05.05.06 - 4 dayz of daziness

hey folks - back from my go live client in cinci. things were hectic, we did some remote training today via a net meeting and will do so again monday and tuesday.

this internet, cell phone, lap top stuff is crazy when you think about it - you can work all day if you want to from any where in the world.

or..

you can stop and go ride your bike.

like tomorrow. another crazy fast criterium at the local venue near kent ohio. sure to be fun... and hopefully not dangerous.

last week, i did my classic attack off the front at the start of the race. two laps and a half laps later, they chase me down. at least i lasted a half lap more - tomorrow, will i get three? hmmmm. about 8 laps to go, a little group escapes. they are within reach, about 5 seconds up on us. then it happened.

going into the last turn, there is a slight "s" turn. imagine starting at the bottom of the s, making your way through the slight turns at around 25'ish miles an hour. at the end of the s, you make a super hard 90 degree slightly off camber turn that can fit a max of two riders (and only when you tell the outside rider "inside" because the turn is so sharp that the rider often can't see you).

i come into the corner fast, tell the outside rider "inside" to let him know i am there, and at the split second before we hit the corner i see a rider coming up between us. we are going well over 25mph, and all i can think is that he is going to take somebody out but it probably won't be me because i am on the inside.

i feel his hand brush my hip. i hear his front skewer hit the spokes on my rear wheel. i hear him skid. i hear his tire pop. i hear bikes crashing.

i come out of the corner OK, and turn around to see the carnage of 3 riders crashed and about 10-15 riders held up behind them. luckily, all riders we not seriously hurt, but man, that was close.

so with that, just a shout out to race safe this weekend.

in other news - NORBA nationals to switch venues but not dates? hmmm.... shall we pray for snowshoe, oh yes... maybe seven springs? yes, that too... how about a switch to the east coast?

and don't know if i gave a shout out to nat ross last week or not - he must of had wings at the first granny gear of the year as he beat second place by a crazy margin of something like 6 laps. he could of quit riding at 18 hours and still won.

with that - gotta run.

sologoat out.