Jay Richards

Thursday after the kids got home from school we did some final packing before heading east to Hayward. My mom stayed with Jack and Jens at our house that night (thanks Mom) and my Dad and Deb the cook covered the weekend at the resort. Jack and Jens would go to school Friday morning and get picked up by Jonell's parents (thanks Rod and Judy) so they could down and do the "PKD walk", a walk to raise money for the PKD foundation. with the aunts, uncles and cousins. Jonell, her brother and sister all have polycystic kidneys. Photo after the walk.




We stopped at Park Rapids on the way over to drop off the kid's bags at Jonell's parents after filling our tummies with German food at the Schwardzvald house. Lars and his dad stuccoed the owners house. At first I thought Lars said "he stuck his house" like he jumped over it or something. Anyways, we visited with Jonell's parents while a compactor was packing down class five. It was like Paul Bunyan walked by, dropping some tokens into the house vibrator because the whole house was a shakin'. We finally got on the road and rolled into Duluth at midnight and crashed there for the night. Friday we made our way over to Cable etc. and rode the first five miles and came back. We ate at the the Brick house cafe and thought we were the last ones until Jonathon Page and his family came in right before closing. I am not sure if Page ate the same thing as Jake. Saturday we made our way to the Short start after dropping off Lars at the 40 start. Got a pretty good warm up in and Jake hopped on the tandem with me to finish off the warm up after he set his bike up. The start was a lot slower this year but then again, we didn't blast out to the front like last year. There was a nasty crash just in front of us that thankfully we avoided and thankfully no one was hurt, according to Tom Gaier on Sunday. We watched Jake ride away, sticking behind John Ohman nicely. After that we didn't know what was going on. Jake would eventually ride away with Aristotle Peters near the end and Jake attacked the last few hills to solo in. (He will have a full report on the Wed skinnyski report). I knew Jake had a outside chance of winning but thought if all went well, mechanical wise, a top 5 finish was more realistic. With Jr riders Luke Baker, Michael McBurney, Peters, Jack Hinkens and last years winner Mitch Gantz battling it out, anyone of those guys I would say could take the win. Even Trent Warner could be a factor. He has been coming on late and the season and these JR riders you never know what they will pull out the bag. Jake had Gantz marked for sure but I said be ready for any rider to blast away. Luke is super strong on the fire/forest/gravel/ski road stuff. He reminds me of the twin towers, Ryan Trebron and Barry Wicks. Anyways, super exciting race. As mentioned in other post, we had timing chain problems and before the last chain mishap, we had almost caught up to the third placed tandem but didn't feel right chasing down a dad with his 14 year old daughter and we were very content just to make it to the finish line and take in the atmosphere. Jon got a ride with Tom and Lori Warner (thanks folks) to watch the finish. After the race, we went back to our cabin, ate and chilled out. We were going to stop at Sawmill Salon for a burger or pizza but it was packed so we went up to the awards. After awards we went back to Sawmill and had that pizza. Jake and I took on Jon and Lars in pool. Jon and Lars won both times. Sea Hag was rocking the house and Jonell and I exposed our two oldest children to live garage band type music. Any live music is good music imo, for the most part!! Not seeing any other kids we figured it was time to go home. Sunday was Funday.





We missed the cut off and didn't get registered for the tandem crit for Jake and I or singlespeed crit which Lars was going to do. Jake won his age class and Lars had a intense race with Jesrin Gaier and Cole House to finish second. I won my age group as well. There weren't very many riders. I remember back in the day there would be heats for the age class, like three heats before a age class final. Tons of riders. I think the entire field on Sunday was similar to some of the age classes back in the 90's. Still some great racing though.

In the final, a group of five of us were together. Lars, myself, Cole House, Jesrin Gaier and Blair Saunders. Jake was in the final as well and battling with the second group of Peters, Fowler, Gantz, Rybar and Taylor.


Cole was really attacking hard in the corners which was awesome. Tight racing. With a lap and a half to go I was feeling really good and ready to attack at the end of the fifth lap of the sixth lap race. I knew Lars was ready to fire up the eight and final cylinder as well and was ready for an exciting last lap. Jesrin put in an intense effort on the climb before the finish line before the final lap and got a small gap but Cole, Lars and I were ready to chase it down...but it wouldn't be. When we crossed the line, Jesrin threw up his arms and the race was done. There was a miscommunication between the timers and announcer and that was it. Bummer, so it goes.
Lars and Jesrin battled in the hill climb and Lars won that. Jake did the obstacle/limbo course and won the limbo I guess.



Somehow I ripped my shorts. Must of been on a stake. Just want to make sure that is clear. It was not at one of the establishements between Duluth and Osage. See below.



I cannot confirm if the owners really had gas but next time you see Jon or Lars, ask about Jake. Jonell and I were on ventillation control the way home. Yikes....Sawmill Stink bombs.
K and T's in Osage!!

After we got home, cranked up the sauna and Jake, Lars and I got cooked nicely then jumped in the chilly waters of Little Sugarbush. The lake was glass, full moon, and fog rising off the water made for a most refreshing swim, capping off another fun weekend of racing.