RACES THE PAST TWO WEEKS

HERE ARE THE 13 RACES I'VE DONE WHILE IN CALIFORNIA

(Look closely, some number plates have multiple races done with them)


Its been a few weeks and as usual I have had a few races in that time as well...If you didnt hear the West Coast had a minor heat wave a week or so ago and the race last weekend (17th & 18th) was in the triple digits...it was (as Robin Williams said in Good Morning Vietnam)..."DAMN HOT"...The race was in Santa Ynez, south of here approx. 246 miles down by Solvang, Santa Barbara. It was actually held on the Firestones Vineyard property...VERY open...everytime I saw a tree in the distance I prayed the trail would go under it just to get a brief moments shade...didn't happen but like twice in the whole race...this race was a National Qualifier so important for me since I did so crappy at Sea Otter...I entered as Sport Single Speed and "officially" finished in 7th, so I will get my letter of invite to the Nationals...but there was definently "screw-ups" at the race. They had the beginners start directly after the sport, we all headed out group at a time with approx 2 min intervals (same as most races), BUT some of the differences were: they put colored dots on our number plates, one color for sport and a different color for Beg. This was to help the course marshall identify the racers as they came down the hill from doing the "Pro-Lap", which the Beg's did one then were sent left to do one lap around the long loop...the Sport group did 2 "Pro-Loops". So at the bottom of the hill we were to be directed to the RIGHT...well a number of Sport riders went LEFT after just one "Pro-Loop". Needless to say it really messed up the results, and in my class (Single Speed) we had problems...they STILL didn't get it right, but oh well...we ALL answer for our "karma" either here or at the Pearly gates.



Then Wednesday night the group from Boggs organizes an after work ride in Hayward/Oakland area at Lake Chabot...fantastic...we started at approx. 6pm and rode into the dark till 9:15pm... I think approx. 15-20 miles...I was with the "fast & fun" group...the trails were really fast even on the climbs...this will be my LAST ride in California this coming Wed. Kind of sad, just now starting to meet great riders and friends. We had a BBQ afterwards and forgot all about the time till the Police came by at just a couple minutes to 10pm to remind us about the curfew at 10...:)

This weekend is packed full of rides all over the Bay area and North as well as east into the mountains...what to do...well I stuck close to "home" and did my last race...felt really good and strong today...came in 5th, my best showing at the CCCX just another one or two and I might have been able to crack into the podium...:) It was good to attend, had a chance to say bye to some of the racers I've just breifly gotten to know...the course is the one that I pulled out of a month or so ago because of my heart, so it felt good to be able to complete it strongly today and feel healthy about it...Thanks to ALL of you that I got to know and compete with it's been a blast...will miss ya all, but as you know I have been getting VERY ANIXOUS to get home...funny I feel torn now between the "coast"...hmmmm.