Wednesday, August 8, 2007

Flat tires make for flat riding







I found out on Saturday that I go much faster when there is
air in my tires. It was really a let
down. In past years the Wolverine Ridge
race course on the north slope of the Uintah Mountains is a miserably loose and dusty course with one long relentless climb and a very
rocky descent. Saturday was the one day
all summer that the course wasn’t overrun by ATVs. I’ve never considered it a fun course to
ride, at least certainly not a place I would ride in a non-race situation.



But this year was different. It rained heavily on Thursday and Friday and the sandy soil of the race
course soaked it right up to make for excellent riding conditions. Our group started off fast and I had trouble
keeping up with them at first. I think
it was because I’d ridden 30 miles the day before and my legs hadn’t quite
recovered. But when the course turned
upward I felt good again. I found the
right gear and pushed it hard, and passed three guys before reaching the
top.





Then came the rocky descent.





I have been racing in the Intermountain Cup for three years
and have never had a flat tire during a race. I guess I was due. I remember
seeing the sharp rock right in my path. I remember thinking it would be nice to avoid it if I wasn’t going so
fast. I remember hitting it squarely
with first my front, then my back wheel. I remember feeling my back tire compress and my rim hit the rock. I remember hearing the tell tale hiss of a
pinch flat.





I don’t remember exactly how many guys passed me, but I
distinctly remember Paz coming by and offering tools or tubes. He then reminded me why you can’t afford lose
your focus when descending—even for one second. He showed me one of the best endos I’ve ever seen.





Paz must have been pretty shaken up, because I caught him
quickly after I got my tire fixed. But
the wind had been taken from my sails. I
rode the last lap in the doldrums of last place. I was still in the race, but I didn’t feel
like I was racing anymore.





It turns out that one pro didn’t pass me when I was fixing
my tire, as I actually finished second to last. When I crossed the line I remembered
one more thing. I haven’t switched to
tubeless tires because I’ve seen so many people have flat tire problems with
them.  I think I’ll rethink that one.





Dscn0905



Oh yeah, I got this picture from Chris Fox. It was taken after I flatted, and yet I’m
still smiling. Or is it a grimace? I’m going to call it a smile because there
are many worse things I could have been doing.



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