Shit Stick

First off, major props to CarboRocket imbibers Monavie-Cannondale rider Bart Gillespie and Gary Fisher-Subaru rider  KC Holley for winning the Men’s and Women’s Pro-class at Deer Valley on Saturday.  Nice work!

And now on to the race that’s forever burned into my memory and my quads.  When I pre-rode the course I barely made it up the initial climb without walking.  Little Stick, the name of the ski run we had to climb at the beginning of each lap, should be re-named Shit Stick, cause that’s how it made me feel.  My plan was to swap to an easier gear than the 34×20 I was running but saw Rick running the same and decided I needed to man up.  Hey, I only have to do it 3 times, I’ll walk if I have to and still be going as fast as anyone pedaling.  Maybe.

My plan was to ride as hard as I effin could from the get go and never let up.  It worked pretty well as Chris B. and I took turns leading for the first two laps.  And then Shit Stick got stuck in my spokes and forced me off the bike to walk about 25 yards on the last lap and Chris got ahead of me by 50 yards or so and stayed there til the finish.  I finished 30 seconds back good for 2nd.  I’ve said it before but ‘ll take 2nd to Chris any day, the dude can pedal.

Picture by Tweety Bob’s better half Lyna.

There was a great turnout despite all the rain and once the race got started the clouds went away and we had sunshine and blue skies.  Turned out to be perfect conditions.  Everyone showed up including a few foreigners like Dave who came all the way down from the Jackson Hole area.

Hardest race of the year so far with thoughts of gears and suspension dancing in my head the entire time.  Someday…