Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Dreams Were Killed.....My Dreams

Chalk up another disappointment....DNF....not sure where I picked up this bad
karma:(

The Story:

Craig and I arrived at Branched Oak Lake around 1pm Sat. after throwing down some pasta at Noodles in Lincoln with CVO. Set up the pit area and basically just hung out waiting too suit up and hit a recon run. I took a short nap before Kerkove and Bucannondal showed up.



Kerkove and Bucannondale

A little bsing is done then I suit up for the recon lap. The course was muddy, but completely rideable, more climbs then I expected, and all around looking to be fun as hell:) After my lap I decided 34x19 was going to rip me legs off for 12hrs so I opted for the 34x21 set up. A quick change of gearing and I'm as ready as I'm gonna get. My plan was simple... first to me bike in the run, first into the single track and see how this thing unfolds. We all line up for the run which was kinda funny...Kerkove and I are just starting too bs it up again and Jim says Go!

Everybody now has a three step gap on us....we bolt....getting to our bikes at the same time only to turn and run right into the rest of the group trying to get too their bikes...its a mad dash with Kerkove in the front, another geared dude, then me. The first half mile is all grass too the single track....right before the ST I make my move and start to real in Kerkove who's a good 50yrds further up the trail. Now in the twisty tight part of the course I'm gaining on Jeff and we have lost the third guy....sawheat....now we are only around 2.5 miles into this damn thing when me bike starts too act up....

I run a normal freewheel hub with spacers, and 2 23 tooth rings sandwiching my drive gear, this has been the set up on all me singles for the past 5 yrs. But today huston is having a fucking problem....the Monkey starts to make all kinds of noise from me chain dropping off and then back on too the drive gear...so I think damn it must not have enough tension...quick stop....tighten....then go....still with no one else in sight....not 30 ft. and the same shit....WTF!! Now getting pissed....I stop to look again....Oh Shit....my lockring has slipped right into the last spacer creating much play....can't ride...now I'm walking and running the rest of the 6 mile loop...completely lost my fight...pissed more then you can possibly imagine...say fuck it to all future racing.....many, many more things shoot through me tiny brain as I have lots of time to think before making it back to the pit area.

Running back into the pit area in dead last

Once back I think... I'm here to race now lets try and fix this POS. All is not lost yet. Craig already has the tools ready as he's assumed what the problem was before I even made it back....he say's I knew it had to be the rear end... get the lockring out of the spacer...put different spacer in....wheel back on.....I'm off....only to get a 100yrds....before it pops right back into the spacer again....FUCK!!...back to the pit...wheel back off....try another spacer.....with the same exact thing happening...as previous...and I mean exact....


Back for the third time....trying to keep my cool as there were children around...that was tough for me:) This time I swap one of the sandwich 23 rings for the outside spacer....now the lockring can't pull through....but now I have a gap to one side of the drive gear....plenty of room for the chain to hop off under tork...but it may stay on....lets roll. All is good on the flat sections and I'm slowing starting to forget about all that has happened with new thoughts of I can pull a lap and a half back in 12hrs.....sawheat:) First climb.....pop the chain comes off....damn it must not have enough tention....stop....tighten...roll on up. Not letting it get to me....start the next climb....pop....you have got to be Fucking kidding me....stop put it back on....things are in the dumps again...deep in the dumps.....I can't fight this thing all through the night.....get going one more time....and the very next hill....pop.....this time I take a knee to the stem....complete melt down....throwing the bike...stomping, saying many profanities.....and I'm done....fuck it I'm not going to fight this POS all night...I get the chain back on.... turn the bike around and head back into traffic.....


this is how the rest of me night went:)

Many thanks to Craig for being there....we LOOKED like we knew what was going on:) Great Job to those whom finished....Kerkove took the win....it was awesome getting to meet some of the coolest MTB'rs from the Lincoln scene...although it was name overload....there is a very large core group:) I will be back to race again....my spirit was crushed for awhile....I think like 5 beers worth of time before I accepted what was handed too me. Thanks to those whom offered up their bikes for me too still race....I had already lost in my mind so that was not an option. Not sure whats next...but the next race I do will be on the Badger....period, as I talked to Rob most of the way home on Sunday.....he's busy....most likely a month or so out...not to worry....I'll have the 1x9 to ride til then.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Always another day, always another day. Nice write up of a really shitty night on the bike.
About a month for the 29er means you could give its race babtism at Blue Mounds on July 7th. Think you'll make it up?

Bear

Lou Waugaman said...

Pete and I are always willing to make room for another foul mouthed redneck to join our rowdy band of sprinngtime roadies. Ever think about tossing in the fat tires for some 700X23's?

Bummer about the race. Mechanicals suck ass!

cvo said...

bummer about your evening..

it was still good to see you and to meet craig...

I'm sure we'll see each other on some single track soon..

Unknown said...

Bear- where is the info. on that race?

Lou- I'm too much of a fucking pussy for the road:)

CVO- thanks again for the stickers, and yes we'll see each other again on the dirty side.

Peace

mtb05girl said...

Haha thanks for the comment. It made me laugh, well sorta. It kinda hurts to smile.

Sorry to hear about your race. Mechanicals blow!

Also, road crashes hurt so much more than mountain crashes. Maybe I should rethink this racing scene haha.

Pete Basso said...

Brian:

I think you picked up thye DNF's from me. I hate to pass on that bad luck but I got it from MaHarry, so blame his pink skinny ass.

Mike Howard said...

I hate to see anyone have a mechanical end their race ! Put in the tank Squirrel ! I would hate to get in your way at your next race ... you'll be pumped !

cvo said...

the next time you ask for stickers
they should read something like

I kick ass, get outa my way before I run you over,

or I'm gonna win, and my bike will work perfectly

or, i'm not gonna dnf...

the killing dreams stickerers are a good idea, when they don't effect you....


I'll make some up for our next meeting...

Anonymous said...

Squirrel,

Check out www.bluemound12.com

There should be some race posters at Rassy's as well (I sent them out last week). Poster design courtesy of BKB leader Jesse LaLonde. Had a pretty good crew of BKB guys rippin' it up last year.

Bear

that dave said...

bummer. glad you can keep your cool in front of the kiddies though.