OMG - this is going to be a quicky post but HOLY Toledo, the first race of the Oregon Super D series??? Ridiculous fun.  If you haven't been to Hood River, you better git after it.  The place is adorable, the food is amazing and the riding is freakin' crazy.

For the first in the series, the most technical of the 4 Super Ds was held at Post Canyon in Hood River, OR.  Complete with loose steeps, big berms, 400 feet of climbing, really steep downhills through the trees, a mandatory big drop (optional really big drop off a launcher ramp) and rock gardens, it was a downhillers dream.  For those of us more XC oriented it was  abit of a shock when it was wet but we quicky embraced it the day after when it dried.

I can't say they were super organized, check in was a nightmare but the shuttles were nice, if also slightly disorganized.  But, stick through the pain and enjoy the ride because baby, we will be back for more Post Canyon and more Oregon Super Ds throughout the season.  We really had a great time and for those that stayed, rumor has it that Syncline was also simply ridiculous amounts of "flies in your teeth" grins.

We also had the opportunity to meet some of the gals and ride up in the shuttle as well.  Was really a  fun experience to have a bus load of chicas run up the mountain gabbing about where they ride, who we all have in common as far as friends from near and wide.  Was especially nice to meet the Hermosa Tours girls - if you get into Hood River, definitely set up a shuttle with them.  Super-knowledgeable about the area riding and great riders themselves as well!


Pics look like all we did is eat but really I was so engaged in the riding and loving the whole experience that I was just a total slacker on any picture taking.  Way too focused on what we were riding to care about the pictures.  One dinner at a really great restaurant called Solstice across the river in Bingen, WA (see inset "stinging nettles pizza" - yes the bane of your spring riding is edible)  and then we had a great BBQ at the trailer with salmon burgers, brats, turkey burgers, salads, chicken tacos, and on and on and on with the food and of course our well-loved Georgetown Lucille and Manny's too.  So we ate well all weekend and we biked like maniacs. 

The Diamondback Sortie Blacks were amazing in the terrain.  In the mud (terrible, terrible clay-based mud) I was thinking maybe the Mission would be a better call but once it dried out the Sortie Blacks ate up everything dished out and the Wolverine Tires stuck to the trail perfectly.  Thanks Diamondback - really just gotta love those Sorties and we got tons of compliments and comments on the XTR build. 

As always the Lucille and Manny's from our awesome sponsors at Georgetown Beer was a fitting reward for a job well done.  No podiums but no injuries either.  We each came back with one or two things that we want to work on, among them, cornering, drops and skinnies.  Tons of fun with Ady, Virginia and Jenn as well as other friends and family that joined us over the weekend.  Great to also get to hang with Chicas Muertas riders Elie & Gretchen. Well done girls!

This weekend we're back at the XC stuff and headed to the Indie Series.  Next post will be results from that. Hope to see ya on the trails out there in Leavenworth!