Racing for Anthropology
Anthropology is about the study of people, living and dead. Ethnographic anthropology studies groups of people, their use of language within the group as well as the social dynamics that make up the structure of society. Because I have very little time on my hands, as evidenced by the fact that I rarely contribute to this fine page, I decided to kill very many birds with just one stone.
My choice of topics for a project in my Ethnographic Field Techniques class were limited by time and I did not want to spend hours of my only day off from work and school attending a Buddhist temple to learn social structures. Then I had a brilliant idea. I would go to the Friday ride and listen to the banter between seasoned riders, explore the inner-workings of the mountain biking subculture that exists in Hilo and all their quirks. So for the last 3 weeks I have attended the ride with the sole (expressed) purpose of furthering the ethnography of mountain bikers. Though many would say I have other selfish motives at play here, I would, well, have to agree. The first time I showed up I watched attentively to the well known traditions of the pre-ride warmups and circling like vultures around the entrance of the trail, waiting for the 4:00 second hand to strike.
I kept to the rear of the pack with my guide, Chris while we watched some of the riders struggle up the first major hill before shifting up a gear and powering past. 2 laps later and I finished in 4th out of about 25 or so. About what I normally place when I try.
The following week, the rain is coming down strong and only 18 riders show up, but it is a good strong group and I quickly catch up to Ernie, the lead rider for the day. Half way through the trail I pass and lead the way, but quickly decide that I like to be a sheep more than a shepherd when it comes to racing. I let Chris pass me and there he stayed in front of me until I washed out near then end and finished 30 seconds back in 2nd place. A good ride for the most part.
Last Friday I was under hydrated but started again with Chris in the back of the 25 odd group. I was stuck behind a slow guy and took the first opportunity to pass on the double track. There were tons of trees down and many of the guys do not hop them over if they are more than a foot high. 5 or 6 trees later and I am pushing the top 5. A tree down halfway down a hill and I'm 4th. The bridge over the waist high log and I am second behind the guy that ran the trail last week. He's going a little harder than I want to go but I push away the pain and follow inches from his tire. Clay, the next youngest from me passes me on the double track and I get pushed to third for a while. Clay and I dont let up on the lead guy for the next 2 miles and after a grueling short, technical hill, the lead pulls over to let Clay and me pass. We are at the final mile of the trail and Clay isn't letting up. I lied to myself on the grueling hill that it was the last one and if I pushed hard on it, I could rest for a bit. Not so. I have to fight to keep within a few meters of Clay as he tries to pull away, he does a little bit, but every obstacle that he slows to hop over, I bound over with increasing speed and soon I am back on track but with no suitable places to pass. Coming out of the final trail into the double track leading up to 4 corners, Clay leads the way to a tree lying 2.5 feet high over the trail and fails to make it over. I make it and tear off to the start of the trail. We have to ride the first part of the trail backwards now, and my lead is instantly eaten up when I wash out over the corner leading back into criterium. I pretty much want to die at this point, but I know that the last (another lie) hill will make or break my finish. I spin to an easy gear to prepare for the hill well in advance to be sure that Clay slows down too, to catch him off guard for the hill. Then, at the start of the hill, I shift up one and mash, pulling away. At the top of the hill I look back and dont see Clay, I pump the bike though some more corners and look back again, no Clay. He didn't make it. Then I set my jaw and grind my up the last (no lie this time) hill to the finish. 1st. My first 1st out here. Yay for me.
I suppose that I am going to have to introduce variables like this into the biking culture in order to test how I am effecting the culture. Anthropology is a science isn't it?
My choice of topics for a project in my Ethnographic Field Techniques class were limited by time and I did not want to spend hours of my only day off from work and school attending a Buddhist temple to learn social structures. Then I had a brilliant idea. I would go to the Friday ride and listen to the banter between seasoned riders, explore the inner-workings of the mountain biking subculture that exists in Hilo and all their quirks. So for the last 3 weeks I have attended the ride with the sole (expressed) purpose of furthering the ethnography of mountain bikers. Though many would say I have other selfish motives at play here, I would, well, have to agree. The first time I showed up I watched attentively to the well known traditions of the pre-ride warmups and circling like vultures around the entrance of the trail, waiting for the 4:00 second hand to strike.
I kept to the rear of the pack with my guide, Chris while we watched some of the riders struggle up the first major hill before shifting up a gear and powering past. 2 laps later and I finished in 4th out of about 25 or so. About what I normally place when I try.
The following week, the rain is coming down strong and only 18 riders show up, but it is a good strong group and I quickly catch up to Ernie, the lead rider for the day. Half way through the trail I pass and lead the way, but quickly decide that I like to be a sheep more than a shepherd when it comes to racing. I let Chris pass me and there he stayed in front of me until I washed out near then end and finished 30 seconds back in 2nd place. A good ride for the most part.
Last Friday I was under hydrated but started again with Chris in the back of the 25 odd group. I was stuck behind a slow guy and took the first opportunity to pass on the double track. There were tons of trees down and many of the guys do not hop them over if they are more than a foot high. 5 or 6 trees later and I am pushing the top 5. A tree down halfway down a hill and I'm 4th. The bridge over the waist high log and I am second behind the guy that ran the trail last week. He's going a little harder than I want to go but I push away the pain and follow inches from his tire. Clay, the next youngest from me passes me on the double track and I get pushed to third for a while. Clay and I dont let up on the lead guy for the next 2 miles and after a grueling short, technical hill, the lead pulls over to let Clay and me pass. We are at the final mile of the trail and Clay isn't letting up. I lied to myself on the grueling hill that it was the last one and if I pushed hard on it, I could rest for a bit. Not so. I have to fight to keep within a few meters of Clay as he tries to pull away, he does a little bit, but every obstacle that he slows to hop over, I bound over with increasing speed and soon I am back on track but with no suitable places to pass. Coming out of the final trail into the double track leading up to 4 corners, Clay leads the way to a tree lying 2.5 feet high over the trail and fails to make it over. I make it and tear off to the start of the trail. We have to ride the first part of the trail backwards now, and my lead is instantly eaten up when I wash out over the corner leading back into criterium. I pretty much want to die at this point, but I know that the last (another lie) hill will make or break my finish. I spin to an easy gear to prepare for the hill well in advance to be sure that Clay slows down too, to catch him off guard for the hill. Then, at the start of the hill, I shift up one and mash, pulling away. At the top of the hill I look back and dont see Clay, I pump the bike though some more corners and look back again, no Clay. He didn't make it. Then I set my jaw and grind my up the last (no lie this time) hill to the finish. 1st. My first 1st out here. Yay for me.
I suppose that I am going to have to introduce variables like this into the biking culture in order to test how I am effecting the culture. Anthropology is a science isn't it?
Labels: Anthropology, Ethnography, Racing
posted by Nate at
1:26 AM
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