The Griffins

Hello Everyone,

Matt Here,

I just finished my first summer session at Clemson and I'm just now decompressing! As promised, I thought I'd give you all a little update on my racing season so far. Unfortunately, due to school, I haven't been able to attend as many events as I would like to, but I'll just have to chalk it up as differred gratification.

VA State Championships, Massanutten Ski Area, Harrisonburg VA, May 7-8:
This was my first official race of the season, and its alway a favourite. 2 years ago, I won the VA state championship here, and the course is just a little over 3 minutes of fun, top to bottom. From the start, there is a high speed boulder garden, the middle section is tight, rooty singletrack with fast, sweeping bermed turns, and the final section is a super high speed rock garden, filled with loose "baby head" rocks. All day longduring practice, I was feeling solidly fast on my brand new Specialized Demo 8 race bike. I was having a great race run, and I knew it. I think I got a little bit too comfortable right through the last rock garden, within sight of the finish when I got knocked off line, over the handlebars, and into the woods down below. I clamoured back up the hill, back onto my bike to salvage the remains of my race when I realized that my stem had twisted and my handlebars were now sideways, rendering my bike all but unrideable. I limped my poor crashed up bike across the finish line, and brooded. I left with mixed emotions. Yes I crashed, but when the final results were posted, I ended up being only 11 seconds off the win. So. All I had to do was stay on the bike and cruise on into the finish for a win, but I crashed. Sure the fastest racer stays on his bike, but I knew I had what it took. (And I had a ton of fun!!)

US Open, Vernon New Jersey, May 27:
This event has been growing exponetially for the last 4 years. It's held at the mountain creek ski resort in the little town of Vernon NJ. I have always heard what a great venue this is, with an awesome course, well organized promotion, and an atmosphere to match. It was a 13 hour drive from sunny South Carolina to Dirty Jersey, but it was worth every mile.
I raced the pro class for the first time, which meant that I was lining up with the same guys that I watch in the videos and read about in the magazines. Its pretty intimidating when you hear one of those freight trains come clattering down the trail behind you! This course was the real deal. The whole top half was a crazy rock garden, with a collection of some of the biggest, greasiest, and steepest rock lines that I've ever ridden. The last half was a little bit tamer, but really high speed as you went through what reminded me of a luge track in the olymics, except made out of dirt. It was really fun! I went into the event not expecting much out of myself, due to the quality of my competion, so needless to say, I don't even know what place I got. The resort is entirely dedicated to downhill mountain biking throughout the summer, so after the race, we rode all kinds of different downhill trails all day long until our arms fell off.

NORBA National #2, Sugar Mountain North Carolina, June 10:
I've always thought of Sugar Mountain as being my "home course". I've grown up racing the annual "Showdown at Sugar" race, so it was really a surprise to find out that Sugar Mountain had been added as a venue in the most elite series in the US, the NORBA National Championship Series. Everyone wondered whether or not old Sugar Mountain would be able to pull it off on the national stage, but I think everyone agreed that they made a great first impression! Anyway, the course was superb, with all kind of features from top to bottom. It had tight twisty stuff, fast open stuff, really steep stuff, roots, rocks, mud, jumps, mud, big drops, and mud. This being my "home course", I was surprised by what a hard time I was having during practice. I was crashing everywhere! Come race time, I knew I had to get myself together. As soon as I left the start gate, and made it through the first rock section, I knew I had something to work with. I kept building my momentum, rode smart and clean, and when I crossed the line, they announced over the PA that I was the new leader! My time held and I ended up winning! It felt great to beat people from all over the country, PA, CA, VA, on my old home track!

Next weekend, I'll be going to Wilkesboro NC for a fun little local race at a place called Dark Mountain. It sound really imposing, like some place in Lord of the Rings, but its actually a really tame course with a refreshing lake right at the finish line! I've almost got Olivia talked into racing the course just for kicks, so you guys should tell her she better not disappoint! After that I have one more at Snowshoe West Virginia that I'd like to go to.