Got this in my email this evening... enjoy!
Race #1 = Warda, TX
Lets say NASTY with capital N!!!! Jon Stout, Leonard and I drove down to Warda Saturday Morning [a] 4.5 hr drive. We are torturing Leonard with my music. Non-eventful drive down there. No rain, just overcast. We get to Giddings where the Hotel is. I am looking for Indian-Scissors-Nails but he doesnt check us in. It was his son and he was wearing shoes. We get our room, eat a burger and head for the trail.
We get to warda and see a pretty good crowd, still no rain. We get to registration. Me -SS, Jon -Sport 30-34, Leonard -Beg 40-44. We get ready and start the pre ride.
Still no rain. Were pre riding good trail is a little muddy but not too bad. Were stalking our opponents seeing what they are made of. Were flying through a little technical section with a bridge. I see wet bridge and slow down hit bridge and go down!! I yell back to Leonard and Jon and tell them to watch bridge and then BAM Leonard goes down. He is upside down hanging off the bridge with his sprained ankle pinned against the bridge. I help him up and then tell him to quite wining and lets go!! Leonard the soldier that he is takes off. We finish the pre ride and get cleaned up.
Back in the room we start jacking with bikes. I am changing gears, Jon pulls his BB, just getting ready for the big day. Eat, then hit the sack. I wake up at 3:30 AM, look out the window, ssshhhuuuu, Still no Rain. We rise around 5:50 am for breakfast, oh shiznit, it raining. We grub down at Mels diner after trying to wake up Jason in his room. He had came in later in the night.
We get to the race and it is raining its butt off. We get dressed and decide to jump in and start warming up. It was hell!! They call the racers to the line.
Single Speeders are the first pack off. I am looking down the line for familiar faces, dont see but 2 out of 10. This line looks mean. Everybody is geared down and on some nice rigs. Pete is there, I battle with him all last season with him beating me more times than most. Also I recognize a little Mexican fellow that has beaten me once. I know they are the two to watch. Also on the line was Hector Hernandez- expert MTB racer and road racer (supposed to be bad on a road bike), Robert Mcguire Expert racer, Cat 4 road racer, and then this lean looking fellow Josh Kravets - Semi-pro MTB racer.
They blow the whistle. I floor it, good start I am first place at the 2nd turn and already gapping the pack. Start down the down hill which looked like a water slide, and Josh passes me right before the first turn into single track. I go into the woods 2nd and Bam he goes down and I go down. Two people pass so now I am in 4th. We ride through the roller coaster which had the wettest slippest root out there. There is 3 of us together and Josh is off the front. We hit the field and I get passed by Hector. He is looking strong. We run up gas pass and I say screw it and pass 4th and 3rd which puts me 3rd. I can see Pete (2nd) about 50 yrds up and Garcia about 100 yards back. I am pushing good. I slip on some roots and go down, jump up ride a little further go down again, jump up. By this time 4th is getting close. I am struggling with my brakes bad. 4th catches me and passes. I am chasing after him and steadly trying to adjust brakes. No good there going quick. ½ way thru 1st lap brakes are totally gone. The only way to stop was to hit trees or just slide out and crash. This was not a good a feeling and painful at times. My eyes are full of sh*t from the the 3 of mud that covers the trail. It is raining again and I am ready to quit!! I come through a corner and Josh (1st) is messing with his front brake. Hes out DNF!!! What a punk!!
I keep strong no brakes is just an obstacle to make this more challenging. I hold 3rd place for the rest of the race. I crashed so many times and hit more trees than I ever had. I am sore from head to toe. 3rd got me on the podium but not the spot I wanted. I am frustrated that I really didnt get to use my fitness, just a strong will to survive.
Jason and Jon are in group behind me and had same conditions if not worse due to the extra traffic. The more people rode it the worse it got. Jason finished 2nd in his class and Jon 4th. Leonard takes off at 1:30 and has the worse conditions of all. He finishes 3rd with a last minute pass at the end. HE was kicking butt!!.
So overall we did good. We brought back 3 Texas trophies to LA. Driving home it was raining the whole way. Every time I would go into a corner I thought the truck was going to slide due to bike sliding all dam day!! All in all it fun though. I now need to rebuild my bike because I think everything on it is shot.
Next race Terilinqua Mas-o-menos 50k. till next time. BK
Race #1 = Warda, TX
Lets say NASTY with capital N!!!! Jon Stout, Leonard and I drove down to Warda Saturday Morning [a] 4.5 hr drive. We are torturing Leonard with my music. Non-eventful drive down there. No rain, just overcast. We get to Giddings where the Hotel is. I am looking for Indian-Scissors-Nails but he doesnt check us in. It was his son and he was wearing shoes. We get our room, eat a burger and head for the trail.
We get to warda and see a pretty good crowd, still no rain. We get to registration. Me -SS, Jon -Sport 30-34, Leonard -Beg 40-44. We get ready and start the pre ride.
Still no rain. Were pre riding good trail is a little muddy but not too bad. Were stalking our opponents seeing what they are made of. Were flying through a little technical section with a bridge. I see wet bridge and slow down hit bridge and go down!! I yell back to Leonard and Jon and tell them to watch bridge and then BAM Leonard goes down. He is upside down hanging off the bridge with his sprained ankle pinned against the bridge. I help him up and then tell him to quite wining and lets go!! Leonard the soldier that he is takes off. We finish the pre ride and get cleaned up.
Back in the room we start jacking with bikes. I am changing gears, Jon pulls his BB, just getting ready for the big day. Eat, then hit the sack. I wake up at 3:30 AM, look out the window, ssshhhuuuu, Still no Rain. We rise around 5:50 am for breakfast, oh shiznit, it raining. We grub down at Mels diner after trying to wake up Jason in his room. He had came in later in the night.
We get to the race and it is raining its butt off. We get dressed and decide to jump in and start warming up. It was hell!! They call the racers to the line.
Single Speeders are the first pack off. I am looking down the line for familiar faces, dont see but 2 out of 10. This line looks mean. Everybody is geared down and on some nice rigs. Pete is there, I battle with him all last season with him beating me more times than most. Also I recognize a little Mexican fellow that has beaten me once. I know they are the two to watch. Also on the line was Hector Hernandez- expert MTB racer and road racer (supposed to be bad on a road bike), Robert Mcguire Expert racer, Cat 4 road racer, and then this lean looking fellow Josh Kravets - Semi-pro MTB racer.
They blow the whistle. I floor it, good start I am first place at the 2nd turn and already gapping the pack. Start down the down hill which looked like a water slide, and Josh passes me right before the first turn into single track. I go into the woods 2nd and Bam he goes down and I go down. Two people pass so now I am in 4th. We ride through the roller coaster which had the wettest slippest root out there. There is 3 of us together and Josh is off the front. We hit the field and I get passed by Hector. He is looking strong. We run up gas pass and I say screw it and pass 4th and 3rd which puts me 3rd. I can see Pete (2nd) about 50 yrds up and Garcia about 100 yards back. I am pushing good. I slip on some roots and go down, jump up ride a little further go down again, jump up. By this time 4th is getting close. I am struggling with my brakes bad. 4th catches me and passes. I am chasing after him and steadly trying to adjust brakes. No good there going quick. ½ way thru 1st lap brakes are totally gone. The only way to stop was to hit trees or just slide out and crash. This was not a good a feeling and painful at times. My eyes are full of sh*t from the the 3 of mud that covers the trail. It is raining again and I am ready to quit!! I come through a corner and Josh (1st) is messing with his front brake. Hes out DNF!!! What a punk!!
I keep strong no brakes is just an obstacle to make this more challenging. I hold 3rd place for the rest of the race. I crashed so many times and hit more trees than I ever had. I am sore from head to toe. 3rd got me on the podium but not the spot I wanted. I am frustrated that I really didnt get to use my fitness, just a strong will to survive.
Jason and Jon are in group behind me and had same conditions if not worse due to the extra traffic. The more people rode it the worse it got. Jason finished 2nd in his class and Jon 4th. Leonard takes off at 1:30 and has the worse conditions of all. He finishes 3rd with a last minute pass at the end. HE was kicking butt!!.
So overall we did good. We brought back 3 Texas trophies to LA. Driving home it was raining the whole way. Every time I would go into a corner I thought the truck was going to slide due to bike sliding all dam day!! All in all it fun though. I now need to rebuild my bike because I think everything on it is shot.
Next race Terilinqua Mas-o-menos 50k. till next time. BK
