2017 Triple Crown: Hammer Time
Flat leaden sky. A thick blanket, featureless, dropped down, a covering from one horizon to another. When you hear words like flat leaden sky you tend to think plain, maybe dismal, lacking excitement. So then, what happened with the race? It was nothing like that. It was vibrant, exciting, there was great enthusiasm at every turn. Maybe it was making it through the long dry summer, that down-time gap between the Spring mountain bike races and the Autumn ones, maybe it was the weekend, maybe it was the first race of the series, the one time when everyone can still dream of overall series victory. Maybe, after all, it was just my imagination. But I don't think so - something was contributing to an increase of stoke among those doing the hard work, and those cheering on the efforts of those doing the hard work.
Among the things I notice, there was not much smiling going on, and that seemed contradictory to all that stoke. I figured it was probably due to one of two things - one, the riders were intently focused on which ever obstacle they were facing at the time, and with a new course layout around those inner hills there were plenty to face, or two, they were terrified of whatever demon they were facing at the time. The demons could have been those washboard surfaces, loose turns, leg-burning climbs, screaming descents; maybe they were attempting to keep Tinker Juarez in sight, or attempting to keep from being lapped by Tinker Juarez. But then no, once the wheels began their turn, those thoughts would have faded, narrowed to each riders' respective category, making the effort count, making the best of it, surviving.
There is no question, Hammer Time got this years' series off to a great start. Next stop is Knobby Time at South Hills Park, Glendora on the first of October. A few photos are below, the album with an even hundred photos is here and, as usual, there are many more so if you don't see who or what you are looking for just let me know.
so my old Felt was not the only 26er rocking around out there.
an old Klein and Rockshox getting it done.
Among the things I notice, there was not much smiling going on, and that seemed contradictory to all that stoke. I figured it was probably due to one of two things - one, the riders were intently focused on which ever obstacle they were facing at the time, and with a new course layout around those inner hills there were plenty to face, or two, they were terrified of whatever demon they were facing at the time. The demons could have been those washboard surfaces, loose turns, leg-burning climbs, screaming descents; maybe they were attempting to keep Tinker Juarez in sight, or attempting to keep from being lapped by Tinker Juarez. But then no, once the wheels began their turn, those thoughts would have faded, narrowed to each riders' respective category, making the effort count, making the best of it, surviving.
There is no question, Hammer Time got this years' series off to a great start. Next stop is Knobby Time at South Hills Park, Glendora on the first of October. A few photos are below, the album with an even hundred photos is here and, as usual, there are many more so if you don't see who or what you are looking for just let me know.
race shmace, the best photos happen off the course
the chase is on
staggered line
there's the one smile of the day
an old Klein and Rockshox getting it done.
Comments
Post a Comment