Schooled

Hat's off to Chris G and his staff at DBC events, they know how to build a cross course. The hardest, most grueling, sadistic, ridiculous cross course......ever. Did I mention that it was hard ? That's at least that's how I felt with two laps to go and so desperately wanted to stop, dive under the tape and wander back to the car to sulk. I left home without even packing my C-game, I was going backwards from 2 laps in and watching the guys I'm usually battling with just ride away. Excuses ? sure! heaps of them, but it seems to just boil down to a bad day on the bike.

The course was chock full of grunty steep climbs, heaps of sharp corners, an interesting chicane, type jog to the right approaching a double set of barriers ( just so some riders didn't get the smarty-pants idea that they would bunny hop them ) a seemingly 4 mile long sand pit with two ninety-degrees turns in it and oh yes, the sun came out for our race so it was an invigorating eighty something degrees out. This day demanded throwing down as much power as possible for the entirety. There wasn't one spot to sit up and gather yourself, trust me, I was looking.

Jen did her best to console me and let me know that I "looked really strong out there" although I knew better. My Maine home-boy Boobar, who was pitting for his girl Kelli, saw otherwise, he knew I was hurting since we've spent a fair amount of time swapping paint back in in Santa Cruz at the Surf City Series. He was pulling out all the classics, yelling "unhitch the trailer!!!!" as I'd wobble by with spit and drool stuck to the sleeve of my jersey.

Highlight of the day: watching the pro's be pro. Georgia Gould displayed her domineering style by leading the scattered remains of the ladies field by at least a half a lap. The mens event was outstanding. I have a huge amount of respect for Ryan Trebon, he's a great rider, but it's tiresome watching a complete blowout if he rides away from everyone else like last years event. It also irks me that he displays some not so pro activities when the race isn't going the way he likes it, i.e. hopping off and ghost riding the bike after crossing the line, throwing a hissy fit in the pit area when his bars came loose, etc.

Tim Johnson, Trebon and Todd Wells all held the lead at some point during the first 45 minutes. Johnson gassed it with 2 laps to go and took the race by a healthy margin. Nicely done.....I love seeing the humble, guy from Mass. ride away from everyone on a course that he isn't know to excel on. For the real skiiny on what went down, go here.

Up next : Saturday, It's up to Chatfield Reservoir for On the Cross, an event I haven't participated in previously.

It's Tuesday Nov 4th , I hope you exercised your right and voted today!! That's as political as I'll get here although our front lawn states our preference : Change!

Thanks for reading !
Shotty