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Crossasaurus Awesome -Spring Mountain CX

This weekend Ben and I rode the Crossasaurus Awesome. Ben rode the C race in the morning and I gave the B race a go for the first time. I wasn’t expecting much other than to have a good time. We arrived a bit late, then watched some of the elite race and tried to warm up a bit. I got half a lap in before the race and lined up. Not racing any B races before I ended up in the very back row of 25-30 people. As usual there was a crash not too far from the start line and were a few people went down. The course was manly grass and flat with a few rutted muddy sections. I settled into an solid pace without getting too wild as I wasn’t sure how many laps we were going to get in. I passed a few people and was sitting in 10th or 11th at some point. As people from behind started moving up I couldn’t hang and one by one got passed. I ended up 14th and was happy with the performance.

I was all smiles during the race.

Ellis, all business.

Right after the B race was the single speed race. I just picked up a new commute bike after the BB to ST cracked on my old rig. This was going to be her first day in the mud on cross tires. I got to the start line and lined up at the back of the group. Ben walked over to bring me a bit of water but I stole his beer instead for a few gulps before the race. Got to stay hydrated. Anyways I wasn’t able to get the GoPro running for the B race as I had the SD card ‘locked’ mode, so after Ryan showed me how to work it, I got to business. After being delayed at the start by the person who in front of me who thought it was a better idea to drink some beer than to race, we got to it. After making plenty of “vrrrrmmmmmming’ noises, passing a guy on a cruiser with metal baskets filled with beer bottles, and Ellis telling me it was too much work, I went on ahead by myself looking to take people out. For a fun race this was rough on the legs. Anyways fast forward a bit and right after the volleyball sand run/try to ride, was a short cut. Now I think everyone minus a few people took the shortcut. The first two laps to get through the shortcut one would have to drink ‘bad beer.’ I dont know what it was but it wasn’t too bad by my standards, not when your alright with drinking steel reserve in the forty form. After lap 2 things got a bit more interesting. The third lap I hap to spin around in a circle 20 times, but during the spinning I think they felt bad and I only had to do 10. I dont know if I could have made 20 happen. I haven’t spun around in a circle in a few years and forgot the damage that does to a person. I jumped back on my bike but couldn’t help but to ride directly into the tape and stay riding into the tape while onlookers told me I was riding the wrong way. Round 4′s shortcut had an option. 1) Put someone in a figure four leg lock or 2) do 20 pushups. Now I wasn’t allowed to watch WWF as a child, and unfortunately I never brushed back up on Ric Flair’s signature moves, so I opted for the pushups. While coming out of my pushups someone tried to tackle me and Ric Flair me, but I narrowly escaped. After that I was home free. Thanks for everyone who put the event together, it was a good time for sure. And thanks to the team and significant others who came out and heckled. It was a blast.

The look of disgust.

Spinning.

Military press.

Pushups.

Wrastling, the course had it all.

SS race video:

Bear Creek CX Day 1 Cat 4 C Race

This year the venue was changed from Beer Creek to Emmaus where they have a weekly practice due to the snow storm from the previous week. The C race started at 10am (I was a fan) and I think was roughly sold out with 50 registered. The course felt fast during my warm-up lap with most of the mud sections still frozen. I didn’t know how this was going to play out with the thawing and actually didn’t think about that until during the race. The course was pretty much all flat with 2 barriers and no running. Got to the line and about 4 rows back, not too bad. The start was in grass and a slight up hill for a while before any turns. I was hoping to make up 10 or so places at the beginning but the course was tight. This was my first PACX race and didn’t know that they had call-ups in the C race. After rambling off what seemed like 20+ names I’m now sitting in row 5 or 6. The start in front of me is slow, I see the top few guys get a big jump on everyone else. I hammer and try to make up and many places as I can before it clumps up at the first turn. I think I moved up ~7 spots and sitting in the 20s somewhere. The first lap felt fast and I was being fairly cautious as my tires are worthless and I only got one full lap in before hand. Yeah I put a foot out a lot, and as I said, if you don’t like my poor turning ability then pass me During the second lap I passed a group of riders and was sitting 6th and coming out of the barrier section into a fast 90 degree left turn and went down hard. I wasn’t expecting it at all but as people rode that turn and the grass/mud thawed it became really slick. I dropped my chain and tried to ride to back on, didn’t work. Bleh. I finally cranked it back on but not before getting passed by 5 or 6 people, I need to get better at that. After that I wasn’t in it mentally, I knew there was no chance of getting catching the top few riders and was a bit pissed. I kept cranking and because of the various double backs heard the encouragement of a few friends racing. I also noticed that random people in this race were really nice, saying words of encouragement while you passed them, I liked that. Anyways during the next lap I was able to re-pass the group that had overtaken me while I dropped my chain and saw 5th place a bit ahead of me. It was hard to gauge how far off a wheel you where due to the course layout. I was hoping to close the gap but it never happened. Ended up doing 5 laps and got 6th overall. Not that excited about the performance, but it was a learning experience. Grass turns are definitely not my strong suit, so its definitely something I need to work on. Had the GoPro on but it didn’t save any videos… I was really hoping to post the first lap and the crash. I suck.

After the C race was the B race. Was hoping to encourage the Team Tom’s boys. I shot a few photos taunted and watched people take turns a lot faster than I could. At some point Ellis flatted and I had to run to the car to grab my bike as I didn’t have room in the car for his pit bike as well. We made a seamless bike swap but he had lost 2 places while riding on the rim and was sitting in 6th. Ryan had a battle for 1st and ended up winning the B race. After that I pitted for Jeff in the 45+ race which he went on to win. Congrats to both of you.

After riding we ate, talked, then it was game time. Neither Ellis or I had ever been to the beer store/mecca known as Shangy’s. Needless to say we were both excited. Luckily it was all cases so we didn’t get too wild, but we spent over an hour there pondering our next move. They have cases of four loco to slyfox to $300 cases of mikkeller Beer Geek Brunch Weasel. Anyways it was dangerous and too much to choose from. After seeing Jeff come in, spend 10 minutes and pull the trigger on various cases of belgoium goodness we decided to go ‘cheap’ and stay domestic.

New to me.

Took a bit of finagling but theres always room for a case or two/three.

Im thinking next weekend of doing Spring Mountain Crossasaurus Awesome, not sure if I’ll race the C race or try out the B race + SS race… hopefully learn how to use the GoPro for a sweet video as well.

Color Matched.

Fall is finally here and its getting cold again. Knee & arm warmers are in full effect and the winter bike is almost complete.

Granogue CX Day 1 & 2 Cat 4 C Race

Day 1

This would be my first double weekend and my 3 & 4th cross race. Friends had said Granogue is one of the tougher races of the year. I figured we’d give it a go and see what happens. I hadn’t ridden my cross bike off road since I raced at whirly bird and was still dealing with a tweaked foot from that weekend. My goal was to stay injury free so I could actually race on Sunday. Woke up Saturday morning early and got on the road. Was able to get 2 laps in to see the course before the mayhem. The start was a long pavement section which I liked since I was starting 55 back. I lined up to the left side hoping to utilize the grass if need be. The course was tough and the field was large. Would have liked to move up a few more spots at the start but my legs just never have it in them at the very beginning. Settled in and trying to pick off as many people as I could. I was having a tough time running the hills due to the mud and lack of toe spikes which I put on my list of things I need. I was able to catch sight of the lead group and made my way up only to end up falling back a few spots. Overall I stayed upright, uninjured and ended up 8th or 9th for the day.

Day 2

They changed the course up a bit where the course was still painful with little to no recovery. This time I started 61 back and started to the left again with the same game plan. As the course came off the pavement into the grass it bottle necked and there was a large crash to my left which I nearly avoided. Right after that another 2 people went down and this time I wasn’t as lucky. My bike and I got caught in his bike and I was struggling to get my bike released as 15 people rode past. This took a bit of a mental tool on me but figured id see what happened. Day two had me racing a bit differently, I was charging corners a bit harder because for one I felt like I knew the course a bit more, and two I didn’t have to worry about racing the next day. I found some better lines and was trying out a few new things. For me the toughest part of the race was the steep run up after the steps that turned 180 back down a steep hill with a sharp 90 at the bottom. This took me out twice, once I almost hit a lady and ended up doing a split, and the second time sliding out when I wasn’t sure if I was going to hit a friend who had a mechanical at the bottom of the hill. A few people passed, I ended up= catching back up to most of them. Came into the last section on someone’s wheel, we hit the pavement and just didn’t have it in me mentally to get him before the line. Ended up 13th overall and was happy after such a poor start.

Hung out most of the day and watched the mens elites tackle the course, stopped at total wine then cruised home. This cyclocross thing is a different beast.

GoPro Video, day 1, lap1

Nittnay Lion and WhirlyBird Cross

Nittany Lion CX

Ive been lazy and havnt posted in a while, ill post a quick few real quick. Some of the team, Ben and I have been trying out cross for the first time. Our first race was the Cat 4 C race at Nittney by the velodrome. It was quite a learning experience for both of us since we didn’t have much practice dismounting, mounting, or riding in grass. We both ended up having great starting positions which was quite nice for our first race. The first lap had many people pouring past me as I didn’t want to burn myself out too early. Overall it was a really fun race, I learned so much, and found out cross = pain. Ben ended up getting out sprinted at the line for 80th and I ended up 6th somehow.

Camera officially broke so iphone photos are as good as it gets.

Ben and I don’t know what we are getting ourselves into.

Mud.

Oh yah then vegan treat, hot damn.

Whirly Bird CX

I raced the Cat 4 C race at whirly bird a bits ago. Unlike at Nittany where we started in the front, this time i was 60 back and it was sold out with 125 riders. very muddy, mostly grass and tons of off camber everything. i went down about 4 – 5 times in the grass

got there a bit late but was able to get a lap in before hand of most of the course. luckily the prolouge was a short straight then a 90 to a long straight so i was able to jump in front of 20 people at the start or so. initially game plan was to stay up. didnt work too well. id never dealt with so many off camber turns or 180s before. i was able to gain time on people on the straights but noticed how much time i was loosing in the corners. something i need to work on. on a off camber turn two people went down and i had to dismount and run. felt the side of my right foot do something and the next two laps i was hobbling a bit. i was conserving a bit of energy for the last lap and waiting a bit. I went through some barriers and around a corner and realized 1) I didn’t know where the finish was, and 2) the race was over. anyways ended up 12th out of 125, i think 110 finishers.

As unpro as one could look…

Ill post tomorrow about Granogue Day 1 and 2 and hopefully some GoPro video to go along with it.

-Eric

Tour of Medford Pics