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Click here
to go down the Kingdom Trails report
and see a weird pic of Nathan...
By Tom Merrill
With the rest of the Crank Racing
team in VT preparing for the Vermont 50 miler, I was the
sole representative in Moody Park (just like at Bradbury
Mtn., NECS #3). I had pre-ridden the course the weekend
before to see the "Gravity Cavity" and the rest
of the course (very nice singletrack inner loop). Since
I've got the only story, I going to be a little long winded…
I lined up on the inside of the 2nd row
for the start, roughly 5 riders per row. I got a good start,
accelerated into 5th then was passed by Blue Camel Guy (BCG)
just before the breaking zone into the sandy first corner.
The organizers did a nice job by having the 2.5 lap race.
The first half lap allowed easy passing. I was able to hold
by position through the Gravity Cavity, a steep sandy dip
of about 25 -30 feet. When you let go of the brakes, it
is like a free fall, with an adrenaline rush (fear, too,
the path is wide, but lined with trees) as you cross the
wooden bridge.
The outer loop has one long grinding hill.
I tried to conserve some energy, and was passed by a good
group of riders. I did stick to my plan and up shifted for
the last third of the hill and was able to pass some riders.
I really kicked it in, at flat section on top of the hill
to pass another ride leading into the JUMP. The jump is
log with a flat step. Flew off the jump into a nice technical
downhill.
In my pre-ride I noticed a mini gravity
cavity, and was able to let the brakes go and build momentum
easily rode the inside line (very rooty, need speed to ride
it. The outside line looks like a better line at slow speed).
Passed 2 guys here by ducking under the tree branches on
the inside. Rode the inner technical loop and started to
head back to the start and the Gravity Cavity.
The Blue Camel Guy who passed me going
into the first corner was just ahead. From my pre-ride and
warm up I knew the dips coming up where do able w/o braking.
I easily passed Blue Camel by letting the brakes go and
pedaling into the dip. I then came up on a guy racing in
a tee shirt and Gym Shorts. Another dip and another easy
pass. I then tried to conserve energy by backing off a little...
big mistake. I bogeyed a sandy section into an up hill was
easily passed by Blue Camel & Gym Shorts and 2 others
including a junior.
I followed Blue and Shorts through the
Gravity Cavity and into the long grinding hill on the outer
loop. The pace really picked up. I stayed with my plan of
conserving on the first third and then up shifting all the
way up the hill (no downshifts allowed). Problem... Blue
and Shorts pulled away on first third.
I crested the hill and saw a Rage Harpoon
Lager Guy, kicked it in and passed him on the downhill headed
into the jump. I hit the jump a little too fast and flew
off and as I coming down the front wheel dropped. I did
the dreaded front wheel landing, it was close, but I made
and headed into the technical downhill. I quickly saw and
caught up to Blue, but there was nowhere to pass. The mini
gravity cavity came up and I pedaled hard into dip and passed
Blue by going to the rooty inside and ducking under the
branches. I heard the marshal say something about taking
it easy, then he stopped in mid-sentence. It is a sweet
move (saving it for next year, too).
Through the inner loop I caught sight of
Shorts, the hunt was on. We both rode the single track hard,
maybe be too hard, as I over shot corners. Then back to
where I passed Blue and Shorts on the 1st lap. Shorts knew
these were flat out dips now. The sandy section and the
short hill where they passed me before came up. I really
closed on the hill and was right on his back wheel. I decided
to catch my breath and then get ready for a pass, big mistake.
Shorts just kicked in high gear and I did too. Just wasn't
an easy place to pass at that speed and him taking the smoothest
line. We came up on two riders moving at slower pace. I
was amazed at the aggressive move Shorts did, passing both
in one corner. Then the two riders heard me and picked up
the pace and it was 4-man train to the end going as fast
as possible.
The finish came and Shorts took 5th, that
aggressive pass allowed him to get by 6th and left me in
7th, 3 seconds behind Shorts. Oh, Blue cracked and came
in no better than 8th, 40 seconds off Shorts.
This is what Novice racing is for, to learn
about racing and how to pass. At the end of the last lap,
if a opportunity for pass comes up, take it immediately
and make the other guy pass you off the preferred line;
and if you come on slower riders, get there in hurry and
only say on your left or right at last second and don't
be bashful, stick it in there with a purpose. No one is
moving over at the end of the last lap, they are only going
to speed up. A crash doesn't help both of you, but you can
tell when someone is committed and coming through on the
inside line. Damn 3 seconds was 2 places and 40 points.
Intro by David Alden, more by Doug
and Tim.. .
(photo: Nathan's patented "Helmet
Head")
While Tom was duking it out on the
race-course, Doug, Nathan, Tim, Jason, Jean and myself headed
up to Vermont for our monthly fix of Kingdom Trails...
The drive up was... interesting...we missed
93, we tried to rescue a cat in the middle of rt3 and we
had a short conversation with a New Hampshire State Police
officer (though Jean SWEARS that she wasn't speeding).
We finally got to the trails, got Doug's
rental bike and took off. Jean and Jason went one way (Jason
is back!), and Tim, Doug, Nathan and myself went another.
About 5 minutes into the ride Timmy tried
some gymnastics… he broke his seat and wounded his
Timmy-Belly (both held up for the remainder of the ride).
It was basically a day of chasing Nathan up the hills (jerk).
We rode for about 3hrs -which is never enough time- but
with water running low (or out) and the long drive home
looming, it was time to hit the road.
As always... can't wait to go back... (hopefully
so Jean and I can look for some land...)
by Doug Salb
On the ride up Jean almost hit a stray cat on the highway,
so Dave decides to run 5 miles and go get the cat, then
the cat gets scared and runs away.
We continue on our journey and Jean speeds
past a cop at like 85MPH. We get pulled over, but we are
so far from the cop that we have to back up on the highway.
The cop asks Jean for her license which she says is buried
in the back. (Ya right) Then the cop asks for her name and
Address. The cop told Jean she was going 77MPH and just
gives her a warning. Now Jean is pissed and flips off the
cop and peels out (well not really but it sounded good).
We continue to Vermont and avoid the rest
of the speed traps. I go back to sleep because I was afraid
of what might happen next.
When we get there Nathan is waiting for
us because he took some crazy short cut and got there an
hour before we did. That's probably how he wins all his
races, takes short cuts. (just kidding Nathan).
I rented a Trek Fuel and I have to say
it was awesome. The bike handled very well and took up small
as well as large bumps. It was a dry day and I had a little
trouble breathing.
Tim Corning took a nasty fall and hits
a tree with his belly and in the process broke his seat.
One of the rails popped out from the back of the seat. We
decide if we should go back to the shop to get a new seat
so Tim does not have a nasty accident like a seat pole up
his you know what.
Tim totally ignores the voice of reason
(Jean St. Pierre) and decides to use the seat the way it
is. The rest of the day was typical Kingdom Trails FUN!
FUN! FUN! Awesome trails, great weather.
Of course Nathan rockets up all the hills
as if they were not there. Jason and Jean went on their
own because Jason is still recovering from a broken arm
but is able to ride more and more. Our ride was about 18
miles. Another day, another adventure.
by
Tim Corning:
I went riding at Kingdom trails in VT again, and had the
most spectacular crash. I broke my seat and have a couple
of nice deep scratches on my "timmy tummy." But
I will live.
I was cruising down this trail and I reached
a flat level section, so I start pedaling hard so I could
build up some speed. The last thing that I remember thinking
(while I was still in riding position.) was this trail is
great, I can't believe how fast I can go here. The next
thing I know I am about three inches from my front tire.
Now I start thinking "shit, I flipped over my handlebars."
But here is the funny thing, you know how sometimes when
something bad is about to happen everything stops. Well
it stopped. I am three inches from my tire and I realize
that I haven't flipped over; I'm just kind of suspended
here. This would be the exact second that last for a while.
I'm flying down this trail face three inches from my tire
doing a front wheelie down the side of a mountain.
Then time sped up. No sooner had I put
all that together than I went off the side of the trail.
I think when I hit the leaves I lost my wheelie and really
flipped. I don't think I hit my head or anything else but
I hit a bunch of small trees. I cut up my stomach and I
saw my bike wiz past my head and crash. I got the wind knocked
out of me and I broke a small 3-4" branch in half.
When Doug got to me I could barley talk but I knew that
I was lucky and not hurt. When I picked up my bike the seat
was broken but other than that it was ok. Doug even adjusted
my computer mount so it was face up.
This was the first crash in a long
time that I felt lucky to not get hurt in.
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