Team MotionBased

So we all got out to Vermont for Norba National Championships. Dave with some sort of lung infection, and me with a battered moral from Downieville - looking at a forecast of rain for the entire week of racing. Being sick, Dave didn't do so well - but he had a good time anyway and still raced his bike for a while. I (olivier) raced early on Friday morning in the worst conditions of the weekend, waking up at 4:30am to get psyched to go out into the rain and mud to suffer for 3 hrs. It was slow going (Avg Spd - 6mph!), but at least we were all in the same boat, and I managed 10th place to salvage an otherwise lackluster season and qualify to repeat the process a year from now in the same venue. A month has passed, and fulfilling my obligations I have only ridden twice since that last race to focus on building our home (which is a race in itself). Reminiscing on the past season (there are still races going on, but not for me) I am struck by the various aspects of this sport and equipment and preparation that goes into each event. Gravity events have a tug at my inner child, and I'm drawn to those disciplines - but XC is what my body is best suited for and really it may be the best and most challenging event of all. To recap on Vermont perhaps I can just give a quick slide and video presentation. First: A somewhat dried out technical section on the XC course. There were many sections that were unrideable (mostly uphill sections). Exhibit B: The U23 category negotiating the same after the start of their race. And: John Berlinger runs the Mavic support program and is always a great person to run into. Sara B. is too, and she cheered me along in my XC race on a cold and rainy morning! Also: A quick glimpse of Dual Slalom as Team Jamis racer Tommy Tokarczyk goes head to head with Eric Carter on a very short course. Both of these guys are friendly and approachable given their talents. The Super-D lift. Rachel and Kenny. Rachel blew minds with her Super-D win, beating the women by "miles" and most of the men to boot. Kenny finished 7th in the Men's event. Lift access is a treat for XC types used to riding up all the time (I need to go ride more to validate this claim). The start of the Men's Short Track National Championship. Fast. Parting shot. I asked Barb for her autograph, but she was going too fast!