Boss Cross 3

My how time flies when you're having fun!! This past Sunday was the Boss Cross 3 CX event at the Raytown BMX track...it was FREAKIN COOL!!!!

Sunday morning the race day ritual began at 6:30 and for some strange reason I stayed focused and was ready to leave on time...It's a rarity for me these days folks.

Anyway, on Saturday night I checked the boss cross blog for the latest info, and what do I find? A couple of enticing pics of the soon to be CX course. One was of the section of BMX track we would be racing on, which consisted of 2 doubles right when entered the track, followed by a HUUUUUUGE 180 degree berm to the left, leading into a double, triple, double section of jumps. IT WAS AWESOME!!

The other pic was of a log barrier which ranged from a foot high on the left side to at least 2 feet on the right side. As I looked at these pics, I was thinking about catching air on the jumps and I'm totally riding that log crossing. I achieved both!! The air was while I was inspecting the course, and the log was during the race...the log was easy!! The air took 3 attempts to clear the double out of the left turn. I have to say, when I decided to go for it on the 3rd try I wasn't sure what was going to happen...I know how to jump, but it's something that I don't do everyday. I Came off the berm and drilled it to the double and launched over it and down the back side like I had been doing it everyday...I was immediately jacked on adrenaline, it was awesome!!!


On to the race...I gave myself plenty of time this time and as I ride up to the start line, they call us up and I keep on rollin to a front row spot on the grid.

GO!! We take off on a section of pavement hard dirt double track, I get a decent start, 4 guys pass me and before I could get through a small opening to get back around, the door slammed shut. We're flying into the first turn, and I didn't realize how sharp it was and just about blow through the tape, fortunately I lean the bike over, stick my leg out and rail right around it like it's on rails!!

A gap opens and the lead group of 4 is going to be gone soon...I dig down a little and manage to keep them within striking distance through the technical BMX section. Once we hit the open field they started gaping me right away...remember the short track comment from the last race?? This track was 2 miles long and FAST!!!

The next couple of laps are uneventful, I'm joined by 2 other racers and we play chess for a few laps. The Slimen racer is going pretty good out on the long fast section and gets a small gap. I'm not to worried, he wasn't quite as smooth as me and the racer from Sunflower. He's an MTB'er too. We get to the BMX section and the gap he created was gone.



The 2 guys I was racing with.

About 4 to go Sunflower and I get a gap and that's the end for Slimen. Sunflower and I trade places a few times on the next lap. At this point I put in a good effort and get a gap over Sunflower. With 2 to go I drill it coming out of the BMX section and increase my lead.

The bell lap...I'm rollin along with a good gap over Sunflower trying to go fast when I can. I turn into the headwind and start to die!! My gap is shrinking fast!! Going with the wind the Sunflower rider gets back on my wheel we make a left and turn back into the wind where I let him come by and I sit on him. We get to the barriers, off, run, and I was back on before he was, which made me happy. I didn't go around because we had 1 more headwind section to go...

We turn into the wind for the last time and Sunflower picks up the pace. We round a right hand sweeper to go with the wind, the pace picks up again. One more right turn onto the start/finish straight and we're rollin pretty good. I look over his shoulder and decide it's now or never...I grab a gear and jump...I gain about an inch and quickly realize the tank is empty...oh well at least I gave it a go.

I finished 10th out of 16. Not bad for such a fast track. The only thing I would have done different is to catch air over the double at least once during the race. I thought about it but didn't pull the trigger...I guess the great wheelie incident of 2009 made me think twice about it.

There's always next time!!



This is the double jump. The HUUUUUUGE berm in the background.

E