im done racing expert

todd wells says it best































im going to move up to pro, the experts cant keep up any more. i raced at brian head today, all the age groups started together, thats good it should be like that. like 50 guys and with the 1 speeds.





i was blasting the radio at 10,500 feet in this meadow for a pre race warm up. i wasnt riding around in the grass i was just rocking out to swedish egil on the radio he had the most kick ass house set pumping it was so cool nobody around except these guys




we raced at the same time as the pros so i didnt get any good pics, except this starting shot on the pavement.

last night was terrible, i raced this super D downhill. if you guys dont know what it is its mostly downhill with a cross country mix. its really hard and they started it like a normal race with 15 guys sprinting at 10,700 feet for the holeshot on the 1 track. i didnt do very good and got smoked. i felt like crap and 2 guys beat me. i couldnt pass them on the dh sections and i was pegged on the uphills and got shelled.
adam craig didnt even win and he still smoked me.

i was so pissed i almost went home last night. i wanted to dominate that race and i flailed. so i drove down to cedar and went to bed at a lower altitude.

i thought since i was already in town i should just try to race today and see what happened. the first 5 miles are on pavement or a super smooth dirt road.
thats fine also, it makes me find a good rythym up the climb. im still fat and got dropped but not too bad. jon gallagher on the 1 speed made it to the top first and i was in about 6th 30 sec. back.

the first climb takes about 20 mins and tops out at 11,000 feet. after that its a super cool dh for like 10 mins. then i let it rip, i passed everyone right quick and probably had a couple minutes lead at the bottom. it was rad i was on fire and ripping the trail apart hooking it up with the rains from last night the trail was in perfect cond.

i started catching pro women who started 15 mins ahead of us.
then the next climb was a dirt road, it was really smooth and all big ring so i pinned it and tried to win.

at the top it gets really steep, like granny gear steep. jepson from cedar caught me at the top and we were talking about last weeks 100 miler. since he got 3rd last week on the same trail we were racing on right then, anyway hes older and i know his wife from high school in st george. so we are racing fast at 11,000 feet and talking.

then the next dh started and i have never been on it. this dh rules its rocky as hell and muddy, roots rocks slippery its dark hollow and its like riding in vermont or back east some where. this trail was wet and i shredded it. jepson is long gone i dropped him fast. i had to get some more time so i ripped it so fast i was laughing. this trail is so hard to fast on and i was like tomac back in the day. passing pro women who are walking down it.

ya it was the best ever.
so now the trail joins on to the scout camp loop which i have ridden for years since 1989, and i know it pretty good. i ripped this downhill and knew i had about 20 mins to go and one last 10 mins climb. i kept hammering and jepson almost caught me but i beat all the experts for the win and he was only 10 seconds down.
good thing for the long downhills and my mad skills or i would have been hatin it.
and the semi pro 1st place was only 2 mins better than mine. i have to say they raced in muddier conditions but i dont care.

thats good motivation for me. my racing confidence has been non existent for 2 years. except the last few months its coming back.


i even saw epo shep free riding down on scout camp, he was cheering me on. we raced back in 1991 and ever since then i see him at the races and we do the high 5.


so this long story has a moral, dont go home if you feel crappy the day before. each day brings new things and you never know what can happen.