This race wasn't much better than last weeks. After my jump to the B class the races haven't necessarily gotten harder, with the additional 15 or so minutes tacked on due to the class upgrade, I think I've lost the early season adrenaline that I got in the first few C races. Moving from an allstar in the C's to mediocre fodder in the B's, may be caused by the pre-race notion that I am guaranteed to not win or place well. At least this season.
With my g/f out of town for the weekend, and no race happening in the Cleveland Area, I decided to go along with some friends to a cx race outside of Pittsburgh. After two hours of reading Frederick Douglas' My Bondage and My Freedom in the back of a late 90's model VW eurovan which was being driven like a bat out of hell by and ex-racecar and motocross racer we arrived in western PA. Just in time in fact to witness the end of the C race being sandbagged by some dingdong on a pair of crabon zipp rims. I think there should be a rule that if one has more then $50 invested aftermarket in their bike they should not be allowed in the "novice" class, evidently this man was not a novice. Maybe the 16 yr old on the Next mountain bike was but not this dood. This set the mood for the rest of the day. The B race was two races later so the course was a mud fest. I had a pretty awful start and was stuck behind this dooder who picked the worst and slowest lines through turns looking over his team kitted shoulders I could see the race careening away from me. Frustrated I attempted to overtake him, swinging wide too the right to give him room just in case he made any more poor decisions, I made my move, right into a pvc drain pipe which I had failed to notice in my practice rides. This laid me out, I shouted "DRAIN PIPE" during my fall. But I got up and finally passed him. In the laps to follow I hit the deck four more times. The last time on the final lap after passing four or so other races I take a downhill switchback turn too recklessly and mudslide down the hill somehow releasing my front wheel in the process only to watch it role away from me. Someone from the peanut gallery pointed out "hey you lost something" with half a mind to crack him in the face, i shot him a frown and he apologized, I surlily mounted my bike and finished. Being from Cleveland I've learned to suck up the days losses, count the few wins you got, in this case a couple of pretty sweet wrecks, and move on......theres always next week.
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