Bootleg Diary - Nevada State DH Champs
The following is a journal of a trip from Reno, Nevada to the Nevada State Downhill Championship at Bootleg Canyon in Boulder City, Nevada. Some parts of the journal have been omitted for reasons related to appropriateness, but the remaining parts are mostly true.Friday February 18
6:08 am
Load the bikes and de-ice the trucks. Gather our early-morning wits and begin the eight-hour drive to Boulder City.
![photo]()
6:16 am
Starbucks.
9:55 am
The skies turn blue and cloudless over us as we leave the Sierra Nevada mountains for the open desert of central Nevada. Feel sorry for the poor souls back in snowy Reno…but only for a moment.
12:35 pm
Does this desert ever end?
![photo]()
1:45 pm
Hit the outskirts of Boulder City, Nevada. The mountains look even rockier than the pictures.
2:51 pm
First run of the weekend. The flatbed-truck shuttle is nearly as scary as most DH runs. Tip-toe through the downhill course and wonder who left all these jagged rocks on it.
![photo]()
2:56 pm
Marvel at the locals who seem to be getting over the rocks just fine.
4:19 pm
Hit the hotel. Are those clouds coming our way?
7:51 pm
Flip through nine channels in the hotel room. Watch The Truman Show and try to remember life in 1998.
10:45 pm
Sleep. Dream of sharp stones.
Saturday February 19
7:30 am
Yeah, those clouds came our way. Stare out the window at raindrops and wind.
9:49 am
Back to the downhill course. Seems a little less scary now that some moisture is in the dirt. Maybe we’ll be able to race on this stuff after all.
![photo]()
10:23 am
Wow, Mikey Sylvestri has a Specialized Enduro in the shuttle truck instead of his usual Demo. Is he racing the Super D?
10:29 am
Nope, he just dropped into the downhill course. What an animal.
![photo]()
11:45 am
The wind picks up in a serious way. Resume being afraid of the downhill course.
3:35 pm
Carson City’s Jon Wilson takes the Pro Men’s win in Saturday’s Super D event. The weekend is young and northern Nevada already has one state title in the bag.
5:45 pm
California burrito at Casa de Flores.
7:30 pm
The AMA Supecross from San Diego is on live at the hotel! Hey, it’s raining down there too. Watch Chad Reed roll to his first win of the season.
![photo]()
10:31 pm
Bike check. Tighten 24 loose rear spokes. Verify 200 psi is still in the tires.
10:54 pm
Sleep. Have wind-related nightmares.
Sunday February 20
6:30 am
Look out the window at more rain. But the wind is gone and a little blue sky is peaking out in the distance. Might we get lucky?
8:39 am
First run of the day. Arrive at the top of the shuttle to find a USAC official who is very, very bothered by everyone’s trimmed number plates. Listen to him and wonder what we’re supposed to do about this now that everyone’s plates have been trimmed for a full two days.
8:51 am
Number-plate lecture ends.
10:27 am
Last run before the race. Encounter another official at the top who abruptly tells us that practice is over and that we need to ride back down the shuttle road instead of the race course. Immediately take off down the race course, trying to shield our numbers from view.
10:48 am
Watch Pros come down for their seeding runs. Mitch Ropelato, Bryson Martin Jr. and Mikey Sylvestri (yes, on the Enduro) are all rolling fast. Ropelato tops the qualifier list. Watch five consecutive riders arrive at the bottom with rear flats.
![photo]()
12:06 pm
Racing begins. Hop on the shuttle truck and head up one last time.
1:20 pm
Everyone in the crew is down safely, and a couple even made the podium. Grab a beverage and head up to watch the Pros.
1:42 pm
Who just sailed the tricky step-up toward the bottom so nicely? Oh, it was Cam Zink on his way to eighth place in the Pro class. That makes sense.
![photo]()
2:07 pm
Ropelato puts down the fastest run of the weekend with a blistering 3:11.18, besting Sylvestri’s 3:19.69. Martin rounds out the podium with a 3:20.35.
![photo]()
4:02 pm
Watch the podium ceremony. Cheer on friends and withhold applause from the occasional sandbagger.
4:38 pm
Take one last look at the canyon and wonder how not one of our group suffered a flat. Prepare mentally for lots of driving in a straight line.
![photo]()
Monday February 21
1:49 am
Arrive back in the driveway in Reno. Discard paper coffee cups and throw the bike in the workstand. Make mental note to tighten spokes tomorrow.
Additional weekend recaps:
Nevada State Champs Single Speed DH Report.
6:08 am
Load the bikes and de-ice the trucks. Gather our early-morning wits and begin the eight-hour drive to Boulder City.
Loading up amidst the snow.
6:16 am
Starbucks.
9:55 am
The skies turn blue and cloudless over us as we leave the Sierra Nevada mountains for the open desert of central Nevada. Feel sorry for the poor souls back in snowy Reno…but only for a moment.
12:35 pm
Does this desert ever end?
Nevada just keeps on going like this.
1:45 pm
Hit the outskirts of Boulder City, Nevada. The mountains look even rockier than the pictures.
2:51 pm
First run of the weekend. The flatbed-truck shuttle is nearly as scary as most DH runs. Tip-toe through the downhill course and wonder who left all these jagged rocks on it.
Christopher Mari stays low over the rollers near the bottom.
2:56 pm
Marvel at the locals who seem to be getting over the rocks just fine.
4:19 pm
Hit the hotel. Are those clouds coming our way?
7:51 pm
Flip through nine channels in the hotel room. Watch The Truman Show and try to remember life in 1998.
10:45 pm
Sleep. Dream of sharp stones.
Saturday February 19
7:30 am
Yeah, those clouds came our way. Stare out the window at raindrops and wind.
9:49 am
Back to the downhill course. Seems a little less scary now that some moisture is in the dirt. Maybe we’ll be able to race on this stuff after all.
Jon Wilson takes to the DH course after winning Saturday's Super D while Mikey Sylvestri and friends look on.
10:23 am
Wow, Mikey Sylvestri has a Specialized Enduro in the shuttle truck instead of his usual Demo. Is he racing the Super D?
10:29 am
Nope, he just dropped into the downhill course. What an animal.
Mikey Sylvestri wasn't scared to go all AM on the DH course.
11:45 am
The wind picks up in a serious way. Resume being afraid of the downhill course.
3:35 pm
Carson City’s Jon Wilson takes the Pro Men’s win in Saturday’s Super D event. The weekend is young and northern Nevada already has one state title in the bag.
5:45 pm
California burrito at Casa de Flores.
7:30 pm
The AMA Supecross from San Diego is on live at the hotel! Hey, it’s raining down there too. Watch Chad Reed roll to his first win of the season.
Anthony Marino stays low on his way to fourth in the Cat. 1 17-18 class.
10:31 pm
Bike check. Tighten 24 loose rear spokes. Verify 200 psi is still in the tires.
10:54 pm
Sleep. Have wind-related nightmares.
Sunday February 20
6:30 am
Look out the window at more rain. But the wind is gone and a little blue sky is peaking out in the distance. Might we get lucky?
8:39 am
First run of the day. Arrive at the top of the shuttle to find a USAC official who is very, very bothered by everyone’s trimmed number plates. Listen to him and wonder what we’re supposed to do about this now that everyone’s plates have been trimmed for a full two days.
8:51 am
Number-plate lecture ends.
10:27 am
Last run before the race. Encounter another official at the top who abruptly tells us that practice is over and that we need to ride back down the shuttle road instead of the race course. Immediately take off down the race course, trying to shield our numbers from view.
10:48 am
Watch Pros come down for their seeding runs. Mitch Ropelato, Bryson Martin Jr. and Mikey Sylvestri (yes, on the Enduro) are all rolling fast. Ropelato tops the qualifier list. Watch five consecutive riders arrive at the bottom with rear flats.
A racer sprints for the finish. You thanked your stars if you got here without a flat.
12:06 pm
Racing begins. Hop on the shuttle truck and head up one last time.
1:20 pm
Everyone in the crew is down safely, and a couple even made the podium. Grab a beverage and head up to watch the Pros.
1:42 pm
Who just sailed the tricky step-up toward the bottom so nicely? Oh, it was Cam Zink on his way to eighth place in the Pro class. That makes sense.
Mitch Ropelato stays focused on his way to the weekend's fastest run.
2:07 pm
Ropelato puts down the fastest run of the weekend with a blistering 3:11.18, besting Sylvestri’s 3:19.69. Martin rounds out the podium with a 3:20.35.
Men's Pro podium.
4:02 pm
Watch the podium ceremony. Cheer on friends and withhold applause from the occasional sandbagger.
4:38 pm
Take one last look at the canyon and wonder how not one of our group suffered a flat. Prepare mentally for lots of driving in a straight line.
Hittin' the road.
Monday February 21
1:49 am
Arrive back in the driveway in Reno. Discard paper coffee cups and throw the bike in the workstand. Make mental note to tighten spokes tomorrow.
Results:
Pro Men
1. Mitch Ropelato 3:11:18
2. Mikey Sylvestri 3:19.69
3. Bryson Martin Jr. 3:20.35
Pro Women
1. Jacqueline Harmony 3:48.65
2. Gabriela Williams 4:06.62
3. Cierra Smith 4:52.46
Cat 1 17-18 Men
1. Cody Kelley 3:30.10
2. Brandan Bohl 3:37.80
3. Steven Baldock 3:38.91
For full results, check www.downhillmike.com.
Pro Men
1. Mitch Ropelato 3:11:18
2. Mikey Sylvestri 3:19.69
3. Bryson Martin Jr. 3:20.35
Pro Women
1. Jacqueline Harmony 3:48.65
2. Gabriela Williams 4:06.62
3. Cierra Smith 4:52.46
Cat 1 17-18 Men
1. Cody Kelley 3:30.10
2. Brandan Bohl 3:37.80
3. Steven Baldock 3:38.91
For full results, check www.downhillmike.com.
Additional weekend recaps:
Author Info:
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hahahaha!
Didn't even once skim for pictures
Good thing too, or else I would have had to fire off a sternly-worded letter to the tire-mounting department at Giant.