Mike Ripley

Results:

1st Mike Ripley 18 miles in 2hrs
2nd Mike Adams and Joe Marek 18 miles in 2hrs and 1 second
3rd Gordon Cummings 18 miles in 2 hrs and 2 minutes Maybe he will do
better at the mudslinger, seemed like he had a hard time staying on our
wheels.
Race summary (well it was a ride really)
Since I can't race the mudslinger, I begged and pleaded some fellow
riders to come out for a 9:30am ride the do 1 big lap on the 2006
Mudslinger course yesterday. Some backed out, and I can't say I blamed
them prior to the day. We all met at the school ( the ones that did not
get scared of the snow) and much to my amazement there were 30+ cars at
the school where the race gathers. I thought they can't all be here to
ride, and realized it was a sporstman breakfast for local outdoors
recreationalists.
We dressed for our ride and took off, with the tree's half full of
snow. On the first big climb of 18% we barely could hold traction on
the snow but someone had driven up the road before us, so climbing was
not a problem. The first single track we hit with a surfers mentality
as we encountered no mud but soft snow through lush green vegetation,
lots of fun! After the single track we climbed up 2.5 miles to the
clearing, and aide station area through 4 inches of snow with no rain
but clear sky's and an outstanding view of the coast range. After
climbing and railing down some descents in the snow Joe hit a rut and
flew over his bars and land quite gracefully for a 6'5 guy. Shortly
after that Mike went no hands over a small ditch and ate it quite hard,
but no damage again. We finished what was with no rain and sunshine was
the best ride in year's for me. I hope some of you out there will have
similar stories for the real Mudslinger in two weeks. I would bet on 52
degree's and a 30-40 % chance of rain, but I say that most years. I
will have the course marked By friday of the race week, just stop by
starker forest to let them know you are out there, and watch out for
log trucks on some of the county roads.
MIke