Otter Shots

Check out these Sea Otter photos from the Diamondback Blog. Thanks to Colin Meagher for the shots!

DH race straight air!

Dual Slalom finals. Side by side down the course!

-KT

Underworld Cup!

Sea Otter was fun. Beacon was fun. Riding around Duthie is fun. However, none of those things are real downhill. Sure there might be a downhill section or a technical feature, but not multiple minutes of high speed, mud slinging, mother nature trying to kill you downhill. Luckily we were able to experience those things with only a short ferry ride over to lovely Port Angeles Washington for the 2014 Underworld Cup.

Short ferry ride through a busy shipping channel.

Ruth and I arrived Friday afternoon and met up with Verg to grab a few practice runs. This was the first time I was able to ride my DH bike on a proper course, with real tires. We grabbed our bikes and headed to the lift line. HOLY CRAP! The lift line was massive. It turns out this is the largest race ever held at Port Angeles and there were 500 racers! They only use two trucks on Friday, so the line took forever. We were there for the entire afternoon and only managed to get two runs.

Practice was really important on Friday, because I had to qualify on Saturday. Due to the amount of people, practice on Saturday was split up into 3 hour blocks, except for Pro, which was only 2.5 with qualifying starting right afterwards. I was feeling really good with my runs and even managed to follow Strobel for a lap until I wrapped myself around a tree. I went back to the pit to get ready for my qualifier.

Practice run. Thanks to Tommy for the rain jacket!

While we were waiting for qualifying to start, the rains came in. It started dumping and everything turned ito a muddy river. I headed up to the top with my rain jacked on and didn't even take it off for my run. After about 100 yards, my goggles were covered in mud and I was pretty much riding blind. I had a series of small mistakes and missed one jump in the middle of the course. I was blown away when I crossed the line into 2nd place, 0.9 seconds behind Dean Tennant.

Qualifying times

After everyone finished, I ended up 9th! I couldn't believe it! I actually thought the timing might be wrong with how bad my run felt. However, I was feeling really confident for Sunday to fix my mistakes and try to save some time and move further up the results list.

I forgot spare shorts. I had to wash mine in the hotel room.

On Sunday you only get one practice run. I normally feel really awkward and slow, but not today. I felt connected to the bike and ready to go. My run was right where I wanted it to be and I couldn't have been more excited to race.

I hiked up the course to watch Ruth's race run. I'm still blown away that my wife does this with me. The course conditions this weekend were so nasty. Everything was wet and covered in slick mud hiding criss-crossing roots and the steep pitches. I couldn't be more proud of my wife than watching her navigate that course!

Ruth coming through one of the first corners on White Knuckle.

After Ruth's run, I headed down to get ready for mine. I took the last shuttle to the top of the course and pedaled around on the road for a few minutes before heading to the start gate.

My run was pretty much flawless. There were a few small things I could have done better, but it was one of the best race runs I've had. I crossed the line and went into the hot seat by 3 seconds and was the first person to break the best qualifying time barrier. I ended up getting beat by a few others and had to settle for 8th, but I was only 0.5 seconds off the podium and only 2 seconds off the win! The top 8 times were so close.

Final times!

I couldn't be happier with how the weekend ended up. I'll post some more photos as I come across them. We have a break from racing for a few weeks. Ruth and I are excited to do some riding in some new places!

-KT

Sea Otter!

Rewind to Sea Otter 2013: Dual Slalom qualifying. The last corner before the finish line and my shoulder comes out of the socket. The resulting effects ended my 2013 race season. Truth be told, Sea Otter and I have never gotten along. I've crashed and been injured at that race numerous times. However, I was still really excited to get back to California and put all of that behind me!

2012 Sea Otter ended with a concussion.2013 ended with shoulder surgery. What would 2014 hold?

After a delayed flight, I managed to roll into Monterrey late Thursday night and fall right asleep. I woke up Thursday morning with a lot of bike work still to finish. Diamondback was launching the new Mission 27.5 and I was going to be riding one. The only issue was that they had just arrived. Verg and I laced wheels and built the entire bike Friday morning, finally finishing about halfway through my practice. I was able to grab a few quick laps before the 2 hour practice ended.

Verg lacing up wheels early on Friday morning.

The new bike was great and after a little bit of suspension tuning, I was feeling really comfortable on the bike. That's a good thing, since practice at Sea Otter is very limited. If you're racing dual slalom on Saturday, you don't get to practice downhill, so I had my two Friday runs, and Sunday morning before my race to get used to a brand new bike!

It wasn't THAT hard to get used to the new bike.

All of that got put on hold though for the best event of the weekend, the Sea Otter Dual Slalom! Slalom at Sea Otter is very competitive. I've never qualified for the finals, so that was my goal for the year. I could have prepared a little harder, but it's the only slalom race I do all season, so I don't worry to much about it. I had ridden my slalom bike a grand total of 1 day since Sea Otter last year.

Dual slalom weapon

Practice went well though, I had one small slide out, but was having fun. It's always crazy being on course with everyone else. There were multiple World Champs, National Champs, BMX Olympians, past slalom winners, Rampage champions, all on course. It can be an intimidating place to try and ride a bike! 

Looking from the start gate over Laguna Seca

I had two decent qualifying runs and when the dust settled, I looked at the results sheet and saw that I had made the finals! I was so excited to be able to ride with everyone and put my shoulder worries behind me. I was eliminated in the first round of the finals as I expected, but I didn't care. It was an honor just to be there.

2014 Slalom finals

Fast forward to Sunday and back to the downhill course. I was really feeling good on the new bike and did a bunch of practice runs because it was so much fun. A lot of people were trying to save their legs for their race runs, but I didn't care. Sea Otter isn't a true DH race, and I was having fun on my bike. My run was pretty clean, but I was spent from the whole weekend. I felt dead across the finish line and finish in the 30's somewhere. Not bad considering how many racers there were, but nothing to write home about either.

Charlie and I stopped in Aptos on our way back to San Jose.

Are you as excited for Sea Otter to be over as Colin? Nope, didn't think so.

All in all, I had a great weekend. Diamondback had a successful bike launch, I stayed healthy, everyone had fun. I can't wait to get home and look forward to some real DH action in Port Angeles!

-KT

Ruth's New Bike and The Otter

Ruth's birthday was last week and we spent the weekend camping on the coast. No photos from camping, but we did snap a few of her new road bike!

Fun fact: Her favorite meal is breakfast. I had our favorite cafe put a birthday candle in her pancakes and sing happy birthday! 

Diamondback Airen 3 Carbon Road bike.

As for now, I'm sitting in the airport waiting for my flight to the Sea Otter Classic in Monterrey California! Watch my facebook and Twitter feeds for updates from the weekend!

Shuttle to the airport.

My last view from the ground in Seattle. 

I'll see you all in Monterrey!

-KT

Tuesday Evening Sled Ride

A few weeks ago I picked up a 2007 Arctic Cat M1000. With the race season started, I haven't had a chance to ride it yet. I decided this was the time, I met up with Metzger after work on Tuesday and we headed for the hills.

Ready to ride!

 Luckily, it's only an hour from my office to the nearest Snopark, so we were riding with plenty of daylight. We spent all evening riding, climbed to the top of Mt Margaret for a 360 degree view, went to the radio towers, found the little camp shack and built a fire. We came back on the roads in the dark. It was an amazing way to spend a random Tuesday night.

Top of the world!

The weather was perfect today and the visibility was endless.

Overlooking Lake Keechelus

Selfie with Snoqualmie Pass ski area in the far background.

Side-hilling

Powder carves!

At the towers

The "Top of the World" picture is from the high peak in the far back of this photo

The little camp shack.

Seems legit!

 The shack is up there for public use and safety. It was a really fun place to rest and relax for a few minutes before heading back down to the truck.

Getting the fire going

 A note about the fire, it was actually pretty fun trying to get a fire started. I've built more campfires than I can count, but it was fun trying to build a fire on a whim and learn that if we needed to build one in an emergency situation, that we could survive.

Just enough room to hang out and warm up.

The ride back home.

I couldn't believe this was a normal "work" day. I ride bikes after work all the time, but doing something different like this was a great way to change up the program. So shut off Netflix and go outside and do something!

Until next time, spin your legs or pin the throttle!

-KT

Dry Hill

Race season is here! No matter how much off season training you've done, you always feel under-prepared. Not having a downhill bike for the winter, meant I didn't ride any downhill this winter. One of the most fun things to do in the "offseason" is to head over to the peninsula and shuttle some runs at Port Angeles.

Riding the ferry across the sound.

Looking at the schedule, I realized this was my only weekend I was able to head to Port Angeles before the Underworld Cup, April 18-20. A few phone calls later and Cam Hoefer, Kevin Littlefield, Ruth and I were driving to the ferry to go ride. This time of year is rainy and gray outside, but the best riding in the area is at Dry Hill, just outside of the Port Angeles. It's called Dry Hill because it is magically dry, while everywhere else is a torrential downpour.

This was the weather leaving Seattle...

... and this was the weather in Port Angeles.

  We arrived at the hill and met up with Scott Tucker for a run down of the new features to the hill. The first thing was very apparent, Casey now has an excavator. The new finish line berm got a make over and the last jump had the landing extended. Casey was up on the hill rebuilding the jump in the moto-whoops. It's now a huge table top, and been pushed back about 10-15 feet. It'll be a fun change and send you into the next section much faster!

New finish line berm in progress.

Lots of dirt!

finish line jump landing has been extended. It looks really flat in this photo, but it's much better in person.

 After checking out the changes, it was time to load up the truck. Since I don't remember where I live, I forgot to bring a mud fender. An empty water jug and a few zip ties later and we were ready for the hill!

So pro. It actually worked really well.

All loaded up and ready to ride!

Pro tip for keeping your seats looking good. A garbage back seat cover, really cheap, waterproof, throw away when you're done!

Ruthie having fun in the mud.

Bikes on the tailgate.

Cam following Kevin to the finish line.

We rode all day until we couldn't ride anymore. Living in the Northwest is amazing. I can't wait to see everyone out here in a few weeks for the first race!

Until next time...

-KT

Throw Back Thursday - Backflips

Jumping back to 2007-2008. If you've ever ridden a bike at a skatepark, you've been asked if you can do a backflip. A long time ago, I made it a goal to learn backflips. I did my first backflips into a foam pit and I'm really glad I learned that way. I landed on my head the first 10 times before finally getting them around.

After learning the motion in the foam, I went a few months before I could try again. Luckily, that winter had a massive snow storm. We lived across the street from a hardware store. With school closed, we walked over and bought enough wood for a jump and learned flips into a snowbank.

The first backflip I ever did!

Later in the day there was a little crowd

The first few times were into soft snow, once that became easy, we threw a piece of carpet on top of the snow and I was able to "ride" out the flip.

A few weeks later, I took a trip to Seattle and rode the now closed Skatebarn. After a few run ups and visualizations, I managed to flip my first wooden box!

Going upside down...

...and bringing it back around.

Lots of fun!

 I still do flips every now and then. They're a really fun trick and much easier than they look. One day I do want to flip off a drop. It's a really crazy feeling to start falling during the first portion of the flip.

Keep it upside down!

-KT