Michaux - Curse of Dark Hollow 100k
Michaux was a bust. I'm not happy but you take what you can get.
TimmyD and I drive all the way out there, arrive around 10pm and I realize my front tire is flat. Not a good sign. Sunday morning I put a tube in and hope for the best.
Not even 5 miles into the race I pinch flat the front tire. I was having fun too sitting on Huber's wheel. Fixed the flat as I saw the entire race pass me. Now with a full front tire and holding DFL I began to pick people off. Made some headway in the back of the field but had a feeling I'd never see the lead guys.
Then I see Tim fixing a flat. Not good. He should be way out front. I also realized my front tire was low. WTF? Seeing as I was at the bottom of a singletrack climb I hiked up to the top. Then decided the trail and my bike were good enough to ride. Turns felt like the tire was going to roll off the rim but I didn't care. As soon as the tire fully let go I pulled over to swap out for another tube.
Low and behold... A 3 inch long hole in my sidewall. I popped 3 gel packs in need of the wrappers to line the inside of my tire. My 2nd new tube and I'm good to go. Back to picking people off. A couple miles later I pinch flat the front again. Now I'm out of tubes and air but a rider was kind enough to loan me his tube and CO2 (Thank You!). Fixed and refixed the sidewall hole.
Back on the bike and actually got to ride for once. Now I'm surely not going to catch anyone and am wondering what the fuck I'm doing. Why am I to even race this 62mile, nothing but rocks the size of televisions, race from the back of the field? Got around the reservoir and through the first water station. Onto some fire road climbs (maybe around mile 9). Out of the saddle pedaling I realize my front tire felt a bit too soft. Hmmm... Couple hundred feet later its fully flat and now I'm hiking. Hiked about 3 miles through some beautiful terrain wishing I could ride it. Then one of the motos saw me.
Ditched my bike in the woods and hopped a ride on the back of the dirtbike to camp. Turned in my number and eventually drove back to pick up my bike (it was in the woods right off a forest service road).
DNF. 2nd time ever I had to throw in the towel. I'd consider this my first official DNF. The previous one was years ago when I didn't know what I was doing.
Not really happy but am optimistic. I was feeling good to. Ready to pick people off on the climbs. Who knows if I would have lasted the full 62miles due to the rigid fork and huge rocks but I never even got a chance to try.
Harlan dominated and took the win over Trek's Chris E. TimmyD and I left before the singlespeeders finished but I did see the leaders (Buck, Topher and Huber) come through the 40mile mark (looking strong). I'm guessing the top 3 SS was them in some order.
Time to recoup and come back with a vengeance at the Wilderness 101 in a few weeks time....
TimmyD and I drive all the way out there, arrive around 10pm and I realize my front tire is flat. Not a good sign. Sunday morning I put a tube in and hope for the best.
Not even 5 miles into the race I pinch flat the front tire. I was having fun too sitting on Huber's wheel. Fixed the flat as I saw the entire race pass me. Now with a full front tire and holding DFL I began to pick people off. Made some headway in the back of the field but had a feeling I'd never see the lead guys.
Then I see Tim fixing a flat. Not good. He should be way out front. I also realized my front tire was low. WTF? Seeing as I was at the bottom of a singletrack climb I hiked up to the top. Then decided the trail and my bike were good enough to ride. Turns felt like the tire was going to roll off the rim but I didn't care. As soon as the tire fully let go I pulled over to swap out for another tube.
Low and behold... A 3 inch long hole in my sidewall. I popped 3 gel packs in need of the wrappers to line the inside of my tire. My 2nd new tube and I'm good to go. Back to picking people off. A couple miles later I pinch flat the front again. Now I'm out of tubes and air but a rider was kind enough to loan me his tube and CO2 (Thank You!). Fixed and refixed the sidewall hole.
Back on the bike and actually got to ride for once. Now I'm surely not going to catch anyone and am wondering what the fuck I'm doing. Why am I to even race this 62mile, nothing but rocks the size of televisions, race from the back of the field? Got around the reservoir and through the first water station. Onto some fire road climbs (maybe around mile 9). Out of the saddle pedaling I realize my front tire felt a bit too soft. Hmmm... Couple hundred feet later its fully flat and now I'm hiking. Hiked about 3 miles through some beautiful terrain wishing I could ride it. Then one of the motos saw me.
Ditched my bike in the woods and hopped a ride on the back of the dirtbike to camp. Turned in my number and eventually drove back to pick up my bike (it was in the woods right off a forest service road).
DNF. 2nd time ever I had to throw in the towel. I'd consider this my first official DNF. The previous one was years ago when I didn't know what I was doing.
Not really happy but am optimistic. I was feeling good to. Ready to pick people off on the climbs. Who knows if I would have lasted the full 62miles due to the rigid fork and huge rocks but I never even got a chance to try.
Harlan dominated and took the win over Trek's Chris E. TimmyD and I left before the singlespeeders finished but I did see the leaders (Buck, Topher and Huber) come through the 40mile mark (looking strong). I'm guessing the top 3 SS was them in some order.
Time to recoup and come back with a vengeance at the Wilderness 101 in a few weeks time....
posted by dougyfresh at 12:34 AM
1 Comments:
Bummer to here your misfortunes! I definitely felt the rigid fork by the end of the day. I'll catch you at the 101!
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