Uncharted territory....

So the CX season started in sunny California...and I do mean SUNNY. CX is about the cold, rain and mud even some snow. Sunday at Del Paso Park, circa 98 degrees....whatever! Not sure I believe it was that hot, but when its CX, unless its CACX, should you really have to worry about dust!?!?

Marja went off first in the Women's A race and started slower than she hoped, but holy cow she came back with a vengence!! She dropped her main rival from last year and with one lap to go caught the first chase group of three...unfortunately that group had two tag-a-longs riding Lizzy's wheel for the previous 3 laps and when the two gals went Marja went with them and tried her hardest to pull Lizzy through with her, but Lizzy was spent - road tactics, whatever! Anyway...

Marja ended up 4th in the A's....keep in mind she raced a BRUTAL XC course up in Chico the day before, oh yeah and the Super D as well. I am jealous!

Scott and I went next....as I expected I was the only schmoo on a single speed racing A's, and the course was flat and smooth with a bunch more flat and smooth sections. I was in the main pack through lap 3 but once we hit the long flat straight-away after the grass on that lap I quickly spun-out and killed myself trying to spin like mad to keep up....I only made it 3 more laps until I rode off the course completely done....pathetic, I know.

Two weeks ago I raced the Tahoe Sierra and felt great that week right after it and probably rode way too much and too hard, and on Sunday I paid for it. My body opened its own can-o-whip-ass on myself...tough to swallow. I slept for a few hours after the race. Maybe I should have listened to my legs last Wed and Friday on my CX bike on some long rides where I just felt BLAH.... oh well, nothing like a little smack in the face to remind me I am old and need to recover!!

So after that long lead in, here's the kicker.... I wanna play with the big boys in the A's... I did okay last year on my SS, I mainly did it to race 60 minutes instead of the 45 for the SS class. I think its time to step it up...and that means trying to figure out how to ride a geared CX bike...yeah I said it! I may take baby steps and start with a 1x9, so only one derailleur to start with...or I might go crazy and get a front derailleur too....who knows.

Thats my next adventure, if only I remember to shift once I have them!!

There's my week! Now the REALLY COOL adventures from the previous week were with the kids:

1. Annika now can pull off a roundoff-back-handspring solo. Not bad for my little 5yr old gymnastic stud! She has been working hard at it with her coach at practice and then at open gym Saturday, she nailed it!
2. Cam's actually playing soccer....meaning he and his team are passing and moving the ball around the field, its too cool. They even almost scored off Cameron's corner kick, Logan was a few inches from heading it in. No more bunch ball!!! Of course it leads to really lopsided scores now that our team has "figured the game out", but its still great to watch.

This weekend we drive to Parkfield (BFE northeast of SLO) for race #2 in the WCCC collegiate race schedule. Marja and UCDavis are hoping to have another great performance, last week was 3 of the top 4 I believe. Marja hopes to be on her new hardtail. Then after hanging out with the folks in P-town, we may head into the Bay for the opening of the CX series out there on Sunday...

Stay tuned....