Funeral for a friend

The rain cleared out. The temperatures dropped to "comfortable". The sky was blue as blue can be. The trails were in the best shape I've seen them in years.

The crowds were bigger than any race

Our compound for the weekend

This is Florida?????

Soaking in the view

Hanging with my favorite peeps at my favorite overlook

The Saturday night farewell party was a raucous, fitting tribute to what's been called "the best race course in the Southeast", lasting into the wee hours of the morning. Sunday morning we woke to the discovery that the place is truely magical. Bikes grow on trees.



Around noon Sunday, we gathered for a final "parade lap". A group of 30, including many of the best riders in the state, headed out for one final lap at a casual pace. It was the group ride you dream about, where you never had to worry about the rider in front of you making that technical section. When we hit the Big Gulp section of Miller's Mile, many riders took the right turn up the toughest climb at Razorback. Others took the left turn bailout, but the gauntlet had been thrown. I turned right, followed by Greg Derosa. We danced up that climb like it was choreographed. That was the defining moment of a final lap that can only be described with one word: Magical.

I've gotta give a huge shout-out to Dave Berger at Gone Riding for single-handedly building the best race course in the Southeast. Many, many riders around here will never forget what you have done for this sport. I'm sure I'm not alone in wishing that you're not "twice bitten, thrice shy" and find another piece of land that will bring back the glory of Razorback.