Fontana City Nationals - 03/25 - 03/27

Iz, K, Tim, Lory & myself were first on site around 11am on Friday to witness the CF that were the three promoters, SRC, TBB & USAC scrambling to get everything in order. We only got one parking pass & had to deal with the Nazi mulisha at the front gate.

We managed to find a good, flat pits/ camp area between 2 trees & got some flags flying before DH practice which lasted until 2:30. The pro/ export DH track was all new & had a few tricky areas including a cliff ledge with 2 orange nets to stop people from falling to their death on the rocks below (more on that later) & an actual man made jump before the wall...

After DH practice & lunch Iz, Tim & myself did a lap of the Super D track which was a pain to get to, but it was a fun, fast track incorperating good singletrack, rock rollers, small jumps & some uphill to get the heart rate up.

John Hinkle & Ian Cook also arrive on Friday & we all chilled by the fire Friday night. There were lots of EZ Ups & plenty of people having camp fires.

Saturday was a late start for export DH practice & we had a leisurely breakfast before hitting the shuttle. On my second DH run I hit a rock that sent my front wheel right towards the orange netting... I did a front flip over the first net, got caught by the second net, but my bike was sent to the bottom of the valley (video to follow later in the week).

Tara, J, Billy, Jason, Steve & Steve's wife also turned up Saturday afternoon. Not sure if I'm missing anyone out here, sorry if I did.

Saturday after lunch we did another Super D practice lap & got ready for the race. Around 100 or so people entered the SD race on the cold & windy ridge top. I got fourth in the Open Men 30-39, but missed out on 3rd by a second! Doh!! Brian Lopes won the pro men class, Wayland Smith got second & Ryan Gardner snagged 5th which he was stoked about!

Sat night was a little fragmented with bikes in pieces, people watching movies on the side of the 'flower van' & general Saturday night carnage.

Sunday DH expert practice was burtally early 7:30-10 & I managed to get 2 full laps before retiring to my tent for a mid morning nap. The DH race was a little different than normal with the beginners/ sport crew going first followed by the experts & the pros. I felt this was a better way of staging it as most people could hike back up to watch the pros hit all the fast lines. Needless to say there was some real carnage on the DH tracks, but I'm thankfull that my only problem was a little front heavy landing on the rock jump which I managed to save.

I'm not too sure what happened in the 4X as we were doing the Super D at the same time, but it sounded like fun & some carnage in the corners!

A fun weekend was had by all & Jason (chuck2rs) got on the podium again in the DH.

BIG thanks to everyone who bought tamales/ empanadas, we raised $33 to the GPR fund which will cover a banner, table or something usefull we can all use...

Great recap Adam. How did we do in DH?

Didn't crash & didn't come last. Race time was 2:53. Gonna work on a longer video recap later. Anybody want to contribute any video/ pictures to use in the Nationals video?

Once I figure some things out, I'll contribute my videos of my 4X and DH races......I guess I could just copy and paste my race report from my website, but it doesn't include any of the pirate shenanigans from the weekend.......

This format has its pros and cons. The good was that once my practice was over on Saturday, I had time to walk the course (and try to convince lunchbox to run Expert instead of Sport 'cause it's funner). We then hiked up to the Super D start to cheer on the Pirates and to see JHill do his first Super D race (on my bike to boot!). Yay!

I have a couple videos from my practice runs and I spent some time watching those in the hotel room afterwards while the pirates partied at the pit on Saturday night. That actually helped a lot, because it gave me an overall view of the course and I saw things I normally wouldn't when I'm actually on the course.

Sunday morning, got up bright an early 'cause Pro/Expert practice was brutally early. My first run was horrendous as I was eating shit left and right. Frustrating. My 2nd run was somewhat decent. The double that spits you out onto the pedal part of the wall had really been giving me issues previously (rolling it, casing it, plowing right INTO it), so this time I decided to fucking do it. Landed it SUPER rear heavy (you'll see it in the video), but at least I got THROUGH it.

The WAIT from practice (that ended at 10am) to the start of my race run (3:29pm) was the worst. The anticipation was killing me. Nancy had dropped out due to a knee injury from practice. Donna and Nicole looked pretty solid during practice and they've consistently beat my times in the earlier races this year. Risa had jumped from Sport to Expert. I find out shortly before loading up for the shuttle that she's actually on the Indonesian National Team??? And that she signed up for Expert because she didn't think she could sign up for Pro without a license. What the eff??? She had only raced Sport previously to see where she stacked up and she SMOKED the other girls' times on the last race.

So here I am, dreading my last place finish... 'cause even though it's a podium... it's still LAST place. I considered not racing because I just didn't think I had it in me. Just feeling down about the way I'd been riding recently. My brakes were giving me issues (the HOWLING!!!). My heart was pumping so hard. I felt like throwing up. But the thought of all the Pirates heckling me if I didn't race made me get up on the starting gate. Camera on. Music on. 5... 4... 3... 2... 1... and I was off!

I felt pretty solid during my run. I didn't huck the first feature because I had seen and heard of too many people not clearing it properly and I didn't want to fuck up my run on the first feature. Dropped a couple spots rather than rolling and then it was up the saddle. Turned left a little slow, but got through the "S" and it was time for that steep, nasty, tech section. Braked checked at the top so I didn't come in so hot. Tried to focus and ignore that there were people around me just waiting for me to eat shit. Heard the Capn yelling at me. Realized I should've just pinned through it 'cause I felt a bit slow. Did my little huck off the last drop and sped off towards the road and around the corner.

Moment of truth coming. Over a couple rocks and rollers and to the steep drop-off towards the double. As I crested the peak, my mind yells, "Let go of the brakes!" (or was that lunchbox??). Hung on for dear life and jumped the double! Landed a little rear-heavy, but good enough to keep my speed and start mashing for the wall! Unfortunately my thighs were a little spent from the crazy hiking I did trying to get to the top of the SuperD start the day prior, but I mashed it as best I could. Finished... cooled down... and saw Risa come through the finish line. Did she finish that close behind? 'Cause it sure didn't feel like 30 seconds after my finish. Went to the pit, felt like throwing up, and collapsed on the ground 'cause my thighs were on fire. Feeling a little bummed that I likely placed last, but was stoked that I had NO crashes, cleared the double, and finished HARD!

Chilled for a bit and played on the 4x track before heading over to look at the times. On my way over, IZ comes to congratulate me. For what? I had gotten 2nd place!!! I didn't believe it... I had to see the time myself. AHHHH!!!! Super stoked at this point. Not just for a 2nd place finish, but because I had a sub-3min time (2:59) AND I had placed higher than Donna and Nicole, who have consistently beat my times. I really do love my class because these gals really make you work for your place. I was 1.74 seconds behind Risa's time.

Anyhoos, it was an awesome time, even though I was feeling like shit just before. Haha. This was definitely a course I had fun on.

(Thanks for reading if you made it this far! Videos will be up soon).

Adam, I held my breath and at the same time trying to decide whether to follow your progress or your bike's rag doll tumble down the hill. Glad you walked away fine. It was like split screen footage.

As for my race report: (2gungho, this fucking counts as a ride report credit for a potential lurker eviction notice)

My race run was definitely a comedic event. First, I mis-timed my pre-jump on the first rock booter on top but I think that's a by-product of sitting our asses for 4 hrs doing nothing. Boink!. Then on the rock spine after the saddle, someone I thought I knew said to get off the brake. I thought I'd be cute and scrub the top and land sideways like I have been doing since the start of my run. Unfortunately, he was right. I was on the brake a bit too long.. SLAM! I slid sideways down, my whole left side from wrist, hip and left ankle scraped the rock face as I slid down then boof!! off the bike. As I got on my bike, my left heel was sticking out of my shoe as I clipped back in on the pedal. In my head I thought "you're fucked, the waterfall is coming right up." I rolled the spiral rollers coming into the waterfall and trying to secure my left foot back in my shoe. As soon as I got into the top of the waterfall, WOW, MASS OF PEOPLE. I love crowds and friends pumping you up. At this point I just really tried to dick around and pinballed myself through the waterfall. I got on the fireroad, hi-fived my cheering teammate on the side, sat down, pedalled (briefly), sat down and yelled at the grome who was camped at the landing of the bunny hop line over the concrete ditch at the end of the first wall (that actually made me laugh and thought, what else could go wrong from here). After landing the double, my heel came out of the left shoe again when I started pedalling at the wall...WTF!! So glad I ordered my new 5.10 Minnaars last week. Just cruised from there. Also, I realized the finish line was further back but I didn't mind sitting and cruised to it.

Overall, I haven't had this much fun on a race run in a long time. No pressure, fun course and no war plan but to get down safely back to camp. When adrenaline stopped flowing, flesh wounds on the wrist, hips, thighs and a broken stuck down buckle on my ex-fave Shimano SPD shoe, bad sprained left ankle and a nasty sinus congestion but fuck, I love racing.

shit shit shit..sorry for the long post. Just stoked to be back in a class with old time friends.

ps:
woot to my wife for bagging her class win!!

Nice seeing some of y'all. Adam, post your acrobatic vid pls.

I guess to sum up my weekend. I got 3rd in 4X on Sat., eighth in DH on Sun. without crashing in either and a 1st moto transfer in 4X on Sat. to go straight to the main. Fun racing, good times with friends and teammates, overall a good weekend!

Are official results posted anywhere yet?

My strategy at Fontucky is always the same. Ride conservative at thw top any pedal my ass off so that I can't walk. I think I went a little too conservative at the top as I was nearly 4 seconds off the G class winner. I nearly went OTB off the rock jump at the top, but otherwise had an uneventful run. That was the problem. After the Winter Series I had, 4th seems like last.
The course was awesome!!! And I like the pros going last. But, this was not a national. No USAC Points or qualifications for the National Championship. At least we got to pay more. And got less practice time.
Gwin made the steep section look like a paved road.

Gwinner the pinner! Some of those pros were unbelievable! The Pinkbike video uploader is down right now, but I'll get some videos up soon...

First off I want to say thank you to all the pirates and the campsite...good times.

DH -- I had my hands full with a new bike put together thurs night and not ridden yet (GT Ruckus 7). I Took a few practice runs on Sat easy to get my race jitters out (DH racing and DH riding are two different animals) luckily I had the full team support form the GT guys both John and EC. So the bike was dialed. After taking it easy I decided to rail that bitch to see what she could do. With perfect conditions it was a perfect bike for the Sport/Beg course. At the bottom of the G-outs there was a super fun table top to hit which I did several times and had Jasen Kreneck taking pics for me (hopefully I can get those soon). Bryson Martin also showed me this good line over that first rock jump on the top....first time trying his line I tackled the crap out that rock SLAM....took a breath hiked it back up and did it without any problems...but I was hitting it just as fast going the regular line and just tucking rather than boosting it. Come sunday and during practice the course was just as fun...worked on a few lines and felt pretty good. Wait for race time and "HERE COMES THE SUN" drying out the track. After watching 3 or 5 guys eat it big on that first rock jump I decided not to tempt fate and took the line I was hitting just as fast as Brysons. First 100 yards I was feeling great and after I think the 3rd turn I botch the exit and wash out a bit loosing speed. DAMN IT pedal pedal and my head is getting the best of me... a little further down I wash out on a turn between mini-rock gardens and hit the dirt... not bad but sucked up about 10 seconds. Now my head is frazzled and not hitting my lines right. Go through that last rock garden before the G-outs kinda slow and safe, fly into the first G-out and again almost eat it as I pile drive the fork into the bottom. JD Swaurgen says "nice save" I reply "watch this" and sail a rad whip over that table top and proceed to go off course a bit. No biggy so I hit the fire road and WTF I cant get into the last three cogs of my cassette. Apperently that washout must have gotten something in the derailleur. So I am spinning like mad and not gaining anything.....I make due and go through the last rock garden in scrambles due to the shifting issue and again hit the wall spinning like a mad man....I could have scrubbed off over 20 sec without all that...DAMN Waisted all the good lines on practice cause I was flying in practice....LOL

4X -- again new bike this time a SupercrossBMX Shine. Worked out a bandaid issue with the dropouts that worked well but I was not transitioning to the bike the way I wanted...just more seat time. First heat I take a soil sample so bad I think my shoulder is still there....my front tire rubbed Toms back as he took me way up high in the turn...luckily Mike Lord was the like the paperazi snapping pics. Second race I was trying to hard and went an easier first gear for the snap...mistake as I had a great snap but nothing after that and missed the qualifier ...oh well next time....

see you guys at woodward....ps I may need to split a room with someone to afford it if we cant camp

Cap'n makes a cameo in this video around 1:19:

Saw Iz in there.

HaHa I almost hit that photographer at 1:40

Results are posted: http://www.southridgeusa.com/results_dh_3_27_11.php

I had 2 great practice days and then Sunday we were the first ones on the track and it started raining. Just enough to completely cake my front wheel with sand and mud. I fell once at the top when my front end went out from underneath me and I smacked my left hip and head. Then at the bottom of the technical chute, I hit the one and only root on the course and lost my front end again. Not sure what happened, but when I got up my left knee was stiff and then later on I couldn't bend it at all. Not sure how bad it its, will have to wait and see. I ended up spectating and took a few pictures and tried my best to hobble around and not cry. Would have been a challenging but fun race though!

Hopefully they will be more creative from now on with the course layouts. The Super D & DH were best yet, now for some work on the 4X track... Maybe Donny could use the MASSIVE PROFITS from the last race & go to England for some research on REAL Mountain Cross tracks!

Finally a ride report from me. All summed up in one pic

The photo courtesy of Gnarkilldownhill (I thougth NorCaldownhill)

Don't try this at home kiddies.

here is a link of photos from the race day...
take what you want.. but remember you owe me BBBJ's....

http://gallery.me.com/ericjacksonphoto#100114

Jackson wrote:here is a link of photos from the race day...
take what you want.. but remember you owe me BBBJ's....

http://gallery.me.com/ericjacksonphoto#100114

if thats the case i'm gonna take all of them

Wanted to give a shout out to the GPR crew. I met a few more of you when I came out on Sunday. Unfortunately, too late to watch the racing, but I did hike up and do a run down the race course.

Best course I've seen out there! Techy, steep, loose, and demanding some commitment. There was some sketchy sections near the bottom!!

Congrats to all that raced/finished and those who Podiumed rock!!

http://www.pinkbike.com/news/Fontana-US-Cup-Triple-Crown-Super-D-National-2011.html

heres a video of the super D course.

Cali Golden state SD practice on pinkbike.com

http://www.pinkbike.com/video/188912/

here is the video from this weekend...super long, has 4X and DH race runs and DH practice....my little slide out killed my run. Good times and next time more GP in there, need some pirates and wenches in there

nice video, I like all the different angles. that sucks you slid out in your race run. was that a violin solo of a journey song?