Stewing

All afternoon I've been stewing.  I've come to a conclusion.  If I want to get on the podium, I'm going to have to start riding the geared bike.  A second or two can be gained coming out of the slow corners.  On the long straights I could gain many seconds.  On the steep or long climbs, I could get a few more.  So, I've put up a new picture under the blog title.  Yes, it's a picture of me on a geared bicycle.  So, I've just got to let all my readers (both of them) know about my plans for the next race.  I just have to confess.  I'll still be on the fixed gear bike.

Fast Guys

Those fast guys, the ones that were not supposed to show up on a Sunday, well, they all did.  And then this guy shows up and wins the race.  Are Cat. 1 riders really allowed to show up and race?  So much for the podium.  I did not do bad, just not really fast enough to see the podium.  It was tough on the fixed gear with several steep climbs and a really long back straight.  I made an attack from the back of the chase group I was in with two laps to go, and moved into fifth.  Too soon.  Dr. Cross and "The Claw" came back around me on the straight away.  The fixed gear curse.  I went back around "The Claw" and finished a strong 6th, almost moving back up to the Dr. at the finish.

After three races, the announcers finally realized I race on a fixed gear cross bike.  They went nuts.  I heard one of them say, "I've heard of people racing cross on a fixed gear but I've never seen it my whole life until today."  So, now I'm pretty famous, I guess.  I tried to put on a good show going over the barriers.  My fixed gear dismount at full speed looks like a primitive human catapult.  A good show indeed.

Close

With half a lap to go, I was on the virtual podium after working hard the whole race to move up.  I began in 15th spot!  Then I heard a voice right on my wheel.  "They are right behind us Robert!"  I stiffened just a little, scrapped a tree, went off the trail, and watched Tim B. and Tim S. go around me.  Tim B. was gone.  I went around Tim S. on the outside of the final turn, two-wheel drifting into the trees.  I got back on the course and powered home for fourth.  Finally, a complete race.

Tomorrow, if all goes right, I'm going to be on the podium.  Why?  The rumor is, some of the fast guys don't race on Sundays!

From A Drunk

This is how cyclocross was in 1950.  Long distance, no-trail sections, river crossings, moor crossings, and then moor moor crossings.  I know I've said it before, but I'll say it again.  I'm going to put on a race like this someday.  I'll advertise it.  I'll let everyone know.  Three people will show up.  One will be me.  Enjoy.

When The Magic Is Gone, What Do You Do?

My magic-numbered-fixed-gear-vertical-dropout setup just does not work very well.  I'm so powerful now (insert laughter) my chain flops off after less than a month of hard training and racing.  So, I've taken matters into my own hands.  What matters?  A 10mm round file.  Now I can give my magic numbered set up a little more magic by pulling the wheel back as things get loose over time.  Here are the before and after pictures.  Stupid?  Leave a comment.

Cyclocross Weather

Yes indeed.  I rode away all my frustrations from Saturday on Sunday at Raleigh Cross in SLC.  I was first in single speed and second in 45+.  Yeah.  There was no one there.  That series is now over.  I ended up second and third overall in those two categories.  Not bad for only doing about half the races.

Today, there's cross practice in the snow.  Gotta go.  I'm going to be late.

Not Good

It was a DNF day.  It started good.  For the first two laps I was sitting in 5th, moving away from those behind me and watching those in front of me disappear.  Then, it was over.  Not good.

Going through a turn
In the rain, two wheel drifting
Rear tubular rolled

Peeled the front tire off
Strange, it was glued up real good
Took skin off my thumb

I'm disappointed
Wasted time and energy
Was going so strong

Tomorrow morning
I will be racing again
On my clincher wheels

Here It Comes

Saturday: A chance of showers, then showers and thunderstorms after noon. High near 56. Light wind becoming west southwest between 10 and 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Saturday Night: Rain likely, mainly before midnight. Cloudy, with a low around 35. West southwest wind around 6 mph becoming calm. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Sunday: Rain likely, mainly before noon. Cloudy, with a high near 58. South wind between 6 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Sunday Night: Showers. Low around 31. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

Monday: Rain and snow showers likely. Snow level 5100 feet lowering to 4600 feet in the afternoon . Cloudy and breezy, with a high near 44. Chance of precipitation is 60%. Little or no snow accumulation expected.

Monday Night: Rain and snow likely. Snow level rising to 5100 feet after midnight. Cloudy, with a low around 26.

Tuesday: A chance of snow. Cloudy, with a high near 43.

Tuesday Night: A chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 22.

Wednesday: A slight chance of snow. Partly sunny, with a high near 43.

Watching

I've been watching the season change.  Fall is nearly done.  Yes, some colorful leaves are still on the trees, but many of them are now on the ground.  The night sky is changing too.  Here is a poem I wrote late last night:

Looking to the East
Orion climbed Mt. Logan
Just after midnight

I will be at the utcx race on Saturday.  I'm trying to get some training in.  I rode in Colorado on Saturday, did a cross practice on Tuesday, and did a quick mountain bike spin yesterday.  What will I do today?  Sit on the couch and analyze pictures from Montana.

Home

We are back in Loganistan.  I'll be back on the cross bike tomorrow.

Colorado

I'm still in Denver
Having great food and coffee
Mostly getting fat


Denver is a real city.  It takes a while to get accustomed to the diversity, fast pace, alcohol, cigarettes, and fixed gear bikes.  I don't think we are in Utah anymore.

Patty's award ceremony and presentation went great.  She was the star.  She had the crowd eating out of her hand.  She deserves the award and more.  We had a great behind the scenes tour of the Denver Zoo yesterday.

We are on the road today to get out of the city.  I still plan on getting a ride in tomorrow.  We will be home Sunday night.

Denver Bound

We are on our way to Denver.  Patty is getting an award for all her hard work.  My training schedule will be put on hold, and I will not race again for two weeks.  It's all good.  I do plan on a Denver ride with Julia K. on Saturday.  I hope I can keep up with her.  Goodbye Loganistan.

The Hipster

Jees Louise.  You sell a guy a fixed gear bicycle and he turns into a hipster.



The Lukester



It's Getting Colder

More cranes flying south
While I stacked the wood pellets
In a cold blue sky

Race Day

It was tough day, my first utcx race of the season.  I got to the line a little late and started near the back of 25 riders in the 45+ race.  I lost nearly a minute on the first lap but started moving up steadily after the bottlenecks cleared out.  The straightaway on the back side of the course was on a horse race-track, smooth packed dirt for over a half-mile.  Riding the fixed gear, I lost some time there each lap.  I made up ground in the infield, putting on a fixed gear dismount and barrier clinic, passing 4 riders on the last lap.  I finished 7th.  Not good.  Not bad.  There were two riders in front of me who had never beaten me this season until today.  The first four are still much faster than me.  Next time, I'll get 5th.

Looking Up

I saw many groups of migrating cranes today, and heard even more.  I hear them in my head more than I hear them in my ears.  Sometimes I'm not even sure, so I stand in the yard looking up, just about to give up, and then I see them miles above my head, a small black V against a white cloud, headed south.  When I hear them in my head, I know they are talking to me, whispering, asking me to come with them.  Again, the sandhill crane is my animal spirit guide.  Their migrations make me sad.  It happens every Fall.  I begin to think about going to Florida, going home.

That's why I'm focusing on cyclocross.  It keeps me motivated.  In the morning I'll do my first UTCX race of the season.  I'm riding pretty good, but I have a long way to go.  Tomorrow will be a good measurement of my fitness level.  I don't plan on winning.  I plan on going as hard as I can without throwing up or passing out.  After all, when you do a cyclocross race, after the first lap, you are really only racing yourself.  And that's why I like it so much.

Migrations

Soft trumpeting calls
Eyes-neck strain, a small gray V
Nearly two miles high

Moosecross (Updated, Edited)

Full results here.

Just a quick report.  Third place for Lupine, mid-pack for John B. and Patty (Dr Catfish was actually 4th in First Timers Men, one step from the podium.  Dr Cramer was 5th in First Timers Women.  The race was stacked with many serious racers with sculpted legs, so both John and Patty did really well.), and a 5th for me on Saturday and 2nd on Sunday.  Both days I was racing the same guy (His name was Dave Saurman, a very good rider from Wilson, WY.), on his wheel in the barriers and turns, getting gapped on the straights.  I need more power to be a real cross racer.  Do they sell that stuff?



Dr. Cramer is a serious cyclocross racer with complete focus on the race.



Movin' On

Hamilton today
The Teton Valley tonight
For a cross weekend