Cryptic, eh?

That last post I mean. What is it? Well, stating the obvious, its a map. But you didn't need me to point that out for you. More specifically, its a map to the site of the Cyclocross race being put on by me, The Prairie Peddler and Chris from Viroqua Cross. I'm excited to get this off the ground. I've mailed flyers to other area shops, hoping to pull some riders from there. Hear that La Crosse? Decorah? Platteville? Viroqua? Even you Madison people not heading to Chicago! Come on down for $5 worth of garunteed fun!

On another cyclocross note, I went over to Laphan Peak State Park for the WCA cross race there on Sunday. When I woke at 5:30/dark oclock. I could here the steady pitterpatter of rain on the roof. Great. No really. Great! I love racing in wet, sloppy miserable conditions. Its just more fun that way. Well, that plan/thought lasted untill Dodge Center where it stopped raining. When RT and I got to LPSP, its was all dry and almost sunny. Wish I left the fast tires on the bike now...oh well.

Since I haven't really done a cross race in a few years, and RT not at all, we both decided that we'd start at the back of the 4's and gut it out for 30 minutes or so.

That thought didn't last very long. As soon as the officail said GO!, my latent competitive streak kicked in and I gunned it. I immediately passed a good number of racers and settled into a good pace. Other racers couldn't maintain what they started with though, and I started passing fading riders. Lap two I think I got four in all. Lap three and four, I still felt really good, and started pushing it a little harder, bridging gaps of 50 meters or more between places. Pulled a few nice passes, and made some really good time on the downhills. What really surprised me is that I was able continue closing gaps on the hillclimbs. I would normally expect to loose a bit of ground there, seeing as that I'm certainly above the 200lb mark. I guess living in and riding these hills here has really worked for me!

As I rolled in for the last lap bell, I could see one last rider I though I'd be able to catch, I kept pushing hard, and I was slowly gaining, but not fast enough. I didn't really feel like pushing it TOO hard and crashing out, so I let the gap stay where it was and rode it in.

And this is where the surprise came in. I got 9th of 31 in the field.

Yup, I'm happy with that.

There were lots of cameras there from a photography club in Mwke. Hopefully, I can find some of them. I'll post up if I do!

listening to: Man or AstroMan 1000x