MORE MOTORCYCLES

So I headed down to Pa. for Thanksgiving . The weather wasn't good,but promised to getter better and better. With the Pa. State CX Championships on deck. 60+ degrees sounded real good. For the holiday dinner we had all the trimmings and nice Corsondonk Christmas Ale. YUM. Friday we hit Whole Foods. Imagine, food and I? Great place. Some Christmas shopping done. Even made it out of Performance without spending a bundle.

Saturday dawned clear and bright. BUT it was a 2:15 drive out to Carlilse.

Saw most of CCoD. The plan was race and get out of there. I had pretty decent start spot.

But once again was tangled up in a first turn melee. Settled in quick. But waaay too much pavement.I'd get a gap in the grass twisties. Then they'd reel me in on the pavement.

Back and forth we went to the finish. A so so ride in my book. But needed the race effort.

Besides where else to do you get to ride around giant Christmas decorations? Bob and I hit the Drafting Room for dinner. A great selection of beers. We had a St Neulien Belgian Amber Ale. Tasty.Then I had a Sierra Chrismtas ale and Bob had the MIddle Ages Double wheat.

MMMMM beer. Calramari was a given. Excellent. Dinner was a Thai salad. For dessert we hit Borders for carrot cake and Chai. Read The Robb Reportl MC edition, toys I can't afford. But I can dream.

Sunday wanother fine weather day. Breakfast out. Then loaded up the "baby bike" for the drive home. It all fit no hassles. Traffic was OK. Home safe. What? I have to go to work tomorrow? Five days?

Oh well. WWDD? Enjoy. OGQ.

Let's talk about food.

This quick liitle post is for Carl in Florida. He said I like to talk about food. True so here's a Bella pizza just for you. Here's to a speedy recovery for you too.

You can ring my bell, You can my bell.

This is the bell for winning the States. Equally as cool as the plates we had for my race. It's pretty cool how the cat's ball of string looks like a bike. Enjoy OGQ

A couple SS pics. I'll have to get a better pic of the bell too. It's clever.

OGQ

Henry's team Ignore the WW kit. I only have one skinsuit and wanted all dry clothes for the second race.

I got some good comments on the Henrys kit on the run " Dude, I love the blue with the pink helmet" Or go "Orange bike guy. Where's Henrys from? " Delaware! Delaware???

Just like the Fred Eaglesmith song the I keep rolling along.
This weekend was the NYS Cyclocross Championships. Drove up the night before to check out the course. It was basically a road course with mud thrown in and then the "fitness trail" which was 6-8 inches of mud and would chips. Rideable but faster to run. Were the ground was harder you couldn't rest because it was only place you could go fast. There were two steep run-ups of 150-175 meters. No techincal skills were needed. A strong road rider could have hung on and stumbled through the mud. The course promoter did the best he could with all the constrictions the park put on him. Everything else was superbly run,except the usual USCF bumbling with results.
They ran all the masters together 35/45/55. No staging just get in. We had some horsepower there. Norba champ Scott Wade, former Elite mens champ Jan Wiejak, some road pro and Andy Ruiz. Andy tore the start up. I sttled in to the first group,but couldn't hold that pace. I knew one 45 got up there and the diesel wasn't fully warmed yet. So kept it below redline and focused on the guy ahead. With three to go I had brought back the 45+ guy. I was faster in the skatey sections so caught and passed him there. Then attacked hard. Put my head down and caught another guy. Now everyman was the enemy. A Joe's garage tagged onto me and sat on,then out sprinted me to the finish. I can't sprint so save my life. But he was in the 35+. I thought I was at least top ten overall. Went back and changed, ate a bit to recover for the SS race. Went back over to watch. Results took forever. Then I saw them. 1st in the 45+ 13th overall.
I'd put 25 seconds on second. I was pumped. Time for the Open SS race .
A couple Elite men doubled and most of us had already raced. The promoter was riding a sweet Viscious Cycles disc braked SS cross rig. He tore it up. I settled in 4th dogging third then got him on the run up. Then it was maintain. First and second were gone. So for my efforts I got two medals a championship jersey and cool cowbell painted by the HS kids.
There was a ton of chili and a local micro beer. But that was all gone by the time the SS race was done. In the nd I was ahappy man. I repeated as 45+ Champ. The NY Kross Kontingent from Central Ny did well with quite a few podium spots.
The legs are whipped and it will two days of recovery maybe three as today I have to be a pall bearer for a friends Mom. He's going through some rough times and this was a hit to him. So my wobbly legs and sore joints are nothing.
The Pa. State Championships are a C race for me. Just keep racing and keep the form. This is a rest week then build for Nats.
I like trains, I like faaaast trains. See you in Pa.OGQ

So this time all three. Hmmm?

Anyways I'm still on the high of the win. Looking forward to States.

Well two out of three is better than none. Sorry theone is a bit grainy.

I'll try a few more.Now on the beta program.

I'm not a Gambling Man, But........Today was the series final. The first Dave Panella Memorial Cross in memeory of Dave who left us one this day one year ago. Now last year on this weekend. I gambled it all in Warsaw and came out on top.
Firts in series, Masters 40+ State Champ, and the omnium champ. I even got to point to the sky ala Lance at the finish.
So this weekend was special. I was 5th in the points coming into this race. Being course designer gave me the home field advantage. This would mean I would need a top three start and have to lead into the lawn mower section to get a gap. I spun at the start trying so hard. Hit the first turn in second with my nemesis right in fron of me. I dspatched him in the next turn and jammed the zigzags,then turned it up for the mower section. Now in the wet is where the gambling came into play.
Two wheel drifts and some creative lines let me open a gap on the field. Glenn Sawn joined me soon in the open before the spiral. We worked together to the "Choice" he said you go right I'll go left. My measuring worked out we came out the same. The decided the downhill was faster and took it every lap. We each had sections that we were faster in. Glen said I scared him in the mower section. But he was better in the power section by the pond. I had him on the run ups due to longer legs. Our gap continued to open. Cowbells clanging. The Kingdom of Kross cheeering us on. It came down to a lap to go.
We pored it on up the road dead even into the zigzags I had a wheel and held it. The win vaulted me into third in the series.
Warming up on the SS rig It hit the pavement.
Again local knowledge paid off as Mike K took the holeshot and lead through the mower section. I was top ten and decided freezing and nothing in the tank wasn't good and retired to watch.
The amount of food was amazing. Six kinds of chili. Cornbread. Homemade sourdough bread. PB and J, Belgian beers.
Racers were well fed and happy. It was cool to see spectators walking around with bowls of chili on that fine Belgian day. Cheering ,clanging their bells and eating.
Awards were well recieved. Money, Hats, Road Id gifts and homemade trophies.
I know Dave was smiling. I sure was.
I just want to celebrate.
States are next.
OGQ

Raiders of the Lost Ark. The calm before the storm.

The NY KROSS Contingent worked hard on friday to make a terrifyiong course for the NYS Series final. New choices await the riders tomorrow.
First the "Rhythm section" 6" pvc pipes laid at angles,ridable or run? Next up is the the "Choice" a zig zag or a loop,equidistant. But? The the largest spiral ever. Round an round they go. It's raining now. So it's going to be a Belgian day tomorrow. I'll be digging into that vegan spicy chili I made for sure. Along with a tasty Belgian Ale.

Who will take home the coveted NY Kross Kup?

And you'll take Jack my dog.

Here's to you D.

I'm not a Slacker. I'm just busy.
So now it's up to me an the NY KX Kontingent to make the Series happen. Sunday ,we did!
We laid out a new course with the
Endless Spiral (Thanks Kelly) ,The Prayer a section of barriers that offered an option to the riders and The Wall of Death was extended. We also used areas of the yard we never have making our longest course yet.
The race had the highest turnout of riders yet. 60 We even had a road pro Cory Burns. He rocked the course faster than ever. Making the steep hill, that most walked, look like it wasn't even there. See a video of the spiral at http://spokepost.com/ . Our little race also made Velonews and Cyclingnews.com.
Riders got a bit of swag from Finish Line. Thanks Stephane. Wegmans gave us some cash for food to feed the horde. But it was the plates by the second graders that were most coveted.
Road ID supplied numbers and gift certificates. Thanks everyone who helped or raced. Overall our best race yet.

Next up is the Dave Panella Memorial. Dave left us last year on 11/13/06. But we know he's watching and stoked about a race in his name. http://web.mac.com/steve.edgar/iWeb/Cross/DavePenella.html
We're trying hard to make a very spectator friendly course. 90% will be able to be seen. As this is a race on DRIVING RANGE! The spirals, the prayer and the rhythm section will be viewed with love or hate by the riders. Cool prizes. A chili cook off to feed the exhausted riders. Homemade bread. Cd's from Dirt Farm. Cowbells from the Patriots. NY Cross Contingent hats for the riders.
We'll see if Pierre can hang onto the series lead. Myself with a good ride I could move into 3rd in the series after skipping a race. Then I'll saddle up the SS cx rig for open men and see how the one gear queer does on that with back to back races.
See you there. OGQ
Pic of Cory who won the last race.

I need a day like this.
Hang out look out the window.Oh what's that? Not a care in the world.
Work is nuts this week. Last night was the Halloween dance. Some kid beat up his girlfriend. Great, Like father like son? Then they had drunk kids there.
Today was bag check. Gee, some kid has weed in her bag,18 years old ,you're going down . Yeah. First offense.
Game over next time you're caught. Then the "wifebeater" shows up drunk at school. This is 8am. Man you don't even work third shift. Oh and let's not forget the note in the bathroom. Something bad is going to happen at noon. I'm getting too old for all this stupidity.
On a brighter not Bike build had two cool scoots one with a Vincent motor(85K for the motor alone) the other with a BRC. Very cool bikes.

Final Kross praktice pics. What a day.

We had two more nice days here so I hit the road for intervals and hill repeats.OUCH!

Trying to get ready for the race this weekend. It's tough promoting and racing. But cross is the best.