Zach and I suited up and started riding the race loop after learning to be cautious out there as the course was not yet well marked. There was a long loop and a short loop. The start was out on fire road 163, a flat start that leads into a short steep climb. From there it was a mile and a half of rolling climbing... into a strong headwind.
After that long, and torturous lead out, we took a sharp left into the first section of singletrack. It was rocky and downhill, a little sketchy, and lead us down to another section of singletrack. Reminded me of a dry version of Knoch Knolls, the low section along the river. Except the trail was scooped out a little more, and crossed the dry, sandy creekbed four or five times. From there we crossed through the grounds of a rustic B&B, then through a forest service gate and on to more single track that crossed a flat low area of the canyon. After that we reached the junction where the long loop took off to the right and the short loop went to the left.
We headed right to check out the long loop. There were four memorable sections of the long loop. The long climb that started out with about a million embedded rocks, the long sketchy, rocky downhill, some more nice singletrack that twisted along the side of a hill, and a nice quick section of technical singletrack. Other than that, it was primarily fireroad. But I have to say, it was challenging fireroad. Kept you on your toes. Think rocky sections of 9 mile, with way more rocks on steeper climbs. Shortly after the technical singletrack, the trail met back up at the junction of the short and long loops. The last portion of the short/long loops was fast and furious. There was one climb back up to the top of the ridge, and then from there it was fast, sometimes rocky fireroad.
After the preride we had to hurry back to Tucson to stay with Tim and Elizabeth's at her parents house. A lovely home in a beautiful area. Tim made the whole group (Zach and I, Elizabeth's parents, and 2 of her dad's college buddies) dinner. There were many bottles of wine opened that night, but Zach and I kept things under control. After dinner we soaked in the hot tub for a little and then headed to bed by 9.
Early up Saturday and back to the venue before 7. Registration wasn't quite set up so we helped them unpack for a little. Man, that hour before the race always flies by. I suited up and headed out backwards onto the course. Zach and I unknowingly bypassed the end of the lap the day before, so I did my warm up out that way.
Race time rolled around and I did my normal last minute sneak up to the line on the left. Christina was on the right so she called me over there. Definitely a better starting point than where I was. The night before we had agreed to work together on that long climbing lead out. The gun went off and things looked good. 2 women in the 40 and up group took off fast out of the start. I was thinking we could tuck in behind them. But after the sharp right that put us out on the fireroad, we somehow ended up out in front. Crap, I didn't want to be the sacrificial lamb. Christina and I were riding side by side...not good...she gestured me ahead.
I pushed forward and hoped for the best. We all rolled along until we hit the first climb. I think that's when the group whittled down. I decided it would probably be best if I held back a little instead of pushing full force and then dying out right before the single track. Turns out it was the right decision, because as we approached that sharp left into that first off road section, it was just me and Spring. I gave it one last push and was all alone on that first decent.
From there I tried to focus on riding my own race and really concentrated on not making any mistakes. But as hard as I tried, I didn't make it up the start of the big bouldery long climb, I almost bit but recovered at the last second on the long sketchy downhill, and almost bit it on the one technical single track section section. So no major falls, but a few fumbles that slowed me down a little. I finished in first place, about a minute and a half before Spring. Christina came in third. She said she left her legs in Glendale. Bummer, but still a good finish.
Zach ended the day with a seventh place finish. Not what he was hoping for, but he wasn't feeling good that day.
It was a fun race and a great weekend. I just wish I would have taken my camera on the preride.
Zach at the line
Tim finishing up
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