Budu #1: Dash Point

This year's Budu Westside Series opened up with a new venue, Dash Point State Park, and April weather that somehow lost it's place in time and ended up in February. Azure skies, brilliant sunlight, temperatures pushing 60 degrees, and the mountain bike season opener; is there a better way to spend a Sunday? A whopping 17 bad-ass GL6ers turned out. We had racers show their stuff in nearly every category!

A few of us had ridden the course earlier in the week and the ride report was ominous; mud bogs, slick turns, slippery roots, logs and bridges, tire-eating mud. Much to our relief, the boggy, muddy trails had dried out significantly during the pervious days' unseasonably awesome weather. The race started at the beginning of the campground, winding around the sites before entering a wide section of singletrack, which allowed riders to gather speed and sort themselves out. Riders were greeted soon enough by tight turns, short, steep sections, and a few log-rolls. Climbing was dished out in short, lung-busting bursts, and halfway through the course on the aptly named "Technical Trail," riders had to navigate through a couple tight spots, over slick roots and some tricky log bridges, which thankfully were covered in wire mesh to improve traction. "The Downhill" gave riders a little breather before spitting them back out on "Log Jam" for another lap.

We had a solid showing, including two first place finishes. Erica Keller took it for Women's Singlespeed and Kyle Curtin rocked Sport U-18. Even for those not bringing back a podium finish, it was great to see everyone in the mountain biking community once again. Bring on Budu #2: Black Diamond and the 2010 season!

GL6 Results

Beginner Women 30-39

Theresa Nation, 5th

Sport U-18

Kyle Curtin, 1st

Sport Women 30-39

Kerry Tarullo, 2nd (based on time, miscategorized in Mens)

Erin Roe, 5th

Sport SS Women

Erica Keller, 1st

Sport Men 30-39

Edward Vergara, 14th

Sport SS Men

Todd Davison, 7th

Lee Peterson, 9th

David Snyder, 11th

Expert Women 30-39

Courtney Anderson, 3rd (1 to go)

Expert Women 40+

Michelle Kautzmann, 4th (mechanical)

Rachel Delateur, 5th (1 to go)

Expert Men 30-39

Jamey Poelker, 11th