Oct 24, 2011 at 11:26 AM
This is a promising race. Nice location, great support from cadets, good officials, decent course that should get better next year. I forgot how polite and positive cadets can be.
The race wasn't at the academy, but Camp Buckner, a summer retreat for cadet training. On a lake, in the woods, in a chilly valley.
The course started uphill, within 20 meters narrowed dramatically. You started turning on wet grass right, then left, then right, then a 180, then into a field with what seemed to be 100 turns before making a left onto gravel and getting an opportunity to open the throttle completely. Only you had to quickly slow down, turn around some kind of implement, and hten you had your second chance to open the throttle before coming in to a downhill, gravel, gently turning dismount. After that, you spin up a bit, turn right to go up a short steep hill and commence more turning, this time around roots, rocks, trees, dumpsters, buildings, before hitting the first of two sand pits. After the second pit, more super-slow turning, followed by 10 seconds of open-throttle riding before turning downhill, snaking around more trees, and getting another 50 meters to the finish line.
Warming up, we were doing 7-minute laps. I didn't think we could go much faster in the race because there wasn't enough straight.
Six riders lined up, four USAC riders and two collegiate guys from West Point (it was also a collegiate A race). Their coach told us we could "school them early." The other three were Gavi Epstein (of crca/foundation) and Brian and Ryan of Bulldog racing. Ryan got the hole shot--he lined up on the left, the best line. Brian gave him a gap, though he claimed it wasn't tactical, I took third, Gavi fourth. By the sixth turn, Gavi was in the lead,and that's how it stood. The Cadets faded fast. Gavi was doing about 6:30 laps.
Fourth it was. They pooled our entries and I ended up with $15. The other three got cash AND medals.
On the good side, I cleared the short, shallow sand pit every time and the long, deep sand pit most of the time. I was also, apparently, the only guy not to crash at the super-slow 180 into a rut and loose dirt.
Afterwards, the coach/advisor asked for our feedback. We asked for a longer start before the course begins, a wider course, a few more sections for fast riding, a longer course, and to get rid of the downill dismount. And a beer tent. He seemed amenable to everything. Could be good next year.
The race wasn't at the academy, but Camp Buckner, a summer retreat for cadet training. On a lake, in the woods, in a chilly valley.
The course started uphill, within 20 meters narrowed dramatically. You started turning on wet grass right, then left, then right, then a 180, then into a field with what seemed to be 100 turns before making a left onto gravel and getting an opportunity to open the throttle completely. Only you had to quickly slow down, turn around some kind of implement, and hten you had your second chance to open the throttle before coming in to a downhill, gravel, gently turning dismount. After that, you spin up a bit, turn right to go up a short steep hill and commence more turning, this time around roots, rocks, trees, dumpsters, buildings, before hitting the first of two sand pits. After the second pit, more super-slow turning, followed by 10 seconds of open-throttle riding before turning downhill, snaking around more trees, and getting another 50 meters to the finish line.
Warming up, we were doing 7-minute laps. I didn't think we could go much faster in the race because there wasn't enough straight.
Six riders lined up, four USAC riders and two collegiate guys from West Point (it was also a collegiate A race). Their coach told us we could "school them early." The other three were Gavi Epstein (of crca/foundation) and Brian and Ryan of Bulldog racing. Ryan got the hole shot--he lined up on the left, the best line. Brian gave him a gap, though he claimed it wasn't tactical, I took third, Gavi fourth. By the sixth turn, Gavi was in the lead,and that's how it stood. The Cadets faded fast. Gavi was doing about 6:30 laps.
Fourth it was. They pooled our entries and I ended up with $15. The other three got cash AND medals.
On the good side, I cleared the short, shallow sand pit every time and the long, deep sand pit most of the time. I was also, apparently, the only guy not to crash at the super-slow 180 into a rut and loose dirt.
Afterwards, the coach/advisor asked for our feedback. We asked for a longer start before the course begins, a wider course, a few more sections for fast riding, a longer course, and to get rid of the downill dismount. And a beer tent. He seemed amenable to everything. Could be good next year.
