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How'd the 2023 Dragon Slayer go for you?


WhoAmI
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Laps: 3.3

Route: Of course!

How many times: 4x

Weather: Nearly perfect... a little slick and spicy off the start (would it be a DS without slippy limestone?), a tad warm for my tastes on lap 2, but for a 12hr window in CenTX in Dec, it don't get much better 🙂

Recap: Lots of rocks. Fun times with cool people. Bikes bikes bikes!

Edited by schoolie
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2 laps this year.  I'm finally embracing this route in 2023.  Starting\ending at Russel breaks up the difficult parts nicely and allows you to hammer all out for the last 8 miles that is mostly double track.  I've done a 2 single lappers in previous DS years and did a 3 lapper the day after the DS in 2021.  

Lap 1 took me 4 hours and it was fastest\easiest 30 mile version I've done.  Was charging downhill after leaving Jim Hogg on lap 2 and wiped out pretty good.  Was so tired at that point I just laid sprawled out along the trail to rest for a few minutes.  Laying on the rocks seemed more comfortable than getting back on the bike..  I took it slower for the remainder of the loop which caused my 2nd lap to be about 4:45.  An overall 9 hour time for 2 laps which included about 15 min restocking between laps. 

I intentionally started late so I would not be tempted to try 3 laps.   I could have started lap 3 at 5:45pm, but it would have taken me at least 5 hours to finish.   I'm totally happy with 2 laps this year and have a healthy motivation to shoot for 3 laps next year.

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On 12/10/2023 at 11:00 AM, WhoAmI said:

How many laps did you ride?

I really thought I would come down for this (and EB), but I'm trying to find new ways to push my miles and my efforts. 

But interesting post...and you've been putting some good longer efforts together over the past year or so. Are you considering giving DS a go next year?  

Edited by Barry
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21 hours ago, Barry said:

I really thought I would come down for this (and EB), but I'm trying to find new ways to push my miles and my efforts. 

But interesting post...and you've been putting some good longer efforts together over the past year or so. Are you considering giving DS a go next year?  

Unless they move the event back to September, I'm not likely to make another attempt.   While this last event has great temperatures, I don't like cold weather, which is very likely to happen in December.

Also, in my Texas opinion, this event should take place in August b/c you're "dragon slaying," and dragons generally (not all) are fire breathing.  lmoa  Plus, fall weather typically is wetter, and I really don't like riding wet trails regardless of rock content.

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48 minutes ago, WhoAmI said:

Also, in my Texas opinion, this event should take place in August b/c you're "dragon slaying," and dragons generally (not all) are fire breathing.  lmoa  Plus, fall weather typically is wetter, and I really don't like riding wet trails regardless of rock content.

Ha... this is the logic that has the nonsense DFW event, "Judgment Day" happening in August. 

But yeah, the weather has been hit and miss for the event for sure.  

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  • 1 month later...

I've only done single laps a few times and I always start at Camp Tejas and go counter clockwise. I've been thinking that starting at Cedar Breaks and going clockwise might be a tad easier though.

What's the route for the Dragon Slayer? Clockwise or CC? Is there a specific start point?

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On 1/26/2024 at 3:34 PM, quixoft said:

I've only done single laps a few times and I always start at Camp Tejas and go counter clockwise. I've been thinking that starting at Cedar Breaks and going clockwise might be a tad easier though.

What's the route for the Dragon Slayer? Clockwise or CC? Is there a specific start point?

Are you on Strava?  The route has evolved over the years with the biggest change(s) at 2022....but then reconfigured this past year again.  Finding the Strava route (for any giiven year) might be the best way.  As for myself, I generally just ride a traditional LGT lap when I go ride out there (which I recall was the DS for it's first 2 yrs).  Additionally, it siwtched directions every year.  Historically I've ridden (& raced) it CW...but my 100 miler in 22' was CCW and I dug it.

Cheers,
CJB

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We did a CW loop out there last September and I thought I was gonna buckle as it was so f'n hot. That's one place to check your mtb fitness. Hard to believe I used to do 2 laps on a SS nearly a decade ago. Also watched a big Rattler go across the trail.

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