Thursday was the worst 'pleasure' ride i have had in a loooooong time.
When i showed up Sunday for the race, i was very much considering to sweep it. But, i knew my buddies would bust my balls if i choose that path. Well, maybe it was more that i needed the points in this race to remain in contention for the Alberta Series.
i lined up beside the guy that i knew gets great starts. Steve-O was the man i wanted to be near. The problem was that my choice of starting was better than his as his line was going to force him immediately into big nasty branches. We had a short conversation where he confirmed that all was well with the beating he was going to take through the branches.
i decided that it was ok if i let him get ahead of me off the start. Suzanne gave the command and off we went. The Berg settled in perfectly behind Steve-O in 3rd place. 800 meters later and i was on the ground
. Could this be the nightmare of Thursday returning? No way!!!!
i got up after seeing a dozen riders pass me. (thanks to everyone of you for not running over me )
i settled in and caught up to a few. i remember seeing Scott Randall go over the bars on a downhill. His bike did a slow-mo stand up in the air before it settled on him? near him? i asked if he was ok and carried on. i came to the first mudhole with Detlaf and took the exact line that cost me bigtime in the HS race. What the heck was i thinking???? i got lucky and got through slightly ahead of Detlaf coming out. Whew!
i ran clean for the rest of the way passing stranded, grunting racers in various holes. i finally came to a section with a single file of riders that appeared to be stuck behind some hidden obstacle. The Berg never let me down as i bypassed them all and headed uphill on the course. i heard a lot of them yelling at me as i went past...too bad, so sad for all of you
i did look as i went past and saw no obstacle...hmm, i think to myself. i stop and look back. i see a shiny glint in the sun as the ?stalled rider is pulling something towards him. The PUNCH, oh my gosh, its a check. i turn around and get in the back of the line to await my punch. Other riders were not as lucky. 22 of them miss the first check
Off i go and feeling confident that i am with the lead pack of racers, i relax. i am following Schaff when we come up a fast section that turns abruptly into a steep downhill. i look to the left and there is Big R on the opposite side of the barbed wire fence.
He has no blood on him and he is standing up. i yell to see if he is ok. He says, 'ya'. He must have came off the top of that fast section and FLEW over the top of the fencing to land on the wrong side of the course...wow!
i pass Schaff and catch Steve-O and Desjardins. The four of us dice it out for many kms. i get by all of them and realize i am riding faster and smoother than i ever remember. i feel very strong and plod on. Slowly, i leave them behind. At the 38km mark i pass the race leader, crazy 2 wheeler. Now i am thinking, 'this is crazy, i am in the zone and i feel i can beat him'. That didn't last long...ha,ha,ha... we come out on the cutline and we actually have a shoulder to shoulder battle with full contact. i back off and let him win the battle to fall in behind him. For the next 10kms, he can't shake me. This is new territory for me as i 'never' thought i could hang with him.
i am in the zone.
We come to the old school crossing that Brent has forced us to navigate. All is well until i stop looking at where i am going and instead listen to the buried rider, Shiloh, telling us to go right off the bridge. Crazy2wheeler flows perfectly over the 'hole' but i am on the ground, lol . There goes my chance for the win...until...
We come up a hill on Hazard county and there is a non moving congregation of riders stopped. For one glorious moment i thought that these 6 guys were spent, done, finished. Nope, just a real bottleneck with everyone taking numbers to await their turn. It was like being at an IKEA store for returns. There was NO WAY around. Others tried but the smell of antifreeze and clouds of smoke in the surrounding forest confirmed that. Now the rest of my competitors are showing up. My slight lead over them is wiped out. Darn! On the good side, crazy2wheeler is also there ahead of me also waiting.
We all get our chance to go. i clean it but i am behind the leader still. i do not see him. i look back and there is Schaff. How the heck did he get up here so quick? (later he tells me that some Intermediates let him cut the line and go). i pick up the pace and still feel very strong. Almost surreal.
i think that i have caught the leader at the big hill. i dice it out and almost get him by choosing a BERG line. It is not him
i finally get to the finish line and feel very happy. i am 2nd. 1:50 min behind the winner.
The race was awesome. Tuff, technical and utilized so much and yet so little of Maclean.
Thank you to Steve-O for all the effort, gas and time you spent over the last month laying out the course. Thanks Brent for stepping up in your bro's absence.
Suzanne and Kevin...kudos.
The sweepers? never saw you but KNEW you all were going to have ONE LONG and tiring day. THANKS!!!!!
As always Renee Turner, you are the bomb. Your never ending support to these races is so, so appreciated
Checkers...Thanks
Sean Brennan. You really have stepped up to the plate for the Saturday events. Thank you.
i also want to thank Jack Sawatsky's MOM for taking care of my hot dog/bevy sponsorship. i never had one but heard they were really good. i do apologize to everyone for running out. It was a miscalculation on amounts needed and it will never happen again