Oregon State Champion!

This weekend was the Oregon state championships at Willamette pass. It was a great weekend...we got out of portland right before we melted!! Drove down to Willamette pass friday night, got in around midnight, set up camp and snoozed in the cool mountain air (verses the 100 degree portland air). Wonderful I say! Saturday morning, woke up, fried up some juevos and queso, packed up the bikes and hit the slopes. They changed the course on us again. The pro/expert course was steeper and more blown out this time, but they took out most of the big drops. Overall this course was easier, but you had to be able to keep it together in the steep, rutted out sections. Saturday I rode the sport course for fun and to check it out. Not as steep but just as blown out. Then practiced the pro/expert course. Holy crap was it HOT!! It was gondola access, so you sat in a hot box in full gear for 20 minutes. Luckily we were camped right on the lake. So, straight back to the campspot for some sun, some swimming and some cervezas!
Race morning came waay to early. It was a pretty warm night so I didn't sleep very well. No fans in the mountains. Did a practice run, man do those hurt! Working out all the lactic acid in your hands from the day before...ouch! The race format was best time out of two runs. My first run went....well it went. :) I forgot how to ride my bike on the top part...fell over and got stuck to my bike because I couldn't get clipped out. But the bottom part I was rockin'. Had a decent time, but I knew I could go faster. So the next run...I decided to take it a little easier in the top section. I actually had a great, fast run in the top section so I decided to push it a little more in the bottom section. I rocked it! What a great feeling! I ended up shaving 11 seconds off my time. It was a great feeling. I haven't been racing, or even riding my bike half as much as I used to because I have been in the midst of starting my chiropractic practice. It's nice to know I can still pull some stuff out when I need to. Couple more downhill races this season, then it's off to cross season. That should make for some interesting stories!! Stay tune!!!

Willamette #2

My sister and I drove down to southern Oregon this weekend to compete in the second race of the Willamette pass DH series. Neither of us had ever been there before, but you can bet your butt we will be going back!! The area was absolutely beautiful, and the course was awesome!! Tight, twisty, steep, loose, roots, rocks, drops, jumps, and lots and lots of DUST! This was definetly your central oregon loose, dusty dirt.
We started practice about 2:00 and made 4 runs. My bike was a little bouncy the first run, and I realized that my brakes were "normal"...I run moto style. So I took some air out of my fork, added some air to my rear shock, tweaked the compression for my weight and switched my brakes and then....it was LOVE! It usually takes awhile for me to get used to a new bike, but 2 runs on this and it was like I'd been riding it all season. Race morning we got up to do a practice run. That pretty much sucked! The first run of the day is about pumping out all of the lactic acid that built up the day before. My hands felt like they were going to fall off and I couldn't peddle to save my life. But..the warm up worked and race run I felt great! Had one "fall over" from trying to cut a washed out corner, but othewise had a great run. My sister also had a great run. We ended up with me getting 1st and her second. Go SISTERS!!
Next weekend...providing medical at the seaside volley ball tournament.

Off to the races...

Well...I'm off to the races this weekend. Pretty exciting, since I will be riding my brandy new DH bike. I just finished (am still tweaking) building my Iron Horse Sunday World Cup. Let me tell you...this bike is bad a#$!! Sram hooked the bella DH squad up with the sweet Rock Shox Boxxer World Cup and a full X.O group with Code 4 piston brakes. When I want to stop...I STOP!....well the bike stops anyway..sometimes I keep going. Stans build us a super light wheel set, bella blue hubs and all, with Maxxis tubeless DH tires. My wonderful friend/mechanic Brian has been there from incecption. For those of you who were there, Mr. Brian was crucial in the high placings of the cross bellas at the Portland USGP last year. He was our mechanic/bike swapper/bike washer/all around great guy extrordinaire. YAY BRIAN!!
So, the sister and I are leaving tomorrow to go race in South western oregon. Always a good time with the Johnson sisters and a couple of bikes. I hear the course is technical and fun...I'm sooo looking forward to it. Work has calmed down just enough that I can finally do a couple race trips. Packing tonight, will be on my bike by noon tomorrow....updates to follow!!!