HEY WHA HAPPEN?

HEY..?

Well the 24H race happened. We lost Bill for it and took on a newbie to racing. Some early morning shenanigans left 3 of us in a 5 man team racing, it wasn't optimal. Next year I'll have a better plan. I'll shoot for a team of super keen riders and go from there. My lap times were decent and my Highball held up seriously well. Easily my favorite bike now... minus a set of good rims. Though the Ikons are super easy to take off and put on... this helps with tire changes if i need them... on the otherhand... this would also lead to my downfall..

After the 24H was over I ramped up riding quite a bit getting in lots of 40K rides as well as the odd 60K when I had the time. Sufferfests were put on the backburner as I would take my cross bike out and fireroad as fast as I could to get speed and power up in prep for CTS.

I was also putting in longer rides for the 24H in NY.

But first... the Summer 8.

I figured for the Summer 8 I would join a 5-6 man team and just do 2 laps and enjoy the day. Except since I was only doing 2 laps... I figured I'd go hard. First lap I didn't warm up properly and red lined the first lap hard trying to stay with the fast group. I still pulled a 38:30 starting lap or so. Not fantastic, but still way faster then last year. I rode everything well considering I lost my bottle like 2km in. Dumb move but whatever that happens.

Second lap I was much warmer and ready to rock. I rode fairly fast, and was enjoying the race now that the pack had dispersed and had more room to ride how I normally do... which is without any style at all. I was really hammering through and got to the end... about 200m from the finish there's a ditch... its not big by any means, but it's a lot wider then I thought... anyway, coming out of the bush I was big ring mid cog... I geared down a bit and thought to charge the last 200-300 meters at full hammer.... I totally forgot about the ditch, I saw on my GPS I was heading for a sub 33 min lap... so I was pretty stoked.... and I forget my golden rule this year.... don't crash.

Oh shit ditch.... well I'll just wheelie through it. Oh shit my bike is really light... guess this is going to be a bunny hop... oh shit i am off kilter like a bitch... .. oh shit... my shoulder doesn't seem to be in the same place it was about 1 second ago.

Game over. My front tire blew off the rim on  landing sending me down to the ground directly... the angle must have been about 90' since I didn't slide forward at all and was unable to roll into the crash at all.

Get up, shoulders out of joint... takes about a minute, slides back in, can't move my arm without it sending stars to my eyes. Tire is off the bead... I'm bleeding and have a serious amount of trail rash on my arm.... at this point there are people all around me asking me if I'm alright. My pride was destroyed I think more then anything followed closely by my shoulder.... then I start panicking because I want to finish my lap.

I grab a medium specialized Stumpy and hobble my way to the finish.... 37:40. They were yelling at me to get off my bike coming through... till they saw me covered in blood, then they weren't so eager to be sonsofbitches to riders.

Game over. I put my contacts back in their case.... and suddenly my shoulder snaps... and a major wave of relief sweeps through me as the pressure seems to dissipate... and is now just a massive throbbing ache.

I manage to drive home.. and shower.

Now... I have dirt and shit inside this trailrash.... so I put that underwater not thinking....

Its the first time I've wished I could cut off an appendage...

Yeah pain.

Anyway let me coles notes the rest of the summer till now for you.

1. Went up north
2. Came back down
3. Cancelled Crank the Shield
4. Went to doctor
5. Got ultrasound.
6. Stay off the bike for almost a month.
7. Eat like shit in my sudden onslaught of mild depression as I realize my season is over.
8. Gain 10lbs.
9. Get pissed I gained 10lbs.
10. Get cleared to get back on the bike.

I'm currently Sufferfesting myself back to an acceptable race form for the 60K Ganaraska romp.

During this time nearing the end of my self serving depression and reluctance to do anything... I came across something.... something...  of masochismic sexyness that I didn't know existed apart from P2A.

Gravel Crushing.... there are races dedicated to this...

Dirty Kanza 200?

....... well then.

Now I have a goal next year.... along with a Solo 24 in August which is purely for giggles.

First get Ganaraska out of the way, then look forward to 2013's race season... regaining the full use of my shoulder. A bunch of upper body strength training to help keep me upright, for these kinds of races... and a focus on my P2A rematch before going full bore on Kanza.