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What Jason saw:
Category: 4/5
Result: ?
Okay after some time to think about this I've got a bit of a long report. So sit back and enjoy. I also included some pics so hopefully this will be all worth it.
Special Thanks to Brad for letting me borrow his bike case. Without I couldn't have raced. It protected my baby well. Also special thanks to my aunt Nancy, uncle Jeff, Madi and Braxton. For letting me crash at their place and for coming to cheer me on. Its cool to have family at a race. I especially am grateful for the use of the trainer. Thanks to Freddy Choice warming gel. Without it I'd still be on the hill.
Background: (why I went to Oregon for only 1/2 hour race)
The Oregon state hill climb championship goes up Mt. Hood. It is my favorite location to visit while in Oregon. So this race is something I have had my eyes on ever since I got into cycling. For one reason or another, the planets aligned and I had the means to get up there this year to race. I won't have another opportunity for about 5 years to get back there. So I jumped at the chance to do it this year.
Mt. Hood: (See pic)
The best way I can describe the course, its a cross between Mt. Hamilton and Mt. Diablo. Long switch backs, mild grad of 4-7%, 5.6 miles long, about 3000 feet actual climbing, and the last 1000 feet at a stomping 18-22%. So easy pace setting and an ending the just hits you.
The starting elevation is around 3600 ft. and tops off at Timberline Lodge at 6100 Ft. Mt Hood itself tops off around 11000 ft.
The race:
The race was basically an uphill TT. Get to the registration booth at 930 in Government Camp ( Bottom of the hill) I have a 12:16 start time. So the family and I hit up a place that served killer Huckleberry pancakes.
Now while most of you were enjoying the beautiful San Francisco weather, catching the T-Mobile race. I was hanging out in 40F(8 C) weather with slight rain. At the top it was a balmy 36F(4C) with a wind blowing around 15mph bringing the temp down to a nice 28F (-4C) - 32F(0C),
Now I was a bit underdressed. I know Oregon is a bit colder but I didn't think I was going to need my winter clothing. Anyway, at the bottom there was a rest stop so I warmed up in there. Smacked the warming gel on and put in a nice 50 min warm up. Dried off the sweat put on some dry warm clothing and went to the line.
The start gate was running about 5 mins later. I was a little in shock, being the only Northern CA guy around. These Oregon guys are studs. There was a guy on a fixed gear. (He won, in a time of about 26 mins). I get to the line. I'm sent off around 12:22.
I started strong a bit too strong. The cold was hitting my lungs pretty good. Fresh clean crisp air cleans the lungs out. Also riding at LT in very cold conditions takes some getting used to. I got a solid cadence going of around 85. About 1/2 way up and suffering pretty good, a rail thin guy (he got second), went past me. He must have been 5'8 and no more than a buck 30. (Bastard). Shortly after I hit a mild section of the course and was able to carry my 39-21 at a cadence around 90 ish all the way to the slight decent. (Wish this had come earlier). After the slight decent, I hit the last 1000 feet and it hurt. (See pics). My uncle was cheering me on just like I was climbing in the Alps. It was cool. The wind was strong. I finished with a 33:30 time. A quick 33.30. 7 mins longer than the fixed gear bike guy. They forgot to put me in their listing so I think I was top 15.
After the race, my Uncle, wife to be and I went mushroom hunting. We got Porcinies mushrooms.
(25 bones for 1 lbs). We found around 55lbs.
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