Results 1999

It was hard to believe, sitting in the incredible wild and gorgeous woods on the flank of North Mountain, that the weatherman would be correct. It was warm, sunny, and besides, it had rained (hard) last year.

Before the first drops would fall at about 5AM Sunday morning, the camping core in the set up field would experience the wrath of hundreds of teenages  experiencing their first dozens of beers whooping, hollering, and good-naturedly tipping the portajohns. All night.

When the rain finally DID begin, with a vengence, the portajohn wasn't so much turned over, as it was gone. Yep, they stole the porta john. And, it was raining hammers, it was raining nails...

It was hard to believe that with the consistency and intensity of the moisture falling from the now deep grey Dragon's Back sky, that by 3 that afternoon there'd be sun, and lots of it. It was equally hard to believe, that within that nasty arena, that anyone in their proper mind would show up.

But show up they did! The field was stronger than last year, despite being flanked by 3 other races, 2 of them series openers (Cane Creek to the south, WVMBA to the west).

With as many East Coasters Virginia State Championship victories as one attendee has, it was hard to believe this was his FIRST Dragon's Back. Chris Eatough drove the long haul to come down and shatter Ashley Powell's record from '98 by nearly 5 minutes! The Trek rider felt the heat from arears as Raleigh, NC's Charlie "rider on the" Storm challenged valiantly, with Roanoke's  comeback man of the year, Charles Stanley, right there within firing range. All top 3 men, in fact, slayed the '98 course record! Chad Davis (Lynchburg) turned in his best Dragon's Back ride yet, coming in 4th. Joel Maynard (Blacksburg) followed closely, also notching his best ride on this sometimes daunting course (certainly, the CONDITIONS were daunting).

Susan George came down on form and clocked a decisive women's expert victory. As last year's series runner-up, Sue is on top and running hard.

Defending champion Adam Childers (Roanoke) put the hammer down and never looked back, putting time and points on perennial junior expert sparring partner, Summer Welch (dnf), and a strong Woods Water and Wheels man, Ryan Hobbs. Hobbs improved his time on the Dragon by nearly 30 minutes, however!

In the Sport class, Robbie Cornett shattered Dwayne Jordan's '98 record by nearly five minutes, as well! David Nguyen, in the Beginner 2 class, exclaimed "Finally, a win!" as he crossed the line in first place.

The women's sport class was all-new with a couple of women named Molly (Whalen wins, Stout, second).

Beginners numbers were up this year, and that's good. Remember that beginners racing in their very first race, race free.

So the day wound up fabulously, weather wise, and race-wise, with no major injuries and   warm soup at the finish. Thanks to all who came, endured, and hopefully took home a fine memory. Thanks to all who helped make it happen. The support really makes us look kinda like we know what we're doing.

If I had my druthers, though, I'd like to bury the Dragon's Back rain tradition right now...

5 3:30:57 Binge Brent 18