PLATTEKILL SKI RESORT, NYCatskill mountains are NW of NYC a bit, but it seems like a world away. Small little isolated towns with an old saying "When you have two rocks for every dirt, you are in the Catskills." Dunno. Country folk love old sayings, and mowing lawns it would seem:) Lotta grass everywhere. It's been so wet though that the riding lawnmowers are resting. I still don't understand why more east coasters don't get goats, maybe I can be a goat sales person in my next life- pitch sustainabilly-ty? Bad joke.
We are in Margaretville this week staying in an old colonial house with a stream out the back, pretty nice and restful. Not much to do really; Done a few laps of the town, rode around, found a gravel parking lot and made some turns and ruts:) The Venue at Plattekill is a familiar one from last year. We raced this exact track even. Went up the lift to go peep everything out, primo dirt today for the track walk. It has been pouring and pouring, but with half a day of sun, perfection.
We are ready to get after it tomorrow for practice. They changed a few minor things, like in the connector sections. It's nice to come back to here with more experince racing DH to directly compare. Wish Tracy Moseley was here, and Buhly, but I'll have my chance in Scotland to battle T-Mo again.Buhly is doing just 4x at World CUps. Maybe the US open for DH? Dunno.
Turnout- Trek is here again- Gwin, Leov, Neko, Bryn is here and Lars and I for TR , Heard rumour of Giant making a cameo?Riffle and neethling?, Specialized US riders Keene and Brad Benedict, Team DDR ie COdy Warren, Bubba Warren, JD, Memmelar, etc. Yeti National team; Immer , Eliot, and Richie Rude. Joey Schusler is healing up and almost ready to race. He's been stationed on the Joey-Cam filming the yeti boys for now. Um, Brian Buel and that crew, Grahme Pitts was winning pre practice today, KHS cronies were "saddled up". All ride Austin. Just kinda the USusal USA crew of fun and talented gravity bicycle riders.
Good vibe at these events. Hopefully we get some kind of relief form the weather. I have not raced a dry race since Windham last year!!! Even snowed on me in Australia!! Dry is a luxury.