Spankin the Dirt
Photos from Duluth local Bill Shwalbe 
Me and Sam went up to Duluth on Sat afternoon to pre ride Mt Du Lac. It was hot and steamy for Duluth weather. I talked to an overweight and out of shape Ross Fraboni and he said it was the hottest day they had so far this year. We were a bit lethargic from the drive up; consequently, Sam had a lapse of concentration and put up a yard sale i the weeds. His bike went one way but his body wanted to go another.He got a scrapped up forearm and thigh from that rookie move. Scott and Sara Kylander-Johnson were gracious enough to let us stay at their house for the night. They have a premo spot right near Spirit Mt. Sunday morning it was hot and muggy already at 7:00am. Sam and I biked through Spirit Mt over to the Country Kitchen restaurant and I had myself a grande breakfast of eggs,hashbrowns,sausage,and pancakes. After that we did the top section of Spirit's singletrack for kicks and tiggles.
Ok now for the action. It was so hot out that everyone laid their bikes down on the start line and hunkered in the little bit of shade provided by a shed. A beer guzzling Ross Fraboni MC'ed us off at the start. Paul Hanson started to take off fast looked at us all and said "Just kidding", then backed off. I was glad no one went ballistic off the start, for it was an ungodly steep wall of a climb right from the gun. I was sitting about 7th or so on the false flat and let a little gap open up on the second ungodly steep kicker to the very top. I easily caught back up to the group in the singletrack and was sitting comfortably behind Jay Richards. Chris Fisher was leading our pack of 8 or so through the first lap of singletrack when Brendan made his move at the bottom of the big climb. The group blew apart and I just went a pace that I knew I could hold through the whole race. At the top of the hill I sat behind Chris Fisher with Scott Kylander-Johnson and the Wisconsin native Jesrin Gaier. Chris was fadding so I made a move around him in the bottom singletrack and latched onto SKJ and Jesrin. On the hill going into the third lap Jesrin and I started to drop Scott. I was doing better in the singletrack with the full suspension then Jesrin and he would always pass me back on the climb, so when he made a little mistake, I quickly got around him and tried to apply some pressure. He was tenacious though, and when I started to open up a gap he started to catch back up. On the big climb going into the 4th lap, Tom Miller came from behind to join us. tenacious G was feeling the flow of the singletrack and I think he realized it was less bumpy the faster he went on the hardtail. He led us around that whole lap. Going through the feed zone which was halfway up the big climb on the false flat, Tom Miller puts in an unnatural attack starting on the false flat and going all the way up the last steep climb.I think he was in the big ring for that one because he flew by me like I was standing still. As tenacious G followed pursuit I looked at them and thought to myself, "you know, its just not right for someone to have that much energy and power on the last lap in this kind of heat". Chris yelled from the sidelines "you gotta respond to that". Unfortunately my body had no response to it. I just went my own pace on the hill and went as fast as I could through the singletrack, maybe to catch someone popped or with a flat, but I met no such fortune. I put it in damage control on the last climb before the descent to the finish since now one was around me and rolled in 7th. You guessed it they payed 7 deep. right on the tail end once again. I'm happy with the result. I haven't raced in what, 3 weeks. I was sick for pretty much 2 of those 3 weeks. Next week I think I'll do better because the course is flatter and everybody's a winner. Look out Wisconsin. Minnesota is going to invade on July 1st.
Photos taken by Jake Richards and downloaded from Skinnyski.com
Sam took another 2nd place behind Brendan with Paul Hanson, Ben Moore, Tom Miller, and tenacious G taking the other spots in front of me.Scott K-J did well comming in 8th behind me.
In other exciting news. I'm on my last week of math wooooo whoooooo!!!
I think after this I gotta make some plans to start making $.
Me and Sam went up to Duluth on Sat afternoon to pre ride Mt Du Lac. It was hot and steamy for Duluth weather. I talked to an overweight and out of shape Ross Fraboni and he said it was the hottest day they had so far this year. We were a bit lethargic from the drive up; consequently, Sam had a lapse of concentration and put up a yard sale i the weeds. His bike went one way but his body wanted to go another.He got a scrapped up forearm and thigh from that rookie move. Scott and Sara Kylander-Johnson were gracious enough to let us stay at their house for the night. They have a premo spot right near Spirit Mt. Sunday morning it was hot and muggy already at 7:00am. Sam and I biked through Spirit Mt over to the Country Kitchen restaurant and I had myself a grande breakfast of eggs,hashbrowns,sausage,and pancakes. After that we did the top section of Spirit's singletrack for kicks and tiggles.
Ok now for the action. It was so hot out that everyone laid their bikes down on the start line and hunkered in the little bit of shade provided by a shed. A beer guzzling Ross Fraboni MC'ed us off at the start. Paul Hanson started to take off fast looked at us all and said "Just kidding", then backed off. I was glad no one went ballistic off the start, for it was an ungodly steep wall of a climb right from the gun. I was sitting about 7th or so on the false flat and let a little gap open up on the second ungodly steep kicker to the very top. I easily caught back up to the group in the singletrack and was sitting comfortably behind Jay Richards. Chris Fisher was leading our pack of 8 or so through the first lap of singletrack when Brendan made his move at the bottom of the big climb. The group blew apart and I just went a pace that I knew I could hold through the whole race. At the top of the hill I sat behind Chris Fisher with Scott Kylander-Johnson and the Wisconsin native Jesrin Gaier. Chris was fadding so I made a move around him in the bottom singletrack and latched onto SKJ and Jesrin. On the hill going into the third lap Jesrin and I started to drop Scott. I was doing better in the singletrack with the full suspension then Jesrin and he would always pass me back on the climb, so when he made a little mistake, I quickly got around him and tried to apply some pressure. He was tenacious though, and when I started to open up a gap he started to catch back up. On the big climb going into the 4th lap, Tom Miller came from behind to join us. tenacious G was feeling the flow of the singletrack and I think he realized it was less bumpy the faster he went on the hardtail. He led us around that whole lap. Going through the feed zone which was halfway up the big climb on the false flat, Tom Miller puts in an unnatural attack starting on the false flat and going all the way up the last steep climb.I think he was in the big ring for that one because he flew by me like I was standing still. As tenacious G followed pursuit I looked at them and thought to myself, "you know, its just not right for someone to have that much energy and power on the last lap in this kind of heat". Chris yelled from the sidelines "you gotta respond to that". Unfortunately my body had no response to it. I just went my own pace on the hill and went as fast as I could through the singletrack, maybe to catch someone popped or with a flat, but I met no such fortune. I put it in damage control on the last climb before the descent to the finish since now one was around me and rolled in 7th. You guessed it they payed 7 deep. right on the tail end once again. I'm happy with the result. I haven't raced in what, 3 weeks. I was sick for pretty much 2 of those 3 weeks. Next week I think I'll do better because the course is flatter and everybody's a winner. Look out Wisconsin. Minnesota is going to invade on July 1st.
Photos taken by Jake Richards and downloaded from Skinnyski.comSam took another 2nd place behind Brendan with Paul Hanson, Ben Moore, Tom Miller, and tenacious G taking the other spots in front of me.Scott K-J did well comming in 8th behind me.
In other exciting news. I'm on my last week of math wooooo whoooooo!!!
I think after this I gotta make some plans to start making $.
posted by Eric O. at 6:12 AM
1 Comments:
Great Job Eric...that was a true mountain bike race!!!!
Charlie
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