Afton, MN that is.  In the Midwest we don’t have those “huge” ski hills that you you find, say, out west.  Some would say our down hill ski hills are more like bumps.  But when you are MTB racing on a ski resort, it doesn’t matter if it is a “hill” or a “bump,” it hurts no matter what.

The Afton Avalanche was the Minnesota Mountain Bike Series’s #3 race of the season and was only an hour from my front door.  Can’t miss an opportunity like that.

The venue is nestled in beautiful midwest country along the St. Croix River Valley.  The Avalanche was all climbing, crazy and tight descents, and a lot of rocks.

By the time the Expert and Comp were called up the sun was out and baking us as we started in the bowl of the hill.  Standing water from the nights previous storm made it feel like you sitting in a sauna.  Announcer yells go and we are off on a three lap climb, descend, climb, descend, climb again, and descend kind of race.

By the time we hit the single track I was eight wheel back and was focusing on a steady pedal stroke as we were being baked in the son on the grassy slopes.  I came through the first lap in seventh and riding extremely patient and conservative.  I thought maybe I could work a bit harder on the 2nd lap but I was worried I wouldn’t have anything left for the third.  I was thirsty, dripping, and tired.

I started the long and fast descent down into the bowl to complete my 2nd lap when I hit something hard and heard the dreaded psst pssst pssst psst psssst.  My legs were getting peppered with Stan’s and I new I had a hole in my front tire.  I was hoping for the Stan’s to do it’s job but when I came out of the last switch-back, my tire lost so much air that it folded and down I went.  Game ever.  And that was my race.

We all have em, right?  This was my second DNF due to mechanical.  My race ends in disappointment but my day ends with a great Father’s day supper back home.  Nothing like your son to make the memory of a disappointing race fade fast.

Off to the bike store for another tire!