FASTER THAN A CAR !!
GINGER SAYBOLT 2nd by SECONDS IN CLOSEST LION EVER !!
On September 11, 1999 Matt "Broiler" Royston won the Third Annual Mountain Lion Race. MR won the other 2 Lions (1997 & 1998) as well. His latest victory has earned him the official title Owner of the Mountain Lion. This was the best and closest ML ever. Rob "Ginger" Saybolt was second by seconds. In the First ML Ginger was 4th. Last year in the 2nd ML he moved up to 3rd and this year he reached 2nd. A last minute navigational error cost him 1st place. Meanwhile Broiler has won all 3 MLs. The stage is set for Mountain Lion IV next summer. Broiler vs. Ginger -- Battle of the Nicknames !!
On October 9 (10-9 Day !) John Blackwell, a Driver at Professional, drove the 13 mile course in his Mazda sports sedan. His 54 minute time was beaten by Broiler and Ginger and would have put his CAR in 4th place proving once again the superiority of the bicycle over a mere automobile on a 13 mile course that featured elevation changes up to 900 feet.
Final Results of the 1999 Mountain Lion.
1. Matt "Broiler" Royston 47 minutes 59 seconds
2. Rob "Ginger" Saybolt
3. Clive Lightwood
4. Nick "62"
5. Erik "Sure King" Zo
6. Joel Metz
7. Marcus of Switzerland (First from out of SF)
8. Luk
9. Ralph Jacobs
10. Danny
11. Tim
12. Curt
13. Joe Falanga
14. Bridget (First in Women's)
15. John Seagrave
16. Linda Laski
17. Bernie
HOW HE DID IT -- Broiler's route to victory
From the start at Precita & Alabama Streets (elevation about 50 feet) in San Francisco Broiler went with the pack up Alabama Street to turn left on Mullen to the first checkpoint at Mullen & Montcalm (elevation about 145 feet).
He stayed with the pack to go along Mullen to the 2nd checkpoint at Mullen & Brewster (slightly lower than the previous checkpoint). Staying in the pack he and they made a navigational error by going on Brewster (the right move was to go south on Esmeralda). The pack then corrected themselves and went up (west) some conveniently located stairs to Esmeralda and then on to Carver and the alley west of Mayflower.
From there they found the 3rd checkpoint (west of Mayflower & Carver -- elevation about 200 feet) and then took the short but dangerous downhill to Chapman where they turned right (west) and then turned left (downhill) on Folsom. This move was followed by a quick right onto Powhattan and they rode west on Powhattan including the one block of that street which is nothing but a trail. The Cross Street Directory states that Powhattan is a continuous street but now 1999 ML veterans know better ! In fact many errors of the Cross Street Directory were featured in this year's ML.
Ginger Saybolt was the first to the 4th Checkpoint at Powhattan & Bocana (elevation almost 350 feet) followed closely by Broiler. In the next few minutes Ginger expanded his lead as Broiler fell back.
From Bocana & Powhattan Broiler rode down (south) Bocana to the busy corner at Cortland Street. In heavy traffic he took a right on Cortland and then a left on Elsie to go up to Holly Park. Turning right on Holly Park Circle he then went right on Highland to Mission -- SF's oldest and longest street -- where he took a left and then a quick right on Richland crossing the Richland Bridge over to Arlington and making a left there and racing downhill to go right on Wilder, left on Diamond and then right onto Bosworth. At Congo he turned left and began the torturing ascent of that street until making a right on Stillings and then a right on Teresita. Our hero was now beginning to catch up on the slope of Mt. Davidson (SF's highest hill) just as he did last year ! At Bella Vista he went left and then right on Molimo. At Molimo & Myra Broiler went left on Myra and then went entered the forest on the upper slopes of Mt. Davidson. By the time he reached the peak on Davidson (Checkpoint 5 -- elevation 925 feet) he was in second close behind Ginger. Riding his bike down the muddy trails of Davidson the mud splattered Broiler passed Ginger and took the lead before getting back onto the street at Myra.
Riding north on Myra he turned right on La Bica, left on Rockdale, right on Chaves and left on Evelyn and then came to Portola. AFter turning right on Portola he blasted through the strategic intersection of Portola & Woodside and then made the key left turn onto Twin Peaks Blvd. At Panorama he turned left and then right onto Midcrest to ascend that steep street and go to Checkpoint 6 (elevation about 750 feet) at the end of the cul-de-sac.
From there he took the path up to Twin Peaks Blvd. and then ascended another path to the high point of Twin Peaks Blvd. (elevation almost 850 feet). From Twin Peaks Broiler descended on a path to Marview past the reservoir to Palo Alto Ave. and then west on Palo Alto to another path to La Avanzada which took him to Dellbrook where he turned right and then he reached Clarendon where he went right to go to Johnstone. On Johnstone he took a wrong turn going left on Adolph Sutro !! His 3rd ML and the checkpoint in that area has been the same each year and Broiler takes a wrong turn !! What WAS he thinking ??!!
From A. Sutro he took a path and some messed up stairs back to Johnstone and then to the western intersection of Johnstone and Behr where he completed the 7th checkpoint (elevation about 900 feet). He was still in the lead as he rode downhill to Clarendon choosing to pass the Medical Center Way short cut and instead going right on Christopher and then screeching down Warren to Lawton & 7th Ave where he turned right (north) and headed into Golden Gate Park.
Meanwhile Ginger had begun to make up time and was in the park ahead of Broiler but made a wrong turn (what was he thinking ?).
Forty seven minutes and 59 seconds after the start Matt "Broiler" Royston reached the Finish Lion at 8th Ave & Fulton ahead of Rob "Ginger" Saybolt by 20 seconds.
The elevation of the Finish Lion is about 200 feet above sea level.
Special SPECIAL thanks to Dan Jaber of Launch Sportswear not only for his generous contribution of 25 high quality jerseys but also for helping one rider not get lost !!