the world according to garp

... when we measure ourselves heavy in a world without weight.

~

In the A race on Sunday's CCCX-fest, it was a smaller field, giving good opportunity to ride at the front and experiment with form. Justin Robinson launched hard off the line and up the falsely-flat hill, with a bit more oompf than I thought he might. I was dinking around with tightening a rear spoke (with the aid from some of the SCCC crew) just before the start and lined up at the back of the group as they received directions from RoddyH.

Luckily, the long paved section as you approach the barrier offered enough room to string out the pack and allow me to swing around a few boys and head into the barrier clean. Once out of the barriers, Justin was still stomping hard on the pedals with Keith D. hot on his wheel. After a few pedalstrokes I heard the telltale slap-crash of a pileup but didn't look back for inspection. Unlucky Stevey Ree looked like he might have got a little bit of rear wheel from young Loader, but i never talked to anyone about it and only saw the Nancy pics.

Looked owey.

As we approached the top of the paved section there was the expected slowdown and swarming for position into the choppy dirt dropshot to the tree barrier. Hooptie flew around the lead riders and flung himself down that hill like a runaway bowling ball.

(thanks for the pic AG)
The course was very, very fast making it difficult to close gaps once created. A lead group finally opened up with Cam Falconer, Justin R and myself. Hooptie was killin' his single-speed ... but, on that fast of a course it had to be burnin' gasoline through his thighs. From as soon as I could, I began attacking Cam and Justin. This is one of the few, probably only, cross course I'd be able to put a wee bit of wood to guys like these so i had to give it a go. Besides, training level ready or not, I needed to start riding at a higher effort level and getting accustomed to keeping good form over barriers and over techy riding while pushing on the accelerator.

... well, one out of two ain't bad.

A bit before midway through the race I was able to finally get a gap on the two with another attack on the road section. At the top I had a nice little gap and was feeling damn satisfied that I'd be able to stick it out. As I approached the poofball decent that Hooptie could nail with his eyes closed ... i came across a lapped rider. Le oops.

I totally muffed the pass as I was taking the stupidest line possible down that thing. The line I was taking wasn't a huge amount slower than the better line, but it was waaay sketchier and ... i'm sure gave justin and cam no end of giggles as they saw me murder that thing. Ah well ~ I just couldn't have been bothered to pre-ride the course all that much with the pics n' vids n' cheering needed for the women's racing beforehand. Anyway, the lapped rider was just enough distraction for me to drop my bike like a complete doofus. I didn't get dirty, but I ended up leaving the bike on the ground a solid 10 feet up the hill as my momentum kept me running down towards the tree barrier.

dipshit.

So, after retrieving my bike ... the gap was back down and gave those boys enough inspiration to grab me right back again. Poop. and so ... i attacked again. But, they weren't interested in giving me an inch and so we started through the next lap together, still driving a decent pace but definitely in the conserve mode of "who's gonna hit it next".

Well, i did. A rock, that is ... and flatted my rear tire on the back end of the course. Stupido. Justin was nice enough to encourage me with a "keep it together, we'll be to the bikes soon."

Yeah, I thought, just keep contact to the pits and maybe ...

and then Justin hit it. If there's a contest of on/off power surges, I can match a boy like that. But if you're talking straight up, consistent horsepower ... it's time to waive bye-bye for me. It sure 'nuff was frustrating seeing those two leave me for dead, but I had a good time while it lasted and felt swell about the whole ordeal. Besides, still had some fun with Rob and Aaron on the last couple laps as we punched each other in the nose for 3rd place. Good clean fun.

blah, blah, blah ... racer crap.

see you at the next one.