The first collegiate MTB race of 2012 is complete! Since school has not officially started most college kids have not made it onto their respective cam pi. This said, turnout was pretty low for the first mountain bike race of the season. Lees McRae was out in force but they were the only big college in attendance and racked up mega points for this season. Overall there was about 10 schools there. We drove about 5 hours to Watkinsville which is just a little south of Athens, Ga. home of twighlight road racing and Barberitos corporate home office. I totally support Barberitos locally because they have sponsored a MTB team for two years here local but were not able to the last couple of years to do so but I still show my support be eating there every chance I get.... my friends can prove it via facebox.
The trails were very tight pines and hardly any climbing at all. This was my first race running wider bars on the Niner Air 9. Needless to say............ I can't stand wide bars at all. My norm is 620mm so I filled my glass with "the kool-aid" and drank it by buying a new set of easton EC70's 690mm wide and giving the "big bar" craze a try. Bigger wheels now bigger bars...meh. I wrecked more times at this race than I have all year... seriously! I was quite pissed from the many pine tree collisions that I lost focus on the task at hand...racing. I lost my #2 water bottle during one of the many incidents and had to finish my last lap with no water...UGH! I could feel the ache in the muscles too. I was hoping to have a good showing to reinforce all this summer training I've been doing but alas my skillz never let them come to pass. So today was a bust but Saturday was a different story!
Schyler and I warmed up pretty good Saturday before short track which is unlike me. When it was our time to roll I was warm and sweaty. The official's whistle blew and we were off. I sat 6th wheel as I watched some real fast cat just disappear away from us. Schyler and 2nd place (Warren Wilson) held in pretty good but was no match for speedy (he (winner) upgraded to A's after short track) After about 5 laps my legs were still feelin' it so I attacked my group (Georgia Southern and Georgia Tech) and moved up one position and then the next lap moved to 4th. I did what Coach Casey's plan had taught me this summer and just buzzed the cranks and rode away from these guys. It felt really good! I didn't manage to pass Schyler in 3rd but I did get to within 50 ft of him. He later told me he saw the yellow mavic shoes and tried to get away, ha. Later after the race I sent a text to AC (coach) thanking him for the help this season and I was pleased. If it had not been for not being used to the wide bars I think I could have done better than 8th in XC but I had ridden them for 2 weeks prior.... I suck!
Above picture shows the layout of the trail system. Very tight pine trees with only a couple fast flowy sections but I liked the trails overall. What a way to spend a beautiful Sunday morning!
As we rolled through Asheville, NC we encountered a small shower that cast this rainbow. I was hoping of good things to come.
We were grabbing some last minute grub at Walmart in Commerce, Ga when I ran upon these monster boxes of Pop Tarts and had to take this pic. WOW! 48 Pop Tarts. Heaven help us!
Only the ETSU Cycling team will get this................... bahahahahahahahaaaaaaaaaa
LAter G..............
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