Triple Dip 20.26

It went as expected... as long as I expected the unexpected the entire time.  We raced six stages, and if it weren't for Mary snapping photos all day long. I'd never be able to piece it all together.

Stage One: 

Last year's champion, Zach went off the front from the start, with Jason and I in tow.  This course is super flat (we've done variations of it in the past), so single speeds usually get trampled on the long sewer (power?) line section.  A geared rider passed us and then pitched himself sideways into a tree.  I will say that the 32" wheels floated through the sand pit with so much speed that hopping over the log that the spectators tossed in the middle was mostly effortless.

Also deeply appreciated the steep shortcut/run-up option.  Pulled out a "second" place.

Stage Two:

Most of us seemed a wee bit fuzzy on the course description, but something across the bridge right something across the bridge something spectators something two or three times up the big climb?

Dunno.  Def something tho.

Thanks to the big climb that I thought I'd only do twice but did three times, I squeaked out another "second" place.

Not the big climb but the fan favorite Ditch of Dire Consequence.

Stage Three:

Not sure why this race panned out so poorly for me.  Start right up a steep road climb, bomb through a neighborhood, and then down a rowdy descent.  Repeat and done.  Little guy + climbing = success, no? 

I just didn't have it in the tank.

Jason and the German came in between me and first place Zach, and some e-bikers had entered the fray to cause some chaos in the peloton as well.

Ill advised lunch of champions, but second place at hot dog acquisition.

I'm sure a beer, chili dog, cookie, and some Puerto Rican moonshine is what the soigneurs hand up to the pros in their musette bags.

Stages Four and Five went more the way Triple Dip stages usually go.

Over some bridge pop out on a road look for a trail behind a dumpster (which looks like it was cut in this morning with toe nail clippers)...

Suffice to say, I lost at the "find the trail behind the dumpster" game, and fell back two places while poking my nose in the wrong hole in the woods.  Dammit.

Stage Five, same theme, different game of trail roulette.  

Somehow, Jason and I got a hole shot... which was good... and then bad.  The paper plate arrows on the trees seemed like suggestions and apparently everyone was on their own adventure.  I got lost but popped out on the greenway (where I knew I should be at some point?) in front of Jason, so I figured I was still in first.  Steep climb to the finish.. oh wait, two laps?  I couldn't even remember how I rode the first lap and now there's e-bikes in the mix and the second time up the steep climb, an e-bike got dumped in the trail in front of me because I need obstacles in my path on a 20% grade... but I won?

No.

The top two riders and who knows who else missed half of the course on the first lap, but that doesn't matter at Triple Dip so somethingth place for sure on that one.

They really liked steep climbs this year.  Like pee your pants a little and mebbe possible hernia steep.

Stage Six:

They are throwing us straight up an insanely steep climb something right right in a neighborhood and the the climb and then left left and then...

Pretty sure we were done after we went up the climb twice but apparently not.  At least I finally got to nip Zach at the actual finish (after the third time up the climb), or he let me win out of respect for his elder.

Back to The Print Shop for beers and celebrating and a new rule is introduced that once you win the trophy, you are ineligible to win again for eight years, so of course points matter as much as they do in Who's Line Is It Anyway?... and Woody went home with the big prize.

There mighta been some bobbing for hot dogs stuffed with money floating in yellow mustard, but I'd like to put that outta my memory lest I almost vomit again just thinking about it.

Another good year in the woods with friends... and I only have to wait five more years for a shot at the trophy!