow! What a run. I feel confidant because I know I made up 30 seconds, but being held up and taking a dirt nap in the last corner has me thinking 3rd at best.
When the results are finally posted, I`m first by one second! Yes! My first Sport class win!
It was an absolutely great race weekend. My friend Jim, who was in his first race, claimed third place behind me. My friend Shane, also in his first race, finishes 5th in the Beginner 19-34 class. My friend Scott finishes in 1st in the Beginner 19-34 class. How cool is that? All four of us podium and two 1st place finishes!!
Next? Sea Otter here I come.....pray for sun!
Me and Scott with a view from mid-mountain
Pin it to win!
Well, RideSFO stepped up this year to take over the reigns for the Groovy Gravity Games previously put on by Team Wrong Way. The name has been changed to the Corral Hollow Down Hill (CHDH) due to threatened litigation from OLN. Go figure....
The event is by far one of the best grassroots events out there. We had a full 300 rider field. RideSFO put together an awesome list of sponsors and had the best raffle I`ve ever seen.
Saturday`s practice was a bit of a mind game. The weather in the Bay Area has been crazy rainy for the past month. Since the fire road was still wet, it was all about the hour long hike to the top of the mountain. Surprisingly, the course itself was in pretty good shape. Great berms this year as opposed to those of the past. The real issue though was the wind. There were some serious gusts anywhere from 10-30mph. I went down hard three times as a result. The section at mid course really was the key to winning or loosing and that`s where I went down the hardest. It kind of played on mind Saturday night as I layed in bed.
Sunday dawned clear and sunny with little to no wind. Yeah!! The shuttle trucks where up and running and I managed to get in one practice run before the event started. The course had dried up nicely overnight and was super fast! I put the troubling section out of my mind and flowed through it nicely, albeit not a full race speed.
Start time rolls around and I`m full of butterflies. I watch a few guys go down the first shoot and notice no one is using the line I`ve practiced all weekend. Maybe a second or two advantage right out of the gate? 10 minutes to go and I find a quite place to sit down and visualize the course top to bottom. I`m a huge believer in this and visualized a perfect run just being fast and smooth.
1 minute to go. I`ve already made sure I`m in the right gear and everything is functioning properly. It`s game time and the butterflies are raging now! 30 seconds to go and the rider in front of me goes. I roll into the start gate and wait for the count down. 10 seconds, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 - GO!!!
Three pedal strokes in and it`s all about concentrating on the course. The butterflies are gone and I`m in full race mode. My field of vision is sniper scope narrow, yet I can still pick up the sounds of people cheering me on. I nail the section that gave me issues on Saturday and I`m feeling fast. I make up 30 seconds and catch the guy in front of me at a pretty opportune place on the course. Either he doesn`t hear me telling him to let me pass or he simply chooses not to let me pass. I can hear the crowd going nuts yelling at him "Let him by!!" "Let him pass!". Unfortunately, I`m stuck behind him for the next 300+ yards. Urgh!! I`m loosing time! Finally get to a safe passing zone and I`m off. I rail the last section of the course and I unknowingly pinch flat the front tire with one corner left to go. I lay it into the berm, no brakes, and the front wheel washes out. Argh! I get up as quick as possible, grab the bike and run across the finish line which is maybe 5-10 yards out. Wow! What a run. I feel confidant because I know I made up 30 seconds, but being held up and taking a dirt nap in the last corner has me thinking 3rd at best.
When the results are finally posted, I`m first by one second! Yes! My first Sport class win!
It was an absolutely great race weekend. My friend Jim, who was in his first race, claimed third place behind me. My friend Shane, also in his first race, finishes 5th in the Beginner 19-34 class. My friend Scott finishes in 1st in the Beginner 19-34 class. How cool is that? All four of us podium and two 1st place finishes!!
Next? Sea Otter here I come.....pray for sun!
Me and Scott with a view from mid-mountain
Pin it to win!
