It hurts down there.

Alright, I'm giving up on getting you to work instead of reading this daily update on my ramblings.

Last night was cross practice. I have not done cross for 10 years*(See below) despite owning a cross bike for the last 3. What I remember of cross was that I was fine until the run ups, and then I would get my a$$ whupped on. We decided on 8 laps. The laps had pavement , grass, dirt, sand, 3 sets of barriers and 2 run ups (NOOOOO!).

I wanted to test myself so I took off at the start, just like I whupped up in the 1st lap at the cable crit (see archive). Sugar Daddy (Cat 2, Expert coach, purveyor of odd music) was on my tail, with Mario (Cat 3, Local rider and future father), and Gary Gross (you can't keep this guy down, he's close to 60 and still whupping it up) chasing. Well, after 2 laps I was now in the hurt hut and Mark came by. We officially had a gap on the HUGE field. This is how it ended. Mark put a little time on me in laps 3-5 as I tried to recover some, I held him lap 6, and made a little time back on 7 and 8. I always kept him within sight and was proud of how I did. I actually did all the run ups and suprised myself immensly. I did sprain my ankle on one of the barrier sections, so I am nursing that today.

*I just want to mention that 10 years ago I was the 1996 MN junior state CX Champ!! Both of the kids I raced against there couldn't touch my skills.

I gotta tell you that I love my Salsa cross bike.


This thing has taken me around the area on gravel roads, helped me win numerous town signs on group rides, satisfied my wife, won crits, thrashed in road races, improv my IQ, upgrade to Cat 3 , and find a cure for the summer time blues (and you thought that there ain't no cure!). It is running 2 years strong now and hopefully will carry me to a good placing in a cross race or 2 this year. I won't mind getting a 6th victory this year.

There is one bike that I wouldn't mind getting to replace it though. I'd just have to wear a ski mask to get the money as I don't have any...

I found a link to a home movie from my childhood. You'll have to wait until tommorrow, but ohhhhhhh, it will be worth it.

Now go back to work (assuming you have read every last word on my blog).