are a few pics of how to enjoy this weekend's weather on a bike.
http://www.pbase.com/dens/granogue09
http://www.mlkimages.com/2009-Sports/Granogue-Cyclocross-2009
http://www.mlkimages.com/2009-Sports/Granogue-Cyclocross-2009
For those of you not familiar with the cross scene, Granogue and Wissahickon make up the King and Queen of the Mid-Atlantic Cross series races. Now the two longest standing venues in the MAC, after the Gloucester, MA USGP races, these are the two hottest cross races
on the east coast. The backdrop for Granogue is the Du Pont estate in Montchanin, DE. The Du Pont family graciously allows knuckleheads like us to come out and completely destroy their estate grounds once a year, twice if you also count the mountain bike race there but that
course doesn't tear around the gardens on nicely manicured grass.
Granogue - This wasn't so much a bike race as much as it was a running/ walking/trying to just stay upright race. I think Adam Myerson summed it up when he attributed his success of the day to "not crashing and not pedaling". A new course with a new treacherous run up to the
tower and a second that was ankle deep mud the consistency of peanut butter. My weekend didn't start well when I severely tweaked my lower back loading the EZ-Up into my buddy's car through the side door. Next time we'll go the extra step of taking the bikes off of the rack
to load it in through the hatch.
Yanni represented in the always strong Men's 2/3/4 B race while I was in the Elite Master's. For racing an hour apart we both suffered the same fate, mechanical.
I think Yanni was the same as me, a sheared off rear derailleur. Mine was actually the derailleur hanger, and as luck or really misfortune should have it, earlier in the week I had ordered two replacement hangers as back ups but didn't realize the wife didn't check the mail Friday. Saturday after I tell her what happened says, "oh BTW, your thingies were in the mail." Fantastic. I also think the DA rear derailleur is blown as well as it got sucked through the wheel.
Wissahickon - the Noreaster that was pounding us all week and into Saturday finally let up over night but the damage was done. The relatively flat course at the equestrian center in Ludwig's Corner north west of Philly is usually super fast but was more like an ice rink by Sunday. Once again Yanni was in the 2/3/4 field and pulled off a nice top 10 performance, either 8 or 9th I think. I should have cut bait when I had the chance and sat this one out but decide to try
and make up for the day before but the back was having none of this course. I was so far back and mentally blown I decide to just listen to Joe Jefferson announce.
The hard part now is pulling myself to go out to the garage and survey the carnage that is two mud encrusted 'cross bikes and think about having to rebuild them for Sunday's DCCX race, which if you've never watched 'cross is another close race down in DC that is very spectator
friendly. Free beer courtesy of Sonoma's and Belgian waffles courtesy of the Belgian embassy!
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