Today was my first race, and it was a very nasty, wet mud covered course, with a ravine that had a set of barriers on the downhill side, that were covered in slippery peanut butter mud, then you had to navigate a slippery bridge leading to the railroad tie run-up, that were spaced so far apart that you were more prone to resort to mountaineering skills rather than cross, Oh yeah this is where all the spectators lined up to drink Pabst and yell at you or I mean encourage you to bolt up the steps, Once on top it was covered in a layer of 4 to 6 inch mud that just robbed you of all energy almost sucking your bike down against the ground, this led out to several off camber turns that were a little tricky and very slick!

I got a great start in the top ten and rolled out really good felt great, then came the off camber turns and I jumped off shouldered my bike and made the first one, then Wham, right on my right elbow I could feel my shoulder and arm just buckle, yep the ones I broke back in May, got up pushed my bike up to the flats and thought I had better quit but I just kept riding and it felt Ok so I put my head down and tried to get back to where I was, but I was having a heck of a time getting my bike onto my shoulder and lifting it to clear the barriers, but I finished 37th not where I wanted to be but I finished! This was a cold, wet day for the first race of the season, and I can`t wait till Alpenrose!!

Guy