So last weekend I went over to Henniker, NH to take part in the Pat’s Peak Mountain Bike Festival…and it was a festival.
My roommate from Raleigh, NC came up to the Northeast, Nic Dale. Nic is a former road racer converted to the knobbies, and has grown accustomed to racing on the dirt. We raced as a two-man team in Saturday’s 6hour endurance race. We had a blast, put out 12 solid but hard laps, and actually ended up taking the win, which was awesome! The course was extremely hilly, offering truly versatile New England terrain.
Sunday brought the cross-country races, as part of the Root 66 Race Series. The race was extremely difficult, but thanks to a little magic courtesy of the Supah-fly I crossed the line in 5th in the Pro race, completely worked. Nic had a great day and ended up taking 7th in the Cat 1 field. All in all Pat’s Peak put on another fantastically run weekends, complete with a great course and organization. Plus, getting to witness the truly awe-inspiring rides of the true endurance athletes, the 12 and 24hour racers, is a humbling experience. Congrats to all those riders!
This weekend was the Horror at Harding Hill in Sunappe, NH. This race is part of the EFTA series and has become somewhat of a classic for locals. It is a super fast, yet hilly course offering(In my opinion), a slight advantage to those who chose bigger wheels. There was a pretty solid showing in all fields and no shortage of hard racing. Throughout my race I ended up trading the lead back and forth with Matt O’Keefe, the Cannondale rider who had a great day. Fortunately for me, however, I was able to hold my lead on the last lap and roll in first place on the day. Thom Parsons, fellow Crew’er also had a great day, finishing in 4th place….of course on a SS! The race was a blast, but the only bummer was that they only recognized the top 1 in each of the elite fields. Racing is in no way about the prize, but I feel that the top few in every race deserve to be recognized for their hard work.
Thanks for reading and next weekend is Mount Snow, VT Root 66!!!
–Brad
Nice job Brad! It was good to officially meet you and your parents, your Mom’s cheering was definitely a highlight of the day.
My take on the race was about the same as yours - great course, bad call on the high fees and the no/low pay outs. Not sure what the idea was there.
-t
If you are in New England the weekend of Aug. 9, you don’t want to miss this:
Third Annual Mud Hog Race. Run Hard. Ride Hard. Finish Dirty! Join the fun on Sunday August 9, 2009 at Gunstock Mountain Resort in Gilford, NH. This is an incredible event where teams of two switch-off running and biking during the first four segments of a 5-6 mile course. The pairs run together during the final leg of the course. The course include obstacles at each transition point and a 60 foot Mud Hog Mud Pit that stands between them and the finish line. After the race, participants enjoy a BBQ while they watch other racers dig their way through the Mud Hog Mud Pit and listen to live music and drink beer! Proceeds benefit Breathe New Hampshire. For more information or to register, visit http://www.mudhograce.com.