1st Montvale Mayhem

Kenny Palmer is my hero. He builds awesome trails and hosts fun events. I will go to any and every Kenny Palmer event from now until the time I can pedal no more! I guess I have a liking for Bedford County trails so much since my only two Sport level wins have come at those parks. The 2008 Fat Tire Frenzy found me beating my future friend, Gina Gilbert by 3 seconds. Yesterday was quite different.

This was Kenny's first race at the Montvale Trails. The trail system is fairly new and small, I think he says there is 6.5 miles of trail there. So how do you have a race on short trails? Loops and grassy fields. Kenny really likes grass. You won't go to a KP event and not get to ride in a grassy field at some point. =) It's like his trademark. This race would have us starting off in grass then going up the gravel driveway that serves as the entrance to the parking area. A left into a freshly, close cut mowed field. Across the hill around this giant animal hole, down through and around a grassy field. HA HA HA, sounds like cyclocross. I'd better shut up or he might throw that in at some point. Once you hit the single track, the trails are quite fun. Contrary to my last visit, I didn't crash on the singletrack, well at least I didn't crash at my own doing (more on that later). I also must have found some hidden of courage because I rode many of the log hops and even rode the skinny bridge on the way out. The trails are funny as it was hard to keep an idea of where you were, and at many times during the race you could look up or down and see the people you were racing. You could also hear people talking during the race, but not see them. I like it when people talk to me during the race (more on that later).

So anyway at the start of the race there were a bunch of Sport males, a couple of single speeds then there was me and a 13 year old chick. At the start, I just decided to take my time up the hill and onto the single track so I could get used to what I was doing again. Well everyone took off like bats out of hell including the 13 year old. So here I am next to last...*&%#, not where I want to be, nor do I like the idea of losing to a child. So I settle into a smooth rhythm and pace that I can handle on the trails. Up, down, right, left, pedal pedal pedal. You get the idea. Of course, Gina is there as a course marshall and she cheers me on, as does her husband Josh. YAY, thanks guys!!!

I see no one to chase until I get to Beale's Treasure - "the only real climb in the race." What a PITA this would become. So thankfully, I've been riding and climbing quite a bit of late, so the first trip up wasn't so bad. I was able to ride it pretty successfully and gained time on people here. I finally caught sight of the 13y/o and would keep her in sight for a while. We looped around to start lap 2 (the loop was just after the sketchy bridge). So on the way up Beale's the 2nd time, I again gained on the 13y/o and another sport male. I was right on the 13y/o rear wheel as we paralleled Quarterwood Rd. After passing through the parking lot, I asked her I could get around. I'm bigger and my best skill on my bike, is going downhill and she was going to hold me up and keep me from enjoying the downhill singletrack. She never said a word and kept riding right in the middle of the trail. I was a tad frustrated by this, but then again she was in 1st; I saw an opening on a straight stretch of trail, yelled out "ON YOUR RIGHT "and went on by her.

After a couple of turns, I could hear an Expert rider behind me (Gordon had already passed), so I told them to hang on and I'd get out of the way. I soon went to the right, and said, "GO LEFT." He yelled, "THANKS" and came by, well my guess is that the 13y/o decided to ride his wheel on the downhill because as soon as he went by I went back left into the trail where I got nailed by the kid. We both crashed rather hard. I thought my wrist was broken because I landed on it in a weird way. More than anything I was PISSED. I have crashed on my own before and that's ok, but getting wiped out by an inexperienced person was no fun. I got up, gathered my thoughts, grabbed the bike to get going again. I told her to go on, ride her race and not worry about it. She was upset, but I assured her to go. I let her go for a bit because she was squirrely at this point. She attempted to ride a couple of logs and each time wiped out. At one point, I stopped behind her picked up her bike and helped her get going again. I cautioned her to calm down and ride her pace.

At lap 3, I could tell I was getting tired. In fact, when I go to Beale's for the third time, I just got off and walked. My wrist and hand were aching. I figured I could walk up it just as quick. Again the 13y/o had gotten away from me. I just kept moving forward. I passed Josh at his checkpoint, he said, "you're only 30-40 seconds back from them." I thought he was talking about the girl. I was like, ok. So I did pick it up a bit and rode harder. I did catch up to the girl, who by now I think had gotten really tired. I passed her and kept on going. Then I caught up to Kristin C. who I never beat and who had started 2 minutes before me. She was stopped just past the huge log stack. I stopped for a sec to check then we went on together. I eventually got ahead of her too. Once I got back to the turnaround point it was time to go left and be done. I chickened out on the turn into the bridge and just walked it.

I kept thinking Kristin was going to catch me especially when the trail went up again. My legs were dying a slow, agonizing death by now. It hurt to pedal and all I could think was I still have to get back through that grassy field. I got back to the creek crossing and made it safely across. YAY! Back into the field. By now my left tricep started to cramp (ODD!?!?), so I ended up riding one handed for a few minutes so I could shake that. Up the hill, across. I was so glad to make the final right hand turn to go downhill. I stuck it in the big chainring and pedalled for all I was worth through the finish line. All I could think at this point was - this is just like our sprints to the parking lot at the Cove. HA HA HA. YAY!

What a fun race! I really enjoyed the day. I will definitely plan to go back and ride at Montvale some more. I want to try the trails in the other direction especially Beale's since Kenny says that is the better way to ride it. If nothing else, the day was so much fun because we got to just hang out and talk. The races this year have been too few and too far in between. I may race at Pandapas on the 25th. I may not. I will decide after the aches of that wreck subside. The tally for that incident: aching wrist, small cut and bruise to left shin, bruise on right ribs, sore shoulders(?) and neck. Lesson learned for me: when you pass them leave them behind quickly. Lesson for others: friggin communicate!!!!

Our team had a great showing. Paula was 1st in expert female, Laura was 2nd. Adam finished 2nd in sport male. I think Chris had a flat. =( Thanks also to Angelia and Warren for being there to support us!!!