1ST BIKE RACE OF THE YEAR!

Over President's Day weekend we headed out to Boulder City Nevada to a downhill mountain bike race.  Tanner is in hope of making it to the podium this race with a 3rd place or better, it would give him some much needed points and give him some confidence to move up and race against the BIG boys!

We started our trek to Nevada at 4:00am and made it to St. George around 8:30 so we made a quick stop at McDonald's for a little breakfast, we eat on the run as we needed to make it to the race site by 10:30 NV time which is an hour behind us.  We made it there roughly 10:45 so we were not to off schedule.  Bill goes to sign in and get his plate numbers for the race. Tanner will be racing in two separate races one is the "real" race the other a fun race that will be run without chains on their bikes.  Tanner gets busy with his bikes and getting his gear on, today will be a practice run until it get dark.  After all is settled in I get all comfy in the car with my blankets pillows and my book "The Hunger Games"  I have brought some snacks so I am good to go. I read until my eyes can hardly stay open and my vision is starting to see 2 and three of the same lines...it's time to stop and get some shut eye...I am not sure how long I slept but I do know I really went out, after all I have been up since 3:00am.  I wake up and start reading again. by this time I am sure it's getting late in the afternoon, I am right they are getting ready to head out to get something to eat. We all go the Tony's Pizza and enjoy a lot of laughs and some really great pizza. I just so happen to be the only Mom that has come along for this trip, So it was just me three Dad's and 3 boys so I am a little out numbered.  All is good!  They make sure I am well taken care of.  The next day is the same as day one....I thought about spending the at the hotel but decide I might miss something exciting so I go and do day one all over again....It is fun to be there to support Tanner in his sport.

Sunday is RACE day and Tanner gets to be the 6th racer in his catagory, Bill and I hike to a spot were we can see Tanner come around the mountain head down the hill hit a step up and go to the finish.  We hike for almost 30 mins. We are there in plenty of time to see some of the others come racing by us.  Soon I see a glimpse of Tanner's helmet shimmer from the sun as he comes in between the mountain, there is another racer just in front of him they are too close and Tanner is coming upon him fast, there will be  no room for Tanner to pass. and he will have to slow down, Just as the front rider has to go in between two rocks he crashes and goes of the course, I felt so bad for him! but it opened the course for Tanner to be able to carry on without having to slow down, he gets to the step up which is right in front of us and he is going FAST! we are so excited it looks like he is having a great race!  he makes it to the finish and is told he is in 3rd place.  Just what he wanted but there are still more riders to go....Bill and I now have to make the hike back to the car, one of Tanner's friends Demitri has been seen yet and we are all worried that something has happened. His dad stays on the race course watching and we will call him once we reach the boys..We finally make the trek back to find out that Demitri had gotten a flat tire and was not able to race now that's a BUMMER! it is so disappointing. The race is over for Tanner's catagory and Tanner had in fact taken 3rd place! his time was 5 mins. 13 seconds.  He is one HAPPY boy! and I was so happy that I was able to be there to celebrate in his win!

Now it is time for the chainless race, this means that no one can pedal so its either push with their feet and pumping the bike by jumping up and down to just having the momentum of the hill to get the racers down the hill.  Tanner takes 28th out of 35 and has a really fun time. We stay for the awards ceremony then head to grab a bit to eat, we get Mexican food which was really tasty then head back to the hotel, it's been a long weekend full of fun and excitement! and now us 3 are pretty tired so we get right to bed, in the morning we head to breakfast then hit the happy trails home,  we make it home around 5 that night and we are all glad to be home, first time we have all gone but Landon and he seemed to handle things at home pretty well without us.  We had gotten a snow storm and he thought he would get called out to work so that is why he didn;t come along...although I think he would have gotten pretty bored just hanging out at the races all weekend after all I read 1 and 2 of the Hunger Game series.....

Good Job Tanner can't wait to see how the rest of the season goes..................
                                                   
                                                The bike /rider shuttle

How the bikes travel and where I spent my time

                                          Tanner during the race                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

                                       
                                          Tanner telling me he took 3rd place

                                               some dude waiting for the shuttle.....so tired!

                                          Tanner crossing the finish line in the chainless race

                                         the winners!