i normally like to stop at 711 in Claresholm for the best chicken wings in Alberta (Sshhh...don't tell everyone!) but
i had a rather large lunch so i held off.
Finally got by that head smashed in place (i love that name
, its so weird.) and caught up to slower traffic. On the gravel section i decided to pass 3 carsthat moved at a snails pace. The new truck and trailer passed with no problem. Rocco, the now sold motorhome would have passed easily as well but i
would have been whiteknuckling it
i caught up to some race traffic and decided to just mellow and enjoy the scenery.
i arrived safely to the race site. It was still light out and that is a good thing when setting up camp in a new trailer. Now when i say new, i mean 'new
to me' as the truck is a 12v 97 CTD and the trailer is a 99 Komfort. The bike is new though...09 Berg 450. Anyways, some friends saved me a spot and i
eased her into the new view for the weekend. By the way, Recession? i think not by judging the most trailers and motorhomes i have ever seen gather at any race.
Maybe gas is cheap?
That night saw a few bevys consumed but not too many as we had a 10:30 ish start for riding loop 1. Sat am arrived and it was warm. i remember that Cladoo said the temp had risen 9 deg from 8-9am. Today was going to be good. We waited for Little L and buds that were camped elsewhere. Finally, we got going. We headed in the direction of the first loop only to be
asked if we could not ride it as it needed to see no traffic before the race. We happily complied and set off for the 2nd loop. Thank darn as Loop 1 was a bear during the race.
i think 11 riders joined up to cruise the 50kms.
We arrived back to bbq up some snacks and check the bikes for any last minute maintainence. Later was dinner which always is a Feast when camping.
What happenned next still leaves me speechless...well almost
Aaron B builds a STEAM room in the middle of nowhere porcupine hills. 
i did not use it that night but i did marvel at his MacGuyver skills.
Early to bed.
RACE DAY
Very sunny and Very warm
Things started well until 2 classes before my start saw a friend hit the ground hard and not get up. Its a little tough to see a rider down causing delays and yet still keep
your head into the game. Fortunately, the rider was 'just' concussed and the show must go on.
There are 23 riders in my class. The gun goes and luckily, i secure position #7. Ahead of me that i know for sure are #5 Brennan and #6 thirtyseven. We get to the first small H2O
crossing and down goes Brennan for an early swim. He must have been to hot and needed to cool off
i get by him and thirtyseven. i passed a couple more and at one point i am by myself and think i am sitting 2nd 
i come to "Jason's Hill" and one of my competitors prior to the start had warned me to stay left. Fortunately i had ridden this same hill 1 year earlier and stayed left as straight up made for great pics once i was up there. i remember seeing riders sprawled all over the hill and one guy coming down from the left side yelling at me to go up the middle. Forget that! i am going left and clean it...woo hoo. i think this is where i thought i may have now been #1, 2 or 3. (of course this is where i THOUGHT i was)MT darn GEYSER was next. Now what was weird is that as i am making my way down a single groove towards Mt Geyser, there are more guys making their way back up towards me. What the heck is going on??? i let Gary Taylor use my front tire as traction to get by me as i need to get by him too. i arrive at the Mountain of ICE to see Cladoo heading towards me asking if i saw the 'punch' station. Ahhhh, all these guys missed the check stop. How? i have no idea but there were a lot of them and i am sure it changed the course of results because of such a HUGE mistake.
Mt Geyser. What a CRAPshow. And what a crapshoot. LUCK and TIMING decided some positions on that hill. i had neither. The Berg had no problem climbing until i caught up to many riders that were going nowhere...fast! It sucked to wait and see fellow competitors go by on lines that had opened up for them but not me. i tried many variations but ultimately settled on changing my map setting to low and slowly zig zagging, bushwhacking to the top. Minimal energy expended but TOO much time lost.
i hooked up with some fast riders and tried to make time up. Have i mentioned my pet peeve?
NUMBERS and COLORS on the front and sides of bikes would be so HELPFUL!!!!!!!
Luckily i spoke with the guy with BLUE numbers before the race to know he was in my class but man it sucks that you try to pass guys that hold you off and than when you yell at them to let them know you are Vet Jr, they let you by. Anyways 
A few of us got lost 4 times and i will now live to great campfire advise i received later. If you do not see a flag within 400 yards of previous flag. STOP. turn around. go find flag!
Grrrrrrrrrr
i arrive back at the gas stop and know i am behind the leaders...7 of them.lol.
The 2nd loop was the fastest i have ever rode a bike in any race. It felt so good to let that Berg fly. i diced it out with 2 Vet Sr's but did not know it as we all have the same plate/number colors. But once i got by i saw they were sporting the new S on the front plate. Oh well
i finished 6th out of 23. The 8th place finisher was 1.5 hours later than me. So, i guess i did allright.
Congrats to all my fellow racers. It was much fun. The LMC did a great job with the course.
Back at camp was food, booze, food, booze and a steam room, than more booze, campfire hopping, booze and sleep!
And the drive back Monday in the rain
