Deer Valley NMBS
July 9th – Final Day Deer Valley NMBS #4
Race day. Got up at 7 a.m., almost puked on the hike up to the start, no doubt a mix of nausea caused by the altitude and race nerves. Got in 2 practice runs to get the blood flowing. While waiting for the race run, ran into Steve and Mary Hall from the Big Bikes list (sorry, can’t remember the other couples names – shitting memory). Good people that we later hung-out with while watching the Pro Men.
My race run was solid. I chilled out at the top in an attempt to not get winded too early. Smooth thru Little Niagara though a bit slower momentum than I’d hoped for, smooth thru Barney Rubble, a bit hairy just after but contained it and got some great speed down past Bam Bam, and nailed the Psychosis Turns at the bottom. The run put me into 17th place out of a field of 59 riders. Finish line photos for your viewing pleasure.
As the season passes mid-point, it’s clear that my #1 challenge for next season is getting the fitness to push an entire run at 100%. Too often I’m holding back on sprinting to conserve for later in the race.
On to Sonoma for NMBS #5 and the US Nationals…
July 8th – Day #2 Deer Valley NMBS #4
Start the day with 2 hours of downhill practice starting at 8:30 a.m. and just as with the day before, a bit of high altitude nausea. Took two runs and called it a day. I wasn’t going to learn anything mroe. Alexandra got some good footage of Nate and I going over Little Niagara. I’ll see about getting this up on the site. It reminds me of ROAM in the sequences up at Whistler where the riders were splitting in and out of trails. I came over Lil’ Niagara and took the normal riders left while our good friend Nate took the abnormal riders right. Seeing the video makes you think there’s a trail there, but in reality, there’s spectators, rocks, and trees awaiting. Although Nate was unscathed, he did latter wrap his big toe around his pedal after striking a rock awkwardly.
July 7th – Day #1 Deer Valley NMBS #4
Today we had 3 hours of downhill practice starting at 8 a.m.. Who the hell in their right mind wants to ride at 8 A.M.?! I hate mornings. To make matters worse, the altitude is making me nausous. The short climb from the condo to the top of the course had me wanting to puke. Regardless, the practice runs were great. Love this course, great flow, technical drops, requiste rock garden, rutted turns, and some speed for good measure.
The second half of the day was off to the mountaincross course. (disclaimer :: I support the NMBS series. It’s our national series and I’m going to live with it thru good and bad.) This course sucked. After 10 yrs of motocross events, 2 years of BMX races, collegiate ski racing, etc. etc, this was bar none the WORST EVENT I’VE EVER PARTICIPATED in. Why you ask? It was a BMX course with no elevation change. It was a 1 hour drive from the main venue. It dwindle the field to the less than 50 participates in Semi-pro and Pro Men & Women. Did I mention it was a BMX course with no elevation change!?!
July 6th – Traveling to Deer Valley NMBS #4
The first day of a twelve day trip that will span Seattle, Deer Valley, Sonoma, and back to Seattle. As is most of the time, my wife Alexandra is my partner in crime. If you’re anything like I am, you enjoy road trips, but can’t stand getting lost on them. So this time around, we loaded Microsoft Streets and Trips (GPS included) onto the laptop. What a huge difference from printing out maps off your favorite site. We had step-by-step directions and with the GPS, we always knew where we were and any places of interest in the vicinity. It helps we have a converter to plug into in the van which allows use of the laptop without worrying about battery life. If you can, hook it up for your future road trips.
But just as technology is a blessing, it can be a curse. I recently purchased a Motorola Q, the latest smartphone. On the plus side, it enables surfing the web at broadband speeds from anywhere you can make a phone call. On the down side, by work e-mail is now attached to my hip. Don’t be confused, I got the phone for that convenience, but I’m still going to complain.