Julie with a B

Tuesday, January 04, 2005
 
Cycle tales deux..
The next race was a circuit race. It was in the central valley as well, but a different spot. Zamora. Where is that? I still don't know. Off of I-5 north of Williams. Whatever. This race started at the top of the overpass (Ha!) swept east behind the hill and around, over another overpass, out through the corn fields, then back up to the starting point. A 9 mile circuit, you ride it 3 times. With a downhill start, I hung on like a tick to the back of the pack. It was a good pace for me, so I was liking it. I made it around the first lap still with the pack. As we went behind the hill the 2nd time, my rear tire went flat. Dang. I grabbed my spare tube and the CO2 thingy, got the wheel off, the tire off, the new tube in, and re-filled it. Now to put it back on. I should mention that it was about now that the shadows of circling birds moved across my sweating form. I looked up, yeah, the vultures were circling overhead. I messed with putting the rear wheel back on and the derailer that hated me. The shadows moved across the road. I had black grease all over my hands, the chain had come off once, and I could not get that sucker to slide on. I set the bike down and yelled at the birds. "Hey, leave off! I'm still moving and it'll be a long time before I stop." Vultures continued to circle. The next pack flew past me. Finally I got the wheel back on. Threw the tools in my back pocket and took off. I caught up with a guy that had just straggled off of the other pack and we took turns being in front all the way to the overpass. I asked the Starter how far my pack was ahead of me. He raised his eyebrows and said, "Long ways". Aha. Know when to put the bike away and go get a cold beer.

- posted by JulieB @ 6:49 PM
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