Sea Otter Adventure 2010: Day 3

Bottom line: The pro pump track is ready for tomorrow’s shaping/riding session. If you plan to help dig, let me know. See you out here tomorrow!

More details:

The best laid plans: I came to Sea Otter with a carefully spec’d track design, complete with detailed building reference points and full lamination. All the stakeholders had a chance to weigh in, everything was totally pro. But no …

The space is too narrow! We cannot use the plan — the one everyone agreed on.

So back to the sketch pad and computer, with people waiting and equipment running. It reminded me of my newspaper days: fully pinning the vector drawing program, tick tock, faster, Faster! I think (hope) I came up with a good compromise.

Kyle Ebbett drove the Bobcat. I directed. The dirt is all there: Tummy-high piles of clumpy potential.

Tomorrow we shape, pack, water and ride.

Random knowledge: At one point Kyle had to move a forklift. The starter spun but didn’t engage the engine. I crawled underneath and hit the starter with a hammer. That loosened the solenoid, and the machine fired right up.

Pump Track Nation: The pro track is closed to everyone except the invited elite, but there’s also a very cool public track. It’s more of a pump park, with lots of line options. We sessioned it a bit after work, and it’s super fun. Jeff Frost, the man with the Sea Otter plan, says pump tracks are the future out here.

The usual characters are at it. Keith DeFiebre is building the dual slalom (sick!), and Wild Bill Roussell is dialing in the downhill. Oh man I want to ride, but I have “real” work to do here on the Interweb.

It’s my first day on the ground. Should I already be this tired?