RR: Sea Otter Classic 2009

Did anyone happen to get photos of the CAT 1 DS or DH race????

 

Sea Otter was fun.
I am tired.
My wife did killer and won wheels.
My daughter's bike almost got more press then our new 951 bike.
Good to be back.

 

I found these two links for Cat 1 DH photos:

http://bikeguy.smugmug.com/gallery/7957601_Lg5SW#517034402_ZqyJ4

http://sicklines.smugmug.com/gallery...17425526_TavpA

 

I was standing next to this guy (see the comped shot of #112 Kyle Strait below -- his matches my pic almost exactly, but he was slightly downhill from me). That's cool. We chatted a while. Nice guy.



- shud

 

SO was awesome this year (of course) I think Sat/Sun were both 80-90 degrees! I finished cat 3 XC 8 minutes away from a podium spot and 14 away from first. I have to believe that I could have made up some of that time somewhere. But, with 115 riders in my class and 22 riders that finished in the 8 minutes between me and 5th place, I can't complain. I placed 27 out of 115 and duplicated last years time to the minute! 1:51

27 1678 STEVE RINDSHOJ 35 MISSION VIEJO, CA 01:51:24 14:16.6

The best part about it was the course was in great shape and really fun! Now we have to wait a whole year for Sea Otter 2010...20 year anniversary.

Shudder, I saw you just before the finish on the XC course at that nasty section. I think I watched 25-30 people eat it right there!

 

^^ Did you yell out, "STR!!" at me? Someone did right as I hit that section. Of course I yelled back something like, "AAaaaaaaahhhh shhhhhhhhhhhiiiiiiii...!!!!"

- shud

 

We drove up on friday taking the 101 and the 1 hoping to do some riding in big sur before sundown but it wasn't going to happen.
My wife took the 1x9 and I rode the single speed, but I geared down since I had my kid's seat on it. Planning to leave the bikes locked on the rack all weekend, we didn't want to bring the expensive toys.
We rolled into the Sea Otter parking lot at 10 and headed straight to the downhill run where we ran into Mark, Mark, Nancy, and Julia waiting for their runs.


Since Tracy is going to start in 20 minutes, we went down the course and set up to take some photos. Congratulation to those who raced.




Unfortunately we left for the expo after 11 and only got pics of racers numbered up to 512 or so. (PM me if you think I got your pic.)
We rode back to the car and and strapped my kid's pushbike to my back and made our way down to the infield where we ran into Justin and Alison cruising around on their new race machines. I haven't seen them since Keyesville last year.


I took my kid to the kid area and was disappointed that they were only a few stunts and no hills and berms to ride down. But he still made the best of it and rode some skinnies.


After he was done I checked his bike and browsed the expo to see the cool stuff.



Foes Monocoque trike! Love the triple crowns.

Bling wheelchair. Although I don't see what good the suspension is with those little casters up front.

BLTC


Marin's new carbon swingarm.


Arantix Frame up close.


Cool hipster frame.


This is my favorite.


Crank Brothers busy repaining pedals at their booth.


I then headed to the Intense booth where I had to try the new spider 2.
Neil hooked me up with a medium set up for my weight and I headed out to a ~6 mile demo course set up behind the dual slalom track. I saw Maddie's now bike in person and it is sweet! I can't wait to start building up bikes for my son.
I missed how reponsive the VPP is to intant acceleration. With 5", it felt plusher than my marin. The travel was much more linear and ate up all the little speed jumps on the course. This is definitely my next frame in a few years.

We then headed to the MTBR booth for their raffle where Andy was working up the crowd. My favorite was the Park Tool set raffle. Andy asked "who came and had someone else work on their bike." Those who raised their hand recieved a "shame on you!" "With this park tool set, you can work on your own bike!":lol:


Unfortunately I didn't win anything, but was definitely entertained.


We then caught some of the pro DS semifinals.






As everyone was leaving at 6, we decided to do a lap of the demo course with my wife and kid. Not sure how we would do with the single speed, we headed out onto the singletrack downhill. The views were amazing, and we ran into a flock of grazing sheep which my kid was excited to see. The climb out was not as bad as I thought and was able to ride the whole thing. We even cleaned the climb to the camper while rreling in another rider. My wife did fine on the hardtail she never rides and kept commenting how the bars are so low compared to her MKIII.


A long day, but I wish we had more time there. I could demo bikes all weekend.
But my Kid got to go to Gilroy Gardens theme park on sunday and the aquarium on monday and had a great time.

 

By request: Gee Atherton not having a good run.

 

Hahaha, that was me. I stood on that corner for a while and had to re-tie the course tape like 3 times cause people were wiping out right there. That finish through the grass was kinda brutal after 20 miles.

 

yeah, Gee's almost as pinned as this guy #-o

 

I got to see the Arantix XC demo bike in action. Chantel, the young girl I raced in DS got her Transition stolen outside the registration tent after qualifying. They were nice enough to let her borrow the bike to race on.

BTW we heard of 4 other bikes that got stolen while people were watching their friends race DH. One guy got chased down by the police and was caught. He supposedly was a Sea Otter volunteer (or at least dressed like one)!

 

Thanks Eric, I was curious if you were the photog that Gee kicked dirt on.

It seemed like a ton of people got bikes stolen. The way they did the shuttle early in the week was just asking for thief's to come steal bikes. Unloading bikes of people still at the bottom or on the way up is just asking for trouble. Plus so many people would lay there bike down and expect it to be there hours later. It sucks but you have to realistic in these times its going to happen.

 

But that was a good typo, Nancy! Honestly, I am sure she had plenty of her own. :wave:

Sad news. I know it goes on everywhere, but I am constantly amazed at the behavior of the folks at the races we go to -- Everyone seems to look out for everyone else. Seems to me folks leave bikes here and there and everywhere, and they just never seem to walk away. I would like to see it stay that way, but I guess it pays to keep your stuff locked up, as usual.

- shud

 

People please keep the photog links coming, so far besides Eric I havent found one of me. Lots of Roger, Nancy, Bflo, Matt(dynamatt) but no me#-o

 

haha I know the feeling. Eric that sequence of Gee's crash is sick

 

What I have found so far.


Matt

http://sicklines.smugmug.com/gallery/7967210_aDN79#517524236_37WnU

Traci
http://sicklines.smugmug.com/gallery/7967210_aDN79#517503703_AVwXF

Julia
http://sicklines.smugmug.com/gallery/7967210_aDN79#517504402_5toQE

Bflo
http://sicklines.smugmug.com/gallery/7967210_aDN79#517512538_3VcFb


Nancy
http://bikeguy.smugmug.com/gallery/7934345_hw3Vh#514892032_F9pUg
http://bikeguy.smugmug.com/gallery/7934345_hw3Vh#514880884_kQMpt
http://bikeguy.smugmug.com/gallery/7957601_Lg5SW#516833596_RN5tv
http://bikeguy.smugmug.com/gallery/7926038_ahrrr#514223642_vKWse
http://bikeguy.smugmug.com/gallery/7926038_ahrrr#514234641_8t6Vy

Roger
http://bikeguy.smugmug.com/gallery/7934345_hw3Vh#514880949_sTwum
http://bikeguy.smugmug.com/gallery/7926525_7iAHK#514292440_wdkEx
http://bikeguy.smugmug.com/gallery/7926525_7iAHK#514292516_Hsdkp
http://bikeguy.smugmug.com/gallery/7926525_7iAHK#514292584_fcNSg
http://bikeguy.smugmug.com/gallery/7926038_ahrrr#514223389_DFGDE
http://bikeguy.smugmug.com/gallery/7926038_ahrrr#514223506_kWyjL
http://bikeguy.smugmug.com/gallery/7926038_ahrrr#514234516_746P2
http://sicklines.smugmug.com/gallery/7954234_zvU9L#516544202_JfVbm
http://sicklines.smugmug.com/gallery/7954234_zvU9L#517433504_8sdra


Troy
http://bikeguy.smugmug.com/gallery/7957601_Lg5SW#516751874_wVHp9
http://bikeguy.smugmug.com/gallery/7957601_Lg5SW#516823554_HV9QG
http://bikeguy.smugmug.com/gallery/7926038_ahrrr#514223122_uPKND
http://bikeguy.smugmug.com/gallery/7926038_ahrrr#514223273_j73hZ
http://bikeguy.smugmug.com/gallery/7926038_ahrrr#514230258_wVPYS



Not including Eric's I didnt look through all of his I found me quick

 

Found another sweet pic of Troy



Still no more of me

 

stop making me feel bad about going and checking out the festival instead of taking your picture!

I did make both of you mark #1 if that helps at all though :wave::lol:

 

:lol::lol::lol:
You took mine was that from practice or race.

No I cant believe how many pics I have gone through only to find everyone else. I would love to find some from DS practice or qualifying but no luck finding any DS practice.


funny is I found more of Matt and Bflo before I started to keep track of them and I cant find them anymore.

 

your pics from practice. notice how it isn't late afternoon? :lol: