No Downer Here, just good times

Saturday 5pm @ Downers Grove 3/4's roughly 150 started and half DNF'd

I talked to a few of the usual suspects in the 3's and everyone decided that it should be Hot from the whistle and thats the way it was, everybody pulled thru for the first 3 or 4 laps then the games began.

The Liam and Luke show broke out, every time I looked up a xXx jersey was attacking...Attack, attack, attack was the mantra...Liam was off the front at least 4 times and Luke close to that...

I was all grins sitting about 5 wheels back, very content to let everyone chase...then I was overwhelmed with guilt and decided it was my turn. Jason from Burnham was 200 meters off the front by himself....I looked at Julian and said in my nicest voice..."Dude...let me go" and off I went. There is nothing quite as painful as being in a 2 man break with a Cyclocross stud that can TT all freakin Day...note to self, off season goal number 1, work on improving threshold power.

2 laps and I'm cooked, I consider riding right off course..seriously... A funny thing happens, I recover as I note 4 laps to go just a half lap after almost pulling the plug.

Fast forward..2 laps to go and its all about maintaining position, I'm focused on the task at hand

Bell lap, between turn 6 and 7, I find myself 5th or 6th wheel perfectly placed on Waylon from WDT's wheel, ready to go, we hit turn 7 hot and a guy in a blue kit dive bombs the inside pushing all of us right..at this point if your familiar with the course, the curb cuts back left and you run out of real estate...and thats what happened to me...two choices, eat a curb or grab brakes...

I chose the brakes and its like opening a parachute, Waylon takes 4th and I hold on for 14th........once again, I need to listen to Randy,....Inside line-last lap

Sunday 9am @ Downers Grove 3's

This race is sketchy from the whistle, bad lines, bad attitudes and really dangerous moves..so I'll keep it short. I was nearly crashed out 3 times by bad bike handling, I was fortunate to keep the rubber side down...

Fast forward to bell lap...Winning move jumped after turn 2, I was too deep to react, I worked thru about 20 wheels and got to about 15th wheel and felt good, between turn 6 and 7 the pace slowed and the corner was setting up 5 wide....not a safe situation with the handling I had been witness to in the previous 45 minutes..

I had 2 choices again....Risk it and expect a 50/50 chance of a top 5 or a bad crash....or..stay where I am and sling shot on the inside of turn 8 carrying all my clean momentum to get in the top ten. well at least it sounded good until the wheel in front of me lost control of his bike in turn 7 and once again I have to grab brakes...race over....a bittersweet 16th

All in all, An amazing weekend, I learned a ton, hung out with great people and watched some incredible races.

Who needs the air and water show when you have Downers Grove