Pic of the Day - 12,400

Crossing Longley Pass - 12,400'.  Sierra Mountains

The Queen of Cycling is Indeed Cruel

It was bound to happen sooner or later: the old three guys pass you at the finish line after you hauled them around the course trick.

Bicycle racing is not like life. In life hard, aggressive hard work and leadership typically pays off in the end; in bike racing hard work at the front typically results in watching other guys pump their fists in the air.  Who can forget TdF 2014 Stage 15:

 

In bike racing the mantra is: he who does the best is he who does the least.

Oh I’m sounding bitter.

Truth be told, the MFG South Sound Super Prestige (AKA Stillicoom, AKA MFG #2) was an awesome race on an awesome course. Zac and Terry deserve major credit for putting together what I consider to be stellar course work.

My race started at a fairly reasonable pace and I hit the hill feeling strong.  I was with two guys from Leavenworth, a guy from Bellingham, fellow Islander Dodi, and an unknown fella who was riding strong.  I followed Bellingham and Leavenworth #1 up the hill expecting to be dropped at any minute, but as we approached the final kicker at the top I passed Leavenworth #1 and hit the downhill in second position.  I felt confident on the descent and moved into first. 

I hit the downhill single track at full speed and nearly took out a lady jogger and her two golden retrievers.  It must have been mayhem behind me.  Shortly thereafter another jogger/walker appeared from the woods, I let loose with a huge yell which must have penetrated her headphones as she quickly ducked back into the bushes.

Down on the flats I was passed by the Leavenworth boys.  These guys are definitely road racers and this was a road racers course.  They rotated leads through the tape working hard to drop me.  I figured I’d let them do some work and just hung third wheel.

Chasing Leavenworth #1 at Starcrossed

By the second lap we had it down to a four man race:  Leavenworth #1 and #2, myself, and the mystery man.  Bellingham and Dodi were gapped but not out of the race.  The racing got really good: each guy doing work, pushing the pace, preserving the gap.

A man’s gotta know his limitations and my limitation is the sprint.  Basically I don’t have one.  The course had a quarter mile paved finish and I knew that if it came down to a drag race I’d be eating dust, so I figured that I had to create some space.  My three companions were strong going up the hill, but didn’t seem willing to bomb the descent so I planned make a move at the summit, get a gap and then try to hold the empty space till the line.

In hindsight this was a bad idea as the top of the hill was only about one third of the way through the lap, and frankly if I’m strong enough to ride second, third and fourth off my wheel I shouldn’t be in the Cat 4 race.

At first, however, the plan worked perfectly.  I took a few chances on the tight descent turns and came into the flat hairpins with a bit of a gap (I think that I had a gap, it’s hard for me to look back during a cross race).  At the barriers I was nearly passed by one of the Leavenworth guys.  Now there was my mistake, I should have relinquished the lead and followed his wheel, but I was feeling cocky.

I hit the final two turns hot figuring that this might give me a bit of a lead, and then it was onto the pavement.  Dang that finish line was a long ways away.  I tried to temper my efforts, knowing that I had to leave something in the tank for the line.  Perhaps this was another mistake.  Perhaps I should have thrown down hard early, gotten a gap thus forcing the other three to play catch-up.  One of the Leavenworth guys came by maybe fifty feet from the line, I thought, okay cool hold his wheel and come around at the end.  I made my move to come around on the left and ran into the mystery man passing fast on the outside.  Oh no, the tears were already in my eyes as Leavenworth #3 passed me on the right.  I fought and thought maybe there was a chance for third, but no dice.

In the entire race the only time that I was more the two places off the front was in the final two seconds.  That stings.  Good thing that there is a race this weekend.

Pic of Day - Lead Dog

My team mate Brian Palin showing road technique at MFG #2

Wax Cotton D-Niro

Matt finishing up with the fancy needlework

Oh man I think we have finally nailed it!  Matt just finished up the prototype of a wax cotton version of the D-Niro Jacket.  I still have to sew on the buttons, but that didn't stop me from using it this morning while walking Willow in a rain storm.  The 10oz. Martexin waxed cotton and the cotton flannel lining made me feel like I was wearing a plush suit of armor.  Can't wait to get these moving out the door.

We re-patterned the jacket and are now using French seams which makes it almost completely waterproof.  This is it!


Pic of the Day - Feeling the Heat

Erik after his second place finish at Starcrossed

Cruel and Unusual

Fortunately I’d arrived at the kick-off Cross Revolution race at Silverlake early enough to get in three preview laps.  Two words kept circling through my head as I cranked between the tape: cruel and unusual.  With its sand and hills I’ve always found Silverlake challenging, but this was nuts, the course setters had managed squeeze a little more hard out of an already hard course.

My warm-up was perfect: three pre-ride laps – slow, medium and fast – fifteen minutes on the trainer and a loosen up jog.  My race – Cat 4 45+ Masters – was the first of the day and being the first race of the season the call-ups were according to bib number.  My number didn’t come up until the sixth or seventh round (I’ve never had good luck with these random call-ups) but I still managed to get a second row spot.

The start was a bit slow and I hit the first turn onto the grass in fifth position.  I quickly moved up into fourth and then third.  I was happy holding Jan’s wheel in third but on the second chicane I couldn’t help but pass on the inside.  The guy in front – team Bike Masters - slowed on the climb and I passed him, now I was in the lead.  Leading the first race of the day was pretty cool; I’ve never been in front before.

According to the spectators who were yelling updates it was quickly turning into a three man race: me, Bike Master and Jan.  I saw Jan going the other way on some of the hairpins, so I had some gapage, but Bike Master was on my ass; I could hear him breathing.  I was feeling really good on the technical portions and pushed it maybe a little harder than I normally would, but I couldn’t lose that guy. 

The sand was totally ridable with the secret being hit it fast and let the bike float.  Being in the lead allowed me to ride the sand how and where I wanted.  Coming into the final lap Bike Master made a big move and came around.  The guy was good at accelerating out of the corners, but I could get him on the hills and in the technical stuff.  I stayed within one or two bike lengths trying to walk the line between gassing myself on a pass, taking a technical portion too fast and going down and gunning for the win.

The second to last turn was a hard uphill left and Bike Master went down.  This was my chance, but he was too fast getting back on.  I tried for a sprint but he had me by two seconds.  This was my first podium and I was totally jacked.  It was a hard course, I’d rode it clean, and finished well, what more could a fella ask for.

Pic of the Day - Stoemper Stomping

I like these Stoempers, and it's not just because they have cool colors