RIP 'nightmare on baldy' :(
Pre-rode most of the Firecracker 50 course today with my teammate, Ted. We are doing the team thing for the 2nd year in a row.
Ted and I had a fun ride - just taking our time and chilling on the course.
The promoter had decided to make a couple of changes to the course.
Most notably removing the techy section 'nightmare on baldy'. I love this section - it's fast, steep, loose and sketchy. It's basically a contolled (or uncontrolled) slide through the rocks. There is never a 'line' as motos would ride the trail and chew up any line that had once been there.
Anyway that part of that trail is all blocked off and in it's place is nice flowly singletrack. Now don't get me wrong - i'm all about the flowy singletrack but i like techy, sketchy sections on race courses. So I'm bummed about 'nightmare on baldy's' demise.
Another change is the tight, rutted out switchbacks down into Carter Park have been replaced with C shaped bermed turns (no i do not call these switchbacks). The 'old' switchbacks always generated a ton on carnage on the race course. The new ones are fast and fun - but on the 'old' ones you had to pay attention when descending so I'm sad those are gone too.
this is NOT a switchback
sigh..
Ted and I had a fun ride - just taking our time and chilling on the course.
I ran into Jeny and crew
I LOVE that girl!
I LOVE that girl!
girls in blue
jeny and eszter
buh-bye to nightmare and rutted out switchies :(jeny and eszter
The promoter had decided to make a couple of changes to the course.
Most notably removing the techy section 'nightmare on baldy'. I love this section - it's fast, steep, loose and sketchy. It's basically a contolled (or uncontrolled) slide through the rocks. There is never a 'line' as motos would ride the trail and chew up any line that had once been there.
Anyway that part of that trail is all blocked off and in it's place is nice flowly singletrack. Now don't get me wrong - i'm all about the flowy singletrack but i like techy, sketchy sections on race courses. So I'm bummed about 'nightmare on baldy's' demise.
here's Ted descending the first bit of nightmare
the pic does not do justice to the steepness :(
the pic does not do justice to the steepness :(
Another change is the tight, rutted out switchbacks down into Carter Park have been replaced with C shaped bermed turns (no i do not call these switchbacks). The 'old' switchbacks always generated a ton on carnage on the race course. The new ones are fast and fun - but on the 'old' ones you had to pay attention when descending so I'm sad those are gone too.
this is NOT a switchback
sigh..
race to the bottom
Ted is a better descender than I am so when we were getting ready to enter the last 2.5 miles of descending singletrack - I told him to haul-ass to Carter Park and then time me to see how far behind I was. I kept him in sight for the first mile or so then lost him but I rode as fast as I could (considering the traffic on the trail) and he told me I was 2 minutes back. I was happy with that.
aftermath
Ted and I went back to his place to clean up and he headed home. I hung around for Jeny and crew and we all went to dinner at the Breck Brew Pub. I love their agave wheat.
Then I started to head home but i was so tired i ended up pulling over and taking a 30 minute nap in the car! Traffic was horrible on the way home and it ended up being 2hours back to Boulder. By the time I reached Boulder I was hungry again so i made a b-line to The Rio. After that I was ready to be home and as I 'rolled through' a stop sign - I got pulled over.
The officer was very nice to me and I mention I was tired and ready to get home after riding all day. He let me off w/a warning saying 'i understand - i like to go to all-you-can-eat sushi after I do a 3 hour ride'. whew - glad i still had the bike on the car!
Ted is a better descender than I am so when we were getting ready to enter the last 2.5 miles of descending singletrack - I told him to haul-ass to Carter Park and then time me to see how far behind I was. I kept him in sight for the first mile or so then lost him but I rode as fast as I could (considering the traffic on the trail) and he told me I was 2 minutes back. I was happy with that.
aftermath
Ted and I went back to his place to clean up and he headed home. I hung around for Jeny and crew and we all went to dinner at the Breck Brew Pub. I love their agave wheat.
Then I started to head home but i was so tired i ended up pulling over and taking a 30 minute nap in the car! Traffic was horrible on the way home and it ended up being 2hours back to Boulder. By the time I reached Boulder I was hungry again so i made a b-line to The Rio. After that I was ready to be home and as I 'rolled through' a stop sign - I got pulled over.
The officer was very nice to me and I mention I was tired and ready to get home after riding all day. He let me off w/a warning saying 'i understand - i like to go to all-you-can-eat sushi after I do a 3 hour ride'. whew - glad i still had the bike on the car!
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