Cheshire Grin

Blammo!!!

I'll be working on clipping in, every workout,
When the light turned green.
I got a good jump off the line, at the stop light from Conshohocken State Road,
across City Ave.
to Conshohocken Ave.
up to speed...
Pedal, shift, pedal, Blammo!

the little toyota turnned in front of me to get some gas,  no time for me to brake ,
I laid on the ground looking back at the scene, just laid there
I could of got up,
no pain,
just soaked it all in


The driver was a really sweet, just a tad older than me, fine lady
"I've never hit nobody before, are you ok, oh my"
I got up, shook a bit, all seemed well, a small welt of a wound, on the arm,  a bit of blood.


we called the cops, and since I crossed the line,... from Montgomery Co. to Philly Co.
the wait would be long,

not much to do, we waited, she fretted, my bike and I pretty much fine,
so after an hour, we both went our own ways, off to prepare for Thanksgiving.


Glad I hit the rear panel, and not the sidedoors/windows,
I got out for a cx ride on Thanksgiving, with a couple of peeps.
Trying to balance rest and prep, for the last wee bit of the season.
and I got a bit of a smile, as I entered the age group down, 45+,  to race against my old, younger foes at Solstice Cross,   a thing about that,  how I wish Mark V. would be in the grid,
going at it with me, maybe I'd make a Mission Report.
...maybe I'll make a Deluxx Sandwich,
who knows, it's cross, whatever, it'll be fun!

Feeling spunky, got a Cheshire grin, a bit thankful, and full of sin!

Cheerio!  dlowe

staked

Super Cross

I felt gutted, I drove home with a stake through the heart.

I'd trade the hot corn race, and some of the other early season ones, to ride this one again, today, and a couple more times this week.  I liked it a lot, the whole long course of off camber mud, slippery corners of mud, greasy mud, mud puddles, uphill running mud,  and mud.
I  let air out of my tires, and had a strong mind set focused to do excellent, my short pre-ride, was on, good form.
I missed my pedal outta the grid, to start the race, twice, and saw the front drop me.
I rode with elbows out, not polite, almost New Englandish, and made up spots, at least I could see the front runners.
Then my lack of time on the mud,  mistakes, slips, not clipping in, showed endless places to find improvement.
It was a long lap, and for me slow lap times,  I got my moneys worth of mud, logging an 1hr and 7minutes out there on the course,   I finished with no brakes, cold toes, a dirty kit, and a burning desire.
To ride more mud.

Cheerio!
dlowe

                                                  early morning pre-ride mud


and some photos from Rebecca Lewandowski:

Luster

I love cross.

The glint of the low rising sun in the morning, nervous, trying to find calming thoughts, the proper, focus.

 I was going really good at Sly Fox, handling spot on, legs, lungs, mind, focused.

The cheers, loud cheers, fans, beers, hearing my name over the PA,  it cracked me up,
racing, it broke me into a smile.

I broke my chain, and was out, leaving as the leader 2 and 1/2 laps into the race.

I feel aglow, wind burnt, I had a blast, given it a go.

Almost a perfect day.

Friday night, I was a bit worn, run down, by the season.

Today, tonight, I feel ready, to go.


thanks Sly Fox, despite my broken chain, I had a blast, good cyclocross friendship, racing, beer, bumps, bruised love.

Cheers!  dlowe

The 5th

I did not have my best results at Stoudts today,
I clawed my way back from poor prep, and bike handling,
washing out in an early corner,
then right after that trying to collect some tape and stakes.
Got off the bike on the short punchy hill.  Palm the left shiftier back into proper position,
and got to it, some racing.
Made it back up to Doug Gray's wheel,
sitting 6th,  I ground Doug down a bit, today the front group was bigger and stronger,
I like that, tough.
and out of the woods gave it a bit more gas than he had,
and made a good finish at 5th place.

                                         photo: Stoudt's event staff

the podium was delayed a bit, as I waited for change at the bar from buying the Featherman, and I beers.

a large number of us Master+'s and youngin Master stayed in the beer hall,
I ride hard, and try to leave it all out there,
and Today was one of  those special days of cross,
the bull shit, beer, food, f'bombs, awful recollections of what went down,
excuses, a plenty!
Lots of talk of  health issues, Old Man health issues, and more shit and f'bombs.
Sitting at the long tables, some of us having grand days, others not so,

I swung my arms wild a bit and knocked a pint over.

It was a damn fine afternoon, in the beer hall!
Perfectly good weekend of cross.


Cheers!  dlowe


bonus: the Evans kids are a blast, and I try to see them at every race,
say high, chat about our racing,  Great kids!
hung out with them a bit at the wonderful Swashbuckler race Saturday!

need rest

gosh,

This week,  I'm off.  F' CROSS!


last weekend,
short of it.
Saturday I thought I sucked, my worst race this year.    ....but I went real hard at the end,
and closed a gap of twenty seconds, hard, hard, I just miss nipping Mister Saint Clair
at the line.  only one second,
I sucked saturday, I hate HPCX!!!
4th

Sunday,
off the line so calm,
Curtis S. got caught in course netting, and downsided the hill, turtlting it.
I sat in second place with a good gap,  grand in fact.
Then I went full speed into the sand and Bifffed it
and head strong hard eating a lot of sand.
Curtis and I raced it out from there.
I loved the course, I per-race memorized it, had it down
did all the K Cline's I knew.
and freaking ripped off one of my best
with a sprint out of the dirt to take second.



every lap, on the dirt mound corner on the backside of the tennis court part of the  course I heard
a good voice, loud and bold.
"dlowe Haiku"
what kinda cheer is that?!

Thanks Sean!



Fall big cold grass fall toes
tall mans arm pull leaf from tree
large cloud brows stroll sky

f cross, f you,
my thoughts will forget you

wink.

Cheers!  dlowe

from my work this morning: