State CX and 2014.

As always, thanks Roger Harrison.


State CX

When the CX schedule finally appeared this year, this race wasn't on it and I was guessing that it would be in St. Louis or Jefferson city again. With that in mind I decided that I would let another year pass with no State race on the schedule. About a month later this race appeared and in KC!! GAME ON!!!

Before I knew about the state race I decided that Ruts-n-Guts would be my last race of the year. That went out the window with the state race being in KC...it added about 2 weeks to my training/race schedule...no big deal.

There's not much to write about that race...so this will be short. Since I never look at my license I reg'd for 40-44 after all, I'm 44...but my race age is 45...so I should've lined up in 45-49...oh well the outcome would've been the same...2nd. It would've been 3rd had John Machine Jones showed up, he's another reason I toed the 40-44 race...I can't get by the Machine so I decided to race lower!

Moving on...I rode the new machine because I finally got rid of one of the gremlins and I think it's a little faster...not to mention a pound lighter! I got a good start an settled in about 5th until we got to the barriers. Vince DeLaughder crashed at the foot of them and helped to create a gap. I went to the front and drilled it...this was a mistake and I would pay for it late in the race.

About 2 laps later Doug Stone finally gets to me and we ride together for about 2 laps before Paul Aldeguer joins us...with about 1 1/2 laps to go a rider from Nebraska joins us. Now 4 of us are racing along and I'm starting to come unglued...about a half a lap later I came off and that was it for my state race...I had an okay ride...I wasn't very smart about it but sometimes you just go for it and it pays off...this wasn't one of those days.

2014...

It's hard to believe that a year has rolled by...It feels like yesterday that I was getting myself in shape for the DK and that started on January 2nd this year!! I guess focus and having fun makes time fly!!

As I look back on 2014, I had a decent year on the bike. My big goal for the year was the DK Half. I wanted a top 10 and nailed down an 8th out of 300+ gravel grinding loonies!! After that was to be an easy month and then get after some CX work...the 10s of you that read this know the knee story so I won't go into that.

My cross season started a little slow and pretty low on fitness. I was good with it because I was going to some big races later in the season and I wanted to be going good for those...which I was but for various reasons I had less than stellar rides...oh well...I went for the experience and I will be going back in 2015!!

Kind of a boring year from a racing standpoint...until cross season that is. When I finally reach the end of the season, I always wonder for a little while whether I will get after it again. I guess the answer has been yes for a long time and I'm sure it will be yes again in 2015.

I have committed to doing the DK Half again and then there's cross season...why does it have to be at the end of the freakin year?!?! If there was one cross race a month until September I would be there racing 'em...I would bet there would be more than just me too!!

There's always next year and that's right around the corner!! Kick rocks 2014 cuz 2015 is comin and he heard what you said about his momma!!

E

Ruts n Guts

Another big event has come and gone and for me this was to be my last race of 2014 until the fine peeps at Boss Cross decided to have the state cx race in my back yard!! Anyway, we drive down the day before in the rain so I can get some recon laps in before I race, the weather was off and on rain the entire way down there so I'm thinking mud-a-thon here I come. Before I continue a bit of a rant...the toll system in Oklahoma is EFFING REDICULOUS!!!

Moving on...we get to the venue and it has stopped raining, so I quickly change and start riding laps. After one lap Mother Nature decided she wasn't done yet and let some more rain fly. Not a big deal, it was 61 degrees and crazy humid so I kept on keepin on. After I was good and soaked about 4 laps I decided it was time to head to the hotel. As I roll up to my truck it stops raining...oh well...I got what I needed.

Saturday

I arrive at the venue with tons of time to get ready, it was cloudy and about 45 degrees with a good breeze from the northeast. After The recon ride I decided to ride the Hammer due to course conditions which in the end weren't that bad...but my new bike has been pissing me off lately so one more reason to ride the Hammer!

At this race the call up was done by USAC points which got me a spot on the front row, I was thinking hell yes I get great starts on the Hammer so this is good!! Well...at the gun I had one of the all time crappy starts on that bike ever!! I missed the pedal about 5 times...this landed me in about 7th at the first turn...oh well...lets see how it goes.

To make a long story short...I slipped back to 10th for a couple of laps, then I managed to get back to 9th and with a little more than one to go I bobbled and dropped back to 10th. going into the last lap I was about 10 seconds adrift so I pulled out my last match and let 'er rip. I managed to close it down to 5 seconds before I blew up...there wasn't very much track left at that point so that's how it ended.

This is the race for 9th.

Sunday

Sunday I decided to ride the new bike, issues be damned! The course was still soft but it was time to ride the new bike. My less than stellar performance on Saturday got me a 2nd row spot on the grid...oh well better than 3rd or 4th row...anyway...at the gun I nailed my pedal and away I went...I'm not greedy at these events because there are some really fast racers with that said I slot into 7th at the end of the pain train...to say I was going blind is an understatement!! I was dangling about 3 seconds off the back and could NOT bridge up!!

The pic above is on the first lap...the tree hides the gap...

As we race on I keep the gap about the same until we hit the sand pit...it was not rideable on Sunday...so after I run it...I lost contact. Oh well...I keep going and one other racer who got a really bad start goes blowing by me like I was parked.

Moving on...so now rolling along in 8th, the guy I did battle with on Saturday is lurking about 10 seconds back. I was not gonna give him an inch and was going to go blind keeping it that way.

With about a lap and a half to go I still held a 10 second advantage until I made a slight bobble on a greasy uphill right. This allowed dude to close the gap to 5 seconds....GRRRRRRRR!!! At this point I sold out and went as hard as I could go. As we start the last lap we were still at about 5 seconds. At a half lap to go I was back to 10 seconds and I had broken him.

There ya go, now you know. Ruts n Guts...will I go back, probably. Next year will be huge! Based on what I've read it will be a race for the big dogs and the field sizes should increase.

E