Two good ones back to back

It happened I guess.

But by good I guess you could say - okay. But for me I feel pretty happy with the progress and the sensations.

And both days I was actually racing others not just sliding backwards.

And neither day did I get lapped.

Day two I did have a pretty good slide/slowdown on laps 4 and 5 but turned myself inside out to bring lap 6 close to lap 2 and held off Josh.

Esp after no sleep saturday night and waking up at 4:45 to drive L to her Regatta (she won NE champs in the HS double division). The varsity 8 was a mess but they were mid-pack and considering how much of a mess that isn't terrible.

So no sleep, early morning, eating whatever food I could find, then rushing to the venue getting there and getting a lap in before the 1/2/3 race and then one lap in after they finished and then racing...  not so bad.

Saturday's race was a lap short, Sunday's felt a lap long but it balanced out I suppose.

I did lose my headphones at Mansfield. Bummer because I actually use them to talk while driving, don't have another pair, BUT I found some poison ivy, so for the first time in 10+ years I have a nice rash on my forearm (the sensitive inside skin side) and the outside of my calf. The right side must have hit something somewhere and my delayed shower was a really bad idea. Didn't get the oil off in time. Oh - a few spots on the left calf too. WHY and Where and man I'm usually pretty aware of this shit but I guess I fucked up this time. ITCHY AND PAINFUL oh well - and no - not putting anything on it. just dealing with it.

Were the results on either day close to what I'd have liked or feel were at my potential? Nope but I'm still pretty happy with them. Felt like I could race for the first time in a while.

No racing this weekend, def gonna do some MTB riding though so super stoked, no CX = MTB. Yay bikes!

Kind of wish I was headed to DC but not enough to make the trip. Too far.

Hell the CT races are too far. No way I'm doing Belltown or Cheshire. Have to re-eval the calendar. Def thinking about Fruitlands. New course looks good, and yeah even thinking about racing it on the singlepseed. Why? Because the gears will just slow me down. Can't finish any worse than I did last year there.

Dropped off the van at the garage this morning. On the ride home MW suggested it must be a luxurious feeling to be able to do that. And it is true, it does feel rather extravagant having them do the wheel bearing instead of me struggling with the front end on the pavement in front of the house in the open air using whatever tools I have and trying to figure it all out a the same time. All to save a couple hundred dollars. I don't have the time to work on it for another two weeks and it was getting bad. Bad enough that E decided to drive the volvo with the CEL voluntarily yesterday.

I'll work on the volvo at the end of the month, use a day off or two to see if i can get the P0420 to stay off before inspection time.

Kind of bummed about the headphones going AWOL - esp since finally, after waiting since June, NK Jemisin's Hundred Thousand Kingdom was checked out off the hold list... in audio book form. Guess I have to spend some more money sometime. Wish I hadn't lost them (they were in the pocket of the hoody, and well, at some point after getting in the car at home and looking for them after I got home they ceased being where I put them or anywhere in the car/bags of stuff.

Time to go harass the people on the new bridge and then teach a bit, then race back up here and finish the rest of everything.

heddwch
G
Here's the links I found that were good over the last couple days:
https://redkiteprayer.com/2019/10/the-regression/
https://pvcycling.wordpress.com/
https://chasingmailboxes.com/2019/10/15/coffeeneuring-challenge-flashback-data-data-data/
https://allhailtheblackmarket.com/2019/10/stress-kills/

Listening to this now as a change of pace from The Avett Brothers.
(and listening w/ adblock - i'll guess that w/o it there are tons of commercials in there)
But I gotta say High Steppin' always puts me in a good mood.