Yeti Spring Series #2 – Nathrop, CO

Last week’s 4X race: Fun course, cool people, stunning scenery and nice weather. That’ll do.

The scene

Keith Darner’s ranch is a little piece of heaven. Cows range over vast acreage, eating what they like and paying the bills with their carcasses. Keith currently has two 4X courses, a couple lines of dirt jumps and an almost complete dual slalom course. What a cool scene. And Keith runs the Yeti-RPM development team, which is extra cool. Keith is the guy I want to be when I grow up.

As always, it was a who’s who of Front Range racer folk. We had a few riders from The Fix, and Mojo Wheels sent out an orange army. Mojo has a rumored 77 riders on its team — crazy. It’s great to see a thriving scene. Something like 120 racers showed up in the middle of basically nowhere. That’s just awesome considering nationals rarely get that many amateurs.

Everyone had a great time practicing and racing — and everyone was allowed to play on Crispy and session the dirt jumps between motos. It’s just a great scene. Inexpensive, beautiful and very bro’.

Lots of riders, dogs, jumps … and orange Mojo jerseys.

The guy with the best technique just happens to be wearing a Yeti-RPM jersey. Having Keith as a mentor (and this place to practice) can’t hurt.

Hot Sport class action. This is the second corner.

Fun section. Amazing view.

I’ll take mine Extra Crispy

We raced the Extra Crispy course this time. Compared with Crispy, Extra Crispy is less BMX, with some flat turn action and some bigger jump action. I’d also say it criss-crosses the slope a bit more, so there’s more pedaling. Both courses are super fun.

It goes a little like this:

Set up in the gate. Mt. Princeton looks so damn cool out yonder, but you must focus. At least for 35 seconds or so. Snap! Pedal pedal pedal over a little step-up roller, then fold left into a flat turn. Flick your bike toward the mammoth right berm, and as you do so, boost the step-down double. Land and … whoosh through the berm. OK, now think: roller, dip, table, double rollers — jump to the table, then manual the rollers, and rip into the big 180 left. Braaaaap! Relax: medium double, short step-up (don’t overshoot it!), medium double into 180 right. Pedal! Suck up the big BMX double-table, then rail the 90-degree left. Pedal! Step up to a little backside, then pedal over the rest of the mega triple-table. Pedal! Rail the fast 90-degree left. Pedal! Six pointy rollers: double, manual, pump or whatever. Sneak in one more crank and you’re done. [APPLAUSE]

Peter was a BMX champ in the Czech Republic. And he RIPS!!!

Bobbi “Snap!” Watt did her usual: buried everyone out of the gate then spread rose petals along the course.

Go TJ! The Yeti Factory team member and nice guy mixes it up with Matty T. Note the dude on the ground.

Jr. Ex phenom Joey Schusler, only minutes after getting his bell rung hard.

Action!

Ross Milan handled pro men. Bobbi Watt made short work of pro/expert women. I qualified 19th in pro/semi, then I got waxed in the first round. I hoped Jon Watt would make his semi-annual mistake during that run, but not this time. It just makes me want to get faster, so I can stay in it longer.

The third and final Yeti Spring Series race happens May 13 and 14. XC/STXC on Saurday; 4X on Sunday. www.rpmcycling.org

There were SO MANY Mojo Wheels riders, this was a pretty common site. That kid on the inside is going for it!

Jon Watt (in front) and I (in back) have almost identical SXes. Why does his go so much faster?

Pro main: Ross Milan, who declined a full Yeti Factory ride to take care of his little boy, does the sort of thing that makes sons proud.

After I got eliminated, at least I could hang with bros in the shade of a big white van. Hollow comfort!