Colorado: Day 2, Competition day

Race day started with a rendezvous in the parking lot of the wave park at Golden, wth myself and Kevin meeting up wtih Levi Gallas, Danny Tebbenkamp, Chris Patrick, Zack Thompson, Rick Leitner and Darryl Brown of RMR. We'd discussed running below Rigormortis for the downriver race, since the higher sections on Clear Creek had been a bit intense. It would end just above a rebar-infested spillway, right around three and a half miles. Kevin, myself and Levi lined up for the official race with Rochelle in the lead position according to her Face Level series points, with Danny, Chris and Zach paddling along for the ride.

I held onto an early lead for the first few bends, with Kevin next and Levi close behind. Levi went for a pass around Kevin when Kevin got into a slower current in the fun class III rapids. But it didn't take him long to catch up. Head to head, they managed to pass up me on a faster left line around a drop, with Kevin in the lead. That didn't last too long as I found the faster line down the center. Levi got around Kevin one more time, but it turned out to be his last.

Meanwhile Kevin kept up the pressure on me through some flatter sections, narrowing the gap within a few yards. Kevin had the disadvantage of having left his knee pads drying on the deck, and had to make due with some small thigh pads and shin guards. I, for the record, did not intentionally lead him over any rocks, though when I looked back it appeared he was following my lines. Neither of us had ever run this section, and I was trying to avoid anything I could see, but still managd to hit a bunch.

Kevin and I swapped leads a few times, but after over 23 minutes of paddling, I crossed about ten seconds ahead.

The rest of the crew decided to get out early. There were some constant rapidis, drops and holes near the end of the run.

After a brief rest, we decided to run the boardercross as one heat with the three of us again, on the last section of the downriver called Screaming Quarter Mile. Maybe because your legs are screaming during a race... it is a fun section with mostly rapids.

Kevin passed me early, positioning himself in the best narrow line in the first rapid, leaving me closer to the first rock pour-over where I got slowed down a little by the hole. I was thinking this must be payback, but Kevin insists he wasn't trying to get me closer to that rock (sure, I believe you..) Levi also caught me soon after, but found himself weighted upon a rock and I recovered second position. The run was short and there was not enough time for me to close the gap, and Kevin won with a decent margin.

From there, after walking around the defunct dam with God knows what left underwater, we did a relatively mellow scenic float trip down to the whitewater park in Golden for the surf wave. Only by this time, after two races, we needed food and rest before more exertion. Levi hopped on the wave and pulled some great stunts, but left before Kevin and I were ready, so the standing wave comp fizzled. This meant that once again, Kevin and I were in a tie sitatuation for overall points. We decided to have the run-off on one surf wave each, with Danny judging.

Kevin used an RMR surf riverboard, and pulled his first ever laying-on-his-back position, looking ever so casual. Afterwards he tried to spin the board below him and got washed out. I managed to get to my knees hands-free and cruise the hole in this position for what felt like a pretty long time. When that felt like it was getting old, I tried to find the sweet spot to do a rollo I'd pulled off twice earlier. Although I tried the rollo, I didn't get the spot and washed through, but my time on the wave knee riding was longer and was thus awarded the winner.

I was pretty tired from catching the eddy after the surf hole and when some guy in a goofy baseball cap waved to me I didn't have the energy to wave back. When I got closer, I realized it was Josh! He had a layover from Costa Rica in Denver and had rented a car. Josh came back with us to Lafayette and we did another RMR factory hangout. We talked about sending mannequins down rapids and how in New Zealand you get a discount on bungee jumping if you do it without clothing, and how everything is funnier if you add "naked" to it.

One former resident of Wyoming chimed in. "Naked rodeo."

Ouch.