the hardest race i never did...

oy ... i'm trashed.

whoever volunteered me for helping with the Surf City races is soooo getting spankings. From pre-dawn to dusk pounding stakes, throwing haybales, and stomping fencing is too, too much for this girly-man. I just don't know how Becky, Dave, Stevey G, Chappco, daPAB, and xBun found the energy to race after working so hard.

they probably did it to embarrass me. the bastards.

- - -

We got some really good feedback about the course design, especially from der Funkmeister, and there are definitely some things i'd like to give a try out there if we can convince the School's administration. We'll see. But now that i've got the bug ... i'll probably be out scouting more race venues.

dah ... did i say that?

well, shyte ... when you've got someone as uber-kickass as Jeff Clark doing all the hard work ... it doesn't seem that daunting. that guy is legend, i tell ya.

- - -

The Racing?

I thought it was very exciting stuff. Wicketts showed up and was tested by both the Jackeymayniacs, with Ben the last to stand toe-to-toe with the Oregonian Skyscraper. Gotta admit, Wicks is beautiful on a bike. But, we'll give kudo's for Ben having been racing hard from the Tour of Cali to the US Pro championships. And Andy does work like 80 hours a week for Specialized. But still, that Wicks is pure divine.

Simon and Robinson had a huge battle behind for 4th. Simon had been tangled once or twice and turned himself in and out trying to stick with the top 3. Justin was big and efficient, as always, even throwing in a crowd pleasing set of bunnyhops over the barriers on the final two laps. But, Justin shredded a tire in the last sections and left Simon an easy run-in to the line. Behind those two was the best of the NorCross Funkmeister - another working stiff with family ties killing himself to stay upright and punch it out with the big dawgs.

- - -

The women's race was some mighty fine action with a naughty lap c-note to start the race. LalaLloyd grabbed the cash after taking advantage of a little bobble by Stella Carey and a mechanical from Kerlin. Lloyd ran full gas for another couple laps to extend a solid lead over Josie Beggs, Mel Metzger, Kerlin, Carey and a chasing trio of Erin Kassoy, Lauren Constantini, and Allison Baumhefner.

Kerlin would slowly work through the field after her mechanical to try and peg back Lloyd, but the ProMan rider found a groove and played it strong for the entire race - winning by a half-minute.

- - -

Overall, it was a good weekend and a swell start to the Surf City Series. The course was ... hard. Just plain hard. If you overcame and survived this weekend, congrats. It was more than I could do.

We'll do it all over again in the fabled stables of the Watsonville Fairgrounds in a couple weeks. i hope there's rain, cuz i wanna see some goop, baby.

~ hernando now returns to napping.