Crocodile rock

When its not your day, its not your day. Or maybe its not even your weekend.

Woke up Saturday morning, ate some breakfast and packed up the car to head to Perry for the latest mtb racing action. Get there, realize its only saturday, and the race is on sunday. Commence to ride a few laps since im there. Ride em on the hardtail and decided that the new, "smooth and faster" course is still typical "rocky and rooty" perry and the dually will be needed for this adventure. The main problem with that being it still has the superlight tires on it from Sol Vista. Its too hot out and im too lazy to switch em even though I know i need to.

Repeat on Sunday and get to the course to find a pretty small field, but some of the Nebraska crew has ventured down so I am thinking its going to be a little tougher pace than I had been preparing for.

We are lined up behind the 29under grouppo so its a second row start for me, which is fine as I want to ease into it anyways being I did absolutely no warmup. So on the second turn we enter the singletrack and Im on Kent McNeils wheel and he is sliding all over the place, I watch and do the same. When I slide out I save it, but put someone into the trees, sorry. Two turns later, more gravel, and im instantly on the ground. Luckily nobody runs me over, but im dead last as I gather myself up, make sure no injuries and the bike still works. Commence the chase. Maybe 2/3 of the way through the first lap I catch Limpach and Steinmetz cruising in second and third. Kent seems to be up the trial a bit, so I go by and start chasing. I start to see Kent every now and again so I relax and keep pedaling away.

About that time I come around a corner to find Kent flipping his bike upside down with a flat. That sucks for him, but he will never close what I figure is at least a 2 minute gap im about to have. Two corners later, and my front tire goes flat in a hurry. Jump off, put some air in it, watch the sealant spray everywhere from two spots. Start trying to remove the valve stem, but its stuck with dried sealant thats acting like locktite. Kent McNeil comes up on me, flats for the second time right where I must have flatted. He is done for the day already. I eventually get the valve stem out and make the change. Back on the gas and im feeling pretty great. Ive been passed by about everyone, as I have to get by the ladies first. Its always fun blowing by guys and working through traffic. I put in a good second and third lap which has me up to 4th place on the trail and as we start the last lap I begin to see 3rd. Sweet. And the rear goes flat. I put any air ive got left into it but it wont hold, so I ride/walk the rest of the way.

Did I mention that everyone in the 30-39 field was on a Top Fuel.

And so goes the mtb season. Im thinking i might give this Cyclocross thing a real shot as its too hot to ride in August much anyways. Ive got motorcycle riding to get caught up on.