The Mire (C.C.P. 2009)

It is 12:19 AM, the Venti Bold is still running through my veins keeping me wide awake having just gotten back to Missoula. We did a straight shot from Portland, after wrapping up a few things there Wednesday morning after playing for a few days on the Oregon coast. I'm trying to think of how to best describe the race last Sunday in Westfir - the 2009 Cascade Cream Puff.I rolled into Oakridge this year around two or so with my wife and three kids (LRs). As has become standard operating procedure, following this race we head to the coast for some R&R away from the office. In order to not be too redundant, you can catch last year's information here - CCP '08. The initial routine was the same. Scott and Mike (the promoter with Mudslinger.com) along with some other folks (awesome volunteers) with the Trail Care Crew laid out the scenario for this year's race in the school gym. Everything was pretty much the same in terms of the race course and the rules. However, I caught one new item loud and clear, which was that the Jedi singletrack had been added this year. Last year, this section was still snowed in. I was not sure what this meant, except that it was "above station two," which meant more climbing. However, when Scott stuck out his arms and proceeded to describe this single track as a glider going down something like a roller coaster, I got pretty excited about it! Also new this year was a beer garden following the race in the finish area at the red covered bridge (I love that bridge). Once again the whole community of Westfir got behind this race, something that is immediately noticeable. As one can tell from the place the photo was taken, I sat close to where the chow was going to be served by the Kiwanis Club following the meeting. My Lion's Club friends would probably fine me if they knew I was promoting the Kiwanians, but the Kiwanian's really put on an outstanding meal which this year I was able to partake in. This year also there were to be awards and swag was going to be given out following the event.

I got a good nights rest and we stayed once again in Oakridge. Race day I awoke to rain and knew what this meant. I had decided this year not to race with a pack. I also had decided not to take a shell. I did send my pack up to station two in that bag the night before. I got dropped off at 4.30 at the school and signed in (with the shell on). During the initial start, a slow cruise up to the red bridge, I rode by Toby (a Missoula racer doing this race on a single speed). We visited for a bit. Then, further up the road, I visited with Shaun ( Montana Cyclocross ) and said to put one in for Missoula and he echoed that back to me as well. There were Shaun, Doug (on single speed as well), Toby and Joel all racing from Missoula and affiliated with Montana Cross. Also, Adam (in Seattle). Shaun had chosen this race for his first mtb ultra - pretty cool!I got up to station two trying to stay near the front but stopped to take off the shell and leave it at this station knowing it would probably come in handy later. As I suspected, an already technical Tire Mountain trail ( CCP Topofusion Map ) was a muddy mire. I was dealing already with a chainsuck and my chain was hopping all over on the rear cassette. About halfway along this, Toby and some of the other racers came fearlessly flying by. One thing about a singlespeed that came in handy today is a lack of gears! I kept the chain on the third largest rear cog and quit shifting halfway through this trail section. I noticed that there were some new steps on the trail where last year there was a treacherous root/drop off. Nice work by the trail crew! When I got to station three, I pulled a handkerchief out of my drop bag and carved the mud off of the derailleur spindles. One thing is for sure, and that is that throughout the whole race the volunteers (freezing in the rain) at each of the stations did their best to help the racers deal with the mud on/in their transmission providing lube and helping to clean things up. I needed a flat head screwdriver to carve the butter.

I had a chain that was continuing to hop the smaller rear cogs throughout the section along Winberry to station four. Again, picking one a bit larger and spinning on the road while eating a cliff bar. I played leap frog with racer's from Bend, Boise and CA on the first few loops. The fellow from Bend knew many Missoula area racers and rattled off three or four names to me. I told him I liked Bend a lot and spent some time on Bachelor as a kid in the '80s during a summer Bob Beattie ski race camp. I visited briefly about Galena (one of my favorite races coming up this weekend) with the guy from Boise and the guy from CA had a WVU jersey on, so we visited a bit about the Mountaineers (where he went to school) and my native state. The climbing at this race is on forest service roads principally, which makes it pretty ideal for the single speeders. For Missoula readers, the climbing is about the equivalent to a little over four trips to Point 6 from the Grant Creek road mailboxes. The descents are singletrack the equivalent of the East Fork of the Rattlesnake, only much longer with serious switchbacks and wooden bridge sections. The Winberry section at the CCP is usually a moment to have brief visits with some of the competition as we're not anaerobic (well most of us).

To get to the Jedi section, there was a new brief climb just prior to the road dropping into station two. It is an awesome addition to the race. A brief, rolling singletrack descent down to station two. I was pretty cold coming into station two the first time, but I did not hunt down my shell, heading pretty quickly back into the Tire section. It's funny how this thing was going. Climb fast, pass folks, then get passed on the wet slippery downhills. I love the Tire trail. Beautiful singletrack. However, my chain was very upset and again I stayed in one rear cog as much as possible dealing with a mess. Mud from head to tail.[above photo Oregon Velo] I stopped often to try to fix the chain and clean the cassette. That's just the way it was. I did want to finish the race seeing to it that things held together. My initial goal was to get it done at least three hours better than last year when I raced with an injured hand. The cool weather had its advantages over last year's heat and humidity too. However, the speed coming down parts of the road between stations three and two became bitter in the cold rain. The volunteers had a fire going at station two. They handed me my shell going through to the first Alpine descent, and I never took it off again. Many of the racer's I had passed on the climbs caught me on this descent. It's amazing, but I'm pretty careful on it. I can't believe how fast some folks descend that trail! The Alpine trail was in good shape, not too muddy.

My pit crew (the fam...) had decided to shop around Eugene for the day, so unlike last year, there was no whooping it up with the LRs when I came through station one. Climbing back up the road after winding along the lower drainage for a few miles, I thought about chasing down some of the folks who passed me coming down. Then, I thought the same thing would probably occur again anyway quite frankly and decided to listen to my chain hop around while I looked off to the right on the climb up. It was probably about four o'clock or so and the rain had finally settled down. A mist was rising above the Willamette. It was an amazing site. My mind started to wander a bit (it's a long climb and one racer passed me at the top) pondering a few things related to this sport and in particular the views at this location. The rolling mountains are similar to W.Va. as are the streams. Also, this area has two beautiful historic covered bridges which W.Va. has many of as well. I guess I was thinking a bit about where I grew up. When I next come back to this race, I'm bringing a fly rod for certain and maybe a singlespeed. Probably should use a rigid front fork as well as I keep going through those too.

I got to the new station 2.1 (a little shorter climb back up probably due to the addition of the little climb done twice to get to the Jedi section). I thanked the volunteers who were there and dropped down the Alpine to the finish. One racer passed me going down giving a jubilant "woo hoo,"really living it up on this last descent. I finished with a time of about 11.57 and the unofficial results are above on the Mudslinger link in the text above. I was 14.30 last year, so not quite three hours better, but my chain and tranie had somehow made it through. Scott was super in the finish area and gave me another hat while my rascals looked on. It was a cool moment.

The Missoula crew really had fine results. Toby finished on the singlespeed 9th overall in 10.27 and mentioned to me that the cool weather helped (humble guy). He's a great athlete. Shaun got it done in a tad over 12 hours, a great job on this course for the first time. Barry (Victor, ID) won it. Adam (Montanacross) got second! Butterfield was third. Doug (Montanacross on a singlespeed) finished in 10.57. Joel also from Missoula got it done as well. Meier (Broken Spoke) had a great result as well. Kobin, DeWolfe and Peters were the top ladies. Once again, the town of Westfir/Oakridge made it happen. Great volunteers and a great mountain bike/trail loving community. Thanks again guys and gals!