Schlachter's crosscapades by Scott Schlachter

Anyhow - here's a nice looong rundown of my races thus far for anyone who might give a flying yahoo. It's long, so delete now if you'd rather eat a worm than read a cross report. All races except for the Halloween race were in Mens B 35+:.

9/5/09: LARPD #1 (Livermore): started the year with a 12/23 placing - almost perfectly at the mid-pack mark, which totally followed suit with how I did at almost every race last year. Sorta fun course, very flat though.

10/4/09: BASP#1 (MacLaren Park, SF): everyone told me this was a good "mountain
bikers course" going into it. I didn't get that... It had some switchbacks
going up, and some hillside singletrack, but no more single track than Aptos
high, and I thought it was pretty boring. Anyhow - pulled my usual mistake of
lining up too far back, and then cursing the Barny's who are going slow as
snails in every technical corner - this is always worse in the first lap - in
this case it was painfully slow. At one point I couldn't help myself and even
yelled out (to no one in particular) "if we were going any slower, we'd be going
backwards!". The guy behind me commented "and you'd be on the perfect team"
(TWW), which made me laugh. In the end, I suffered to get 33/76. Pretty darn
close to that half-way mark of 38th, but at least on the good side...

10/11/09: Surf City#1 Soquel High: I always enjoy racing at Soquel - not
necessarily because of the course, but because of the nostalgia/juxtaposition.
See, this is where I started High School as a freshman back in 1981. I only
went there for that one year (even longer story). This is where I went from Jr.
High Geek to High School Stoner. I used to hang out at the "smoking section",
which interestingly, is part of the typical cross course now... I'd smoke
cigarettes during breaks, and get high at lunch. This place is where I took a
wrong turn in life. At least I didn't totally fry my brain - For example, I
remember there was a major storm that Winter which devestated SC County. School
was closed for two weeks due to Aptos Creek overflowing and flooding downtown.
Anyhow, here I am now, 28 years later, happily married, three amazing children
of my own, solid career, happy. It's just trippy to go back there and race my
bicycle... OK, back to the present: this race was fun. At one point I lunged
ahead of a guy that kept skidding in the turns in front of me, almost causing me
to wreck into him (happened repeatedly). So, I got sick of it and finally
lunged in front of him right before one corner, and did the same thing to him
(sliding out right in front of him and slowing *him* down). I actually didn't
mean to slow down, but it happened, and apparently that pissed him off. Next
thing we're bumping elbows around the next few corners (this was in the
serpentine grass section). Another racer behind us actually told us to "settle
down guys". I was actually having fun, but we settled down. I let him
temporarily take the lead, but stole it back a few hundred yards later and I
never saw him again. I managed to get 10th/32 - the best I'd done in B's at
that point. Holy crap - I'm in the top third! Riley, Liam, Shaney and Aleah
cheered me on, then Riley and Liam raced in the kiddie cross race, got medals
and treats, and had a blast.

10/25/09: BASP#2, Coyote Point. One of my favorite cross venus. Fun course,
and the boys get to play at one of the coolest kid playgrounds I've ever seen
while I'm out racing. Poor Hane had a crash at his start, cracked his helmet
and looked like he ruuuung his bell. Sorry dude. I managed to get 25th/69,
sticking with the almost top-third theme.

10/31/09: Surf City#2 SC Fairgrounds(Halloween). Showed up in the family
minivan with the whole family in tow, right as the MM 35+ B's were taking off.
Damnit. OK, signed up for MM 35+ A's. Two goals: don't get lapped (by Don
Myrah), and don't DFL. I like that course. I managed to not get lapped (by Mr.
Myrah), and got 39th/44. Mission: accomplished.

11/1/09: Surf City#3 SC Fairgrounds. The day after - MUCH smaller turn out (and
I wondered how many of them were hung over :-)). No family this time, but I
baaaarely got there in time for MM 35+ B start. No warm up, registered and went
directly to the start line. I handed my wallet to one of the Bellas working the
start line (I think it may have been Miss Mary - not sure). Starting whistle
blows - damn I actually felt good. Maybe there is something to the
school-of-thought that you should get some short intensity riding in the day
before a race - Eric T. and Ross M. were telling me this after the previous
weeks' Weds South Bay Ride. Ended up getting 4th/20. Best place in B's yet.
In the last lap, I traded places with a guy I've gotten to know at the races
named Kieran Sherlock (nice guy - not related to Allan, but this guy is almost
as strong). I was ahead of him the whole race, and then he caught me in the
last lap and we traded places about 5 times, with him getting me the last time
just after the last hike-up. Podium went down to 3rd place, and he would have
won a nice big delicious looking bottle of imported beer, but wasn't present -
damn roadie...

11/14/09: BASP#3, Sierra Point. It's a little boring, and very flat, but for
some reason I kinda like that course. As Matt said, I managed 27/72 -
struggling a little behind that 1/3 mark... Scrounged a Grilled Bacon Chile
burger and fresh beer from the Team Sheilla Moon booth - ooooh that was good.
Then some spiced cider as it proceeded to get damn cold out there. Heckeled
Matt a little - I think he's getting slower. :-) It must have been freezing by
the time Allan raced (on his spectacularly beautiful new Ibis) - though I don't
see his time in the results - wussup???

Next up: BASP#4 at Golden Gate Park on 11/29. Last years course there was one
of the funnest...

Damn, that was a fun break from work... :-)
-Scott

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