EFTA #8 The Pinnacle

This one will go down in the books as a 2h 40ish minute visit to the pain cave.

Two big climbs each lap, that were 100% NOT taylor made for a single speed. I was fighting back cramps starting at about 3/4 through the first lap. After that I just put my head down and suffered through the rest. Thanks to some huge storms that rolled through central NH saturday night all the rocks and roots were real slick. Luckily I didnt have any serious bails although I had plenty of hail mary's that could have ended horribly.

After summiting Coit Mountain there was some very steep descending that I loved. The kind of steep where you are completely behind your saddle, brakes locked and you are still flying. That is the kind of terrain that I can ride better than a lot of other racers, even with a rigid. I passed a few people on that section on each lap and rode it cleanly both times. Then it dumped out onto a less steep rocky/rooty technical descent that shook the crap out of me and most of the people i passed on the steeps passed me back on their full suspension rides.

I passed a lot of bonked souls on my last lap, this race ruined a lot of people. I came in around where I usually do, about 10 minutes out from the rest of the single speed 'pack'. got 6th (AKA last). First and Second in the standings both finished in front of me and I think the way things stand after this race is probably where they will stay. I'll have to decide whether or not I want to drive all the way to Georgetown Maine for the last race in mid-Sept. It's quite a haul and I have third locked with little to no chance of moving up.

So my MTB race season might be over. Huge improvement over last year, and when I add my fork for next year and watch even more MacGyver this off season, I'm gonna take New England by storm (AKA last)