Charlotte Cross Race 11/14/10

This cross race was a blast. Long trip out but K and all 3 dogs went along, which was fun getting all going, but it is all good! Left in plemnty of time, got there in plenty of time. nice warm day. Able to wear short sleeve jersey and shorts! Really nice course in a park right about a mile away from downtown charlotte. Fast course with some technical aspects but not too shabby. Feeling good today off last weeks good showing. day in the upper 60's weather wise and ncie and sunny ouy! Dry course as well. Start line at bottom of paved road . got there again to line up about last 2 rows. Started well, but got stuck behind someone who had trouble clipping in, had space so darted around him and into the grass section. this was a sweeping section with gentle cures which led to the first off camber downhill and then a 150 deg. turn to the left and a short run up. In decent position yet and still feeling it! This once the top obtained , remount and then sweeping left corner into a straight and than a right corner which came back on itself. This was all right near the spectator section and tents. this brought us out on bumpy grassy section and then back on itself and a sweeping right hand bend which took us over to a tennis court. Around the tennis court and back over to the spectator section. andinto the sand pits and a few turns. sandpits werent bad but followed someone the first three tiems who had trouble going through them without dabbing, hence slowing me up slightly. A few turns/switchbacks and then this took us into the woods for a hard packed slight downhill section and then a sweepinguphill to a longer gradual uphill back out onto the parking lot. follow the parking lot to a corner and turn right and sweep around through the woods and onto a trailed and than back on grass. this takes you into switchback area where the barriers were. This followed  around and than led to back to the section where the run up was, they cut out the staging start area then. Feeling great, probably in top 15-20 and moving up with everylap. first lap got the course down, 2nd lap moving fast up the line. On the 3rd lap doing fantastic, going around tennis courts and cla-clank-clang loud noise?! look down and see chainrings loose!!!!! I broke all five crank bolts, sheared them off!!! my chainring were completely loose. Just checked them few weeks ago and they were snug. Never would have guessed this!!! So my race was over. This DNF put me back into the 21 place overall! That sucks!!!

NCCX State Championship Race in Salisbury 11/7/10

This race K went with me. It was a cooler day and windy. I rode my IRD Crossfires in case of traction in woods. It was a fast laid out course, and very flowing considering. It seemed to be a decent length or close to the long side, but it was stretched out which made it seem long. Got there in plenty of time, and took spare wheels to pit area just in case. Started out again in last 2 -3 rows, but on the outside track. This had a straight and quick start to it. Started off in back but moved up quickly just off the start. In good gear and pushing the pedals hard, a few zigzags and than hit the barriers right away , which is nice and than followed course. It was a sharp right turn around a tree and than a nice slight upgrade flat section to a 180 switchback tight turn, which many had trouble making and keeping speed. this became off camber after turn and then  another sharp downhill left turn into a sweeping gradual turn which led to a set of 4 stairs in the ground! Fly up the stairs and remounted into a little against a fence and than quick right to a short flowing downhill which led to a sweeping right and than left turn into the woods. It was a root filled open trail section which came out quick enough, up some loose gravel to a paved walkway and than back onto the grass in a few corners around a tennis court area, and then left turn into a grass ridden section. a 180 switchback onto another wide paved trail. this was a great sprint area follow that to a sharp right turn into the grass again and then straight to a flowing left turn and than into a flowing right turn. which went along trail and then back onto grass for a few turns and than into the woods. the wooded section had a cool short uphill, not too bad and flowing nicely into a slight traversing down trail than.  This than came out of the woods, few sweeping and tight turns and back to start line to do all over again. 

Felt decent enough and rode well. Pushed hard and ended up 20th out of 54, which is much better than week prior. That put me at 17th in the overall standings for the entire race series. Getting there!

Hawksfest Crossfest at Boone - Halloween Oct 31,2010

Well first the drive. It was a good 3.5 hour drive to this much anticipated Halloween race. I was looking forward to this one with a slight costume and all! Took my older pup with me to accomodate the long trip. She chilled at times and paced in car the whole way out. Took a few pit stops, but left probably a little late to do this, but figured have plenty of time. Finally climb the last mountin heading into Boone, and confidently follow my GPSas it hasnt been wrong or too off before! Wrong. It lead me up some steep and winding back road off the main drag that said no outlet, First mistake! so followed it up road for a good 10 mins, you cant drive fast on roads this steep or windy! Get to top and the road is was off by two vowels. I needed Skyland and it took me to Skyline! @#%!?*&, is all i could say. Headed back down again and got to main road. Took a left cause my mind remembered a slight area where google said it was. Followed road, getting close to time, saw a few signs and someother poor soul behind me in same dilemma. kept going and finally sign for Hawksnest. Appropriately in a town called Seven Devils, especially for halloween- rock on! Well went up the windiest and most switchbacks paved road I have ever been up to top of hill where the ski resort was. Got there with 25 mins till start time, drove down bumpy road and parked quickly. Abby (my weimaraner)and me ran up and over to registration, signed paperwork and ran back while the end of the cat 1-2 race was dying down. Spectators were hootin' and hollerin'. got back to car, changed got bike off rack, andput dog back in car and put my skicap with pigtails on with helmet of top and rode fast to start line- WARM-up! got there just as the guy behind driving in made it as well.

Well time to start after standing there for 2 mins. Started in last row. not good! started on straight but very bumpy fairlane which led to small sandpit and the first circle/spiral. spiral was sweet, but i felt tense so tried to loosen up, but had trouble doing so. This then headed back beside where we came from and back up to short steep uphill and left turn on gravel road to a slight paved section and another steep right handed uphill. this short hill climbed to a sharp right turn on a uphill and then to a sweeping downhill on some rough uneven ground. this led down and then along a slight ridge and along a slight path to some switchbacks and then another big spiral . This second one was nice as well, but not easy to keep momentum when coming out. this looped to a short downhill through the woods and back to a fast downhill back close to the start line. This led a bumpy lane out around the first spiral and than back out and heading toward the main tene and registration. Folks were screaming, beer was flowing, music was pumping and i felt rigid and unable to relax. This then led to anothershort uphill and then a off camberhill which had loose dirt. that is where i first head lets here it for Pippi! I guess Pippi was my new name with my long strawberry blonde locks flowing from my helmet. This off camber hill led to a little section of downhill and then which led to 3 large whoop-dedoo- bumps like you see bmx's jump. right after the 3 large bumps wwas a sharp right run turn to follow the course. This led to flowing right turn into a short quick uphill and back to the start.

Spirals were fun, hills were killer, and barriers were great. great spectator course and all were having a blast. Saw a few beer hand-ups as well. Dropped my chain once and still managed to get 28th out of 51, not great but considering the circumstances, ill take it. below are a few more pics of the race and someafterwards of my pup, dressed up as well. Hard course, late arrival, and no warm-up took me out of this race overall. Hey its cross what can you say!