2008 Bountiful Bomber

For some reason, after all the stress / damage / chaos / rocks / successes of Angel Fire, I was more freaked out by the Bomber than I should have been.

The "B" course is at the opposite end of the spectrum from Angel Fire. Where AF was mostly technical, with only a few high-speed spots, the "B" is full of wide open high speed runs. Some tight tree sections, pinch flat alley (a fire road with lots of rocks), some (a LOT) super steep full-brakes-still-sliding sections, a rocky canyon, and doubles/berms complete the course.

Coming out of the rocky/sandy canyon and almost to the finish. In fact, the last few years races finished right at the jump we instead turn around:




It's good to be able to race so many different courses, to become a more well rounded rider, eh?

Of course, the morning of the race, in practice I finally flatted in Pinch Flat Alley. Hauling at full speed, when the tire flatted and rolled under, the bars turned and I super-manned myself on my belly into the rocks and dust. Shrug, oh well.

The Bomber is in the "best of two runs" format, and in my first run I just wasn't focusing. In fact, going through some steep sandy corners, I actually thought to myself "you need to start caring if you want to do well." Last place that run...

Second run I was more inspired, grin, and by cutting out two course mistakes (the third, going off course, I did both runs, oops) shaved 14 seconds off my first time, to pass last place and finish in third, only 8 seconds off of Connie's 2nd place pace! Yay!

Addie slaughtered us by half a minute, but hey, that's closer to her than I usually am, so no complaining here...

Connie and I below: (the pic with Addie has me making a horrific face, and no, you don't get to see it!