Ride Report Fontana Race/SouthRidge Races

HEY!! That's me! I'm the "carnage..." :wave:

So, my trail bike is an '02 Turner RFX that I used to race DH on. I changed out the 6" rockers for 5" rockers, to make it a 5"-rear/6"-front bike.

We start out the Super D at the cul-de-sac near the wall, and are told that the first part of the race would be climbing up to where the DH starts.
"You've got to be kidding me," I think to myself. I don't even want to know how many vertical feet it is.

I start off optimistic, but am soon reminded why I don't race XC. I haven't been on a course I wanted to hurl on in a long time, and while I really like "giving it all you've got," I would prefer to do so in that last 2 minutes of a race, not the first two minutes of the race. By the time I got up to the top of the DH start, I am so relieved to be there, that I forget to unlock my suspension, and essentially have about 80mm of travel for the rest of the course.

By the time I hit the Cal State section (where you see me above harvesting soil samples for my research project - ahem!), I am so exhausted and spent, I don't have the strength to wield the bike through the rocks. With Eric bearing down on me, I crash hard on the rocks, landing on my helmet and wadding in a heap amidst a swirling cloud of dust.
I moan and try to move as I hear someone coming up behind me.
"Pass me! Pass!" I yell to him.
He leaps over my body and continues his race.

I stagger to my feet, and try to stand without falling over.
"Are you OK?" I hear someone yell to me from the side of the trail.

"AAARRRRGGGGHHHH!!!!!" I roar, by way of answer. So I get a little angry when I crash. I pick up my bike and continue the race, hoping it won't be much further, and there won't be much more climbing. Like an idiot, I've come in and done this race blind, with no idea what the course lay-out is. I do not advice this as a race strategy.

Before the race is over, I manage to miss the hard right that would have avoided the lower rock section that runs along the wall. As I approach the wall just past the last set of rocks, I realize I'm off course. It's another steep climb to get back to the Super D course... (note to self: always pre-ride the course). Sigh. Oh well.

Other than crashing on my helmet and going off course, I rode really well!

Thanks for the pic!

-sunny
Laura Drexler

 

Hey 717E... Check out your picture here!
http://www.bluefirepictures.com/site_photo.php?photo=1953
Enjoy:bang:

 

Time for the race runs. My lovely assistant covered the upper rock garden. (My only instructions to her were to shoot The Path riders, stay on the high side of the course for safety and keep the camera on S. I think she did a nice job.) I shot the lower rock garden after my race run. (I usually try and get The Path, Incycle, Bike Co and Royal pain in the Hutchinson riders.)

Enjoy.

















Allison:


Sauce:
















Look out!!!




















Mechmann - Pull up mann!!!




Continued…

 

Great race report!

 

Winston - Pedal? You must be joking:


Aukmal - My arch nemesis.


Haas - Congrats on your 2nd place run.








Crash Maxwell:


















Lower STR Peanut Gallery:








J Sims:




Chumba Jason - Also tried a Turner 5 Spot.


Paulina! - Powered by breakfast burrito.


Lacey - Nice job:


The End

 

Great photos as usual Winston. I need to get fast enough to get on the Path team!

Good race report on PinnedMTB:

http://www.pinnedmtb.com/fontana111807.htm

 

Love the Southridge USA group shot:

Photo by Dylan Dean

 

It's a great group of people that run the events!

 

Eric, you probably just don't spend enough money there :lol:

BTW, If Big HOuse is reading this - your brother needs to teach me how to corner!



Photo from Dylan-Dean/pinnedmtb article.

 

:wave:I am in for that clinic!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Damn

 

I suspect that image was rotated and cropped a bit, look at the weeds. Yes he's cornering hard (and there's a berm), but not quite as hard as the photo would lead you to believe.

 

I'd still jump in on this clinic if there was one! :lol:

 

Hater....

 

Agreed, but looking at the photo a little closer, it does appear to be slightly tilted. Just look at the corner/ground.

 

Even so That corner sucked... and he is haulin way more @$$ then I did... I am in for A CLINIC...:beer: and props to him fo sho

 

Name change, c'mon, Carnage is better than Sunny, am I right?

Glad to hear no big deal (I was the 'leap-ee'). I do remember 'pass me, pass me!' Yeah, that uphill was pretty brutal. I pre-rode the course and STILL missed the turn (not good at following directions #-o) You must have got up pretty quickly, I remember you shouting 'which way is Super-D' and you could hear a pin drop (wuz up wit dat?!?) maybe you followed my stupid azz thinking I knew which way (boy was that wrong!) never forget that one, pretty funny!

 

Thanks in advanced!

It was great meeting you out there, have a GREAT Thanksgiving!!:bang:

 

A product of Ozzer's boredom after an awesome Thanksgiving dinner.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7216061000171050671

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

 

Hey Heather great to see you on here. I was the girl at the bottom of your boulder talking to you about your pictures they're always stunning. That video above is awesome thanks he caught Adrian (Foesnasty in Incycle jersey) hiking up to the start. I'm hoping to progress to a better camera by next race. Maybe you'll race next one? See you there...:wave:

 

I hope so too.