cyclocross updates

Three weeks, 3 more cyclocross double headers. The Verge New England races up at Pineland turned out to be mud bogs. I help set up the course friday afternoon and put in some nice fast dusty laps. Then the rains came. Saturday was cold and wet. By the end of the race, my hands weren't working, and I could barely hold onto the handlebars.Since it was still raining the mud was flowing and not too thick. I had an alright ride placing 18th. The Sun came up for Sunday and thickened everything up nicely. I was struggling once again but still managed to finish in the money.

Mid Atlantic double header in Bridgeton and Jamesburg NJ.
The bees were out Saturday in Bridgeton. I was parked next to Broderick, and we both got stung getting ready for the race. The sandy soil was just damp and packed down enough to make the course ultra fast this year. I was ok off the start, but I made a couple of mistakes early on and wound up riding most of the race solo. This was definitely a big disadvantage compared to the packs. The "Amphitheater of Pain" was, as always, tall kid approved, and I had some fun double jumping up the steps. I grabbed some money in 22nd.
Sunday in Jamesburg was another mudfest. Thick mud has been my nemesis this year, and I was not that psyched to trudge around in it again. I was taking a fresh bike just about every lap, thanks Dad, and I had pretty unmemorable ride placing 23rd.

Verge New England Cyclocross Series Northampton
What do you need to know? Start loop CRASHES. Big crashes. Both days. Below is the video from Saturday. You can see just how close the cartwheeling bike comes to tomahawking me right before Pete "T bones" it.

Cycle-Smart elite men start (and crash) from Eric Silva on Vimeo.

While I avoided the crash, I broke my rear derailleur clean in half gunning it up the steep ride up and then wedged it in my rear wheel. Now I have broken a lot stuff in my day, but this one I am still trying to figure out. A broken derailleur wedged in my wheel equaled a long run to the pit. By the time I got to the pit, the leaders were only about 20 seconds back. I looked at the leaders, I looked at my second bike, I looked at the race official, and I sadly told him "I'm done." DNF.
As always at the Northampton races, it's dinner with Ryan and Kelly at Pasta E Basta and desert at the Black Sheep in Amherst. I was considering deviating from my Lasagna Bolognese, but I eventually decided not "to defy the laws of tradition." I would say dinner salvaged the day.
Sunday morning a threw on my spare derailleur, trued my rear wheel, or trued it well enough, and put on a new chain. It turned out the chain got seriously twisted in the melee as well. I did my warm up laps on the repaired bike to test it out. No problems.
Like I said above, we started the day with a crash. See bleow.
Maybe 25 meters in, and people are on the pavement. I hit the brakes FULL ON. I didn't get tangled up in the crash, but now I am chasing. I eventually make my way up to Reuter and Wilcox. I yell out to them that we can close some more gaps down and I go straight to the front. Wilcox and I are pulling and we bridged up to Wheels and Bray. That was the group for the last few laps with Wilcox and I driving. Bray attacked going into the sandpit just before the finish, but he buried his front wheel and stacked it. Reuter was smart and played his sand pit card when Bray went down, and he got a gap. I guess I spaced a little, and I didn't close it down right away. Instead, I towed and then lead out Wilcox. So, I finished 19th. Fun day racing. I hope everyone from the crash is ok.
What else has been going on? I've been riding the mountain bike a lot. It's a little bit leaf surfing, a little bit of "where did the trail go," but the trails are finally starting to clear out a bit.
Also a bit in NYC.

Tomorrow I am going to head down and preride the U.S Gran Prix course and stay for the number pick up party. If your at the party look for me.
It is supposed to rain 1-2 inches tomorrow. This weekend looks to be a repeat of last year.
Stay tuned.

ski??

I got a comment the other day about skiing this year, so I figured I throw up a quick post. I am thinking Black Diamonds new Justice skis. Maybe the new Rossi S7 or Volkl Gotama. I want to try the new rocker stuff. I'll stick with the Fritschi Freerides.
Skiing on ice sucks no matter what skis you have. I've answered my fair share of questions on the chair lift from VT to ME about why I am skiing my Pocket Rockets and it is boiler plate.
Thinking some more trips west this year. SLC is easy, and sweet. NO brainer airport to the mountian. Maybe a big trip way west, JAPAN.

Race Across the Sky

Race Across the Sky is playing tonight 10/22/09. It is a film about the Leadville 100 Mountian bike race. The Maine viewing location is in Brunswick. Check out the trailer and information below. Should be awesome. See you there.

Theatre:
Brunswick 10
19 GURNET RD
BRUNSWICK, ME 04011
207-798-4505
Time: 8pm

white precip

It snowed last night. I think I'm ok with it. Summer didn't show up, so I say bring the snow. Skis are ready to go.

The Creeps

Providence Cyclocross Festival day 2 went pretty similar to day 1, and I landed 32nd place. Somehow I forgot how to corner early on. After I picked myself off the ground twice, I was fine. Things started to come around the second half of the race. Overall I felt much better racing this weekend.
Yesterday was the first annual Casco Bay Cyclocross held just down the road on Portland's Eastern Promenade. Casco Bay Sports and Bikeman were the main sponsors. Since I was not racing, I needed a break after the 5 week stretch of the Wompatuck xc, Bradbury 12 hour, and the 3 consecutive cyclocross double headers, I helped out with the course setup and tear down. I got down to Portland a little after 6am, and we had the course finished by about 8am. The first race went off at 9am. I hung out all day watching the races and fielding numerous "you're not racing?" questions. The tear down was fast. Maybe a little longer than an hour. I made it back to Yarmouth around 4pm, suited up, and headed out for my own ride.
This weeks other big highlight was the Social Distortion show Thursday. Pretty much awesome. Rolled down with Kurt. I was supposed to meet up with Sophetra and his crew, but that didn't quite fall into place. They were stuck on the opposite side of the stage. Next time.
Pineland cyclocross coming up this weekend.
Stay tuned

Providence Cyclocross Festival Day 1

Day 1 is in the books. Netting me a 31st. Today was the classic 05-06 Nationals course, but it was far from that Blizzard epic. Wicked fast today and just as fun. I didn't get clipped in great off the line, but I charged up the pavement and got a decent position. The smell of brakes was heavy before we banked right and bunny hopped the curb. That will definitely wake you up. Setting up for the first grass turn the two guys next to me tangle and go down. I got bumped, but I kept it upright. I settled into a group with the two Van Dessel guys, Sundt, Gougen, and a couple others I can't really remember. The crowd was amazing. Everyone was screaming. There was plenty "BURNS" ringing clear. Thanks. The racing was tight. There was always someone with me or close, which makes for killer racing. Broderick, he started near the back, came by me near the begining of the second lap. I tried to jump with him, but I couldn't hold. The last 2 laps I started to fade a bit. I tried to jump with Lindine after he came by, but that didn't last either. Rubijuno and Pete were chasing hard and they proceeded to pass me on the big run up. Rubi can run! Eventually I lost them too. I did pick off another rider toward the end. Johnson won and put on a good show riding well off the front. Overall it was a good day. Yeah I faded a bit near the end, but I felt better riding than I had been lately. The fun meter overloaded. I need to blast through a few more spots tomorrow so I can add to my point total. See you out there. Scream loud, SCREAM for BURNS.

Post race I quickly hit up the Interbike demo. Very cool. Everyone was starting to close down, but I managed a quick sit down on the new Giant XTC 29er. It is impressive. I am going to the race early tomorrow so I can try and through a leg over couple other rigs. Mountain and road. Should be cool. If you want to crush some dirt with me before the race, keep your eyes open and give me shout.

XXC Vol. 4

Mahokey's web mag XXC vol. 4 is now up for viewing. Check it out. I'm digging the Wilderness 101 photos. This is what I meant in my Wilderness 101 post when I said deep fog. Tons of other good stuff too. Click the cover photo below to enter the realm.