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!
name that gwadz
Charm City Cyclocross
Location: Druid Hill Park, Baltimore, MD
Website: http://www.charmcitycycling.com/CCCrace.html
Series: MABRA
Ride Like a Girl Freeride/Downhill Clinic with Hillary Elgert
When: September 23, 10am - 1pm
Where: Frederick Watershed
Sponsored by: City Bikes, Ride Like A Girl, MORE
Download Flyer: Ride Like a Girl Downhill Clinic Flyer [pdf]
Hillary Elgert, Team City Bikes and professional downhill competitor, will cover basic “freeride/downhill” skills, which are also good skills for a cross-country rider to master. Skills like cornering, basic drops, and steeper trails. This could be a great opportunity for a crosscountry racer and the beginner freerider/downhiller to get some free coaching on technique.
Prerequisites:
This clinic is not for beginners! In order to attend, you need to be able to ride the yellow loop at Gambrill or a technically similar trail. If you have any question about the technical aspects of this clinic, please email Hillary at hillaryelgert@hotmail.com.
You will need a full-suspension bike (downhiller-specific bikes are not required) and body armor if you have it. Hillary has a couple of bikes and some pads to lend out if needed.
To Register:
We are limiting the clinic to 10 attendees, so we are asking that everyone RSVP. Please email Liz@LizNotter.com with the following information: Name, phone number, and if you need to borrow a bike or body armor.
Ride Like a Girl Freeride/Downhill Clinic with Hillary Elgert - 9/23 in the Frederick Watershed
Hillary Elgert, Team City Bikes and professional downhill competitor, will cover basic “freeride/downhill” skills, which are also good skills for a cross-country rider to master. Skills like cornering, basic drops, and steeper trails. This could be a great opportunity for a crosscountry racer and the beginner freerider/downhiller to get some free coaching on technique. More Information Here…
Team Meeting\Send Off for Pooch
we are still trying to establish rain options for this evening
City Bikes/Metro Gutter at the SM100
City Bikes/Metro Gutter had an impressive turnout this weekend at the 8th annual Shenandoah Mountain 100. Tropical Storm Ernesto threatened to put a damper on the weekend but the weather cleared earlier than expected on friday and trails were in good shape come sunday morning. Evan lead the City Bikes crew, turning in an 9 hour 35 minute time to crack the top 50. Kent Baake, Dietrich Wiegmann, Eric Welp, and Brian Poochigian all put in incredible efforts to come in under the 11 hours and Matt Donahue came in just outside that mark at 11:01.
City Bikes inventory manager Mike Klasmeier beat his 2005 time by an hour in spite of a bee sting that forced him to take a half hour break early in the race and finished in 11:33. Jonathan Wheaton - a recent addition to the team and recent singlespeed convert - finished his first singlespeed SM100 at 11:45 and Mike Scardaville managed to beat back the demons that have haunted him in stokesville to finish just over 12 hours.
After a string of years where scheduling conflicts kept him away from this Labor Day weekend classic, Ricky deLeyos finished his second 100 in just over 13 hours. SM100 first-timer Tris Newbury was riding a strong and steady race up to checkpoint 4 where the time cutoff forced her to stop riding.
Shenandoah Mountain 100
Location: Stokesville, VA
Date: 9/3/2006
Website: http://www.mtntouring.com/
What can you say about a race like this that hasn’t been said before. Any description of the course pales in comparison to the real thing, so it’s hard to even try. The night before this classic event the air in the pavillion in stokesville is electric, filled with the anticipation and nervous energy of hundreds of mountain bikers dreaming of the day they’ll have tommorow… lung shredding climbs, mellow country roads, and lots of sweet shenandoah singletrack. this is a race that has to been experienced to be believed.