Turkeys,weddings,and racing...

It was a long one this past weekend. No racin' in Wisconsin for me, my sister was getting married in KC, so the fam made the trip down for a long wedding weekend and a little cross racing KC style on Sunday. Crusty offered up his new casa for us to homebase out of - thanks! The trip down was uneventful, stopped at the largest truck stop in the world - it's really not that cool if you aren't a trucker looking for chrome.

Did a little shake down ride with Crusty on Friday afternoon. We saw 8 wild turkeys chillin in some one's front yard - what a day to forget my camera. You have to love the KC suburbs, very little traffic and an abundance of wildlife. Next time I will remember my camera and Crusty better offer up some gravel roads - I miss them so!

The wedding and reception was nice. LeBam had a wonderful time and was a beautiful flower girl!

SUNDAY, SUNDAY, SOMEDAY!!
Crusty v. Heenan Round 2

The race was at the same venue as last years nationals, but a different part of the park. The rumor is that the park was not properly rehabilitated and no one is allowed back to that spot again - hence new venue for nationals this year. Luckily the park is huge and offers up some other nice race spots. What do you get when the team putting on the race is sponsored by a local brewery? - a live bluegrass band, free food, and free Boulevard Beer! Not to mention a totally fun course - pavement start and finish (Thank You) the rest was all grass. Off camber turns, 3 sets of barriers, two little run-ups, fast sections, power sections, and technical sections - the course was very well rounded and a BLAST.

Lined up a little late (I am noticing a disturbing trend), but worked my way up to Crusty and squeezed my way into a second row start spot. I knew that Crusty would punch it from the start and move up fast so on the whistle I gassed it and he came around. We both hit the little left hand downhill grass transition in the top five or so. I felt the rear squirm a bit on the turn - and started worrying about my pressure. Less than hundred meters later I was FLAT and going backwards fast, this being the second round of my battle with Crusty I was pissed and rode as fast as possible on a totally flat tubular to the pit, switched bikes and began what would be a 5 lap chase to catch Crusty. photo: the wife aka the sponsor

I found a nice rhythm and starting picking guys off one and two at a time, as the laps ticked off I was getting faster and gaining ground on Crusty. With 3 1/2 laps to go I made the catch and got on his wheel. He said something like "It's about time you caught me!" I replied "Yeah I forgot to take my pre-race poo and had to stop." As we went around the course I was looking for a spot that I could attack on the next lap around. When we approached the finishing straight our friend Mike had just turned off the pavement into the grass. I glanced over a Crusty as he settled into his hoods for a tempo chase - I went to my drops, stood up and lit the fuse! BAM I was gone and caught Mike right before the run-up and let him pull me into the headwind before coming around and leaving him behind for a solid 15th on the day.

Not my best result of the year thus far, but I feel it was my best race of the year. I was motivated to chase after flatting at the start, instead of mentally checking out. I raced smart and efficient, getting on wheels in the wind and coming around on the flats. I caught Crusty recovered and attacked when he wasn't expecting and went on to catch a couple of more guys. Even though it was one of the "what if" races - what if I hadn't flatted, what if I had chased a little harder and faster... I am very pleased with the race, just looking at the results seldom paints the entire picture! Crusty's version he has a few more pics.

Crusty 0 - Me 2

photo: the sponsor
At least he looks good.

Rounds 3 and 4 are set for November at JingleCross in Iowa - neutral ground, will Crusty be ready?