Looking down the barrel of a gun…

November 5, 2007 on 2:08 am | In Mountain Bike Racing |

….OK, maybe a tad dramatic on the title, but I did recently discover the best trail riding album of all time!

On Saturday, November 27th two BioWheels racers, Jeremy Hargroves & Kris Kjellquist, took on the 9th annual 12 Hours of the Hill of Truth in Oak Ridge, TN. Jeremy had gone out Friday night and secured the best camping/pit area on the course so we were in good shape from the start. The Kjellquist clan arrived early Saturday morning, popped up the BioWheels tent, and assembled the compound. Thankfully we wouldn’t need the work stand or tools all day and night!

The race started of with the firing of a cannon and a big paved road mass start. Being solo riders Jeremy and I both were not overly concerned with sprinting from the start. We both settled in to a good pace for the first three or four laps.

Jeremy’s main challenge for the win broke his frame on the first lap, so Jeremy was off to an early big lead. Unfortunately, this guy battled back, whittled away the lead for lap after lap, and would eventually take first and the solo victory. Jeremy kicked some serious butt and worked hard for 13 laps in a bit over 12 hrs!

I busted out some fast early laps, settled into a mid race pace, and eventually found out I was in 6th! I came into the race hoping for a top ten, but somehow thinking at a small race a top 5 finish might happen. Knowing I was in the hunt I stepped up the pace thanks to my iPod and The Beastie Boys’ ‘Paul’s Boutique’…..the greatest trail album of all time! Anyway, after 10 laps my wife & support, Ariane, informed me I was in 6th, but 5th was only 1 minute ahead! I dropped the iPod, hammered like it was Lap 1 and caught 5th at the top of a small climb. I finished the lap & prayed my nemesis wouldn’t go out for a 12th lap. He didn’t! I bit later I checked the results and found I had taken 4th!

My daughter Greta also raced in the ‘12 Minutes of the Hill of Truth’. Greta did two laps of single track on her Skuut bike, and won a pint glass for her efforts! Only milk or juice in that glass of course. She would also later entertain the campground in her Winnie the Pooh costume!

All in all, a great day for BioWheels who took 2nd and 4th, but more importantly had a ton of fun!