Bar-H Bash

By Matt Morgan

March 18, 2007 -- Sunday started at 6AM. James and Mark were just dying to take me to the race, we arrived with 20 minutes to spare, 0810 and a 0830 race start.

I took off up the courses first climb for a fast warm up then made my way to the start, Yurgen looked at me and said aren't you racing the sport class. Then he said we'll your going to need your race number. I closed my eyes and shook my head (you know the one that says yes I'm an idiot). So now I'm sprinting back to the car hoping it's not locked with my number inside. Mark's laying in the passenger seat (TG). I quickly put on my number and race back to the start. Tobin's calling out the racers and calls out "Richard Cabezza", so I line up in the back. Now I'm hoping Yurgen calls the top 10 forward, and he does so I go from the right side up to the front left side. This gives me the outside lane on the first corner. Didn't want to risk a pile up on the inside corner, but everything worked out as you can see here. I had no idea they were that far back I figured they were right behind me.

The Plano rider behind me wanted by as we entered the trail so I let him, because we were turning around and heading into the wind. I figured I'd try to get back in the lead on the climb, I did for a little while. Red bike, Big Pig, Former UT and me exchanged lead positions on the first lap. It was uneventful but I took note of every one's strengths. I noticed on the flats through the canyon and across the fields I would put a pretty big gap or easily follow the leader, but on the climbs I would struggle to stay with them. So I stayed with them through the first lap knowing all I had to do was stay in the pack until the descents and canyon and make a break for it.

We approach the feed I'm the only one that grabs a bottle. 4 or 5 go racing up the first climb. I put it in my lowest gear and take my time up the climb. I'm in 3rd by the time I reached the top. Big pig (Matt) got a rear tire flat, so now I'm following Red Bike (Cody), with Former UT (Federico) trailing right behind. We wind up the last bit of switchbacks (lowest gear track stands kind of switch backs), and I'm keeping close to Red Bike and we're putting a little gap on Former UT.

Then we take the Plunge and now were pulling away from the pack on this high speed decent. I love Saint Jo just for this reason. You get fully rewarded for your climbing efforts you hardly have to touch your brakes. You just descend down like a hawk looking to snatch up the next rabbit that crosses the trail.

Now it's just me and Red bike. We've rounded the pond and we're climbing again. Just a small climb to another twisty decent. We've made it to the field and drop through the halfpipe and a huge decent that will probably kill you if you forget to brake, because there's a huge tree that makes you hard turn it left then right.

Now we've made it to the canyon Red Bike lets me by, and I start mashing with 4-5miles left. I put down a disappearing gap until the climb out of the canyon and I see him again. He's about 25 yards back. I hunker down and put another sprint across the field. this gives me a little more room but not much. Now we're in the trees, and the descents and climbs just roll on like 30 second intervals with a 1 minute climb at the end. This leads to the last drop in, and it is sweet. All I can say is Roller Coaster heaven. I gave it my all and never looked back, crossed the field and made my way back up the winding false flats. A grueling up hill against the wind finish.

http://tmbra.org/results/spring_07/bash/ssm19.html

Expert Race: I just raced to finish, and stop to feed, fix a chain twice and relieved myself and turn around at the feed zone because I drop a bottle.

5 Laps and I was cooked but my new Taurine was riding strong. Never got off the bike to climb, and closed many gaps on the descents. When it comes to Endurance type racing I feel like a VW trying to make it on a cross country trip. Things keep breaking down, but some how it takes you HOME, even if you have to use the whole roll of duct tape.

Pictures provided by CommieBike.com
 

Life saving feeds provided by James Janoch
 

Speed racer transport provided by Brian Freeze
 

During the race commentary provided by Mark Landeck