Some value a good time more than others. Similarly, some value the simplicity of the outdoor life; camping, hiking and mountain biking. No introduction needs to be made because we all know what is to come. A new mountain bike season is upon us. Do you know where your emergency contacts are? In typical race report fashion, I will organize a timeline. At 5:30 pm Friday we met in front of Kelly hall. After some brief catching up (you know, the whole how was the past 10 months of your life bit) we witnessed a fireworks show by the team pyrotechnican/ pedophile, Najeeb Qutub. By 6:30 we had the autos packed and were on the road again Willie Nelson style… well minus the medical stuff. There were three drivers in all, Dan Chewbacca Moyer, Justin Sandbagging 10th place finish Kline, and Father Kevin Verling of the Philadelphia Archdiocese. I don’t know where you may stand (or even sit for that matter) but the driving is always the best part, especially when I’m not doing it. Sitting for a long time causes legs to fall asleep. For some strange reason physical activity does the same to me. I just can’t figure that one out. Somewhere on Interstate 287 we caught our first glimpse of the full moon. Who knew it had hair? Further North we picked up I-90 in Massachusetts and in the blink of an eye, a very, very long one, we arrived at the campsite with a fist full of bottle rockets only to find a sign stating “NO FIREWORKS ALLOWED”. So we quickly stashed them in Moyer’s gas tank to avoid unnecessary harassment from the fuzz. In the time it takes a 1995 Ford Taurus S-HO to explode we had camp set up and were in bed to catch the sunrise. At 10:00 am Saturday morning we awoke still tired. (is that possible? Yes) After a short debate/debacle we decided to head a few miles North to the South Eastern coast of Maine where if you have an extra 2.5 million bones (or clams-- or whatever you may call them) you can buy a Double-wide trailer home on a beachfront lot that is slowly sinking into the Atlantic Ocean. And we though Sea Isle City was over priced. The weather was great, the scenery would inspire an artist and the people made the whole day, those New England accents are pretty amusing. For dinner some of us had lobster rolls that were big enough to feed an army (of ants). Then we saw something that changed our lives. It was something so special it could only be gazed at. Looking at it directly would blind you or make you vomit uncontrollably. It was a jacket patch; or was it a sticker? The gentleman selling it assured us it was both (I told you this thing was mystical). It was as big as a playing card. Visualize a 1976 Kentworth with rainbow paint driving on a road paved with clouds that was obviously running on some type of alternate fuel because flames were billowing from the twin stack exhausts. Above this 18 wheeler was the saying NEVER LOOK BACK. That saying may explain how both Dan Moyer and Justin Kline blocked their ways to such good finishes. It may also explain why 37 troopers from 3 states were following us by the time we crossed the New Hampshire state line. Well maybe that part didn’t happen. We returned to the campsite where we all became better acquainted with our team’s two newest members; Phaedra and Lauren. A campfire will make a conversation flow. It will also singe leg hair when you stand in it. Most of us were in bed by 12:00 am and we were up for the race at 6:00 am. The site was packed and after a few sets of synchronized U-turns (we got lost for once, not like that ever happens on the way to a race) arrived at Kingman Farms for the race. The course flows as follows: It’s a start on a grass field, into some single track, then back to some grass, next lots of tree routes, a misleadingly technical uphill, and finally a very fast wide open fire road downhill where if you’re lucky enough you can approach the speed of sound, that is if your lucky enough to have one of them Christini Two-wheel Drive (TM, C, and R) bikes. Results went as follows unofficially: Men’s B – Justin K/10th, Women’s B – Lauren/8th, Men’s C – Moyer/11th, Place/23rd, Ondik (my twin brother)/25th, and Verling/DNF, but two flats can do that. All and all we made a heck of a showing. I think business will pick up as the season progresses and people get back from vacations. It was a ton of fun and no one was seriously hurt so that’s a definite plus. As always big thanks has to go out to Nat and Beth for coming along to cheer us on and help with spotting. The ride home was as smooth a Sunday night could be. No big jams and we made great time. Next week we move on to PSU for what could be Drexel’s first win ever in DS with Dan Moyer taking up a new type of riding. Start the presses because I’m done. Thanks for the time you can keep the dime.