(written 10/97)

The Vacaville Rockhopper Classic took place on October 25, 1997. We learned about the Classic from a local bike shop called Ray's in Vacaville. Matt had been shopping for a new bike and we were hitting up all the shops in the area. This guy at the shop told us about the race, and Matt and I decided to try it.
We tried to recruit others to join us, and my friend Mark was eager to try the race. This was perhaps the beginnings of Team Dode. We showed up on race day, and decided that perhaps this was a mistake . . .it was freaking cold. Although it was sunny out, there was a stiff wind blowing in the air. We confirmed our registration (got our free T-shirt) then began to imitate the others riders and began to warm up (or else we would've looked like true amateurs, just standing around). Not really like we knew what we were doing, we just started riding back and forth. Finally we just said screw it, and we went to our starting places on the line.
Well, well, looks like we were the first people on the line. Slowly people started filling in behind us. The announcer called out 20 mins. to start (we were in beginner 19-26) . . .10 mins to start. . .2 mins to start . . .1 min to start (I had to pee) . . .30 secs. to start (matt had to shit) and GO!
"Whooooohooo! Team Dode Rides again!" We shouted. Then immediately we we're dropped off the back. The course started out on a paved road, the hum of the tires, the gnashing of gears, the cursing of Mark and Matt; it was a sight to behold. As soon as we hit the first climb, the pretenders began to separate from the contenders. Matt immediately lost his chain on the first shift and went back into last, I passed Mark and then never saw the two of them again. The climb section immediately went in to a no brakes bomb of a downhill then in a climb to a plateau. Sketchy single track downhill deposited us onto fire road around a field. In this field they had built up 3 foot high mounds of dirt every 30 yards that they were calling jumps. Yeah right, you'd have to be hauling serious ass in order to catch any sort of air off these things. Everyone was just moderately humping over them. Back into the fast wooded single track, and then the crusher, Hamburger Hill. Matt and I had prerode the course the day before and this hill absolutely tapped us. So I just dropped into my granny, and slowly wound my way up the hill.
I was actually passing people! I rarely pass people in the climbs, usually only on the downhills and flats is where I shine, but here I was passing people (talk about ego boost). And into the rolling downhill single track. The problem about the Vacaville course was that for most of the year, its open for cattle grazing. This meant the single track was all rutted and torn up (Jeez, I needed a full suspension bike).

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