21st Peak Sports Mudslinger XC Race

Blodgett, OR
21st Peak Sports Mudslinger Saturday May 02, 2009
by: Mike Vanderberg

“A week ago these trails were mostly dry,” I thought to myself as I pulled my head out of the mud.  I checked to make sure my helmet was still there, straightened my brim, and went back to 20 mph two-wheel drifting down the Panama Canal trail.  Except for getting caught in wreck earlier in the day, when the rider in front stacked it through a rooty section, this would be my only mishap.  I poured in on in the last few miles, making the finish in 2:08 and change…12 minutes faster than the goal at the start.  

The Mudslinger lived up to its name again this year.  While prepping the course a week earlier, the trails were in excellent shape and fast to ride.  However, after 3 straight days of stormy weather here in the Coast Range, 270+ riders had turned most of the trails on the course into peanut butter.  I couldn’t believe it, but I was having a blast.  Even legs that had been cramping from the start (half a glass of grapefruit juice and a cup of coffee is NOT the best way to hydrate) couldn’t wipe the ear-to-ear smile off my face.  I hadn’t ridden in the mud in ages.

Since the promoter of the event sponsors the local team I’m a part of, my day started with a 5am wake-up.  By 6:30 we were setting up for the day, and by 7:00 I was working registration for the CAT 3 classes.  I was sitting next to the singlespeed registration, and was impressed at the growing (and stacked) field.  I managed to get clear from registration about 30 minutes before the start, so I got kitted-up and tried to “warm-up” for a few miles.  I hadn’t had any fluids since I sat down at registration…didn’t even cross my mind.

Soon enough, we all rolled down the the staggered starting area.  Carl Decker was in attendance today, rocking a He-Man sized gear.  Cool to see all the PRO’s out supporting the local race.  Oregon cycling has quite the following.  After watching the PRO’s and CAT 1 men go off, we one-gear wonders took to the line.  The quick start led to a 3-mile, 700’+ gravel road climb.  The pace stayed high, and with about a dozen of us in the lead group, we split the field in two.  I soon realized that my muscle fibers were not very well lubricated, and that the current pace was going to get painful early.  I backed it off a notch as we spun to the first section of singletrack, drinking half a bottle in the process.

Popping out of the singletrack, my legs were starting to feel better, and I was trading pulls with another rider all the way to the first hike-a-bike uphill singletrack.  Usually rideable, but not today as the weather had taken its toll.  Kept the tempo up on the next two climbs, and bombed the next two duo-track descents.  Had a brief conversation with a fellow SS rider…couldn’t believe some the gear ratios out there.  Anyway, then it was time for the first round of Panama Canal.  After getting held up in the tech section, I let the brakes go and went with the flow (of mud).  Popping out of the trail, I was ready to climb again. 

Kept the pace high up the 1200’ climb and rallied past a few riders.  Cleaned some nice singletrack.  Rallied past a few more riders on the next climb.  Got held up in some muddy sidehill singletrack and then bombed the sticky duo-track to the final singletrack descent.  Found the wheel of another singlespeeder and mashed it as soon as we hit gravel.  He came back on - he’d been riding with NO rear brake.  Up the hike-a-bike for the last time, standing on the pedals over the last gravel climbs, and smoothing the fast water-bar laden descents brought us to the final stretch before Panama Canal.  I stayed on the gas, passed a few geared riders, and hit the trail feeling like going fast.

Of course, I promptly two-wheel-drifted into a stump, went over the bars, and landed on my head.

It was a great day to be on (and off) the bike. 

-Mike Vanderberg