smithers owes me $20 bucks.

i surprised myself and actually made it up to moorehead for the redrivercxparty.
it was a good time and you missed it.

friday night lodging was courtesy of ray ray, at the falcon palace. (or, something like that).
complete with deer antler chandelier, and 80 inch flat screen tv. so rad.

i wanted to take some photos but my batteries were dead... oh well, i'll just have to get descriptive.

saturday was racing time!

so, if you haven't been to this race before, (and i know you haven't), the course is really cool.
it mostly flat, and very well designed.
it featured 4 (yes, 4), separate short forays into the woods for some greazy muddy single track.

the race started fast, and i had one of those, "not the best" starts... ugh.
so i'm sitting mid-pack when the race enters the first bit of single track in the form of a twisty, slick, mud decent, and the race splits.

me in the back half.

'shit, i knew that would happen", is about all i can think for the rest of the lap as the group of 6 ride away.

at the end of the lap there was a short steep mud run-up, that put us on a nice paved road for the final 500 meters or so, when my group hit this the first time it was chaos. people were dropping chains, and shit. dumb.

so i get on the gas once i hit the pavement, cuz that's what you do when you hit pavement in a cross race, and take a peek back to see none of the group is bothering to come with, or even chase.

huh? i was just trying to pick up the pace. now i'm out there, so i gotta go for it, and the full on bridge attempt was on.
i can say that my attempts at bridging are a step up from the city of minneapolis'.

the leaders had come unglued from each other and were spread all over by the time i got anywhere near them about a lap later. i hooked up with some stragglers, and form a group going for places 4,5,6.
they were better in the woods, but i was better on the flats...
so given the paved finish i'm just sitting on wheels basically assured 4th.

you know, cuz i'm a bad ass sprinter.

but it was not to be.

after sitting on just right the last lap...
we hit the final mud run-up...
get to the pavement...
i get on the bike clean...

...but my cleats are clogged up w/ mud!

crap!crap!crap!crap!crap!

can't get in the pedals! shit...... watching 4th and 5th ride away.

finally got in, and ripped a pretty good sprint, but 4th was gone.
came up a half wheel shy of 5th. ended up 6th place, one out of the money.

4th would have paid $20.

it sucks no one goes to this race... i know it's pretty far, but it's really well done.
i want to lobby for it to be the state championship.
then maybe people would go.

maybe.

smithers, cash or paypal only.