Congratulations to those who placed at the top of their respective classes for 2012! Final awards and awesome trophies were given out on Saturday evening.
Left to right:
Kenny Kocarek - Third place - Beginner Men 30-39
Andrew Crow - First place - Sport 19-29
Rodney Lucketti - First place - Beginner Men 40-49
Christine Ahrens - First place - Beginner Women 19+
Corianne Kocarek - Second place - Beginner Women 19+
We do what we want with our trophies. Even camp out with them on an air mattress -corianne & christine
VKNob Short Track – Saturday, May 4, 2013 recap - Kenny
So here it is finally the kick off weekend to the 331 series.....time to see if all the suffering this winter has paid off! I spent three hours on Friday packing up Corianne's mom's Tahoe (do we really need a Tahoe full of stuff just to camp a weekend..the answer is yes) The legacy is loaded up with the bikes and all the garbage we'll need for the races this weekend we get up and leave early Saturday to set up camp at Vulture's Knob. Camp is finally set up and everyone starts to arrive. Between catching up with everyone and arguing about what time the race finally starts it's obvious not a lot of people are showing up but I notice in the distance a little red saturn with a lefty on the back...my god it's Zac Chappel showing up at a MTB race! First of all I'm greatly disappointed that he did not bring his cyclocross bike and should be shunned from the roadie community just for riding a bike with fat tires. I told Zac that I wanted to text him earlier in the week to see if he was coming to the race, but I knew that if I did that he would assume I was scared and definitely would have showed up. I'll be honest if anyone is going to beat me at this race it will be him, for a short track there is not a lot of technical stuff and this particular course has some good momentum killing climbs (good for me but better for him)
Alright lets speed things up we're all BS'ing, beginner race starts which Todd and Marsha miss so they had to play catch up. 45 minutes later the sport riders line up. Everyone is ready to go adrenaline pumping and then they decide to split the group in half because there is too many people. Luckily I get to stay, there is a hole shot prize (which I had no interest in but everyone else must have) race starts and we are off. Almost to the hole shot line next thing I know dude is putting a shoulder into me and I start sliding. Between Zac behind me yelling to hold my line and the thought going through my head "wow last year when I was 25lbs heavier this dude would have bounced off me" Guess there is a downside to losing weight too! Luckily I stay upright and I'm sitting in maybe eighth place...for once this doesn't worry me ...really weird but I think I'm getting use to this racing thing and I know that some of these guys used up a lot a strength at the start, time to chill out and wait to see who goes down in the quarry section. Oh wait there is a climb after the rainbow bridge to get to the quarry there goes the pace! I pass a few guys and just remember to tell myself to not go down...rigid forks and badass jumps don't work well together. I take the smoother line, survive and go into the lane climb. As the climb starts there goes Zac (once again not surprised!) I jump on his wheel we pass a couple guys and go through the first lap caught up to the main pack, Zac is now in third and I'm in fifth. We make our way around the pavilion and Zac seems to be chilling out, I tell him to make a move and he replies that he's getting there....stupid roadie tactic mindset, deep down I know he's right but F it I want the front. I make the move and jump to the front and just try to put as much room as I can in the "technical" sections because I know Zac is already thinking three laps ahead and at the lane climb he'll close the gap eventually. Well it lasted for a lap I really don't remember where he passed me in the third lap I just tried to stay as close as I could for the rest of the race. I did have flashbacks of the one Vknob winter race where he put a half lap on me, at this point between knowing he's only doing short track races and not qualifying for the season and I can't kill myself for the XC race on Sunday I'm just happy to keep him in sight, still shows improvement over the last four months. Together we put a big gap on the rest of the group and I think a couple times he slowed down just to keep dragging me along. But we finish 1st and 2nd and anytime he wants to race a full loop of Vknob I will take him down!!
Alright lets speed things up we're all BS'ing, beginner race starts which Todd and Marsha miss so they had to play catch up. 45 minutes later the sport riders line up. Everyone is ready to go adrenaline pumping and then they decide to split the group in half because there is too many people. Luckily I get to stay, there is a hole shot prize (which I had no interest in but everyone else must have) race starts and we are off. Almost to the hole shot line next thing I know dude is putting a shoulder into me and I start sliding. Between Zac behind me yelling to hold my line and the thought going through my head "wow last year when I was 25lbs heavier this dude would have bounced off me" Guess there is a downside to losing weight too! Luckily I stay upright and I'm sitting in maybe eighth place...for once this doesn't worry me ...really weird but I think I'm getting use to this racing thing and I know that some of these guys used up a lot a strength at the start, time to chill out and wait to see who goes down in the quarry section. Oh wait there is a climb after the rainbow bridge to get to the quarry there goes the pace! I pass a few guys and just remember to tell myself to not go down...rigid forks and badass jumps don't work well together. I take the smoother line, survive and go into the lane climb. As the climb starts there goes Zac (once again not surprised!) I jump on his wheel we pass a couple guys and go through the first lap caught up to the main pack, Zac is now in third and I'm in fifth. We make our way around the pavilion and Zac seems to be chilling out, I tell him to make a move and he replies that he's getting there....stupid roadie tactic mindset, deep down I know he's right but F it I want the front. I make the move and jump to the front and just try to put as much room as I can in the "technical" sections because I know Zac is already thinking three laps ahead and at the lane climb he'll close the gap eventually. Well it lasted for a lap I really don't remember where he passed me in the third lap I just tried to stay as close as I could for the rest of the race. I did have flashbacks of the one Vknob winter race where he put a half lap on me, at this point between knowing he's only doing short track races and not qualifying for the season and I can't kill myself for the XC race on Sunday I'm just happy to keep him in sight, still shows improvement over the last four months. Together we put a big gap on the rest of the group and I think a couple times he slowed down just to keep dragging me along. But we finish 1st and 2nd and anytime he wants to race a full loop of Vknob I will take him down!!
Zac earns his first Vknob pint glass....bout time!
Pretty, pretty princesses!
Woo Town Single Speed Classic
- 1 lap of the kids course
- your partner paints your nails ...see photo
- 1 lap of kids course
- eat a powdered donut with a table spoon of peanut butter and a gummy worm
- 1 lap of kids course
 Todd Davis' true single speed! |  Kenny "enjoying" his donut...while Andy makes fun of him. |  REDEMPTION! Gottfried makes it over the log this year without falling! |
Vulture's Knob xc Race – Sunday, May 5, 2013 - Rob
So May 5th was my first 331 race. I was a little gun shy coming off that horrible race at Mohican. Then to top it off no SS class just classes based on an age category. So I opted to go the beginner route. So after some mental boosting from everyone the night before, I'm getting a little stoked to get at it. Thankfully as fate would have it, I ended up on a borrowed bike that had gears for the race.. So thinking to myself "bonus". So before the race during my warm up I'm thinking my positive thoughts. I keep replaying what Kenny told me " just let them go and ride your race, you'll catch them a mile in. So at the start I get clipped in and start to power the start and spin out and have to catch myself. Well so much for a jump on the field. So I'm just chilling trying to stay calm and think about my breathing and just pick one at a time. Then the flash back of Mohican happens. Guy wreaks going to the bridge. So I brake slow my pace to about a stand still balance to charge over the bridge, but every one decides to walk it. So I end up walking it also. Getting worried now, I put a little pep in the peddle. So I get around a couple guys going into the mini moto section then guess what... Yep crash in front of me. I scream to the guy going left, so what's he do, moves right into my line. At this point I tell myself it's time to go! So I gain a lot of time going to the water crossings. So get up the climb and yes there's Rodney. I ask him how am I sitting? Low and behold I'm 4th and the 3 are right in front of me. So I say To Rodney I got this!! Coming down the fast grass section I drop gears and say going left. Made the pass for first. Going up the climb after, I tell myself conserve energy, drink water, breathe.. etc etc... So I'm relaxing up the climb look back and see 2nd place gasping for air and red as red can be. I kinda laugh to myself and just start riding the trail. Not worrying about what place I'm in, just riding my race as smooth as I can then start getting into the group that started in front of me. Pick my passing spots and never looked back. Next thing I know I hear Peddle Rob! Coming up from the pines so I kick it up a little and then it's over. Wasn't really sure if I had crossed the line or not, so i yell where's the finish? They said your done you went passed it already as I was heading back as if to run another lap. So in a nut shell this was a much better experience than Mohican. I can't explain how much simple words like ride your race really helped me stay calm and relaxed. It was a great weekend with great results for the team as a whole. To me it was what team support is and should be all about. Not about winning or losing but positive encouragement and a boost of confidence. All I can say now is bring on the rest of the season!!
Rob - "must get warm" along with a morning frolic.
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