Here's
another installment of the Spot/Twin Six, DCCCofD (Delaware
Cyclo Cross Coalition of Delaware) and now Frank Zappa Kappa team
shenanigans. This time we signed up for the innaugural Cranky Monkey
Twelve Hour race at Quantico Marine Base. We had six teams (duo
or trio) and three solo competitors representing. Buddy and I
entered in the duo singlespeed class. Just a week after the
Lumberjack 100, I really wasn't sure how I'd do. Wes and Matt here,
entered the duo elite class (both
on
singlespeeds).
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Another venue, another
compound. It amazes me how well and how fast we get everything
setup. We rolled down Quantico way on Saturday
to setup,
preride, check in to our hotel and eat. The race started
8am Sunday
morning.
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Once the compound was
established we headed out for a preride. The course was a ten mile
lap. The beginning had four climbs of varying
friendlyness. The
middle of the lap wasn't bad. There were some cool technical (tight,
twisty, rooty) sections and another area with some nice
table-top jumps. I didn't feel too good on the preride. I couldn't
keep up with the lead guys and was having trouble with traction in
the loose
tight corners, so I backed off and rode it at a more
leisurely pace. Once back to the compound, I swapped my front
wheel/tire for one with
more bite. The different tire
really did well in the
race.
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On the preride, Tom had some
crashed that put him out of competition. He was originally going to
do a three man team with Ethan and Chris
(Mayhew), but instead
opted to man the compound while we all raced. Though that left
his teammates to compete against Buddy and I, I have
to
admit I prefer Tom on the management side of things. He's
excellant at keeping things together when you're too tired and
trashed to figure
out what or when you need to do something
as simple as drink or race your next
lap.
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Dinner at the hotel that night. As if bringing
our own beer was bad enough, we had to start a spitball fight
too.
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I
got a mohawk for the occasion. I really had trouble motivating
myself to pack up the car and go race another
weekend..
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Jamie (H.) and I
on the first lap. Never good at passing people, it took him
nearly the entire lap to catch and pass me. Didn't take
him long to
drop me and leave me behind for good. The
strategy Buddy and I were running were double laps until we couldn't
handle it anymore. I
managed two double laps before we went to
singles. The first double (that's twenty miles for those not keeping
track) was tough. I guess I
was warmed up for the second, since
it felt a lot better.
On the first lap of my second double,
I caught the guy on the team that was in second (in our class - ss
duo). He was younger then me and
pushing a harder gear - kids
will tell you anything. He was running his second lap of a double
and fading fast. I made it to the transition area
about thirty
seconds ahead of him and got off on my second lap before I could see
his teammate take over. I kept waiting for his teammate to
catch
and pass me, but it never happened. Meanwhile I kept pushing a hard
lap to stay ahead and pass as many people as I could. Some
guy
with a multi-speed internally geared hub tried hanging with me, but
finally gave up in the more technical sections. That felt
good.
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