Off To The Races!

  I take myself as seriously as the average 'Merican takes any and all warning labels: they are to be mocked, criticized, peeled off, and stuck to the next nearest surface that said label will stick.  I like me, it's just more amusing to be self-deprecating and highlight the ridiculous nature of [my] life and everything else in the near vicinity.  Thanks to this twisted view of things, I am not bothered by trivial instances like, let's say, almost finishing DFL at the first race of the season.  In fact, if I'm honest, I am quite pleased with how things went.  Granted, the time score shows what might be read as a god-awful, sad, uncompetitive result...that's not incorrect, I'm just saying that, those numbers aside, it was a great weekend.
  It's about having fun, and my run was fun.  A couple folks were even kind enough to praise the speed at which I rode the section where they were spectating - a couple moments of brilliance is more than I can ask for considering I spent six months living on Hoth in the Adirondacks trying to not succumb to the cold like Jack in The Shining.  Despite my time score indication that I may or may not have tried to ride down the course in reverse, I hit my lines, caught some air, and didn't crash - the latter of the trio being the most important of the lot; getting down is Step 1, going competitively quick is Step 2.

C: Ryan Benton 

  I'm not out to prove anything to anyone but myself.  This sport is very self-centered, in the sense that it is about how well I perform, and that's that.  If I feel I've done well, then that's good enough!  If I didn't finish well, that just means I have to try harder next time.  Simple stuff, no bitchin'.  In spite of my personality and energy levels, when it comes to this race season, I'm trying out the "slow burn" technique: give myself some time to warm into things, and then really turn up the heat.  This is slightly problematic for the opening races of '14 though, as they are legitimately mini WC races, with 15-ish dudes who have put their Int'l UCI license to actual use, not just wasting $175 to have "ELITE" on their USAC license like I have so far done since '09.  BUT, that has created a goal to aim for on my "To Do List" (in due time).
  All in all, it was a stupendous weekend of mud and rain, and then sun and dirt.  Hanging out with all the my summer friends, and getting to see some of my former competition sporting much fancier digs and hard-earned accolades.  The community of dirty people on sprung bikes is where many of favorite memories were fostered and they continue to provide endless hilarity and entertainment.  New friends were made/initiated, old friends reacquainted/reunited, and at the end of it all, we left with smiles knowing we'll get to do it all again in five days time.  See ya at the next one! 

The Final Countdown

  This up-coming weekend is the first race of the year, and I already have butterflies.  It's been a long winter, and with the weather finally feeling like Spring-come-Summer, the anticipation is only heightened further.  Months of training, hours of bike prep and trail testing, it all culminates with the tell-tale, "BEEP, BEEP, BEEEEEEEP" of the starter and the pedals out of the gate.  It will be exciting to be back in the mix once again and see who the contenders are for 2014.  The calendar is filled with big, fast tracks, and everyone is jonesing to get on with it already!

  The traveling circus will once again meander around the North East, from mountain resort to mountain resort, filling the parking lots with EZ-Ups and the sounds of freehubs buzzing.  Highfives and hell-yeahs await as friends are reunited once again for the summer shenanigans.  There will surely be upsets, moments of elation, and copious amounts of speed-derived smiles.   We all gather each summer in pursuit of fun and thrills, and to best our friends on the track with the fastest time.  There can only be one winner each weekend, but at the end of the day, we all are in it for the love of it.
Race season is a-knockin', and we are all ready to answer the door.  It's time to see who put in the work over the winter, or who is willing to hang it out the farthest.  It's a battle against the clock, and we wouldn't have it any other way.  Here's to another summer of playing in the dirt.