Matthiessen Mounatain Madness 5/6/12

[jimithng23]

really...I don't know what else to say about that race.

as a paid racer, I didn't want to waste my registration fee (selfish thinking), but once on the course I felt I put myself in a situation that could easily lead to a freak injury. To me, it just wasn't worth it. Scoff all you want, but until you're laying in a hospital bed with a pan between your legs and a nurse checking on you every three hours to see if you've finally become flatulent so you can be discharged, you look at injuries, and the possibility/risk of injury much differently.

as a Steward, it pained me to ride the trails in those horrible, horrible conditions. those trails got TORE UP. TORE UP

and, as a member of a club that advocates and promotes responsible Mountain Biking, I've gotta feel for the IVAC Race Director. He had a difficult decision to make. The trails, according to IVAC's twitter feed, were in excellent condition pre-race. The skies opened up and began pouring literally 10 minutes before the Novice class began. What was he to do?

I could go all judgmental and say the dude shoulda called it due to rider safety and trail sustainability....but I will hold that judgment in light of IVAC's young age and lack of experience in such situations as well as the pressure and subsequent criticism if he were to tell all those racers (there was a pretty good turnout) to go home.

You think the '09 Stampede was muddy? That was nothing, NOTHING compared to what we went through today. I was only able to run ONE lap! Granted, the "mud" at Sylvan wreaked more havoc on the racer's components - chains, cassettes, and brake pads, but the Sylvan "mud" didn't cake up and convert a bike into a sled. A 50lb sled. It was more of a challenge walking then riding. The mud caked up so bad in my fork crown and drivetrain, my bike was rendered completely useless and it became a death march to walk the trail up from the river and out. I have crazy respect for the dudes who finished, including Mr. Paul Struck.

I hope those IVAC dudes get to work soon on those trails. I wouldn't be surprised if it took them all summer to rehab back to an acceptable riding condition. Such a shame cuz while I was riding...err, I mean, walking...the trails I could see they would be a ton of fun in favorable riding conditions.

I'm gonna chalk it up to the club's/Race Director's inexperience, which isn't their fault, and what else could the guys do? Live and learn. Lots of learnin' gonna need to be done from one day of livin'

Tough day for everyone.