Brian Hart

Here is something to consider for any of our OBRA friends having some extra time on your hands due to the cancellation of the Columbia Gorge Fat Tire Festival at the end of next week.
The Washington High School Cycling League, a chapter of NICA (National Interscholastic Cycling Association) is in need of volunteers (and spectators) for its race at the Washougal MX course on Sunday, April 15. (Note: this is NOT USAC!) This is a modified course at the same venue as last year's Six Hours of Washougal MTB race as well as the Ninkrossi and Winter Cross cyclocross races.
NICA is a state-specific, high-school-based racing league that, like other high school sports, is divided into Frosh, Sophomore, JV, and Varsity. In just its second year in Washington, there are about 100 high-school racers from around Washington State, including 23 girls! Two of the Hart girls, Sharon and Susannah will be racing Varsity and Frosh, respectively, as well as about 10 other local students.
Hannah and I are coaching one of the local teams, the Columbia River Mashers, who (thanks largely to our OBRA experience) now stands in second place among 19 teams statewide! You may recognize the names of other fellow OBRA racers amongst the list of local NICA students, coaches, and supporters: Tim & Trevor Schauer, Dave Webb, Scott Trautman, Bill & Billy Waring, Ed Fischer, Sean & Zach Vergillo, Kevin Brown, and Chris McKinnon.
The main WA league page is here: http://www.washingtonmtb.org
This is race two of this year's four-race series and is close enough for many of you to attend. We welcome you to come out to encourage and cheer on these young people (and help us lure them into the depths of OBRA--short track is only two months away...) and/or participate as a volunteer for any of the many race- and venue-related duties. In particular, there is a need for six sweeps and various course marshals, although there are many other volunteer positions available. Because this is a no-cut high school sport that encourages participation of all skill levels, the league maintains extra course-monitoring by having a sweep for each heat as well as stationary and roving course marshals. The signup form for these and other volunteer positions can be found here: http://www.washingtonmtb.org/volunteer.