Wawayanda Spring cleaning or the black bear duathlon!

Consider your spring cleaning done!

So the h2h race series kicked off this weekend out at wawayanda with the black bear race. There had been a few other silly races over there in Connecticut, but they don’t count! We were kicking it Jersey style this past Sunday and launching right into the Campmor h2h series.

Team Darkhorse Cycles Racing was out in force and well represented in the beginner and sport ranks. In true springtime Jersey fashion it rained most of the week prior and threatened to rain on race day. The ominous forecast may have kept some of the racers home in their warm beds but by the looks of registration and the parking lot most brave souls ventured out to do battle with the course. The course was interesting to say the least! The weather having been fairly dry in weeks prior and then seeing a consistent and soaking rainfall last week took all the little nasty bits on the course and made them just that much more exciting. There’s a little climbing, there’s a little fireroad and there’s lots of singletrack which has lots of rocks! The rocks were extra special! The beginners may have seen the worst of it as it was foggy and damp when they started in the am. This didn’t seem to slow down the Darkhorse boys as a podium placing was grabbed in the beginner 50 plus! By the time the sport riders took the line it was starting to clear up, however the rocks and roots now had a nice greasy peanut buttery mud coating! Yummy!

Sports took the line and they let the singlespeeders go off first. Apparently best not to get in the way of guys too, um, something, to run bikes with only one gear! Darkhorse jerseys were a plenty in the singlespeed class. The gun went off and so did we, up the road and into the woods at the standard beginning of the season pace. Too fast too soon, I knew this was coming and as we got into the doubletrack a few of the boys went a little hot onto a bridge only to find themselves rubber side up. After that things began to settle down, a line of riders formed and a pace was sent. Some moved forward and others moved back thru the line. Some miles later the geared boys began to catch up and mingle with us. It was here that things started to get a little sketchy. I dropped my chain on one of the many rock gardens and had to stop to fix it. “You good” yelled Tom as he rode past, “yeah all good I’ll catch back up.” Chain back on, a few geared guys go by and I’m back on the bike and moving. Make my way thru the crowd and catch Tom. Go around and tell him to catch on. We get caught in traffic and ride/run/walk some of the sketchy sections. Lap one goes by pretty quick and the course is wet, slick, and technical but still pretty fast. I’m pleased with were I am and go into the second lap feeling good.

Maybe a little too good, just before the slippery bridge I hear the dreaded whoosh. Front goes all squirrelly and I’m off and changing the flat. Make fairly quick work of it but it still takes time. Tom comes by again. “You good, oh man you and your flats!” “Yeah, Yeah, I know I’ll catch back up.” Flat fixed and about 3 minutes lost. Back on the bike and making my way back up thru the group. Catch a couple singlespeeders and a bunch of geared guys. Come up on Matt pre-riding for his expert race and he lets me know that a couple of singlespeeders are just up the trail. Carrot in front of nose and pedals turning, I can see them now and will be on them shortly.

Whoosh! A few expletives later and I’m off the bike with the front flat again. Stupid rocks! It’s not the rocks fault, user error. Argh! “Race over” is the first thing the brain says but I stop to collect my thoughts. I have half a co2 and only need a tube. Nobody around, I’m in no mans land. I start to run with the bike. I figure I can catch up to somebody or somebody will come up on me and I can bum a tube. About a mile or so later Roger rolls up on his pre-ride. We chat and of course he has no tube. I keep running and he rides off. Then there is a savior! Mark rolls up and offers a tube. I gladly accept and he rolls off! Sweet, wheel out and new tube in, George rolls up at this point. “You need anything?” “No, I’m good” he rolls off. Thirty seconds later I push the button on my co2 and get absolutely nothing! It must have bled out in my seat bag. Argh! Back to running. Couple of guys catch up and one of them (who’s name I can’t remember) throws me his co2! Sweet! Were back in business, I proceed to fumble the co2 head and let the majority of the compressed gas out into the atmosphere!!! Thankfully another one of my singlespeed brothers sees this go down and lends me his pump! Sweet salvation, I have never been happier to use one of those mini pumps! Tire full, back on bike and riding! Race is pretty much over at this point for me but I feel good and want to keep pushing. Make my way thru a few guys and ride some of the rock sections I was forced to walk in traffic on the first lap. Get about a mile from the finish and the course lets me know it isn’t done with me yet. Nice big endo in a rock garden.

Cross the finish line and see all the boys hanging out. Explain some of the gory details and accept that sometimes you’re the Louisville slugger and some times you’re the ball! (Thanks Mark Knoplfer!) Hang with the boys for a bit and try to redistribute all my borrowed goodies. (I still have your co2 head and tube man! See me at the next race!) We all get cleaned up and changed and tell stories of the day. No official results but I think Bobby got 3^rd, Tom should be somewhere around the top ten with Tony and George not far behind and myself somewhere in arrears.

It’s good to get the season back underway. We have Tymor coming up and rumor has it there might be some changes to the course. After that is Marty’s which is always a good time and then it’s the Gallop! So keep those pedals turning.