2013 Old Cazadero Grasshopper

[Jim Hewett]

This "ride" is earlier than it used to be, and now represents the first longer competitive ride of the season for me.  Most of us are training base at this time of year and a competitive 3+ hour road/dirt race with some steep climbing is a recipe for pain, but everyone is eager to get out and let the suffering begin.

The weather was perfect.  I started without knee warmers or arm warmers and didn't regret it.  I showed up on my rigid Superfly with a 2x9 drivetrain (18lbs) and ran a Bontrager 29.0 2.0" tire on the front at 25psi and a Schwalbe Furious Fred on the back at 26psi.  This was my first ride with the Ogee forward Garmin mount and it worked flawlessly.

There was the usual crowd at the start.  I knew from past experience that I could hang at the front and expected to be riding with Bresneyan and Timmel.  Hosey, Bartels, Fant, Zanetti, Capron, and other fast guys were there, so they could definitely be in the mix.  Levi and another pro road racer were there, I think his name was Stettina.  These guys have the advantage in fitness, for sure, and often affect the outcome for us normal racers in indirect ways.

The gaggle started breaking up as we climbed Joy Rd and stretched out some more once we crossed the gate and started the Willow Creek descent.  Hosey was off the front a little and I found myself with Capron and Bresneyan being held up a little by a couple of other guys.  No sense in doing anything crazy to get around, though, as this group would surely be coming back together for the long flat road stretch over to Cazadero.  Nonetheless, we are most of us mountain bikers and there was some fast descending on dirt, so we did cut up a bit and waste some energy to get around but not far ahead of the slower riders.  Once on the busted pavement of lower Willow Creek, we formed a lead group of about ten and started working together a little.  We were surprised to see large patches of icy pavement in the shaded areas, and there was a pileup just behind me at one corner.  We few guys out front slowed and let everyone pick themselves up, but I never saw Bresneyan again after that.

The group rode across the flats pacelining and there were no attacks.  Everyone was saving it for the start of the climbing at Cazadero Rd.  Once we took that left turn, it was on.  Capron was beside me, but I think his chain skipped and jumped, forcing him to dismount at the start of the steep stuff.  I didn't see him again.  We climbed through the gate and up the dirt, a group of about 8.  I recognized Levi, Stettina, and Hosey.  I think Hillier was with us and a couple of other guys I don't know.  More climbing and fast descending and we were on the pavement headed to the steep paved climbing.  We started this at a fast pace and I slowly fell back, not out of sight but off the back.  Hosey was a little off the group, but ahead of me, and eventually I could only see him ahead.  Then, he was out of sight.  I knew this was a crucial move and if they left me I could be alone on Austin Creek Rd and 116 for the long road burn back to Willow Creek.  I knew I needed to stay with them, but my legs said "no thanks".  I reached the Osmo feed station alone and hurried over to the dirt descent to Austin Creek.  I knew I was descending faster than some of the group and I hoped to catch someone before Cazadero Highway.  I rode the berm to the right of the gate and pushed it as hard as I dared on the gravelly and rutted fire road.  Almost immediately, I caught a guy on a 'cross bike with a flat, then another and another.  It was nice to move up a few spots due to attrition, but those were also guys I could have worked with on the road.  By my count, Hosey, Levi, and Stettina were the only ones ahead of me now.  At the creek, a photographer told me the leaders were a couple of minutes up.  I tried to hustle up the dirt climb, but I could see pretty far ahead and couldn't see Hosey.

Tactically, I should have sat up when I hit Old Cazadero Highway and Austin Creek Rd.  I knew there was a group behind me that would be moving faster and more efficiently than I could as a solo rider.  They would probably catch me by the Willow Creek climb, anyway.  Despite this certainty, I put my head down and pedalled hard over to 116, hoping that maybe Hosey had fallen off of the lead group and he and I could work together.  I almost made it to Highway 1 when I was caught by a NorCal rider who seemed to have used everything he had to close the gap.  He said there were a few guys not far behind and they caught us on Willow Creek Rd.  Fant, Timmel, and Moony had been working together well and we all rode over to the start of the Willow Creek climb together.  No one was in too big of a hurry and we started the climb with Moony setting the pace.  Fant fell off a little, but dug deep and reconnected before the steepest bits.  I attacked a little on the steep part and gained a small but comfortable lead.  Fant stayed in sight behind me and we passed Hosey walking on a climb.  I think he had ridden alone all the way to this point and the effort had cost him a lot.  I stayed away to the finish where they informed me I had come in second, as Levi had asked not to be included in the results.

A beautiful day of riding and a good enough start to the season.

58 miles, 5,200 ft of climbing, around 3 hours and 10 minutes.

 

[Ryan Gibson]

Great result Jim, and excellent write up!

[Adam Nuyens]

Great result and write-up, Jim!
It's always interesting to hear about the action near the front!