Monday, July 14, 2008

I am not a....

I am not a thoroughbred. I am a mule. A moderately fast mule, if I ride enough, but I will never be a thoroughbred. I know where I pedal in this weird world of tight pants, so when I wheel the line I start a couple rows back. I laugh at people who take off like John Tomac only to get shelled in 5 minutes, lay it over in the first corner then DNF.

Before we hit the road, John held a skills clinic on Sunday morning, I should of paid attention. We arrived just in time to the race. I hurried to the start. I had no idea where the course went, where the first turn was or the feed zone. I lined up in the second row about the time they said go. Like a mule, I hit the first turn third wheel. The next turn did not go so well. I was that guy. I laid it over like a rookie. People were heckling me. I deserved it. The first lap was very greasy from the previous day's rain, and people were skating and crashing all over the place. I was not ready for it and had way too much coffee and a quarter of a Monster drink (thanks for the kick in the teeth Crazy Nate). The rest of the first lap was uneventfully slick, and I was gun shy. By the next lap it was perfect thanks to sunshine and people riding the trail. The trail wove in and out of closed canopy forest around a lake. It was mostly hard pack with a little rock garden here and there keeping it interesting. The trail would give quick views of summer fields filled with wild flowers. The third lap was great. The trail was perfect, and I still had something in the tank. The course was getting easier to keep speed and flowing lines, though selected sections reminded me of the clover bowl. I was having fun and finished in under 3 hours and headed out for my 4th lap. I should have just taken a kick to the crotch and stopped. The heat and pervious days ride were causing fatigue on lap four.
I got my money's worth with 44 miles of single track in a new place and a nice slice of humble pie for being that guy.

1 comment:

byron said...

sounds like a crazy day... do your new skills mean you can pick up beer cans too?