Cycle Smart International and other 70's Sitcoms

Dear Readers,

I apologize that about a month ago, I didn't tell you about my trip to Hawaii. I was able to get a deal on a trip with my neighbors the Bradys.

When I was with the Bradys I found this bad-ass tikki necklace.I put it right on and since then I have had the weirdest luck.

Comes to find out this sweet little tikki is cursed and brings bad luck to anyone who wears it. It would seem that I have been snake bitten.

let's just say the first two laps of my race followed a familiar theme of recent weeks insert dropped chain and pulling rear wheel out of drop out. I have to be honest, I was pretty much ready to head to the beer tent to drown my sorrows, when my buddy GEWILLI passes and says, "race yourself back into it..."

fartecus had a pretty good day...

Taylor "girled" a lot of boys to this spot!

And so I did. Diane has often asked me why I love the CSI race and the Look Park course so much. It's because it's really two kinds of races. Two challenging run ups to the upper section, an upper section that is technical and twisty, and a lower section that is straight up power and group riding. So the last four laps of the race went like this: attack the run ups, be aggressive on the top, pop guys off of my group and or jump to the next group... Get to the barriers and then find a wheel and get in the drops and bleed out my eyes to hang on. Repeat. Just like the last four times I have done this race, I came the final stretch with a group. I won the sprint, and while my result was 5-10 spots back from where I wanted to be, I was actually pretty happy with my effort. I like the CSI course because it forces me to race tactically, it forces me draft and use all my power, at the same time not throwing out all the technical skills that are my strongest suit. I never mind sprinting at the end of a race either to be honest... I felt good about my race.

Craig railing it...

sucking wheel...

Saturday night was a great time at my brother's, as we were joined by Tom, Bad Kat, Benny, L-Web, Jeffy, Monk, and Jess. It was fun. I didn't sleep well Saturday night. I have to be honest I stressed out all night about not being able to get gas from southern Connecticut to Delaware. NJ and NY where hit by the storm badly, and going up, there we passed lines of folks waiting for gas literally 1 mile long. Southern Jersey was okay, and we topped off on the way up. Coming home there would be a ban on cars with even number plates getting gas. Yeah. All night I was trying figure out where to get gas on 84, how many miles I could make in the car, and would Diane and I  end up a victim of the Great Humogous in some Mad Max Post Apocalypse event stranded on the side of the Jersey Turnpike.

Photos taken on the NJ Turnpike Friday Morning

Morning came and I was sick to my stomach with frankly stress. I decided not to start Sunday's race. I have to say  I have had a number of times in my life where I was at a race, but didn't race. There has always been some pangs of desire to be out there. Today, I had no such pangs, and frankly further cementing my decision was the right one. I'll hang the bikes up for a couple of days, spend some time focusing on school and get back to it next week. With the Evil Tikki back at it's proper resting place in the cave on the Big Island, I expect some good fortune to finally come back around my way...

BTW, I got gas just before getting on 684, and worked the tank to average 33 mph, and made it home easily and with no issues. I felt good to have a little more than a half tank getting on the turnpike with 80 miles to go to get home... Stomach finally felt better at that point.... Yeah, I'm a little OCD what can I say...

thanks for reading...

respect
fatmarc