Clark Brothers Racing: 6 black velvets, 3 hookers and 3 hours and 20 minutes!

After a long winter it was time to start the race season and what better way to kick it off than with the Root 66 race series first race Hop Brook Dam. The weather was going to be great so we loaded up the Clark Brothers Racing Minivan with bikes, beer, and a collection of some awesome tunes from Metallica to The Dan Band. We left Pittsfield, NH on a journey that would take us 3 hrs. and 20 minutes one way to race with our southern fellow mountain bikers. We arrived at our destination at 12:30, checked in, and got ready for first race of the season with some lustful warm up riding. It had been nearly 4 months since we had really laid any tires on snow free single track. It was time to let loose. We staged up and took off on the command of Chris (the series promoter) and with a grin from ear to ear each tore up two awesome laps, Kevin and Taylor in Single Speed Div and me (AC) in the 40 to 49 age group. The course features some punchy climbs, jeep roads, single track, and some fun downhill, that keeps you smiling. After a long winter you just keep the pedals moving and let it go on the downhill! We ended up with some good results and learned what we needed to work on for the future. After all the racing and hoopla was over we sat back and mixed some cider and stout beer to make Black Velvets to enjoy. We wrapped things up and headed out reeling in the day’s activities. Our long journey home was interrupted by necessary food stop at a pizza shop. Thin crust, crispy pizza, and a Thomas Hooker IPA went down pretty easy before we reloaded at Starbucks and hit the road for another 3 hrs.

-AC