Stoked Newcomer

As a newcomer to the mountainbike scene I've been having casual fun and decided to enter my first race at the SCUM Superbowl track on May 9th. It was a sunny and dry Autumn day and it was good to see a gourmet coffee van operating early along with sports drinks and food for sale. Later in the day they cranked up a sausage sizzle. After an interesting rider's briefing 150 riders of all descriptions took off for a mass start. I wisely took the casual approach by starting toward the rear and then choked down a gutfull of dust as we covered the first 1km of dirt road. Into the single track and it was good fun to pick up a few places on people who were even less competant than me. The loop runs for 8km and about 6.5km of that is sometimes flat and sometimes undulating singletrack. Pretty good stuff too with some choices of 'A' or 'B' lines. I took all the 'A' lines straight up with no worries except the worry of being passed by school age kids. There were a few small jumps and timber ramps and excellent drops into dry creek gullies. All was fun but by the end of the third lap I was starting to fade a bit. There seems good reason to enter in pairs or 'Musketeers' classes if you need to catch your breath and you also get to choose a wacky team name. At the end of my fifth lap I had done 40km in 3.5 hours and was stuffed so I parked it and watched the last riders finish. Somehow I dropped into a conversation with a girl who must have been the cutest chick there. No really. Well most of her was good looking except the bit from her left elbow to her wrist which was missing a lot of skin and covered in blood. Apparently she decked it big time on the second lap and had to retire - but she wasn't put off. Leaving the venue I finally got to pass some of the faster riders (in my car) They were riding home - fit buggars. Interim results were posted on the 'net two days later and I managed to come in 41st in men's solo which I thought was not too bad for an old bloke. So now I intend to enter a local MUDmtb event and dip into Kevin 07's stimulus package to also join the club.

cheers

Beggsy