Tape it up

(See attached file: tape it up.bmp)
June 1st got my cast off finally and what a relief. Of course I've been thinking the entire time that it's been on that as soon as it comes off, I can start racing and doing whatever I want just like before. Wow was I wrong about that. I figured I've been riding so it won't be a big deal riding now that the cast is off. I can't even describe the lack of mobility and just how weak it is. But I figured what the hell and decided to do the Tour of Tucker County race. So I taped it up and went out, for not racing in like 8 weeks or so I felt OK. I managed to hang on to the field for the first lap but fell of on the second lap and still finished. I was happy that I finished and wasn't to disappointed by were I finished.

I should have did the smart thing and quit while the going was good. Ruth did the race too and wanted to do the Massanutten HOO HA XXC the next day. So instead of listening to everyone that said don't race. I figured what the hell I'm tough I'll just ride slow and take it easy. Plus I figured to was better than just sitting around and I love riding in this area. I was surprised at the start how many people were it looked like fifty plus. So at the start I followed my plan and just rode easy and that lasted for maybe about a mile or so. That's when I decided that the pace I was going was to slow and picked up the pace and worked my way towards the front of the pack. Then everything seemed better and much more like the normal. That feeling only lasted for maybe like 15 minutes or so that's when we hit the first bit of single track that had some rocks and logs. I was OK this it's alright and thought I was going pretty fast, but in reality I was going very slow. I figured it was best just to pull and get out of the way. Not sure how people went past me but it seemed like allot. Then the course started to go up and it wasn't to rocky so I past a few of the racers that had just past me. I was feeling OK and started thinking this is going to be OK no problem. That was before we got onto the ridge trail, I've ridden this trail before and knew it was rocky. But it seemed to have more rocks and up hills than I remembered. It seemed almost impossible to ride some sections. But after seeing lots of people riding them I figured it was just me that couldn't ride it. I would ride a little then walk allot, and try to stay out of everyone's way but it was hard because the is very narrow for long sections. After about 2 hours of being out there is when I realized just how much it sucked to walk your bike down every downhill because I couldn't ride them. So at about 3-1/2 hours and 21 miles I came back though the start and found out how much more there was to go .With about 12 more miles to go that's when I made the smarter decision and quit. I really don't like not finishing a race but I just figured it was for the better.

Ruth finished 5th out a pretty big group that had some fast girls in it like Betsy Shogren and Sue Haywood. Hopefully next race will a little better.

Justin