Bubba 7 at St. Vincent

(Thanks to Mike for snapping some photos)

After some solid B race finishes this season, 4-6-3-4, I decided to sack up this weekend and do the big show. Uncertain about my relative riding level, I lined up on the back row of the 25 rider field. *An aside; I am most appreciative that we have USACycling reps willing to brave the elements weekend after weekend to officiate these races, but man they can be real turds sometimes* Off the line, the pack stayed bunched up for the majority of the opening straight. I unfortunately got sandwiched between a fella on a mountain bike (???!!!??) and some other chap slapping on my back tire. Jumping out of the sandwich, I was surprised how slow the midpack A race start was, but unfortunately was unable to make any passes. Hence, after a conservative opening lap, with the field stringing out through the technical sections and climbs, I was eventually able to pick up a couple of places.

By the end of the lap, I found SoIll ScottP and DBlack(I owe you massive amounts of beer holmes) who were hauling through the technical sections. I sat on with Drew for a couple of laps and from what I'm told, we closed a huge gap on the next group of riders. Noticing a few more Mesa dudes 30 seconds ahead, I came around DB hoping to tow him up with me. The next time I looked over my shoulder, the DB's had switched, and I now had a Pro-Ass Breslin flying to catch up. Having flatted, the dude was mega-motivated, closing Gaps like a recession. I sat on with Dave for a lap, taking cues from the master, before he pulled off at the Seagal refreshment station on the big ass climb. Well deserved hydration after running the entire course! The pulls with Drew and Dave put me in range of three more riders, although one turned out to be mountain bike bro. In the final two laps, I inched out Martin and Matt going through the two big climbs, ultimately rolling across the line for 11th.

Moment of Zen regarding the race:

-Wicked excited for a solid result in my first big league showdown

-Glad to perform well with my parents in the audience

-Course was phenomenal and well suited to me (probably a large factor of my result) Word to the set-up crew

-Hindsight feeling kind of dick about putting my teammates to the screws and not working with them more or offering more motivation

-Legs & Lungs feel kick-ass

Back to the Future Weekend

Narrative Hook-

Stellar action packed weekend: Halloween, Daylight Savings, & two nights of euro field racing to kick off the new month.

Ch1.

Donning a green Parisian silk garment, I started the race on the front line alongside a man sized hare and Number 6. Immediately the soggy grass gave way to precariously slick mud sections. My mountain skills out-shined the time trialing road fellows as I slowly gapped the field. Maintaining a steady pace for 45 minutes allowed for a flawless race, sans mishaps in what could have been a wipeout fest. Overall the race was fun, but uneventful as I easily held 3rd for the meat of it. $10 and 4 points the richer, I hit the sack.

Ch2.

Tired as anticipated, I hit Carl's Big Bend Pay 'N Spray for a Sunday morning bike bath. With the Stevens looking 95% pro, the mates and I hit Creve Coeur for the third time this week. I was hoping for call-ups like the previous night afair, but in their absence I still found my way to a second row start in a narrow, strung out B field. At the end of the asphalt straight, I hit the wooded section around 6th wheel. I jockeyed with a few noticeably slower riders for two laps before connecting with my usual Dent Wizard counterpart. The two of us, surprising equally matched, traded pulls for a couple laps, putting a huge gap on 5th and bridging up to 2nd. With the number 2 man visibly fatigued, I swung around and proceeded to tow the group for 3 or so laps.

Coming through the ties section with 2 to go, my rear brake jammed as I remounted requiring me to hop off, remedy, and hammer. Fervently hitting the slog, I managed to regain contact with the group and sandwich in. Out of gas, the chaps put some hurt on in the closing moments culminating in a three way group sprint to the line. Aftermath: a wheel length away from the big money, 3 points in the bucket, and generally content with the weekend of racing. College season kicks off next weekend which may evoke other noteworthy happenings. We'll see how the logs are feelin' and what the Rock is cookin'.

Afterword -

Bono to elimiNATEr for rockin' his first cross weekend aboard the ferSirrus express and mucho gusto to Bunnbo Baggins for a truckload of hot shots.