How much for a rib? Part 2... I think.

I mentioned some rib pain, but never bothered to explain it.  Last week on the FM Christmas Light Ride, I hurt me.

I jumped on a section of sidewalk I've used thousands of times before at work to cheat the light at Tryon/Camden/W. Summit.  Nothing illegal, just something I do to avoid the light.  Anyways, I'm where I've been before, a car edges out of a driveway, I avoid it (I'm always careful there), and then find myself on the wrong side of this:

A tiny bit of uneven pavement running parallel to my direction of travel.  I tried to get my bike back to the right, the ledge said "no" initially, and when it finally released me, I shot over into this:

I basically hugged it full-on like a clip-on teddy bear.

After the tree's nuts stopped falling on my head and the laughter from those who witnessed the whole thing subsided, I jumped back up and got on my bike. Adrenalin and PBR kept me from feeling much of anything... other than surprise and that "this is gonna leave a mark" feeling.

The next day, I was well aware of my situation.  Not "ouch, it hurts to breathe" rib pain, but definitely "oooh, it hurts to do this that and the other" rib pain.  So, not broke but achy and ouchie. 

So that would be why I had some (just some tho) of my reluctance to sign up for Cyclo Ross this weekend.

Unfortunately, pre-registration closed Wednesday at midnight (I think), so it was either sign up now or lose $10 to the late registration fee or not race at all...

I decided to go ahead and race.  Last night, I clicked some links and found out it's all done through USAC.  There is no way (that I could figure out, esp being a former license holder) to pre-reg as a non-license holder.  Which meant if I wanted to race, it's going to be $55 for day of registration ($25 + $10 day of + $5 bib number + $15 one day license).

I attempted to circumnavigate the system that was recognizing me as a former license holder.  I even tried to enter as Dicky Dillen, born 6/17/69.  USAC basically said, "Did you mean Rich Dillen?"  I never saw anything about being able to pay the one-day fee online.*

I need to re-think racing this weekend.  Hard.  This is seriously becoming a "principle of the thing" thing. 

$55 for thirty minutes.  Sigh.

I just don't think I can do it.  I'm kicking myself for the past years of not doing it, but how would I know that at some point it would be $55 to race cross in Charlotte?  Maybe I'm wrong, but nobody on the FaceBook could tell me that I could actually pre-reg as a non-license holder, so once again, I ask myself, "Does USA Cycling give one shit about bringing new people into the sport?"

I definitely don't fault the promoters.  I don't think charging less than $25 is possible, and I totally support the raising of the rates as the race date gets closer.  To be honest, I never understand when a promoter doesn't do that.  It just makes sense.  I also don't blame the promoter for sanctioning the race through USAC.  It just makes a lot of sense in our area to be part of the NCCX series, and I'm pretty sure the racers that are concerned with points and such are happy with the decision to affiliate with USAC.  You just wouldn't get a whole lotta cross racing done here in NC without a license.  Fact.

I'm still super stoked to go watch and do some spectator training for the USA Cycling Cyclocross Nationals at the Biltmore next week.  Despite all the whining and complaining going on over in the social media world, I expect it will be a quality event.  A lot of people who care about the sport have put in countless hours sweating the details and the Biltmore itself is no stranger to putting on huge events.

That doesn't mean I'm not gonna have a good time making light of the entire non-situation.  It's cross after all.  Heckling is part of the sport, or so I've heard.

So anyways, it looks like I'll be cracking my first beer at 9:30AM this Sunday from the sidelines.

Join me.

*BTW:  Anybody who knows how to pay that fee, correct me if I'm wrong.