So there is was several months back...my face with a chicken head on
it and a $10K reward cause I didn't register for the race this year.
Doesn't he know what retired means?? My training has consisted of
doing all the fun things that you normally don't do when racing a full
schedule, drinking way too much beer, eating ice cream, staying up
till all hours of the night, you know...having fun! So there was a
dilemma...let Gin smack talk me and do nothing, or do one last race.
Well I decided to do the later and race. I couldn't let him do that
s&!t without some kind of retaliation. So I find myself on the way to
Downieville Friday afternoon without a care in the world...heck, I
didn't even bring my bike toolbox. I get set up in camp and grill up
some steaks and pop the top on a bottle of wine, which must of had a
leak cause it was empty not too long after dinner. Matt pulled over a
cooler full of Moose Drool, which I had not sampled yet, and I did my
best to try all of the selection. About midnight I decided to call it
a night and wandered off to bed...bad news...can't lie down cause my
head is spinning and I think I fell asleep sitting up. 6:30AM came
waaaay to early in the morning and I had to drive up to the top to
pick up my registration for the DH race. To sum the DH race up, took
no chances, rode in my comfort zone, and finished with a clean run in
52:19 to put me in the middle of the 35+ Expert class. I ventured off
to the river with a cooler full of Drool and spent the next 4 hours
emptying the cooler, taking pics, and tubing down the river. It's a
good thing Matt was there to drive us home :) Get back to camp and
make some pasta and chicken and a few more Drools, and then hung out
with everyone around the fire till midnight. Again 6:30AM came too
early. Dang...don't they realize I'm on vacation here?? I roll out of
camp about 20 minutes before the XC race start and find my way up the
hill to the start area. When it is our time to go I just settle into a
pace keeping the Gin-boy in close sight. He was setting a good pace up
the hill and I had to work a bit to keep my big butt in close contact
with him. When we finally got to the top I took some Hammer Gel and
some cold water, then settled in about 50 feet behind Gin. When we got
to the gravel fire road I was feeling pretty good and readied for my
pre-planned attack. When I thought the time was right I shifted a few
more gears and put the hammer down. I kept on the gas all the way up
and over Packer Saddle where I saw Kyle and Kyle (thanks for being
there guys...it helps a lot!!) and settled in a good pace down the
fire road to Pauley Creek. Once on the fun stuff I just let the bike
do it's job and had some fun passing people in the rough. Only one
surprise on 3rd Divide where I rode a nose wheelie for about 20'
trying to ride my XC bike like I rode my Turner the day before. I
passed a dozen or so people on the way down and they were all very
courteous about moving over when the time was appropriate, very nice
change from the year before. I swapped places back and forth a few
times with a rider from another class on 1st divide which kept it
interesting. Rolled into town in 2:47:52 and headed for the Sac Brew
tent. I didn't realize until later that I had finished 4th in my
class...nice surprise:) I just want to thank everyone for making it a
great time up there and to Gin for being an awesome competitor...it
was fun doing battle with you!! OK...now for the record...I am
retired, or at least till next year :))

Frankie