larp'd #2

Livermore was blessedly cool compared to last week--the forecasted high was only 92F/33C. Heck, I may have even felt a chill before the races started.

Men's B: bigger field than last week. Similar pattern: 8-9 guys in a group at the front after the first lap, then hanging on to see who could last. After a couple more laps, I saw the group split in front of me...never good to see that gap. I wasn't rolling as well as last week, both in my own head and compared to how the others were rolling, but just how so will remain unknown: I flatted just before the bell. Thanks to the spectator with "cool hands" who helped me after I flubbed switching out my rear tire. Still picked up 7/12.

Sarah Maile came out and raced against the B's (and beat me!). Josie JM and Sarah Kerlin showed up for the women's race just beforehand, and so it could have been a three-way battle--but oddly, JJM and SK finished at the front of the women's race hand-in-hand without a sprint, and SM held off until the B race. Maybe it's just too early for racing for those with the real goods, so a little detente for the time being.

I lined up on-time for the singlespeed race--I know at least Gianni was swiveling and looking for me at the start line this time! Cesar "Big Dog" Chavez showed up for the SS race, though, so G and I both knew we were done for. AJM lined up in stars-and-bars trimmed kit and that's the last I saw of him for a while...

At lap 3 or so I was running second-to-last when my rear tube blew. Never good on a singlespeed bike, especially since I had no spare wheel. But there was a spare tube in the car...

Picked up the bike.
Walked back to the car.
Got a tube, pump, tire levers, wrench.
For some reason, walked over to the pit tent to fix things.
Realized I had dropped the tire levers somewhere.
Watched the leaders go by...again...
Was somewhat pleased to find that a forgiving rim-bead combination allowed me to get the clincher tire off with my bare hands (whatcha gonna do...?).
Tube out, tube in, bead back in, pump it up, off we go!
Oops, chain fell off--what a fool. Back to the pits to adjust to loosen the axle bolts and try again...
Watched the leaders go by...again...

So it wasn't much of a race, even less so than last week's. I got back on the course, though, and rode 'til the end, good enough for third! Yes, out of three.