Massanutten: the aftermath

[Murphy's Law]

I just wanted to say that i had a blast up there this weekend. it was my first time racing up there, and from now on, no matter where i am, i will go out of my way to race this race. Super well run, awesome course, kick @$$ way to start the DH season. :clapping: :clapping: ok now for all those folks that have pics (i saw a couple of flashes going off during practice!!!!) post em up!!!!!!!

[ridiculous]

yes please make me jealous that i didnt go...again.

[haulin'oates]

I heard there were some sandbaggers in the midget class...

[Murphy's Law]

I heard there were some sandbaggers in the midget class...
sandbaggers in the midget class? 3rd place dude was just an angry troll.

and ridiculous,

i can't speak for everyone, talk to the people that got completely rained out during their runs...i think it was half the sport class, the beginners, and the hardtail class that saw the worst of it.....i'm sure that course was completellllly different wet.....

[profro]

I flatted. Tubeless doesn't work when you cut the tires :rolleyes: and I still prefer single race runs.

I went back up and did a sweeper run down behind the kiddies and the track was in fine shape.

Great time.

[Murphy's Law]

course took its toll on bike parts thats for sure....i dented the bejeeezus out of my rear wheel, my boy joe broke off his der. hanger, and i know a ton of people that flatted numerous times up there

[mtwhore]

I raced sport & HT. I crashed at the first rock on the coarse. It wasnt much better 20 min. later on the hard tail but I think I must of had flatted on the same rock as I did on my first run. The Intense tire with its hard casing allowed me to ride all the way to the finish line making it a true hard tail.

[JeffD]

Flat in first rock garden in race run. First flat I've ever gotten there in three years :banghead:

[FCLinder]

Had a great run and a fun time. I love that place!!!!!! Anyone have pics?

Cecil:cheers:

[srphillips89]

Had a blast up there. I think I may be addicted to racing now.

[psycle-on]

Flat in first rock garden in race run. First flat I've ever gotten there in three years :banghead:

Ditto except it was 2 years since my last flat. At least the rim is done too....:poster_oops:

[DVNT]

good times.
grabbed a few short vid clips
i think this is one of you nc guys that posts here a bit. don't know your RM name but damn, made that look super easy.

Mass-upper rock garden (http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=105566184127583446)

[JeffD]

That'd be Motomike going faster one footed through there than 99% of us with both feet on the pedals.

Nice religious epiphany dude has at the end of the clip:biggrin:

[conair-mtb]

The rain did change the upper rock garden...never seen that many faceplants before!

[ATOMICFIREBALL]

good times.
grabbed a few short vid clips
i think this is one of you nc guys that posts here a bit. don't know your RM name but damn, made that look super easy.

Mass-upper rock garden (http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=105566184127583446)

That really is a great clip ! If it was clearer it would be even better ! So, Sam Hill can go faster than that !??.... Motomike was haulin !

[manimal]

he looked even faster at the last rock garden...i almost missed the pic of him. i think he only touched the ground once :D

[manimal]

i had a great time racing! i can't complain when i got in almost 10 runs over 2 days and still had a clean race run. good to see everyone and watch people get faster.
on a side note: some of you know about the drama that happened on the trail with some douchbag on a red commencal...but for those of you that didn't hear, it's worth sharing to show how some dicks can give such a bad name to racing.
during practice, i rolled up on some first timers stuck in the off camber rock chute thingy right before the big fire-road. i had to stop behind them because they were blocking all of the lines through it. i offered them a tip or two on how to clean the section and then waited about 10 seconds to let them get ahead again. as i was waiting to let the other riders to get ahead some prick passes me on the high-side, bumps my and then tells me to get the fvck off the course. so..being the confrontational person that i am, i followed behind him and just as i was about to catch up w/ him on the fire road, i missed the turn and plowed straight into the blue barrels (possibly the coolest looking crash of the day award :thumb: )
so anyway, i get to the bottom of the lift and see this asshat waiting to get on the lift again. i approach him and ask him what his problem was and he told me that slow riders should get out of the way. i told him that i was just bottlenecked myself and was waiting for some other riders to clear out....besides, it is PRACTICE, and open practice at that (it would be different if it was 'expert only' practice and some noob was on the course...but it wasn't) he then told me, "well, if you can't handle the course, get the hell off of it!" well, i lost it a bit and delivered a few choice words...you know, the fighting kind. (my fuse has gotten really short over the past few years of dealing with asshats so i probably opened up on him a bit prematurely)...but anyway, the usual pre-fight exchange of words continued and then he finally turned away mumbling something like "i'll crush you" under his breath. i let it go, realizing that escalating the situation would make me even more of an ass than he was being.
so anyway, what if i had been a first time racer and had been treated like that by some mid-range expert racer? i'd probably never race again. hopefully this douche or one of his buddies will read this and deliver the message to him about an attitude adjustment. i think i heard someone call him "marvin" or "melvin" but he was riding a red commencal with a single crown front fork and wearing a brown on front, white on back short sleeve jersey.

so other than that drama, the race was perfect as usual :thumb: props to the promoters for keeping it running smoothly and keeping this race going :thumb:

[motomike]

good times.
grabbed a few short vid clips
i think this is one of you nc guys that posts here a bit. don't know your RM name but damn, made that look super easy.

Mass-upper rock garden (http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=105566184127583446)

thanks for the vid. :clapping:

[Peete]

i had a great time racing! i can't complain when i got in almost 10 runs over 2 days and still had a clean race run. good to see everyone and watch people get faster.
on a side note: some of you know about the drama that happened on the trail with some douchbag on a red commencal...but for those of you that didn't hear, it's worth sharing to show how some dicks can give such a bad name to racing.
during practice, i rolled up on some first timers stuck in the off camber rock chute thingy right before the big fire-road. i had to stop behind them because they were blocking all of the lines through it. i offered them a tip or two on how to clean the section and then waited about 10 seconds to let them get ahead again. as i was waiting to let the other riders to get ahead some prick passes me on the high-side, bumps my and then tells me to get the fvck off the course. so..being the confrontational person that i am, i followed behind him and just as i was about to catch up w/ him on the fire road, i missed the turn and plowed straight into the blue barrels (possibly the coolest looking crash of the day award :thumb: )
so anyway, i get to the bottom of the lift and see this asshat waiting to get on the lift again. i approach him and ask him what his problem was and he told me that slow riders should get out of the way. i told him that i was just bottlenecked myself and was waiting for some other riders to clear out....besides, it is PRACTICE, and open practice at that (it would be different if it was 'expert only' practice and some noob was on the course...but it wasn't) he then told me, "well, if you can't handle the course, get the hell off of it!" well, i lost it a bit and delivered a few choice words...you know, the fighting kind. (my fuse has gotten really short over the past few years of dealing with asshats so i probably opened up on him a bit prematurely)...but anyway, the usual pre-fight exchange of words continued and then he finally turned away mumbling something like "i'll crush you" under his breath. i let it go, realizing that escalating the situation would make me even more of an ass than he was being.
so anyway, what if i had been a first time racer and had been treated like that by some mid-range expert racer? i'd probably never race again. hopefully this douche or one of his buddies will read this and deliver the message to him about an attitude adjustment. i think i heard someone call him "marvin" or "melvin" but he was riding a red commencal with a single crown front fork and wearing a brown on front, white on back short sleeve jersey.

so other than that drama, the race was perfect as usual :thumb: props to the promoters for keeping it running smoothly and keeping this race going :thumb:

If you were an ATL cop you would have found a reason to break into his room and shoot him up later that night.:crazy:

Well if anything good came out of it the newbs in front of you didn't get his attitude so they will hopefully be back next year.

I had a great time this weekend. I wasn't too proud of my race run but the riding was great and I got some of that lost confidence back from my broken ankle.
See ya'll at... where's the next race?

[Murphy's Law]

U.S. Open, Diablo freeride park (aka mountaincreek in NJ) starts on the 25th.

now where are all the pics at???

[manimal]

I had a great time this weekend. I wasn't too proud of my race run but the riding was great and I got some of that lost confidence back from my broken ankle.
See ya'll at... where's the next race?


Mr. Pete Goyzanas (sp?) in the flesh ;) :busted:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a307/sempertubby2/massanutten%2007/P1020633.jpg

[JeffD]

Sweet, Senor Gonzagas is sporting the summer flannel as well.

[Peete]

I was racing for Team Wifebeater but got picked up by Team Cankle for the weekend.
And it's Peter Gozinyas.:twitch:
Just keep repeating it until you get it.;)

[BigMike]

Nice one Manimal, I hate those frikken d!ckheads. That's why DHers have a bad rap!

Anyway, I had a great time up there. As always, my practice runs were perfect, and then I crashed hard in my race run. It was actually pretty comical. I came in way too hot off of the long fire road, and where it shoots back into the woods on the right I actually thought to myself "OK Hamberger, there are a lot of rocks up there, be careful!" Well, I wasn't careful enough and bounced off a rock and went flying into the brush on the left side. I tried to get up and get back on the bike, and I was stuck up in the rhododendron. I finally freed myself and then tried to get my bike up and it was stuck! I got it all worked out, and I rounded out the Senior Expert class at 4:19 :plthumbsdown: That was my first DFL :) Oh well, still had a GREAT time!

[Dartman]

Nice one Manimal, I hate those frikken d!ckheads. That's why DHers have a bad rap!

Anyway, I had a great time up there. As always, my practice runs were perfect, and then I crashed hard in my race run. It was actually pretty comical. I came in way too hot off of the long fire road, and where it shoots back into the woods on the right I actually thought to myself "OK Hamberger, there are a lot of rocks up there, be careful!" Well, I wasn't careful enough and bounced off a rock and went flying into the brush on the left side. I tried to get up and get back on the bike, and I was stuck up in the rhododendron. I finally freed myself and then tried to get my bike up and it was stuck! I got it all worked out, and I rounded out the Senior Expert class at 4:19 :plthumbsdown: That was my first DFL :) Oh well, still had a GREAT time!


That's watcha git for tryin to beat the "Old Man".

Mike (4:12) :D

[BigMike]

That's watcha git for tryin to beat the "Old Man".

Mike (4:12) :D

Dude, you may have beat me, but you don't have your own section of the bible!

[Dartman]

Dude, you may have beat me, but you don't have your own section of the bible!

Hehehe...I was thinkin that when I hit "Submit Reply".

[ChrisKring]

I'll pass your message on to Marvin (and no, he isn't on my team but I do know who he is)

Anyway, to his point, we repeatly told the same guys to stop off the trail and not in blind corners. I myself took a 30+ mph trip off course between the last road and the rock shoot at the end since some noob re-entered the course without looking up the trail. I am all for not being an a$$ and giving room for beginners but some of these guys were not beginners and had no concern for others safety.

My favorite was the asshat that I followed through the whole upper rock garden while giving him plenty of space since he was so slow. I could have easily passed him in the rocks. However, I passed him on the first road section with a "hello on your left". He must have thought it was a challenge of weiner size or something since he went into a full on sprint to pass me back. I let him go only to follow him on the uphill where I waited for a good 30 seconds to give him some space. I then came to the next road crossing (100 feet later) where the same dude was standing. He took off again right in from of me once he saw me. I finally passed and dropped him on the left hand off camber further down the course. WTF?

Anyway, I don't mean to sound like a dick and I don't want to see every race need seperate practices since everyone looses riding time. However, it is just as much a courtesy for slower riders to let faster riders through as it is for faster riders not to run over slower riders. In addition, it is courtesy to not stand in the line when riders are approaching at high speed.


On to the positive,

The race was awesome. Great weather right up until the end. The lift ran pretty good and the timing was top notch. No issues at all with the organizers. The ran a great race.

The hotel was awesome for $64. We'll be back next year.

I'll have some helmet cam footage in a day or so.

[Murphy's Law]

Anyway, to his point, we repeatly told the same guys to stop off the trail and not in blind corners.


Not to continue a stupid arguement, but on behalf of the beginners and sport guys that can't just bomb practice run after practice run, some of these guys (and KIDS even) can't help where they crash or wander off course BECAUSE THEY ARE BEGINNERS. as in don't know any better. yes you make a good point of teaching these guys to look up trail before hoping back on, but I'd be willing to bet you, like your friend, didn't ask nicely.

and as far as your other comment "Anyway, I don't mean to sound like a dick and I don't want to see every race need seperate practices since everyone looses riding time. However, it is just as much a courtesy for slower riders to let faster riders through as it is for faster riders not to run over slower riders."

I don't know about you, but i can't hear sh!t behind me when i'm riding. yeah it sucks to have to slow down when you're trying to learn your lines but thats what happens when you only have one course. learn to deal with it. i ran up on a bunch of slower riders during practice, but not once did i throw a fit about it. I slowed down and gave them room to get out of the section. your friend needs to learn to respect everyone thats there to race. his a-hole attitude isn't going to get him anywhere in this sport.

[bizutch]

Hah hah! Marvin Scanland. Dang yankee...just like ole Murphy. Poor Marvin...I'm gonna give him hell next time I see him.
"Hey Marvin, did you know you almost got your left arm pinned behind your back by a former Marine and policeman." That would be hilarious to see him lying there spouting "Dude! dude!"

:D

Just kidding Murphy. And Tubby, I wouldn't worry about Marvelous Marvin...he's comedy. Now Doug...he bitched out an amateur for the same stuff.

I say this. We've all got to remember that every rider out there paid the same amount of money to ride. If they're a slower rider in front of you...just let them be. If you say "Rider up" and they keep riding..either they didn't hear you or they are too scared to stop. I even said "Rider up" to one guy who immediately ejected into the bushes. I messed up his concentration and he panicked. I stopped to help him out...not kick him in the nuts.

As for riders getting out of your way..that's just wrong. We can't be like that. None of us are any more entitled to that course than the others. I see more kids get hurt or discouraged and frustrated by a couple faster guys who think that everyone is supposed to hug a gully when they come thumping through.

Kring...as for your situation...that was secretly one of my southern lackeys sent to destroy you for the hillbilly jokes. He was supposed to spear...not spar...with you. :thumb:

[Dartman]

I saw quite a few wearing iPods and wonder if that contributed to some of the yielding issues.

I don't and can hear what's behind me fine and I wear a full moto helmet.

[JeffD]

That would be hilarious to see him lying there spouting "Dude! dude!"


(Insert 06 US Open joke of choice here) :pirate2:

[b stevens]

I saw quite a few wearing iPods and wonder if that contributed to some of the yielding issues.



Ipods on a race course should not be allowed theres just to many people and to much stuff going on.

[bizutch]

Ipods on a race course should not be allowed theres just to many people and to much stuff going on.

we should probably turn our radios off when we're driving as well. :brows:

[manimal]

Ipods on a race course should not be allowed theres just to many people and to much stuff going on.

yeah, that's why i use a creative muvo mp3 player, ipods are just way too expensive to take a chance at getting bashed up ;)

[ChrisKring]

You guys missed my entire point. I was not saying that I need a private course. I was just presenting the other side that everyone needs to be courtesy to their fellow riders.

And I'll repeat it again, I only had an issue with 2-3 riders that were riding dangerous to others around them. I am not refering to the beginner riders that may crash or just plain freak out in the line. While I was stopped in the last rock garden for a fallen rider, one of the same guys that I had an issue with decided to yell "get the f' out of the course" to the fallen rider while riding over his bike. This is quite ironic coming from someone that pulls onto the course without looking up hill.

[bizutch]

You guys missed my entire point. I was not saying that I need a private course. I was just presenting the other side that everyone needs to be courtesy to their fellow riders.

And I'll repeat it again, I only had an issue with 2-3 riders that were riding dangerous to others around them. I am not refering to the beginner riders that may crash or just plain freak out in the line.

We didn't call you out Chris...that's why I made the assasin joke. You just happen to be a loonie magnet. He was drawn to you. :rofl:

[manimal]

Your a cop, correct? What would you do if someone didn't notice you were behind them since they had headphones on while you were on the way to an emergency.

Also, per Butch's comment, Marvin isn't an a$$hole. I am sure he was just excited and has an alternate viewpoint on how it went down.

the same thing i do for 99% of the drivers who had their windows up and stereo on, or were talking on the phone, or thought that my blue lights were pretty and fascinating. i have never had a problem hearing people coming up on the trail and i have never had a problem with yelling loud enough for people to hear me coming, although i don't doubt that some may have their tunes up a bit too loud.

regardless, the point w/ marvin is that when i confronted him about what he said as he passed me, he immediately assumed that i was a noob and blatantly said, "if you can't handle the course then you shouldn't be on it".....that was after i told him that i was trying to get started again after being stopped by the 3 other riders who had bottlenecked in that spot. i wasn't pissed that he assumed that i was a noob, i was pissed that there's a good chance that he's said crap like that to a noob. yeah, i escalated the situation by giving him a stout 'F-you!' but i don't take well to pompous pricks giving a bad name to the sport. i don't mind taking the problem to the woods if it means that he'd understand the impact he has on newcomers to the sport. what if that had been my son on the trail? i'm sure if it had been him i'd be having a big conversation with my boss right now.
i was going to apologize to him for spouting off like i did but then i reasoned that he probably didn't even know how big of a dick he was being in the first place and it would have been like talking to a wall.
either way, i have no hard feelings but i just thought it necessary to bring up the point of the importance of sportsmanship in this fickle sport.

example: Joe Haley, fast, all around rider that doesn't hesitate to help out other riders and isn't a dick on his practice runs. :thumb:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a307/sempertubby2/massanutten%2007/P1020645.jpg

[dhbuilder]

it figures.
just about the time i'm starting to consider having a yearly fall race up here.

i read this thread and remember why i said to myself, "never again" after the last one.

just like around here.
a few idiots on a.t.v.'s can give the whole group an undeserving bad rep.
the same with some racers.

[DVNT]

did haley come unglued in the rock garden on his race run?

he flew through the top one as fast as anyone, i was surprised to see he wasn't higher up in results.

[spoke80]

it figures.
just about the time i'm starting to consider having a yearly fall race up here.

i read this thread and remember why i said to myself, "never again" after the last one.

Whoo nelly, never say never there Bronco. Racing always brings out the kooks but that's what happens to some folks when egos and results are on the line. I don't get it when folks get so amped up and down right mean during local races. Its not the world cup, your "sponsors" don't care, and its supposed to be fun.

[FCLinder]

I will have to say I ran up on a lot of riders myself this past weekend but just stopped and let them go and when it was clear I started back down the hill. I was that guy that got pissed back in the day when a slower rider would not get out of the way, not now. One thing I learned when I was off the bike is its not worth the stress. It ended up taken the fun away form the game!!! I just want to have fun on my bike and be around those that are having the same kind of fun too.

[spoke80]

I just want to have fun on my bike and be around those that are having the same kind of fun too.

dats ma werd!

[dhbuilder]

Whoo nelly, never say never there Bronco. Racing always brings out the kooks but that's what happens to some folks when egos and results are on the line. I don't get it when folks get so amped up and down right mean during local races. Its not the world cup, your "sponsors" don't care, and its supposed to be fun.

yeah, you're correct.
but a good idea was brought up here about separate practice sessions.
i'll remember that.
maybe i'll make sure they have twice the practice time on the same course.
(the non-pros that is.)

[Greyhound]

example: Joe Haley, fast, all around rider that doesn't hesitate to help out other riders and isn't a dick on his practice runs. :thumb:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a307/sempertubby2/massanutten%2007/P1020645.jpg


Good on ya for the shout out to Joe. More people need to know about the level of professionalism and courtesy he shows--no matter if he's just sessioning dirt jumps or blitzing a DH course. He's a fantastic example to follow.

[motomike]

did haley come unglued in the rock garden on his race run?

he flew through the top one as fast as anyone, i was surprised to see he wasn't higher up in results.

He broke his derailleur hanger in practice and didn't have a replacement, so he rigged it up ss style....on a 7" frame! Somehow I think it stayed on but he said he couldn't really lay down the power on the fire roads. 3:40 is a solid time given what he had to work with. :clapping:

[DVNT]

hahaha, funny.
i noticed he was running single speed.
I thought he did that on purpose showing some bmx love.
i got a clip of him blazing the other line through the top rock garden i'll post it tonight, it made everyone think twice about which line was faster.

[Cant Climb]

i don't mind taking the problem to the woods if it means that he'd understand the impact he has on newcomers to the sport. what if that had been my son on the trail? i'm sure if it had been him i'd be having a big conversation with my boss right now.

what if your son was sitting just around a blind corner and here comes 210 pound Marv with a full head of steam....?........yeah, he's gonna be pissed.....he's pissed because he could have just crushed a small child and messed himself up at the same time......

never sit in the middle of the trail not moving EVER....you're putting people and bikes in peril.....emotions and trestoterone and going to run high out there, its part of the sport...

[bizutch]

....he's pissed because he could have just crushed a small child and messed himself up at the same time......

never sit in the middle of the trail not moving EVER....you're putting people and bikes in peril.....emotions and trestoterone and going to run high out there, its part of the sport...

you off your meds or something?

[Cant Climb]

you off your meds or something?

...not sure what you mean...?

[psycle-on]

Results can be downloaded from :
http://squirrelly.shacknet.nu/galleries/MasterYeeHa2007.xls

(right click save as)

Thanks!

[profro]

Joe told me he crashed during his race run in addition to the chain issues.

I didn't have too many run-ins with beginners, but one kid in particular would just stop in the middle of the trail. He did it to me twice on the track and even caused me to crash once. I understand going slow, but just stopping the middle of the trail really has no excuse. If you need to stop, for whatever reason, just pull off the trail. I tried to tell the kid that in the lift line, but he took it offensively and complained that some other kid was stopping in front of him. I said "if it pissed you off, then why are you doing the same thing to other riders?". That was the BIGGEST difference I noticed when moving up to semi-pro. Only ams think they have the right to just stop in the middle of the track. But for the most part its a small issue.

[T0MJ04D]

The Official Results have been posted here (http://www.massresort.com/v.php?pg=221), toward the bottom of the page.

[manimal]

...not sure what you mean...?

ummm, you're comparing apples to oranges. if my son was on the trail and treated like that it would be because he was either going slow or crashed....something ALL racers are subject to coming upon during practice. everyone knows and accepts the fact that, if they stop on the course, they run the risk of being hit. the point i'm making is that in known bottleneck areas, where you can see the crowd well before you get there, there is no reason to be a dick about it when you have to slow down. i have a novel idea, something i observed from several fast guys, much faster than the dude i dealt with; if you run up on some am's having trouble with a certain spot and you have to slow down or stop...give 'em some pointers on how to clean the section.
my point in using my son on the course as an analogy is that, in a couple of years, he'll be ready for that course but he'll probably be slow compared to the riders twice his size. is this dick going to yell at him to0 for being a 9-10 yr old trying to get better at a sport he loves just because he happens to slow down his highness?
my son accidentaly cut off some 30-something dude at the skatepark last year and the dude yelled at him and told him to leave. my son came to me crying and not wanting to ride anymore (he was 6). needless to say, i had a few words w/ that prick as well. there is no room in this sport for ego's, especially when they directly affect the younger generation of riders. so whether it's the skatepark or the trail; being an expert or above level rider does not grant you the right to trample on those who may not be as skilled as you. (i'm using "you" in the instance to address anyone in this category, not you specifically cant climb)

[JeffD]

Unrelated to the current exchange but when a rider does go down and is making a sincere effort to gte up but is either hurt and/or tangled in his bike, I'll stop a few feet up the trail to yell at others to stop and/or take the hit for the guy if somebody doesn't stop. Some of the misunderstandings may have stemmed from situations like this and in which case, a little communication on both sides go a long way towards easing hard feelings.

[SK6]

OK, so point of the thread........

Don't be a dick!

AND...


Don't piss off a super hero! :D

Just making sure.... :D

[BigMike]

Hey Ralph, I think this is a new record for you! you beat the guy behind you by over 40 minutes :eek:

[SK6]

I beat the jerk I wanted to beat, that's really ALL that mattered...

:thumb:

[dhbuilder]

OK, so point of the thread.......
Don't be a dick!
Don't piss off a super hero!

problem is, the former thinks they're the latter.
and therein lies the problem.

[SK6]

problem is, the former thinks they're the latter.
and therein lies the problem.

:rofl:

[ridiculous]

a vid my buddy sent over
http://littermag.com/videos/massanutten/massanutten.php

[BKQuill]

or take the hit for the guy if somebody doesn't stop.

That's why I like riding with ya, 6'1" a solid 200lbs and always willing to take a hit for me.

[Cant Climb]

ummm, you're comparing apples to oranges. if my son was on the trail and treated like that it would be because he was either going slow or crashed....something ALL racers are subject to coming upon during practice. everyone knows and accepts the fact that, if they stop on the course, they run the risk of being hit. the point i'm making is that in known bottleneck areas, where you can see the crowd well before you get there, there is no reason to be a dick about it when you have to slow down. i have a novel idea, something i observed from several fast guys, much faster than the dude i dealt with; if you run up on some am's having trouble with a certain spot and you have to slow down or stop...give 'em some pointers on how to clean the section.
my point in using my son on the course as an analogy is that, in a couple of years, he'll be ready for that course but he'll probably be slow compared to the riders twice his size. is this dick going to yell at him to0 for being a 9-10 yr old trying to get better at a sport he loves just because he happens to slow down his highness?
my son accidentaly cut off some 30-something dude at the skatepark last year and the dude yelled at him and told him to leave. my son came to me crying and not wanting to ride anymore (he was 6). needless to say, i had a few words w/ that prick as well. there is no room in this sport for ego's, especially when they directly affect the younger generation of riders. so whether it's the skatepark or the trail; being an expert or above level rider does not grant you the right to trample on those who may not be as skilled as you. (i'm using "you" in the instance to address anyone in this category, not you specifically cant climb)

i am refering to only riders standing in the middle of the course.......that's is always likely to flare tempers weather the person blocking is doing it involuntarily or just has his head up his ass.....tempers flare out there, you made too much of the whole thing IMO....

.....in fairness, sounds like you're a little hot headed yourself.....

[manimal]

oh yes, i'm very hot headed toward certain people although nearly all who know me on this board have never witnessed that side of me. i've noticed that my fuse has gotten much shorter over the last 4 years when dealing with bad attitudes, probably because of my line of work. you know when people see someone doing something rude or selfish and everyone whispers, "someone should say something to that jerk"....well, i'm that guy that'll say something. i'm sure i may have overreacted but i hope that this little spat will someday make him realize that maybe being an elitist, semi-balding prick, really isn't as cool as it seems.

[bizutch]

I don't get it. I'm the most ill tempered person on here and not once during practice have I ever gotten mad that someone was standing in the trail, pushing their bike into the trail as I'm flying by...or a spectator walking across it (except during my race run maybe). It just doesn't bother me that other riders are practicing or how they go about it. Even riders pushing back up the trail while I'm flying down.

It's all part of what we do. Maybe if you're pointing out the flaws of others in the middle of a run or telling them proper etiquette, you're not riding for the right reasons.

[BKQuill]

I don't get it. I'm the most ill tempered person on here and not once during practice have I ever gotten mad that someone was standing in the trail, pushing their bike into the trail as I'm flying by...or a spectator walking across it (except during my race run maybe). It just doesn't bother me that other riders are practicing or how they go about it. Even riders pushing back up the trail while I'm flying down.

It's all part of what we do. Maybe if you're pointing out the flaws of others in the middle of a run or telling them proper etiquette, you're not riding for the right reasons.


Maybe your not as big of an A-hole as previously thought!;) :thumb:

[SK6]

Don't tell him that! it'll go to his head! :rofl:

[bizutch]

Maybe your not as big of an A-hole as previously thought!;) :thumb:

Understatement of the year.:lighten:

I'm not an a-hole. I'm just brutally honest.
"Do you think I wrecked in that turn because I did something wrong."
"Hell yeah...you got on a bike, didn't you!"

[SK6]

Understatement of the year.:lighten:

I'm not an a-hole. I'm just brutally honest.
"Do you think I wrecked in that turn because I did something wrong."
"Hell yeah...you got on a bike, didn't you!"

Can't argue with that logic..

[SpasticJack]

Lets see what everyone thinks of this:

I was the last rider in 30-39 Ex and had a pretty crappy race run. Nothing dramatic, just not hitting it like I had in practice. Now that being said, halfway down the course I heard "Rider Back". I pulled off and let the rider (not in my class) by. As it turns out, the officials in their infinite wisdom turned Tim Price loose on me just 30 seconds after I took off instead of the ~minute that everyone else had. Props to Tim for putting up a winning time with a front flat for almost the entire course.

Etiquitte says you get out of the way if you get caught but usually thats within your class. Being on the bubble between classes presents a different situation. I certainly could have put up a better time and been somewhat more competitive in my own class had I not stopped to let him by but then he gets impeded by a slower rider. I didn't really care about the outcome since I wasn't expecting to win but it just seems to be a sucky situation any way yoiu slice it.

Thoughts?

I know, I know the easy answer is to get faster.

[Taz]

Yeah there should have been a "ghost" rider between you and Price.

I had that happen to me at Snowshoe where a guy was in front of me from another class that I knew I would catch. They sent down a ghost rider so that I would not run into him on the course.

[BKQuill]

I'm the "ghost rider", tell your friends!