Almost...

I am almost there... The foot is feeling better and I am almost back to normal (physically not mentally). I almost did my first cross country race this weekend at Bonelli and now it is almost time for Vision Quest.

For the second weekend in a row... I watched, took some pictures and tried to help out some friends with support while they raced. I am actually pretty stoked about it and it offers some interesting perspectives about racing. Just like being in the race I have learned something new about myself and what motivates me. Good stuff.


Bonelli park was the first lineup for the US CUP race series and there were about 700 people crowding the park with enthusiasm. I had no idea that mountain bike races were so big! I decided to sit this one out until my foot is 100% and with my crazy schedule I don't think I could make many of the races in the series anyways. Perhaps next year?

Monique and I drove out with Dez and Jason to watch and take it all in with the summer heat...Yes, 80's feeling like 90's and we were not pushing up the hills. Mike and the Vegas crew drove out after racing a TT and a 80 mile road race the day before. Mike still placed 2nd in Cat 1 (and running a 1x9 setup!) and I am sure he will take the series again... Need to train with him more ;-)

The course was just under 8 miles and had a few good climbs in it... Just enough to keep separate the packs of riders before the descents. It was pretty cool seeing how close and fast these guys were getting round the course at that intensity. The only thing I can compare it to is the first few laps of Temecula . . . much more crowded than the bike on an Xterra where the swim manages to keep some space by the time you get on the bike.

Monique and I (mostly Monique) was handing out bottles while I was zipping around the course trying to get some pictures. Funny how the ones that turned out were just last minute shots...(more pics over here)

Melanie McQuaid
Eric railing the turns

Little Casey hangin with the big boys!

The Mann Show is in town!

snake in the grass!! -ok.. i got a little bored...

Justin, Alison, Luke, James and Eric all drove up from down south and all had a great race. I am sure they will have race reports up shortly. They all put in some major volume and I hope to be training/hanging with them more this season. Somehow I thought that standing around all day would cause my foot to flare up but I think the stiff bike shoes actually helped. Today was the first day with ZERO pain, pressure swelling in my foot. STOKED!


My bike, however, continues to keep the "fragile alma" tag. After the race we rode a loop and I had another derailleur hanger bend and stopped it just as my chain got stuck between my cassette. This is the 7th derailleur hanger!! SEVEN! My dropouts have melted away and the carbon around the rear chainstays is on its last leg... Justin offered to let me use a frame for VQ but I didnt want to change it out this soon to the race if I did not have to... Paul also was working on a deal for me from Intense but I am not sure what I am going to do at this point. "Its now all about the bike" right? he he he....I am just stoked that I am recovered, rested and its almost VQ Time!