Annadel 2011

[Carl Sanders]

It had been nearly 30 years since the original Grasshopper had been held at Annadel State Park. It took years of perseverance by Carlos and other dedicated Bike Monkeys to get this event off the ground once again. This time it was for a cause.  The money made by the race this day was to be given to the State Park to thwart off the threat that it might be closed due to the State's Budget Crisis.

 

An entire city block of downtown Santa Rosa was shut down to accommodate the 600+ riders at the start.  A pilot car and police escort led this seething mass of cyclists out of town, tripped the stop lights and kept up a surprisingly aggressive 'neutral' pace through the three miles of neighborhoods before the Park. 

 

As with most XC races the start order through the first bottle neck often sets up for how the race sorts out at the finish. Holding my line, clipping along somewhere near the back of the top 30 riders, I looked up, surprised to see the whole pack rapidly converging onto the first single track off the pavement. Breaks screeched, wheels crossed, elbows flew and tempers rose as we shoved, pushed and squeezed onto the first rock-strewn part of the course.

 

Immediately, a rider in front of me bumbles on a short climb and causes a massive back-up as we all try to fight our way round through the brush and boulders. Another rider picks a bad line, creating an even greater pile up to get around. Clear of this initial mess, we next pull fast and tight lines around four enormous water tanks that make it feel like some sort of video game. Great fun!

 

Next, a close pass by the finish line lead to the first short climb and rocky descent. I gain a few positions on the climb, then back off on the technical rock-strewn drop back on to pavement. A mishap on this course could easily have serious season-dampening consequences.

 

The first long climb was mostly fire road, providing more opportunities to work my way slowly up through the ranks. Then, back onto more rocky single track, I kept up the pace, but rode conservatively through the rocks, wanting very much to keep the rubber side down. Our second big climb up Shultz was mostly tight single track, leaving little room to advance forward.

 

I was riding strong and confident. My lines were solid, my pace smooth. This felt good.

 

By this point, the Long Course riders were starting to lap the Medium and Short Course riders who had all been routed back down the same finish route. More bunched up angry racers tried get pass the slower, but determined riders out in front. No sense trying to fight or take chances with this mess. I focused on staying clear of the jammed up groups and avoiding the inevitable crashes.

 

A long ripping single track on the Ridge Trail dumped us out on the even faster Canyon Fire Road to the finish.

 

I ended up 11th in the Expert field of 50 or so riders with a time of 2:20, some 15 minutes off the Timmel's top time of 2:05 for the day.

 

Many thanks to the entire Bike Monkey team for putting on a fantastic event. Maybe next year, I'll start closer to the front and will be more familiar with the course!

 

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[shiloh]

sounds like it was a rad race. wish I could have made it.