Vulture's Knob "grassroots" race TWO 6/10/17

[redkow97]

First - this place kicks ass.   It's the most 'serious' mountain bike trail I've been on thus far.  That's not saying much, but I have done the first 15 miles of Mohican, a climb-heavy 3-hour race at Brady's Run (PA), and I put in about 20 miles (over two days) at Alafia State Park in FL (spending most of my time on the Intermediate trails).

First impressions:  This ain't a metroparks trail.  I crashed within the first 200 yards.  OTB.  Granted, I kind of "jumped" over when I realize the front wheel was sliding off the berm, and the bike was stopping faster that I was, but it still counts.  That was on my pre-ride, and it did prevent me from crashing (as often) during the race.

There are several jumps and other advanced sections.  Several of the harder parts of the course were closed for the race, because it wouldn't have been safe to put novices through them.  I was still thoroughly impressed with how difficult and slightly crazy some of the things they left in were. 

With that said, the climbs are not leg-destroyers.  I did stop and walk my bike 2 or 3 times, but mainly because I was trying to pace myself, not because I couldn't have gotten up without dismounting.  Knowing the course better now, I think I will try to avoid walking next race.

 

My race day:

Left the house around noon.  Was slugging water throughout the 50 minute drive down. 

by 1:00, I was registered and had my number on my bike.  $15 race entry fee (includes insurance).  I gave a $20 and told them to donate the rest.  It's private land being leased and maintained by the "Friends of Vulture's Knob," which obtained non-profit status less than a month ago.

I chatted with the race director and the folks running registration.  6.2 mile XC loop, which left me an hour to pre-ride.  Fuck.  That's just enough time to not quite finish a full loop, and show up for my 2:00 race start exhausted.  "Are there any bailouts or shorter loops?"  "Yeah, the trail crosses the road several times.  Just go up-hill on the road, and you'll get back here."

1:15 - dressed for race. let's pre-ride.  Immediate crash. Half mile later, I lost a pedal entering "fern gully," and thought I was going to die.  I didn't.

1:45 - shit - where is this road they were talking about?  Did they mean one of those grass ATV trails?? 

1:50 - Fuck. I'm probably 4 miles into this loop... Do i risk taking the "road," or just finish teh loop?  At this point, the latter may be faster.  I'm totally going to miss the race start if I finish the loop.  Fuck it.  let's try this "road."

1:55 - GOOD DECISION!  Rider's meeting is starting as I find my way back to the start line.  I sit in the shade, suck down as much water as possible, and think about how much Ice would fit inside my helmet if I raided the cooler in my car.  It was 90 out...

2:10(ish) - my class (novice men, under 40)  starts.  There are 7 or 8 of us in class, but more like 15 leaving at the same time (over 40 was with us).  The Expert riders ahead of us have 3 laps to complete.  The Sport riders have 2 laps to complete.

most of our group was joking and chatting during the initial "sprint" to the woods.  I told another guy on a fat bike "don't take this personally, but I'm going to try my best to beat you, just because you're the only other guy on a fat bike."   It's many people's first time at Vulture's Knob.  We laugh, joke around a bit, and then we're out of breath.  Talking stops on the first climb, and by chance, I manage to pass a couple of people and settle in behind the guy on the fat bike.

We sort of yo-yo'd for the next 4.5 miles.  I would reel him in, and then make a mistake and watch him ride away.  Near the end, I caught up on one of the more serious climbs.  He tells me to call my side when I want to pass.  I respond that I burned all my matches catching him, and that we could wait to race until we both saw the finish line.  And then he fell.  He was far enough ahead of me that I didn't see him, but he was still on the ground when I came around the corner. "Guess you're going by now!"  Yep.  And I didn't look back.

The trail opens up to the pavilion area.  The organizers were awesome.  "What number?  311?  GET IT, CHRIS!  Nice job!"  "how much further?"  "too.  Too much further!  Keep going."  Mercifully, the final loop through the woods is neither long, nor difficult.  You exit the trail over a log-jump, and cruise across the line.

 

I had no idea that I'd finished second in my class until I went to thank everyone before leaving (Indians tickets, or I would have stayed and had some beers).

[jhawk]

Nice report and race! I work Sats at the shop thru summer so probably wont make it to race, but do plan to ride down there some Sunday!

[redkow97]

On 6/12/2017 at 1:05 PM, jhawk said:

Nice report and race! I work Sats at the shop thru summer so probably wont make it to race, but do plan to ride down there some Sunday!

Let me know when you plan to go. We can get lost together.