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California State XC Series #3 |
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Team Bikeman -
Race Reports
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Written by R. Jorgensen
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Thursday, 24 May 2007 |
California State XC Series #3
Castaic Lake, CA
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Castaic Lake, northwest of Los Angeles is part of the State Water Project that transfers northern cal water to those that really need it. Castaic Dam is 425 feet in height, the surrounding terrain is hilly. Our race venue starts in the lower Lagoon area, runs thru a chicane,an out/back straight and up and onto the switchbacks. An almost level section allows one to glance over the spillway, top of the dam and portions of the 29 miles of shoreline. The course falls off the ridge so we can climb back up and then we are rewarded with a couple hundred yards of single track.
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Down a series of switchbacks to the boat launch and then along a cove or two filled with Sunday fishermen. A large climb up above Dam height and a combo singletrack fireroad descent to the final climb out more switchback (again above dam height).
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So before the final downhill a little math: Two laps@ 6.5 less 1.3 of relatively flat miles, 3 climbs in excess of the dam Dam (figuring about half up and half down that's 5280 X 2.6= 13,728 Divided by 1,350 = 10.16% grade), and then the final descent on single track that was recently disturbed by the likes of a Caterpillar doing it's normal May fire prevention work , so it's no wonder that I finished but without the grit and determination to place. Thankfully, the children's race was short and sweet, and I left the single speed home. Thanks for the product lines: Lake shoes, Lazer helmets. Just unpacked the Greyhound Juice and Slick Willy Lube.
Roger
 
 
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