Racing In The Redwoods!

Hey Gang,

Last weekend, two chickens flew the coup to race in the North. While I was sensitive to all signs on how this one may turn out, seeing Matt in the Team Chicken Ranch suburban support vehicle as we turned on to 101 N was one GREAT sign. Our second sign besides the price of gas was a huge wildfire to the West while cruising up 101, looked like a big damn chicken roast but we had none of that action. Fish was on the menu at the local tavern and we were having some of that! The Red Snapper w/ mashed and green beans was a racer delight after a pre-car ride of the course and throwing down the bags at our killer campsite next to thirty shrelping kids was set! Now for some log sawing, EB woke on the other end of the campsite from where he went down, hmmmm ....

Masters 45+
OK, now race day and twenty-two urinations and I was ready but EB was still in the Johnny-line that was some 15 minutes long so races in essence were about 15 minutes behind at start. With Fred and Dave and Luke all nursing my Trek to race condition the past week, only question was could I hold on to her during the race! Well, I did not let them down since I spent the next 2 1/2 hours advertising with my tool bag still on my bike :) and the Chicken Ranch burro earlier in the week was still revving in my stomach .... and well with training and focus this time instead of just showing up, I managed to HOLD-ON to both the bike and burro this race!

About 75 of us started and rolled out casual but by the first climb (400') it was heating up, I stayed back and watched but was able to climb up through the slackers, when we hit climb two (400') it was a frontal assault by then but I managed again to be hanging with the leaders and to my surprise my forearms were not locked up with lactic ...we (about 30) re-grouped on the road to the bigger climb of the course and well when we hit it, we hit it hard and I was able to hang on to bitter end and fought and struggled but re-grouped on downhill, where only a couple risks were taken, all was well at this point, had gotten water, gone to bathroom, ate my snacks and kinda kickin' it with a smile no less. We hit climb #four, first hill (400') and it was getting faster but no worries yet and then it was time to worry ... climb #five separated the boyz from the men, me. I lost contact on that uphill and worked with 5-6 other riders to within 30 seconds along the road to final climb (900') ...in that final climb, I dropped five of the six riders while two of us chased and reeled in a couple bonkers and then it was ova ... 47.22 miles in 2 hrs 21 minutes .. and not sure of the place or cats of the other riders yet but maybe top 25 for me, top 35 for Eric.

Here are some pix of the trip ... not so much of racing :) where I hammed it up for course photographers!



This was a very cool race with good setting and good course. REDWOODS!

PEACE!
RD