Fontana Winter Series Race #3

Is it raining down there?

It just opened up on us up here..monsoon style..

 

According to weather underground, it raining lightly right now.

 

My office is very close to southridge and it is not raining at this second. But has been raining most of the day here and pretty hard.

 

Just finished riding the XC Course. Here's some notes for those racing tomorrow.

Course is wet but not muddy. A couple of puddles but nothing you can't avoid.

No new ruts.

Some of the corners are going to get chewed up fast. You may want to run a more aggressive tire (bigger Knobbys).

The steep up before the brick wall/houses is really slick. You may want to put your spikes on your shoes in case you have to run up.

The cement at the bottom of the last DH section is wet (next to the flood control drain). If you hit it fast you will probably end up in the chain link fence.

Rocks on the last little uphill are wet and slick.

Good luck.

 

Man this is tough. I've been down sick for most of this week and now with the rain.....I realy set up my vacation so I could race one weekend and move the rest of them. I think for the sake of staying healthy for the rest of my vacation (1 more week) I might skip this all together. I went for a run this morning and felt like crap after. Riding for an hour and being wet...hmm not a great combo.

Sucks but discretion is the better part of valor...right??? #-o

Good luck to all of the brave souls who are going to brave the rain. If not for the darn flu this week I'd be there.

 

They didn't mark off Super D today I'm guessing in the morning. Conditions were perfect today very little rain (rained all day at my house 20 minutes away) the course conditions especially the 4x track nice and tacky. Just a few puddles. They split the DH course just past the saddle (taking similar line as the Nationals )but by the end of the day with Donny's permission changed a pro/expert line zigzagging down a waterfall section into an easier line. But still a very fun course. I have pics but not sure people really want to see ahead of time maybe I'll post a link only?

Edit: Putting in photobucket computers acting up may take a sec?

 

Do it:wave:

 

link it up

 

C'mon Sharky, post it up. I gotta see...:lol:

 

Tires

I read Eric's post about knobbys, is there any reason to to run a wider tire. I have both 2.10 and 2.35 ignightor's and tries to decide which to run. I already have a 2.10 on the front. Is there any reason to run the 2.35 on the front or rear vs. the 2.10's

thanks

 

I heard the expert/pro course is pretty gnarly :bang:!

Aaaaaah the butterfly's are kicking in #-o

 

well, since i popped my 2.35 tire, i may be limited to soemthing as small as a 2.7 in the rear, since thats all the spares i have :lol:
is it worth bringing a gnarly tire like that? do you think it wil get muddy this weekend for DH?
at my house we got about 5 inches today according to the news, and i would believe it since when i went to my workshop to get some tires, i sank an a few inches into my grass which is now mudd.

 

i threw on a 2.5 michelin Nagesti.
hope it works.

 

I forgot to mention this is for XC tomorrow

 

i would run the 2.35 in front, since the 2.10 will be easier to put torque to, but if its muddy, i would probly suggest putting the 2.35 in the rear, and maybe getting a 2.35 Small block 8 for the front.
considering you dont have time, i would run the smaller tire in the rear, unless someone can chime in and say wether it is more slippery and the wider should be run in the rear.

 

we will be there ready for the mud!!

 

Course photos

UGH sorry would have been done an hour ago but computer is acting up. These don't show much mostly the waterfall area and leading into the saddle. The techy line down the waterfall was changed opened up so it is now a straight shot into that left turn heard Donny gave permission. Lower garden cuts left but has a new line into it. Keep in mind the course is split after the saddle.

LINK:http://s159.photobucket.com/albums/t149/quixote2001/course%202-6-09/

 

hey Sharky, what is your opinion on tire choice??
is it muddy, or is it just perfect where you get good grip?

 

The guys can answer better cause those berms leading in will completely change after all this rain and practice. Conditions were perfect today but it's pouring now?

 

Hmm so is this better suited to a big bike? I was planning on racing the SS but I have no idea now.