Ride much?

Sunday in the fall, rake some leaves and another Bubba cross race. After last weeks top ten result I was really looking forward to another top ten. Things started out well. I was warming up and I jokingly asked Joe Walsh to start behind me. I hope he got my humor. He is fast and can out ride me any day on the road, but his cross performances have not been so good and off road ability isn't the best. I got a good start and the way the course was I was worried about three spots on the opening lap. The off camber hill, the barriers, and series of tight 180s after long high speed section all went great the first lap. Then it happened. I was in the middle of a pack of riders at the front and I took my first spill. My foot caught the barriers as I failed to run over them. Down I went. Lost several spots, but didn't take anyone else down because my bike thankfully tumbled off to the side of the course. So I got back going and see this pack now 50 yards down the course, but without me. Man that sucked. Joe got around me on the long grind road section. Russ was on my wheel and I moved to get on Joe's wheel and I ran into Russ. I was fine with it, but Russ wasn't. I think Russ was a little pissed at my outside pass I put on him while he coasted on the fast left hand sweeper before the tight 180s. It seems like people won't pass in high speed sections in cross. I tend to think that is a great time to pass. After this little bump and run incident I decided I need to get away from Russ and Joe. I started to catch and repass some guys that took advantage of my fall. Then with 2 laps to go I fell again. I got off line in the off camber section and was trying to catch the rider in front of me. Wham, down again. Pete and Matt James got around me. I was able to get back by Matt but just couldn't chase down Pete. I finished 13th. If I hadn't of fallen I think I could of been top ten again. Hard to say though.

Overall, it was a horrible race because I suck at bike riding. It was a good race to learn how to stick with it and keep pushing. I also learned that even though I have gears now, to keep grinding up hills in tall gears like I'm riding a single speed. When I whimp out and go for the 42/20 combo, I just slow down but it still hurts the same. I will take advantage of the gears my speed really get going. Another positive thing from Sunday is that a local boy could be the 15/16 National champ. He kills everyone in the Bs and makes it look easy and is already entered for the Cross Nationals. I think he could win it if keeps riding like that.