Post-race thoughts by race director Brad Dorken .....
On Sunday September the 7th Redding Velo conducted a competitive bike race from The Fifth Season up Everitt Memorial Highway to the upper parking lot of the old Ski Bowl. Mt. Shasta City Police escorted 61 racers through town from The Fifth Season to Ski Village Drive.
Paul Mach with the Davis Bike Club went under the one hour barrier at the lower parking of the old Ski Bowl that stood for over 20 years. His time was 59 minutes and 29 seconds. Jenny Slawta racing for Land Shark Bicycles set a new women?s record at 1 hour 9 minutes and 3 seconds. The posted results are times to the upper parking lot on the 14.3 mile course with an elevation gain of 4,245 feet.
Many local racers participated including 11 Redding Velo Team members and 5 Owens Pharmacy Team members. Four tandems raced in the hill climb.
Some great quotes from Sunday:
?We saw some bike shoes along the road, maybe they fell off a vehicle.? Nope, Gary German flatted and ran his bike up the road in his socks. How far was it? I heard two miles.
?I sat on the stopwatch and it reset!? No problem Brandon that?s why we have backup watches. Thanks for running up from the lower parking to the upper parking so I could give you the backup stopwatch.
?I didn?t want to carry water because of the weight.? Overall winner and record holder Paul Mach explained with white lips of salt.
Paul Mach asks, ?Did I win anything?? ?You did, $100 dollars for beating the one hour mark, oh and check the raffle list.? ?Hey I won a Chris King headset!?
?Your results are fast, sometimes I have to wait 2-3 hours after a race for computer results.? Roland Freund as he looks at the handwritten posted results on the side window of the Aerostar.
?I haven?t been informed of your event; let?s take a look at your permit. Oh, you need street closure, police escort and I?m the only one on shift.? A few moments of stress, but it all worked out when Ed Condit blocked the road with his battleship Eurovan and the police were able to escort.
I want the thank; Brian and Barbara Sindt, Ed and Anna Condit, and Pam Masterson for handling registration; Ed and Anna Condit for sagging the race; John Oakes and Tony Lewis for timing; John Waldrop for photography and recording rider sequence; Brandon Dillard for stepping in at the last moment to direct racers to the upper parking lot and recording the new records at the lower parking lot; Gary So of Fightin? Bobas for making the Excel spreadsheet. Lastly, thanks to all eleven Redding Velo members who raced and wore their jerseys.
Here are some pics from this awesome day!! Enjoy and see ya next year!!!
