Looks Like I'm getting to the THS start line at a years best under 210lb weight... been having a crazy crampy on the rag GI tract issue since Tues right after the Nat H&H, getting back in order now, still feel weird (but thats somewhat the norm for me anyway!!). Maybe I just beat up and bruised my guts at the Nat??? Anyway all good on recovery. Bike is ready, just need to do a mousse/rear tire swap. All else good, oh yeah may wanna wash my gear from the last race........ PS they opened up a 50B (Int) class for the PM long course race, that is a good thing, because with that they added a good group (lots of our Mexican 50 riders core group) of fast 50 guys that were stuck in the AM race short course race. My goal as always is to enjoy the challenge of the Pro course, finish the race, then finally to get on the podium (a very tough/fast crowd on the local 50A class, former MX pros and ISDE vets are in our class.....my skill speed level is in the lower percentage among the classmates). Analyzing the class there are 2 tiers in our class, myself and at least 2 other guys I know and ride/race with are in the 2nd tier. But I say again we dont get paid to do this, its about fun, racing comeraderie, getting to the finish, and all the bench racing stories after, plus to support the guys who work hard to put these things together!! Participate dont just spectate!! (even if not racing, Participate/support)
praying for a bit more rain to blow through!!! Its all ready looking really good, last year was one of the dusty ones, this year...is shaping up well.
The afternoon race course this year will be approximately 24 miles long. Pros will likely go two laps at the 2 hour time limit. Course details: 24 miles consisting of 8 miles fresh cut single track, 13 miles of trails not used in several years, about 3 miles shared with the morning loop. Notes: *No pre-running *No pits away from the start finish area (you won't know where to go) *Transponder required for scoring (see www.losancianos.com for details) *Mandatory pre-race check of transponder before the start. Don't be late to the starting area or you will be held until after the last line starts. *Good spectator viewing in the pits/start area *Burritos and maybe tamales on sale race morning *Cervezas after each race
The morning race course is approximately 15 miles in length. Some fresh trails, some used trails, minimal whoops until you guys make some new ones. You will be in the wash a bit so if we get big rain you might get into a little water. Hopefully we'll get just a few sprinkles this week so there won't be much dust. Be there early! We are using transponders this year and you must final check the transponder on the way to the starting line. Think of it as a pre-race checkpoint.
Define "early". Plan to stay in El Pueblo Magico Friday night. Got a little rain this AM in San Dawg. Not a cloud up in T-Mec land this morning but down here things were a bit "damp".
AM race start 0900. I would be there @ 0700 to get all signed and XPNDR mounted and have time to be sorted. We will be there @ 0800, we meet at border at 0700. Tim and Cyril will have campsite with sportsmobile and VW camper on location.
OK he should have nothing to pick up!!.... this should a really good one this year. There has all ready been rain up there (3500-4500ft) There is a very high chance of another more intense rain storm blowing through during the day on saturday...last time that happened in 2011.... we had a perfect moist post rain sunny start to partly cloudy then progressed into mild rain and as we climbed into the higher elevations of the course it was snowing.....and that daggone Welshman (in his cold wet/snow element) Beat me into submission on the second loop, we went P1, P2 in the 40B group. I am really psyched this year is going to rock!!
1st viddy mostly AM race , Iron man LR on his 300RR Beta leading for PM section(I made it in min 7:35) good shot of our worst bottle neck.....too I like the sound of country music rather the the usual hardcore stuff. View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHquZKj95UA
looks like i got 7th from 12 50As, funny stat 5th 6th 7th were same guys that we finished 1 2nd 3rd with a much less deep talent field last year. official results soon. Happy to say my L2 time beat both of their fastest lap times
Damage report. I found that my CH Racing factory skid plate had tight clearance to my oil filter cover front screw, so I put it in the hydro press and and also ground a little material off for clearance (this was done a while ago). Well I bashed a rock and hit hard enough to make it a zero clearance part again and bent that forward cover screw and the force cracked my outer case, luckily for a non presurized oil leak. The bike is all disaassembled just need a LHS outer case cover and oil filter cover (calling ZipTy this AM). Racing again on Sat morn!!! Still need to biatch about the lack of some sort of accelerator pump tech on these FI bikes, that my only beef with FI, and the sometimes no relight feature after a "pop" stall. I will run race gas from now on which may help the relight issue pump gas is crap under and heat. I know my TXC450 was alot better with race gas, she started easier hot or cold and ran cooler.
FULL RESULTS are in. http://www.losancianos.com/HareScrambles.html DD Natalie called me (texted me to cancel our border meet, she did not make it this year), we missed her presence!!
