The Heat Was On at Welch

By Seth Bell

2007 MNSCS #7 - Metric Auto Parts Welch MTB Jam

Sun, August 12, 2007

Welch Village, Welch, MN

Heat and humidity greeted the participants of MNSCS race #7 at Welch Village Ski Area on Sunday, and the race course was.... gooey.... from the previous night's rain storm. Since Welch Village isn't open to mountain bikers regularly, there isn't much for actual single track trails, and most of the race was fought on the grueling, steep and shade-less slopes of the ski runs and wide, washboard access roads. The combination of heat, hellish climbing and glue-like mud in some areas made it quite a challenge for everyone.

The men's Sport class race was 2 1/2 laps, approx. 12 miles. The race was a mass start, all 94 of us, and the opening climb up one of the ski runs did a fine job of sorting out the crowd. There was a bit of single track with some logs to ride over and under in between climbs, but time for recovery was very minimal. There were a few places on the course where short, steep climbs were too greasy to ride, and some of the ski run climbs were too much for many to ride up, singlespeeders and geared riders alike; and I did a lot of running (and swearing) up some of those. Team NI Spin landed a podium place with my hour and thirteen minute struggle for second place (both in the singlespeed class and overall).

Also of mention, my good friend and former co-worker Mike Campbell from Rockwell raced in the Sport class as well, and finished 76th overall and 24th in age class, respectively. He also drove to and from Welch, allowing me to doze off and drool all over myself on the way home, and was patient enough to stop for me to get coffee a couple times.

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