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NORBA National #1 |
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Written by Adam Craig
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Tuesday, 03 April 2007 |
Yeah, we did some racing just outside Phoenix, Arizona this weekend. It actually went really well for everyone on the team at one point or another, which was nice. I think it might be a good year.
The real story though, is the “Death by a Thousand Cuts” that took place before dawn on Monday morning while we were trying to make our cleverly planned departure flight that would have us home at eleven in the morning.
Sometimes having too much time is a problem that you never see coming. Carl and I dropped Kelli off at the curb for her 6:00 flight and figured we had plenty of time to get gas and drop the rental before our 6:30 departure. Reasonable. This is where the three-minute dominoes began to fall, first goal was to find a gas station, not easy given the rental car return vortex conspiracy. This actually took just ten minutes of driving around in construction before we found a Chevron. Swipe Visa and for some reason enter 04427 as my Zip code, this (Corinth, Maine) was my zip for about 20 years, but it’s not anymore… Card declined. Drive to a new pump, card declined with correct (97701) Zip. Go inside, wait in line with landscape laborers buying Doritos and Red Bulls for breakfast. Put down card, get pump going. Bump nozzle ever so lightly and the (ridiculous) “vapor capture” system springs said nozzle, still spewing fuel, onto the ground and all over me. Replace nozzle while cursing loudly, much to the amusement of aforementioned landscapers. While waiting for the 18 gallons to dispense, empty cereal bowls into trash, spilling milk on gas spill (my pants) in the process. Sweet. Tank full, we headed to the rental return area, approximately three miles from the airport. Halfway there is a train parked across the railroad crossing, which is flanked by runway and offers limited prospect for circumnavigation. Wait five minutes for train to move. Wait five minutes to turn in car. Wait five minutes to change credit card paying for car to simplify expense report. Walk out front to catch bus just as one leaves, finally check the time and figure out that we might in fact be screwed. Wait five minutes for next bus, and for them to use the handicap access ramp so a happy family doesn’t have to unload their luggage cart. Proceed to hid every red light on the way back to the terminal. Get dropped in front of United 43 minutes prior to departure. Try to check in 42 minutes prior. Three minutes too late. Hope we get home today…
Racing was sweet though. Hot side of perfect weather, unique courses and race events, solid turnout, and generally good morale across the board. Kelli and I had a good theme of being on the podium in the same event twice on the weekend. First in the Time Trial with 4th for her and 2nd for me. I probably should have ridden 9 seconds facter and beaten Jeremy H-K.
Next podium was the Deckerator’s win in the Super D. More fireroad time trial than singletrack madness, Carl chose the Hardtail and stared at his stem for 16 minutes, which was 15 seconds faster than the legendary Travis Brown.
Saturday night saw a nice sunset set the stage for the downtown Fountain Hills Short Track. Kelli got the aggressive/crashing party started by working to bring back an early break until one of her compatriots took her to the hole in a slippery gravel turn. She dusted off well and ended up 9th. The men took flight shortly after in front of a solid Saturday night crowd. Somehow I got tricked into racing Ryan Trebron through the last few turns for a $100 Prime Lap. He blew the last turn and I suddenly ended up in a solo breakaway for about ten minutes. Good thing I was wearing the “bodybag” skinsuit (longsleeve/full leg) for maximum aerodynamic advantage. I eventually was relieved to get caught though, and settled in to wait for the finish. Then I copied Kelli, getting taken down in a turn by some other dude. Ripped the sweet skinsuit too… Didn’t dust off so well and ended up 12th, I almost just waited for Carl, who was around 15th, so we could hold hands across the line.
Sunday dawned sunny and hot, surprise! We showed up at the venue late to avoid the 90ish temps and saw an extremely sweat stained Kelli Emmett pulling Katerina Hanusova into the last lap in 5th place, looking STRONG. She would hold onto 5th, which she had worked her way up to from about 15th after lap one, thanks to the i of sweet Michelin XC dry2 tires being bombproof and the Anthem Advanced handling perfectly in this type of (really fun and really rough) terrain. Carl and I warmed up for about five minutes and toed the line, vowing to “ride into it” since the race, of four ten mile laps, was going to be a long one. First lap I was with the lead group, sagging the climbs and riding on in the corners, thanks to the same equipment choices as Kelli. Carl was doing the same a group or two back. I spent the rest of the race fading around in no-mans land and ended up 5th. Carl, on the other hand, forged ahead, passing Wicks and Brick in the last kilometer to finish a minute behind me in sixth. Solid ride for the boy on only one month of official training. The mystery of what makes someone fast continues.
In all, a great first official racing weekend. New Staff recruits Elke Brutsaert and Nate “Dusty” Riffle are working out great. We’re going to have a fun summer for sure, it might turn out successful too.
Thanks for reading. |
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