Winter Short Track #2: Electronical Bugaboo

Week two of the Winter Short Track series.  Faster Mustache in the house.

#CAPSnotHATS

(Nick "Dip n Spray" Barlow, Dick, Paul Cunningham.  Not shown, Colin Rohde who was probably cooling down on a Turbo Trainer)

The single speed field was called to the line... while I was standing in the woods peeing about a hundred yards away, adding to the list of things I had done wrong before the race even started.  I managed to wiggle my way to the front.  The field stood at seventeen riders, same as the first race, minus Russel Henderson (last week's winner).  Cyclocross season fit Chase Prezioso was looking like the man to beat.

I managed to get into the woods in the top four this time, realizing the error of my ways last time.  Unfortunately, Bob "Pew" Pugh (4th place last time) was on the same agenda and got in ahead of me.  Looks like we're not only "racing," we're "racing smart."  Not my area of expertise.

We managed to hold onto Chase's wheel (or within twenty feet of it) for a lap or two, and then he was gone.

photo cred: Joey Emmanuel

Shortly thereafter, I was in a three man group with "Pew" Pugh and local strong man with a cool name, TJ Wood(ruff?)... and then they dropped me like hamster that had just bit their pinkie finger.  I saw the race leaving me, so I decided that whatever it took to close the gap needed to happen.  I pegged it on the gravel road section.  Oddly enough, I caught them.  Instead of hopping on the back of the comfy train though, they had me go to the front.

Fortunately for me, we ran into the back of the 50+  field in the single track.  I managed to make a pass.  TJ and "Pew" Pugh didn't.  A gap formed, and seeing the opportunity, I opened it up as much as I could and as fast as I could do it.

photo cred: Joey Emmanuel

I watched the gap grow and with four to go, I knew I had second in the bag (as long as I didn't wreck, fall apart, or do something stupid) and would never catch Chase (he was outta sight by now).

photo cred: Mudman

One lap to go, and I could see clear behind me in the open parking lot section.  I decided I would save some energy and try the not-so-much an option stone henge pile in the rock garden at the top of the hill climb (something stupid).

I floundered.

Sensing a moment for redemption, I went back down and tried it again.

Second flounder.

No time for a third try.  I went ahead and finished the race, holding on to second place by 25 seconds (good thing I didn't go for a third attempt... at least during the race).

photo cred: Mudman

Many more attempts, never made it on the hard approach, once on the softer left line.  Meh.  One day...

Anyways, Colin and Dip n Spray managed to squeeze into the top six, (Dip n Spray doing back to back races/sport (5th) and SS) and Paul pulled off a top ten in the young guy sport class.

photo cred: Joey Emmanuel

Nicholas, the strongest boy in the world, raced in his leggins.

photo cred: Dip n Spray

Notice the polite amount of air between my hand and Chase's actual buttocks.  Not gonna pull a Sagan on the podium and spend the next week apologizing.