Wow what a wake up call todays race turned out to be! Michelle & I rolled into the New Ken Eatn'Park to meet TJ. Some warm oatmeal, eggs bacon & Coffee and we where off to Bruceton Mills West Virginia for the Second WVMBA race @ Big Bear Lake. Since today was sunny & warm the turnout would be be big. As we arrived the parking lot surrounding the building already had tons of cars loaded with bikes and gear while their drivers filtered in to sign up. Almost immediately upon getting out of the car I'm spotted by Mike Yozell (who races many of the Mid Atlantic Super Series races with me last year). I then knew this was going to be a hard day because with guys like Mike the pace was going to be blistering. Most of the times Mike & I squared off last year I managed to stay out in front even with the handicap of my single speed but he was always a close chaser forcing me to step it up. I would be piloting my older Fisher Paragon 29er with the multi gear drive train. I spent most of Saturday piecing this bike back together because I didn't want to use the new Ferrous until I worked out my crank issues. I've always felt that I'm a bit slower on the geared bike but with reservations I brought it anyway.The Race started off with a mass start of all expert classes and I managed to stay up front with TJ, Jeff Shaulk (Trek East Coast Regional Team) & an older training friend Andy Gorski. Jeff pulled out of site once we hit the gravel fire road so Andy, TJ & I worked together until hitting the single track where Andy & I missed a sharp right hand turn and found ourselves careening through the brush. A quick dismount and some skillfully leaping and we where back on course but a few guys managed to pass us due to this mistake. Never the less they where putting the hammer down and pulled out of site as I followed Andy. A few miles later I, along with a few others, worked our way around Andy and continued on. Somewhere around the 7 mile mark I noticed just how fatigued I was feeling and though about how badly I was pedaling this geared thing. Why can't I manage to hammer when I have more than one gear choice? A few positions where exchanged and I wasn't sure where I was placed at that moment but I did think about eating a Gel. As I ripped open the package and tasted the first bit i bobbed and weaved over the trail, suddenly i noticed it tasted a lot like dirt! No it wasn't the Gel I was now on the ground almost a foot or so away from my bike! What happened I asked myself? As i climbed back on to the bike in pure disgust I noticed the rock I hit while one handing the bar in order to squeeze the gel down my gullet. My skills suck! During my lust to taste the earthy dirt below me I managed to bang my knees and inner thighs pretty good, so as I continued on I could feel the bruising and swelling. 
This is why bikers shave their legs. When cleaning the dirt and rocks out & as these scraps/cuts heal it's always better without dealing with the normal leg hair.
Ok back to the story at hand, the pain wasn't real bad but enough to notice as I started pedaling. With only a half dozen or so guys in front of me I convinced myself to up the output and cranked onward but as we neared the end of the course Mike Yozell came screaming up behind me & passed me and anothe guy (Sport Class) but just as he passed us the other guy wiped out and forced me to nose wheelie into another crash! I picked myself up only to see Mike pulling away and holding on to the gap for the finish. Nice job Mike! (also on a 29er). In the end I finished up with a solid 3rd in the Vet class seconds behind Mike (2nd) and we where behind Justin P. (1st also on a Fisher Paragon 29er).
Lets hope I get things together in the next month or I'll be needing to look for new sponsors next year like Barnes & Nobles (where I could sit and read about racing and riding).
Thanks to TO, Gary Fisher, Bontrager Components Wheelworks & Tires, Boone Ti Rings, Deans Recovery Milk, Trek of PGH, Don Mosites, Bob Myers & his Trek/Nike Products, & Serfas Glasses.
Oh yea & Thanks to everyone their who put me in the hurt locker.
Michelle Did well with a Second Place Finish in the womens Sport group.
TJ Finished up with a second also in the Mens Pro/Expert. Great job buddy, a little slow starting but as always a locomotive once you get rolling!
stork
2 comments:
Travis, don't forget your friends at the Mid-Atlantic Super Series this year. It was great to have you race our series last year and we sure hope to see you this year at some of our events at the very least. We have an Elite Open class this year with a larger and deeper payout. We also have added several single-loop marathons in central PA you might find interesting. Great early season results by Michelle.
Take care and best of luck to you both.
John Miller
MASS Director
Michelle's cute. When you going to make her an honest woman? I didn't even read the post; that's all I had to say...
Post a Comment