Chris Ethier- He’s got lots of insurance and truly knows how to decorate that first and last corner.  He also is very positive and has made chaos his friend, thusly, things have a habit of working out well when he is involved.

Michael Clapp- Irrepressible and ultra dependable.  Cutting down trees that were in your way, ensuring the classes stay on track at the corner, setting up and taking down the course.  Taking down the course is a buggy and lonely venture as everyone else is eating watermelon.

Rick Roy- He takes great photos and helps you stay on the course at the corner of more laps and finish.  Plus he is a commissioner on the recreation board so he knows recreation and can somehow make sure it happens.  As such, you not only have fun, but you recreate.  Not possible without Rick.

William Cluster- Once again making great things happen.  I’m not only talking about popsicles.  The man has an uncanny ability to make you think you thought up something smart when it may have well have been him all along.  Amazing talent.  The Force is strong with this one.

James Stevens- If he isn’t around, its not as much fun.  He makes me laugh 10, 15, probably like 323 times a night.

Ryan Sinclair- He holds down the fort at the shop so Chris can string up all that tape and what not.  Then he comes to the race and looks cool, knows stuff, does things and gets food.

Megan Healey- She made a whole human being last year.  That’s pretty amazing.  He’s cute too.  I’m so glad I married this girl for many reasons but in this case I especially appreciate her registration skills.  She brings a  level of organizational prowess I do not posses.  She is also killer on the binoculars, ensuring you are all accurately timed.

And it wouldn’t be a race without racers and people who love them.  The cheering was especially exuberant at the last race.  I loved it.

We had a lot of younger folks in the mild class this year and that is ridiculously awesome.  Parents racing with their children and children racing in general is the best part about this race.  I fear that some day kids will not even realize there are great things happening all around them because their eyes will be glued to a portable screen.  So kudos to all those who raced, because it isn’t the easiest way to have fun.  Like everything else in life, hard work is rewarding.

We will be racing next year as well.  I’ll keep you posted on the goings on. Think about subscribing to the blog, so you will be notified of new posts.

Thank you for racing.

Remind me to send that storm a thank you card for holding off until the race was over! Amazing timing.

Thanks for racing!

Results are up.

Since we have most of the supplies we need, We have lowered the entry fee to a mere $5. Holy cheap, hey. You get to race and you get snacks too. I’d suffer through a race just because it makes watermelon taste so much better. Especially if it’s waiting for me at the finish line. I’ll even swat the flies away from it. I mean for $5 you get a pro watermelon cutter, and a personal fly shoo-er-away-er. Not to mention chips and salsa. Also fly free. Sweet deal.

Same format, Mild, Medium, Hot classes. Mild lap is about two miles and omits a sketchy descent that did not make the Mild rating. Highland Park Mountain Bike Race Series believes in children with teeth and without a lot of contusions. 2 and 3 laps for the Medium and Hot classes, respectively. Those laps are about 3 miles or so. There will be some sort of prize situation I believe. HPMTBRS does not support adults losing teeth either, but we will let them make their own decisions.

I wanted to make this an Eastern Fat Tire Association sanctioned event. That would have involved a whole lot of paperwork and what not. The idea behind that was to provide insurance for the event and EFTA is a splendid organization to boot. However we have all these great local sponsors who have donated enough money to pay for the insurance. Now we don’t have to deal with licenses and the associated expense and paperwork. Simple is good.

I do have an event on a burner somewhere near the back of the stove that will be an EFTA event due to its size. So the dinner they bought me at the race director’s meeting shouldn’t be a total loss for them.

Also, Anita Phillips at the Greenfield Recorder is running an article and would like a quote from someone who raced last year. If you would like to speak with her please call her at (413)772-0261, EXT. 280. You will be blessed with good race karma and less rolling resistance. Mountain bike racing smiles upon those who pitch in. It just does.

Oh and I’m excited for you to meet my son, Ezra Thomas Healey, the little man Megan was growing last year. He’s awesome and I’m happy he will be around all the great people you find at a weekly bike race.

Alright, that pretty much brings you up to speed. At least I think it does. Ask my wife, I tend to omit important facts in communicating my plans. Usually in regard to mountain bike rides too. Can’t help it.