Tour De Bowness

I raced Road Bikes twice on the weekend.

 

It was hot, probably the hottest I can remember - or maybe it was just the complete lack of shade. Dumping an entire bottle on by jersey before the start lasted about 10 minutes before I was dry and woozy again. After a pure-publicity-stunt flyer for 1 lap of the crit, I started to feel shivers.

Deadgoat kit gets a good reaction at road races, in two ways. 1) People I have raced with for years don’t even recognize me until after the race. This strikes me as a little odd but maybe it has a sleeper effect too.   2) Even at a road race/crit the other DG’s are quickly becoming the best cheering section around. Thanks guys.

 

It was fast, fun, and decent results for not riding the Road Bike since Banff in Mid-June. But somehow not the same as mountain bike racing. This year I may be going through a little renaissance: the effort of getting (decently) fit and spending all the time and money to get out racing is rewarded so much better by an adventure in the woods, some dirt, some friends and a hard-fought result. Road racing is the same effort, time and expense wrapped up in a sterile experience with more rules, where you bust your butt and get the same time as 25 other guys. That’s not the same.

 

The race was super-well put on. Afterwards the organizer told me how great it was that the fast guys keep coming out, because it makes for so much entertainment and reward to the crowds/organizers. That was great and that’s what it’s all about.

 

I was tired yesterday after the Pack/Move/Race/Drink/Move/Race/Move routine over three days. Tonight it’s pack/pack/pack for Breck Epic departure tomorrow morning. Starting to get very excited…