hey Alleyoop

[alleyoop]

Hey, thanks for asking! I had a most awesome race!

We pre-rode on Saturday so I had a plan... which worked out really well. Took it easy for the first half and only had to walk a couple of the knarly bits, then kicked it into high gear for the second half. I felt good the entire race and this time worked hard to be hoot'in and positive.

Funny story: About a mile or so from the end, I came up on a chick in my class who had cut me off at the start. Pushed hard up to her, overlap wheels, yell "on your left", she takes one look at me and swerves right into me. I do it again... she does it again. I knew that the passer had to earn it, but didn't think that when there was tire overlap that you could impede progress? Either way, we are racing HARD into the finish. I didn't get her, but I did make her work for it. Next time I am going to get that chick! T says "OMG, you were actually RACING!" ha ha

T, poor man, also has bad juju on this course! I guess the first lap was great but he started cramping bad during the second lap and had to sit by the trail a couple times and was only able to spin to the end. He ended up cramping so bad at the finish that he collapsed and had to be dragged off the course. Not a good time! He was so bummed because he cramped bad there last year, also, but had been racing without cramps since. He was looking forward to doing the course cramp-free! What is it about that place?

I am so sorry C wrecked and his bike is smashed. That is terrible! T said that the tech parts were pretty serious on the cat1-2 course. It is one thing to crash, another to have to walk your bike out! Ugh for him! Glad he isn't too hurt, though. Maybe next year we should send both of them out together a couple times to pre-ride, make an offering, whatever it takes!

[Aggie_Ama]

Awesome race story! We had planned to stay for the to see you guys off but C was so bummed he wanted to leave and we wanted to get back to town to get the bike to the shop. Poor T, that sounds awful too! There is some bad juju there. C has had bad results this spring but felt so confident going in and then he comes carrying the bike out (the back wheel wouldn't roll). He pre-rode Saturday and had no issues so he thought he was done with the Reimer's curse.

Maybe they can fix the bike for Comfort in two weeks.

You racing any more? I am going to replace my pedals and get ready for RLAG.

[Aggie_Ama]

$125 part, $70 labor. At least it is all repairable.

[alleyoop]

Ugh! Over $200? Double Ugh! WIll it be done by Comfort, at least? Still, a lot better than an ER trip. Those are expensive and painful!

Have you or C ridden at Flatrock before? Unfortunately, I can't do it because the Cat2 and 3 aren't spaced far enough apart to allow child-swapping (we almost didn't make it this time!). However, I might push T to do it. He hasn't ridden there before, but that never scares him.

[Aggie_Ama]

Yeah, $200 ugh. It will take them a week to do the repair so I guess we should be okay on getting it for Comfort. Not sure why he wanted to do acrobatic tricks on the bike though. But I think his insurance deductible is $500 or $1000 so ER would still be worse on the checkbook.

He rode Flat Rock once in a disaster of a marathon attempt (his tire separated- DNF number 1). The course is pretty rocky like Reimers but C said he doesn't get why people say it is more technical than Reimers because he thinks it is opposite. He said Flat Rock has some flat open sections.

I wonder why they started flip flopping the times? I wasn't enjoying the early Cat 2 start but I did like having the rest of the afternoon to drive back or do whatever. The next three races I told C he could do and they just get further and further away.