Monday, October 29, 2012

MSG - BOONE CX - SNOW - OH MY!

Another weekend of cross! This years weather has been pretty kind to all the southern cross racers no doubt. Plenty of cool weather with rain and mud thrown in for good measure. This is race #6 of MSG and we were competing with two other race venues so our normal turnout was down about 30% it seemed. This is the set crew below all worn out after setting up the tight twisty track for this weekends event. This setup took longer than normal because we were working with a limited staff.

I don't have any other pics available other than the frolics. I did have my best race of the season by cracking the top 10 in Masters 45+ though. I finally beat up on one such heckler that's been razzing me all year that I wouldn't beat him in masters class cross and did with style in a sprint to the finish. AND I did it on the Niner Air 9... BooYaa!
I should set this up before you look at these pics. At the start of the MTB class, where only Duckman and myself were entered, little Connor Tankersley (aka; one of the Tankertots) bragged that they were going to let me have it with cokes, gatorade and everything not tied down. I was sooooo dreading this because we got the grand master pooobah Mr. Letterman like this last year.... karma I guess.

Nearing the end of the first lap they were lined up on the tape armed with who knows what so I rode close then cut the course.... Aha! First attack diverted...I thought. After climbing back up to the finish/start line they had massed along both sides..... I had no where to run. I just pedaled ahead, sacked up and took what I had coming. They hit me with cool whip dip, cookies, cupcake icing and what ever was left on their table in the pits. The cookies felt like rocks they threw them so hard!

Above Connor shakes my hand before he sprays me with a coke after the race. It's ok I blasted him first and Jordan also, ha ha. The clothes were a tad sticky to say the least. I managed to get Nolan standing still with an ice cold bottle of water down the back of his neck. I'm old and slow so my motto was coined by Autumn, J's Mom, ... payback one kid at a time!
Here J-man gets some of the icing he rubbed all over my bib # back in his face. Look at that face of mine....... gratification! payback baby!
I'm surprised this cute little "kitty" wasn't involved. This is "Molly - the bike shop kitty".... See her at Piney Flats Bicycles but come to Hampton Trails first. Well, she was, in a way. One piece of advice; DO NOT LET MEGAN NEAR A MICROPHONE WITH P.A. AMPLIFIERS. She very well could be the heckle queen of the south. So good that it gives our mostly obnoxious heckler, AC, a run for the money.

Below is one reason for the attendance drop.... Doper's Fondo held in Greenville, SC. I really can't believe all those people still worship cheaters and snitches. PRO CYCLING IS DOPE! Not in a good way either folks...
Photo creds: Autumn Lewis and Tracy Tankersley

 THE NEXT DAY - SUNDAY........


Sunday morning was very chilly compared to Saturday. Hurricane Sandy is marching up the east coast  spewing her moisture all over everything. We hit rain heading up past the ski slopes in Banner Elk on our way to Boone, NC for a little NCCX action. I was preparing for the worst too. Mud, frigid temps, heavy winds..... wait this is cross, mash the gas son.

Before you scroll any farther the NC folks take their CX racin' serious and usually go to the extremes at their races, they haven't disappointed yet....
Masters 45+ 1/2/3 on the line and ready to roll........... I never take starts seriously although I should. I had a plan for this race in which I probably knew the outcome but I had not rolled the dice in a while so I thought I would test my fitness since I had a good race on Saturday.
Below; Kim Bishop and Jamie Williams (MSG Chicks) are lined up behind us in the womens 1/2/3 class.......... braaappp!
They're off! I started way too fast because I had some bogus info before our race started. I heard we had 50+ riders in our class but in all actuality it was on 30 or so. I went out harder than normal trying to fend off the masses instead of picking off riders one by one from the rear. Not a good plan on my part! I blew up after 20 minutes.
What does one do when there are riders all over the course and you've popped? You make your mark anywhere you can! I sat up and rested so I could possibly make a fool of myself...or not. I wanted to be the first one to climb that steep ass run-up. First attempt success! I spanked that hill like a 2yr old gettin' whopped for sassin' their parents! It was easier than I expected it to be. I held the title for the majority of the day and was awarded a BIG BEER for my efforts by the announcer. Alas, when the pros race came around 6 or 7 of them cranked up it like it was a piece of cake. Fiddle sticks!
Rounding the curve before the run-up. This thing was steep, steep enough for toe spikes in your shoes. After the first climb to the top I took a couple of beer hand-ups from a few buddies around the course. To the winner (climber) goes the spoils.... lol. It went straight to my head too. On the 4th trip around I wasn't planning on climbing it but daddy Tank meets me about 50 yards before the turn and shouts " they said you can't do it again bleep bleep bleep". Well heck-far dangit. So here I go once more. I felt pressure this time and bobbled a tad in a rut going up. I thought I was going over but I luckily pulled the second one out, whew. Disaster diverted.
Below is a rag-tag bunch fo sho! AVLCX, MSG and Boone Cx'rs trying to keep warm with some of the Fat Tire or Sierra Nevada that was provided FREE for EVERYONE. I know a couple peeps around here that would have been there sucking it dry if they would have known there was an event with FREE BEER. Lucky us!
I told you if you kept scrolling down you would see the extreme................. This dude rode his class just like this but with jersey on so he would have a place for his bib number. Can you say shrinkage?
The Tanker Tots and J-man rode off in the Juniors but sat up at the end. They could have lapped the field 3 times or more, I bet, in 30 minutes.
Oh! Below, CatWoman (aka Molly the bike shop kitty) shows up in Boone! Get the most for your money with that costume girl !!!
Just before I popped I passed Duckman...... I never pass Duckman at these things. You can't see it but there's a big ole nuclear fusion going on inside me that's about to let go! MELTDOWN.
J-man running up the hill. His 2nd Cat3 race and he did really well! We breed fast kids in East Tennessee yo! ETSU Cycling NEEDS A BUS LIKE ASU's !!!! That's all I got to say about that! That thing is 10 times cooler than moto-van. Sorry Moto-van...
Remember? Heckle like ya mean it.... it shows you care. Nolan gettin' with the program in the 1/2 class below.
Below: We are all gathered here today.............. to race cross and get the most beer hand-ups possible!
How do ya like the inside shot of the ASU bus below? Wall to wall grass baby, along with couches, chairs, beanbags and other decorative furniture.
Coach AC getting his cross on.

For the BEST CX coverage by Izzy Cohan go to www.cyclingdirt.com for the latest and up to date reports on CX in our area. Thanks for being there to get the scoop!

Big thanks go out to MSG, Piney Flats Bikes, Hampton Trails, TCRC, Farm House Gallery in Unicoi, Niner Bikes, Moto-Van, Boone Bike, Mellow Mushroom, Fat Tire Beer, Seirra Nevada Beer, AVLCX, Abby Design and Construction, Stackhouse, EVERY VOLUNTEER THAT HELPS and anyone that has a hand in anything that helps CX racing in our area continue to prosper and grow.




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

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