Vague Idea Racing: Winter Short Track #... I dunno, like 1,000,000... mebbe 4

The "season" drags on.

Those changes I made to the Misfit diSSent Brontoawesomeous Meatplow V.5 to make it slightly more "Day's of Thunder" optimized?

Swap the 38X21 to a 38X19... had to dig out a non-Endless Cog (saving my pristine nineteen for the Vertigo), the old 10 SRAM PC1091R chain from the Stickel plus another link and quick link. Gave me a bigger gear and allowed me to drop the EBB to a more berm shredly height. Effort required: 5 outta 10.

Flip the stem over to negative rise, lower the saddle 3/4". Effort required: 4 outta 10.

Remove computer. I can count to ten (laps). Effort required: 1 outta 10.

Add 5-55 psi front and rear (somewhere in there). If I learned anything from reading Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas as a young man, it's that the only thing better than high tire pressure is higher tire pressure (in theory). Effort required: 2 outta 10 (had to turn on the compressor and wait).

When I got to the short track, they were between races. I did a quick lap and determined the following:

I would not get used to the flipped stem fast enough.

The tire pressure was bouncing me outta the brake bump infested berms.

Back to the parking lot, flipped the stem back, looked for my digital tire gauge in my bag, realize I left it at home, drop some PSI's (but not enough), and got ready to race.

At the start, lined up right at the front were the other three guys in contention for top three overall in the series (Chase, TJ, Pew Pugh and myself) plus last week's 3rd place Ben Miller. Once again, I had a wee bit of trouble getting clipped in on the first few pedal strokes (what gives?) but still managed to get into the woods behind those guys and one new interloper.

Out of the woods, back in, back out, I came around TJ, tried to make an attempt to close the gap to Chase and Ben, had to catch the interloper (I swear I know him), and rode off alone.

photo cred: Mudman

I had heard mumblings about this being the double points race. Nothing confirmed. Knowing that I could solidify my second place in the overall with a decent effort, I did not mess around... so I can mess around next week. Wheels on the ground for most of the race, maximal effort when possible, serious (boring) shit.

photo cred: Kevin Thompson/Street Ghost

Not much in the way of excite. I rode alone for most of the ten laps. Chase and Ben just in sight before going into the woods, Zac and TJ behind me at almost the same distance.

photo cred: Kevin Thompson/Street Ghost

At the end of the day, Zac pulled off a 4th place on the old single speed modded Jamis Diablo. Canti's, ceramic rims, 26" wheels FTW.

I stuck it out and ended up third and with Zac right behind me, the points are padded in a manner that I just need to keep less than five or six people between TJ and I next week. I can relax... a little. The good news being that for the first time, I was able to actually keep the leaders in sight... as good as it gets for me on the short track, I suppose.

In other Faster Mustache news, Tim...