Popular Post Dirtyhip Posted June 23, 2015 Popular Post Share #1 Posted June 23, 2015 Good morning. Thought I would share the deets about my most awesome weekend. I took a four day weekend. The race was far so I wanted no stress in the travel to and from. It has been hot here. I slept quite warm and felt pretty badly in the morning on Friday. I was physically ill on the ride to Hood River. I had my doubts that I could pull it together for my two day race. When we got to Hood and set up camp, I crashed out for a while and just rested in the trailer. Friday was supposed to be a practice day and a pre-ride of the course. I just didn't have it in me. This meant racing blind over the next couple of days. Saturday, I woke up feeling so much better. My rest and heavy hydration made all the difference. This race was full face recommended, but due to the heat, I went with my XC helmet. The course here is really technical up top. Loose ball bearing type dirt with twists turns and the infamous rock garden. The rock garden is particularly gnarly because of the very loose dirt making conditions unpredictable. There are trees everywhere just waiting for you to crash into them. There were a couple of rather steep uphills that left pretty much everyone off their bikes. When I got to them, I just ran as fast as I could up them. My Sidis were horrible for foot traction, because I need toe spikes...but I dug my toes in as hard as I could into the loose dirt and carried that bike as fast as I could up the steep. I was very mindful about not hitting my derailleur or hanger on anything, because that would end my whole race if I broke those. Sunday, I am still feeling good and strong. They are running in reverse order today, so that meant waking really early. I had to be in the shuttle van at 8 am. This made me happy, because I ride better in the cool. Then the bad news, I find out that one of the stages takes us down the rock garden again. I start to fret a bit. The rock garden is heinous. Everyone is telling me that day two is going to be much more technical and rocky riding. OH BOY! The first stage sends you through what they call "baby heads", Its a twisty trail with large baby head sized rocks. Everything is so dry and loose. Not much in regards to traction here. On the upper rock garden I had some problems. I crashed like 3 times. After each crash, I just jumped back up as quick as I could to prevent losing too much time. In one of the final stages of the day, I get to what people refer to as the G-out. People were talking about it. I knew it was coming, but I hadn't seen it. I go through a turn and see the sign "CAUTION! G-OUT!" I think "Oh, shit, here it is"...but I am gonna hit it with as much speed as I can, because I don't want to have to pedal and lose time. I drop into it and it looks fun and somewhat smooth. I just let it rip and shaved like hardly any speed going nto it. My hubs were screamin on the downhill of it and then I hit the bottom. My stomach drops and you can feel the G forces in your body super hardcore style. I am just flying. I hear people hootin at me, but I do my best to tune everything out. I am getting really good at ignoring the spectators and focusing my efforts on the business at hand. I was almost done now with the weekend and feeling pretty decent about my performance and lack of damage to myself or my bike. I start to smile more now, because I am really having fun at these races. The last part of the course was really fun flow trail. The walls on the berms were so tall. You could ride up them so high. They walls were solid too..like concrete. It's built quite well. I had fun jumping and riding high on the berms my way down the last trail. Before long I was at the finish. Me and my bike were solid. The finish stopped at the race expo, so that made it quite fun to not have to get on a another shuttle at the end. The girls I raced with are awesome. I hope to ride with them for leisure sometime. This video below is the G-out!!!! Hard to see but you drop in on this really steep U shape of trail. It was the only vid I could find. http://videos.mtb-news.de/36195/g-out-volle-kompression-beim-oregon-enduro-race-am-hood-river Day 1 on a steep roll out. http://www.craphotos.com/MountainBiking/2015-MTB-Events/Oregon-Enduro-Series/Hood-River/Saturday/i-qMsF8gc/A The rock garden. I admit to being very scared on this segment. I rode through this twice once on Saturday, and I cleaned it. Then we had to do it again on Sunday. http://www.craphotos.com/MountainBiking/2015-MTB-Events/Oregon-Enduro-Series/Hood-River/Sunday-Juniors-thru-Sport/i-9j98mc6/A http://www.craphotos.com/MountainBiking/2015-MTB-Events/Oregon-Enduro-Series/Hood-River/Sunday-Juniors-thru-Sport/i-gXZQpCf/A 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirtyhip Posted June 23, 2015 Author Share #2 Posted June 23, 2015 Oh...I won some killer swag:Smith sunglasses, a pink jersey and matching pink/black MTB shorts, chain lube, a C02 pump and cartridges, and a mud flap for my fork.The race this time went so much smoother. Only one stage with timing issues. They rectified the situation quite quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Square Wheels Posted June 23, 2015 Share #3 Posted June 23, 2015 Most excellent!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrentonMakes Posted June 23, 2015 Share #4 Posted June 23, 2015 so awesome. Congratulations on the silver and I'm so glad the event wasn't all screwed up like last time.I think that G-spot out video pretty clearly shows how fast you go from "down" to "up". Cool. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrAzY Posted June 23, 2015 Share #5 Posted June 23, 2015 Good job! Did you get to kiss the winner? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirtyhip Posted June 23, 2015 Author Share #6 Posted June 23, 2015 Oh, I forgot to tell you guys about the podium girl that put my medal around my neck. She had the most awesome podium outfit. She had a bra with cranks on it, and race plates on her short shorts, and pieces of tubes on her shoulders. It was very fitting for a hardcore podium girl for an enduro event. Here is a snap of her and the staff. Great event this time!https://www.facebook.com/OregonEnduro/photos/a.241837935950130.61771.238958599571397/686276541506265/?type=1&theater Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrAzY Posted June 23, 2015 Share #7 Posted June 23, 2015 Oh, I forgot to tell you guys about the podium girl that put my medal around my neck. She had the most awesome podium outfit. She had a bra with cranks on it, and race plates on her short shorts, and pieces of tubes on her shoulders. It was very fitting for a hardcore podium girl for an enduro event. Here is a snap of her and the staff. Great event this time!https://www.facebook.com/OregonEnduro/photos/a.241837935950130.61771.238958599571397/686276541506265/?type=1&theateryou should have lead this whole story based on her picture and phone number!!! DAMN you woman!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kzoo Posted June 23, 2015 Share #8 Posted June 23, 2015 Congrats DH. Glad you had fun. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UglyBob Posted June 23, 2015 Share #9 Posted June 23, 2015 I'm glad this one went smoother. I love seeing you on that podium! What was the gap between you and first place? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirtyhip Posted June 23, 2015 Author Share #10 Posted June 23, 2015 I'm glad this one went smoother. I love seeing you on that podium! What was the gap between you and first place? I'm gapped and slapped from her time. Like 7 minutes. She is posting times closer to expert class women's times. She is very fast. She lives up there in Hood. Next round..Bend! Mt Bachelor, and I have season tickies. Time to practice. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randomguy Posted June 23, 2015 Share #11 Posted June 23, 2015 Please tell me you scissored with the podium chick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsharr ★ Posted June 23, 2015 Share #12 Posted June 23, 2015 This thread makes me happy. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petitepedal ★ Posted June 23, 2015 Share #13 Posted June 23, 2015 Fantastic!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
az_cyclist Posted June 23, 2015 Share #14 Posted June 23, 2015 Great report, DH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reverend_Maynard Posted June 23, 2015 Share #15 Posted June 23, 2015 I'm gapped and slapped from her time. Like 7 minutes. She is posting times closer to expert class women's times. She is very fast. She lives up there in Hood. Next round..Bend! Mt Bachelor, and I have season tickies. Time to practice. Was she also first in your first race? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirtyhip Posted June 23, 2015 Author Share #16 Posted June 23, 2015 Was she also first in your first race?Yup. She got first in that one too. Fast! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reverend_Maynard Posted June 23, 2015 Share #17 Posted June 23, 2015 Yup. She got first in that one too. Fast!Sand bagger? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirtyhip Posted June 23, 2015 Author Share #18 Posted June 23, 2015 Sand bagger?I don't want to speak badly about anyone. You can feel free to look at the results and see what you think about the matter.http://oregonenduro.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/OES-Hood-River-Overall-Results-2015.pdfWe all had fun, and she won. I am a good sport about the whole matter at hand. Just happy that I have the opportunity to enjoy this very fun sport and ride at the level that I do. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reverend_Maynard Posted June 23, 2015 Share #19 Posted June 23, 2015 (edited) I don't want to speak badly about anyone. You can feel free to look at the results and see what you think about the matter.http://oregonenduro.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/OES-Hood-River-Overall-Results-2015.pdfWe all had fun, and she won. I am a good sport about the whole matter at hand. Just happy that I have the opportunity to enjoy this very fun sport and ride at the level that I do.Hmmm... She wouldn't have won the expert, but would have come in 3rd. Always a tough call when you get to pick your own division.I didn't see a description of the categories on the website.Like you said, it is what it is. As long as you had fun, it's all good. Edited June 23, 2015 by Reverend_Maynard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirtyhip Posted June 23, 2015 Author Share #20 Posted June 23, 2015 (edited) Hmmm... She wouldn't have won the expert, but would have come in 3rd. Always a tough call when you get to pick your own division.Like you said, it is what it is. As long as you had fun, it's all good.I am so happy to be healthy and strong. I will practice hard for Bachelor and see what happens there. I will not go gentle into the night. HAHA Edited June 23, 2015 by Dirtyhip 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pokey Posted June 24, 2015 Share #21 Posted June 24, 2015 This thread is just so full of excellence. Congrats, DH. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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