Spring Driving School

The Rocky Mountain Chapter of BMW CCA Spring Driving School was the last Sunday in May. After having a blast at the fall school I was determined to go, even though a hectic week and The Burn mountain bike race on Saturday had me running a severe sleep deficit. When I woke up at 4:30am Sunday morning for the 2.5 hour drive to Pueblo I was beyond tired. I had packed the car 5 hours earlier so all I had to do was turn the key and keep it pointed between the white lines in the pre-dawn hours. I've done plenty of 24 hour mountain bike races over the years and have a good idea of how I operate in stressful situations on reduced sleep. My plan was to pay close attention to my fatigue level throughout the day, be conservative, and drive a notch or two slower than normal. Plus, I would take no shame in sitting out a session or two if I needed to.

I had just mounted a fresh set of Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 tires, a favorite for track and autocross. The drive down to Pueblo would be a good opportunity to get a feel for them. The Sunday morning roads were deserted and I was well south of Denver as the sun broke over the horizon. Just south of Castle Rock I met up with a red E30 M3, who I stayed with for the rest of the drive. We made it to Pueblo with plenty of time for me to medicate with a large Starbucks before the check in.

Fresh Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Tires



After checking in at Pueblo Motorsports Park I set up my pit. Driving school is a busy day so the more you can do ahead of time the less hectic it is. After my pit was dialed I met up with some familiar faces from last fall including Jim with his black Mitsubishi Evo MR, Dan the club president and one of my previous instructors, and some new friends like Jeff who was pitting next to me in an E90 335xi and Kristina and Jeff who have a brand new M3.

My Pit



Morning at the Track



Kristina's M3 and Jim's Evo



Before cueing up for our first class and track sessions Andrew gave us a witty introduction followed by Bruce’s safety briefing. In the background the front straight was already busy with instructor cars warming up the track. Mark, who I met briefly at Starbucks, was my first instructor. He drives an S54 powered M3. I let him drive the first couple laps to show me the line. It came back quick, but I didn't push it once I got in the driver’s seat. Instead, I tried to focus on being smooth and driving the line.

Andrew Welcoming Us to the School



The Safety Briefing



Instructor Cars Warming Up











Track Session 2
(Caution: I was going to edit all of my footage into a nice short video, but my 8 year old computer won't run my editing software so you'll have to deal with unedited Hero Cam clips and poor sound - MUTE VOLUME)



Before the second session Dan introduced me to Brad who would be my instructor for the rest of the day. Brad has a track prepped E36 M3 that he drives with enviable precision. We spent the second track session working on smoothness, steering, and shifting. For the most part my line was good, but driving slower was affecting my smoothness. As odd as it sounds sometimes I think it's easier to go fast because there is less time to think about your decisions, you just do it. This was most notable in my braking. I was still “street braking”, braking too early and too light. My steering also needed attention. I was all over the wheel and gripping it way too tight. In normal driving, flying, and even mountain biking I tend to keep a light grip on the wheel to allow more finesse and feedback. Maybe I was nervous, maybe it was too much Starbucks, but the tight grip had to go! Brad set me straight and showed me a good hand position. I learned something else too. The M steering wheel has two extensions on the inside of the wheel just above 3 and 9 O'clock. I always thought these were palm grips, but they are for your thumbs. Later during an instructor drive Brad showed me how through a good hand position you can feel how much the front tires are hooking up. Compared to my worn out Michelin Pilot Sport’s the fresh Dunlop’s had gobs of hook up and were super predictable.

Brad Driving During the Instructor Drive
Notice his hand position and how well he drives the line.
(Poor sound - mute volume.)



As the day progressed I became limited by my inability to heel-toe shift. Heel-
toe downshifting is a technique where you use your right foot to brake and blip the throttle at the same time. It allows you to smoothly rev match while braking. I had tried heel-toeing in the past, but could never get my leg at the right angle under the steering wheel in the close quarters of the M Coupe. Instead, I would cheat by letting out the clutch at the right moment to catch the revs. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. When it didn't it would upset the balance of the car, which is the last thing you want to do hurling into turn 1 at triple digit speeds under max braking. Brad is taller than I am and by pivoting his ankle instead of his knee (like I was doing) could easily heel-toe in the M Coupe; I was just doing it wrong. He showed me the right way and I spent the rest of the day improving steering and heel-toeing.

Track Session 3
(Poor sound - mute volume)



After lunch I went for a ride in Brad’s E36 M3 and John’s beautiful E30 M3. John’s car was striking, with a fresh steel gray paint job, maroon interior, and subtle M pin stripes running bumper to bumper on both sides. Brad is an incredible driver, when I rode with him I tried to be a sponge and soak up as much as possible.

John's E30 M3
(HDR)









As the afternoon progressed dark clouds from distant cells over the mountains to the west grew into thunderstorms. VIRGA and rain dropped to the north and south, but missed the track. The dark textured clouds overhead offered the opportunity for some pretty sick HDR shots.

HDR Shots















Brad and I spent the last two sessions working on steering, shifting, and consistency. Overall I felt like my driving was solid and got better with each session, with the exception of turn 8. Earlier in the day I was nailing turn 8, but I during the last two sessions I couldn’t get it right. This happened to me during the fall school on turn 3. Sometimes when you clean up and go faster in one area of the track it brings out problems in other areas. The problem on turn 8 was that I wasn't looking through the turn, causing me to enter too late and have to throw the car into the turn. I was able to clean it up a little, but fatigue was making me sloppy.

Track Session 4









There was one more instructor drive after the last session, but the track was empty except for an E90 M3 and a Lotus Elise. I hung out just behind the guard rail of turn 10 to get a few shots. Being so close to the cars on such a fast turn was impressive. The V8 powered M3 was downright scary with a combination of wind, intake, and exhaust noise building to a deafening crescendo as it speed by just on the other side of the guard rail.

New M3 in Action







Lotus Elise









Next was the awards ceremony and refreshments. We all gathered at the back of the club van while Bruce announced the awards. The awards, most improved driver and car of the day, are decided by the corner workers. Corner workers are the foundation of the driving school; they volunteer their entire day in the sweltering sun to make it happen. As a result they are also in the best position to judge people's improvement. They chose the M Coupe for car of the day. I was elated, but also getting delirious. I can't for the life of me remember if I thanked everyone. If I didn't, consider this a heartfelt thank you for your volunteering and M Coupe love!

Awards

After a few proud pics of the M Coupe and its trophy I topped off with gas and caffeine and started the long rainy drive back home. It was an epic day, thanks to Mark and Brad for their instruction, Bruce and Andrew for the running the school, all the volunteers and instructors, and everyone who showed up for an epic day! That night I slept 15 hours.

How Fast Can You Spin a Hang Glider

This Fast...

The Burn 2009 - Just Riding Along

"Just riding my bike on the race course, while the race is going on." That was my plan for The Burn in 2009 and that's exactly what happened. The Burn was one of my favorite races last year. It's held as a time trial because of two endangered species that inhabit the course, the Preble's Jumping Mouse and the Pawnee Montane Skipper Butterfly. The time trail format is great because it opens up the course allowing riders to go faster. It also suited my injured state.

It had been 3 weeks since my PRP Injection (here), of which recovery has been a roller coaster ride. Sometimes I feel fine and other times it hurts for no reason. Including our epic ride in Taos I had only ridden 3 times since the injection. I had built up a good base before the injection, but 3 weeks off before a race is not a recipe for success. A hectic work schedule and poor sleep the 5 days before the race put me over the top. When I woke up at 6:30am on Saturday morning I was already in survival mode. It didn't matter. My plan is to rehab my knee and focus on the Laramie Enduro and 24 Hours of Moab. Keeping this in mind and tried to just go out and enjoy the course and the race scene.

Jo and I met up with Jonny V. and carpooled to Lake Wellington, where the start / finish is. We brought Sugar and Molly along with my kayak to round out the day. Doug was going to meet us there with Joni and a teammate. I registered in the Expert Class back in the winter before my knee pain set in. With all of my knee issues and chronic fatigue I didn't expect to be competitive in Sport, much less Expert. Expert also meant that my start time was earlier. As soon as we parked the truck I was hustling to get ready. After hurried hello's with Doug and Joni, I rolled into the start tent at 9:40am. That gave me 9 minutes to warm up, good thing I was just riding my bike on the race course.

Lake Wellington



Hurrying to Make My Start Time



I cued up and sprinted out of the gate at 9:49. The riders were spaced out at one minute intervals. The course started on a dirt road that winded through the camp ground, along the creek to a steep rutted descent. It finishes with a climb up the same road, which I reminded myself of throughout the race. At the bottom of the descent the course turned left onto a gradual singletrack climb. The guy behind me caught me here. I couldn't believe it. Already! It was going to be a long race. I'm not used to getting passed, much less by someone I can't catch. I could have buried myself and rode his wheel up the climb, but the huge climb lurking at the end of the course shut down that idea. "Ride your own race"; I told myself. My own race today needed to be slow and not wreck my knee. Discipline, not suffering would be hardest part of the race.

Sprinting out of the Campground





After the first climb was a smooth, fast, single track that carved through the rolling, burnt hills of Buffalo Creek. Buff Creek was on the western end of the Hayman Fire in 2002. It's been 7 years, but there is still a stark contrast between the burnt open areas and thick forest that was spared. The sweet singletrack of the course treats you to both. I couldn't think of a more beautiful place to ride my bike on a race course while the race was going on.

The Burn

(from last year)

On the next climb I started to feel my lack of fitness and got passed again. The elevation profile of the climb is a series of steps separated by flatter spots. Each step look a little more out of me and by the top I had been passed by 3 other riders. Ouch! "Maintain, maintain, let em go..."; I repeated in my head - not that I could catch them anyway!

Jo Going Out

On the second descent I felt tight and awkward on my bike. Part of it was my lack of warm up and loosening my upper body and part of it was the longer stem I mounted after my bike fit. I couldn't seem to flow with the trail and maintain my speed. I suspect my lack of sleep was affecting my concentration too. I put my focus on staying loose and not getting frustrated.

Doug Going Out

Soon I was at the start of the last climb. I had marked it on earlier on the GPS. According to my calculations it started at 20.75 miles. I dropped into my granny gear and spun as the road pointed skyward. It hurt, but it wasn't as bad as I had anticipated. I got passed by a few more riders, but soon was at the top. If anything I erred too conservatively and could have hit it a little harder, but my knee appreciated the pace.

At the top I put in a solid sprint to the finish, but my time was going to be dismal. I finished the 22 mile course in 1 hour and 53 minutes, 10 minutes slower than last year and 23rd out of 26 people. I wasn't last, but I'm not used to finishing so close to the bottom. I really was just riding my bike on the race course while the race was going on. Like any race there were lessons to be learned. The most obvious one was that things are going to be different in Cat 1 / Expert. The talent level is high and once my knee is right I'm going to need to work on all areas of my riding to be competitive. Even though my time was bad, I succeeded in my goals of sticking to my plan and not wrecking my knee. Now my job is to follow plan through, follow Coach Brian's advice, and incrementally build my fitness so I am competitive for The Laramie Enduro and 24 Hours of Moab.

Jo Coming In

Jo on the other hand had a great race. It was her first race on the Superfly Single Speed and even though she has only been training for 6 weeks she rode her way into first place! I missed her start because I was out on the course, but watched her finish and she looked strong. I can't wait to see how fast she is going to be at the Laramie Enduro.

Crossing the Finish Line in 1st Place

Villa Grove

Villa Grove is one of the best hang gliding sites in Colorado. It’s located on the northern tip of the Sangre De Cristo Mountain Range. The Sangre De Cristo’s (or Blood of Christ) are one of the longest continuous mountain ranges in the country. They start at Poncha Pass, just north of Villa Grove and end at Gloria Pass south of Taos. They are the same mountains Jo and I rode on the day before. It’s been a goal of mine to fly the entire range from Villa deep into New Mexico. Launch is at 9000 feet about halfway up the steep west facing slopes. The San Luis Valley is flat and narrows to a point at Poncha Pass.

The entire drive up from Antonio there were towering cumulus clouds building over the peaks. They would be full blown thunderstorms within a few hours, but there was a blue hole over La Veta Pass and Great Sand Dunes National Monument. Hopefully that would keep the overdeveloping clouds to the south as they traveled east. When we reached Alamosa I could see another boomer growing to the west. It was moving northeast and would probably miss Villa Grove. It was good entertainment as there wasn’t much else to do but watch clouds on the flat, straight road.

Sangre De Cristo's

We rolled into Villa Grove, identified by its one intersection and a few buildings, around 2:00 pm. I was in need of a pit stop, but the only store was closed. Luckily, I remembered the outhouse in the town park. Villa has a distinct charm that inspired my creativity, even in the out house.

Villa Grove

From the Outhouse

If had been monsoon season, 2:00 pm would have been way too late to fly, but the skies over Villa were still blue. I put the truck into 4 wheel drive and turned off the highway on the dirt road that led to the base of the mountain. The LZ at villa is wide open with a slight incline up to the road. Other than the occasional cactus, small sage brush makes landing a breeze (no pun intended). The windsock was shredded to bits, but there were enough strands to give adequate direction.

Often the most dangerous part of hang gliding is the 4x4 road up to launch. I learned this early on while riding in the back of Zippy's overloaded truck as he speed like a mad man up to Camels. He should have been a rally driver! The road to Villa is steep and off camber, but is well maintained with 4 foot tall waterbars. It was nothing the Tacoma couldn't handle, but Jo was a little leery about driving solo back down. I couldn't blame her, but she handled it like a champ.

The Drive Up to Launch

At launch the parking area was lined with animal skulls that only heightened the ominous feeling I was getting from the growing storm to the west. It was moving northwest, but now had a healthy overhanging anvil that would soon shut down the valley heating. I still had time to get off, but it would be close. I unloaded the glider and set to work rigging and replacing a few batten ties.

Animal Skulls

Setting Up

(look at the sky)

Fixing Batten Ties

By the time I hooked in and was ready to launch the shade from the overhang was just creeping into the opposite side of the valley. I could hear occasional thunder clap in the distance coming from the direction of Monarch Pass. On launch the winds had been directly west the whole time I was rigging, but were starting to turn north. The storm was closing in. The Villa launch sits on the south side of a small finger that makes launching with a north wind dangerous. I waited for a while watching the trend to see how north it would go. The thermal cycles were strong and consistent enough to easily overcome the north component. I waited for a lull at the end of a cycle taking the advantage of smoother air to launch.

Conditions in the Valley

Ready to Launch

Just off launch I managed a couple turns in broken lift, but with the north trend decided to run to safer air to the south. I settled into a well flagged bowl just south of the launch road and felt out the air. Near the terrain it was rowdy and disorganized, but I was able to maintain my altitude. If I was alone I would have waited for a good climb, jumped Hayden Pass Canyon and ran to the blue skies to the south. With no radio and zero cell phone coverage that would have put Jo in a horrible position. Instead, I hung out in the bowl keeping an eye on her and scanning the valley for any signs of a gust front to the north.

Just off Launch

After about ten minutes the anvil had shaded the whole valley. The sink between lift was getting stronger, so I pulled in and headed for the LZ. About half way there I hit massive sink and for a while thought I might land short. I turned crosswind to the southwest over flatter terrain. Soon I was only in mild sink and spotted a hawk circling over a fence line. I headed straight for him, hitting the thermal about 50 feet above his altitude. We turned together and I took it from about 500 feet to 10K MSL. It was drifting west straight into Hayden Pass Canyon. Having no desire to get sucked into the canyon I left the fading lift at about 10,000 feet (not that hight for Villa) and glided back towards the LZ.

Working the Bowl

The storm was fully matured now with virga shafts spilling out on the other side of Poncha Pass. It was going to miss Villa, but I decided to get on the ground just in case a gust front dropped into the valley. I reached the LZ with about 1000 feet to spare. Just south of the LZ was local pilot Larry's house. Last time I flew Villa it was nothing but the end of a dirt road. Since then he had built beautiful house that is a hang glider’s dream. I was tempted to land there, but I didn't want to without permission and Jo was planning on meeting me at the LZ. He had a huge wind sock and a line of flags that made easy work of picking up the wind direction. I boxed the LZ a few times and set up my approach. Instead of my normal super tight pattern I opened up my downwind, base, and final just in case there was any strong sink lurking close to the ground. I touched down with a perfect 2 stepper just before Jo pulled up.

Topping Out at 10,000'

Larry's House

It was a great first mountain flight of the year and a stellar way to end our trip. I was in the air just under an hour, but am lucky I got that much airtime with the storms and late start. Jo is a rock star for her awesome support, driving and taking pics.

Airtime :53, Flights 1