Ore to Shore

Scott, Kiera and I headed for Marquette, MI early friday morning in order to do a short preride. The course was unbelievably dry and sandy in the last 7 miles. Luckily, we got to eat dinner with the Eppens. It was good to catch up as we hadn't seen them since last year at this race. We were a bit unprepared (all the hotels were booked) and finally found somewhere to stay (Thank You Amy and Lyle, along with Steve Ferguson). We had wonderful hosts and it was nice getting to know them both.

I didn't sleep much the night before the race and Kiera needed to share our bed for some reason. (Atypical behavior for her as she takes up so much space in bed that it is best for her to sleep alone). By morning all three of us were laying perpedicular to the normal way one would sleep in bed, with Scott getting the left over space.

I got a good start, but then got chain suck from a bad shift (and later finding out) that I twisted my front deraileur. My chain made a horrendous noise from about 3 miles in every time I was in my big ring (which is most of the race). Scott later said that I had a significant amount of added resistance with each pedalstroke. I started feeling a bit better than at the start with about 35 miles to go and got into a nice group of other riders. Somehow we managed to almost bridge up to the next group, which Jenna was in and I got within 10 seconds of her at the halfway point. I wasn't sure how hard I could push, so I tried to settle in but I kept getting slower. I finally lost my group, then got passed by the woman that got second with about 7 miles to go. I ended up third, which is still a great result. I learned a lot from the race and was encouraged by getting so close to Jenna, but discouraged I lost so much time in the last half of the race. Scott did a great job of doing race handups while watching three kids (Kiera and the Raymond boys that Kiera loves to hang out with). Kiera was really good during the race, but came unglued later on in the afternoon while eating a late lunch with the Raymonds, as it was hot, she hadn't eaten much all, and missed her nap. We decided to leave before awards as Kiera finally fell asleep in the car and it was too hot to have her sleep without the AC on.

Next weekend is the second Minnesota Series race in Duluth, The Great Hawk Chase. This is a fantastic course because it is chalk full of smooth, fast, easy to ride singletrack. See you there?



BORDER BATTLE

A bit of a late post. Scott ended up 12th after finishing a lap early and having to return to the course to complete the final lap, losing a few spots as a result. The heat index that day was 104 and it felt like every bit of it! I got a great start, but then after a panic tire change before the start due to the wet condition of the course, got a flat about a mile into the first lap. I walked back to the car, finally got my front flat tire off, replaced it with my dry tire and stan's and went to seek out a CO2 in order to air it up (pump didn't work, big air didn't work, etc). Eddie from the LCR team was nice enough to offer his CO2 and after two cartriges, got the bead to seal. I went back to the course and started my four laps. The lead women had already completed roughtly two laps so I knew I was way out of the race. But, I paid my money and the race course is really fun! I would go race pace when I felt like it and back off when I felt like it to get a harder ride in. I really enjoyed the course, just disappointed I wasn't able to really race.