Well, I'm not an official TWW'er, but after riding with you guys at Montara last weekend (what a blast!), thought I'd contribute a race report.

The first sign that it was gonna be a long day was the fact that beginners started at 8AM. I had to drive over to Santa Cruz to pick up my buddy, and didn't want to repeat our LAST experience at Laguna Seca... we had raced the Sea Otter and made it there with just barely enough time to get our gear on and down to the start line with about two minutes to spare. So, my alarm was set for 5AM, and with the anticipation of the night before making it tough to nod off, figure I got maybe 4-5 hours of sleep. For a guy who usually needs 9 (10?) hours, that sucks.

Thankfully, my buddy and I had driven down on Saturday to pick up our race package and do a pre-ride. While the course was pretty easy... there were a couple of sections where a little knowledge went a long way. Much of the course was rutted, and in the first mile, there was a a couple of nice little switchbacks where most of the carnage occurred. I overheard several guys talking about "eating it" as they went through those sections. The guy who had parked next to me, and raced in the same division said that he bit it there... scratched up his new Santa Cruz Superlight. Bummer.

This course is different from others I've done as it's a short (5.5 mile) lap, with most of the downhills in the first mile or so. After that, it's a lot of rolling singletrack, mostly up. With little fire roads, there weren't a lot of (easy) places to pass... only one grunt of a climb, and then the steep little section after the bridge that was giving a lot of people trouble. This is a course where I'd LOVE to have had my new Superlight that I ordered, but of course it doesn't get here in time. Some sections where I wanted to pedal, but the bumpiness of the trail made it difficult... I figure I'd have knocked off several minutes if I had it.

Anyway, the race starts, and the 32 guys in my class take off. Normally, I'm spit right out the back, but this time I start out around 20th. By the time we finish the first set of downhills, I'm probably in 10th. Thank god I can ride the downhill sections pretty fast, or I'd really suck (even though I could swear I could hear Dawn's voice saying "Pull over! Get out of the line!?"). As we start doing the climbing, that's when the guys I'd just passed started catching me one-by-one. We grunt back to the bridge crossing, and I wanted to make the short, steep climb. There were 4 guys just in front of me, and no one close behind, so I slowed up just a little before the bridge to give myself a gap and see what the guys in front are gonna do. Well, they all hit the slope in too big a gear, and fall off, left and right. I jack up the speed, and throw it in the granny in the front and 2cd in the back. I split the other guys as they're flailing around, and fight my back tire as it tries to find a grip in the soft sand. I clean the sucker, but quickly wish I'd just ran it up, as it took a huge chunk of energy just to make it. I tell myself I'll just run up it next lap.

Down through the weird, taped-off slalom section (what the hell was that for?), and back to the start. My first lap was 37 minutes (I know, slow as molasses, but I'm getting there), and up the hill. I find another guy in my age bracket I've seen a few times, and we start passing each other. I pass him on the downhills, he passes me on the uphills. Shit, I gotta get faster at climbing. Anyway, back to the finish at 1:20. Only good for 25th.

Hanging around at the end, I see some of the guys from the Montara ride... Robert - on his Zaskar, Loren - who came in 4th in 1:02 (sandbagger!! move up! ha), Joel - who didn't race due to lack of sleep, Michael - the other new guy who split his chin at Montara, and crashed again on that first rutted switchback, and Cheryl - hanging around as she's waiting for the start of the expert class. The TWW'ers who were racing sport were out on the course at this time, and I didn't see them. But it was nice seeing some faces I recognized.

Well, enough droning... but I'll close by saying I had a great time with you guys at Montara, and I'd love to attend some more events. I was hoping to do the Olympics this weekend, but I forgot about this daylong party I'm supposed to attend. Oh well, next time.

ron

Race Report by Loren Thomas

Bud Light Classic - June 11th, 2000

Beginners started at 8am. That meant I had to get up early on Sunday morning to make it. Left the house at 5:30am. My carpool partner (Peter S.) decided not to race because he had a tough work schedule and needed rest on Sunday, so I got to spend some quality time with myself. Registration went smoothly. Usually I get to the start way ahead of time to get a good spot. This time I warmed up a little too long and was stuck in the second row. Then the top 5 in the series got to line up ahead of everyone, so my second row turned into third. I made the mistake of lining up behind two guys that were in the wrong gear for this uphill start. I noticed way in advance, but I didn't say anything, figuring I would be able to get by them easier. Right after that very loud cannon blast, I got trapped behind them. I had to drop back to get to the side of the course and start passing (I should have lined up on the side, my light-weight Schwinn could have easily rocketed by all those guys if I had a line through them). There were 9 guys still ahead of me as we entered the single track. I realized I had to make some moves if I was going to continue my podium streak. That rough downhill section is where I was able to make my first move. Those harsh bumps weren't so harsh as I decended on my hardtail Homegrown, I was in perfect control. Unfortunately, the first 4 miles of the 5.5 mile course were mostly single track. By the time I got up to fifth, the lead guys were out of sight. With no one to help set a pace, I settled into a comfortable pace and never caught them. Finished 5th out of 29. I was 1 min behind fourth place. Just 6 seconds per mile would have put me past him. I'll have to remember that for next time. The Bud Light Classic was a great event. Things like marking racing age on everyones calf, awarding top 10 finishers, and raffling off lots of cool stuff (Rich can tell you all about it!) are the little things that make a big difference.

Until next time,

Loren "two more podiums till I move to Sport" Thomas

Race Report by Rich Henthorn

Saturday, June 10th.

I decided to drive down the day before the race to get my race pack and pre-ride the course just in case they changed it from last year. As it happens, I got there just in time for race clinic put on by some pros. Seems like the promoters ask certain teams to lead a pre-ride and answer questions for us amateurs. This time, the Trek/VW team got the call. Well, I thought it beats riding by myself. Turned out it was kinda fun. The course is very bumpy in spots, and I lost my water bottle pretty early on. I'm glad I had on my Camelbak. A couple kids rode with the group, and one pro really took them under his wing and was giving them a lot of advice and encouragement.

After we got back to the start/finish, I talked a while with one of the Trek pros from San Diego. He went over and got me a swag bag from the Trek tent (including a water bottle to make things even). Nice guy. He ended-up winning the pro race on Sunday. Must have been the local knowledge I was able to impart to him.

Sunday morning I dragged my son out of bed and we got there just before 8am. We parked next to Charles and began the pre-race preparation. I took Brandon over to check out the Kid's course. It was high up on the hill, above the Start line. He had a tough time making it up that hill. After setting up a couple meeting places to look for one another when we get separated, I took off for a little warm-up.

I went a little long, because when I got back to the Start area, the field was already jammed full of racers. I settled for a place towards the back. My fitness has dropped quite a bit since April, so my plan was to hang for a lap, then try to move up when others are sufferring. After wishing my teammates luck, the cannon goes off and we're off. Within the first 20 yards, a couple guys get together, one falls, the rest of us slow down. While this happens, Nick goes by pretty fast. About 1 mile into the first lap the course goes down this very bumpy section that's a little wider than singletrack. I hear some guy trying to pass on the right. He has a little trouble and I heard the familiar sound of a bike hitting the dirt. No time to turn around and see what happened. I know I had nothing to do with it.

The course uses the same nice singletrack that is on the Sea Otter before Hurl Hill. Also during the first lap, someone was trying to go by on this particular section. Never did get to see who it was because I heard him go into the grass and down the slope a little. Again, I had nothing to do with that.

So I stuck to my plan and started to move up during the next two laps. I see Nick up ahead and in a few minutes, we're trading places back and forth. I thought he might have gone out too fast, but I wasn't sure. I played cat and mouse with a few other jerseys, also. Most of the time I would catch them on the climbs. I did more passing on the third lap, finally started to really lose it at the top of the climb after Hurl Hill. I figured that I had timed that pretty good, since there was only about a mile to go. After creeping down the descent right before the finish, I heard a couple riders closing in. I had enough to power to the finish and keep them at bay.

I was surprised I finished 28th (of 45). I'm glad I didn't know I was that far back, I might not have raced those last two laps. When I finished (in 1:36+) I thought it was good enough for top 20. I guess I took it a little too easy the first lap.

I had more success during the raffle. Together, my boy and I won a couple Timbuktu messenger bags and some shades. That was fun.

Congratulations to the podium finishers!

-Rich "I finished 10th at this race last year" Henthorn

Race Report by Mike Urbina

I'm another unofficial TWW'r throwing in my two cents. The best thing about racing sport class is that I get to sleep in till 6am. Is that an advantage? You decide. Anyway, Jon (training partner, friend?) Rayner shows up at my house at 7 with his two new female roomates- wait, I here a song coming on "come and knock on our dooor we been waitin' for you.......". We arrive with plenty of time for registration and warm up. Besides the fact that I'm nursing full body poison oak, everything feels pretty good on the warm-up.

I make my way over to the start area to decide which gear to use up that damn hill when I run into Keith (oui oui I'm jet lagged)White and John Hiem. After a few practice runs up the start hill I line up in the second row behind Keith. Big time nerves, I hate this part!! The cannon fires and off we.....stop. Someone in the first row slips off his pedal and stops foreward progress of half the pack. By the time I get going again I'm at the rear of the pack. Out of the corner of my eye I see Keith next to me as I sprint as hard as I can to the single track, luckily getting around about ten people. Hitting the first rutted out, slicker'n' snot downhill I'm just trying not to get involved in the mayhem at the right hander at the bottom of it. My strategy of "whatever line the guy in front of you takes, choose a different one" works on the downhill and I get by a few more guys. As we hit the first single track climb we start running into the group that went off ahead of us and one of them informs me that I'm in third place to which I'm thinking there's no way that can be. Just after the first small bridge down in the valley I get passed be the guy (series leader) who slipped off his pedal at the start- wow maybe I am in the front! I try to go with him but he's hammerin' and gradually pulls away. Up hurl hill my legs are burning but not cramping and I'm not dying too badly yet. Past the start/finish line my wife tells me I'm in fourth place, about 20 seconds behind third. Second trip down the the first hill after the campground some guy just flys by me at the top and eats total s**t at the bottom, taking another guy with him. I barely missed them by taking the inside line.

Now I'm on a mission. I see the third place guy's team jersey up ahead and chase it. After about a mile or so I catch it only to find it's his teamate from another class. This happens about two more times (jeez, how many teamates does this guy have??) before I realize I'm in no man's land. On the last lap I go by Jon R. and my teamate Darryl Patterson. You can't miss Darryl- he's the nut who races every race on a single speed and wearing blue jeans- it takes me a while to get around him, he's flying. The rest of the race was pretty un eventful for me since I didn't have the grunt to catch third and saw no one behind me from my class. All in all it was a good day with me FINALLY getting on the sport podium in this series. Thanks to TWW for letting me train/ride with them and thanks/congrats to Keith W. on his top 8 finish while at the same time taking points away from my series competitors!!

Mike U.......

Race Report by Keith White

Per my usual, I'll just call this group a bunch of pussies right up front and then get on with my story...I was surprised at the light turn out for this race. I mean, only 1:15 minutes drive from Los Gatos(compared to 3 for boggs), and about 10 folks show up. Hell, we had more than that on the start line at Boggs. In any case, it was good to see many of the regular(not sure I can use that word in respect to any TWW folks) racers there. Rich looking sporty with that great goatee, nick, loren, dave, john, joel, no tww chicks...even he famed Erik from Colorado came out for the race. Oh, and that damn Mike Urbina.

Now, let's get my excuses out of the way...Friday, Saturday down in San Diego on Business, fly back sat night. Sunday fly out to France, sleep 3-4 hours per night at most. Get completely trashed and dance till 3 in the morning, and throw up until 4am on Thursday. Meet all day, get up at 4:30am Friday, drive and fly back to SFO by Friday night. Pre-ride saturday, all before the big race on Sunday...needless to say, I was not in winning shape. But, that was ok, I only had one goal. Beat Mike U.

So, we line up, I get front row early with John Heim. Everyone around is from So Cal it seems. Everyone looks tense and ready to go. Maybe a bit over confident. We continue to move up to the start until the top 5 are called. Cannon blast and off we go....well until the guy on the start actually crashes in the first 5 feet. Nice. We all regroup and pass. Hit the top of the first climb next to Mike and John. Things look ok, but I can tell I'm just not feeling like I should. Way too worn for such a short climb. Long race, not a problem. Down and around, climb and descend past the slipery turn with the tree. That one scares me a bit. Then over the seriously bumpy singletrack to a tight downhill that is soooo dusty I can't actually see the trail and just hope I'm going in the right line. No problem. Then it flattens out and we weave and bob...until some other dude crashes right in front of the 3 I'm with. Slow and around. Now we start the climb...no place to pass, we start catching slower riders from the previous group. Catch, catch, catch....when to pass...finally break onto a wide section and we all bolt for position. Then back onto singletrack for a fast bit. Hey, there's Erik..."Go Chief" I say as I pass on a off shoot trail. Finally hit 'Hurl Hill'. I take it in middle ring standing. Pass quite a few, but I think they are all from previous classes. Then climb out, cross the bridge and hit the other side. I take it in middle ring, knowing I can power it. That is until 2 guys in front of me can't stay on their bikes and push me off the trail. Oh well. Down the back and to the start we go. Water on the back from the aid station. Don't really need it, but it feels good. Stand on the climb and go for lap 2.

Now, this gets fun. No people blocking through the first part of the singletrack. I hit it flying. And almost hit the ground flying. I felt like I was riding the mechanical bull at the Saddle Rack(never been there, just guessing). But, at least I can blaze and see where I'm going, even if I'm not in control. Now, that was fun. Get to cruz and fly down the ridge line not using any breaks now since there is no one to block me. Start to catch people on the climb again, so get to rest a bit since there aren't many good places to pass. Hurl hill is mine with another middle ring off line jam. I like this part. I'm looking for Mike. Can't remember what his jersey looks like, but keep thinking I see it up ahead in the distance. Turns out I was hallucinating. Cross the bridge and decide to go little ring for that grunt, just in case someone else has problems. No issue. Down around and more water on the back.

I'm starting to feel like a human again. I stand and pass a few people on the climb to the start. Feeling like I'm getting back into a groove. I see the guy just ahead is in my class. Cool. Follow him for a bit, and as soon as we hit the next singletrack climb I go off line and pass. See ya sucker... See a few more guys ahead. I must catch them. A minute or two later I get there. One is in my class again...cool. Next climb, I pass. See ya buddy....down on the ridge...slowed this time by people not willing to let go. On the flat section just before the hairpin, I get passed by the guy in my class I just passed...shit. I tail him on the down, knowing he doesn't stand a chance when we hit a hill. Like fishing in a bucket from here. Bide my time. First climb, I pass as soon as there's a line. Now don't try that again buckwheat. Soon we are to Hurl Hill, and the flat before I rest a bit. Hey, some old dude just passed me. 42 on his calf. Damn! So, I stand for the hill and pass him again. He fains impression. But, then passes me on the flat between hills. I stand again and pass on the last hump and hold him off for a while, but he goes. Cruzing toward home, I feel fine. Over the bridge, up the short climb, then down the james bond section(so named for the smoke screen the guy in front puts out durring the skid in the corners). The guy in front of me is riding the same frame, but from an earlier class. We chat as I pass by and hammer out the finish.

All in all a good race. Got my ass kicked by Mike U. again. I ended up 8th. Just wait. I think I've got one more race in me.

Keith

PS. All pussies referenced here are purely fictional. Anyone who races is a stud.

Race Report by Dave Longinotti

Bud Lite California Mt. Bike Championship Race #3

I prerode the course last weekend and was fortunate enough to guess it right with Rich's help.. While the single track sections are very EASY to ride slowly, it takes some skill to go fast.. The surface isn't to rocky, but the trails are very hard clay with sand mixed into to. The descents are very rain gullied and are powdery in places..

One thing I didn't preride was the start since I didn't know the exact layout,, they started up a paved service road heading up somewhat toward the "Corkscrew" if you know the Race Track..Then you turned right down a dirt road to a bridge over the track and started on the Sea Otter Singletrack.

After 3 races I'm getting to know the local 45+ Sport riders.. The two Boggs races had the same guy Daniel Yu finish 1 or2. Waiting to Start I talked to Yu a little, He said he could go fast downhill like some of the ridersŠ (Yeah, RIGHT, the last I saw of him he was disaapearing around a corner into a claud of dust..

The series leaders were called to the front and all of sudden 50-54 Sports were coming out of NowhereŠ We started together with 45-49 for a total field of 25ŠI missed my pedal and was slow off the line, but I cought back up to YU Near the top fo the hill. About 8 riders including three of the points leaders were up the road.. I kept Yu in sight about 1/2 mi, then he came to a right turn filled with a dust cloud made by the leaders, that was the LAST I saw of Yu until after the finish.

At racing speed with riders breathing down my neck, the descent was VERY SCARY..

At the bottom I was MORE TIRED than durning the preride, I must have been way too tense..

On the climbs I was not exactly catching many riders until the ridge top sections that had rollers.. On the last section before the turn onto the road I felt very fast and caught and past two riders with 50+ on their calves(the organizers wrote you age on ;your leg) One guy was short in a Stars and stripes Jersey,, I don't like to see people racing in CHAMPIONSHIP clothes that they didn't earn.. I wondered if he was a Nats.Champ??.. ) The other guy was pretty tall and his name is Gary Anginetti, Once on the rode I caught this 28 year old(I don't know what his story was but I was VERY HAPPY to Draft on him back to the track.. I past him just before the bridge and he was nice enough to warn me about the steep loose section just after the bridge.. I cleaned it quite easliy and I personally think it was WAY EASIER to right it that hike it.. Momentum along almost gets you past the really steep part and after that you can just spin to the top..

I had a lot of trouble with the chicanes ( or slalom) section, I think I should have slowed more BEFORE the sharp turns.. I had to click out a few times..

In the descent, Mr. Stars&Stripes.. (S&S) and Gary come roaring up on me, I manage to hold them off till the bottom, but I pulled over for another guy to come thru and they pass me.. (Damn!!0)

S&S stalls on the first climb and Gary has to dismount, I manage to ride around, but Gary is Running to stay ahead and remountŠ I'm enjoying the amounbt of energy he must be wasting to do that, I resolve to keep pushing him without tirring myself out if I can.. There is a climb over a little ridge and drop into another valley before clmbing up to the road, I stay in contac on t;he descents, I starting to feel that I can probably get past Gary on the next climb. On on a road on the ridgel top I ask Gary how many other 50+ are up the roade he thinks at least 3.. That wasn't what I wanted to hear.. I drop him on the road climb, but he doesn't "STAY DROPPED".. At the bridge he is right behind me.. I hope that he will stall in the dust, but near the top just before the Slalom, he surges by amd extends bu rodomg the Slalom better.. Thru S/F starting lap thru he has 30 seconds.. At the top he still has 15 seconds and this is bad, cause I knew I'd lose time on the descent..

At least I was more relaxed on the descentŠ But DAMN.. at the bottom I see good old S&S abou;10 seconds behind.. How can that guy keep gaining back so much time where he climbs like a TURTLE..

Really try to improve on the last short descents and then go all out climbing to the road.. (I knew I could lose 30 seconds on the slalom section alone, but I made it to finish ahead of him to make 5th place, the last podium position..

It was a good race, but the competition in 50-54 was a lot tougher than I expected.. At least Norcal riders took, 3 or the top 5 places.. Daniel (I don't descend so fast on the single Track )Yu from SF won, and Gary Anghinetti was 4th, with So Cal Point series contenders filling in the other places.

Keith, Jon, and Rich all raced in the extremely DEEP 35-39 race which had about 50 starters. Loren won a Medal in his race.. (Almost time to upgrade eh??)

I pre-rode the Napa-Sklyline Park course Saturday, which make Laguan Seca look like a Freeway.. There is some MAJOR ROCK GARDEN on the Lake Marie trails although some of the hardest parts of the other World cup course have been eliminated. Fell in some Poison Oak once... Tried to wash it, but syptoms started today. Not bad, just left arm and knee..

Going to do the Race next Sat.. Sorry to be missing the Olympics thoughjŠ CheersŠ

Race Report by Michael Schoellkopf

Ah my second race. The first mistake I make is spending too much time preparing the night before (changing tires, adjusting derailiers, buying beer and lunch meat) and end up getting about 4.5 hours sleep. I wake up around 4:30 and make it out by 5:30. I arrive at 7:15 with just enough time to suit up and register before the 8:00am start, cutting it a little close.

Lap 1 - beginners 35-39

Of course I've never ridden the course so I didn't know what to expect. In retrospect I could have decreased my front tire pressure a few psi as the course was not rocky, just VERY rutted in sections. I think it would have given me a little more traction in the tight slalom sections. Since I get there late I'm four rows back and very tightly packed in with the other riders. There are no falls at the start but several people having trouble clicking in which slows everyone up. In retrospect I should have placed myself near the outside and just passed on the outside to gain a lot of ground, lessons learned. Since I don't know the trail I'm not trying to pass at first just kinda hangin'' in there to get a feel for the course. What a brutal first section! Lots of ruts with loose dust is the best way to describe it. I'm glad I bought the glasses with the clear lens for all the dust. I touch down without falling on the tight right turn just before it smoothes out - "wow this is pretty slippery", I say to myself. This is nothing like Bogg's. I generally pass a few people on the downhill singletrack and keep up on the steep hills but get passed just after the hills while my legs are still recovering. I climb hurl hill and have two riders pass but then I use a burst of energy near the top to blow by them. An onlooker says "nice move". That feels good. The next smaller set of hills I get passed by several riders as my legs are still recovering from the big hill. I've got to start riding Mission Peak more! At the top I get cheered on by some TWWer's and get a boost in moral. On the downhill gravelly section another rider passes as my legs aren't quite recovered from the last set of hills. I go through the covered bridge and gain some speed as I see a hill coming up. Two riders in front of me fall to the side as I realize this is steeper than it looks. I somehow manage to grind up it in 3rd gear and crawl over the rocky summit. Down the hill I go and notice some sharp turns coming up, very sharp ... and slippery. I almost loose it again and now I've got a rider on my ass! I quickly learn to use lots of brake right before these turns to make it through and take the last left wide. The guy behind tries to pass but I power right back in front. He says, "nice fake". Up the hill to the finish I take the water, gulp half of it and dump the rest on my back for some cooling refreshment.

Lap 2

Back to the rutted sections again but this time with noone in front to pace me. I make it through most of it and get a little overconfident. On the last straight rutted section I take the wrong line a little too fast and loose control. Wham down I go. Luckily noone was foolish enough to follow me at that speed so none runs into me. I give my limbs a quick look and find no major damage and get back on the bike. Humm, something's wrong, I can't get my right pedal clipped in. I ride for a few hundred yards and decide to pull over to see what's wrong. I discover I'm missing a screw on my cleat and the cleat has rotated out of position. I have to take off my shoe and use my multitool to straighten the cleat and tighten the one remaining screw. I think to myself, "I hope it will hold for the rest of the lap" and I get passed by several riders as I am putting my shoe back on- shit! I click in and it feels normal so off I go. The second lap pretty much goes the same as the first until I get to the short steep climb after the covered bridge. This time I shift down too soon and don't have as much momentum hitting the hill. I struggle up but loose traction and teeter to the side. Oh no, my right pedal won't release! I can't dismount the bike so I have to hop on my left foot up the steepest section to where there is adequate traction. I get on and avoid getting passed as I close in on a rider in my same class in the slalom section. I'm right on his ass and take the last turn a little faster and power past him yeah! I look behind and he's 15 feet behind so I figure I'll beat him to the finish no problem. Right before the last right turn I hear him coming up behind me and I pour it on. The problem is there is a rider in front and as I start to pass him I get squeezed between him and the guy passing from behind. It was really close but I managed to keep the guy who was in the same class from passing me and held onto my 24th place finish. Cool.

Post Race

It turns out the guy behind me was Ron who happened to be on the Montara ride as well so we chatted a while while I tried to unclick my right foot. I finally took my shoe off my foot and my pedal off my bike and with help from another guy named Ron got the shoe off the pedal. It was about this time that I discovered that the 2 cliff powershots or whatever they're called that I had stuck in my short pocket had exploded upon my impact with the ground and the right side of my shorts were a sticky mess. Good thing I brought a change of clothes. I cleaned myself up and the rest of the time was spent hanging out, trying to win the raffles, and waiting endlessly for the sport and expert awards to be given out. The competition at this race was definitely stiffer than at Bogg's and it gave me a good idea of what it takes to place in championship series like this. I definitely need to keep riding every day if I'm going to have a chance at the next race. I had a great time and can't wait till the next one!

Thanks for the support from everyone at TWW.

Mike Schoellkopf