Saturday Devin and I headed to Windy Gap to meet up with Jeff, Karl, and Doug for a moto ride. Prior to departure I did my usual research on the area to get a heads up on the trails and basically to see what the hell I've gotten myself into. After reviewing the you-tube videos (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smj2C4GKkaM) of the expert trail I knew I was in for it. When it was all said and done I have to say that Windy Gap was a great trail system to ride. The "goat trail/expert trail" was actually very cool minus the two hike a bike sections. The expert trail featured some cool switch backs, cobbly rock gardens and incredible views. From the expert trail we ran some fast rocky double track into an even faster water bar filled double track back to the parking lot. I figure the total mileage was around 10 miles so we ran it twice to close out the day with ~20 miles. I will say that the second go round was a bit wilder due to fatigue and even more dust. On one steep rutted section I came in with a bit more clutch than necessary so the front end came up and the bike looped out. I couldn't get my leg out fast enough plus the rut I was poised to fall into was deeper that my legs were long, thus my left thigh took the whole impact. It wasn't to bad but I'll have a sweet bruise in a day or two. Standing on the pegs for the rest of the ride was interesting and I had a feeling my thigh wouldn't get right by the race on Sunday.
After Windy Gap Devin and I headed to Hiawassee, GA to compete in the SORCS hare scramble, my 2nd race to date. The track was 8.8 miles in length and a completely different story than the Mid-South Hare Scramble in Monterey, TN. The track was single and double track wide with really fast open sections and by far the deepest silt I have ever ridden. You couldn't see your front fender when you were catching someone or when you got pasted and with 300 racers on course, well just imagine. The ruts at the first lap of the race were trenches by the end. Small ruts in the turns became three foot dust berms that you could square up and bounce from one to the other. This track was a real test of cornering technique which I have none. But after numerous high speed get offs, highsiding into feet of silt, by the last lap I began to figure out the strategy.
During the 2nd lap I started to really negotiate the silt with confidence and speed which lead to some really interesting times. I could link together 3-4 tight turns but I just couldn't stay consistent in what basically could only be called moon dust. I remember having the sensation of riding really light powder complete with face shots. After one particular flying-W, I submerged in the dust probably up to my camel back. I had a mouth full of dust which I just spit out into my helmet. It would have been a funny picture to see a guy catapulted off the bike only to disappear in to the ground.
The final lap was much smoother and seemed faster as I was more on the pipe and less on the ground, well accept when I hammered this one turn and I got launched which resulted in a twisted clutch assembly and barkbuster. I got going and then had to stop the fix my gear, luckily nothing was broken so I kept on ridin dirty. I completed 3 laps in 2 hours which I was stoked on but apparently the AA riders picked off 5 laps! Totally, amazing! They had to consistently be running 22 mph! I was running approximately 13.33mph and that took all I had. All and all the race was awesome and I can't wait for the next one, well after some cornering work.
Devin had a fast first lap but he K-Oed himself by hitting a tree at speed. Knowing how fast Devin is I can only imagine the get off. He was completely out of his gear when I got finished so at first I thought he killed it but the look on his face told the tale. Devin sustained 3 broken ribs and 1 punctured lung. I would have never guessed he was dealing with such injuries by the way he managed the pain, I guess I also under estimated the power of two McDonalds apple pies. Devin continues to blow my mind with his antics and the calm cool way he carries himself. As the great Karl Peters once said, "Dude that guy is a Ninja". A ninja indeed. I owe Devin some thanks for driving, letting me stink his truck up and for putting up with my whining about my little bruised leg over the weekend. I hope his recovery is a speedy one!
Here's a photo link from the race: http://www.dropshots.com/keithguy#date/2008-10-05/22:05:13 (that's me at 4:12-4:14 with my boots up coming through the creek)
On another note Casey Stoner won a 2nd consecutive Australian GP! STONER!
Aftermath
