Eyes Crossed Shut

Bike racing in January and in Wisconsin can make for some interesting conditions. 

 The week leading up to the Big Show this weekend brought warm temps rain and tons of mud. 

Watching Saturdays races the temps started to drop but not so much to freeze the mud. The whole venue was nothing but a huge mud pit and if you were not careful you would find yourself on your ass. 

We got to the races in time to watch the U23 race and one of the Ripon Red Hawks hammer through the mud. Casey was mashing the one by one and with the thick mud it looked like a ton of work. 

The next big race was the 35-39 with Both Barry of Hollywood Fame and Ryan Carlson one of the creators of Twin Six racing.

By this time of the day the temps were dropping and the mud seem to be along for the ride.. Bikes were getting coated and the ruts were starting to hold their shape. 

Family was cold and we saw what we came to see so it was off to the Hotel and time to swim and get warm.

A good night for chilling as the Hotel was hopping with bike races some hockey kids and lots of football. Both saturday games ended in crappy ways,, but that is football. 

What we needed was rest because Sunday was going to be a long one and going to be Cold.

We got to Verona just as the D1 kids were getting finished. 

The sun was out and wind was blowing. Most important was that the mud was now frozen and change the landscape of the course.

Walking around staying warm we cheered on the women as the blew the front end of the race up. 

KFC was off the front and never looked back.

We rang the cowbell for 

Georgia who had a bad start but motored through to a 4th place finish.

Then it was time to watch our young teammate Josh Bavers. 

The kid is in his first year of racing cross and after winning the 

state champ in the 3's has been moved up to the 2's and his first race in this cat saw him 

at the back of the start grid at the National Championships. 

The kid did great,, lots of pressure racing in these conditions and against this field. 

It was a long weekend and even though I did not race I sure feel like I did.. 

Now it is time to get back to reality and back to work, going to be 

cold ,,cold and cold for the ride in this morning,,, a nice kick in the ass to start the week.