That and not even any good content!
Here's a photo from yesterday morning for ya.
Ain't goin up on IG because format is not square enough.
So Maybe you remember I was going off to race bikes last weekend. Decided to buck my stubbornness and get in the car for a long drive.
For an age group race but on the Singlespeed.
Did I need different tires? Yes.
Did I need gears? No.
Do I need to be faster? Yes.
Did that keep me from racing? No.
I was 20/25. Almost stayed on the lead lap. Was passing people the whole race though, well after the first part when I did a Singlespeed start and chilled where I was while everyone fought and pushed and then faded back behind me. I was giving up time (not to those around me but overall) in the off camber slick turns with those tires. They were breaking free too easily. Could have tried lower pressure (27psi) but I was able to usually put more time into people in the woods and the other turns and over the barriers to offset and move forward locally, but globally in the race I was losing too much time. BUT it was honestly close, maybe a better start and a bit more push on the 3rd lap would have made a difference.
It was just fun racing, not made at where I finished. Pretty damn okay for the 2nd CX race of the year for me.
After the race I grabbed the film and digital camera and went and shot photos all race:
One of my favorites is of the Euro dudes (Eiric and Timmie).
It was fun. I was tired but good to see so many people and the racing? Was really good. Pre-rode/warmed up with Mike W. We scoped some lines (they all changed for each race), he pushed me and we chatted and it was good and I got a pretty okay warmup in.
Being first race of the day does not suck.
Bike was a bit covered in clumps of mud, not wet but not clean. So I hosed it off and put it on the car, ate food and took photos.
Yesterday morning I looked at the bike (where I had left it after taking it off the car saturday night in the dark). And thought, shit, I didn't lube the chain. Tried pedaling backwards... oh shit.
BB was all wacked.
So last night I did the whole revive the drive side bearing again. Took a bit, thing was seized. Yes I need to replace it but I don't have any that size and it is kind of annoying to get out of the BB as it is. Def on the list for soon.
Chain was measuring at 1.00 on the checker, maybe MAYBE 6 races. Maybe. A handful of commutes, and a few dirty smackdowns. This is a 9 speed KMC bulk chain. Inexpensive, but I thought maybe it would last longer. Nope.
Bike got all pledged and new chained and I put the speed/wheel sensor on the rear wheel because DB loaned me his feedback stand for tomorrow to warm up.
Yeah, After Treehouse I decided to sign up for NoHo. Just saturday. And it isn't the first race of the day so warming up on the course is a no go, so? Trainer it is. I had thought about bringing a QR rear bike for my trainer but bringing a second bike just for the warmup seemed a bit much and while I could get the Black Blue set up for both trainer duty and pit bike, and maybe I should, it needs more than a new chain. (Cassette, Chainring, tires... might be it).
So NoHo though. Is there a 50+ Race? Nope. SSCX race? Nope. There's a 40+ and 55+... guess I could have signed up for the Cat 3 race. 40+ it is. I'll just go ahead and say it, in two years (when I hit the 55 cx age - shit that's terrifying, i'll be racing age 55 in TWO years? fuuuuck), Adam will go back to a 40-50-60 field. Heck maybe even a 35+ and 50+. But I'll predict the 55+ cat will dissapear.
Because that's how it has been for a long time.
2009 was traumatic there.
2013 was the sausage that made me cry (hadn't eaten all day, wanted to get a Jeremy D sausage but they were all packed up by the time I was done being mechanic) the lost keys, the staying in Springfield. It was a lot. A HUGE amount.
Then there was the year I drank the park out of beer, went to sleep with an open Tall boy, woke up drunk and raced.
Or the time I drank a six pack of torpedos, then maybe 6+ Golden Monkeys and a bunch of other stuff and got a little sick and blacked out a bit I guess, got up not drunk but really hung over, like death, drove to the course and lined up.
Or WAY WAY back, winning the race of Reg and lining up in the front row with Chip Crowell and CTodd in the 3/4 race. I think we might have been there as a family and gone out to eat after.
There was one year I went to the fancy beer place and drank with Paul Nixon.
A lot of the years all blend together.
Some not so much.
Headed back up there tomorrow. K is going to come with me and talk to Darcy (Diggerhead) about career stuff.
I'm going to race. We'll see how well I can race. It will be singlespeed, in the geared course but it looks like the climbing will be mostly on foot. High goal is staying on the lead lap. Def going to try to do that but honestly - not too worried about it. It will be what it is. And I'll have to work my ass off but that's okay.
Once the race is over I'll cool down (makes walking around easier) and take photos and hug friends and then drive home.
One day is enough.
for this year.
I don't have enough in me to race twice in a weekend. And that's okay.
I really should make an effort to write more than once a week though. Picture factory has been a bit insane. Like back to borderline burnout unmanageable. Already I can't find a day of the week to take off. And that's bugging me. I want a mid-week day off.
Honestly I'd like to be in Santa Cruz this weeekend but that obviously isn't going to happen. I'm here. Racing NoHo. Maybe I'll ride MTBs on sunday. maybe i'll just recover.
We'll see.
Shit, I started to warm up lunch when i started typing. still haven't finished warming it up or eaten it.
Amor Fati Motherfuckers
Heddwch
G
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