Bonaire Wellness is holding a Mtn. Bike race on May 3, here on Bonaire. The race loop is one that has been used for a number of races over the years. It is in the area known as Yatu Baku and is about 4.3 km long. It is pretty easy, all in all, and makes it fun for riders of all levels of ability to participate. We have another race loop up north that will chew up and spit out an unprepared rider. My experience over the years with this loop is that recreational riders can get around the course in about 12:30. I think race pace for me was around 10:30 back in the day. The really fast racers did it in under 10 minutes a lap!
The start of the race loop is pictured above. Most of the course is nice wide dirt roads that are fun to ride. Although I have to admit that at a full-on race pace, even a gentle uphill road like this one eventually becomes killer painful. I remember the start of my first race here. I noticed that the serious racers were lining up at the start of the course in the same rear cog as I was. But they were on the big ring in front, and I had trained for the race with the middle chain ring. I knew I was in beeeg beeeg trouble.
Above we see a couple stragglers approaching the finish area of the race loop on a training ride. They claimed to have suffered a flat tire. hmmm.... Me, I just stop to take pictures when I'm tired, ha-ha.
The first half of the loop is gentle uphill and the last half is downwind, downhill and fast. There is a loose rocky climb in the middle of the course. Usually I can zoom up this, but sometimes I end up looking like a real dork, and crash when I can't unclip from the pedals in time.
The start of the race loop is pictured above. Most of the course is nice wide dirt roads that are fun to ride. Although I have to admit that at a full-on race pace, even a gentle uphill road like this one eventually becomes killer painful. I remember the start of my first race here. I noticed that the serious racers were lining up at the start of the course in the same rear cog as I was. But they were on the big ring in front, and I had trained for the race with the middle chain ring. I knew I was in beeeg beeeg trouble.
Above we see a couple stragglers approaching the finish area of the race loop on a training ride. They claimed to have suffered a flat tire. hmmm.... Me, I just stop to take pictures when I'm tired, ha-ha.
The first half of the loop is gentle uphill and the last half is downwind, downhill and fast. There is a loose rocky climb in the middle of the course. Usually I can zoom up this, but sometimes I end up looking like a real dork, and crash when I can't unclip from the pedals in time.
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