Even though I was in the clear to sneak out and head up to MB Johson for the MN cross opener put on by the fine folks at Great Plains Cycling , I was real close to bagging it because I was running around with my head cut off trying to tie up loose ends here at the lodge and get Jack packed for his hunting trip with Grandpa to Canada. (No calls from border patrol so they must of made it across okay). I took Jens along and we made it there with a half hour to get ready. Jens napped on the way over so when we got there it took some hand holding and cuddling before he set up camp with the rest of the Wenzel fam, Steve, Kriston and Benny. Thanks guys for watching him! With only about 1 hour of total ride time this past week, I had no expectations for the race other than I wanted to try and stay with the front group as long as I could, ride as hard as possible and was hoping for super muddy conditions to add to the fun. Adam Bergman was there and on the second lap he pulled away and smoked us all like he was riding on.......Anyways, Dan Swanson Pat Lemieux John Stuchinski, Kent Throlson and I grouped together and rode the rest of the race together P-cakes was making some attacks early on and it was just like Rollag when he said "jump on" but nothing really became of it. When we hit the road section there was some cat and mouse going on and I just wanted to ride steady so I went to the front. Dan went to the front a couple of times and on one of the corners I just about took his rear wheel out sending him to the Red River for a fly fishing trip so I decided the rest of the race I would try to be in the front on those singletrack turns since I could go through there a bit faster since I was on the mountain bike, the Fuel no less mind you. Speaking of the Fuel, the rear cassette had some issues and it sounded like I was crunching rocks at the local gravel pit.
Anyways, I can't remember but the last 4 laps maybe less I was at the front the whole time riding pretty hard trying to grind things down. I thought for sure Dan and P-cakes were going to attack all out the last two laps or something since they were much stronger but nothing happened. So when we hit the final road section, things opened up as I expected and there wasn't much I could do except watch Dan pull away to hold everyone off for second, and Pat just hold off Struchi for second. But that is unofficial since I didn't see results and didn't talk to them about it since I had to get back here to help with supper and what not. All in all I had a great time and really enjoy the cross thing. Mar Laliberte was there snapping photos like she was holding a ak and are getting posted now.
I don't see myself doing any other races this year. Possibly the state champs and if we get the nod for a UCI race, I might go to the fall Cross Country Ski Areas convention at Great Glen Trails in New Hampshire and than attend a UCI race the following weekend somewhere on the east coast (hopefully catch Doug and Tristan) to see how they run their show, you know what I mean.
Jake gave me the run down on his race. He said there was a crash early on and he told Jon to punch it so they got a small gap and built on it during the race. Near the end Jake made a move and held off John to take his second win of the year. Nice way to end the season. He'll keep riding until the snow flies, mainly hitting the jumps and what not and hopefully we are skiing mid November! I was bummed to miss the fun in the mud down there but just was not possible to leave Fri night and be gone this morning. I haven't done a ride over 1 hour since the Monday before Cheq. with Jonell so my fitness was probably down but whatever.
Date night tomorrow night. I asked Jonell what she wanted to do and she said her legs were itching to ride so will haul the tandem over to Rollag and ride on some the beautiful rolling hills through the countryside around there before. Saw Larry at the race. Good to talk to him.
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