This is #2 in the local Bend racing scene - sure to bring out all the local semi-retired ex-pro uber-aerobic genetically mutated exercise freaks. Can't recall too much, since this happened over 2 weeks ago [my memory chips are faulty], so I'll be brief.
It's a great course with mucho single track, though very little elevation gain. It features a fun mostly uphill technical lava section, with lots of rock steps and lava chunk navigation, sure to irritate those who assume Bend trails are all smooth cruisers. A few log pyramids thrown in, and a great high speed sweeper section to finish off the lap. Each lap is 21 miles, and we had to do 2 of them.
Many feared another dust-storm, a la Chainbreaker, but the weather gods sprinkled showers down a bit every day leading up to the event, so people could leave the dust-masks behind.
For me it was a pretty uneventful race - I passed some poeple, some passed me, and I finished around the middle of the pack. Oh, I was abducted by aliens at one point for a quick experiment, but apparently they used a freeze-gun on all the other racers so the diversion didn't cost me.
Somewhere in the first lap I caught up to someone I recognized - old yellow-jersey, who smoked me at the line in the last race - and I chatted him up and reminded him of the fact, thinking hey I caught up to him, now I can pass and return the favour. But as if to punctuate his superiority, he promptly kicked it up a notch and disappeared from sight.
In the second lap I was going through the lava section again, making a nice clean run of it, and feeling pretty good. I glance behind, and see another racer I recognize not too far away - what !? I usually am way ahead of him, and he sucks in the technical stuff - what's he doing here ? ! Somebody's been practising :) Wondering if I've slowed down to some kind of girly-man pace, I try to up the speed, but there's not much energy available. But then I see another group ahead that I'm gaining on, and yeller-jersey is in there too. Hmm, maybe I not so slow? I get stuck in this group for a while, but slowly worm my way ahead. White jersey sucks onto my wheel, and I can't shake him. I ask him a coupla times to just go ahead, but he likes my pace and stays back. We yo-yo with Veloce-Felt dude, who blazes on the easy climbing stuff, but slows way down when it gets technical. We pass him, then he passes us, etc, etc. Finally he pulls a big gapper, and white jersey jumps ahead on the downhill to catch him. I'm alone for a while, and then catch up to white-jersey and we both pass Veloce-Felt. But on the last climb while we're gasping at the top, he shoots ahead and disappears. Only a couple of miles to go, with mostly a high-speed sweeper downhill, and I kick it into overdrive. Leave whitey behind, and pursue V-F. Start to see faint dust clouds, so I know I'm gaining. Finally catch up to him, and suck his wheel through some twisties. Not easy to pass, but take a chance through some rough stuff and get by him. Only half a mile to go. Have to increase my lead, or he'll catch me on the final stretch which is flat. But as I get there and take a look behind, no one around, so cruise to the line. Just over 3 hours, 9th/19. A decent run. Now gotta recover quick, as I'll be racing again in less than 24 hours.
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