Old Scool Racing.....

So yesterday I got home early from the Boulder Beer race that gave me time to work on the Mex’y Car…..I took a little advice from Mike’y and cut the springs to get it really slammed. But I guess I got a little too aggressive with the cut off saw because when I put it back togather it was slammed, but sitting on the bumper stops. I had to take it apart again and cut the bumper stops. I’ll post up some pic after I get it washed…..Which might be later this week. Now that all the Mex’yies are on strike. Which is a great topic around here b/c every other person is an illegal. But it super low now! I’ve also got to take it to the shop and get the suspension realigned. But it’s riding Sweet and Low……I'm so bang'n in it with the Masi on top!

This weekends racing was long, longer and the longest ever….It was an iron man base weekend. Saturday started early with a 9:00am start time (and that’s super early for me. Why do road races have to start so dam early?). I was stoked even with the early start and hoping to make up for last weekends debacle. It was a huge field with 163 starting in the beautiful Colorado spring weather. 30 mile an hour winds, rain with some hale and snow mixed in for fun. So my nice clean bike stayed clean for about the first of the 65 mile race. At about the half way point I did make it into a move (and what would be the winning break) But that wasn’t long for me b/c after bridging up I got a flat. After a wheel change I was in no-mans land for the next 15 min.s until I bridge up again. Feeling gas but happy I just sat in at the break thinking I’ll just coast to the sprint. When the support car pulls up along side of me and the dude yells “I fixed your tire, we need our wheel back” WTF….I was dumb founded but he was adamant about getting he’s wheel back. As I was changing my wheel again I asked if he could pace me back and he agreed so I wasn’t to pissed until my F-n wheel started going flat again as he was pacing my back. So after throw a string of expletives I pack it for the race and headed back to the car limping along on my flat after 40 miles of racing. The women’s group passed me on my way back so I able to yell some support to Sandy as she took it to the woman’s field.

Back at the car stewing about my luck I decided to head over to registration and see what a second race would cost because the cat 1,2’s and the 30plus went off at 1:00 and I thought I would give’r a go, get some more miles in and see how long I can hang. Even thought I had ¾ of a race in already. After fixing my tire and putting a clean kit I headed to the line. In what would turn into an epic race for me with 90 starters….I was amazed at how fast these guy where. For the first 20miles I didn’t get out of my 11 gear it was 35- 37 flat out. Hanging on for dear life I spun my ass off as one guy after another blow off the back. You could see it happen. First his cadence would get choppy then his hands would shake and bam “See Ya” just as it was my turn to go the big teams pulled off the front and the pace slow. Thanks God. Then for the next 40 miles it was Attack, chase, counter attack, chase….It was fun because I think this was the first RR I’ve been in that real team work happen. Even if I did have any teammates it was cool to watch the other work. It seam with every attack and chase our group got smaller and smaller. Amazingly after surviving the first hammer fest I felt pretty good and thought “I can hang with these guy’s”. Which is code for wheel-suck untill the finish. I did move to the front a couple of times but out gun these guys weren’t having any of that. So to the back of the bus I was sent. Not that I had the legs anyway. But the mornings miles took it’s toll and halfway up the largest climb I popped and off the back I went……..then it was my own personal hell for the next 12 miles. My world came crashing down after I lost contact with the leaders. They put like 30 min.s into me in that short 12 miles. So I rounded out the field in 25th…..with 120 miles of racing on my legs I was very happy with that. Sandy had another great showing finishing 5th…..She just needs to learn not to open up the sprint so early.
But the really fun was Sunday, the Boulder Beer race…..it was good for a case a beer! I took the first four sprints for a case and then drop out and went home…..You got to love a case of beer!