MASS Final

Well this past weekend I found myself driving to Bear Creek Ski Resort in Macungie Pa for the BikeLine Summer Showdown MASS Race #12. Since it overlapped with a cross race and a race @ Michaux Forest the turn out was less than normal but as with any MASS race still stacked with talented and strong riders. The Elite field still had Kyle Hammaker(Trek) who flatted, Rob Lichtenwalner (Cannondale), Ray Adams (VistitPa), and Dylan & Andrew Alesio (Giant) all of whom have the ability to push the pace at any race. As for my Class Vet Expert well we had 17 or so riders which is slightly lower than the avererage 25 to 30. But it too had all the normal heavy hitters with one in particular man named Kevin Cuasak (Wild Blues) who has become my nemesis for this year. The past 3 races Kevin has securely beat me by 3 to 4 min where as the following 6 races I had been the victor. So with this being the last race and impossible for me to win the series because of the mathmatical way they score the races I had plans to try to hang with him as long as possible.

This course turned out to be one of, if not the most, technical course of the series (which would favor me heavily). From the start I followed Kevin for the most of 1 mile until a mis-shift of some sort caused him to stop at which time I continued at the pace he had set. Thinking all along that in a few minutes he would be catching up and I would again let him dictate the pace. Riding riding, running up the hike-a-bike and finally at the highest point where the real rock sections start and no Kevin? Well I love the rocks so off I go, momentum and finesse are to great things to maintain in situations like these. Both are skills I've learned to contol like a Jedi Knight uses the Force. As I descended from the top of the mountain flowing thru the sea of boulders a feeling of comfort came over me. I realized just how much fun this season had been and what a course this was for a final! Slowly I started passing riders from the two classes that started before mine and I began heckeling them in a friendly way as I enjoyed the rocks! By the 3rd and final lap I had caught Ray (VisitPa) currently in 3rd place senior I class, who had clearly taken a yard sale (crash) by the looks of his bleeding arm and scraped elbow. As he and I picked thru the rocks I talked with him. I joked about drafting him around the ending flat but knew there wasn't anyway I would keep up and there really wasn't a need for me to finish in front of him since I started 4 min behind his class I was still ahead of him in regards to finishing time by almost 4 mins. Across the line we go and there it is the last race of the MASS done & over. I took first in my class (vet expert) and had posted the 2nd fastest course time for the day following the overall fastest time by 50 seconds. Michelle & I hung out talking with every one while Kevin and I wondered how I managed to put almost 10 mins on him over the entire course. He and I shared a few laughs about the day and parted ways hoping to battle it out again next year. I threatened him thatI may ride a bike with gears instead of the Single speed.......... that should keep him training, right?
My Friends @ Millennium. The Best Time Keepers!