All this time I had no idea a hipster was writing this...
The Heckle Report
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All this time I had no idea a hipster was writing this...
The Heckler
You bring new meaning to the term SUCK
A couple from the patio at Night Weasels
Luke and his smoking hat:
The 3rd slope with barriers visible in the front:
Luke and his smoking hat:
The 3rd slope with barriers visible in the front:
The Heckler
You bring new meaning to the term SUCK
Race 12 – KMC Cyclocross Festival of Providence
Saturday.
Divine Providence is not just a race. It is a entire weekend of cycling festivities. After the SS and Madison races we packed up the tent and biked across the park to the Botanical gardens which was the location of the 2014 New England Builders Ball.
Such a cool venue! Regional frame builders such as Firefly, Circle A, Horse, Geekhouse, Richard Sachs, No. 22, Beardman, and Forty Four were presenting their finest frames and were on site to talk. The custom frame business market is not for everyone but it’s just so cool to see some of the nicest bikes on the internet up close in person. All of the builders were around and excited to talk. Also , if you’re interested in custom paint Horse out of Brooklyn have powder starting at $200 and wet starting at $300. His finishes are top notch.
Friday night I stayed at a Super 8 20 minutes away from the venue. The room was 1000 times nicer than the motel 6 from charm city for the same cost. Here is zach mixing up some emergen-C for our colds:
I slept in a little Saturday and showed up to the venue around 10:30. I was feeling not so good. Slight sore through but pretty stuffy sinuses. The day was overcast and was calling for rain around my race time. Bryan Carbone was up for his first New England weekend. He’s killing it this year and it was great to hang with some MAC peeps in New England.
I changed into the skin suit and did some preride laps when I could. The course was pretty challenging.
Fly over 1: Short and steep up, rideable, 8 foot flat, same pitch down, 15 feet of flat grass then a super bumpy steep descent into a quick up.
Fly over 2: Longer shallower rise, long flat, long shallow down.
Fly over 3: Long astroturf into a 6 stair set, 15 foot flat, short steep up (I ran this) 8 foot flat, short steep down into a left hander.
Fly over 1 and 3 were adjacent to one another and made for a pretty interesting spectacle.
Also featured was a lipped JUMP by the beer garden and one set of barriers. The general course layout was long straits to 180s that connected complex corners. There was a good bit of elevation change but they were all pretty quick and sprintable. This weekend is a C1 UCI event. The promoters dropped out of the Verge series and are trying to pursue World Cup classification for the race. This felt like a world cup course, lots of features and VERY demanding. Conditions for our race were perfect. Nice dark damp dirt providing endless traction.
They were running behind and I ended up missing my 58th call up because I thought I had more time. I made it in two rows back from where I should have been but missing that call was a first in almost 40 races. I had a terrible start. The tarmac sprint bottlenecked diagonally onto a ramped wood curb transition to the grass. Much tire skidding and rubber smell. I was wayyyy back on the train. Maybe in the 70s or 80s. I had work to do. And work I did. My first lap was 9:34, SUPER slow. I was in 61st starting my second lap. The remaining laps were 9:20, 9:19, 9:15 and 9:10. So much work, this race felt really long. I passed my way up to 26th/145 having made a killer move the 2nd to last corner that the guy I passed said was the most exciting thing he’s seen in a while. I finished way better than I was predicted by call up and way ahead of a lot of the guys I have been finishing with. Comparing first laps with people around me if I took 20 seconds off that I could have had a top 20. Something to work for tomorrow.
The rain held off until the Women’s Elite race and then it got SLOPPY! Katie Compton rode off the front for her 99th win or something like that.
J-pow rode off the front of the Men’s the second lap or so and put a monstrous gap on Tim Johnson. Check out giant googly eye TJ! He was all smiles coming by every lap.
Dinner was white chowdah and a fish sandwich. Vacation.
I went to bed feeling very crampy and pretty awful. The plan was to wake up early and catch Luke race the 4/5 at the ass crack of dawn. Nice.
Race Progression:
Lap 1 – 61
Lap 2 – 47
Lap 3 – 38
Lap 4 – 32
Finish – 26/145
Saturday.
Divine Providence is not just a race. It is a entire weekend of cycling festivities. After the SS and Madison races we packed up the tent and biked across the park to the Botanical gardens which was the location of the 2014 New England Builders Ball.
Such a cool venue! Regional frame builders such as Firefly, Circle A, Horse, Geekhouse, Richard Sachs, No. 22, Beardman, and Forty Four were presenting their finest frames and were on site to talk. The custom frame business market is not for everyone but it’s just so cool to see some of the nicest bikes on the internet up close in person. All of the builders were around and excited to talk. Also , if you’re interested in custom paint Horse out of Brooklyn have powder starting at $200 and wet starting at $300. His finishes are top notch.
Friday night I stayed at a Super 8 20 minutes away from the venue. The room was 1000 times nicer than the motel 6 from charm city for the same cost. Here is zach mixing up some emergen-C for our colds:
I slept in a little Saturday and showed up to the venue around 10:30. I was feeling not so good. Slight sore through but pretty stuffy sinuses. The day was overcast and was calling for rain around my race time. Bryan Carbone was up for his first New England weekend. He’s killing it this year and it was great to hang with some MAC peeps in New England.
I changed into the skin suit and did some preride laps when I could. The course was pretty challenging.
Fly over 1: Short and steep up, rideable, 8 foot flat, same pitch down, 15 feet of flat grass then a super bumpy steep descent into a quick up.
Fly over 2: Longer shallower rise, long flat, long shallow down.
Fly over 3: Long astroturf into a 6 stair set, 15 foot flat, short steep up (I ran this) 8 foot flat, short steep down into a left hander.
Fly over 1 and 3 were adjacent to one another and made for a pretty interesting spectacle.
Also featured was a lipped JUMP by the beer garden and one set of barriers. The general course layout was long straits to 180s that connected complex corners. There was a good bit of elevation change but they were all pretty quick and sprintable. This weekend is a C1 UCI event. The promoters dropped out of the Verge series and are trying to pursue World Cup classification for the race. This felt like a world cup course, lots of features and VERY demanding. Conditions for our race were perfect. Nice dark damp dirt providing endless traction.
They were running behind and I ended up missing my 58th call up because I thought I had more time. I made it in two rows back from where I should have been but missing that call was a first in almost 40 races. I had a terrible start. The tarmac sprint bottlenecked diagonally onto a ramped wood curb transition to the grass. Much tire skidding and rubber smell. I was wayyyy back on the train. Maybe in the 70s or 80s. I had work to do. And work I did. My first lap was 9:34, SUPER slow. I was in 61st starting my second lap. The remaining laps were 9:20, 9:19, 9:15 and 9:10. So much work, this race felt really long. I passed my way up to 26th/145 having made a killer move the 2nd to last corner that the guy I passed said was the most exciting thing he’s seen in a while. I finished way better than I was predicted by call up and way ahead of a lot of the guys I have been finishing with. Comparing first laps with people around me if I took 20 seconds off that I could have had a top 20. Something to work for tomorrow.
The rain held off until the Women’s Elite race and then it got SLOPPY! Katie Compton rode off the front for her 99th win or something like that.
J-pow rode off the front of the Men’s the second lap or so and put a monstrous gap on Tim Johnson. Check out giant googly eye TJ! He was all smiles coming by every lap.
Dinner was white chowdah and a fish sandwich. Vacation.
I went to bed feeling very crampy and pretty awful. The plan was to wake up early and catch Luke race the 4/5 at the ass crack of dawn. Nice.
Race Progression:
Lap 1 – 61
Lap 2 – 47
Lap 3 – 38
Lap 4 – 32
Finish – 26/145
Last edited:
The Heckler
You bring new meaning to the term SUCK
Race 13 – KMCCXPVD Day 3
Sunday.
Woke up 3 hours earlier feeling much worse than the day before. We packed up the room hit Dunkins then drove to the venue. I got some closer parking today which was nice. Perks of showing up earlier.
I caught the start of the 4/5 race. Not as crazy as the video I saw of day 1 but it was an endless swarm of beginners. The winner or sandbagger of day 1 rode off the front and lapped a lot of people which USA cycling pulled. C’mon guys, it’s a 4/5 race. Let ‘em ride.
Sunday no one was pulled to my understanding in the 4/5 field. I went down to the jump in the beer garden and heckled everyone to “have some season ending fun” and “do something stupid.” I love heckling Men’s C races. Most of the guys laugh about it and anyone that isn’t is taking it too seriously and needs an upgrade. I snagged some free donuts from the Dunkins tent and climbed my way to the landing between the flyovers for the Masters 4/5. The full field walked by me twice at cattle herding pace and only 4 guys took hand ups!! What is the world coming to when the old beginners turn down Donut Watts!??! I then began crowd hand ups as I tossed pieces of donuts to people walking by who obliged my silliness.
The crowd was way bigger on Sunday thanks to Blue skies and possibly the New England Grand Fondo also ran out of Rodger Williams. The Expo field is pretty impressive. All of the major companies had tents displaying and selling product along with many smaller and new companies. I was excited I got to meet the man who made my frame! Adam from Wraith / StanRidge was present with his UCI Elite Racer Katie. Adam was a very nice dude and was very excited to see a Wraith being raced as hard as I’m racing it. Scored a sweet cap!
There were at least 7 or 8 food trucks/vendors serving up everything from grilled cheese to Mexican to pizza and even smoothies! At 11:00AM the Harpoon beer tent opened up and the crowds FLOODED in. By the time the 2/3 race went off I would’ve sworn it was a crowd for the Elite race!
I was feeling exhausted and stuffy. I drank water all morning and made sure to eat but nothing was bringing me back. Cue the free Rapha Double Espresso. 20 minutes later I was eyes wide cued up for staging. My cousin showed up along with Zach’s entire family. It’s so good to have people cheering so you so far from home.
My start went much much smoother than the previous day. The course was almost unchanged. They added a 3 plank stair set by the beer garden. I went out in the top 50 and cut my first lap down to 9:21. Still not as quick as I would have liked it but kept me in the mix in 41st after lap 1. I felt good making passes. I was on the wheel of a couple guys who normally finish ahead of me so things looked good for me. Lap 3 over the first fly over the first guy went right, messed up and yardsaled left. The guy ahead of me was left and got caught up with the first guy. I managed so steer right around all the BS and make it to the top on the right. Only one foot down BUT IT WAS CLEAN ENOUGH TO SEND ME OFF ON MY ATTACK! I began to put the power on. I was catching guys and passing and no one could stick to my wheel.
As I crossed the line for the final lap I caught King Kog Donnie! He’s having a killer year and I knew I needed to catch him. There were two guys on him and they were maybe 5 seconds ahead of me. I sprinted the pavement and hopped on the Donnie train. Going by the pit Donnie started to open up a gap between him and the guy behind him. I saw the gap and sprinted as hard as I could into the 180 hairpin corner and managed to just get around the two guys and duck into the second spot. I closed onto Donnie’s wheel on the last straight two corners before the barriers. I gave him a “Hey man, time to boogy!” He said back “I need some help!” Donnie pulled wide into the next corner and I ducked in and led us into the barriers. His friend/GF? Hannah SCREAMS for him all over the course. Seriously, she’s loud and gets all over the place. It’s like she is everywhere, all at once. “CATCH HIM DONNIE, PASS HIM, LET GO!” Sorry Hannah, its Matt’s turn to play conductor. CHOOCHOO!!! (that’s so cheesy, I love it, it’s staying in)
Nice and smooth over the first flyover, sprint up the hill! around the looping off camber corner! Sprint the flat! down the wide brake rutted left hander! up and over the rutted roller to the left! power up the next short hill! around the tree! Wide line into the hair pin! Sprint to the jump! Conservative air with a huge smile because the crowd is going CRAZY! High five to the little kids on the bottom beer garden straight! Up the stairs! SPRINT THE HILL!!
My heart was pounding and my legs were screaming. Donnie was stuck to my wheel and I knew if I let him by it would be over. I had to keep on the attack and the lead. We came around the pit to the gravel road by the lake and I took a few deep breaths before we hit the last climbing interval. I ripped out of my saddle and sprinted up the left passing someone ahead of me. As we crested the astroturf mats onto the pavement we came by someone else. I took Center lane and dipped down into the grass. As we dismounted up the stairs towards the flyover I heard Donnie coming by on my right. We got to the grass flat and were neck and neck. I beat him to the top of the flyover! Down we went, around the corner and across the pavement. “YOU OPENED A GAP PASS HIM” screamed Hannah to Donnie. Into the final power section before the pinwheel Donnie says I have it, He’s not going to sprint me. I call him an asshole and stayed on my pace, we only had a few seconds on our chasers. At the final grass straight before the turn to the finish line sprint I spotted a guy maybe 10 lengths ahead. I tried to keep on the power and sprinted as hard as I could but he was too far ahead to catch.
I finished 19/129 in the Providence 2/3. What’s going on!? Who even am I!? Carbone finished 14th (DUDES ON FIRE!) and Donnie was 1 second behind me. After reviewing the lap times and results I saw I put down the fastest last lap of my whole field. That feels really good and I’m still riding the stoke wave about it.
Lap 1 – 9:21 – 41st
Lap 2 – 9:19 – 32nd
Lap 3 – 9:22 – 28th
Lap 4 – 9:25 – 25th
Lap 5 – 9:06 – 19th
Next up, Beard Report then Whirleybird.
Sunday.
Woke up 3 hours earlier feeling much worse than the day before. We packed up the room hit Dunkins then drove to the venue. I got some closer parking today which was nice. Perks of showing up earlier.
I caught the start of the 4/5 race. Not as crazy as the video I saw of day 1 but it was an endless swarm of beginners. The winner or sandbagger of day 1 rode off the front and lapped a lot of people which USA cycling pulled. C’mon guys, it’s a 4/5 race. Let ‘em ride.
Sunday no one was pulled to my understanding in the 4/5 field. I went down to the jump in the beer garden and heckled everyone to “have some season ending fun” and “do something stupid.” I love heckling Men’s C races. Most of the guys laugh about it and anyone that isn’t is taking it too seriously and needs an upgrade. I snagged some free donuts from the Dunkins tent and climbed my way to the landing between the flyovers for the Masters 4/5. The full field walked by me twice at cattle herding pace and only 4 guys took hand ups!! What is the world coming to when the old beginners turn down Donut Watts!??! I then began crowd hand ups as I tossed pieces of donuts to people walking by who obliged my silliness.
The crowd was way bigger on Sunday thanks to Blue skies and possibly the New England Grand Fondo also ran out of Rodger Williams. The Expo field is pretty impressive. All of the major companies had tents displaying and selling product along with many smaller and new companies. I was excited I got to meet the man who made my frame! Adam from Wraith / StanRidge was present with his UCI Elite Racer Katie. Adam was a very nice dude and was very excited to see a Wraith being raced as hard as I’m racing it. Scored a sweet cap!
There were at least 7 or 8 food trucks/vendors serving up everything from grilled cheese to Mexican to pizza and even smoothies! At 11:00AM the Harpoon beer tent opened up and the crowds FLOODED in. By the time the 2/3 race went off I would’ve sworn it was a crowd for the Elite race!
I was feeling exhausted and stuffy. I drank water all morning and made sure to eat but nothing was bringing me back. Cue the free Rapha Double Espresso. 20 minutes later I was eyes wide cued up for staging. My cousin showed up along with Zach’s entire family. It’s so good to have people cheering so you so far from home.
My start went much much smoother than the previous day. The course was almost unchanged. They added a 3 plank stair set by the beer garden. I went out in the top 50 and cut my first lap down to 9:21. Still not as quick as I would have liked it but kept me in the mix in 41st after lap 1. I felt good making passes. I was on the wheel of a couple guys who normally finish ahead of me so things looked good for me. Lap 3 over the first fly over the first guy went right, messed up and yardsaled left. The guy ahead of me was left and got caught up with the first guy. I managed so steer right around all the BS and make it to the top on the right. Only one foot down BUT IT WAS CLEAN ENOUGH TO SEND ME OFF ON MY ATTACK! I began to put the power on. I was catching guys and passing and no one could stick to my wheel.
As I crossed the line for the final lap I caught King Kog Donnie! He’s having a killer year and I knew I needed to catch him. There were two guys on him and they were maybe 5 seconds ahead of me. I sprinted the pavement and hopped on the Donnie train. Going by the pit Donnie started to open up a gap between him and the guy behind him. I saw the gap and sprinted as hard as I could into the 180 hairpin corner and managed to just get around the two guys and duck into the second spot. I closed onto Donnie’s wheel on the last straight two corners before the barriers. I gave him a “Hey man, time to boogy!” He said back “I need some help!” Donnie pulled wide into the next corner and I ducked in and led us into the barriers. His friend/GF? Hannah SCREAMS for him all over the course. Seriously, she’s loud and gets all over the place. It’s like she is everywhere, all at once. “CATCH HIM DONNIE, PASS HIM, LET GO!” Sorry Hannah, its Matt’s turn to play conductor. CHOOCHOO!!! (that’s so cheesy, I love it, it’s staying in)
Nice and smooth over the first flyover, sprint up the hill! around the looping off camber corner! Sprint the flat! down the wide brake rutted left hander! up and over the rutted roller to the left! power up the next short hill! around the tree! Wide line into the hair pin! Sprint to the jump! Conservative air with a huge smile because the crowd is going CRAZY! High five to the little kids on the bottom beer garden straight! Up the stairs! SPRINT THE HILL!!
My heart was pounding and my legs were screaming. Donnie was stuck to my wheel and I knew if I let him by it would be over. I had to keep on the attack and the lead. We came around the pit to the gravel road by the lake and I took a few deep breaths before we hit the last climbing interval. I ripped out of my saddle and sprinted up the left passing someone ahead of me. As we crested the astroturf mats onto the pavement we came by someone else. I took Center lane and dipped down into the grass. As we dismounted up the stairs towards the flyover I heard Donnie coming by on my right. We got to the grass flat and were neck and neck. I beat him to the top of the flyover! Down we went, around the corner and across the pavement. “YOU OPENED A GAP PASS HIM” screamed Hannah to Donnie. Into the final power section before the pinwheel Donnie says I have it, He’s not going to sprint me. I call him an asshole and stayed on my pace, we only had a few seconds on our chasers. At the final grass straight before the turn to the finish line sprint I spotted a guy maybe 10 lengths ahead. I tried to keep on the power and sprinted as hard as I could but he was too far ahead to catch.
I finished 19/129 in the Providence 2/3. What’s going on!? Who even am I!? Carbone finished 14th (DUDES ON FIRE!) and Donnie was 1 second behind me. After reviewing the lap times and results I saw I put down the fastest last lap of my whole field. That feels really good and I’m still riding the stoke wave about it.
Lap 1 – 9:21 – 41st
Lap 2 – 9:19 – 32nd
Lap 3 – 9:22 – 28th
Lap 4 – 9:25 – 25th
Lap 5 – 9:06 – 19th
Next up, Beard Report then Whirleybird.
Mountain Bike Mike
Well-Known Member
Excellent recap.... Nice final lap and finish..
The Heckler
You bring new meaning to the term SUCK
Gonna admit, it was a hair dry compared to the drive to Baltimore one. But you're killing it this year so you got that going for you. Which is nice.
The Heckler
You bring new meaning to the term SUCK
It's generally remember to document interesting things or just get lost in the weekend. Holy week was a lost in the experience kinda thing.
The Heckler
You bring new meaning to the term SUCK
Post Holy Week Beard Report
Much facial fur.
I left a detail out from Sunday.
At some point in the day every car in the Providence race parking area had a picture of me on their windshields. Turns out the promoter from Cheshire Cross used the photo of my last year shouldering my bike drinking beer and gripping dolla dolla billz to advertise the race this year. Oh hey, MY AVATAR PHOTO!
#semiCXfamousforalltherightreasons
Also got to yell at Big Sean racing Sunday! Kudos for not blowing out a tubular! I also saw him during my race at the top of the crappy hill I sprinted every lap. Gave him a loud yell and got a HECKLER!?! in return. Made my lap.
Much facial fur.
I left a detail out from Sunday.
At some point in the day every car in the Providence race parking area had a picture of me on their windshields. Turns out the promoter from Cheshire Cross used the photo of my last year shouldering my bike drinking beer and gripping dolla dolla billz to advertise the race this year. Oh hey, MY AVATAR PHOTO!
#semiCXfamousforalltherightreasons
Also got to yell at Big Sean racing Sunday! Kudos for not blowing out a tubular! I also saw him during my race at the top of the crappy hill I sprinted every lap. Gave him a loud yell and got a HECKLER!?! in return. Made my lap.
The Heckler
You bring new meaning to the term SUCK
Race 14 - Whirlybird - MAC #5
8:00AM - Alarm goes off. "Wake up" after a night of little sleep after fighting for real estate with two cats and my girlfriend in her twin size bed.
We left Blairstown for Bensalem around 9:30AM. Grabbed some bagels on the way our from the Dog House.
10:00 AM - Red battery indicator turns on. Look at voltage meter, reading low. Crap. Headlights set to parking lights, radio off, dashboard dimmed, Wipers set to very intermittent. Last time I stayed in Blairstown was before Wawayanda and I never made it because my car blew out all of it's coolant. I was dead set on making it to the race.
10:30 AM - Reach Flemington, decide to turn off headlights. Voltage seems to be holding.
11:10 AM - Routed on to 95 south. Panic for a moment that my car may die on 95.
11:30 AM - Arrive at Whirlybird. Voltage low, at least my mom would be driving behind me half the way home, and I had my tool set in the trunk.
RACE!! The race was super fun and super muddy. Seriously, 4 inch deep peanut butter in some spots! My number was 105 thanks to some dope MAC points and I got a front row. I half missed my pedal at the whistle then Keith Garrison almost gave the whole field a lesson in bad times when he dropped his chain before his second power stroke causing himself to dive forward narrowly balancing on his top tube. He saved it luckily and didn't swerve into me. I think Pearl got a good show.
As we hit the grass I was back in 20 something, I think I was one of the last people before a big crash at that corner. I heard the tires lock up.
I had a pretty bad start, this was my first real mud race. I've done ice mud but not mud mud. I raced on the new Limus which grip SUPER well on any amount of wet grass. I was blown away! It felt like the tread was riding on a rail! In the mud things still got slidey which took a lap to get used to.
My first time through the off camber mud run ended on the last chicane with me falling on top of my bike (thanks to my goofy foot dismount) this heart like hell. I think this is where Pearl got by me.
I like racing with people I know, but it gets frustrating when I make up ground, crash and have to chase them again then crash again. I did this for about a full lap with James.
My final lap I was racing with one other guy. I had gotten by and put a gap on my ground but was out of back brake. This actually helped me. I had to ride better lines and push corners more as opposed to my rough and dirty approach with is typical for late in a race. I would rip by in the straights and jam in the corner. He was getting a little aggravated and I apologized more then a few times after jamming him up a bunch. He took the lead into the last few corners. I held his wheel and when we hit the straight before the last mini climb I powered down passed and held the lead through the final corners and over the line! We were both stoked on that last lap race we had and he was impressed with my final sprint.
10th!! I took a leg bath in the bathroom sink, changed, hosed down Blue Bike, and got some truffle fries!! So. Good.
Leaving - It was time to face the drive home.
The rain was done, lights off. Kate was bored, Music on. Voltage holding. I was monitoring the needle relative to the low line. It started at 1.5 needle widths and finished at .5 needle widths when we arrived back at Blairstown. I still had a 45 minute drive back to Morristown.
That drive would not be until 9:30PM.
Autozone.
There is an autozone 1/4 mile from Kate's place. We drove there in her car around 8. I had a sneaking suspicion my altenator had gone again. (75,000 miles since the last time) They had the part but said they could run a battery/alternator test. I returned 5 minutes later with my car and the test confirmed the alternator was shot.
I threw down my card and asked if they minded me working in the lot. $184 later I was wrenching out the old part and throwing in the new one. 15 minutes later I was on the road. Kate was mind blown. It was 6 screws, but I'm going to go with "I have skills."
Made it home from there. YAY!
The endless saga of Matt's Grand Marquis continues.
Note the use of the bike pump to hold my hood open.
8:00AM - Alarm goes off. "Wake up" after a night of little sleep after fighting for real estate with two cats and my girlfriend in her twin size bed.
We left Blairstown for Bensalem around 9:30AM. Grabbed some bagels on the way our from the Dog House.
10:00 AM - Red battery indicator turns on. Look at voltage meter, reading low. Crap. Headlights set to parking lights, radio off, dashboard dimmed, Wipers set to very intermittent. Last time I stayed in Blairstown was before Wawayanda and I never made it because my car blew out all of it's coolant. I was dead set on making it to the race.
10:30 AM - Reach Flemington, decide to turn off headlights. Voltage seems to be holding.
11:10 AM - Routed on to 95 south. Panic for a moment that my car may die on 95.
11:30 AM - Arrive at Whirlybird. Voltage low, at least my mom would be driving behind me half the way home, and I had my tool set in the trunk.
RACE!! The race was super fun and super muddy. Seriously, 4 inch deep peanut butter in some spots! My number was 105 thanks to some dope MAC points and I got a front row. I half missed my pedal at the whistle then Keith Garrison almost gave the whole field a lesson in bad times when he dropped his chain before his second power stroke causing himself to dive forward narrowly balancing on his top tube. He saved it luckily and didn't swerve into me. I think Pearl got a good show.
As we hit the grass I was back in 20 something, I think I was one of the last people before a big crash at that corner. I heard the tires lock up.
I had a pretty bad start, this was my first real mud race. I've done ice mud but not mud mud. I raced on the new Limus which grip SUPER well on any amount of wet grass. I was blown away! It felt like the tread was riding on a rail! In the mud things still got slidey which took a lap to get used to.
My first time through the off camber mud run ended on the last chicane with me falling on top of my bike (thanks to my goofy foot dismount) this heart like hell. I think this is where Pearl got by me.
I like racing with people I know, but it gets frustrating when I make up ground, crash and have to chase them again then crash again. I did this for about a full lap with James.
My final lap I was racing with one other guy. I had gotten by and put a gap on my ground but was out of back brake. This actually helped me. I had to ride better lines and push corners more as opposed to my rough and dirty approach with is typical for late in a race. I would rip by in the straights and jam in the corner. He was getting a little aggravated and I apologized more then a few times after jamming him up a bunch. He took the lead into the last few corners. I held his wheel and when we hit the straight before the last mini climb I powered down passed and held the lead through the final corners and over the line! We were both stoked on that last lap race we had and he was impressed with my final sprint.
10th!! I took a leg bath in the bathroom sink, changed, hosed down Blue Bike, and got some truffle fries!! So. Good.
Leaving - It was time to face the drive home.
The rain was done, lights off. Kate was bored, Music on. Voltage holding. I was monitoring the needle relative to the low line. It started at 1.5 needle widths and finished at .5 needle widths when we arrived back at Blairstown. I still had a 45 minute drive back to Morristown.
That drive would not be until 9:30PM.
Autozone.
There is an autozone 1/4 mile from Kate's place. We drove there in her car around 8. I had a sneaking suspicion my altenator had gone again. (75,000 miles since the last time) They had the part but said they could run a battery/alternator test. I returned 5 minutes later with my car and the test confirmed the alternator was shot.
I threw down my card and asked if they minded me working in the lot. $184 later I was wrenching out the old part and throwing in the new one. 15 minutes later I was on the road. Kate was mind blown. It was 6 screws, but I'm going to go with "I have skills."
Made it home from there. YAY!
The endless saga of Matt's Grand Marquis continues.
Note the use of the bike pump to hold my hood open.
The Heckler
You bring new meaning to the term SUCK
didnt realize how close you came to not making it, scary stuff.
awesome racing man, glad to throw down with you even if it was for a little bit! you were motoring on those straightaways, i had no answer for that
Should've grabbed a wheel!!!!!!!!!!!
soulchild
Well-Known Member
The Heckler
You bring new meaning to the term SUCK
Sean is the man.