Racing in my Backyard

OK, this is Ryan's bike from Florida......it got worse!

Thursday I trimmed half of the XC course for this weekends collegiate racing, Ben got the other half. Friday I managed to find some poison ivy and weed eat it. I also managed to sling it all over my legs. We borrowed the posts and tape from a very kind Eric Wondergem (Mr. MSG) & Mr. Seek. Ben and I decorated the short track to look awesome! Thanks Eric!



Saturday rolled around and so did a little precipitation. Not alot to ruin the race but enough to make it interesting. I helped pull riders from the ST and really didn't warm up proper. I started out with just one small warm-up lap, might as well not have even tried. I basically started cold. I managed to hang on alot longer than I thought I would have. I will admit it wasn't one of my BEST performances. I finished around 11th out of about 18 or so. Oh well I had other stuff to attend to. I had to get Austin then get back and score. He wanted no part of the slop so he stayed here at the house and I went back over the hill. After DH I sat my EZ-UP over the starting gate at the slalom course. I skipped this race ( I knew what was coming, ha ha). We managed to get the B class finished before the nasty rain came. IT WAS A FIASCO! Peanut butter mud everywhere. Riders taking diggers left and right it was a disaster!




Sunday morning and XC was left. We are racing on my home turf I had to step up now. My plan? well after last night's rain and the way our course stays slick for days I thought I would let everyone have at it. I started out dead last, I pedaled to the start of the single track like I was out for a Sunday stroll. As I reached the woods I caught a few and rode on by, poor kids can't ride rooty trails. Oh they were wet also! I managed to pass several riders on the first lap without any hard effort. I stepped it up the 2nd lap and caught some more dudes. man was it slick on the water tower side though. Total uncontrolled slides in the slippery muck. I managed to stay up all day, I attribute that to knowing the trails like the back of my hand. My 3rd lap and I was getting tired, my back was getting tight also. My goal for the day was not to let our local hero Wes catch me. I managed that too! His dad (Bob) was also racing in the B class today (we let some non-collegiate riders compete today but didn't score them). I knew I wouldn't catch him, but after everything was tallied I only finished with two riders between us. I ended up with a 6th overall for the day. I was happy with my finish after my sucky ST race. I was top dog on the ETSU team in the B class also! Man I wish I had rode with some intensity this year and kept my riding fitness up. Oh well, water under the bridge. Next week? Florida State.





LAter G................................