Week #2

Sunday was a mess, no warm up, parking cluster-fuk, poor timing, all getting me to the line not quite ready, my mistakes, I made them and paid for it. Using the first few laps to learn the course is not the way to go. Poor start, having to come off the bike and run around stopped riders on a riding stretch, made the first lap hectic, not real panic as much as never really getting the lungs open made the first half of the race hurt. Finally almost settling in with a bit of separation and rolling around with one pilot fish, pulling through when I thought it was my turn, and I spill on a slick little bumpy lefthander, straighten my levers and he's gone, full on attack. Is that what we're supposed to do? I'm torn. Attack a rider after he falls? Either way, I recovered and did all I could to limit losses and roll in 2nd. Better timing next week.

This morning I saw a near head-on crash, maybe the asshole dropped his; coffee, phone, cigarette, bong, whatever, it was close.

Tank

The tank needs to be emptied everyday. Not all the way to empty but at least to the half point. Recovery days are lost unless they involve an easy 90 plus minutes. If not sleep is lost and the snowball fatigues and grows instead of melts. The balance is always just out of reach, every time I think I am getting close it slides just out of reach.

one day

One of the better rides I did this Summer. Topping out @ 14,000 feet. Going uphill is great...

Meted Out

The cold rain I rode home in at 40 degrees was far rougher than the drips off the trees at 30 in the woods on trail to work. At least I had a head wind. Clear days and rainy late afternoons. Puzzles, don't burn too many matches or the last month of the season will seem like a whole winter.

Here

The sky is getting better, not only are we getting fall colors in the trees but also Summer storms in the sky. Dodging the biggest thunder I have ever heard and trying to stay upright, cross practice is always good, whether here or in the Republic.

Best ride lately

Check this ride out it's an hour or so. Perfect, maybe next time on a single, the 10x1 was maxed out up the steeper pitches. After getting back to town I wanted to go again. Ideal, after bike practice hit this one.

Curry

Today I had curry without rice, I did have tofu and some sort of eggplant, I enjoyed it but I don't know exactly what it was- I normally don't get the green curry. Lots of other veggies in there too.

The snow and rain from the late part of the week made the ok to not so ok course into a good one. The perpendicular ridges became soft bermy ridges, carving the tubeless tires and feeling the first full cross effort was good, little snag just before the mid-point helped me more than it hurt me. I dropped the chain just after pulling through and stopped, got off and fixed it, no panic, just get it back together and race the bike. 4 seasons of single ring with a double guard and this never happened, first race with a third eye and a single guard, I had to stop. I don't think they attacked as much as accelerated when I stopped to fix, take time where you can. I attacked after getting it on to catch, I didn't want the two to get away. Top class racers like Ward and Jon don't need that much time before they're gone and I'm stuck in third. I guess Jon had issues and faded a bit as Ward lit it up on the road, I was comfy enjoying the shelter on the headwind stretches and came around to lead out the last lap or two, Van der Poel would be proud. The screw turned and I was able to gap Ward enough to take the first win of the season, good stuff.

First

Snow and hail and whatever else falls out of the sky frozen or semi frozen. I can only hope it makes the course better. We all have the same puzzle, the pieces go together, somehow.