Big Bear shootout #1

Discussion in 'Racing and Training' started by dislocated1, May 15, 2009.

  1. GeorgiaOfTheJungle

    GeorgiaOfTheJungle THE Penultimate Mtb'er

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    With regards to having open road during racing, welcome to SoCal!

    The VQ/CC/Traverse/Toad Fest are all open to vehicles, unless the roads are closed for other conditions (such as snow). In which case, we are lucky to ride on closed roads because the WS get a special permit for our vehicles and bikes.

    Even road races and the state championship ITT/TTT are often open to traffic. It would be great if we could get permits and cooperation from non-racing/biking users to completely close down areas for our special events, but this is not really reality. If you want closed roads, race crits in industrial parks.

    Yesterday I not only ran into motor vehicles, but other riders going in the opposite direction and hikers on the ST. Sucks, but I know that everyone in front and behind me had the same obsticles.

    If you don't like the course, upgrade. Like I said, the Long Course is SO MUCH Better than the short, with lots more ST. If you're still not happy, maybe racing isn't for you.

    Biatching about little things is normal, biatching about everything as though it was the worst experience of your life indicates that you either haven't had much of a life, hold exceptionally high expectations, or you need to find another hobby that's less stressful.

    If racing was easy, everyone would do it and we'd all get medals; it's fun for all that it's not.
     
  2. IDY-Craig

    IDY-Craig Lake Arrowhead

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    Here you go...some fun on the bear...
    Pre Race Dinner...fish taco's yum!
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    SherpaD Solving the Water Bottle problem...thanks bro!
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    Race Face (LOL)
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    Cynthia and me (did I mention she got first place!!!)
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    Cat 2 Women Racers
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    Cat 3 (Class 33-34)
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    Cat 2 Women Racers
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    08_Women.jpg
    Cat 3 (Class 33-34)
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  3. vlad

    vlad Montrose Bike Shop

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    ..... but when all is said and done any day racing is better than a day not racing.....
     
  4. ghixon

    ghixon Look Ma - No hands!

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  5. Jordansrealm

    Jordansrealm New Member

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  6. mp3

    mp3 mirroring the trail

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    I also thought it was great fun, but I have no complaints.

    It's very rare maybe even impossible to have "perfect" conditions. There's always crap to deal with and the riders that can adapt the best to minimize the effects of said crap make the podium.

    It's almost always the case in any race and any class: pass or be passed. I think it makes the race a little more
    interesting with moving obstacles. I have to get creative with the lines.

    Cars on the road: Keeps me on my toes. Excellent practice for races like La Ruta, Cape Epic, TransRockies...you think drivers here suck. :lol:

    Long awards: It's more about the personal challenge and spending time with like minded people, not a trinket.
     
  7. IDY-Craig

    IDY-Craig Lake Arrowhead

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    Awesome race Jordan...how did you manage the second half blast off? I thought I was going to be pacing with you the whole way, then you were gone. Nice work. See you in Santa Barbara?
     
  8. Jordansrealm

    Jordansrealm New Member

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    The elevation was kicking my arse most of the race but around that mid way point I think my lungs opened up a bit and I got a second wind. When I finished I didnt feel as tired as I should have been. I think the elevation was just robbing my breathing.

    I was pacing off you for the first half as well!

    If I make it this weekend it would be cool to see how things go at a normal elevation. Do you have a link to the course I couldnt find anything on geoladders? I am thinking about going it all depends on how much cash I have right now.
     
  9. WoodyW

    WoodyW Member

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    you must not be married!
     
  10. vlad

    vlad Montrose Bike Shop

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  11. IDY-Craig

    IDY-Craig Lake Arrowhead

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    From last years race: http://www.geoladders.com/show_route.php?route=18028
     
  12. dislocated1

    dislocated1 New Member

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    Looking through the results reaffirms my believe that the vast majority of cat3 beginners are far from that..... Cat3 25-29 time was 1:18, cat2 25-29 was 1:20.... what a joke......
     
  13. Jordansrealm

    Jordansrealm New Member

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    This is what I was saying on my blog. There were 5 of us in CAT 3 age 35-39 and then all of a sudden there were 16. Some of the top guys BLEW the rest of us away. Damn SB'ergs...
     
  14. oskin100

    oskin100 Member

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    I thought that there was different courses. But i agree there is total sandbagin. I am cat 2 25-29 and this guy had gotten first in everyrace so far this season. He finally move to cat 1 and he finished in 7th out of 15 i think. I dont know why people do that i woudl rather push myslef racing then getting an win.

     
  15. dislocated1

    dislocated1 New Member

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    I believe that Cat 2 and 3 ran the medium loop and cat 1 ran the long loop..... SB'ers or not I had a great time out there and was really really surprised and my time. I was expecting to be much closer to the 2hr mark!
     
  16. 6spd_monte

    6spd_monte New Member

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    I had a good time too. It was my first race. I was in cat3 25-29. There were 8 in my class, there was one DNF and I finished 7th with a time of 1:51:12.

    I had a lovely crash at about the 4 mile mark. I went too fast into a sandy corner on the fire road and hit the ground face first right after my handlebar did a 180. Did anyone happen to see my visor in the road?

    I was with 2 other friends, both in cat 3. One in 19-24 (who finished 1st) and the other in Clydesdales under 35 (he finished 3rd.)

    Does anyone know what happened to the female rider who was down about 1-2 miles from the finish line? Other riders were helping her but she looked like she was unconsious and I was worried for her.
     
  17. whybother

    whybother New Member

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    i guess i failed to balance my post appropriately ...

    i thought awards was great and it was a great day to be racing!!! the course itself is great.

    my gripe was with blantant safety issues on course. when someone gets seriously hurt or paralyzed in one of these races where cars and motorcycles are blasting up the road while we are racing down it, it will really suck. i guess big bear is used to people dying on course... no big deal right?
     
  18. denmother

    denmother Gone riding....

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    Just curious, has anyone actually expressed their concerns directly with the race promoters?:?:
     
  19. whybother

    whybother New Member

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    i don't see how they could not know about all the vehicles out there.... they have course marshals out there watching the vehicles pass.

    honestly at the last race we did out there, i didn't see a single other vehicle on the roads. i thought the roads were closed for non-race associated traffic. i think i will author an email to TBB, but it sounds as if most of the local races in the National Forest (per Georgia of the Jungle's post) are the same way with roads open to traffic during the races.

    i never really considered the danger till i saw the guy in front of me VERY NARROWLY miss a moto. combined speeds were in excess of 40mph (we were descending, the moto was coming up) and with only lycra as protection i don't think the racer would have fared well. i have since had the image in the forefront of my mind, and i would be devastated if someone i loved was mowed down because of such unsafe racing conditions.
     
  20. surlygal

    surlygal Bad Girl of DH

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    I don't think that Summit or Bear Mtn have anything to do with this race - This race is on Forest Service land.... is your issue with Team Big Bear???

    If it's SS or Bear MTN, I think it's backwards - They do care if people die on their course, that's why they've got all these really funky rules and we can't ride on their leased land...

    With the races held on *public* roads I don't belive they can close them without it costing a HUGE amount of $ and public resources - like reroutes, etc...Look at the few road races/rides they have on the 38 and the 330 even then the roads are open.

    Sucks that the course has to be shared with cars/moto's, other lift assisted riders, and hikers... I remember last year some guy complaining about paying for lift riding and him having to share the trails with racers.

    Honestly - plenty of these issues could be taken care of IF Snow Summit would allow cycling on their leased land, I wish they'd get their head out of their you know what and re-open the mtn to cycling. It would do so much for them as well as bring in revenue for the entire community, which btw needs it.
     

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