EVERYONE REMEMBERS THEIR FIRST TIME.RACING THAT IS.
MY FIRST RACE WAS THE 1ST SIZZLER MOUNTAIN BIKE CLASSIC HELD AT GRANT RANCH HIGH ABOVE SAN JOSE CALIFORNIA,AUGUST 22 1989.
I SIGNED UP FOR THE RACE THREE MONTHS PRIOR AND I NEEDED A BIKE FOR THE RACE. I RODE A MODIFIED '88 UNIVEGA ALPINA UNO WHICH WAS A HEAVY,LOW END BIKE BEFORE I UPGRADED IT. IT WAS A LITTLE TOO SMALL FOR ME AND I WANTED A GOOD MID-LEVEL BIKE. I FOUND A 1989 MONGOOSE IBOC PRO. AS SOON AS I GOT IT HOME I SWITCHED THE STOCK TIRES WITH 1.95 SPECIALIZED GROUND CONTROL TIRES AND SWAPPED THE STOCK STEM FOR A 150mm TIOGA T-BONE STEM.
I HAD NO IDEA ON HOW TO PREPARE FOR A CROSS COUNTRY RACE AND I DIDN'T KNOW ANYONE WHO RACED SO I HAD TO FIGURE IT OUT MYSELF. I DID A LOT OF ROAD WORK THAT INCLUDED 15 SECOND SPRINTING INTERVALS PLUS A LITTLE HILL WORK. ON THE WEEKENDS I'D PUT IN A 100 MILE RIDE.I RODE SOME EXTRA MILES BEFORE AND AFTER WORK. I RECEIVED THE RACED DAY SHIRT,MY NORBA LICENSE AND I WAS PLACED INTO THE SPORTSMEN CLASS.
ON RACE DAY.MY FRIEND TIM AND I LOADED UP THE BIKES,A COOLER WITH BEER AND SOME FOOD AND A COUPLE OF LOUNGE CHAIRS INTO HIS 72 EL CAMINO AND WE DROVE UP TO THE RANCH ON MT.HAMILTON ROAD. WE ARRIVED AT THE RANCH AND MET A FEW OF HIS FRIENDS AND PREPPED OUR BIKES. ALL AROUND WERE SOME SERIOUS LOOKING RIDERS AND BIKES. ON TOP OF A VOLVO WAS A WHITE TRIMBLE COMPOSITE MOUNTAIN BIKE. IT WAS TO BE THE TOP PRIZE FOR THE RACE PLUS SOME CASH. I TOOK A PHOTO OF THE BIKE AFTER A LITTLE BIT OF DROOLING. I ALSO CHECKED OUT THE FIRST GATE WHICH WAS NEAR A PAVED ROUND DRIVEWAY. A CONCRETE ISLAND WITH A DIRT MOUND AND A THIN LOOKING TREE IN THE CENTER STOOD IN FRONT OF THE GATE.YOU EITHER HAD TO GO AROUND EITHER SIDE OF THE ISLAND OR BUNNYHOP RIGHT THROUGH IT. HOPEFULLY YOU MISSED THE TREE. WHAT A DUMB PLACE TO BEGIN A RACE I THOUGHT.
THE SPORTSMEN CLASS RACE WAS TO START AT 10AM. THE BEGINNERS WERE STILL DOING SOME LAPS WHEN OUR CLASS LINED UP AT THE START. TIM MOVED UP TO THE FRONT SO HE COULD HANG OUT WITH THE EXPERIENCED RIDERS AND I PLACED MYSELF SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE. I KNEW THAT THE FASTER RIDERS WOULD BE UP FRONT WHICH ALSO MEANS THAT THE FRONT RUNNERS WOULD ALSO BUNCH UP AT THE FIRST GATE.
MY HEART WAS THUMPING AND I HAD TO RELAX MY GRIP ON THE BARS.MY MOUTH WAS DRY EVEN THOUGH I HYDRATED BEFORE THE RACE. TIM AND HIS FRIENDS POPPED A FEW POTASSIUM PILLS AND GAVE ONE TO ME. I NEEDED WHAT EVER HELP I COULD GET.
THE STARTER ANNOUNCED THE START OF THE RACE WOULD BEGIN IN ONE MINUTE AND I NOTICED THAT MY GRIPS WERE LOOSE. OH GREAT.
I BREATHED SLOWLY AND THE MINUTE DRAGGED. THE STARTER LIFTED THE PISTOL AND EVERYTHING WENT QUIET. BANG!
THE PACK TOOK OFF AND I STRUGGLED A LITTLE BIT TO GET MY SHOE INTO THE RIGHT PEDAL CAGE. THE FRONT OF THE PACK RACED TOWARD THE FIRST GATE AND THE FASTEST RIDERS BUNNY HOPPED OVER AN THE ISLAND.THE MAIN PACK REACHED THE ISLAND.SOME WENT AROUND BUT MOST OTHERS DECIDED TO GO THROUGH IT. A FEW RIDERS DID CLEAR THE CURB BUT THE NOT SO SKILLED RIDERS HOPPED IT AND BIFFED IT RIGHT THERE,TAKING DOWN THE RIDERS BEHIND THEM AND THERE WAS A HUGE PILE-UP. I SAW THIS HAPPEN AND I WENT AROUND TO MY LEFT. I WASN'T SURPRISED TO SEE SPECTATORS HANGING AROUND TO SEE THE BIG CRASH.SOMEHOW THEY KNEW THIS WAS THE PLACE TO SEE A PILE-UP.
BEFORE I ENTERED THE GATE I SAW A PRO RIDER LOOKING REALLY PISSED WITH A BRIGHT GREEN RITCHEY HOLDING MOST OF HIS BIKE IN ONE HAND AND THE SNAPPED OFF FORK ON THE OTHER HAND.
ONCE PAST THE GATE I ACCELERATED DOWN THE NARROW TRAIL RIGHT INTO A HUGE DUST CLOUD KICKED UP BY AT LEAST 30 RIDERS BEFORE ME. I HAD TO COAST THROUGH THE TRAIL,KEEPING AN EYE ON THE EDGE TO KNOW WHERE I WAS HEADED. A RIDER FLEW OFF THE TRAIL INTO THE FIELD ON THE RIDE. THE DUST CLEARED A LITTLE AS THE RIDERS UP FRONT SPREADED OUT. I LEANED INTO A RIGHT HAND SWEEPER THAT LEAD INTO A SHORT,WIDE TRAIL JUST BEFORE THE FOOT OF THE HOTEL TRAIL CLIMB. A SLIGHT LEFT TURN AND THERE WAS THE CLIMB. i DIDN'T SHIFT DOWN FROM THE BIG RING INTO THE GRANNY GEAR IN TIME AND I NEARLY STOPPED AS MY BIKE CLIMBED UP THE TRAIL. IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO SHIFT UP AT AN ANGLE AND I HAD TO DISMOUNT TO PUSH THE BIKE UP THE 150 YARD CLIMB. IT WAS NEARLY AS STEEP AS A FLIGHT OF STAIRS WITH LOOSE ROCKS AND HARDPACK. I WASN'T THE ONLY RIDER PUSHING HIS BIKE UP THE HOTEL. GOOD THING. THE SPECTATORS STOOD ALONG THE SIDE WATCHING THE LOSERS WALK THEIR BIKES UP. I WAS FEELING A LITTLE...DUMB. I FINALLY REACHED THE TOP OF THE HOTEL AND THERE WAS ANOTHER CLIMB THOUGH IT WAS MUCH SHALLOWER. I REACHED THE 3RD GATE AND IT WAS ALL DOWN HILL. I FIGURED I CAN MAKE UP FOR SOME LOST TIME IN THIS SECTION AND I DID. I PASSED UP SOME RIDERS AND I FELT GOOD ABOUT IT. IT CAN ONLY GET BETTER AT THIS POINT. NEAR THE ENTRANCE TO THE DRY CREEK BED WE MADE A SLIGHT RIGHT TURN THRU THE 4TH GATE RIGHT INTO A STEADY CLIMB. OH GREAT. THIS SINGLE TRACK HAD RUTS ON EITHER SIDE AND RIDERS WERE ROLLING OFF TO THE SIDE. MOST OF THE RIDERS AHEAD OF ME GOT OFF THE BIKES AND PUSHED THEM UP. I HAD TO SHIFT BACK INTO THE GRANNY GEAR AND THE 28t COG BUT BY THIS TIME I WAS BURNT OUT.AT THIS POINT THE CLIMB CONTINUED AT EVERY TURN. I WAS HOT,THIRSTY AND CRANKY. HALF WAY UP THERE WAS A WATER STATION AND I THREW OUT MY EMPTY WATER BOTTLE AND A VOLUNTEER GAVE ME A FRESH BOTTLE WITH COLD WATER. I SPLASHED SOME ON MY HEAD AND THAT FELT GREAT. ANOTHER TURN AND THE CLIMB CONTINUED. BACK TO CRANKY. I JUST ROLLED MY EYES WHEN I SAW THAT THE TRAIL KEPT GOING UP AND UP IN THE DISTANCE. JUST WHEN I WAS ABOUT TO CALL IT QUITS AND VERY SHAPELY WOMAN ON A BLACK CANNONDALE RODE PAST US WALKERS ON OUR LEFT AND ALL THE GUYS GREW SILENT. SURE SOME OF US CHECKED OUT HER BUTT IN THE BIKE SHORTS BUT ALL OF US WERE HUMBLED BY THIS FEMALE RIDER WHO SCOOTED UP THIS HILL WITHOUT COMPLAINING. I STOPPED COMPLAINING AND I GOT BACK ON THE BIKE AS SOON AS I COULD AND I CONCENTRATED ON KEEPING A STEADY PACE. 10 MINUTES LATER I MADE IT TO THE TOP AND TO MY LEFT I COULD SEE THE VALLEY BELOW AND A DC-10 APPROACHING THE AIRPORT AT A DISTANCE.WE WERE ABOVE THE DC-10. WOW.
ONCE OVER THE HUMP WE BEGAN THE DESCENT BACK TO THE FINSIH LINE A FEW MILES DOWN. THIS SHOULD BE FUN. I PULLED AWAY FROM MY GROUP,SHIFTED TO THE BIG RING AND THE 13t COG AND ACCELERATED AWAY.THIS IS THE IBOC's STRONG POINT. DOWN I WENT AND THEN THE LEFT HAND TURN INTO A STEEPER DESCENT REVEALED A BIG BOULDER OFF TO THE RIGHT.I JUST MISSED IT, A RIDER IN FRONT OF ME SLAMMED INTO IT,WENT OVER THE HANDLE BARS AND FLEW DOWN INTO THE EMBANKMENT ON THE RIGHT. HE SHATTERED HIS COLLARBONE AND DAMAGED THE TOP TUBE ON HIS MOUNTAIN GOAT,A HAND BUILT CUSTOM BIKE. I SKIDDED TO A STOP AND TIM WAS ALREADY HELPING THE RIDER OUT. I FINALLY CAUGHT UP TO TIM BUT HE TOLD ME HE WAS DROPPING OUT TO STAY WITH THE INJURED RIDER. OTHER RIDERS STOPPED TO HELP.TIM TOLD ME TO CONTINUE DOWN TO GET HELP.WE DIDN'T HAVE CELLPHONES AT THE TIME AND EVEN IF WE DID,WE WOULD'NT HAVE A SIGNAL. I GOT BACK ON AND I FELT A SHOT OF ADRENALINE AS I FLEW DOWN THE HILL. DOWN I WENT AND JUST LIKE THAT,ONE OF THE LOOSE GRIPS FLEW OFF. I HELD ON TO THE BARE HANDLE BAR WHICH ISN'T VERY COMFORTABLE WHEN FLYING DOWN A ROCK STREWN HILL ON A RIGID BIKE. THE HEADSET RATTLED LOOSE ALSO.THEN I FELT THE FRONT CANTILEVERS DRAG. WHAT THE HELL? THE DIRT TRAIL TURNED INTO A PAVED ROAD AND MY SPEED INCREASED.I FOLLOWED THE ARROWS THAT POINTED THE WAY TO THE FINISH LINE. I ENTERED A LONG,LEFT SWEEPING TURN AND I COULD SEE THE CAMP AREA BELOW.TO MY RIGHT IS THE BARN. RIGHT AT THE BEND,IT BECOMES AN OFF CAMBERED TURN AND THE SOIL IS LOOSE.GO TO FAST AND YOU'LL FLY OFF INTO THE FIELD BELOW. I LEANED LEFT,DRAGGED MY LEFT FOOT AND I CLEARED THE TURN.CLIPPING BACK INTO THE CAGE I SPRINTED OFF THE SADDLE AND CROSSED THE FINISH LINE AND GRAPPED THE FRONT BRAKE. THE BACK OF THE BIKE LIFTED UP BUT I MANAGED TO KEEP IT TOGETHER. I TOLD THE RACE OFFICIALS ABOUT THE ACCIDENT AT THE TOP OF THE TRAIL AND THEY DROVE OFF ON A 4X4. I WAS DONE. I ONLY FINISHED THE FIRST 10 MILE LAP. I COULDN'T GO ON DOING THE NEXT TWO LAPS AND I DECIDED TO CALL IT QUITS. MY NAME ON THE BOARD HAD 'DNF' PLACED NEXT TO IT.'DID NOT FINISH'.
I FELT LIKE CRAP. THE BIKE ALSO FELT LIKE CRAP.SPECTATORS STARED AT ME AS I WALKED THE BIKE BACK TO THE EL CAMINO.
WHEN THE RACE WAS DONE AND IT WAS TIME TO GIVE OUT THE PRIZES TO THE FINISHERS,I GOT TOGETHER WITH TIM AND HIS FRIENDS SO WE CAN EAT THE BBQ MEALS THAT WAS PLANNED FOR THE RACE PARTICIPANTS. AT THE PICNIC TABLES I WAS ABLE TO GET A GOOD LOOK AT THE BIKES AND THE OWNERS. I SAW A COOL BLUE AND SILVER RALEIGH TECHNIUM,LOTS OF ROCKHOPPERS AND STUMPJUMPERS AND A FEW PRO BIKES WITH FLORESCENT DERAILLUERS AND TRICK BILLET PARTS. SOME TEAM BIKES HAD GEAR THAT WOULDN'T BE OUT FOR ANOTHER YEAR AND A HALF. THE FLORESCENT PARTS WOULD SOON BE THE THING TO HAVE MONTHS LATER. WE LINED UP FOR THE LUNCH,GOT OUR FOOD AND DRINK AND HEADED BACK TO THE OUR TABLE. I NOTICED PEOPLE AROUND US WERE A LITTLE SNOTTY. SOME WERE COOL. THE LUNCH LADY EVEN HAD AN ATTITUDE WITH ME. TIM HAD AN ATTITUDE THAT DIDN'T LAST LONG FORTUNATELY. TIM AND I GRABBED THE COOLER AND GOT ON OUR BIKES AND WE RODE BACK UP THE HILL TO SEE THE EXPERT CLASS RACE. WHEN YOU HAVE ICE COLD BEER,EVERYONE BECOMES YOUR FRIEND. SOON WE HAD A GOOD SIZE GROUP AT THE BARN AND WE TOOK PHOTOS OF THE TEAMS AND THE OUR NEW FRIENDS.MORE RIDERS ZIPPED PAST US.A COUPLE OF RIDERS WOBBLED AT THE TURN.ONE RIDER BOUNCED UP AND ONE FOOT BECAME UNCLIPPED FROM THE PEDAL CAGE. HE CLIPPED BACK ON RIGHT ON TIME AND HE SAVED IT. WE SAW A RIDER FLY OFF THE TURN AND DOWN THE FIELD OF TALL,GOLDEN BROWN GRASS.A HUGE DUST CLOUD WENT UP. WE CHEERED.
OUR RACE ENDED WELL AND WE HEADED BACK HOME. THE WEEKEND AFTER THE RACE I WAS RIDING DOWN MAYBERRY STRET WHICH IS NEXT TO THE LARGE FLEA MARKET WHEN I NOTICED A COUPLE WALKING ON THE SIDEWALK ON MY RIGHT. THE GUY WAS WEARING THOSE OLD SCHOOL OAKLEY SHADES WALKING WITH THE LEGGY BLOND SMILED WHEN I APPROACHED THEM. HE SAW THE SIZZLER RACE SHIRT I WAS WEARING AND HELD UP HIS HAND TO GIVE ME A HIGH-FIVE. TWO STRANGERS WHO RODE THAT RACE HIGH FIVING EACH OTHER. I'LL ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT.
THAT WAS THE DAY I KNEW MOUNTAIN BIKING WAS COOL. IT WAS NO LONGER JUST A FAD.
THE IBOC WAS STILL COVERED IN FINE RED DUST FROM THE RACE. I DIDN'T WASH THE BIKE FOR TWO WEEKS.
