Yes, it is true.

I pulled a Foist and i threw my bike.

I have felt bad all day about this. But it took awhile for me to start feeling bad about it. I wanted to find the guy who made me crash and see if passing me at said extrememly inappropriate time led to his success in the race. The fact that i never saw him afterwards leads me to believe that well, he did pretty poorly.

I guess i need to fess up and admit that from time to time, i actually do write up race reports. but none of the hum-drum stuff. something great, or superemely lame, has to happen.
(Example of being lame)
WHAT: California State Race - Rim Nordic (Running Springs CA)
WHEN: Today
WHY: Because i need points. And because i race my bike.

This course is a bit of a cluster boasting more single track than any other Cal State race. Problem is, there are a ton of racers on it which means you will be dealing with traffic the entire time.

Today there was Ca$h money to be had (flash back to Idylwild and cash was there too....this could only be bad) and there were only 3 pro wmn, but like a thousand experts. Now i like these girls just fine, but if there is money on the line, i better cross it before they do.

The charge began, another pro Heather and i took the bait and led the group out, with an expert ringing her bell (serious) on our tails. I would like to find her bike and take her bell. just out of principle. Bells are for spectators or Single Speeders. Not the rest of the field.

I was feeling some ailments, but also felt like you know what, i could win my first pro race today. or at least be second. so much better than 35th and 20 minutes, or 30minutes behind the winners.

Then of course i got a flat and was passed by about 8 women. No biggy. Fixed. Ride. Catch all but 3 that had passed me. Come to start finish. The expert men were waiting stage right for their start. Sport men were STOPPING stage straight ahead because they were, well, done. But they stopped and blocked the entire course. I had to get off my bike and yell, "Hey, lets move it" a bit of a skuttle and i was off. Lame. I could see #3 up ahead, about 100 feet. I had a master plan of picking her off on the climb and never seeing her again.

BUT... those expert men started. Some are nice, some are not. Coming into some tight single track, washed out left hand corner, three of them ahead of me, three behind, i can see my Shark Bait about 100 ft ahead. One decides, hey, since this is a really bad place to pass, im gonna do it. He hooks my left handle bar and he falls, stage left, taking me with him. I basically flip over him, hitting my BURN really hard, skinning my arm and knee. If it had been a decent, i would have grabbed my rotor and burned him too. He was under his bike, which was under my bike. So after a "word exchange" i picked my bike up. And i threw it. So 12 year old! Being that it is carbon, it went way farther than i thought. I just stood there staring at him. ARE YOU KIDDING ME. REALLY!!?!??!?!?!? The girl i was stalking was gone, and so was my mojo.
(Massive abrasion. could hardly plod on. but it was the the actions behind the menace...much like the one in Aspen last year)

Peddle, peddle. what to do. I was having fun again, riding with Lisa and Heidi V, started making up some time, then something totally AWESOME happened!! I GOT ANOTHER FLAT!!! No tubes or CO2 left. I started running (you know that is a dark day). I stopped to talk to the girl in the water-feed. She said she runs at high school. I proptly ran away. (Literally) I was completely committed to a DNF. But i just wanted to get out of the sun and heat.

Then super teammate Shelli rolled by, and began dropping the contents of her pocket on the fire road. Here's your tube. 100 yards later, here's your CO2. UGH!!! now i HAVE to finish!!! But you know that is pretty cool when someone is willing to empty their pockets for you with another 10 miles to go. ACtually, come to think of it, i think she yelled over her shoulder "if i flat, i will blame you." Rude!

(We both are complete winners. We both came in third. but Shelli was not last. you can tell a lot about or personalities by the way we wear our vests. i am all zipped up - pretty kosher and rigid. Shelli is pretty unzipped....

also - this is STILL an aside - i am getting a hair cut on Wednesday. this is 2 months of growth. and helmet hair. but should i go super short again>!>!>)

I lesuirly made it to the feed zone, where i stopped to talk politics with my parents and unload the useless contents of my pockets. I asked another feeder of the whereabouts of some other experts. I was getting bored and needed friends. Come to find out, they were having about the same level of high quality race as i was.

Although 2 experts pocketed 2 of the 3 money prizes (BTW...Bear Valley bikes added $25 to each of the MENS prizes, going 5 deep. The women went 3 deep. Maxed out at $50. Men maxed at $125. LAME!!!!) it was a good day after all.

Why, was i on crack? no.

But, Ma and Pa were there
I got to see ALL my homies
And this gradual sifting and serging within the race categories makes it so i can get to know a ton of people. I like people.

Also, the sport men were FANTASTIC about allowing us to pass and the pro/semi-pro men were completely gracious when they made their passes.

Sometimes, you just have a big target on your back. and things just do not work out.

Oh yes, people really like my burn. it is looking horrid and causes quite the stir.
(Don't worry. i know i am also covered with dirt and sweat. i may shower. before i go anywhere. tomorrow.)