Chalk Creek Stampede

Ok so I did my first race in Colorado this past weekend. Man what a wonderful place. This place is beautiful. The promoter out here did a great job and it was cool seeing not just XC going on but downhill and mountain X. Free food for riders’ lots of free stuff from the sponsors. Good swag all around. I mean that is why we race, right?

 

So I get going and I am hanging there pretty well considering we started at 9500ft above sea level. I was settling in nicely. I was like ok; this is going to be ok. I can do this, then Bam, back tire flat. So I jump off real quickly and notice there are about 6 or so thorns in the side of my tire. So I replaced the tube and going again pretty quick. It was very fast tire change and I was kind proud of myself. So I could see the group off in the distance so it gave me hope of maybe catching a few people. So I am riding along as hard as I can with my head down and I look up and I was like wow I caught back on. So I go right and pass about three guys and man I am feeling good about myself now. So I turn the corner and the trails starts to descend. Great, I can do this, I love downhill’s. So I am cooking along and look back and can’t see anyone. Just then my front-end starts feeling a little funny, pulling to the right a bit. I thought maybe it was the sand or just some ruts but it is getting worse. Well no more than I could get the bike slowed down, over the bars I go. Into a small dwarf like pine tree that grows in the high desert. This thing doesn’t give bit. They built that way to withstand the high winds. So I get up, dust myself off and notice that now I a flat on the front. I look down at the trail and I notice that on both side of the trail just off the side are nothing but small, large thorn cacti. So if you go off the trail just a bit you will end up with these in your tires, which I had done early to pass some people. At this point I decided enough was enough. I am out of spare tubes and Co2. So I walked it back in.