how many times i've been to castlewood? i first raced there in january of 1989. it was pretty customary for mtn bike races to run all through the winter in those days. we did the very basic course, since, well, there was only a basic course. field, up cardiac, along grotpeter, down hairy switchbacks, repeat. my bike had cables routed under the bb, as most did, and a few times through some semi frozen water caused them to freeze so i didn't really have much in the way of shifting. i got second, or third, i don't remember. it was the first time i had ever been to castlewood. actually, i had never heard of it before i drove there to race that day. i still remember pulling my raleigh seneca out of the trunk of my '77 granada, looking at all the nice bikes on roof racks. i stayed in the car until the promoters told us to line up to race. it was just too cold for me.
since then, castlewood has emerged as the ubiquitous mtn bike park. it sure was today, at least. it was a gorgeous day and there were a hundred people there, i bet. walkers, hikers, dogs, bikers. still, i went for a long, hard ride. i went back to blue ribbon, then out for a common lonewolf, cardiac, ranger station loop, and repeat. it took 2:10, and i was bushed.
at the end, i saw my good friend matt and his wife liz. at the same time, my old friend brett pulled up on his 2000-vintage homegrown, looking exactly the way he raced it in 2000. it was nice to talk to friends, even if i was half-delirious. glad i went.
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