Nepali Downhill Championships/Himalaya Downhill Race 2014

After our return to Kathmandu we focused on the simple things - massage, coffee, and getting our bikes back to the hotel. Next steps were souvenir and art shopping from our favourite Nepali artist and cyclist Laxmi Magar, and a group dinner at Everest Steak House. Good times! Kate, Wendy and Laxmi accompanied Jeff, Gerry and I. Clearly our laundry job must have been good to have that female to male social ratio when there were only three girls on the race. 

We got the details for the Nepali downhill championships and Laxmi said she'd ride us to the venue. The commute. 

I signed up and Jeff and Gerry saw this was really happening and let their hesitation dispappear. Now let's be clear, I'm in the duffer class, with a soft tail, and my tubeless is gone so I'm running an over pressured tube. Ready to rock. They were lenient for us on the full face helmet/elbow guards/knee guards. Not a lot of spandex. 

We're the only ones that pre-rode up. Ha. Tried to eye the jumps but also thought I'd just make the calls on approach, we're the only ones with no real pre ride. So the start is quite steep and sketchy, need more tire and suspension to go faster. I can do half the gap jumps, not a big one at the top and not one that crossed the road near the end.  But surprised a few spectators with the ones I did - everyone was talking to us before like we're crazy and they're friendly and amused. So I think it was positive to show some riding ability. Then first time it's happened to me my chain came off on XX1 for the last 4 switchbacks so I had to coast out instead of pedal out which probably knocked some time.  I made a chain guide for second run. 

We had coffee at the lovely restaurant at the top and then group lunch of Dahl bhat. 

Then waited for our second run, which was for the end result. First was just seeding. We are not eligible for national race. Jeff's run 2 start. 

Jeff and Gerry were 1 and 2 respectively in the masters!

I was 10th after first run so went 10th last. I ended up like 10 or 12 range overall. Couldn't talk any of the other guys into loaning me a DH bike - I don't think they wanted more competition ; )  They were all very nice. First run start they were asking where we were from, second run questions were where I learned to ride a bike!