Dirt Track Date

Once again, the Outlaw searched deep in the dark recess of his devious mind to plan an event both really challenging and exceptionally fun.

Mix fixed gears, skinny tires, bomber high speed gravel road decents, lung rupturing climbs and technical, rocky, rooty, twisty, singletrack, and you might come up with the Dirt Track Date.

Twelve intrepid riders came forth to meet the thrown gauntlet, each bringing their choice of a suitable brew to put in the pot.

	The ladies were smart enough to plan their ride with equipment more suitable for the location.
	Pre-ride briefing.
	The booty. The winner would take half and a random drawing of those who completed the course would choose the lucky one to get the other half.
	A fixed, dirty peloton on the way to the start.
	We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; For he today that sheds his blood with me Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so lowly, This day shall gentle his condition.

Race Impressions

This was pretty much the last I saw of everyone untill the end of the race. I was, as usual, left in the dust. Still, I ride these things for me. The course headed right for a stretch of singletrack, the begining of which is a rocky hell. Not really that bad as compared to the rest of the watershed, but tough enough fixed. Pedal bashing was the issue here, but only for a couple of hundred yards. The only rider in sight at the end of this was Kev, and we decided to stick together for navigational purposes. The following singletrack was much better, twisty and rooty, but ridable. Soon we were back out on the gravel road and across, on firebreaks past the ponds, and then back onto more singletrack. Some riders had missed the route and others were already suffering the flat tire curse of "skinnies on rocks." This track ended at Gambrill Park Rd, and 100 yards of the only pavement on the course. A quick left on Delauter and a white knuckle descent, spinning like a 300 pound eggbeater. I was getting into the groove and ready to make the ford at the bottom of Delauter, when my front wheel washed out in the super loose stuff at the water's edge. I did the real live riverdance, as I contorted myself to enter the water feet first instead of face first. I thought I was going to have to perform CPR on Kev, he was laughing so hard. Next it was a right turn onto Mountaindale, and more downhill. This finally ended with left turn onto the climb. I told Kev to go ahead and drop me, as there were no more turns back to the beginning, and off he went. I slogged along and only got off the bike at one point. Finally back at the top I headed throught the first singletrack section and then over to the ponds. Joe and Kev were there and Kev was considering a partial loop, but I was pretty much done. Just then Dom came rolling up at the end of his second loop, so we chased him to the actual finish and took a few pics. Ricky was in next, and then a few who had gone off course and only done one lap as well. There were a lot of mechanicals, which shows how hard the shed is on equipment.

	Dom makes it look easy.
	Ricky crossing the line.
	Steve races for DNF. He went so far off course he needed a passport.
	Jason flatted a couple of hundred yards before the end and hoofed it to the finish.
	To the victor goes the spoils.
	And to a lucky drawing winner goes the rest of the spoils (which Steve generously shared out right away).
	As always, a friendly post ride atmosphere that you don't ever want to end.
	Today's Map.
	Today's Profile. Yes that climb is five miles long.

Back to Bike Rides