First really muddy race of the CX season!

This past Saturday it rained hard, like, all day long. It was a crazy storm, which forecast a really muddy racing Sunday. Which it was. But before we get to that point in the story...

with 40minutes to go, I'm out on the race course, warming up, when I roll my rear tubular. $#@&! Now what? Lucky for me, FSA graciously provides race-support services at no cost. So I mosey on over to their van, and one of the FSA mechanics offers to let me borrow a wheel, and then works his magic to set my brakes, and rear derailleur to match this new wheel. 20minutes to go. Thanks FSA, for pimpin' my ri.... er... wait a sec... So the neutral support wheel has pretty much no knobs, and I am 100.0% certain I will wipe out on the first mud section I hit with it. I  am fortunate to find my good friend Jesse, who is borrowing a pair of my wheels, and without hesitation offers to give it back, as he borrows one of his team's wheels. 10minutes to go.  Thanks Jesse, for pimpin' my... oh crap... I have to readjust brakes and derailleur for this wheel. I get to work behind my van with Teddy's help. 5minutes to go. Teddy has to go line up for his race, which starts 1min after mine. I am fiddling with hex keys madly until I kinda get everything right, and scramble to the start. "1minute to go!," says the starter, as I get there. I jump over the fence, wiggle my way at the front line, say hello to my buddies lined up next to me, who were wondering WTH I was... I have just enough time to tighten my shoes, and realize I left my glasses in the car.

Photo courtesy of Woodinville Bicycle

Got up to 3rd, and then fell down numerous times to finish 14th... oh well, it was a muddy good time, followed by some beer drinking and camaraderie...