Last weekend I was in San Francisco visiting friends and dragged my host William to Golden Gate Park to check out the Dirt Criterium. Racing in circles in the dirt is about as fun as it gets so I had high hopes. We got a late start and thought we missed it because there were no bodies to be found at the Rose Garden.
But then a few yards down JFK Drive and we spotted the gathering. Bikes down in a clump and a crowd packed tightly, listening intently. LeMans start? This oughtta be good, I thought, and was just about to head down when a cowbell urgently rang and the racers began chugging cans of performance-unenhancing beverages. Clearly some of the guys had been putting in base miles because they were quickly on their bikes and off while others were glancing around with cans still aloft.
Ok, so we missed the start, but maybe we can follow the action? We continued down JFK and the race leaders came off the dirt, into the road, and full speed straight through a heavily-trafficked intersection.
Clearly I've turned a corner on this stuff because it looked unenticing. As the leaders raced off down trails typically crowded with dog walkers I rode as far away from the "criterium" as I could.
*Sigh.* I hate growing old and responsible.
So, no racing for us, we checked out Gestalt Haus instead. The bike parking and the nice guy working there were the best things about this joint. It's a second or third stop beer bar, just a bit too haggard for a sober daytime stop. Then again, I seem to be turning corners lately . . .
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Saturday, January 5, 2008
All Systems Go
Long periods off the bike are best when they end.
Today's Sacramento CX final was a hoot. After a two-month layoff to recover from vasectomy surgery (yes, ouch) the muddy banks of the Sacramento River were the perfect setting to try everything out again.
Lung-searing sprints . . . yep.
Leg-burning runups . . . got it.
Awkward testicle-smashing remount . . . oh yeah.
Cyclocross is not for sissies.
The after party is today at 4pm at Old Soul. I'm taking the boys so they can get some "culture".
Today's Sacramento CX final was a hoot. After a two-month layoff to recover from vasectomy surgery (yes, ouch) the muddy banks of the Sacramento River were the perfect setting to try everything out again.
Lung-searing sprints . . . yep.
Leg-burning runups . . . got it.
Awkward testicle-smashing remount . . . oh yeah.
Cyclocross is not for sissies.
The after party is today at 4pm at Old Soul. I'm taking the boys so they can get some "culture".
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