Good Weekend for Cross and Other Stuff

Well started out Friday morning at home and decided that since it was nice and sunny we should go for a nice 40 mile ride. Now, I'm not a big endoser of products to tell someone to go buy this for cycling, but I must say I was very pleased with the performance of my Zefal metal thero water bottle was awesome Friday. Started the ride in Elliseville with a full mug of hot pumpkin spice latte. Then we road to St. Albin's refilled our themro bottles with more hot coffee and road back. It was sweet! I managed to stuble into these a couple of years ago in the twin cities area while up there for a wedding. Between the wedding and the reception we hit a local bike shop and they had these things around and I figured I would try them out because riding in MN has to be cold in the winter and the shop guys recommended them. Come to find out they are impossible to find anywhere else. Anyways we got in a good 40 miles, at 30 deg, while I had the O.A.R song 52-50 stuck in my head.

Friday night I snuck out for little over an hour of night riding at Castlewood. Worst part of that was my water bottle froze. Truck temp said 19 deg.

Saturday I had some family in town so we took advantage of that and Sara and I headed over to Castlewood for 1.5 hours of singlespeed splendor. Of course she road up Lone Wolf again on her Rig which meant I couldn't give up if she was riding it. It hurt but I made it to the top. She does have a 32/19 versus my 32/18 gearing but anyway you slice it she's strong and can ride a Rig well.

Saturday night I wasn't able to race but I did make it out the Bubba in the dark about halfway through the B race. It was a great atomosphere and great time. Lots of cheering, bells, beer, nice crowd and fast racers all around. It really got me jazzed for nationals in a few weeks.

Sunday I had some friends step up and their kind help allowed me to race. Got my now normal back row spot at 10 minutes before the race is supposed to start. Had a decent start and moved up a couple of spots quickly. Then the twisty stuff. Klages and I did a couple of passes and repasses but he eventually dropped me. I pretty much took an outside line and moved up a few spots on the entry of the first couple of 180 corners. Then I managed to grab a nice draft and sit in a little. I was able to move a few more spots before the end of the first lap. The expected bottle neck occurred at the WALL and the twisty sections. Not too bad though. After the first lap I advanced a few more spots and lost 1 spot to Alan from Gateway. He went ahead and caught a few more guys. I think I finished 15/16-ish. About what I expected. My legs were a bit dead from the Friday and Saturday stuff. About halfway into the race I started riding a big gear to practice the single speed stuff in prep for nationals.