Race day was a brisk 18 degrees when our 50+ crew left for the course and the mud from Thursday was frozen into a field of deep deep ruts. Mark and KSC went over early to get in some course recon and after 1/2 lap came to the conclusion that you should run the pressure high to avoid bottoming out and wrecking a wheel and more important, try to stay upright.
As the 50+ field started the race, the bright sunshine started to melt the top ice making it dangerously slick. First lap leaders come through and it is a two man race with Steve Tilford and all around good dude Gunnar Shogren at the head of the field. They are WAY off the front. Featherman has a strong start and you can click over to the Featherblog to get his thoughts. 2nd lap is Tilford at 2 seconds over the fly over until Gunnar goes down hard and experiences some mechanical distress right before the pits. Tilford is gone. Tilford wins, Kevin Hines 2nd, and Gunnar 3rd. Tilford gets his jersey that he should have gotten last year in Belgium, but a “random” draw put all Americans on the last row. Funny how that worked out.
By the time the 45+ field got ready to roll temps crested at 32, but the sunshine and prior races made the ruts super slick and the rest of the course loosened enough that bike changes would be important. I can only report on the first minute and will let Ray check in at a later date with his thoughts. The short version of my minute was a good start and then getting washed out by a rider who hit a rut. When I got up the chain was off and my shoe buckle was snapped. I took a deep breath and started to chase. The shoe came loose on the 1st run up and then again on the flyover. I was paying more attention to my shoe than the drop off the flyover, hit a rut and had a magnificent crash. Bike and body literally over the course tape with the shoe staying on course. When I went by the pit they asked if I needed a bike. “No, I need a shoe” was the reply. My day was over. 670 miles to dwell.
RZ had a strong 26 beating both his seed number and cross results race predictor.
Another local strong man, Jeff Appeltans scored a 17th, which was a great result.
The plan post race was pretty simple, powerwash bikes, pack, and get on the road.
The only highlight from the return trip was stopping at the Washington PA Eat and Park which is like a Western PA version of Denny’s. We tried to find something off the highway in Wheeling WV, but there is really nothing off the highway. I was very surprised. We were greeted by a lot of really strange stares at the Eat and Park. Stares that said, “Who are the skinny strangers with all of their teeth?”
It was a fun trip and within 12 hours, Featherman already sent us the schedule for next year’s Masters/Elite Worlds week.
Time to start training…
It doesn’t matter where you go or what you do, every group or city has it’s own cast of characters. A few stood out out on this trip and should be given their due.
Pete Webber- Pete is from Boulder. Pete is fast. Pete was 2nd and Nationals and 1st at Worlds. Pete did a great job posting interviews and commentary from both Madison and Louisville and really did a great job capturing the spirit of the events on CXMagazine.com. Here is a world class athlete having fun and making an effort to really promote the sport.
The Pit Sensei- The first day in the pits we were luck enough to set up shop next my new mentor when it comes to working the pits. Can’t tell you how old he is, but I am guessing a very in-shape mid-70′s. Can’t tell you the last time he visited a dentist, but he was flossing with rope. Lot’s o’ gaps in that grill. What I can tell you is he knows ‘cross, knows everyone, and know how to get things done. Best part of our visit to the course on Friday was when he popped out of a tent wearing the same clothes as Thursday. Odds are good that he stayed in that tent all week just to be closer to the course. I asked him what pressure to run and he grilled me with a half dozen question before giving me the secret pressure for my tyres with different numbers for front and back. Then he said, “Don’t blame me if you screw it up.”
The Bourbon Guy- We decided that while in Kentucky we needed to get some local flavor and buy some bourbon. The bigger question, was where do we go to get our presents? You can pretty much buy liquor in every store in this state. We needed an education so after asking around we were given the name of The Vault Liquor and Smokes where we met The Coolest Man in America. Shame we didn’t take a photo, but he was a 40ish, thin guy with bushy hair, and beard that hasn’t been cut in a year; sporting yellow John Lennon glasses. The Vault is not a mega store, but more like a local gem when you want to get your drink on. After The Coolest Man took care of the customer with the tear drop tattoo on his eye, we asked him the magic question, “Can you point us to some good bourbon?” He told us, “I drink A LOT of bourbon, so I think I can help.” Could have been 15 minutes, could have been an hour, who knows how long we were in a trance listening to his discourse on Kentucky’s finest export. I really don’t drink much liquor, but I had to buy, and I really had the urge to drink A LOT of bourbon. People have lots of different passions and this man found his life’s calling; and for that, a tip of the cap to The Coolest Man in America.
I have traveled much of this country, but up until now only spent a few hours in Louisville Kentucky. My only prior experience was to attend a funeral of a client that I had never met in person. As far as funeral stories go, it is a pretty good one. Ask me about it sometime. I think my departed client even laughed from the great beyond.
Let’s start with this fact: Bike racers are neurotic and generally pretty uptight.
We went to Louisville with a plan: Qualify on Thursday, drink Thursday night, and rest on Friday. Thursday night we were back at the hotel by 9:30. We know how to RAGE! In reality, we mostly laid around the hotel room, did our work remotely, lubed chains, did laundry, and took naps to keep our legs fresh. So don’t look at this as a travel guide, but just a nod to some great places that we found through Yelp!
First off, Bourbon is mother’s milk in KY and I am pretty certain the city planner of Louisville was a raging drunk. The streets make zero sense. In PHL we have a nice grid laid out by brilliant people while in L-Ville, you are driving in a maze and the GPS can barely keep up.
We stayed across the river in Indiana. I cashed Marriott points for the room and it was 1/2 the points to cross a bridge. I hope they never meet the DRPA people because they could make fat cash putting toll booths on all the bridges. Every time we crossed the bridge, we passed the KFC Yum! Center, home of the Cardinals. Guess you can’t call it the “Ehh” Center. I just don’t put KFC and Yum! together. Guess I am missing something.
So here are the non-bike highlights:
Dining:
Hammerheads, http://www.louisvillehammerheads.com/- This was our first, and best, meal. We follow Ray’s Hungarian grandmother GPS voice to what looks like someone’s basement. It looks like this because it is literally in a basement with about a 6 foot ceiling in some spots. Very chill bar/dining room. Kind of dirty, but in a cool way. Pretty strong Farm to Table thing going in this town. Hammerheads had a ton of game meats, hand cut fries, killer beer list and great service. Basically, as soon as it is cooked, you are getting it. We of course went with lower ABV beers since we were racing the next day, but the temptation was strong. We started with duck sliders (which started me on 3 day duck tear) as a starter and then hit the burgers with truffle fries and some sweet potato fries. I went with the elk burger. Jeff Appletans made the same choice the night before the finals because, “elk are stronger and faster than venison.” He is a wise man.
Hammerheads gets 4 cowbells.
Blind Pig, http://theblindpiglouisville.com/, in the Butchertown section of the city that bills itself as “Swine Dining”. We were starving when we hit it and couldn’t help ourselves from sharing The Meat Plate. After racing in the snow you cannot go wrong with an assortment of swine. Not a bad one on the plate. Mark and I both went with the Cassoulet (with duck of course) and Ray hit the ratatouille. This was supposed to be our crazy night, but after The Meat Plate and two beers, it was home to bed. The waitstaff was helpful and gave us suggestions on our next stop.
3.5 cowbells for Blind Pig
EiderDown, eiderdowngermantown.com/, in Germantown section which has a ton of Shotgun style homes. These are the rowhomes of Louisville. One room wide, but really deep. We ended up hear when we couldn’t get into our first choice. We read good thing and the food and beer lists were both solid. Just seems like this is a place that takes itself a bit too seriously. Overpriced and bit pretentious. A good meal, but not good enough to make me write more.
3 cowbells
Ghylsain, this was a quick stop so I will be brief. We dropped by for lunch after watching some dude named Sven win the 30+ race. It was cold and we needed some food. One look at the menu of $10 sandwiches made us just grab some coffee and soup. A young Truman Capote served my french press coffee which was a solid cup. We did bring La Colombe with us so it kept the good coffee flowing. The best thing that came of this stop was a referral to The Bourbon Man. He get his own entry as he is THE coolest man in America.
It is cool that elite Worlds are coming to the states next year. I hope to be in attendance. When rumors hit that the Euros would be coming to our turf a few cities were mentioned including Providence, towns in the Pacific Northwest, but ultimately Louisville got the nod.
Masters Worlds were a test drive for the promoter and I hate to be critical of a promoter, but they have lots of work to do in the next 12 months.
Eva Bandman Park (Waterfront Park to the locals) is on the Ohio River facing scenic Jeffersonville Indiana. It appears that this is big development push for the city and was probably a run down stretch in the not too distant past. I am thinking that given some of the tools of the trade for ladies of the night around the parking area that it is much like most urban parks.
The park is mostly flat with a steep off camber wooded section. It is really tough to judge a course given the conditions we rode in, but we have all ridden better courses in the MAC. Parking is lacking and there is zero infrastructure like bathrooms, etc. I just don’t see how they will be able to handle the expected crowds.
As long as I am on a rant, most MAC races are better run as well. Given the mud, ice, slop that riders faced it was pretty weak that only 2 powerwashers were functional. During Thursday’s heats the grounds crew decided to start messing with one DURING the race which made for some tense times in the pit area. The week prior in Madison, they had the forethought to roll the course after the mud to avoid frozen ruts, but not in Kentucky. Sure everyone had to ride the same course, but it would not have been difficult to either roll the course or change the layout a few feet to either side.
The winners clearly would have won regardless of conditions, but there were a ton of soft complaints about the lack to attention to the course. Cross is supposed to be challenging, not dangerous. The frozen ruts were very hazardous.
I really like this writer’s perspective and it is worth a read http://www.cxmagazine.com/masters-worlds-rider-journal-lee-waldman-part-iii-reflections
The promoters had a lot thrown at them last week with temps changing from 60 to 17 and throw in a few inches of rain. Let’s hope the test run makes for a first class event next year.
This was wicked ‘cross weather. The 50-54 heats went off at around 40 degrees and a very wet course. They were the last group to do a 3 lap qualifier. Course conditions deteriorated so badly over the next few hours that all other heats were cut to 2 laps.
After a good nights sleep in the Town Suites, Featherman and KSC both had very strong heats. Featherman finishes 10th and Kevin 17th which earn them both great start positions for the final. We were busy in the pits, but the next race would make the pit masters work even harder.
45-49 Heat 2
So I draw luck start position #1 and am so pumped that I had a tough time sleeping. We get to the UCI gate and they start calling by alpha. The UCI officials could care less that they have the wrong list. My first row start moves to the end and Ray and I are last row.
By this time the weather took a turn for the worse with temps dropping to 30, winds picking up to 25mph, and snow blowing sideways. I hate the term “epic” so I will just say that it was hard.
RZ is a Mudder. He was just straight up cutting through the stuff for a 15th. Once my position was established I kind of pulled the plug and just rolled around in the mud for 24th.
Now we are set for Saturday…
Tuesday eve, Featherman, Zeimet, Piacine, and honorary Guy Kevin Saint Clair pack up a van and the Featherwagon and start the 670 mile trip southwest. We thought about renting a u-haul, but KSC came up big with his sweet Honda van. I clearly have van envy.
We were fully packed including 8 bikes, 4 extra sets of wheels, camp equipment and clothing covering every climate. The ‘cross edict is “pack it, you never know.”
After a lovely turnpike rest stop dinner, we decide to keep rolling as long as we can stay away which put us into Zanesville OH. If you haven’t been to Zanesville, let me save you the trip. We roll off of I-70 and pull in a driveway shared by a Best Western and Americas Best Value Inn (formerly dba America’s Best Value). The lead van manned by Z and KSC roll right by the new Best Western into our home for the night.
I am happy to report, no bed bugs and no crimes occurred at this hotel. I suspect that meth may have been cooked there at some point, but cannot say that definitively. Glad we saved $20 to sleep here.
We all snuggled up in our double beds for a few hours of blissful rest. All I will say is that Featherman is a complete gentleman.
Load up the bikes, score some meth from our neighbors (kidding), fuel up at Bob Evans, and it is on the road to Louisville.
We go directly to the Galt House Hotel to pick up our numbers for the seeding heat, fill out the mandatory voluntary survey, and then we get to draw our start numbers for Thursday. You literally reach into a bag and pull your start. I pull 251 which is #1 on the start grid! How sweet is this, #1 row at Worlds!
To be continued…
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Posted: January 15, 2012 by guysracing in Uncategorized
