Lets face it -- racing is tough. You stay up late prepping yer bike, get up early to get there, ride around doing wheelies in water-logged jean-shorts an sneakers in the rain and have to wait around for Pops for hours to get done racing before getting back to homework. Ahh, life on the circuit.
Today's race at Granogue was ri-gawd-damned-diculous! Seriously knee-deep thick slop, 50lb. mud-encrusted bikes to push up hill, 50lb. mud-encrusted bikes to push downhill, cold rain and no crowds to cheer you on. What do you do? How do you motivate?
Bob K. did the beginner race today, and after watching all of the drudgery, destroyed drivetrains and people dropping out with hypothermia, he bravely saddled up to race his brand new bike for two laps. It would be hard to convey just how bad the conditions were -- let's just say YOU would not want to do it. I heard that over half the Experts dropped out.
Aonk and Jonk were riding about showing off. They came down to hang out and look for stuff to jump. Easily bored, they just want to have fun on their bikes. But hey, Pops was racing and they wanted to eat on the way home, so they had to cheer for him, even if it meant standing in the rain waiting. And waiting. So there we were late in the day, up on the hill watching the beginner class slowly emerge from the fog climbing from way down in the valley. Most were completely shattered and covered head to toe in the the worst swine-flu muck imagineable. Misery pushing uphill and sliding backwards with every step, chains sucked up deep, wheels not turning, no smiles to be seen, no brakes left. People just gave in and were dropping out left and right as we looked off in the distance. Finally he appeared -- Bonk on the horizon! With a big smile and even bigger determination, Bonk pushed up the 15 minute climb, got his dose of familial motivation, hopped on and pedaled his crunching drivetrain through the chute to go out on his last lap! I was psyched.
Mom'nk was not so psyched -- she sat in their car the whole day, which was stuck axle-deep in the mud on the side of a grassy hill. About half-way into my drive home, I rec'd this text from Jonk: "My dad finished last but he finished the 2 laps. And my mom got the car out..."
Bonk, you are my hero for the day and I applaud your resolve to finish your race in the absolute worst conditions I've personally ever seen. I am really proud of you and glad I got to see you race. CONGRATS on that gritty performance! Can't wait to see you at French Creek.
