Annadel XC

[Michael Koppe]

  This is the first time that I have attended this race. I decided to enter since so many of my teammates would be there and I wanted to experience Annadel. I was unsure which category to enter but I wanted to do the long course, so I decided to enter Masters 50+. I thought about racing in the Expert over 40, but that sounded even faster, even though they depart 2mins behind Masters 50+. At the start line I realized I was in a fast group when I saw it included teammates Greg and Dave. When they asked if I was racing with them, instead of saying 'yes', I should have said I entered the same category as them-a subtle difference, but technically more correct. They are fast!

  After the Downieville All Mountain event the previous weekend, I was tired, but I mustered some energy to pre-ride the course. I didn't know the course exactly, but I was pretty sure it didn't go up the steep loose fire road which I rode up with considerable effort so I turned around and went down the asphalt road to look for the Warren Richardson Trail. So when we started the race Sunday I couldn't believe that we were headed in that direction. While I road up it Tuesday, it was not going to happen Sunday. I walked my bike up with everybody else and continued my inauspicious start. 

  The dust on the subsequent downhill (Cobblestone?) was unnerving due to the sun angle and number of riders. I was happy that I was riding my Downieville bike (Tallboy LTC with dropper post) which rolled over everything. Somewhere along the Warren Richardson trail, Mark identified himself as a fellow ACME rider and passed me with blazing speed. It didn't take long for him to make up 2 mins on me. I enjoyed the pace of the fire road climb, but once on the single track I was slowed considerably. One rider crashed on a rocky section and blocked the trail for awhile until he could remount which bunched up lots of riders. If there was a pivotal moment in my race, it was when I said "on your left"and subsequently crashed trying to pass him by going through some brush when there wasn't enough room. I had to let 15 riders go by before I could get back on the trail. Major bummer.

 After that I did my best and managed to pass some riders. I held my own on the downhill and managed to catch up to a few riders on Lawnsdale. I saw the unmarked fork on the asphalt road which was momentarily a source of confusion, however I did pre-ride this section and remembered the correct road. The next excitement was encountering the hornet nest which someone disturbed. I tried to ride uphill as fast as I could and only got bitten once. However during the whole ascent up Schultz, I could hear screams from riders as they encountered the hornets nest. I least I knew they were lots of riders behind me too. At least 15 by my count.

  Eventually the long course merged with the short course. The sport class riders were very nice about letting faster riders through. They must have received instructions from the race director. I passed a few riders on the long downhill since I had my Downieville bike and sprinted to the line with encouragement from Greg and Jim. My time was 2h 26m, good for 16th out of 30+ riders in Masters 50+. 

  Next year I will know the course better and will try to get off to a stronger start. Of course everybody else says that too. ACME did really well and I am sorry that I could not stay and celebrate but I had to take a friend back to SF. Mike