So, as I continue to read posts about the ORAMM, I realized we haven't posted any pictures in a while. The one above is off Curtis Creek, the race's biggest climb. Nine, count 'em nine miles of gravel road climbing a few thousand feet from Old Fort to the Parkway. It comes about midway through the course, and yes, it is going to really, really hurt.





We do eventually get some reward though; we get to ride down Heartbreak. See the huge ridgeline, yup, that's the one. It will be a highlight.

There is also another Wilson name on the registration list, local legend Pat Hurley is doing the ORAMM on a rigid steel 69er with an ovalized head tube. Makes me feel like a cheater. I'll be loving my suspension fork on this descent though, after a probable four plus hours on the bike, a little cush with be pretty nice.



Like Aaron, I am planning on suffering like crazy on Sunday, so its nice to remember that once in a while things go well in races. This spring David Bishop and I won a six hour race outside of Charlotte; it was awfully fun to stand on top of the podium. Maybe I'll be lucky enough to snag one of the lower steps on Sunday.

-Matt

You know what's cooler than Arkansas? The ORAMM

Almost every day I look at the "Registered Riders" of the Oramm website, and every day I can't believe my name is on it. I'm feeling generally conflicted about this upcoming weekend, alternating between excitement and abject terror. One thing that makes me feel a little better, is that just a few spots below my name is Matt Williams'. It's nice to know that at least we're in this together. Well, we'll be starting it together, very shortly after that Matt will jump to the front, and I'll wallow in the middle. Matt's going for a top result, while my goals have been constantly diminishing over the past week. At first I wanted to get somewhere around 100th place and finishing the race in 6.5 hours. Then I had a bad crash and realized I might not be at my best, so I altered it to somewhere around 150th. Now I just hope I can finish the damn thing. I imagine by Sunday I'll want to be able to DNF without medivac assistance.

Eureka Springs Fat Tire Festival

Late July weekends in Arkansas are not known to be the most pleasant times to have bike races. In past years, the Eureka Springs Fat Tire Festival has been held somewhere around the 20th of July and the weather has almost always been uncomfortable. Some years it rains. Some years it is bloody hot (95 degrees) and humid. One year it was even bloody hot and raining for the start of the cross country race. This year however, the temperature was uncharacteristically pleasant. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday the temperature hovered around 80 degrees in the middle of the day with very little humidity to spoil the coolness.
Because of the amazing weather, record numbers of riders flocked to Eureka Springs for the race. Every rider class was brim full. Over 300 racers total signed up to race this weekend and nearly 250 of them raced the cross country course on Sunday.
Before all the madness of Sunday's race could take place three events had to be organized and run. I considered trying for an omnium victory, but decided that downhill and observed trials would put too much time pressure on an already packed weekend. Instead I raced the short track and cross country and helped time the downhill.
Friday's short track was held on a minibike course and was the bomb. The track was about the width of an average doubletrack, and was made of perfectly smooth packed dirt. To keep cyclocross bikes from ruling the even, a kicker, a log drop, and three off camber switchbacks were added.
I really had the short track dialed. I took the fastest lap time for my qualifying run. I won the first lap premium and finished third overall in a class of about 13 cat 1 riders. After the first lap I was quickly passed by one rider, but spent the rest of the race battling in a pack of four riders right behind him. I had to phisically push riders out of my way at least three times during the race and had to run a section of the course after being knocked down in the swithbacks, but I guess my results indicate that it all worked out.
Sunday's cross country race held it's own set of challenges for me. Literally two minutes after the mass start downtown I got lost in the back streets of Eureka Springs along with the lead group of about fiifteen cat 1 riders. We never made it back onto the actual course, but thanks to some quick thinking by one of my competitors we rejoined it a bit further on. Once we made it to the single track I fell back into fourth place and then the sidewall of my reat tire was slashed by a sharp rock. Only one person in my catagory passed me while I was fixing my flat and after a record fast tire change I charged off to catch him. Half way through my final lap my front tire was also punctured and without any air, pump, or extra tube I had to stop and shake my Stans sealent into the hole and hope it would hold the last fifteen pounds of pressure in my tire for the rest of the race. My tire held until right before the finish line and I ended up running the final section of the racecourse.
Even with all my mishaps I took fifth place in the cross country event out of fifteen Cat 1 19-29 participants. Arlo, my brother, crashed into a beginner rider he was trying to pass and badly tweaked his shoulder. He should be fully recovered by the time he comes to school but he will be off the bike for a while.
So, as a recap. Third in the short track. Fifth in the cross country with two flats. All during a butiful Arkansas Summer Weekend. Not too shabby.

Linden

ORAMM??

So, I've never done a race like ORAMM before. Some 50 milers sure, the Swank too, but ORAMM is a little bigger and a little badder than those. 60 miles, 11,000 feet of climbing and some pretty sweet technical descents. So, since I am hanging in Swannanoa with little to do but bike for the next month I am doing some specific prep to make sure I'm ready to go. Yesterday I did Curtis Creek, a really long gravel road that climbs from Old Fort up to the parkway, and then road the parkway south back around to Wilson. Five and a half hours on the bike later and I stumbled home. See, I knew Curtis Creek would be hard, but I didn't really remember how much climbing would be left once I made it to the parkway. A few thousand vertical feet left to be exact. So, from Old Fort at 1,400 feet to close to 5,500 on the parkway, with a few ups and down thrown in for good measure. What fun - but I guess that's how you prep. Curtis Creek is going to be hard, some fireworks on the 26th for sure. Hopefully, between me, Aaron , and Tullulah, Wilson riders will be showin' everyone how its done.