On the drive up Safety First! and I were ambushed -- I dodged the car through a hail of sniper fire. Fortunately, only the front tire of his bicycle was struck.
We picked up B and Droptail who had ridden up Silver Fork Road from the target car. Only then did we realize that the tire had been shot.
We continued to Carson Spur where our crew parted. Safety to replace his tire, the rest of us rode Thunder Mountain to upper horse canyon trail to Squaw Ridge. At these craggy heights, a posse of motorcyclists rolled up to us, over untrammeled landscape. We explained how, in spite of their body armor, they were not cool like mountain bikers. Because, we were legal. And our ride was longer and better and harder.
After floating over loose rock at unsafe speeds down tire shredding Squaw Ridge, we snuck a bit of singletrack from Plasse's Trading Post (historic, or we would have stopped for whiskey) to Allen Camp, over a last little ridge to Silver Lake, and around the East side. Ignoring grumbling, B persisted in leading us through a bit of brush and emerged onto an enormous granite slab crawl.
We met Safety at the FT3 Silver Lake Campsite. With bellies full of way-cheladas, we undertook a gnarly bit- the unnamed, unmarked trail that follows the ridge out from the FT3 Silver Lake Campsite. At a granitic knob with long views in every direction, before the trail plummeted towards the ridge between Sherman Canyon and Caples Creek/Silver Fork, we parted. Safety and I retraced to our car and B and Droptail pushed further to theirs. Alpenglow blushed the mountain peaks as we finished.
Did anyone else ride last weekend?
Cappy Answers:
This Saturday was the first Annual El Dorado Hills Cyclocross race held at the old golf course. We all knew there was great potential for a cross race in that location, and it did not disappoint. Larz and I met up early for a carpool. Since this was a UCI race, and my expired license indicates I am a CAT 2 cyclocross racer, I decided to toe the line with Larz in the B race. At the time, I considered this to be a good decision based upon the small number of 35+ A racers pre-registered, which was only 1. The course had a nice mix of grass, climbing, tight turns, off camber sections, high speed sections and - of course, sand pits. I would give this course design very high marks for the year. The race started and myself and a few others went off the front. There was a grassy corner around a tree that had featured some hidden roots that took a rider out, in front of me, fortunately, I was able to go around him with only a bit of a shoulder bump to the rider next to me. A few more corners and a climb and I was sitting in second place behind what I eventually determined to be a 45+ rider. Lap after lap, we continued to battle, swapping the lead only a few times, typically with him keeping a small lead on me but well within striking range. With two laps to go our pace picked up and the third place rider gave chase. One lap to go and we were flying for the line. Just before the line I made a swift move around a lapped rider and managed to take the sprint for the overall win. Oh… whoops, maybe I should be racing A’s. Lars finished a short while after me and expressed that he had a good race, and experienced some great battles and did a lot of passing. We ate some cookies, I had to protest the preliminary results because I did not show up on them, in the meantime the second place (35+) finisher took my first place prize (Karma for sandbagging?) and finally Larz and I were able to leave. While it was nice to be racing for first rather than trying to hang on for dear life, I learned that I am officially an A racer and the win was bittersweet.
Cappy Answers:
This Saturday was the first Annual El Dorado Hills Cyclocross race held at the old golf course. We all knew there was great potential for a cross race in that location, and it did not disappoint. Larz and I met up early for a carpool. Since this was a UCI race, and my expired license indicates I am a CAT 2 cyclocross racer, I decided to toe the line with Larz in the B race. At the time, I considered this to be a good decision based upon the small number of 35+ A racers pre-registered, which was only 1. The course had a nice mix of grass, climbing, tight turns, off camber sections, high speed sections and - of course, sand pits. I would give this course design very high marks for the year. The race started and myself and a few others went off the front. There was a grassy corner around a tree that had featured some hidden roots that took a rider out, in front of me, fortunately, I was able to go around him with only a bit of a shoulder bump to the rider next to me. A few more corners and a climb and I was sitting in second place behind what I eventually determined to be a 45+ rider. Lap after lap, we continued to battle, swapping the lead only a few times, typically with him keeping a small lead on me but well within striking range. With two laps to go our pace picked up and the third place rider gave chase. One lap to go and we were flying for the line. Just before the line I made a swift move around a lapped rider and managed to take the sprint for the overall win. Oh… whoops, maybe I should be racing A’s. Lars finished a short while after me and expressed that he had a good race, and experienced some great battles and did a lot of passing. We ate some cookies, I had to protest the preliminary results because I did not show up on them, in the meantime the second place (35+) finisher took my first place prize (Karma for sandbagging?) and finally Larz and I were able to leave. While it was nice to be racing for first rather than trying to hang on for dear life, I learned that I am officially an A racer and the win was bittersweet.
Another temperate forecast for Pollock Pines. But, soon enough, Peter will finally shut up about the dust and will, instead, snivel about the wintry mix.
It's Tuesday. Are you IN?
It appears that Safety's tire was unsafely placed in front of the exhaust pipe of the transport car. The sniper fire bit would have worked if you were riding in Afghanistan.
ReplyDeleteI was going to add a weekend race report and photos to NoCar's post but I do not have sufficient admin rights to edit existing posts.
ReplyDeleteI thought you were the grand poobah administrator. Send it to me and I'll put it up.
DeleteI sent it to you
DeletePosted.
DeleteB, did you score a new HTC kit from DX?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI didn't add this to the race report I sent to NoCar, so I will add it here. Green Fro and I crushed the bike leg of the Hard as Chickenlips triathlon, which is riding from Lotus park, up Prospector, across Garden Valley road to 193 and the Nugget at Chili bar, then paddling down the river to Lotus park, then running five miles in Coloma. Anyway, I put a gap on 'Fro on the climb and he wasn't able to close it but we were the first two riders at the river. I was nearly attached by Cujo, literally, a HUGE ST. Bernard charged me on 193 and fortunately the death call I provided him scared him off three feet before he ate my calf.
ReplyDeleteThanks NoCar, but can you also add the pics?
ReplyDeleteThanks NoCar. I was super admin but changed my e-mail address and lost some 'cred in the process.
DeleteTWO!
ReplyDeleteLast night I dropped my cel phone in Weber Creek, just below the confluence with Hangtown.
Someone else will need to backchannel Xt.
I'll try the rice and cross my fingers.
DeleteWow, 3 people working together = ultimate call out. Thanks for the great post B, Nocar and Captn.
ReplyDelete