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This past Sunday the crew attended the SRC 2011 Awards Banquet. This event tallied all the points we accumulated through out the season and based on it, some of us received awards.

Let’s start start with Stacey “Got it going on” Stone, he took 5th in 4x.

Artie “The one man DH Party” Aguilar takes 5th in Expert DH.

Dan Burdett (not pictured) takes 2nd in Single Speed.

Yours truly placed 3rd in Beginner Men 27-34 DH.

Last not but certainly not least, Wes Castro takes home a Championship in Beginner Men 35-42 Men. Check out his new Championship Jersey, way to go Wes!

The Moe joined us for the banquet, but quickly left in his limo because he was on his way to Japan to help develop a new type of drinking straw that works on both ends.

Art Aguilar has an article in the works in which he’ll talk more in detail about our racing season in 2011. You’ll be surprised at some of the facts he’ll be coming out with. So for now, I’d like to bid all the guys on the team a great job!

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This is a letter to racers out there. It’s as simple as this, if another racer calls out left to pass you, let him or her pass. Don’t be a douche about it, just let them go. We had a situation the other night at a SoCal race venue when one of our team racers, we’ll call him Tattoo, called out that he was passing another racer who we’ll call Chaz. As Tattoo made his move, Chaz veers into him causing Tattoo to go into the weeds, Tattoo calls out, “Yo man, what the heck!?” Chaz asked Tattoo, “What class are you in?” Tattoo replied, “Same as yours.” Then at that moment, Chaz responds, “Well, I’m not letting you pass!” But once the trail opened up, so Tattoo can pass, Chaz says to him, “Now you can pass!”

Ya…how classy was that for Chaz to do that? Here’s the thing guys, it’s racing, if someone better than you needs to pass, even if they’re in the same category as you, let them go! Just get out of the way because chances are there are other people behind you that will need to pass you eventually.

Another thing to remember, unless you’re some sort of Pro-Rider who has a full-ride sponsorship in which you get paid to get on the podium, you’re just like the rest of us. We all ride bikes for fun, we all have to go to work the next day, and we all have families we need to come home to.

Here’s a perfect illustration on how you should act if someone needs to pass you. Mr. ODI Racer calls out that he’s passing on the left. Dan Burdett graciously lets him pass with a great attitude. He even tips his helmet to Mr. ODI as we passes.

All I’m saying is keep it classy. Don’t be a Chaz. Why? For one the mountain biking community in your area is rather small. You’ll end up seeing that person again at another race or on the trail on the weekend. Besides, its more fun to make friends than enemies. Just look at that picture above, Dan and Mr. ODI have become buddies. Every time they see each other at the races, they’re always super cool and give high fives, well I don’t know about the high fives, but they remain cordial like a cherry and act like gentlemen.

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This summer here in Orange County at Irvine lake is a local mountain bike races series on Tuesday nights. The Over the Hump series spans about three months and is twelve races long. This past Tuesday concluded the second installment of the series.

Riders gathering before the race.

The first race had around 600 hundred riders participate and there were 77 riders in my class alone. The course is a fairly simple one with no major technical sections, and only two longer extended climbs. The starting line is a fire-road type section overlooking a nice view across Irvine Lake. From the starting line the road makes a generally straight shot to the first climb, but it is subject to two way traffic from the riders (mainly expert/pros on the first lap) ahead returning from the first loop. The course takes a hard right hand turn up the first climb of the lap.

Waiting for the race to begin.

The climb starts the first part of the loop and at the top it levels off hits a added section that differed from the first week’s course. It went through a few turns and and headed down the other side of the hill from what we climbed and then back around and up to where we dropped down and back down the way we came up. After this descent was the fireroad that led back to the starting line.

Down the first descent of the course.

Just past the starting line the course makes a left across the lake. After a short rise and matching decline the course leads into another flat. The flat leads around the back of the back the hill which holds the final big (relatively to this course) climb of the lap. From there a short descent leads to the the longest section of mainly single-track with some quick turns. The first week this area ended in a big very muddy section through the brush, but for the second race was a reroute through the sand. Once out of the brush a short fire-road leads to the finish line.

Finishing up the first lap.

The first week I was in a rather large class, as I mentioned before, and I started near the back of the group. So for the second race I made sure to try and start closer to the front of the pack. Once off the line the leaders where in a full-out sprint. I sat and spun at a good clip and tried to keep the leaders in site. By my count there were about 7 riders ahead of me at this point and I was trailing the lead pack. We hit the first climb and I thought I passed about 5 riders on the climb. I stood the whole way through the climb hoping to put the other two riders back in sight, but to no avail. The first lap continued uneventful I didn’t see any other riders from my class.

As I exited the brush at the end of the first lap a I finally saw another rider from my class as he passed me. I made sure to stay tight on him through the flats to the first climb where I return the favor and passed him. I pushed hard up the hill to put as much ground as I could between us. Down and back up the back side of the hill I pushed hard before heading down and out of that section. As I crossed the lake the other rider in may class was able to pass me again. After leading through that section of flats I didn’t have enough to fend him off. I made sure to keep him in sight and thought I should be able to gain some ground back on the final climb. I did gain ground, but only cut the distance in half and it was not enough to pass him again. Only twenty yards or so separated us as we zipped through the remaining single-track. As we hit the sand he was able to get around a sport rider who was keeping a good pace. He was going fast enough that I didn’t have enough left to pass him through the sand. As I hit solid ground again it was a hammer-fest to the finish line I was stood the last quarter mile in a full sprint to the finish line.

Clearing the top of the final climb.

I finish 14 seconds behind the other rider in my class, thinking we were probably about 4th & 5th respectively. Once the results were in to my surprise, I was way off. It turns out I finished 2nd, and once the results were finalized, after the first two races I am leading the series as well.

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Come Participate in the First Ever XC Race in Orange Counties’ Irvine Regional and Santiago Oaks Parks – Saturday, July 16th

Irvine, CA (CFEpr+) May 16, 2011 – - Okole Stuff, makers of the “Worlds’ Best Chamois Ointment” announce the inaugural OKOLE STUFF CUP mountain
bike race for riders of all levels, to be held at Irvine Regional Park on July 16th, 2011.

In addition to the race, multiple manufacturers will provide bikes for consumers to demo on the course when the racing is finished.

“Okole Stuff is proud to present the first mountain bike race to ever be held in one of Orange County’s awesome parks ,” states Ron Sawicki, President of Enduro Stuff, makers of Okole Stuff. “I’ve been to World Cups around the globe, and this course is absolutely World Class.”

For multiple reasons, OC Parks have never authorized anyone to put on a race in County property, until Sawicki presented his plan for the Okole Stuff Cup.

THE COURSE

“The course itself is unbelievable,” continues Ron, “we start in the back of Irvine Park at our Festival-style Start/Finish area, then make our way on pavement to some open fireroad, across the creek and then onto incredible new single and double-track climbs in Santiago Oaks, before dropping down the ridges back to the Festival area.”

Each nine-mile lap contains over 1000 feet of climbing, smooth singletrackand technical rocky drops, providing exciting mountain bike action for participants and spectators alike. Beginners will do one lap, while Pro’s will do three on kona use this this challenging course.

For more info, READ THIS. T0 register for the Race HERE.

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Just got an email from Race Director, Omar Almaguer of Cycle Events Company talking about a new 3 race series to happen in Bonelli Park starting this June. Races start around 6pm on Thursdays. All sorts of categories to race in, from young groms to Expert/Pro.

If I can get out of work on time, I may check these races out and see if I can rock it with the tandem bike. Now I gotta find a Stoker….

Race fees are pretty low, $25 per race or $70 for all 3!

For more info about dates, times and all the fancy stuff, check out Cycle Events Company.

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