Jay Richards

Friday we drove down to the cities to spend the weekend at Jonell's sisters place in Eagan. Bill Franken was there when we arrived with Jake's friend Shea and they took Jake down to Rochester so they could hang out, tear it up at the bike and skate park in Chester and did the mtb race in Red Wing today. Saturday we watched the nephews play soccer and hockey. I can now cross off the Wakota rink in So St. Paul as another rink I have been in, either played or watch. One of my ambitions in life is to visit as many hockey arenas as possible in the state of MN. The Wakota rink was nice. I like the electric zambonis (0 emissions) and the photos of all the Packers that have gone on to play college, pro etc. Of course, Phil Housely was a Packer and the Woog family is So St Paul material so some good history in that rink. Anyways, we caught Garrett's soccer game. I told uncle TJ that if everyone was dressed in white, I bet the snow geese would of been setting their wings. The only problem it was 90 degrees. Yikes.

I was going to hook up with the O Bros and Brendan Moore for a rideSat am but with rain Fri night and early Sat morning, we called it off which was a big bummer since I was really looking foward to riding with those guys and checking out a new trail. Instead I rode in the greater Rosemount area, finding a nice rolling gravel road. Was a good spin to open the legs up a bit since I was planning on racing at Rebecca. Sat night Uncle TJ, Grant, Jon and I caught the Wild game. An exciting game. I like the player the Wild acquired during the summer, Belanger. He is focused, skates hard with nice long strides and has a good reach, solid hands. I think he will do nice things for the club this year. He scored the tying goal and was the #1 star on the night.


Sunday Jon and I went up to Rebecca Park to do the CX race. Jon did the C race with the Fuel. He had fun, good workout and got to hang out with the Lars and the Wenzel boys during my race.
I didn't race smart and started out way to fast, riding with the front group but thats how it played out and it was fun. I fell back about 5-6 spots until I ended up riding with a group that ended out to be Justin Reinhart, Jason Wenk, Kent Throlson and some other guy. I had fun on the turns in the lap area making attacks but nothing stuck of course. ON the last lap Kent and I got a gap and we worked together. I've ridden with Kent over the years when he used to live in Fargo at Rollag and a couple times at the practice cx at Red River. He is super strong and smart rider. I think he won A2 last year and he is on course to do the same this year. I was shooting for a top 10 but just missed it coming in 11th or 12th and was the second A3 so overall happy on the day. Fun day, nice to visit with all the mountain bikers and what not. Sam came up from Red Wing after racing earlier in the day and just missed the start so he cheered on Eric and I.
Jack went to Jack Johnsons b-day party and the Science Museum and had a blast. Jake rode the Sport race and ended up doing the expert/comp loop each time as the marshalls couldn't tell the riders apart but he said that was fine since he got to do extra singletrack. Before driving straight home, we stopped at Market bbq in Tonka and Jack cleaned out the place on toast. We hit some rain on the way home and Jack couldn't sleep like others. But I wouldn't sleep either if I had Jake and Jon's feet in my face!! When we got home it was 49. Thats 35 degrees cooler then when we left MPLS. Crazy. I shouldn't of drank the coffee on the way home, I'll never fall asleep tonight. I drove almost 400miles today. Shoot, thats halfway to West Yellowstone!