I need this like I need a hole in my head...

The first cross race of the season is under my belt, or in the bag or ....I don't know its done, and I forgot just how much it hurts. After going to the Bicycle Film Fest the night before and a long week of work before that I woke up a bit hazy and with heavy legs...I resigned myself to suiting up and having fun...no pressure, and really how much pressure can you have when your riding a fixed gear cross bike in coveralls...Thanks to MFG for a great course, thanks to Sally for the coveralls, thanks to Schooner Exact for the beer....it was fast, and the weather was very uncross like, hot and sunny...maybe we should have run a hose across the course....I am sure we will have plenty of the wet stuff soon enough. I almost didn't make the start due to a slow leaking tire that started to leak a bit faster on the start line, but just made it...the race had the biggest ss field I have seen in Seattle, our team had many mechanicals and flats and such, but a good showing none the less...here are a few photos.

Where did those two weeks go.....

I can't believe it two weeks since I posted...The days really do go by fast, well with work, biking, and all the beer events that take up time it shouldn't come as any real surprise. We are in the process of planing for our next weekend excursion to Portland, we almost went with the same costumes, but the Chief had a great idea that should make us stand out. Enough about what is coming up here is what went down...We have recieved much attention after out little excapade to Portland. Check out the Rapha video here. We made it here to, and a new link off their site is pretty awsome as well. If you haven't read the Chief's report on our trip you should, Check it out, you may have to scroll down, he likes to write almost as much as he likes to talk....

I decided not to race cross, because that is to be saved for nasty weather, and with the temps in the upper 50's and the sun shining it only seemed fit to go and enjoy some mtbing in the great weather. Here in the Northwest rain is always just around the corner and great weather needs to be taken advantage of. I rode the Suntop trial, and have to say if you make the bonus climb to the lookout you will be rewarded with one if not the best views of Mt Rainer that I have ever seen. It was way better than riding in circles for under an hour, to climb for about and hour and then climb a bit more before one hell of a fast, amazing decent and to finish on Skookum Flats trail. I couldn't ask for more out of a Sunday. Then it was back in to the weekly grind, then a bit of a head cold, flu to finish out last week. This past Sunday brought on more than a few decisions. Ride the mtb, race cross, or go out and support my friend who was hosting an Alleycat Time Trial right here in the city. Two of the options involved driving, I wasn't feeling that great and I really wanted to support my friend, so I opted for the $5 dollar time trial. In a break from the norm I decided I would race with,.....gasp gears...My get around town fixie is in need of some help and not the best race machine out there, and I wanted to ride gears I am unsure why, but I was feeling like something different. It paid off, I was the 12th rider to leave and the first to break the old course record, with a time of 42 mins and 16 secondsthe headwind was amazing on the last leg of the race. It took me a 1/2 min or so to find one of the stops that was right where i thought it was supposed to be. I finished and that is when this guy started, so I drained a few Rainer's and waited for him to finish. I watched him come across the line and the time was commputed, he finished in 42 mins and 12 seconds, 4 fucking seconds..damn. Bridesmaid again. I went home cooked dinner and then headed to the after party. Jaime was a gracious winner, taking just a sticker, which left the wheelset to me....a fixed, fixed wheelset from Traitor, felt a bit odd winning a fixed wheelset of my geared bike, say what you will...it was a wheelset that I can use on an upcoming bike project so I took em....Now if I can just kick this damn head cold, lung butter congestion thing and get back to feeling good it will be great.

Fort Steilacoom revisited

It was a gorgeous fall day, one of those days where the light is perfect, the sun is shining, a slight nip in the air, we were all wearing short sleeves. Fort Steilacoom is just south of Tacoma, about a 45 min drive from my house. I arrived took the dogs for a walk in the park and then suited up and readied for battle. I had been coughing up lung butter all week, and was really hesitant to race, but really wanted to. I found myself wondering why I was pushing so hard to get points in the series, that a few months ago I could have carried less about. It looks like because I am choosing the CCSSWC in Portland over a weekend of racing here in the Seattle series I will be only participating in 6 of 9 in the Seattle series races and the Points race includes the best 7 results. I still hope to place in the top 5 overall, but I can not have a bad race. Enough about all that, competition takes hold of me sometimes and I feel the need for speed so to speak.

Now to the race on Sunday. Thanks to Twin Six I had a new jersey and socks just for the occasion. What better for fall than the Buck. Every Singlespeeder needs a pair to these, 6 inch wool beauties. Thanks so much Brent. The course included small climb some descending and the famous Knapp run up, think a very long, not so fun steep hill run in the middle of the race.
Lap one: The whistle blows and we are off. I find myself out front for a bit of the lap, through the barriers and up the small climb, then I get passed and struggle to hold his wheel. Down a steep, loose, mulch hillside and on to the run up we go. Running uphill is not my strong point, in fact it is my weakness. Up we go and I am now battling for second and third. At the top we are in a pack, once we hit the flats I have the power and the ability to stay out front, a firm second.

Laps 2,3,4
I get passed by one more single speeder Galin, last weeks winner and continue to battle for the next position with Mike. He is faster on the run up, but I can catch him on the rest of the course.

Lap 5
I am able to shed Mike and get a gap. Firmly in third. Now if I can just hold it.

Lap 6 the final lap
I have a gap until I drop my chain. How could this be. I fix it and am on my bike just ahead of Mike, last years series champion. He is faster on the run up, typically, we are close to the top and neck and neck, it is do or die time, I bury my head and dig deep, just edging him out at the top. I know that I will not be able to shake him, it is the last lap, I try but to no avail. We are going to be sprinting for third. I am patient and think I know where he will jump on me, I see him in my periphery and stomp on the pedals, just edging him out across the line. I am whipped, snot is everywhere, but I managed to get third, a very hard fought third at that. It was a great race.