Racing through the Holiday

This Sunday will kick off a new race in Sisters, Oregon... the Sisters Stampede.  If you have never been to Sisters, just know that it's a very small town that hosts a rodeo every year.  The rodeo may be small in stature, but the turnout is enormous.  Believe it or not I have yet to go, but each year it's on my list of things to do...so who know maybe this year will be the year.

Anyways, back to biking right.  The course will travel over the recently revised Peterson Ridge Trail consisting of one loop of 35 miles ( I believe).  The course will offer exceptional views of the Three Sisters mountain range (probably the best views in Oregon), not that I will have time to soak them in, and should be mostly singletrack.  I say should because I have not had the opportunity to pre-ride the course.

The race starts and ends at the Three Creeks Brewery... :-).  I know what I'll be doing for my warm-up and cool down.  Lots of festivities happening post venue including the Moon Mountain Ramblers,  always a local favorite band, and I'm sure some sampling from the brewery.

This race will be the first race on the new BMC FS01 frame which I swapped parts from my other bike.  I can notice the added stiffness and lightness to the frame compared to my '08 version of the FS01.

The frame is nearly 100% carbon, including the dropouts.  It utilizes a bolt on front derailleur tab (aluminum), and a threaded bottom bracket sleeve (aluminum).  The headtube is a bit beafier, and the cable routing is the cleanest I have seen.  I've decided to run the Ergon GA1 grips for the Sisters Stampede race.

With all the cold temps and rain we have had lately, the trails are in prime condition.  Usually at this time of the season the trails are very dry and dusty.  These are the kind of conditions all "off-roaders" hope for.  Temperatures are supposed to rise into the 70's for race day, so there should be plenty of smiles all day.