pdx short track racing report (for other newbies)
I went last night and had a great time at my first short track race -- what a rush. I'll be back for more. It's a great course, but it was a lot different that I was expecting. So here's a few thoughts for any other short-track newbies who are thinking of trying it out for the first time:
(1) That motorcross track is pretty chewed up! But it's not like you can't get up a lot of speed. Be prepared for some potential drifting/front-tire grabbing if you're not careful to pick the most hard-packed dirt line.
(2) Pre-ride the course!!! I showed up early (5:20pm or so, for the 6pm beginner race) and was pleasantly surprised that people were allowed to ride / check out the course until the 5:45pm kiddie races started. That gave me a chance to check out where the best lines were, and to get used to some of the rollers where it's easy to catch air if you want to. (If you're going fast enough, be careful about pulling too much air in the far side of the course. It would be easy to nose-dive into the next jump, because it's such a fast section. I just pumped through those rollers, catching minimal air and passing many people who were trying to pedal constantly and catch more air.)
(3) There's a short section of the course that goes through a grassy tree area: the "single track" section. Be prepared for a few surprises there, like narrow passages between trees and even a 10-inch log to clear (many just stepped over it). The pre-ride I did was really helpful here, too.
(4) Finally, there's a very steep, short (14-foot?) berm that the race announcer said "don't even try to ride up it." I, er, actually made it up -- just once, after several unsuccessful tries (it takes all the speed you can find). Most people dismounted and ran up, or rode 1/2 way up and ran the rest. So be prepared to feel like a cyclocross racer.
I thought the event was ran really, really well. Thanks to the sponsors/volunteers for a great time!
