oh, where to begin …

well, we’ll set up some music to lissen to, first.

a woman, who’s life we celebrate. mama africa

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Pilarcitos Nightly Madness

The Simpson crew had themselves a party this weekend and all the kids turned out to play.  I’ll admit it, there are two things that i have a hard time passing up – racing in front of a crowd, and racing at night.

On Saturday, we got treated to both.

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We arrived just as the real dark had set in. Rolling into SierraPoint, with all the floodlights blasting light around the course – it looked like one of those sci-fi movie scenes where the gov’ment have found an alien ship crashed in some remote outback, and the honchos in charge have every generator and pair of hands lighting it up and inspecting the wreckage.

Scores of people were scrambling over the course, sometimes blocking racers completely from view as we got on tiptoes and squinted to over mounds and through the dusty dark. And with an 8pm start, i was lucky enough to be able to walk around and check out some of the vibe of the night … and oh, what a vibe it was. I’m telling you, when the women shot out of the blocks for their start, it caused an electrifying ripple through the crowds.

From the gun, it was KatBaumsteiger crushing the hole-shot and launching herself up and over the sandbagged curb. Kat was fresh off her first win in the Elite’s last weekend at the NCNCA Cup #4 Sactown-stop, and went out with afterburners on full to see if she could scratch out another big result.

Behind her, it was a long line of riders negotiating the dark, the dust, and the bumpin, shovin madness that is an elite cross race. By the completion of the first lap, though, there was a very strong group of all the NorCal stars up front and looking to find the groove.

The leaders were close to 10-strong as they came through the long, paved finishing straight. We fans were lined up along the fencing, listening to TommyS’s sultry voice over the announcing and appreciating the intense logistics that Alex must have gone through to put the whole-shindig together. What an event.

As the women passed us, the first to launch out on the offensive was … noneotherthan … Kathleen HannontheCannon. Holee crap ~ i was on the sidelines when it happened, kickin it with some true-hommies, as the lead group came through the finishing straight. Carey was at the front, driving it, but not willing to pull 100% so early in the race and with so many contenders on her wheel. And behind her came the windup from Hannon … she gathered herself, picked her line around the lead group, and then bit into it deep.

The crowd went wild!

It’s rare that we get to see Hannon unleash like that. She’s always the smiling, slightly aloof rider … who’s deep eyes don’t let out much of what’s inside, unless she chooses. Hannon is how i’d picture one of those ex-pat literary geniuses writing on the Left Bank in Paris … if they were hard as nails and loved to eat dirt.

Hannon’s hit exploded the front group as they all scrambled and dove for wheels and room to bunny-hop the curb into the next lap. Halfway through that one, it was evident that the Sierra Point course favored a rider who, not only had the hutzpah to race at night, but also had the handling skilz and power to accelerate over and over again out of corners.

And that rider was Barb Howe.

Howe started slowly – choosing to stay safe in the mayhem and see if she could ride herself into the race. It worked and by lap 4, Howe had joined the front-end of the race with Hannon and Sarah the Blamberger. But, Howe wasn’t satisfied there and kept plowing forward, choosing her lines well and keeping steady, improving power over every inch of the course.

Hannon’s ability to handle her bike was the ingredient that would distance her from the road superstar, Blamberger – but it was still close. Yes, at SierraPoint … a 10 second gap is the MOON … but, it’s still one bobble or slide out away from getting caught.

Behind Blamberger was the breakout ride of the year in young Mel Schultz. Mel was an intro-cross rider last year … nabbing a couple very good results in the lower cats and showing herself as one of the up and coming riders to watch. This year, she decided to run with the bulls, choosing to cross-up with the Elites straight out da’ gate. Mel has been flirting with a big result thus far in the season, but Saturday was her night to shine.

From the start, Schultz was near the top-10, but there were gaps to cross to get her up near the podium – big gaps that took power to bridge. Each lap i would see her push her way up another position, deep over her bars but still smiling a bit … probably starting to realize the possibilities of grabbing a quality result. But, that is always such a difficult spot to be in – having to choose to throw out enough energy to move up another couple spots, but keeping it together enough, mentally and physically, to not crash yourself from too much body-debt. It’s a tricky business.

But, Mel gambled and moved up and got herself an excellent podium finish … stamping down her foot and saying, “I belong here!”
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The men’s race was fairly predictable, as the HRS/RockLobsters are NorCal’s team. Yeah, the Giant Berries are all super-heroes … but, if you want real down and dirty NorCal – it’s the Lobsters.

Aaron O’dell and JoshuaSnead took off and left everybody else scouring for scraps. But, not to be outdone – new Elite Lobster riders Scotty Chapin and Alex Work were right there and KILLING it as well. I love being able to say, with the improved promotion of races and the increased quality of riders we’re seeing … we have a great future of NorCal Cross in store for us.
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Also impressive was Steve Reaney’s doubling up in cross races, getting 2nd in the 35s, then 4th in the Elites. But, it’s Reaney … so, you kind of expect that stuff. And he’s still too nerdy for words.
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awwwcrap ~ i’ve got to get back to work and i’ve not done any edits or pics or … told better lies.

well, like was said to me more than a few times this weekend, “dude, your blog is sucking tailpipe lately”.

word.