Swagtacular

Craziness and Success!

Got to the Short and Fat start 1.5 hours early. There were about 20 rows of bikes parked in the start area ahead of me. Yikes. Wedged the Ax into a nice spot about row three, behind the preferred start section. If nobody yells at me, I’m in.

Rollout went great. My cyclocross bike just flew on the roughly paved, mile long start. I could roll up between the openings without too much effort. Counting the two(!) serious pile-ups in the first two miles, I must’ve passed 200 people.

It was amazing. On the forest road sections I could bridge the gaps up to the next set of riders pretty much at will. Hang back and draft for a bit, pick your spot for the move and then smoothly power to the next group. I have never been able to move like that. That must be how real athletes do it!

Then it became a game of holding my own in the single track sections. I felt a need for more finesse with the skinnier, lighter setup. Took great care in picking lines and finding the smoothest track while going cross-eyed.

At three miles out I smacked an unseen rock and CRACK!. Waiting for my front tire to flatten, or was that my carbon fork? Eventually I figured it was an old nemesis, the handlebars had slipped the grip of the stem by a cm or so. The excitement and hesitation had allowed three past, including the first two women. A second adjustment of the bars on a monster downhill encouraged an even more aero position and put the brakes a bit more out of reach. A good thing…I guess.

71 out of 801 and 3rd in age group. Only the second time I placed in this race!

Early start in Sunday’s Rough Stuff Rendezvous. I checked the map regularly, trying to avoid mistakes. No issues on the first control, always good to get your bearings. Gathered a crowd on the way to the second control. Politely dropped them on the way to the third and didn’t see another rider the rest of the way.

Successfully balanced caution (stopping to check the map) with self-doubt/confidence (must’ve missed it, am I lost, I’m going too far, it should be here). Chose the proper order, a near perfect route, no false turns. Don’t know how the winner put seven minutes into me. I’ll have to get a clipboard for next year.

Proper order? 4,3,6,1,5,2,7. 5th of 71 and 2nd in age group.

Two events, two trophies. Everything important basically happened between the rainstorms. Perfect.

Just arrived from Kentucky. “I rode all gravel through Wisconsin”.