SCOLETRAIN

Weekend Summary

With this being my 12th Fat Tire 40, the weekend never seems to be lacking for excitement with friends and the other racers. My weekend was all about my rebuilt rear shock and if my late Thursday night rebuild would hold. Friday we got to Telemark around 3pm and rode the last five miles of the course backwards and forward to remind our bodies how much the last part of the course can hurt after leaving the Birkie Trail and the never ending climbs. Big D, along with my brother and I slowly made our way back towards Telemark to find the expo area coming together with the major sponsors setting up for the festival. It seems like the routine never changes as we eat at the pasta feed, pick-up our race packets, and purchase t-shirts to get through Friday evening. It's always a good time seeing old friends, talking about past 40's and making predictions for race day along with guessing what the weather will actually bring at start time. Saturday morning came too fast as Big D and my brother left around 6am to get down to the start line before the thousand other racers found the closest starting position possible behind the preferred start area that I would occupy closer to the 10am start. Some rain fell in the few hours leading up to the start, but not enough to cause any havoc on the course. The start is my worst nightmare at the 40 as I got taken down in the big crash of 2003 on Hwy 77 about a mile before reaching Rosie's Field. After diving into the pavement at 30mph, I am very defensive during the leadout at this race and again found myself buried back in the pack by the time we got through Rosie's Field and onto the Birkie Trail. After settling into my pace I crossed "OO" in 88th place and slowly moved up another nineteeen places before the finish without any close calls of any kind or mechanical issues. Saturday night was interesting with the slide show and awards. Sunday morning we got in a good ride on the singletrack around Telemark before spectating and watching the heats of the Cable Criterium before heading to Hayward for some shopping and the four hour drive home. Congrats to Ryan for an awesome 19th place finish even if he still doesn't think that he's fast yet. I feel that I might have lost a few positions from riding too conservatively this weekend, but I'll take a top 100 placing any year I can get one and the rear shock held air. 19 days until the 24 hour solo worlds...