guelph triple threat

This was the best weekend of racing in a long time. Possibly ever! You could not have more fun with events involving bikes, cowbells, beer, costumes, and hospital visits. Wait... it might have been better without the hospital visits... but three races, one party, and seriously fun people kept the whole weekend on the up.

True North Cross
First year for this race, and despite a very bumpy course (a bit of rain would have softened it up just enough), it was a blast. Small women's field - 4 seniors and 2 master racers - but tough nonetheless. Good off-camber sections. Killer flat, windy sections. A couple of hills, including a barrier that was near impossible for the short-of-leg to get over easily. My first win of the season, as I barely managed to keep Ms. Mirvish from closing a very narrow gap. Thank god for lots of horsepower for the headwind on the back stretch!

SS Nationals
The most epic costume fail ever. Do NOT try to race your bike in a big frilly skirt! You may sustain injuries from laughing too hard. You may also need help being removed from the bike when the skirt becomes so wrapped around the seat stays/rear brakes that you cannot get off the bike by yourself. Lots of costumes, lots of beer hand ups, lots of (other people) impressively dismounting for barriers without spilling beer, lots of fun.

Speed River Guelph Cross
Too much beer and too big a gear at SS meant my legs were far from feeling "good". Still, it was a good race, which (since I am now finishing this post in December) I have forgotten all the details of. But I do recall getting 2nd, and winning beer! And getting beat by some very fast Masters women!

Some other kind of season summary to come. I admit, I have been inspired by Ms. Nicholls to try and blog a little bit more. She is, after all, living, breathing proof that there is at least one person reading!