HPCX and Hurricane

HPCX

• I blew my front row start by missing my pedal. First row to third row and seconds.
• I didn’t crash
• Great photo of me and Adam HERE
• I sprinted for 15th to beat my buddy Zach. He passed me on the last lap and I was able to nab him at the line. He has a sick beard.

I don’t remember much of this now that it was so long ago. Maybe it just feels long ago. I just remember the winds being crazy, and happy that Lou did his first CX race. I remember that this was going to be my last C race. I told myself that if I couldn’t do well in this race, I’ll never win a C race.

The Storm

• Sucked.
• Very stressful preparing for the flooding that didn’t come. You are damned if you do and damned if you don’t.
• My bike riding took a back seat to helping family and neighbors alike.
• My work flooded for non-hurricane reasons (don’t want to get too descriptive)
• This caused me to have to drive to Cherry Hill (1:30 each way) to “work”.
• This stressed me out.

I did have this crank radio and this awesome LED lantern. Our entertainment for the week.

The power came back on, the roads opened back up, but the desire to ride disappeared. I didn’t feel burnt out or sick of riding, I just seemed to care lessa bout it at this point. I started to notice other things that seemed to be more important maybe? I have no idea. All I wanted to do was sleep.

Things started to fall back into place, Work was back at work, the commute was back to normal without detours, and things started to flow. I knew that they rescheduled the Bubblecross to the next weekend, but had no desire to even attempt it. I rode 3 times in the last 2 weeks, no way I could even try and race. I talked to a couple of peoples and they said the same thing. I set an alarm the hour before pre-reg closed, and I would figure it out when the horn sounds.

That Friday Mandi and I head to California Pizza Kitchen at Bridgewater Mall. Apparently they have awesome salads. Don’t take my word for it. As we wait for our table to be called we shoot the shit about getting murried and shit and all of the sudden, I see this tall, majestic man open the double doors to enter the mall. It was Big Dog Sean.

He comes over and is excited about the race on Sunday. I told him I wasn’t going to do it, haven’t ridden, the whole 9. He said no one else has ridden either. At this point I said “F it, I’ll sign up.”

Our table is called and Sean heads on into do some shopping.

The next day, Saturday we check out the canal path. We checked out the path a couple days after the storm and it was a mess. They sent a little bulldozer down that way and cleared all the trees finally. Left some crappy grooves in the soil. Before you could ride your road bike on this, but not this time. Felt like riding on grass, bunch of ruined sections, etc. Mehh. They will fix it.

Okay, Sunday, BubbleCross. I signed up for the B’s, last race of the day. I show up early and cheer on my buddies and scout out the course a bunch. Roll around in circles in the parking lot with the Chris Esnes and shoot the shit. He’s getting murried too.

I have no sense of pressure this time around. I actually found myself smack in the middle of the pack, all 30 of us. I was happy to recognize some faces (Dillon, The Seans, Paul) and meet some new ones who were very nice and talkative. It felt like this was the C race, and not a race that people are really focused on. Everyone was looking forward to a good time.

The race goes off and I have a bad wheel to follow. The race is slowly going around me and I need to get out from behind this dude. I jump around and find myself rocketing up this hill. The first hill hurt, really bad. I know I have a nice relief down back to the start, and leave what I have out on the table for the first lap. I was able to ride the sand, but with someone in front of me on the first lap, it wasn’t as fast as I have done it in the warm up laps. Meh. Couple of other people struggle on the last 50 feet of the sand, which was easily the deepest section before the double-track Allamuchy type climb.

The first lap I come around and someone says I’m in 10th?

No way. I also feel that this won’t last. Paul goes by and gives me some props on leading him around the first lap. He rockets up the first hill and leaves me for dead. A couple of other people pass me that obviously had bad starts. Like I was standing still. On the second lap, a group of three forms up the hill and twists back down. The lead guy loses his front tire and eats it hard. Later we find out he broke his collarbone. Ouch.

Lap 2 through the Sand I think. or 3.

I pass Dillon before the S/F techy section with a flat. He was earlier hating on my tubulars. Tough break. Big Sean comes around on the 2nd/3rd lap with a couple of others. I’m able to stay 2-3 seconds behind Sean, but can never really clean the gap.

On the third lap I try and use the small ring to spin through the sand. It sounded like a good idea at the time. Bad idea. I almost lose my balance and would have been forced to run the uphill. Noted.

The correct gear for the sand. Just had to hump your way through it.

I hear Dillon again. He makes me laugh and says “I’m gonna getcha!” Later I realize he flats again. Time for some tubbies son!

I head through the sand on the 4th lap and the hill climb begins to hurt, extremely bad. I’m starting to enter uncharted territory in my CX endurance, but this isn’t right. I can feel the sand rubbing my brakes and I try and remove the sand. It takes a good minute to realize I have bent my wheel, bad. Rubbing the frame bad. I should just quit, but I don’t.

I probably should have. I’m passed by a couple of people as well as CXDHSean before the sketchy 180 off camber turn. I keep trying to hammer down, but the resistance is killing me. I feel like I’m topping out at a speed that is turtle like.

The last lap comes around and up the hill again. I almost stall out this time. It’s easier to muscle through knowing I don’t have to do it again. At this point I just feel like I’m riding, but I’m emptying the tank. The sandy beach as well as Team Kenneth Lundgren were great all race at heckling and making me feel like a celebrity through this section. Missed the money on the first lap. Ken told me he ran out. I have a sad look on my face that Mandi picked up on and she knew something wasn’t right.

I get to the crappy part of the sand and I can’t make it. 30% my legs, 70% the bike. Crap. I really wanted to ride this every time. I run up and Mrs. Cantor and another guy cheer me on. This blows.

After the nice sweet recovery downhill, William Romollino passes me and tries to cheer me on. I give up the line and let him go. I figure no one else is around, This is where I will finish. Wrong.

This happened to be the most exciting part of the race. If you are still interested at this point anyway.

I hear Mandi and EricO tell me that someone is closing in on me, and I need to keep my spot. Seriously? Arg. I buckle down and ride the good line. At one point Breogan (thanks result sheet) gets around me and I think I’m screwed. Actually I don’t remember if he passes me or not, Or tries to make a pass.

I’m able to keep the best line and make the passing difficult. Up the slight rooty/rocky uphill and I can hear him on my tail. I rest for 3-4 seconds as we turn onto the final gravel sprint. I’m sure faking my sprint here would be useless; this isn’t the freaking C’s. I push that wheel into my frame, and the gears make me move, move fast. I hear my whole crew at the finish line (where our tent was set up) going wild. This helps me stay up and hammer out the last few seconds. I don’t get passed and finish in 18th out of 30 starters.

What an experience. Great course and even GREATER pictures by the Oishis, who captured this event perfect. The chat after with everyone who raced was great. I couldn’t have asked for a better performance from myself and better, friendlier competition.

I later see that I lost a spoke, bent my rear wheel, and slashed my sidewall on my rear wheel. Front was unscathed Eric, no worries

So thats that. Sorry for so much text.