Rob showed up around 7pm Sat. night, I met him at the shop for a little tour. I roll up and Rob is window shoping, I get out and he say's you've got to check this out. Rob then takes me to the passenger side of his rig and opens the door and wha-la there sits 2 cases of Fat Tire Amber Ale........yummy:) Gonna be a good night with two country boy's hanging out.
Fridge too small:)
I had a great time kick'n it with Rob, talking about our similar childhood memories, his time spent as a Pro Roadie for Health Net, bikes and bow hunting in general. Before we headed up too Boone for the Iowa State Championships on Sunday morning, I took a pic of Rob and his latest creation.
Rob and the cruiser
The plan was I would do a lap with Rob then head back to Des Moines for an afternoon at the shop. When we hit Madrid the rain started to fall. For those that don't care to race/ride in the mud, Seven Oaks sucks when its wet. We get to the race site.... looks like its rained a conciderable amount, big puddles fill the once empty pot holes on the gravel road entrance. So much for riding a lap:)...... Rob unloads and goes to sign up, while I'm bsing it with Troy Tellinghuisen one of the event promoters. Troy asks why I'm not racing....I explain the whole PO gotta get me fine paid off thang, I haven't ate b-fast, don't have me kit, drank many beers with Rob, have too work, its muddy as hell out there.....yadda....yadda. Troy smiles and makes an offer I can't refuse....I'll pay for you to race.....Troy you fucking rock my brutha:) Thank You!
Seven Oaks is the best race course in Iowa (when its dry, and in my humble opinion), it offers everything from, tight single track, downhills, climbing with tight switchbacks, rolling tight single track, lots of off cambered sections, natural and man made bridges, logs and one flat section:) To do well at Boone you have to be an all around rider. Now I'm racing instead of riding with Rob, and I know what is in store for our mudfest. 10am hits and we 5 SS'rs line up, I know all but 1 of the mates. Ben Shocky and "the other guy" were the ones I had to watch, I was only hoping I could run today after all those Fat Tires and no breakfast in me:) Troy then shoots the 20gauge shot gun for the start of our mudfest. No name and I proceed to the front, both of us running 29'rs.
We hit the single track with me leading, no name and Shocky right there as we start the first climb. Into the second switchback it was bail off the bike and run to the top for the first downhill. I blew the first drop it was so greesy and ended up 10ft or so off the trail most likly in poision poop and laughing. No name goes by and I get back on the trail. On down we go, right after the hard left with a drop, no name takes a spill and I get back by. The bikes are now already covered in mud and we haven't even made it to the false flatt straight away:) Gonna be a long race. In what I like to call the bridge loop all was pretty good and rideable. From here all the way back up to the top was ride a little hike alot, stop clear mud, undo brakes their collecting way to much mud, jump on bike on slight downhill sections only to forget about undoing brakes to end up 10ft. off the trail again laughing:)
Once to the top where one could ride their bike again I was connecting me brakes back up and noticed my front right pad was loose, no tools on me, I just ran with out the front brake hooked up. The whole top section and front of the ski hill was all ridable....yeah:) Once back to the start I stopped to take me pad off before I loose it. This took just a little bit as it was covered in mud as my gloves where, while doing this I looked at my computer to see a lap time and it was almost an hour....holy shit that was long. Once me brake pad was off I was back on the bike for me final lap, as I entered the single track I took a glance back towards the start to see if anyone was behind me......nobody in sight.....good. The second lap was just the same as the first, ride a little, hike alot. I finished in just over 2hrs (I think) for two 7 mile laps. On a good day lap times should be around 32-37 mins. I won, only due too coming into this knowing it was going to suck big time ass in these conditions, if it was easy I wouldn't be doing this:)
Once done I found out they cut most folks off after the first lap, so I have no idea how many of us actually did 2. I still had a great time, and I was well lets say very late for work, I asked Troy at the top of me first lap to call the shop and let Sterling know I was going to be an hour or so late as I wasn't going to DNF this race. Sterling didn't give a shit, thanks buddy:)
Monday: "Hanging with Teri Sue"
Watched the tour, mowed the yard, killed weeds, washed very dirty cycling clothes. Teri and I whooped ass on the baby bed, which for things that come in very heavy boxes and need assembly was pretty damn easy.
all is good in team work.
After that we headed for a walk at Raccoon River Park with Bianchi, we picked blackberries on the back side for our night time treats. Bianchis' ass was pooped, she couldn't even walk another block to the car she just kept plopping down in the grass panting. I had to go and get the car to pick her and Teri up....to funny:) We watched a couple movies on our long weekend... Indian and End of the Spear...two great movies. Then we just kicked back, I had a coulpe Fat Tires, Teri setteled in with a book and we called it a day.
Tuesday was pretty much the same as Monday without mowing and killing:) This time Teri and I rode our bikes over to the Park for our berry picking adventure. All kinds of stuff going on in the park today with it being a holiday. The beach was full, the play ground was full, the parking lots where full, and mud volley ball was the biggest event going on. All kinds of mates walking around beer in hand, muddy as hell, grills going, music, all was good in life today. Only wish I'd a known of the volley ball thing cause a team of cyclists made up of Lou, Petey, Conlan, Vanderlune, Logan and I could have done some damage in the mud:) Maybe next year ehy mates:) Anyway now I'm caught up on this blogerific Wednesday and slow here at work, riding home tonight, not doing the Taco ride at least thats the decision as of now....still have a very dirty Monkey to clean, along with Teri's jeep. Ok I'm done.
Peace
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