Sunday, January 17, was the first round of the
Charlotte Sports Cycling Winter Short Track Series. The home of the 5-race series is Renaissance Park, featuring a 3/4 mile course designed and maintained by the Tarheel Trailblazers. At least half the course is singletrack, and the Trailblazers packed a lot of character in a short stretch of trail, including several banked turns, a whoop-de-doo section, and a short but very challenging swtichback climb culminating in a rock step at the top. The course was neutralized on this morning, however, by the deluge of rain that fell overnight. Several sections of the course were turned into thick mud, and drivetrain and traction problems plagued racers all day.
I entered the singlespeed division. Above, I'm coming out of the singletrack section on my first lap and heading up a doubletrack service road toward the start-finish area of the course. Kit still white and blue, bike still green.
Cresting the top of the short hill after jumping over the rock step.
Sprinting through the singletrack section.
More singletrack goodness.
My grimy Redline Monocog 29er, ready to hit the showers.
Is there an age at which playing in the mud stops being fun? Despite my strangely anxious expression, the race was a blast. I finished 10th in the singlespeed division, and I am still getting dirt out of my ears.
I entered the singlespeed division. Above, I'm coming out of the singletrack section on my first lap and heading up a doubletrack service road toward the start-finish area of the course. Kit still white and blue, bike still green. 
Cresting the top of the short hill after jumping over the rock step.
Sprinting through the singletrack section.
More singletrack goodness.
My grimy Redline Monocog 29er, ready to hit the showers.
Is there an age at which playing in the mud stops being fun? Despite my strangely anxious expression, the race was a blast. I finished 10th in the singlespeed division, and I am still getting dirt out of my ears.
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