Terror of Teaberry Race Report
by Tom Vaughn
Conditions were wet with a 60% chance of strong thunderstorms race day. I was in 2nd place for the series, however, so I had to go. It wasn’t that bad in the opening sections. A little mud, no puddles, no thunderstorms forecast until the afternoon, just drizzle.
I got a great start and built a pretty good gap on the field in 3rd with the leader, Neil Sapp, in view all the time.We finished the first big hill and I saw the single track ahead. I passed number two just as we come over the rise and into the single track. All of a sudden, there’s a huge gulley with loose watermelon-sized rocks beneath my wheels. In my peripheral vision, I see Neil and number two go down. I manage to stay on the bike and ride through. I eventually come to the road and loop back to the start area, ready for the first big descent. I look back down the road and don’t see anybody. I’m in first by a sizable margin!
Back onto the single track and coming by the start-area crowd, my front tire flats. A bit of background here: I Stans-converted my rear wheel after losing a podium slot at the CM dirt crit due to a flat. I haven’t done the front tire yet because I NEVER get flats in front. Well, there’s a first time for everything. I get the flat fixed and think I can still catch up. So I fly down the hill and get another flat in the front. Argh! I have a second tube, but my race is obviously done.
By the time I’ve got the bike back together the juniors, who started last, are passing me. I resign myself to taking the downhills conservatively and trying to make up time elsewhere. Unfortunately, the effects of the recent rain start making themselves known. The rocks are coated in slime and its very difficult to stay on a line. I end up running and carrying my bike more than I ever have on a ride, much less a race!
I finish in 2:53:09 for 23nd place or something. I left thinking I’d lost the series placement. I find out later that I still took 2nd in the series by about the same margin going into it. I guess everybody else had a bad race too!
- Posted in : 2005 Race Reports
- Author : Tom Vaughn
Comments»
Good job Tom! Too bad about the flats.
-Chris