Single Speed Worlds

Extremely short version...not so Worldly.

I started off well and got myself into the top 20 on the fire road climb and things were looking good on the first lap.

The bike worked fine other than being over geared, which would have
been fine if my shoes would have been functioning a little better when
running up steep rocky climbs. (Cyclocross Season...Bring IT!)

Wish I would have had time to set up the new Specialized shoes I picked up from Zimmer last night.

This is the first MTB race I have DNFed, I think ever.

Very extremely technical course, actually a full suspension course if
there ever was one. My Santa Cruz Chameleon is a wickedly stiff bike
that puts the power to the ground and corners on a dime. Unfortunately
it is extremely unforgiving when bouncing down this stuff http://www.petefagerlin.com/skyline.htm.

(Notice the guy in the photo has full suspension).

This bike...not so much.


Put together the extreme stiffness of the frame, and shoes that are jack hammering your big toes and what do you get?

Black and Blue toes and a loss of mental focus on dangerous terrain.



Now I am all about HFU when the going gets tough, but I am also long
enough in the tooth to know that continuing in a state of distracting
and debilitating pain will only lead to mistakes on terrain that will
end your cycling career.

A combination of skill, fast reflexes (had to put my hand out to push
off of a tree on a particularly gnarly section, instead of running into it), and knowing my limits
kept me from crashing.

I finished up lap 2 and called it quits while the only injuries I had were my mildly bruised toes and ego.

More importantly, I'll be ready to kill it up in Eugene Oregon next weekend at the stage race.

Nome out.