Fort Custer Stampede

So I'm borrowing a Foundry Tomahawk for the 6 hours at Stoney Creek this upcoming weekend, and thought, what better way to get used to the bike and to make sure it fits than to race at the Fort Custer Stampede the weekend before?

I am falling in love with this bike!!

I caught a ride down to the race with Steve Bartzen from the Farm Team and was really excited for the race. While debating whether I should race cross or mountain for the weekend, a lot of people gushed about how awesome Fort Custer was. Danielle told me it was similar to Merrell (she lied) and someone else told me it was like Luton (another lie). *UPDATE: Danielle told me Stoney Creek was similar to Merrell, I was just not paying attention. ;)

I did hear from a lot of people that it was collaboratively a favorite, and I was finally sold on Fort Custer when I remembered that I would be riding the Foundry Tomahawk for six hours in front of my family... It would make sense to see how it handled on dirt, wouldn't it? Day before the stampede was spent hanging out at the Spoke Folk's Kickstand Kickoff event and rolling around town before heading home to swap some of my own parts on to the new toy. I put the same saddle, grips and bars on the bike that I had been using all winter to fat bike race on and figured that would help me to transition to the new bike smoother. I was a little worried that the 2.3" wide, 650b wheels would throw me off. The last month I had been riding exclusively 29" tires and a big no-no before a race is to change part of your routine--and here I was changing my whole bicycle! I guess I like to keep it challenging. 

Racing to fix flats at the Kickstand Kickoff

Once we got to Fort Custer I unloaded the bike and started rolling around the parking lot on it. Not only was I riding a bike I had never tried on dirt before, but I was also riding tubeless tires and as embarrassing as it is, I had no idea what tire pressure to run. I settled on a psi similar to what I keep my single speed 29er at (40psi... wrong! so wrong! too firm!) and before I could ask anyone it was time to line up! 

I felt better about my tire-choice when I looked around and saw that the other girls racing in the Expert category with me either had 650b or 26" wheels. It was time to go, I started pedaling and I was the second female in to the single track and I felt good about the race. Until we got to some more technical swoopy, fast-paced, in-and-out type stuff, which is where I am inexperienced and not that fast. The third place woman caught up to me after I hit this portion of the trail and passed me. I didn't let it discourage me and I kept spinning on. The race felt more like a fun ride to me on the Foundry Tomahawk and I'm pretty sure that if someone could have heard me laugh over all of the drops and roots that they would have thought I was a crazy person! Rolling over all of those things on my single speed usually has my arms sore and my back a little achey. Riding a carbon frame with front suspension over everything was incredibly comfortable and I couldn't believe what I had been missing out on. More big drops, some tight and twisty stuff, followed by riding uphill over some roots. Yeah, it was a lot more technical of a trail than I was used to, but I was having a blast figuring out how a smaller diameter wheel could help me dodge more obstacles! The two main thoughts running through my head the entire first lap were "Why isn't this trail closer to home?" and "why haven't I tried this bike before?!" Fort Custer is so much fun. I was actually sad when I headed back out for my second lap. I was already choosing better lines than on my first pass through, and I just kind of wanted the chance to really peg down all the tough spots. I guess now I'll just have to make time to head down there more frequently to ride!

Jack caught me having a blast on the trail.

I finished the race in third place and was really happy with how my legs had held up. My body wasn't sore, my hands weren't blistered, and I felt like I could have gone out for another lap. I am seriously so stoked that I get to ride this same bike so soon on the other side of the state! Plus, I get to road trip out there with my favorite bike race travel buddy, Danielle Musto! Yesss!! 

I can't wait to ride Fort Custer again!