GNCC Steel Creek

Devin and I went to the third stop on the GNCC series at Steele Creek Campground in Morganton, NC. The event has been held at this campground for 10 years and with the terrain I encountered I can understand why this venue is so revered. We arrived on Saturday afternoon and immediately went to review the track on mountain bikes, almost all 11 miles. Normally, at local races riders won't see the track until you are racing it so seeing the ins and outs was greatly appreciated. After inspection we registered, set up camp, and went looking for food.

Race day came with a heavy frost and cold temps that quickly warmed as the sun reach the ridge tops. We got geared up and went to the start line to prepare mentally to do battle with 500+ riders all set to attack a track comprised of every condition imaginable, well minus the snow. We encountered steep hill climbs, steep descents covered with two and three foot breaking bumps, hundreds of whoops to the point where the entire track became a never ending whoop section. The trail ran along the creek bottom so you had sand and round stones and then slick fast red clay on the ridge tops, oh and then there was the BOG!

The start was very fast and the race was on like Donkey Kong! I managed a fast first lap but calamity struck on the 3rd lap as I got knock off my bike along with 40 other riders as we battled up one of the steepest hills. I saw Devin fly past me as I got started again only to get hung up on more traffic. I tried my best to get Devin back but I got knocked off the bike again during a wrestling match with another rider. Basically, I went back and fourth with this guy until he rammed me in to a downed tree on the side of the course that took me clean off the bike, touche' sir. After regaining my wits I finished lap three and began lap four and then the lights went out. I completely ran out of energy so my last lap was around 45 minutes where my first lap which was my fastest came in at 35:04. Devin went on to finish with his last lap being his fastest and scored 27th place and I came in at 29th and 389th out of 544.

Track Pics (Before)

And that was only a fraction of the 11 mile track.

The after party...
THE Pros in the BOG!!


GNCC Steele Creek March 2009 from Ben Ramsbottom on Vimeo.

From Youtube