Best session ever out at the trails. Fall is trail time. Thanks to everyone who came, and Cory and Andrew for shooting crazy moving pictures. We hit every line a bunch, and trained everyone through every line at once. It was nuts. The timing was frightening, and there were definitely some close calls. You missed out if you weren't there, and you probably don't have any friends.
Also, I give you Bender's lovechild, who is riding Bender's old Karpiel in this totally dialed movie. I'd like to see you do that buddy.
"I put in like 3 crashes, cause I push the limits. I purposely included the crashes. If your not crashing, your not riding hard enough. And I have alot of sponsors. And i'd like t see you do that stuff buddy."
Willamette Pass, 2008. First appearance of the coolest skinsuit you've ever seen. Asshole in American flag skinsuit, reporting for duty.
Slalom at Port Angeles up top, slalom at Mt. Hood below. Two really fun, really different tracks. Schralpage to spare.
At Fluidride #6, I was on form, and feeling fast. I pinned it pretty hard, and came down the hill 5th fastest, and 2nd in Semipro behind really fast, really, really old guy Eric Loney. Eric had a killer run, at 2:23, which was 1.5 faster than mine. I didn't have a whole lot more to give, and I didn't know where to get more speed on course. So, I did what any reasonable racer would do:
It was the last race of the season, and I wasn't messing around. At Fluidride Cup #6 on Mt. Hood, I stepped up my game, and dropped my wind resistance. Let's face it: skinsuits are funny, they look sweet, and they're fast. I pinned it and had my best race run ever, pedaled my balls off the whole way down, and really rode good while going fast. When I looked up at the board and saw 2:22, it was amazing. That's what racing's all about.
And 2:22 was good enough for 1st in Semipro, 4th overall that day, which is rad. The short list of people who beat me?
3. Luke Strobel 2:19
2. Lars Sternberg 2:18
1. Bart Mcdaniel 2:17
Needless to say, stoked as hell. Getting a $125.00 check for riding my bike was pretty cool as well.
Eric managed to edge me out in the series. Series final points were close, with Eric nudging me out at 94 to my 93. Although I would have enjoyed the top box, there is no one I would rather have lost to. Eric destroyed, and it's just a bummer he didn't get a single race win in all season. Keith Thompson decide to stop wrastlin bears and building log cabins long enough to get 3rd overall. Where did that guy even come from? He's so freaking fast.
Also, next season Fluidride is making some improvements. We can all look forward to points awarded for qualifying. 5 points for first, and on down to fifth place. It's not much, but sometimes, one point is all it takes.
2008. An awesome race season. Booyah and hats off to everyone that made it happen.
-The Chazz