Hey kids:
Well, its Monday night and I still have cowbell ringing in my ears, my legs are kinda sore, and the laundry is full of muddy skinsuits. And its January. If I didn't know better I would think I was in Belgium racin' cross for a living. But I do know better, since I sat at a desk all day today.
There was only one place to pin a number on yesterday, and Marty and I were there. The race took place up in Ft. Collins at the New Belgium Brewery, and all proceeds from the race and the silent auction that followed went to help Skyler Truillo get himself and his unruly mop of hair over to Tabor Czech.
The day dawned cloudy, but warm, as Marty and I packed the rice-wagon and cranked the tunes on the drive up. We arrived to find Brian Dallas fully locked and loaded with the Focus Bikes tent, car, demos, tools, banners, flagging. He even had his mechanic-in-training Charlie along for the ride. I don't have any pics, nor do I know his @twitter-thingie... so I guess you gotta take my word for it that it was rad.
I slotted in next to Brian's camp and set up my own. A little warm-up oil, the trainer, and the headphones, and I started to remember that bike racing is kinda fun. Most, but not all, of the usual Blue Sky suspects were there.... @billteasdale, @ryanlewandowski, @ryanlewandowskiswifechristine, @andyharmon, @somedudewhoworksforschwalbe, @bobandsusanandizzeprieto, @kaylathomason, and of course who can forget @somedudewinningthemensCraceinRolandGreens2002kit?
even i cannot believe how really real Dr. Harmon can rock the tall blackSox
with the help of susan, i got belgie-as-hell and began the race with a swig of some gawd-aful beer
the gun went off and blue sky completely swarmed on some dolt in a green afro
The race quickly settled in and i found myself on @billteasdale's wheel, which i believe was an @tufoflexus, being ridden @6psi. However, he did indeed have the power to pull away after a lap or so. I later thanked him for the kind gesture, as i was getting much less mud flung in my face after he put a little distance on me.
At this point the race turned into a time-trial effort, with @billteasdale running off the front of the @bikerace, yours truly enjoying a sweet little course that was set up, and some random dude about a minute behind me. I enjoyed the good natured heckling of all of my friends, but did catch a glimpse of @ryanlewandowski absolutely turn himself into a human missile for the last 2 laps to catch @somerandomNonBlueSky and set us up for that ever-elusive sweep of the Mens B podium. Badass.
Also of note, the Harmonizer fell on hard times early in the race, like right on the start, when he flatted his front tire. Someone handed up a wheel and he charged for a solid showing. Nice work, the man.
The punchy little rises out on course kept things interesting
A few slippy snow+mud areas were no match for my RacingRalph tires, which will be called RacingRob in '10
Working-class hero Bill Teasdale with a suspiciously-deep tan on his legs for a January
Immediately following the Mens B shenanigans, Marty lined up for the Womens race. Kayla was also in effect on her custom Primus Mootry. The ladies took off onto a course that was getting muddier by the lap. Cross Weather! Anyways, Marty did not actually take the holeshot, but she also managed not to blow-up on the first lap either. Sweet! I got out the camera and tried to capture the radness as it unfolded, but mostly I just cheered her on as she put distance on second place and the rest of the girls.
By mid race the course was definitely turning into a much more technical affair, and Marty piloted the Ridley with ease as we watched other riders getting hung up in mud sections.
Not the muddiest, raddest part of the course, but Marty was still keeping it classy, San Diego.
At the end of the race, Marty hung on for the W. Pretty solid work for coming right off the couch. Sure there werent 100 women out at the race. But you can also look at it as 90 of those women were sitting at home getting slower.
Blue Sky CX Nation started off the 2010 campaign with a bang.
Marty and Kayla were all smiles after a great race
Marty getting a little interview time with Mountain Flyer. Look for the web-report!
The mens A race was pretty rad to watch all the punx tear it up. No Blue Sky in the mix, so we all got a chance to heckle with impunity as many fast bike racers with twitter accounts, from @mudandcowbells to @somesponsoredguyonaStevensWhoGotBeatByWardBaker.
Then we all used the carbon-neutral bike wash station, put our bikes on our Toyota Prius' and headed into the eco-brewery for some good old fashioned beer drinking and money-spendin'. We wished Skyler well at worlds, got some cool schwag, and burned fossil fuels all the way back to Longmont. The end.
(Photos of Rob by Marty, Photos of Marty by Rob, Photos of other people by whoever had the camera)
