Fat Tire Weekend

I planned on another tune-up ride Thursday before the Chequamagon 40 miler on Saturday. I grabbed the road bike and headed out the door after work. I got in a few miles before the rain started. Within a few seconds, it became a downpour. I blasted for home soaking wet and got in 11 miles... Friday at the Fat Tire Festival included a 6 1/2 mile tour of the Ojibwe Trail with Bill Stuber, Barry Torgerson, Jerry Engen and Lori Belz. Race day Saturday, I got my bike in line too far back from the front. I think I need to get there earlier than 8:15. Anyway, the cannon blasted and everyone took off... Well, those in front took off... For those of us in back, we got going in about a minute. I rode really well on the asphalt roads and then on the flat sections of the Birkie Trail, logging and forest roads. As usual, the uphills got me... My Niner set up as a 1 x 9 (36t chainring, 12-32 cogset) worked really well. The straight carbon fork worked great too. Anyway, I walked a few uphills including the Firetower Climb and only landed sideways in one of the many ponds on the course. I got a big leg cramp on the very last uphill but I rode through it and blasted the downhill to the finish line. My time for the 4o miler was 3:06. Bill Stuber came across the line in 3:11, Lee Bengel had a time of 3:15, Lori Belz clocked 2:58, Rob Belz had a time of 2:40. John Schmidt was 2:58, Dan Meyer rode to a 2:36 and Dave Meyer was at 2:31. John Wyland, Jay Wenner, Ron Belz, Stu Benson and Jerry Engen did the Short and Fat. It wasn't good for John, he flipped over the handlebars and broke his collar bone. Jerry had a better race and Stu clocked a 1:01. Jay Wenner's time was :57. Check out the picture taken by Bruce Adelsman... Do you thinkI was having fun?