FINALLY SUMMER!

I don't have any photos of today, I was too busy enjoying the 80 degrees without a cloud. I just had to get out and get hot and sweaty on my mountain bike. For some that sounds pretty miserable but for me it is the best. I went out by myself, my own time, my own pace my own music just me I like that also.

I also like company, one is not better than the other they are both fun and enjoyable. The last couple of days Mike and I were in Ashland getting ready for the Ashland Super D, this is a 12 mile mountain bike race that looses 5000 feet. It is like doing a long descent on a cross country race. This one is pretty special for me because it is located where I won my first mountain bike race-Ashland. I have been racing in Ashland since 1981 (road bikes) and have been coming to Ashland since 1969 (Shakespeare Festival). It is the only place I would move to from Bend in the US.

We used to start in downtown Ashland and race up to Mt Ashland (12 miles and 5000 feet of gain) and then we would continue on some forest roads, 100 feet of single track a really hard climb and finish back in town. It is hard to believe we thought 39 and 1/2 miles of road and 1/2 mile of single track was fun, but we did.

This race is the opposite. 12 miles downhill, about 11 miles of single track, awesome fun single track. This race is cool because all forms of life show up. The Pro Mountain Bike Giant team (Adam, Carl and Kelli), pro downhillers (Mark Weir, Eric Carter (not to be confused with our Eric), Brian Lopes and me. What is a 60 year old (racing age) doing mixing it up with these guys. Well, I don't really know other than this is the antithesis of the Revenge of the Siskiyous, and it is fun to see some really fast riders. We were pre riding the course and Jody, who has not done this before, was a little dismayed when this group of guys came flying by at seemingly twice our speed. She was thinking she was over her head, but we told her that was the probable (and in fact the) winner of the pro men's race.

I had my new Trek Remedy 6 inch travel bike and I had a blast. I was 2 minutes faster than the last time I did this race and the course was about one minute longer. No crashes, no close calls just 46 minutes of fun. Next week we are headed over to Corvallis to the opposite and race the Test of Endurance. This is a 50 mile race that will test my endurance. I am doing this so our team can solidify its lead in the River City Mountain bike series. A lot of the same racers will be there, Adam, Carl, Lizzy, and some who didn't do the Super D. I like the mix of both types of racing. Super Ds are mellow for me. My goal is not to win but to have a safe ride that flows well, in a cross country race my goal is to win. I don't always but I put that pressure on myself.

So again I had a great day in the sun today, all by my self but the past two days were awesome, hanging with Jody and Herb (who was our shuttle driver), and of course Mike. I cant' wait until next year. Maybe my buddy Andy will come over again.

Don