I made the call to cut people off at the check. The hill was extreemly difficult. Keep in mind that those who made the hill were finishing that loop about an hour and a half befor we started cutting people off at the check. If it took a person 3 + hours to do the easy stuff, there was no way they would make the top of the nasty hill. But, kudos to anyone who dared to brave the snow and rain. That in itself is a victory.
Awesome course Dave!
Crowsnest XC
Re: Crowsnest XC
08 GasGas (That's the Brand fool!)
250 EC
#999 Int.
250 EC
#999 Int.
Re: Crowsnest XC
Yeah, not cool or an honorable placing...I wasn't even at this race and heard about it...Zeal wrote:Did anyone hear the story about the guy that got pushed up that crazy hard hill by his fellow racers, and then abandon them to fend for themselves?
I don't think he'll be getting help next time he's stuck on a hill...
RMDRA lifetime member
2013 350 XCF
2015 450 SXF with Timbersled MHLT
2013 350 XCF
2015 450 SXF with Timbersled MHLT
Re: Crowsnest XC
So i parked a trailer down in Racehorse...
i visited it a couple times over 2 weeks.
My wife and i arrived on the fri night of the race weekend.
It was a good night. My friends were all there.
Saturday, the group went for a ride. We decided to visit "The Hill". i remember back in 2000 and something, where we had to come down The Hill. i am a better rider now than back than, but i absolutely remember being terrified...both times. i had the pleasure of coming down it one time earlier. Anyways, The Hill was not my real concern back than, it was the valley 'out' at the bottom. You had to launch you and the bike over a clumpy overhang followed by a biggin root. i could not make it my first visit, but raceday i nailed it. woo hoo.
Ok, ok, back to the visit at the bottom of "the Hill"...so there we were last Saturday on a BEaUTIful day. Lots of dust. Warm. Sunny.
And up i climbed. i roll with a Trials tire and i struggled. On a dry day there are 2 distinct ledges. The bottom IF you can get out of the forest and about 1/2 way up where the incline becomes steeper. 4 or 5 guys cleaned it every attempt. i struggled. i did get up from bottom to top twice, but i only did it by side hilling. Going down was so much easier than a few years ago. lol
Back at camp, my awesome wife cooked up a seafood dinner...
Race day i awoke to rain. The temp had dropped through the night and the rain had been dropping for about 4 hours.
yes, that is ice in the corner...
i was out. no racing for me. i was bummed, but only because the day before was so nice. Well and maybe the $45 i donated the night before. We did all have some fun with eggin eachother on to go ask French for a refund
So off went 2 out of 6 campers.
The rain stopped briefly. Maybe enough for the riders meeting and start???? In camp, the 4 campers hung out in the rain. It was maybe some kind of self imposed punishment because we were not out there...
At one point we see this guy on a Berg heading off course and into the creek where we were standing at camp. It was Moose. That sucked to see him.
He came to the bank and we helped him out. Later, he told us at Awards, that his rimlock let go and the tire just spun freely.
He got the bike rolling eventually and went out and swept both loops. Hardcore!!!
So, back in camp the troop rallied together to build a shelter for the firepit. The rain never stopped. i guess it was another punishment for us but a reward for Big R and MotorEd when they returned. i'd be lying if i said i never thought about those guys and gals out there on the course, i knew they were being tested to their mental/physical limits. HUGE congrats/kudos for everyone that lined up at the start
The reward...
Still raining...
Tick tock....
Into camp comes a guy, that slept in a hammock in the trees the night before the race. Crazy. Who does that kinda stuff anyways?lol.
Alex (axel99) arrives to tell us his bike just would not stay running.
Drive to RHC...check
Sleep in a tree...check
Rain...check
Ignorant selfish OTHER campers BOOMING the Sterno til the RAIN started...check!!!!!
Still show up to the start...check
That also is hardcore.
HOURS later, we see 6 Juniors on the ROAD making their way back to camp. The Exodus has begun. The Hill has successfully defended the assualts.
Big R shows up even hours later than the start of the Exodus. His energy is umm, guarded. Someone hands him a beer and i only pick up on 2 words...The Hill.
He changes and makes his way to our most excellent covered fire pit...
Hard to fathom but someone correct me if i am wrong but i think Eddy left camp at about 10:20 and he arrived back at 4ish????
Anyways, it was still RAINING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
But, MotorEd came into camp STOKED...
2nd place. Lets get this party started.
A big shout out to Dave French and crew. When i visited them a week before the race, they were embarking on some grandiose ideas of this years race...
i thought unpossible. They made it happen. i remember talk of some University Avenue. i swear their eyes twinkled as they discussed the possibilities.
Next year...
i visited it a couple times over 2 weeks.
My wife and i arrived on the fri night of the race weekend.
It was a good night. My friends were all there.
Saturday, the group went for a ride. We decided to visit "The Hill". i remember back in 2000 and something, where we had to come down The Hill. i am a better rider now than back than, but i absolutely remember being terrified...both times. i had the pleasure of coming down it one time earlier. Anyways, The Hill was not my real concern back than, it was the valley 'out' at the bottom. You had to launch you and the bike over a clumpy overhang followed by a biggin root. i could not make it my first visit, but raceday i nailed it. woo hoo.
Ok, ok, back to the visit at the bottom of "the Hill"...so there we were last Saturday on a BEaUTIful day. Lots of dust. Warm. Sunny.
And up i climbed. i roll with a Trials tire and i struggled. On a dry day there are 2 distinct ledges. The bottom IF you can get out of the forest and about 1/2 way up where the incline becomes steeper. 4 or 5 guys cleaned it every attempt. i struggled. i did get up from bottom to top twice, but i only did it by side hilling. Going down was so much easier than a few years ago. lol
Back at camp, my awesome wife cooked up a seafood dinner...
Race day i awoke to rain. The temp had dropped through the night and the rain had been dropping for about 4 hours.
yes, that is ice in the corner...
i was out. no racing for me. i was bummed, but only because the day before was so nice. Well and maybe the $45 i donated the night before. We did all have some fun with eggin eachother on to go ask French for a refund
So off went 2 out of 6 campers.
The rain stopped briefly. Maybe enough for the riders meeting and start???? In camp, the 4 campers hung out in the rain. It was maybe some kind of self imposed punishment because we were not out there...
At one point we see this guy on a Berg heading off course and into the creek where we were standing at camp. It was Moose. That sucked to see him.
He came to the bank and we helped him out. Later, he told us at Awards, that his rimlock let go and the tire just spun freely.
He got the bike rolling eventually and went out and swept both loops. Hardcore!!!
So, back in camp the troop rallied together to build a shelter for the firepit. The rain never stopped. i guess it was another punishment for us but a reward for Big R and MotorEd when they returned. i'd be lying if i said i never thought about those guys and gals out there on the course, i knew they were being tested to their mental/physical limits. HUGE congrats/kudos for everyone that lined up at the start
The reward...
Still raining...
Tick tock....
Into camp comes a guy, that slept in a hammock in the trees the night before the race. Crazy. Who does that kinda stuff anyways?lol.
Alex (axel99) arrives to tell us his bike just would not stay running.
Drive to RHC...check
Sleep in a tree...check
Rain...check
Ignorant selfish OTHER campers BOOMING the Sterno til the RAIN started...check!!!!!
Still show up to the start...check
That also is hardcore.
HOURS later, we see 6 Juniors on the ROAD making their way back to camp. The Exodus has begun. The Hill has successfully defended the assualts.
Big R shows up even hours later than the start of the Exodus. His energy is umm, guarded. Someone hands him a beer and i only pick up on 2 words...The Hill.
He changes and makes his way to our most excellent covered fire pit...
Hard to fathom but someone correct me if i am wrong but i think Eddy left camp at about 10:20 and he arrived back at 4ish????
Anyways, it was still RAINING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
But, MotorEd came into camp STOKED...
2nd place. Lets get this party started.
A big shout out to Dave French and crew. When i visited them a week before the race, they were embarking on some grandiose ideas of this years race...
i thought unpossible. They made it happen. i remember talk of some University Avenue. i swear their eyes twinkled as they discussed the possibilities.
Next year...
Re: Crowsnest XC
TK, you make shrimp and Lobster at a race site??? that is fr1ckin rad...hardcore. you better eat that stuff behind closed doors. LOL. Ed is also fr1ckin rad and that coarse was fr1ckin nuts.
my hands frose solid 4 times. they were swollen for 2 days after and the side of my right hand was numb for 4 days. i think i frose my left eyeball a bit too as i couldn't see out of it properly by the time i got to the top of university drive, so i just kept riding with one eye. then right close to the end of lap 2 a pine needle finally popped out (or maybe thawed out, i don't know for sure) and then i could see properly. but everyone was having issues, so you just keep going.
Much respect to J Shrage as he is one tuff dude. i had a great time dicing and pushing myself to my highest level i could do. if there was no race, i probably would have only riden around for and hour or so on much easier terrain, racing really pushes us.
Thanks Dave and all voly's.
my hands frose solid 4 times. they were swollen for 2 days after and the side of my right hand was numb for 4 days. i think i frose my left eyeball a bit too as i couldn't see out of it properly by the time i got to the top of university drive, so i just kept riding with one eye. then right close to the end of lap 2 a pine needle finally popped out (or maybe thawed out, i don't know for sure) and then i could see properly. but everyone was having issues, so you just keep going.
Much respect to J Shrage as he is one tuff dude. i had a great time dicing and pushing myself to my highest level i could do. if there was no race, i probably would have only riden around for and hour or so on much easier terrain, racing really pushes us.
Thanks Dave and all voly's.
Last edited by Brent on Thu Sep 16, 2010 8:34 am, edited 1 time in total.
2013 450 XC
2011 YZ 450, 2008 380 XC
2011 YZ 450, 2008 380 XC
Re: Crowsnest XC
This is an amazing photo! To see you stand on the other side with your hands raised...awesome!
Re: Crowsnest XC
Hahaha, i will share a secret. 4 Lobster tails at Costco=$25. Well worth it! Of course after i ate it, the peanut gallery told me all kinds of 'next day' bathroom horror storiesBrent wrote:TK, you make shrimp and Lobster at a race site??? that is darn rad...hardcore. you better eat that stuff behind closed doors. LOL. Ed is also darn rad and that coarse was darn nuts...