Lovely

5-mile pass is always my favorite race of the year. Not my favorite course but my favorite race. It always has the biggest turnout, there's plenty of room to pass and the DH's aren't too hairball. It works out well for me because normal people can do OK. 130 lb climber on a $8000 carbon full suspension bike with carbon rims? No advantage. No big hills to climb and good luck with those flimsy wheels when you hit a rock big ringing down the wash on the backside. Interval king who rides hard and fast for an hour a day 4 days a week? We'll see how you feel 18 miles in. Normal 180 lb dude on a $2,000 29er HT who likes to ride a lot but hates intervals because they ruin the absolute pleasure of just getting out on your bike (on nice weather days only)? For one race out of the season this guy can feel kinda fast.



Unfortunately for the fair weather racer this is the forecast for the weekend:



.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. A MOIST PACIFIC STORM SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO IMPACT MUCH OF THE OUTLOOK AREA LATE FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY. WIDESPREAD VALLEY RAINFALL...WITH SNOW ABOVE 8500 FEET IS EXPECTED BEGINNING LATE FRIDAY NIGHT AND CONTINUING ON AND OFF THROUGHOUT SATURDAY. THOSE PLANNING OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES THIS WEEKEND (such as a bike race) SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR INCLEMENT WEATHER CONDITIONS.



Now I do a little cross on the side and had a good time at the crappy weather cross races this year but that was in the fall. After a long, hot, dry summer a little rain and mud is a good thing. After a long cold winter racing in the rain and mud sucks.