SCS - Uwharrie Race

I had so much fun at the Hobby Park race I went out to Uwharrie the next weekend to race the 2nd SCS race. Like Hobby Park, I had never been to the trails before the race started. I had heard there was more elevation than most trails in the Triangle so was preparing for some climbing. It dumped rain the night before and the conditions were very wet. The start goes down a doubletrack for the first mile or so which was slick. At one point while we were still bunched up we were cruising at a pretty good clip. I was in the "pack" two wide and 4 or 5 of us all slid and stepped out 2 feet or so. I almost ruined my shorts. The rest of the race was high lit with 2 wheel slides and dirt boogers. There is some climbing there, but it isn't ridiculous and most of it is on doubletrack. My rear derailleur decided to stop working about 3 miles in. Just jammed with mud. The derailleur on this bike is low normal/rapid rise (i.e. sprung backwards) so unfortunately when it gets caked you can force it into a harder gear with the shifter, but it won't return to the lower gears. I ended up stopping and forcing the RD up near the top of the the cassette and just switching between the big and mid ring only. It was almost like single speeding, but crappier. I ordered ride-on cables for the bike after this which are da bomb. Also as a side note, I think I am the minority in this, but I really like low normal derailleurs with rapid fire shifters. The main reason is it is easier to shift to a lower gear, even when standing and normally when I really really need to shift it is to a lower gear. Ended up mid pack in this race, but the field was pretty spread out due to conditions. 

Stats: 8th of 16, 18 miles, 105 mins, avg speed 10.2, avg HR 164, max HR 174, bike XTC.

I don't have any pics of me at the race, but here is what the bike looked like afterward. 

SCS - Hobby Park Race

After many years off from racing (14 I think), I decided to try a race and see how it went. I bought a "new" bike off of ebay and I rode a bit for a couple of months over the winter. Then hiked out to Winston Salem to try the first race in the Southern Classic Series. I raced Sport (XC2), which was my old cat. The course had an unusual paved start, which is flat for couple hundred yards and then rises up a fairly steep road for mabye 1/8 mile and then dumps into single track. I intentionally set myself up at the back of the grid and made no attempt at a decent hole shot. To my surprise I was in the top 10 or so going into the woods. Some normal bunch up goofiness hit in the first section of singletrack, but then got pretty smooth. The course is fun. Relatively flowy, but with some grindy short climbs. Finished 15th out of 23, but I was pleased. 

Stats: 15th of 23, 13 miles, in 77 mins,  avg speed 10, avg HR 168, max HR 176.

Rolling the finish

Meeting the congratulatory crew :)