Challenging vs. Stupid

But first...
Saturday was the delightful race at Ham Lake, I really do enjoy that course, it is just so damn fast. Roadie tactics can pretty much be used, which makes the racing really entertaining.

Another early morning brought the argyle suit out to the line. The race was started on the road this year which made for an extremely quick get up and go. I let up a little to early and got behind Mr. Hole Shot. Who after starting blazing fast faded blazing fast, causing a gap to open up that would be impossible to close. Thus the lead group was established with my group getting the chase title. There were attacks and crashes and all kinds of fun things, it always came back together after each event though. Mr. Anderson and I worked very well as team mates, first time I have ever had one wearing the same kit. It was great. With 1.5 laps to go someone dropped their chain behind me (I was pulling) and Harry yelled go, I took off, opened up a gap, then soon after the Crossniacs took each other out. Harry sat on the wheel of Jess from Nature Valley, who after sucking wheel (we joked about this, I am not angry) brought me back. He ended up getting the sprint, I rolled in right behind him, with Mr. A rounding out the top 10. Fun stuff.

I spent more then my fair share of time on the front. But no one else would pull...

Fly away home.

The group

Sunday I decided to forgo Hudson round 2 and race in Ashland. I also dragged Father Boyce along for hist first cross race, to bad about the course... Hopefully it did not spoil cross for him.A bunch of them came to my race, so I feel I should support them. Had I known the course, I may have done otherwise...
It was a course made for 29ers. Started as a normal cx course, dropped onto a sand beach, which is fine, then after a short run up, went onto about a 200 meter section of rock. Not gravel, rock (see photo)
I got the hole shot, led over the beach, then as soon as we hit the rock it was like I was riding in sand and the guys on the 29ers were on pavement. All I could do was watch them ride away, I was going as hard as I could but going nowhere, I simply sunk into the rock. And that is how the rest of the race went, in the 200 meters the 2 guys in front of me probably got 15 seconds if I rode the rock perfect, there was no way I could close that gap on the soft grass that was the rest of the course. So I struggled for an hour, not feeling stellar at any point, and wanting to die on the rock.

He warned me about the rocks... At least there was a nice veiw.

Path of death

Size 43 shoe on the rocks.

Other then the course, the race was fun, very low key not even USCF. Thanks to those guys for putting a race on.
In my opinion there are two different kinds of hard, at least for bike racing. Challenging hard, for example the hill at Olaf, last years Twine Ball, speeds at Ham Lake, super fast single track, and things like that. And I thoroughly enjoy a challenge. Then there is stupid hard, i.e. this rock path, or the drainage ditch at last years Velodrome race. No not because I am slow on them, or have bad races, but because they make the race simply not fun. Stupid hard is an unnecessary part of a course that when you ride, you just think what the hell am I doing this for. I know everyone has thought that about some course, so don't everyone go get all upset about this. And no stupid hard does not derive from your weaknesses, I love riding in mud, but I hated the drainage ditch.
Yes, I complain, but how are things going to get changed if I don't.