Williams Lake Map?

[aj1152]

I'm not racing tomorrow night (my cold hasn't gotten better in over a week, so instead I'm going to be a flagger at Williams Lake/Mullinix). Problem is: I can never find the race maps and I don't know where I'm supposed to report to in order to check in...

Anyone?

[Mike S]

Staging is at Selnave. Race starts at 6PM. The course goes out Cheney-Plaza/Rock Lake Road, right on Williams Lake Road, and Right on Mullinix. Finish on Mullinix.

Nice of you to volunteer.

[Tim_L]

Maps: at Baddlands site, click Twilight Series -> Course Locations Maps -> Click the red location marks on the map (scroll down to see).

[Mike S]

Okay I'll be there officiating tonight. Watch that center line folks, and no crashing please

[Mike S]

Nice job SRV. Tim L got 4th I think. How did the rest of you guys do?

In the B pack, it was all Baddlands. Kalen executed a heroic solo breakaway with 7 miles to go and kept it up until the finish.

[Tom M]

In the A pack, an Emde rider soloed off the front pretty early in the race. After quite a while, a Vertical Earth rider launched after him, then Royce jumped, and I had room to get by on the shoulder so I jumped too. We collected the Emde guy and tried to keep the break alive, but the pack caught us before long. So at the turn onto Williams Lake Road, we were all together again. In retrospect, maybe it wasn't good tactics for two members of the same team to try to join a break, I dunno. Anyone?

When we hit the climb out of Williams Lake, we lost a few riders as Vertical Earth seemed determined to push the pace a bit coming over the top. Then we turned right onto Mullinix Road and a break developed that included Chris Kelsey (SRV), and I'm not positive which other teams. I should mention at this point that Vertical Earth had split into three sub-teams, a fact I didn't find out until later.

That break held up for a while, never very far ahead but not being actively hunted either. Eventually it did get reabsorbed. People began to jockey for position a bit as we kept reeling in the miles on Mullinix Road. I'd only ridden it once before, but looking at my computer, I figured we couldn't be too far from the finish.

Then Nathan Kuehl (Vertical Earth) powered off the front. He looked strong and I had room to get free of the pack, so I bridged up to him and we worked as hard as we could. At one point I think we had a 15-second gap. I'd hoped that Kevin Bradford-Parish would take the bait and come up with me, but that didn't happen.

Furthermore, (1) I didn't realize that 2/3 of the Vertical Earth riders, including Mike Gaertner and Gabe Varela, would chase Nathan because he's on a different sub-team, and (2) I had seriously misjudged the remaining distance in the race. When I saw the 3k to go sign, and the pack beginning to gain on us, the writing was on the wall. Nathan and I still gave it everything we had (my heart rate was 190-194), but the pack came by with maybe 500-600 meters to go. I was too far away to even see how things wrapped up, but I'm told that Tony Aleto took the sprint.

Anyway, SRV was out there in the thick of the A-pack battle I told Nathan that we should just get Mike and Gabe a tandem and have them take the place of the lead car ;D


That's cool to hear about Kalen's solo break. He's a solid rider And good job Tim L.! Keep it up!

[Tim_L]

Thanks for sharing Tom. I wish I could race & watch them all at the same time, so its awesome to hear the low down on how the other classes went. I think after winning about everything you've been in for the last two months we can forgive you, *but just this time* Seriously tho, again, way to represent - keeping SRV always a threat!

C pack started off a bit like a Saturday group ride; myself, Dale and Stu took the lead positions and kept the pace low. Riders were even having a bit of a chat in the group. A badlands rider attacked, getting maybe 100 yards and making it stick for a bit. An emde guy chased, and I followed suit. It looked herioc but after the pack caught us again I was about as useful as an ashtray on a motorbike.

At the hill Stu & myself cranked up the steep part pretty quickly at the front, but paid for it when we hit the longer mellower section at the top. By the time we hit the right turn onto Mullinix I was spent. Both Tony and Stu were a huge help the whole race, but particulary here. Tony dropped back a few times to pace me in and Stu filled gaps that were creating between me and the pack. Teamates rock. Thanks guys.

The sprint was a bit scary as I started it near the back and did my best weaving and bobbing to find a way through. I nearly had a moment though as my line was so far near the right edge I even hit the gravel as I bounced over a hole back onto the road. The rear wheel looks a bit wonky now, but with some truing it should be good.

Not sure if I got 4th or 5th in the C pack, I was told after the finish that there was a solo rider who broke away, which I never saw. Either way I'm stoked (best finish for me yet).

Got to give huge thanks to Dale, Tony and Stu. The guys were really working as a team and helping each other out. Stu is the man. He looked so strong - pulled out front in the wind for long intervals, put the hurt on us multiple times and nearly made a solo break stick at the end.

Great fun, great racing. Had a good chat with some of the racers afterwards and made some new friends. Hard to beat that.

[timothyw]

Some pictures anyone?

A Pack coming on to Mullinix Road




Some C Pack action as well!


Happy racing!

[sjf]

Thanks for the kind words, Tim. Great job on the finish. I knew I couldn't compete in the sprint, but I had a great time going for it with a couple miles left. There were 2 riders who went off the front at the turn onto Mullinex. We caught 1 with about 5 miles left. The other stayed away. I'm not sure who it was but the 5 or 6 Baddlands boys seemed reluctant (or unable) to do much to try to catch him. Tony, you're pretty darned strong for somebody with no miles in.