Da Track

The track out here is really fun to ride. The geometry is very similar to Blaine (if not exactly the same). The surface is almost like a gym floor. Very smooth with some sort of laminate over it. They suggest not to use brand new tires on this surface, as that can cause it to be very slippery (just ask Ferris). Also, the big sponsor logos on the track seem like they're going to be very slick, but aren't.

I'm having zero traction issues with my Continental Sprinters.

This surface has it's benefits. There were a couple big crashes in the womens field, and the riders just slid after they hit the deck. No splinters, just a bit of floor burn. The two that I talked to afterwards didn't even have torn jerseys.

The whole track is elevated about 4 feet above the infield, and the warm-up area at the base of the track is about 8 feet wide. The only problem with this is that it's even more slippery than the track surface, so you have to be going really slowly before you come off the track, or you'll come into a corner too hot and wash out. I saw a couple people do that yesterday. It looked embarrassing.

One thing that the majority of people who ride out here don't want to admit is that this track isn't particularly fast. You can actually hear the track squeaking as you squish the boards down in the turns. I thought there was something wrong with my bike at first, but it was actually the track. "Squishy" does not equal "fast". Don't get my wrong, it's still a fast track, but I honestly think the surface of Blaine is faster.

The DGC touched on this topic, but it feels a lot more comfortable riding way up at the rail when you see a seating area instead of a 30 foot drop. It's a tad more confidence inspiring.

I don't have any races today, so I'll get some close-up photos of the facilities. Photos that aren't of me pissing on it.