Following the Mohican Debacle, feeling fatigued and mentally burnt, I took a little advice from a red headed elder and hopped on the Night Train to enjoy summer a little. Took a few weeks to taste every beer in Georgia. Fell in love with Oskar Blues along the way. (you people in other states don't know how lucky you are) Then eloped from life for a month at the lake last weekend.With another trip to the bug infested sweet single track having swamps of Orange County New York looming I thought best to test the fitness yesterday. After tuning up on a semi dry course last week, what do I wake up to race day morning? That's freaking right kids!!! Jason wants to race a mountain bike so Mother Nature takes a crap on him once again. 3 for 3 in 2010. At least I'm batting 1000.
Took a page out of the Montalbano Guide to Mountain Bike Racing and clipped into the only single-speed in the Sport division. I didn't think my lack of fitness, skills, experience and low body fat % were quite enough challenge. Add one more...two mile out and two miles back across the dam without a tow rope and that should make for a sufficient disadvantage.
You can see the rest of the story developing in your mind, right? Line up with 5 others, keep up till my heart feels like it going to explode halfway across the dam, hit the slick root infested singletrack and hang on. First bridge, Mohican Flashback, we all slow down to talk to the guy sitting in the ravine taking inventory of his parts.
I know, I know, land this plane. Ran the old ticker at 99% for 1:59 and finished, you guessed it, DFL. What? Were you expecting a happy ending? OK there is some optimist left in me. Due to the weather it was a low turnout, so most of the field were series regulars competing for points. I was the only person idiotic enough to try and keep up across the dam, but I passed a geared guy on the home stretch, beat a handful of dudes in other age groups (including you know who) and finished 10 minutes behind the winners of my class. I'll take my 54 series points, go home happy and scrub my gear for a few hours.
BTW, its says it's not going to rain in NY this weekend, wanna bet?
