SpongeDad

Geez, I miss one weekend and the racing posts plummet. I'm still cranky that I didn't get to race this weekend (although I really thought about it stepping off the redeye from SF, tired and hungover, at 7am on Sat.), so let's hear what you guys did.

bdcheung

i drove to philly for my first ever jewish wedding.

jwible

I raced for the first time since the late 80's.

gfactor

Andy_K 

I did this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Smcxbei5CPs

Great fun. Cyclocross and Halloween were made for each other.

SpongeDad

Awesome - was that you? I'm always impressed by the guys how can hop over stuff, especially considering the fact that some days they can't and still go for it.

gfactor

Nope. I got it off cxhairs. More pix here:

https://paxvelo.shutterfly.com/allhallowscross-2009

It was a fun course with quite a bit of speed and a long muddy slog. The single track was fun but did not require running. It was at a park full of horse trails and you could tell horses had been on them recently . The sand was great but once it got packed down it looked like it was a fast singletrack straight. A guy in the cat 4 race hit the metal gate leaving the sand pit. Hit with his shoulder and went down hard in front of a few of us. Said "sorry" to those of us behind him, but that's more what I was thinking. Hope he's ok.

Racermike came up to me and introduced himself after the race. Was telling me he was trying to catch me the whole race and finally got me on the last lap. I never expected someone had their eyes on me -- so now I've learned my lesson. Fight every battle.

RacerMike

That was Ryan going over there. Finally met gfactor. Course was very flat with a good single-track section that had some very large roots (my back wheel is in bad need of attention), a long sandpit that normally serves as a horse jumping rink, and a longish uphill that was soaked and soft and difficult to pedal up. Those 3 sections were difficult if not impossible to pass on so you had to make your moves before you got to them. The rest of the course consisted of two barriers and a bunch of dual-track tractor paths through the grass, which was fast.

At least one person in the Cat4 race crashed pretty hard, separating his shoulder and getting carted off in the ambulance. I had my first sprint to the line...for 18th place. Figured out I'm not pushing myself hard enough. Passed 5 people on the last half of the last lap, including the guy I clipped at the line by about a foot after a 200 foot sprint.

Double for me this weekend with Fairhill and Tacchino, assuming I manage to get a set of wheels round.

Pictures and results here.

ridethatbike

So many times has it been now?

availpunk9

hahaha that was fun. I stood there with my cow bell trying to get people to bunny hop it. The first time around this guy made it. Then a couple of photographers came over asking if anyone was hopping the pipe; they heard me heckling. Next lap around this happened; this dude was def. having fun. Another guy did a pose/dance with a bike between barriers.

I raced 4s. Got a great start, gapped the field, me and Syd ran 1/2 for 2-3 laps. A guy bridged up to us and shortly after I flew over the handle bars on the single track in the woods. Glasses and drizzle don't mix much; I totally didn't see a root or w/e I hit. Ran 3rd for the remainder of the race. I took a chance and stayed out on my bent front wheel. I got picked at the line by the two chasers; ended fifth. I should have pitted and changed wheels.

I bent my front rim, which I had to detention and bend back into shape. My front tire had four gashes in the sidewall. My shoulder and knee are sore. Other than that, the course surprisingly was really fun at race speeds

leadlegs

Fun course. Did the 10am race. Got a call up (registered early). Lost spots at the whistle. Lost more spots at the up hill before the drainage pipe. Got hip checked into the briars by guys sliding out. Leaned into it and everyone stayed upright. Lost momentum, confidence, and some more spots. Finished 19th.

Lukewarm about the finish. I know I can go deeper. I know I can race more aggressively. Gotta keep the devil down in the hole.

SpongeDad

Wish I had been there. Can't get any races in until Howard County double.

Lithuania

i heard this race kind of sucked

SpongeDad

Even sucky races are better than no races.

gfactor

Let me list some of the negatives to get specific: No runups. No food / drinks / announcer / music. Lots of the course was out of view. Fields were small.

But I had fun.

availpunk9

It sucked with regards to cross atmosphere. I don't know if it was due to a new venue or because of the weather, but hardly anyone was there spectating. The course itself was fun to ride.

Lithuania

a couple people told me if it hadnt rained the course would have been boring. not true? i also heard it wasnt run very well.

bdcheung

huh what?

ridethatbike

Don't you hate it when your internet jokes fall flat. You said you drove to Philly for your first Jewish wedding. My joke implied that you had had other weddings, just not Jewish ones.

Wah wah waaaaaahhhh...

Sorry. ;-)

RacerMike

This is the cowbell from hell. Do not stand within 10 feet of it.

availpunk9

I love my bell

SpongeDad

I use the bell I got at DCCX to wake up my son. Red Forman is my role model.

availpunk9

The clip of the above crash is on cxhairs

*new*guy

no food. no joe jefferson. small fields. course was fun with the rain, though. nice t-shirts

great to have a new race on the calendar regardless. i'll do it again next year.

Lithuania

thats a good enough endorsement for me