Mansfield Hollow
Posted: Sat Oct 15, 2011 5:11 pm
Today's course was very similiar to previous years': A big slope to off-camber traverse section near the road, a telephone pole that was J-hop-able, the usual 2 sand sections and the usual steep dirt incline. The same short wooded single-track, but with a bonus loop out to the right around the parking area, then back around to the traditional double barriers.
A small field in the SS, but a bit of talent. Shawn Mottram and Cort Cramer were my obvious competition. I wasn't too worried about the other 8 guys and the 1 girl. From the whistle, some guy on a rigid 29er singlespeed MTB took the hole shot and was drilling it. I was fourth in line behind him, Mottram and Cort as we headed to the log. Mottram went down trying to hop it, I jumped it successfully and passed Cort while he remounted. 29er guy was out front, but he obviously wasn't going to be a factor. I passed him a few hundred meters later and never saw him again. Cort was on my wheel and yelled that Shawn would come back to us, and we needed to go hard. Yeah, I know.
Near the end of the first lap, the chicken was ringing the bell for the Chicken Prime: Tifosi sunglasses. I was cruising with Cort in tow. I gapped him by riding up the slope to off-camber near the road, and cleaned the entire section. Probably had 20-30 feet on him. We crossed the line to finish the first lap, I decided to keep up the pressure and try to win the Chicken Prime. I J-hopped the log again and Cort dismounted. Gap. He'd bring me back on the short flats, but I'd gap him in the harder stuff. We went into the woods for the short single track and I had a sizable gap coming out. Drilled it around the parking area, over the barriers and back to the chicken. Yes. Another pair of sunglasses. (I don't think I've bought a pair of cycling glasses in 15 years!)
I ride the slope to off-camber again, then sit up a bit and Cort's back with me. 2 to go (of a total of 4 long-ish laps). My strategy is to now situp, let him do a little work, then punk him on the slope to off-camber on the last lap and sprint to victory.
I back off on lap 3, Cort eventually pulls through and we're cruising well together. Shawn isn't coming back, riding about 30 seconds behind. We're in lap traffic of the 4/5 field now (5's. really??). We approach the slope to off-camber with 1+ to go. Cort is leading and I let a bit of gap go so I can ride it. There's several guys on the slope though and I slow a bit. Didn't make it. Foot down. Nearly fell down the slope...and suddenly Cort has a 30 foot advantage. I'm in the wind riding to the finish line to get the bell. Don't panic. You can catch him in the turns and the J-hop log. I'm smooth and fast, over the log...but Cort is stretching his lead. Crap. Time to get on my horse. Go. GO! I'm drilling it, still riding smooth...but he's not coming back. Obviously, he's smart and wants to stay away. I put down everything I had, and couldn't close the gap. With about 1K to go, I relax a bit, with a comfortable lead over Shawn in 3rd, I cruised to the finish. Got 2nd, a nice pair of Lobster gloves, a pair of Tifosi shades and a 6-pack of Sam October. Not a bad day on the bike.
A small field in the SS, but a bit of talent. Shawn Mottram and Cort Cramer were my obvious competition. I wasn't too worried about the other 8 guys and the 1 girl. From the whistle, some guy on a rigid 29er singlespeed MTB took the hole shot and was drilling it. I was fourth in line behind him, Mottram and Cort as we headed to the log. Mottram went down trying to hop it, I jumped it successfully and passed Cort while he remounted. 29er guy was out front, but he obviously wasn't going to be a factor. I passed him a few hundred meters later and never saw him again. Cort was on my wheel and yelled that Shawn would come back to us, and we needed to go hard. Yeah, I know.
Near the end of the first lap, the chicken was ringing the bell for the Chicken Prime: Tifosi sunglasses. I was cruising with Cort in tow. I gapped him by riding up the slope to off-camber near the road, and cleaned the entire section. Probably had 20-30 feet on him. We crossed the line to finish the first lap, I decided to keep up the pressure and try to win the Chicken Prime. I J-hopped the log again and Cort dismounted. Gap. He'd bring me back on the short flats, but I'd gap him in the harder stuff. We went into the woods for the short single track and I had a sizable gap coming out. Drilled it around the parking area, over the barriers and back to the chicken. Yes. Another pair of sunglasses. (I don't think I've bought a pair of cycling glasses in 15 years!)
I ride the slope to off-camber again, then sit up a bit and Cort's back with me. 2 to go (of a total of 4 long-ish laps). My strategy is to now situp, let him do a little work, then punk him on the slope to off-camber on the last lap and sprint to victory.
I back off on lap 3, Cort eventually pulls through and we're cruising well together. Shawn isn't coming back, riding about 30 seconds behind. We're in lap traffic of the 4/5 field now (5's. really??). We approach the slope to off-camber with 1+ to go. Cort is leading and I let a bit of gap go so I can ride it. There's several guys on the slope though and I slow a bit. Didn't make it. Foot down. Nearly fell down the slope...and suddenly Cort has a 30 foot advantage. I'm in the wind riding to the finish line to get the bell. Don't panic. You can catch him in the turns and the J-hop log. I'm smooth and fast, over the log...but Cort is stretching his lead. Crap. Time to get on my horse. Go. GO! I'm drilling it, still riding smooth...but he's not coming back. Obviously, he's smart and wants to stay away. I put down everything I had, and couldn't close the gap. With about 1K to go, I relax a bit, with a comfortable lead over Shawn in 3rd, I cruised to the finish. Got 2nd, a nice pair of Lobster gloves, a pair of Tifosi shades and a 6-pack of Sam October. Not a bad day on the bike.