So, about the Mt. Washington Race Day…

I fell in my practice run. A really stupid annoying fall, not the best way to start race day.

In my race run I managed to rail the top section, including hitting my wheel-destroying line without incident! Following that, however, I loused up the woods section and basically came through like an old-man searching for his oxygen tent. The bottom section turned out well. I had good speed, almost killed myself on a jump in front of all the team parents (held on, thank goodness) and finished the race.

Finished 4th, which I suppose I should be happy about…but for whatever reason it isn’t satisfying enough

Now I’m torn between going back to not racing (which, I enjoy) or racing next year (which I half enjoy)…

-Dave

p.s. the worst part? I’m in the MASTERS class next year!?! Ouch. I’m apparently old.

I really should write my Mt. Washington training day post…especially since it was my birthday.

We were over on the island for the final race in the B.C. cup series, and probably one of the favorite races for our team. The course combines technical rock and root sections with fast corners requiring some line choice and thought. It all ends with a flat out downhill sprint at the bottom. I’ve ridden the course perhaps two or three times in previous years, always ending with a smile on my face…so I figured, why not race it?

My arrival to Mt. Washington was, as usual, later then the rest of the team. The race is always timed in a week where I can’t escape from work for Thursday AND Friday training. So for Lap one I dropped in behind Trevor and Connor figuring I would learn from the lines they were riding…and hopefully learn quick! Lap one went well, and I was smiling for sure…so up I went for lap two.

I seem to recall I flatted on lap two, which was a little annoying. After having a fast top section I blew the middle woods and rode out on the flat. While the rest banged off some fast laps I swapped a tube and then met up with Harrison for a quick lap. Following Harrison down I saw an amazing line which I could double some rocks, lightly touch off a rock or root and basically make it almost a triple into the corner. I committed, launched, and cased.

Hard.

It will be a long time before I forget the cracking sound. In an instant I was sure I had split a bolt in the suspension or otherwise damaged the rear suspension. My feelings were confirmed as I was hitting the brakes and corner…the back end of the bike was wallowing all over the place. Once I stopped, however, I realized it wasn’t the suspension at all. Check it out:

Yeah, that’s right. My birthday present to myself was a completely destroyed rear wheel. Seven spokes, and a cooked rim. Yee haw.

-Dave

P.S. I ended up borrowing a wheel from another bike, and finishing the day. But what more can you say about a day when that happens!?!

Work this week has been crazy. It’s Wednesday at Crankworx, and I have officially ridden zero days. Okay, zero days until tonight. Wayne and I ran into each other during the day and he asked me if I was going to be riding later. Now, I’m tired and figured I wouldn’t, but hey…it’s Wayne, I gotta ride with Wayne.

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I took the opportunity today to run some laps of Whistler while waiting inbetween groups I had in town. Shaums was out on an ATV tour, so I borrowed the proto and headed up the garbonzo chair. First lap down was pretty rough, I was riding stiff and the bike felt like it was bouncing around underneath me in a most uncomfortable way. I was supposed to be riding the course with Miranda, but I kinda screwed up and told her to meet me in the wrong spot…

While waiting at the bottom for her to figure it out, I ran into Wayne who was waiting to train for Dual Slalom. The three of us headed back up for some runs down Crank it Up. Crank it up is an easy run with small jumps and small wall rides. Despite being rather easy, it flows quite well and is a hoot to ride. By the time the second run was over, I was feeling like my riding was coming back together.

…just in time to head back to the office. Sigh.

-Dave

At about 4am today the rain started. And by rain, I mean RAIN. Not down-pouring west-coast rain, but constant heavy “where-does-all-this-water-come-from!?!” East-coast rain. Its heavy and steady, and the eavestroughs are ovcerflowing from the amount of rain.

Training started at 9am, and most of the crew beat me out of bed by 8.Exclaimations were made about the conditions, rain gear and armor was put on, and our riders headed out to practice.

First back was Kyle, who told me “it is GREASY out there.” Which, in typical Kyle fashion, was followd up by “so much fun!”

Harrison followed Kyle in, now using my rear wheel, and confirmed the conditions were nuts. As the rest of the riders streamed in I heard comments like “no one up there know how to ride this stuff…” Or “it is so slippery and awesome!”

A day like this, however, is not without its carnage. As we waited for everyone t come down, a knock on our door let us know Simon would be coming down on an ATV.

Standing at the first-aid tent waiting for him to come in was not fun…but I was happy to see him sitting up and smiling as he rolled in.

Diagnosis, a cut hand, a cut elbow and some stiches required. He should be fine for race time.

Tyler Allison has apparently gone down as well, and has broken his wrist…

Seeding Runs…

Trenton

Today was our first day of “early wake up”. We had to have the crew up and on the Gondola for 9am to go for practice before seeding runs. Harrison is actually pretty awesome in this respect. My alarm goes off, he gets up. My alarm goes off again, he gets me up! It’s a system which is working quite well…otherwise, there is no way in heck I’d be waking up to my alarm.

Seeding runs today were for our Jr. Ex and Elite Athletes, and rather then try and explain how things went (Fairly good for all), I’ll simply post some photos and results at the end. Following Seeding was practice for our U17 athletes, and I fully intended to do some runs with them…

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Between trying to see what all the athletes are doing, prepping food and taking care of some OAW stuff…I have no time for photos or writing today!

Miranda Miller

I will say that practice is going well, the team looks strong and is riding well. My photos stink, but I’m not really concerned about that. Mechanically we’re having some issues. Nick blew a rear shock, both Clinton and Harrison have cracked rims. Scotts rear wheel is holding on for dear life and Simon is hoping his X-O rear deraillieur will stay together with two missing pivot clips. You know, the usual race-weekend stuff

Clinton Gould

Each of our Jr. Ex and Elite athletes merely needs to make Seeding start tomorrow, and finish their run (even by walking). Following that we are going to fix the mechanical issues, even if it means stripping out my bike for parts. For now, however, I’m going to head to bed. Gotta be up at 7:30!

Miranda again

Trenton Zoobkoff

-Dave

P.S. Craig - How is the back? I got no texts today?

Today was course-walk, followed by some on-bike training in the afternoon.

The bromont course for nationals starts 3km down from the gondola. It’s a long hike to the start, but once you’re there the course quickly eliminates any complaining you were thinking of doing.

You start off in the woods, and we were all expecting traditional Quebec gnarly tech. What we go instead, however, was gnarly bermed corners and money booters. Following a rather long flowy section in the woods you exit onto the first of many ski-hill sections. The ski hill sections can best be described as fast, and rough. Super fast…like, rocket fast. Rough like cat-lake at times, to say I’m loving it would be an understatement.

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