The Pinnacle race report

i have no idea what is going on here. this photo proves i have no idea

how to ride a wheel with a tube in it. (photo: Randall Tate)

What went right.

I was feeling good. I got up early and nailed my morning routine. The fuel tanks were topped off. Right before I left home, I came to my senses and aborted my front-tire experiment, and threw on one of my trusty never-fail, but heavy-as-butter tires that I used at the Glocester Grind. Huge field. Perfect temperatures. Got to the venue with plenty of time to spare. Things were looking good.

At the start, I put myself right in the mix and kept it steady. Burned a match or two, but made them count by passing large groups at once. Fell in behind squeaky bike parsons for the single track part of the climb. I wanted to go around, it might have been because my legs were feeling great, it might have been because the sounds coming from his bike were of the type that drive men insane.

I sat in and waited. I may have heckled him a bit. May have. The single tracked dumped out onto a fire road and I punched it. I Made a few passes, and kept the pedal to the metal up over the top. Right before the downhill I glanced over my shoulder and saw no one. These are all things that went right.

What went wrong.

The downhill was so much fun. I quickly caught up to Alec Petro and John Bernhard. I followed Alec, waiting for a place to pass. Right around the time the descent started getting all switchbacky, my rear end started to feel like it was taking wider lines than my front end. I hopped off and gave the back tire a pinch, sure enough she was softer than a Cat5 field. I yelled a certain expletive very loudly. I did that. Loudly.

I did the usual "add air, ride a few minutes, add more air, ride, give up throw in a tube" routine. Made it to the end of the first lap, about 2 minutes into the second lap, my tube was flat and my race was over. I need to learn how to ride tubes, or how to mount tubeless tires (correctly).

What did I learn.

1) Riding next to a squeaky bike is almost as annoying as riding on a squeaky bike.
2) The Pinnacle is a very fun course.
3) If you're really worried about one of your tires failing, and concern yourself with only that tire; the other tire will fail. (see also: Coyote Hill)

Result.

DNF. What the fuck are you looking at? This race report is over. GET OUT OF HERE!