Summerset Shootout at Banner....Finally

We were going to do this last year....and then the rains came...more rain and more rain brought floods. Bridges washed away, mud and sand choked everything, park roads were washed out or covered in muck-flith. Banner was lost for the season....but we're back baby!

I can't go down to the race tomorrow because I will be helping out a friend catering the Lazerfest (rock on!) I imagine it will go something like, "Hey, Korn." "You want some corn?" "What's up Buckcherry?" "Dude, did you know yer band is on the dessert menu?"

Anywho, since I can't be there tomorrow I headed out today to do some course scouting and see who was out and about.

If you build it they will come. I was stopped by 3 different people and asked about the trails. It is mucho gusta to have people finding out about the great trails at Banner.

Probably the best way to show you around some of the course is to have Trail Dog do it. He adeptly demonstrates the narrow benchcut, steep hills and twin bridges. Follow me.

Back? Ok, let's continue.

The new blazes are cool.

The new division of advanced loops is a nice touch. I suppose the planners had always thought of it this way, I had always thought of it as one continuous loop.

That says "Cup Cake" on it - yeah, its gonna be that way.

I hope they include the new stuff at the end of the service road/double track. Its short but tasty. I love the last bit with the banked turn and little log drop.

This is going to be a pretty killer race. The north side is so tight and twisty it will be very difficult to pass. I have a feeling there will be a lot of people that overbake the turns on the backside of the gullys and g-outs. Even with cutting the advanced loops off the intermediate stuff is still pretty wicked. Hopefully no one gets hurt!

By my count its a 4.73 mile loop, 354 feet of elevation per loop. It doesn't sound like a lot but it is. No sustained climbs, but lots of short steepies.

Good luck to all!