Butler

We showed up early and got a good pre-ride lap in. After shelling out $30 for my entry I headed back out and spun around, talking trash with anyone who would listen but mostly with Rusty and JoeDoba (sandbagger). At the starting line I realized I forgot to follow my normal pre-race routine but it was too late, no Red Bull for me. I also realized that I didn't have any GU on me. Oops. A camelback full of water and one bottle of weak gatorade was gonna have to be enough. I don't think it was an issue.

The dude says "Go" and I decided to step up my game a little. I went into the singletrack around 11th, which is a lot better than normal for me(I gotta change that). Things rolled well, my awesome Cannondale Scalpel flowed easily through the tight singletrack. I even rode the stupid off-camber stuff at the bottom without problem. I was around a couple of guys thru the first lap but pretty much by myself for the second. Coming through the start/finish at the end of the 2nd lap I was caught by Todd G. of Team Schellers. He was riding real well, and we were together for a while until I "let" him kinda ride away from me.

I did have a little problem on the third lap; I dropped my chain. Not just dropped it off the rings onto the bottom bracket, but completely off the bike. I was flying down the upper section that is out in an open area and started to pedal but there was no resistance. So I looked down and thought "Hmmm, I don't see a chain down there". So I came to a stop and confirmed that indeed, there was no chain there. I pretty much figured that my day was done at that point, but I remembered that I carry a spare quick-link, so I took my bike for a walk to find my chain. About 50 yards back up the trail there she lay. It turns out the quick-link had separated for some reason, but since I had a spare I put it back on the bike, connected it back together and I was in business.

As I was putting my camelback back on getting ready to get back in the race Anthony came flying by. Can you believe he didn't stop to offer help or inquire as to my well being? What a jerk. Just because he was in the lead of the Expert race he thinks he's too good to talk to me? I thought it was awfully rude of him. After I got over being slighted I jumped on my bike and managed to complete the race. I did catch & pass the 2 guys that passed me while I was making repairs, so it doesn't look like my breakdown cost me any places. I ended up 7th overall in Sport, 3rd in the my age group. JoeDoba (sandbagger) won the Sport class overall and the age group. I finished 3:15 behind Todd G, so I doubt that even if I hadn't had chain issues that I could have caught him. Either way, I'm happy with how the bike handled and how I rode except for the darn hills and the heat.

Oh yeah, my bike is WAY cooler than Rowbear's.

On that note, have you seen the 2008 Scalpels? Carbon frames, 100mm travel in the rear all for an additional $1000. Gonna be a serious awesome bike. But I'm glad I got mine this year, wouldn't be able to afford the new ones.