P
Penny S.
Guest
As y'all should know by know, got the lock off my bike Thursday. the original plan was to meet LaRae
( cutiepie) down at High Bridge park to check out the course for the McMud fest, an easy race. She
convinced me to ride beginner class with her. We rode the lap 2x yesterday... first lap I just had
to get my bike legs going (first time out this year) and second lap it all came back to me.
OK, Today is race day. It's been a steady rain since last night, still going this am. I keep saying
to myself " I will not weenie out due to the weather" over and over again. Pack the goretex, some
tea in a thermos, and load up the gear.
The course is just a windy ( think super twisty) loop, 3.2 miles through a scummy neglected little
park at the confluence of Latah Creek and the Spokane River. The "high bridges" are one freeway, one
or two train bridges and a double lane thoroughfare, all above us at one end of the park. Normally
I've be having a fit about the mud pits... but face it... in this park the only fair weather
activities are gay cruising and homeless camping. Not an environmentally sensitive area, what with
all the condoms, beer bottles and syringes in the undergrowth.
Anyway, a few little tiny climbs, a lot of mud, windy trail thought the pine trees,
OK... just out to have fun, totally non aggressive start, passed three girls, got lapped by a couple
of kids, nailed corners that gave me fits yesterday, hung on for dear life in the mud pits, did
totally awesome on the short/steep climbs. 3 laps for 10 miles. Then I passed the lone
XC/downhill guy ( rules: bike must have 12" travel, one front ring, big tires, weigh +#35 and no
lycra) and went on my merry way.
All the winter spinning's paid off, I was ready for another lap when I was done and ready for
another ride tomorrow. Hey won my category: Beginner Old Babes...(40+) but I was the only old babe
there so I still haven't figured out if it really counts or not..
Penny
( cutiepie) down at High Bridge park to check out the course for the McMud fest, an easy race. She
convinced me to ride beginner class with her. We rode the lap 2x yesterday... first lap I just had
to get my bike legs going (first time out this year) and second lap it all came back to me.
OK, Today is race day. It's been a steady rain since last night, still going this am. I keep saying
to myself " I will not weenie out due to the weather" over and over again. Pack the goretex, some
tea in a thermos, and load up the gear.
The course is just a windy ( think super twisty) loop, 3.2 miles through a scummy neglected little
park at the confluence of Latah Creek and the Spokane River. The "high bridges" are one freeway, one
or two train bridges and a double lane thoroughfare, all above us at one end of the park. Normally
I've be having a fit about the mud pits... but face it... in this park the only fair weather
activities are gay cruising and homeless camping. Not an environmentally sensitive area, what with
all the condoms, beer bottles and syringes in the undergrowth.
Anyway, a few little tiny climbs, a lot of mud, windy trail thought the pine trees,
OK... just out to have fun, totally non aggressive start, passed three girls, got lapped by a couple
of kids, nailed corners that gave me fits yesterday, hung on for dear life in the mud pits, did
totally awesome on the short/steep climbs. 3 laps for 10 miles. Then I passed the lone
XC/downhill guy ( rules: bike must have 12" travel, one front ring, big tires, weigh +#35 and no
lycra) and went on my merry way.
All the winter spinning's paid off, I was ready for another lap when I was done and ready for
another ride tomorrow. Hey won my category: Beginner Old Babes...(40+) but I was the only old babe
there so I still haven't figured out if it really counts or not..
Penny
