Pilarcitos #3

I purposely boycotted this race last year and I wish I would have this year! David Gill and I once again found ourselves driving to the city at the crack of dawn on Sunday morning, but at least we got an extra hour of sleep! Although the promoters of the Pilarcitos series refer to the venue as McLaren Park, it is actually Crocker Amazon Playground where the race takes place. Since I have raced at Crocker Amazon several times for the DFL Urban Outlaw Cross Dress series, I knew that there was massive elevation change if so wanted and that the parking would be tight.

We arrived early enough to get a good parking spot and hauled all of the equipment to the course and set up shop. I rode a lap to see what the course was like. There was one large run up followed by a moderate climb which was followed by a real nasty climb by cyclocross standards with one more little climb that featured a log to negotiate in the beginning. This combined with super loose, rutted and bumpy downhills, one corner that was un-rideable and a couple of low speed corners made for a course with little to no rest except for the pavement leading to and through the start finish straightaway. This course has the sharpest elevation change of any course around and this would explain why everybody in the earlier races looked so gassed riding by on the flat pavement in front of the team pits!

I change my gear ratio to the easiest one I brought and warmed up for 40 minutes. We were called to the line and teammate Erik T. was called to the front of singlespeed class for being in the top ten for the series, except Erik was no where to be seen? The whistle sounded and we were off. For the first couple laps I felt good, but on the third, my moral was being crushed with each successive climb and I really began to wonder what the hell I was doing on a stupid singlespeed! Even with my lowest gearing this course was just cracking me! Half way through the race I seriously contemplated dropping out, but I kept moving forth. I had just made it to the top of the run up and hopped onto to my bike only to discover my rear tire was going flat. Being that I was beyond the run up and pass the neutral bike pit, I would have to run and ride my flat when possible for almost a whole lap. My plan was to do the lap and then get one of my teammates to get Erik's singlespeed to the neutral pits for a bike swap and I would do the last lap on his bike. I finally made it to the flat paved section and I rode my flat. As I rode pass our pits I asked/yelled for Erik's bike and pointed at my flat rear tire. All of my teammates stood there like deer in the headlights and as I rode past them. I prayed somebody would figure it out and meet me at the neutral pits. When I rode pass the neutral pit, I noticed teammate Rita Leon running across the grass field towards me, but it was too late. I made a metal note not to fine her as I hit the run up.

I couldn't believe this was happening to me again! Two year's ago at the start of a DFL Race I flatted on the line and when they yelled go to start us, I shouldered my bike and ran the entire race. I drove 90 miles from my office in Gilroy for a work out and by God I was going to get one! So here I was again running laps around the Crocker Amazon Playground with a bike on my shoulder wishing that I was anywhere else. Well, at least it wasn't foggy and blowing 30 knots! I eventually finished the last lap and then walked back to our team pit and told my teammates how much I hated them, but then somebody handed me a beer and all was forgiven.

After unloading the van when we got home I pumped up my rear tire and discovered several holes no doubt made by the abundant glass that was lying on the ground. If I ever go to Crocker Amazon again it certainly will not be with nice race tires! Maybe I’m getting old, but I thought that the promoters could have been a little more benevolent in their course design given what they had to work with.

Photos stolen from Olaf Vanderpoop & AbbiOrca.com