Granogue 2018

I love the long beautiful drive,
into the land along the brandywine
I love the feelings I feel driving up the road,
the people I will see,
Granogue was the first race for me, of this cyclocross season.
the tower standing looking down on me from on the top of the hill
races
another out come
is a privilege to me
something to  work for

After the race the other night which tonight now seems long ago
I was in bed, thinking, about the biting flies of Granogue,
and hoping I did not bring any of them irritating bastards home with me trapped in my van.
Over the years, unpacking, I have noticed some crickets stowed away in my gear.
and many of them are now living with us, some out in our shed.
That  night I noticed, in the other wise quiet, while not being able to sleep. The sound of those crickets,  and I wondered how many of them are related to those from Granogue.   

A lot of stories of the days started playing in my head.
Thoughts, little snipettes scenes, from racing the Madison Saturday,  to being in the grid Sunday, to post race sitting under the pop up tent chatting, and getting nipped by those Granogue biting flies.
and they blended with the others from over the years,
sitting under pop up tents,
with others, getting dropped in a climb chasing and losing a spot
to a attack this year, in the climb to gain a spot
then losing it mindlessly at the line for 12th.

To tell you the truth, I've always had the hardest time writing,
and having things fresh, new, it did help to invigorate the words
but to write
after many visits, to the same race
it's harder

I could not fall asleep that night.
Boxing those memories again.

and,
If I came back in life as anything, I'd be a few stakes and tape to an off-camber line,
tricky, deceit.
no one thinks they'd make
the pass
the line takes you faster and I don't touch the brakes.
the tops of the tire treads seam up against the post,
I take hold, faster, onward I go.

Cheers, well done again, Granogue 2018.