What's this white stuff falling on my head?
Fighting through the rear ranks of the field is tough with these guys.
This was a "run up". I figured that out the hard way, after losing several positions I had fought hard for on the first lap.
Ok this white stuff is starting to stick to the course...this could get interesting...
Dirk and I both used this tactic a little more than others I think.
Cori comes to my rescue and we start trading pulls against the pack of wolves behind us.
Case of the "Dave red shins" and ice buildup after one of the races on my leg.
Derailleurs work better without application of mud and ice.
No Shifting up here either.
By the start of the single speed race it was beginning to look a lot like Christmas.
Andy attacks and Todd and I try to hang on.
My ride becomes the solo survival on the ice sheets and snow of death.
I swore my bike was getting heavier...and it was.
This weather was meant for single speeds.
A lonely bike in the pits.
Icicles forming throughout the day.
Snow pack by race end was impressive and lots of fun.
More shots of the course.
Race Report-
While I love CX, once in a while there comes a race that is special and will sit in memory for a long time. This weekend was one of those. The conditions were already set to be epic, with brutal cold in the morning (16 deg) and course that had an interesting mix of ice and mud. Grown men were rendered crawling invertebrates on icy corners that were not given heed. Periodic sun melted frozen dirt and mud and then refroze when the clouds came around. Around the time the pro race started the temperature began to drop again and a few flurries started to fall. What ensued was some of the most intense cross conditions I’ve encountered in quite some time. The course morphed from semi slick mud and ice slurry to a full on slushy with the first snowflakes. I started the P1/2 race in the caboose region and soon by what I deemed sheer luck people began to fall. They we dropping like flies, the snow that was slushy for the first few laps was now being packed ever more and becoming sheets of ice. Corners were reduced to glorified ice skating rinks and people were flailing about (myself included) frustrated at the limited purchase and little comfort offered by their tires. By the end of the race I started fading a lot but Mr. Rimmer stormed up to my aid and trading off pulls one another we defended our positions till the end of the race.
Then came the single speed race…By now the full force of the white tempest was upon us. Glasses were useless and my helmet visor afforded the only protection for my face. Now I know why those CX nuts in Belgium wear those goofy damn hats all the time in the mud and snow. Andy and Todd shot off the front and with my hands wet and half frozen in my gloves I struggled to hold on to the initial attacks. By the second lap I had somehow worked my way to the front but we were all very aware of the mounting tension in the front. As we crossed the line starting the third lap Todd shot off and never looked back. Andy and I chased but were soon dropped as I think the Pro 1/2 race had taken all we had out of us. Andy then proceeded to drop me on the final lap and I spent the remainder of that last lap in crisis mode, but also having the time of my life. With a good stretch of land between me and next guy I tried a few sides through some corners and felt out some good handling characteristics of my tires in snow pack. While winters in TN are mostly rainy rather than snowy, if we get some more I’ll feel a bit more confident with my handling ability on it. I was having so much fun at the end of the single speed race I really did want it to go no for another few laps but all good things must come to end I suppose. So for now I’ve still got the slightest of leads in the single speed points series and going into the last race I find myself grappling with the decision to abandon the Pro 1/2 and concentrate on the single speed riding to finish strong or to continue my duel race format which I think is helping my overall cross fitness out considerably.
Props to all the Knox peeps that represented this weekend. JM had a great single speed race absolutely crushing all that lay in his path, Cori crushed me and the Gregs looked strong as well. Abby crept a little up on her competition in the points series and my mom fortified hers with another strong finish. It took some tough skin to come out on such a cold day but in the end it was a great race.
While I love CX, once in a while there comes a race that is special and will sit in memory for a long time. This weekend was one of those. The conditions were already set to be epic, with brutal cold in the morning (16 deg) and course that had an interesting mix of ice and mud. Grown men were rendered crawling invertebrates on icy corners that were not given heed. Periodic sun melted frozen dirt and mud and then refroze when the clouds came around. Around the time the pro race started the temperature began to drop again and a few flurries started to fall. What ensued was some of the most intense cross conditions I’ve encountered in quite some time. The course morphed from semi slick mud and ice slurry to a full on slushy with the first snowflakes. I started the P1/2 race in the caboose region and soon by what I deemed sheer luck people began to fall. They we dropping like flies, the snow that was slushy for the first few laps was now being packed ever more and becoming sheets of ice. Corners were reduced to glorified ice skating rinks and people were flailing about (myself included) frustrated at the limited purchase and little comfort offered by their tires. By the end of the race I started fading a lot but Mr. Rimmer stormed up to my aid and trading off pulls one another we defended our positions till the end of the race.
Then came the single speed race…By now the full force of the white tempest was upon us. Glasses were useless and my helmet visor afforded the only protection for my face. Now I know why those CX nuts in Belgium wear those goofy damn hats all the time in the mud and snow. Andy and Todd shot off the front and with my hands wet and half frozen in my gloves I struggled to hold on to the initial attacks. By the second lap I had somehow worked my way to the front but we were all very aware of the mounting tension in the front. As we crossed the line starting the third lap Todd shot off and never looked back. Andy and I chased but were soon dropped as I think the Pro 1/2 race had taken all we had out of us. Andy then proceeded to drop me on the final lap and I spent the remainder of that last lap in crisis mode, but also having the time of my life. With a good stretch of land between me and next guy I tried a few sides through some corners and felt out some good handling characteristics of my tires in snow pack. While winters in TN are mostly rainy rather than snowy, if we get some more I’ll feel a bit more confident with my handling ability on it. I was having so much fun at the end of the single speed race I really did want it to go no for another few laps but all good things must come to end I suppose. So for now I’ve still got the slightest of leads in the single speed points series and going into the last race I find myself grappling with the decision to abandon the Pro 1/2 and concentrate on the single speed riding to finish strong or to continue my duel race format which I think is helping my overall cross fitness out considerably.
Props to all the Knox peeps that represented this weekend. JM had a great single speed race absolutely crushing all that lay in his path, Cori crushed me and the Gregs looked strong as well. Abby crept a little up on her competition in the points series and my mom fortified hers with another strong finish. It took some tough skin to come out on such a cold day but in the end it was a great race.
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Check the blog for Decem-Beard pictures.
Makes me sad I missed it...
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