Copper Harbor Fat Tire Race

I drove up to Michigan's beautiful Upper Peninsula for the coolest race ever over Labor Day weekend with some stops along the way to see family and friends. It's interesting how one forgets just how cool the trails are up there. Most of them are on actual dirt, there are lots of trees to dodge, and lots of trails which are turn after turn of late apex awesomeness. Another nice thing is that you don't have to climb for 40 minutes to get just 10 minutes of fun descending.

The Copper Harbor Flat Tire race would be a more apt name. I found out 3 miles in that my front tire setup, which I have been using all summer for riding and racing in Colorado, is not enough for Michigan. I'm pretty sure that I got a pinch flat on the feature for which the Rock 'n' Roll trail is named. After two minutes or so, I was back underway but unfortunately lost some more time being held up on singletrack by slower riders. By the second and final lap, I knew from the mild cramping in my legs that there was no way that my original strategy of sprinting for the last 5 miles would work. Plan B: follow the top female racer, who had just passed me. I was able to get ahead of her by the time the real descending began, and kept passing people until 2 miles from the finish. Braaapp! This time, I'm pretty sure that I got my second pinch flat in the front tire from bombing down Paul's Plunge (where all the spectators are) and hitting the big drop with all the sharp rocks in the landing area. The cheers made getting the 2nd flat tire and losing another 3-4 minutes totally worthwhile. I ran for about 100 yards before deciding that it was better to ride the rest of the way. Thwapp thwap thwap.... The inevitable Fat Tire cramping came when I washed out in a tight corner. "Are you okay?" asked some guy who passed me as I was doing my damnedest to bend my legs so that I could get back on my bike. Thwapp thwap thwap.... 33rd place overall, 33 minutes behind the winner (who was riding a singlespeed, which is awesome). Can't say I was disappointed with that result.

Interbike is approaching. Goals: pick out a new Super D bike to replace the Cake when it breaks again, ride some DH bikes, do some work, check out the electronic shifters, watch some cyclocross, make fun of dumb new bike stuff with Ryan.