El Jefe' wrestling in the mud !
Sometimes something is stated so succinctly that you just say, "Amen." The following race report from El Jefe meets that criteria. So with only the names changes to protect the guilty, here it is. The photos, in keeping with my extra large ego, are still mostly of Evo.
Evo with his potent Lentil stew
This morning, on the eastern shore of Lake Sammamish, the maglia bruno did battle with the elements, other riders, and themselves. El Tenté (Evo) had his homemade chili simmering tent side.
The Beast with a blanket hiding her shotgun.
His mother (The Beast) sat nearby with a cowbell and 12 gauge to scare away the occasional chili thief.The early race witnessed the return of El Chefé to the muddy peloton. From my vantage point he was railing his turns and moving up throughout the race. Stephen looked to have a good race as well.
Later during my race I wondered how they had kept such great lines while the slick mud was sending me sideways. Brother Rich showed up with file treads. As the team president it was my duty to direct him to the Raleigh demo bikes which had tires which were more appropriate for the conditions.
Yeah, this was the course today..
The race featured Hot Pants and Seph from the west in Cat 3 35+ (Photos on Spotshot)
El Jefe's storming Omaha Beach !!
Cat 3 45+ saw Peter Parker, El Tenté, Big John (on his classy new white carbon frame), Feral Dave and El Jefe. The course had turned muddier, roots slippier, and the long sand section more Normandier.
With 30 seconds until start, Feral Dave stopped doing his Achilles stretches, changed from his dolphin shorts to something with a chamois, giggled about how he was going to 'sprint that sand trap' and mounted his Belgian steed.
Early on - The legs are still clean..
As the race started, I was moving backwards. Then I was moving sideways. Then I was being run into. I was riding at 45 degrees into other riders. Bumper pool at its best.
I settled in and found a group of 5 riders to do battle with.
More "color" on my legs (and face)
Spiderman, Davo, and Feral Dave were not to be seen.
The Zen-like focus that says, "Last Lap!"
I focused on the orange beacon which was Big John's helmet and tried to bridge. When we did hook up on the penultimate lap I had disconnected my rear brake cable on a remount. I figured this out as I tried to set up a turn that instead deposited me into a post. I fixed the problem, but the damage had been done. Hot pants and his cronies caught up to me on the finishing straight and I figured I had received full value for my entry.
Evo about to be ALL DONE !!
Note mud on bike, shoes, Evo as well as puddles in background. It was wet !
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