I warmed up happily utilizing my tent as the rain continued to fall. Everything was feeling great as we lined up. I again was lined up 3rd row as I haven't placed well in the series yet this year. I made sure to start near the side so that as we got going I could shoot up the outside. At the whistle, as I expected the group pulled toward the middle of the road. I moved up along the right shoulder and as we hit the first corner I was happily in the top half of the group. We cycled through the first few winding and bumpy corners before hitting the very slick rear section of off-camber corners. We hit the beach and I was still in a good spot and managed to squeeze up a little more as we ran through the sand. Quickly getting back on the bike, I cut through the trees and we shot back into the front of the course.
The first corners of the front section were deep, thick mud. I rode through the deep corners and hit the barriers still on the tail of the leaders. So far so good!
We got going again through the faster sections and into some really slick mud corners. I was hustling to stay on the wheels until disaster! A rider managed to plow right into my front wheel sending me into the tape and while I managed to stay upright, the hit was enough to pop the wheel out of the dropouts, meaning there was no immediate running. I managed to pop the brake and reset the wheel, but I definitely lost some good ground here.
I got rushing off again ASAP and it felt good to start passing other riders from my field right away. I started getting into a groove and slowly making up places for the next few laps, enjoying my lack of mechanicals even though I did manage to slide around a bit (too much air pressure!)
As race leader Steve Fisher flew past me, I jumped on his wheel and managed to get a great view on a very fast line through the first few corners of the course until he managed to pull away. As I hit the sand for the last lap I was passed by the only other rider to lap me, Russell Stevenson. I was on his tail for the next few corners, again getting a good view of a faster line.
We hit another tricky section and little bobble due to carelessness caused me some trouble as two riders who had been hanging on my wheel managed to squeeze past. I tried to chase them back down, but fatigue was definitely beginning to show. I got onto their wheels at the barriers only to loose them again. I caught them again in a few corners, and as we hit the pavement I jumped on the gas trying to get back in front, however I just missed them at the line, finishing 1 second back.
I ended up finishing a solid 25th out of the starting field of 36. A solid result, although again I feel like I could have been better if I had avoided some little blunders.
Next weekend is the double-header out in Bellingham, so I am ready to bring the speed and go for some solid results. Check back soon to see how things go.
Keep on riding friends.
