Hermosa Creek Trail Race

All that was left of our adventure in town was the race.

We left town on Friday night and headed up to the ski resort north of town. The race was actually a point to point and not a loop so we drove to the finishing location. 8 miles up the road behind the ski resort in an alpine valley about 9,000 feet high. Really it looked just like Tucson. We camped the night there and then left super in early in the morning to make it to the start.

I do not have pics from the start of the race as Daniela had the camera at the finish.

This was the first time that I ever got to race with the team any kind of event where we were doing the same distance trying to beat each other and I was very excited.

We all started at the line together at the gun I took off up the hill. It was a gravel road for the first half mile up hill to the hole shot and the single track.

My idea was get an early lead, get out of sight, and then hold on for dear life.

Well I got the whole shot and that's about it. I road in the front for the first 20 minutes until my first crash. At that point Kramer came around me and that was the last time I was to be in front of him.

Because about 5 minutes later I was super manning of my bike with such impressive speed that a course marshal was freaking out chasing me to see if I was ok. However before he could reach me I was back on my bike with him cheering me on. Very fun really but I have quite a shiner on my left thigh now.

Right after this crash about 5 miles in Logan and Max caught me and we were then to ride the rest of the race together.

The race started out with approximately 7-8 miles on rolling up hill climbs. They were tough enough that Max, Logan, and I walked many of them. Making it really hard were the super muddy conditions which took all grip away from our tires and made it extremely hard to clip our cleats into the pedals.

After the initial climbing we reached the creek level inside of this canyon. Most the race was next to an audible running creek, that sliced right through the canyon of no name. So the conditions were just muddy, slushy, gooy and gross. It was fantastic.

Once at the creek level it was more rolling hills, just not as steep and fast double track. On the hills I did not the technical skills of Max and Logan and they would gap me every time. However every time that the course leveled out I was back to riding right behind them. This played out till the end of the race.

I really enjoyed my time with the boys on the trail. We really rode as a team. Setting tempo for each other when needed and waiting for each other when needed. Heck we even took a snack break together. Also making the trail and race just epic was the mud. I know I have commented on such already, but really since we never get a chance to ride in these conditions here in the desert it was just plain fun to be covered in mud. Head to toe we were black and brown.

So Kramer won the race by less than a minute in front of the three of us.
Donovan was next right behind us, then Nathan and Pablo.

Pablo actually fell in a ditch which is why Marcos gets to pick the dress he must wear on Thursday.

Why?
Well before the race Pablo decided to make a bet with everyone. Who ever was last had to wear a dress at the next points race. All fair everyone decided.

Marcos did actually get last though, but only because he again tacoed his wheel. He was able to do this within the first five miles of the race with Pablo behind him, yet he still finished not far behind. Apparently when it happened he made some sounds that I am glad Damiano did not hear and then he bashed the wheel of Travis Brown on a rock and got it mostly back into shape. Because if this tenacity we negated the last place and Pablo was granted the prize, while Marcos gets to but it for him.

Matthew and Lizzy rode the race together, however I did not hear too many stories from them. Thanks guys for taking care of each other out there. I am very impressed with your will power and guts. Dave Hagan actually thought about not letting you guys race. He was worried. However when you guys finished with smiles and such good spirits he made it a point to congratulate me for you guys, SO WELL DONE!!!

Great race everyone and next year I will again try to win it off the front.

Ignacio