Hawk-O-Ween at the Dirty Bird
Tuesday, November 2, 2010 at 8:47PM 
Eric "Hot Dog" Vest on the Hawk-O-Ween Podiumrace report by Jay Fesperman and Eric Vest
This weekend was the last time we will ever ride at the Dirty Bird at Hawksnest Resort in Seven Devils, NC and it was the last time we will ever ride our 2010 Specialized Big Hits. We loved riding at the Dirty Bird this season. The Dirty Bird trails had sweet berms, technical rock gardens, and fun jumps. Since this race was the last race of the season and it was on Halloween weekend, everyone was encouraged to wear costumes. This made the race extremely fun and relaxed. Christopher and Ben got mullets to go with their Hick costumes (they looked really funny!). Eric was rocking a hot dog costume, which was pretty hilarious too. Walker had a sleek Industry Nine skin suit, which made him smooth out on the course.
Saturday started out with slalom, on the new DS course at the Bird. The track was tight, short and really fast, with flowy rollers and berms. It was a track to test your pumping and cornering ability. They took 16 qualifiers; with the GROM team all riding in one class. There was a lot of intense racing and Christopher came out on top, with Walker in second and Tim in third. As soon as slalom was over everyone got ready to practice downhill before the race later in the afternoon.
With our costumes on, we started practice for the downhill race. The weather was great and the course was perfect. By 3:00 people started heading up the mountain for their race runs. At the top where everyone waited for their number to be called, we sat and looked at all of the costumes - some of them were really out there - crazy stuff. GROM dad Mike Calhoun won best costume in his, very appropriate, Evil Kenevil suit.
Riding down the course through the fast technical trail there were pumpkins in the ground especially at the (pumpkin jump) where most people watched. After the last racer came down the mountain and across the finish line people went to get cleaned up for the awards. After the awards the team loaded up in the cars and went back to the mountain house to eat a delicious meal courtesy of Fesperman and Calhoun families.
Sunday Luca and Walker woke up early to get ready for their cycle cross race that morning. We all had a great time watching them duke it out in the off camber/dual slalom section where Luca jumped one of the rollers with Walker gooning right next to him. It sure is amazing to watch all of the cycle cross racers ride the off camber section on the thin tires they ride on.
When their cycle cross race was over, we all went to the trailer to get ready to ride the Dirty Bird for the last time. It was so cool riding the mixture of all the race courses from the past races. On the last run of the day, every one took a huge train down the race course. I think their where 50 people riding down the trail all at once. The toughest part of the day was when we had to give back our Specialized Big Hits. Some of us hugged our bikes after we put them in the GROM trailer ready to go home.
