Making Mexican

This



not this,





Well as some of you may know I had an eventful Wagga 6hr completing only 2hrs before crashing out. But I will get to that story later in the piece.

Monday wifey got put into an air boot, so she is more mobile (well for a cripple)



Franken-Foot

And I have spent most of the week nursing my ribs which maybe a bit more damaged than I first thought (I initally thought bruising, now maybe cartilge damage)

On a positive not I taught myself how to tear down a set of Rockshox Reba forks and re-build them, I replaced the bearings in the dually (not as hard as I thought), and I also replaced the bearings in my power-tap, so over-all a productive week.



Bag of not very good bearings
The Race

Sunday, was the first time I had been to Wagga to race a MTB so I managed to navigate my way to the RSL/ Golf Course for the start with plenty of time to spare, and get registered and set-up.
Kick-off was 9.30am (a reasonable hour), and after a quick last minute change to where I had left my gear in transition we had sat through the race briefing and were on our way.

I settled back into about 10th-12th wheel on the way up the hill, and worked into a rythem catching a couple of people and being passed by a couple. By the first section of single track I got caught behind a kite (goes up well, not so good going down) and he fumbled under the pressure a couple of times. I think alot of us have found ourselves in this situation before head of the train, where you know there are faster riders itching to get past. I tried to calm him down to he didn't make a spectatular mistake and I have to stop and get him medi assistance. Eventually he pulled over and the train rolled away from the station.

By this stage the front runners were off and gone, but I was happy and coming to grips with the course and just trying to get through the first lap with no mis-haps.
I got jumped by a guy on a 29er through a flat section and tucked in behind til he fumbled coming back along spinal tap.

Then is was off climbing back up and over the hill before the descent into transition.

A couple of riders got past me across the top but I tucked in and got towed back up the hill for the second lap.

I stayed this these guys fore most of the next lap before they got away up the hill on the way back to transition.

Through transition and and it was short stop, bottle change and off tucked behind another couple.

This lap was uneventful till the end where I tried to close the gap through Brad's Pit and f&*ked it up badly. I was way too enthusiastic, rolled through the first part at 45kph, launched the jump, completely missed the landing and piled in front wheel first.

There was a rider stopped at the top of the course at that point and he's yelling at me if I'm O.K But I can't breath as I have knocked the wind out of me in the crash. I sort of get my arm up and wave at him then try and drag my bike off the track so no one else lands on me.

I'm kind of sitting there getting my breath back looking at how mangled the front wheel is knowing I have a 15min walk back to transition and realise that the day is probably done. However I begin to smile, because I realise that 1) I'm OK (well so I think then, a rider ended up in the spinal unit because of crashin there the year previous)and 2) the course is a sh!t load of fun. I have to say that this is probably the best course I have been on in recent memory, in fact I would be prepared to ride a 24hr on this course as thats how fun and entertaining it is.

The Weekend

I have entered for the first round of the Chocolate Foot Enduro Series at Lithgow (on a track I really don't like) on Sunday. I thought my ribs were just bruised until last night when they started to play up during the night and I am now suspecting maybe cartilge damage. Well worst case scenario I go and do 6hrs of sloe laps and try and ramp t up for the last couple.

All the best for those riding the Australian Marathon champs this weekend, hope you have packed your walking shoes as you will need it by the sounds of the course.