Snake Creek Gap 2009 #1

Hey look: an actually decent shot of me on a mountain bike..

you might even think i'm having fun in this picture. About 2.5 hrs into my first Snake Creek Gap experience I began to have a little bit of fun. I made a few classic blunders before my race. I made a major change to my bike (new chain/cassette) and I didn't even check to see if I needed any new chainrings. So began my less than ideal mountain bike race. I had been talkin' smack with a sub-4 hour race goal... only because I had no idea what I would do and I was told I'd be a real bad ass if I pulled that kind of time in. During this ride I couldn't work towards anything but the goal of not bailing out considering my total annoyance for mechanical problems.

The race begins with racers lining up and the most that can fit across the start line at once, begin together as they note your time, since its a time trial. Bruce and Justin and I start out together and I shoot out of the start line ready to go! I had this plan to try to warm up fast or something...? Since it takes me 2 to 3 hours to feel good on a long ride, I start to play with the theory that if I go out harder, I'll get my second wind sooner than later. I don't really get to test this theory out because as soon as we hit single track where I need to begin shifting, my bike melts down. It was sugested that I ride in my granny and big ring through the race since it was probably just my middle ring that was messed up. But my granny gear sucked my chain into my frame every other pedal stroke. After the first hour I was soooooo ready to quit at the 17 mile mark where I had the understanding there might be a chance for a ride back. But then something clicked, and I kept it up after that.

After 2.5 hrs I figured out from trial and error that I could ride in my middle ring, the suck on the chain wasn't as bad as it seemed and I just needed to back pedal every 5 to 10 strokes or so.. fun fun. For the first part of the race, I got passed and passed and passed.. for the last half of the race I passed and passed and passed. Finally. A few sweet downhill sections and I pulled away from people that I never saw again. I passed and got passed by this guy - Mark - about 20 times during the beginning of the race. Then things got quiet. The trail got rocky. And the riders were humbled. I had enough energy left to work through this part, and as long as my bike cooperated, things worked. Considering the muddy day.. I was pretty ready for it all to be over. I hit the pavement descent and tried to crank it up a notch, I put it in the big ring and it slipped every time I worked the pedal stroke. I couldn't catch a break anywhere.

I noticed while I was out there, that this ride could probably be really fun. With constant focus on not braking my chain and keeping things moving along in my drive train, having scary thoughts of going single speed I couldn't appreciate the ride nearly enough. next time, next time (thats what so great about this series! I get to do it again... soon.)

4:29:55 - 3rd in my class.

I am looking forward to February. Who knows what the weather will be like then? But I do know I won't make the classic bike maintenance blunder. I will be ready. Much more ready than yesterday.


Me, less than enthusiastic after my ride:

until another great ride...