So after Snowshoe #1 I was burnt. I laid off my DH bike for a month and bought 2 dirt bikes. So going into this race I was relaxed and had a whole different point of view. I had not enjoyed a race since Snowshoe’s #3 race last year. But I was stoked on the course and was having fun. Racer Greg was back from the DL and we did some fun runs together. The course was arguably the most technical course Snowshoe has had since I started racing there in 2004 and I loved it. Not even on my race run did I feel tired or exhausted.
Last race I was tired and pretty disgusted in the dead hours before my race run on Sunday. I tried to save myself mentally and physically by not doing runs, but I really didn’t even want to be on a bike. But this Sunday I just kept doing run after run and was loving it. I hooked up with Trevyn and we were doing some fun, flowy runs down Ball N’ Jack, Sweet Dreams, Powerline, Ninja Bob, and Chainsmoke. So during my race run I was hitting all my lines and having a good time. I found that aggression again and I was taking some good risks and feeling good about them. I felt pinned. I took an aggressive line in the rocks and pinch flatted in Hareball. My tire didn’t go completely flat until I exited Hareball back on the slope. I pulled up slightly and then thought to myself I should just go for it. I finished out on the flat and pushed the I9 rim. To my surprise the thing is near perfect still. There is one small ding, but I had to look hard to find it. Big thanks to Jeff at Industry Nine. I ended up 11th with FLAT!. I super happy with that.
I stayed over Monday to ride some dirt bikes with Trevyn around his place in Slatyfork. We rode for a couple hours and I had a great time. I was a little worried about the famed Snowshoe mud. But I stayed upright and rode pretty well. I look forward to riding up there again.
Post flat picture… At least I turn heads.
