Here is what the natural selection after our hill climb ended up being just a few of us...moving away from the pack of about 35 or so in the Masters field. These guys obviously have ridden together quite a bit and played some drafting games before we hit the grass "single-track" before the actual wooded singletrack. I was in my big ring from the start, stood up most of the way up the hill till about this point. The two red/white/blue guys, were sailing pretty hard from the time we got onto the grass. I didn't see them after mile 8 or so. I chased down 3rd place from the time we got out of the woods to make our second lap. 
But before the second lap ended I wiped out on this slate covered creek crossing. It didn't look like this race day AT ALL, it was running water about 3/4 inches deep and the slate was slick as snot. My goal was to sail like a feather, fast and furious across it and make it up the small rooty hill on the otherside. That plan did not work out, the front wheel slid out and down I went on my right side. That would be the only time I spent on the ground for the day. The second lap, I decided I would cyclocross it over the creek up the other side and around the hard rooty tree turn and remount. It worked, I didn't loose anytime and stayed on-chasing 3rd place. We worked to pass groups of riders and slower folks and he slowed in sections where it was slick. I noticed his climbing ability wasn't quite as strong as mine and knew the uphill section with the left hand banked turn was coming up. I was hoping to pass him quietly, hit it hard and fast, not leave any opportunity for him to get on my 
acceleration. Well, I surged on the left, he moved left, I surged again right just as hard and he moved right, we hit the banked left turn at the top of the hill and he hit the throttle. I figured also letting him lead the entire lap, would wear him out, or push him to make a mistake as well. That wasn't the case, this guy can ride and really handle his bike and pick some great lines though the trail. I knew I had very few opportunities to pass in the last 3 miles or so and we were really flying. I thought, if I can get on his wheel coming out of the
woods and get up and sprint, I can get him in the hard right turn at the finish in the tape. Well, as you can see, I was close, but decided it wasn't really worth the 3rd place and extra 5 bucks to throw him into the tape and trees in front of the 'crowd' at the finish line. I just thought that wasn't very "pro" and a bit unnessesary at a local race. I think the guy knew if I wanted to be an ass I could have been more aggressive and just come by him. These two pics by the excellent photographer (my wife) tell the story at the finish. 
I decided for the second year in a row to go mountain bike racing instead of racing the Tour De Grandview. I could have raced the Masters 3/4/5 race which would have ended up being a CAT 3 / strong CAT 4 race or I could have done the CAT 4/5 Race. Naaaaaa. I am going to hit the dirt with Tim S. I am glad he's going to race with me. I think he'll do great and finish high. He's pretty fit and I hope he can crush some of the competition. My goal is to beat my 5th place from last year. It's not my home court so to speak and I battled last year, getting to know the trail during the race. I will run lower pressure in the tires compared to what I usally run, with all the rain, it will be sticky and require some serious confidence in the bike to win I think.
bike races, a Mohican 100k and a few other thousand miles. They are and have been beastly tires. Unfortunatly, they will soon go away with the onset of a new team sponsor - 
Kenda Tires. I have some Small Block 8 Mountain bike and Cyclocross tires on the way. I also will be training on Kenda Road tires. They don't manufacture a tubie cross tire or a tubie road tire - yet so that eliminates them from being raced on with my carbon cross wheels or my carbon road wheels.
The state Road Race Championships were about two weeks ago. They finally posted up results. I was Top 10. I'll take that - not where I would like to have been, but it was a hard race, with a big super steep hill half-way around from the start. It certainly was a make or break for those that made the final 14 or so in the last two corners. Unfortunatly, the four that went up the road, all wrecked and left a mess on the road for the rest of the other leaders, to weave through. I had a good shot of a hole through it, but there was a train with Dick C and Shannon and Dayton guy rolling by me about 35 mph. By the time I braked, got through the wreck hole on the right side of the road and tried like hell to on the back of Shannon (DarkHorse) and the Dick C.(Abundance) train, I had s
at out in the wind too long and didn't have much left to out sprint the others that had caught up to me. However, I am sitting in the top 10% of the CAT 4's in the State of Ohio. I think Dick and Shannon have enough points to CAT up, but it's not like they have been winning races all season. The three of us have been battling it out for finishes all spring and Shannon seems to be getting more of me at the finish's than Dick. They are good people and keep the racing fun. Justin from Jeni's has also had a great spring of racing.
