By Marty Basch

Scott Doak removed his white hockey-style face mask and pondered what had caused him to survive navigating a bumpy, grassy downhill course on a souped-up tricycle.

"Strategies?," he repeated. "A padded seat."

Riding his custom built yellow Schwinn tricycle, the former valley resident  endured the thrills, spills and liberal doses of insanity  to win last Saturday's 2nd Annual Red Parka Grand Prix Tricycle Race at Black Mountain in Jackson.

The former Red Parka Pub employee now living in Manchester as a student and custom bicycle builder was top gun in a field of 20.

"The idea is to slow down near turns, go wide open in the flats, use your body weight and lean, lean, lean," he said.

The unconventional low riding competition on the sharp raceway is a fundraiser for the Red Parka Pub Scholarship Fund.

Big Wheel baby

The race is the brainchild of George O'Brien, husband of Red Parka Pub owner Terry. A couple of years ago he was watching some children riding their plastic Big Wheel rigs in a driveway and was impressed by the turns and sounds they were making.

But plastic wouldn't cut it on a grassy hill.

"Instead of plastic, steel holds the trikes together," he said.

O'Brien built a squadron of trikes, 10 of them used during the event. Two were brought by other competitors including Doak.

O'Brien's rigs had modified big steel wheels, 16 inches in the front and 12 inches in the back. They also had reinforced steel axles in the back. Ground clearance was minimal.

On course

The quarter-mile course was held on the wide pitch under the red summit double chair and had four major turns with a lane at least 20 feet wide. A Grand Prix format, four helmeted riders raced at a time.  Riders and rigs were transported to the race start by pick-up truck before entering the start ramp. The gate dropped and the racers hit the course with the first and second place finishers advancing to the next round. Some competitors wore knee pads while others had chest armor.

"Some of our kayak racers, the ones who do the downhill regatta on snow, are here," he said. "I wouldn't really know how to describe the type of person who would do this. There is a variety of people here."

One of them was North Conway's Evan Scheiner, 35, a waiter and member of the Delaney's defending team champions.

Scheiner rides around town a number of different rigs he's modified including a tricycle and choppers. His tricycle is a regular adult sized tricycle with 20 inch wheels. He has a basket on the back that he uses to haul groceries and laundry. Plus, he also has a trailer and has used it to go to the town dump.

"This is a pretty crazy good time," says Scheiner. "Four people doing down the course at a time is crazy."

He's right.

Riders don't actually pedal and brake. The idea is to survive with minimal grass stains, bruises and blood. The spectator-friendly event featured several collisions and riders going off-course as well as taking out course poles and tape. They stopped in the parking lot with outstretched feet and perpendicular leaning.

"It's exhilarating," said Intervale's Carrie McLane, racing along with sister Laura. "It's a bumpy, bumpy ride. You really have to lean into it."

Do it this way

Her advice?

"Hold on, lean back and put your feet up," she said. "It's pretty wild."

It was as the three-wheeling giddy grown-ups made their way down the course sprinkled with curious and cheering onlookers.

Riding for his second year was North Conway's Ray Gilmore who crashed in both of his heats. The 33-year-old recently graduated nursing student is a retired solider who saw military service twice in Afghanistan and once in Korea's demilitarized zone.

"Being in this is a bleeping blast," he said. "This is the closest thing to a super G in the summer and it's on a tricycle."

He had such fun last year, he had to try it again.

"I have to be honest, the first time I tried it I was scared out of my wits," he said. "You're only three inches off the ground and there were crashes and people wrapping tires. You have to have a couple of screws loose to do this."

He was right.

As Terry O'Brien quipped at the finish, "This is not your normal bike race."

She was right too.