The
Dirt Bag Cup
Weekend
ride/race report by Meredith Erlewine
Up
until this week I was sad that the 2006 mountain bike racing season
was coming to an end, because it's been so much fun to travel nearly
every weekend to see old and new friends and ride as hard as we could
on all kinds of fun courses. This past weekend delivered so many
hours in the saddle, though, that I've finally had my fill of racing
for this season.
I
headed with my friend and team-mate Joey
Boyle to Huntington, W.V.,
to participate in the Dirt Bag Cup, a three-day staged event hosted
by
Mike
Boyes (www.bikebfat.com).
Since this was the last time the
Gun Show would be on the road together
for 2006, I decided to take tons of pictures. Most
of them are from off the bike -- boatloads of us stayed at Kim and
Paul Broughton's house, where we had a great time cooking, eating,
hanging out and working on bikes.
Even
though I have posted 96 (!) pictures for the weekend, there are
a few
choice
moments I wish I had captured on film: >
The confused look on our faces as Betsy Shogren and I attempted to
race across the bridge and creek at the end of Friday night's time
trial
>
The look on my face while getting yelled at by a landowner after
I got off course and accidentally trespassed during Saturday's second
timed stage
>
Mike Carpenter jumping around like a crazy monkey at one of the intersections
during Sunday's Dirt Derby
>
Pete's race disguise: He showed up at the starting
line on Sunday with a fake mustache and vintage Rock Shox jersey
>
The following scene, as I rounded a bend on the dirt road
during the Dirt Derby start on Sunday: Team-mate Aaron
"Tornado" Burk standing off to the side of the road and racers (including me)
attempting
to avoid hitting his crank, which had fallen off in the middle of
the road! What a sight to see. >
The awesome sun shower setup that Gunnar and Betsy let me use after
the Dirt Derby on Sunday -- thanks, guys!!!
After
three days of riding and racing, team-mate Greg
Moore came out on
top as the GC champion of the Dirt Bag Cup. Congratulations, Greg!
Click
on the links below to go to recaps and photos from each of the three
days:
Friday,
Sept. 29: Kanawha Trace Time Trial
Saturday, Sept. 30: Western Assault on the Kanawha Trace
Sunday, Oct. 1: The Dirt Derby
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