By Hadley Phillips | DUST2
The Pagosa Springs DUST2 Mountain Bike Team just finished its fourth and final race before the state race.
This race was held in Nathrop on private property owned by the McMurry Land and Livestock Co. The Chalk Creek Stampede is a 6.7-mile course with only 443 feet of elevation gain. This is the longest mileage but the smallest incline out of all the races. It runs counterclockwise with an initial ascent, a flat section on top of a plateau overlooking the picturesque Mount Princeton and then a loose descent into the Chalk Creek basin. A meandering trail follows the creek until it pops out at the finish.
The trail, both single and double track, is lined with cactus and yucca plants, giving the racers one more obstacle to maneuver around. Although the racers’ day started in the 30s, it ended in the 70s.
The first race of the day was JV girls, followed by sophomore and freshman girls. Warming up was a freezing event, but the races started intensely with a pileup in the start chute. Two out of the three JV girls made it through unscathed, but senior Hadley Phillips suffered from a slashed tire and the need for a different bike. She headed out alone after a mad dash to find a bike and quickly began to make up places.
The sophomores and freshmen headed off after course marshals removed the problem rock in the start chute, and the day began.
Rylie Carr finished first for the team in 11th place with a time of 1:12, Natalie Mashue finished 12th with a time of 1:13 and Hadley Phillips finished in 19th out of 31 girls with a time of 1:23.
Pagosa’s three freshmen girls were next up, with Sophia Alexander finishing in fourth with a time of 1:09, Adelyn Hittle finishing in fifth with a time of 1:11 and Kenli Bush finishing 24th with a time of 1:39. Kaylee Hensle, sophomore, finished in ninth out of 16 girls with a time of 1:30.
After DUST2’s gaggle of girls raced, the sophomore boys lined up. Weston Phillips finished in 21st with a time of 1:02 and Brady Ziminsky finished in 41st out of 68 boys with a time of 1:09.
The following race was the freshmen boys with four racers. Jackson Chaney finished first in 14th place with a time of 1:05, Van Halterman finished in 17th place with a time of 1:06, Aaron Sowle finished in 35th with a time of 1:13, and Justin Sewell finished in 45th out of 57 boys with a time of 1:17. Sewell crashed after the initial incline and was having a hard time breathing due to a handlebar to the ribs. Thankfully, he wasn’t seriously injured, but it did affect his race and placement.
Following these boys was the Senior Sendoff. Gathering up all the seniors was an emotional time for many of the parents and coaches. All four of Pagosa’s seniors — Mashue, Hadley Phillips, Jack Hittle and Bradley Lameraux — are Legacy Riders. This means they have raced all four years of high school. This year’s seniors had it especially hard. Starting their freshman year during COVID-19 was a challenge because there were no races. Riders had to complete one or more of the posted Strava Challenges to be considered for the Legacy Rider title. The seniors took a joy ride through the tents with people cheering and horns honking, pictures were taken by the podium and tears were shed. Quickly after, the JV boys left to warm up.
Pagosa’s one JV boy, Jack Hittle, placed 58th out of 101 boys with a time of 1:08 in the heat of the day.
This was followed by the varsity races. Lameraux finished in 13th place out of 34 varsity risers with a time of 1:22 for three laps.
Along with Lameraux’s three laps around the course, he won the Yeti Skills Course. This is a complicated skills course at every race and was be Lameraux’s sixth time winning it throughout his three years of racing.
This final race day ended at the podium with Alexander taking her fourth-place medal and snagging Adelyn Hittle’s fifth medal. The team then climbed up on the second-place platform for the fourth time this season. Although the entire team was not present due to the homecoming dance back in Pagosa, the remaining racers represented Pagosa perfectly.
Following the regular awards were the regional championship awards. Pagosa placed second for the whole season as a team and had three of our girls represent us up on the podium. Carr, a junior, placed fifth overall for the season and freshmen girls Adelyn Hittle and Alexander placed third and fourth, respectively, for the season. Everyone is now eagerly waiting for official regional placements to be posted for the state-qualifying race.
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