Wisco Weekend Update

Saturday- Cat 3 Report

Milwaukee MWI crew made the longer than remembered trek to Verona for the Badger Prairie race that turned out to be a leg and lung buster with a course that included nearly all climbing and descending.  That being said, it was a course that favors my lack of bike handling skills.  As the race carries on, I find myself in 1st, starting to get a nice little gap on 2nd.  Then, on the second to last lap, a 180 degree down hill turn from grass to pavement decided to release the bond of tire, glue and carbon rim on the front. I decide to continue with this set up until I can get to the pits.  I switched bikes and kept going, but the chase was on and I was caught on the last lap. With a 1/4 lap to go, another rider was in front of me through some tight turns when he bobbled slightly, I went around and hammered it for the last climb and through the finish for the win. Chucker in 5th, Mike in 12th and Chili in 21st. Dr. Crash took 8th in the cat 4's.

Sunday- Cat 3 Report

The Cam Rock course is way more fun than the prior day, with much of the course moving through the woods around the park.  MWI lines up 3 in the front row.  I get the holeshot and take it into the barriers where Mike passes me easily, again my lack of handling skills shows here.  Mike and I are running 1 and 2 for most of the first lap.  A couple riders pass through some of the wooded section and during a tight, loose left hander, one of them goes down as I role onto his frame avoiding some nice carbon wheels.  As I'm getting going again, I get run into on the right side as the rest of the pack goes by on the left, knocking my feet out of the pedals again.  Damn, here we go, chase chase chase.  Now my inexperience shows, I chase back up to a group of 3 including Cale from Pegasus, and decide to sit in to recover a little.  What I failed to realize was this was the 2nd, 3rd, 4th place group and the leader was only 10 seconds in front. I thought we were probably running 5, 6, 7 or something like that, so I figured no need to chase down for 4th.  Woops.  As the race goes on I tell Cale I'm going and to stay on my wheel.  He does through the last lap as I get a small gap through the finish line.  I should have chased down the leader, but I didn't know where I was running.  Still learning in this 2nd year of racing. It will not happen again!  I finish 2nd, Chucker in 7th, Mike in 12th (eventhough the standings say 13th, screwed them up again) and Chili 22nd.  Dr. Crash had to work.

Next up, Louisville USGP. 

Weekend Update (no Seth Myers)

Fun weekend of racing starting with Capital Cup in Topeka, KS. Got the word on the way up that Crappy (er, I mean Crusty) wasn't making an appearance. First double up of the year as I jumped in the masters 40+ and the 3s later on. Masters race was going well until a remount error on my part burped my tubeless, rode it for 1 lap until I had to pit and quickly went from 6th to 11th. Good time none the less. Got a couple hours break between and after a horrific start in the 3s clawed my back to finish 7th. Great course and loads of fun (even if it included the 'Mound of Mercy' every lap - brutal!).

Next day was the Blvd Cup in KCK, which had a great turnout and a super course. I skipped the masters and raced the 3s. As I was kitting up I saw a mirage and had to shake myself... it was Crusty in a kit, he actually does ride bikes!!!! I was just getting ready to talk racing when he let me know he was only there for 'warm up laps' and no racing would take place. Bummer, he looked so cute in that Sunday subdue. After another bad start (notice a trend here) I did my best to race and mostly have fun and ended up 9th. Superfan skipped the day-glow jumpsuit and opted for jeans and left THE cowbell crown jewel at home so turned out he played the part of 'just a fan'.

Solid weekend of events and so much fun. Next weekend is the Smithville 'Cross Fest and I'm looking to double up again. You guys have fun at the USGP!

Sleep Number Sucks...

The Cincinnati UCI 3 Race weekend was AWESOME! The Sleep Number Bed at the Raddison sucks cramhole! 3 Days of sweet racing, awesome times, new friends, and super pits. Here is the bullet point A.D.D. report.

• Sleep Number beds suck, sleeping on an air buble is not fun. Unless you are f*cking with the control, I mean "finding" your sleep number at midnight.
• Holy mudfest batman. I ran more in Friday's race than any other cross race I have ever done.
• Roscoe is just as fast sliding across the finish line as he is staying upright
• We got to pit for Molly and Parbo and hang out with the Super Poppers all weekend and it was AWESOME. It is fun to work the pit when stuff is actually going on. During Friday's mudfest Molly was pitting every half-lap and Parbo bent his rear derailleur hanger and pulled his front brake cable out. Saturday and Sunday were uneventful but still fun in the pits. Lots of fun and jokes to be had
• I love sand pits and technical shit! Makes me feel l faster than I actually am right now.
• I also love hearing peoples reaction to our kit. Both good and bad. I am almost as stoked when someone doesn't get it as I am when they do.
• We ran out of I Heart/Jackalope CX t-shirts this weekend and need to have more printed up
• Got some Super Sweet ultra Euro Pro tips from Molly and Parbo that I am not sharing =)
• Racing was fun I finished solid low 20's everyday. Roscoe was as high as 6th and down in the high teens the other days. Chili, well they screwed Chili in Ohio. He was int he top ten everyday for sure but no one really knows where he finished
• We totally crashed a burritto and beer party Friday after the race. The Half Acre and my wife inc crews were plotting the Half Wife Cramhole Classic or next year - could be interesting.
• There may be pictures of my muddy ass crack, but you will never see them.
• There also may be a new competition for the title of Dr. Crash, but I wouldn't know anything about that either (It wasn't me)
• Breakfast at Big Boy sucks.
  
• Please someone tell me why it is so hard to keep the races scored properly? I would gladly pay $5 extra to race with a timing chip if it meant I could find out where I placed before I left at the end of the day!

Pictures from the weekend are up on the team site. I am going to bed in my ass grooved non-air bubble bed again tonight and I will love it!

Crusty Is... well, Crusty

Sunday's chilly temps had us at St. Mary's in Leavenworth for Chris Cross (round #2 of the De Stadt series). Great course (pretty bumpy though) and venue, but the highlight was definitely the Neon Noise Machine on every lap. Crusty was cranking the SuperFan mode (only one of all spectators) with his beer hand ups (compliments from ScottyD) and anti-freeze. I overheard someone asking if his 'day-glow' jumpsuit came with it's own battery pack. Awesome!

I had a sluggish start, worked the course with a couple others, had a minor sprint finish (personal victory), ended up 7th, and had a great time.

Who knows, maybe next time Crusty will blow his nose and actually toe the line. Next weekend is Capital Cross (Topeka, KS) on Saturday and Blvd Cup (Bonner Springs, KS) on Sunday. Crusty - have my bed ready.

Grass Crit.....

Lapham Peak State Park.  Not the best cross course in the land, especially after USGP last weekend.  But, it turned out well for the team.  MWI fully represented in the Cat 3 race today.  Heeman, Chucker, Chili and myself all lined up for some fun.  Heeman took the hole shot, as usual, with me in third wheel.  Through the next 1/4 lap I passed the guy in second and was behind Heeman in second wheel through the chicanes.  Heeman got a gap through that section so I yelled to him to "go" and I would slow down to block.  He went for it, but another rider behind was having none of it and chased him down.  I covered the move as we went past Heeman.  From there it was a two man race for myself and the other rider, as Heeman blocked for me through the chicanes again.  We went into the last barrier section side by side as the other rider stumbled, I took advantage and soloed in for the win.  MWI rocked it today, Roscoe 1st, Chucker 3rd, Heeman 8th and Chili (with double flats) mid 20's.  Great day on a not so cross, cross course.  Cinci next week for 3 days of fun!  Thanks all for a good race!