Flex... Flex...Flex... As I stretch my fingers getting ready to try and explain what in the world was I thinking when I had a bright idea to send an email to a TeamMate about doing the Berkeley Team Time Trial. At what moment in my life did I think for a second that "Hey" I think I would like to do a Time Trial would be a good idea. As most of you might or might not know I have made no bones about the fact that I can’t TT to save my a#@... About a year ago I did the Dunlop Time Trial... I think that was like giving birth! Oh my Gawd! The pain... They say that after a certain amount of time something clicks, and something in your brain says... Hey! I thinks I might like to do that again... Well just about 9 months later I had that stupid click moment... The pain had gone, my ego was back in check, and my stupidness was fully engaged! So now came the moment of decision? Who could I get to race this RACE OF TRUTH! Hmmm! Wait a minute he just had a Birthday, and his racing age was now 45... 90+ class... Nolan/Metcalf look out!
Yaaa Buddy! Mr.(The Motor) Bowlus... That would be the guy. Not only can he TT, what’a shelter... Tuck in behind Chris and enjoy the ride! Or at least that what I thought. So out the email went... Hey Chris ol’buddy what’a doin on March 9th? Would you believe, he said yes! Wow DBC Masters TT’n machine agreein to TT with a professed putz. What a great Team we were goin to make. Date set, time to prep.
Race Day, as usual up early... That great smell O’ Coffee, I think if it wasn’t for the smell of coffee I just wouldn’t get up in the morning. Had to make a detour, and drop the wife off at the airport. She was on her way to Clearwater Fl. ... Bus’a’ness meet’n ya know. Pull up to yo curb, figgerin 5mph was safe, open da door, and pushed er out, toss er bags, and off to the Berkley TT I was a flyin. After all rumors had it "Levi" was a goin to be there, and Big and Walker had’a major as#@ whoppin to put on ol’ Mr. Levi. So enough of the small talk, you know the rest. You show up at these events try’in to look the total bad as#@... Walkin the walk, Talkin da talk... Yo, yo,yo, dats right... Me n Big... Where’s Levi? I stroll up to the table, sign’n up. Where do you want my autograph baby? Oh! Right here? MR FAST esq. Stroll back to the car and grab my mighty hi tech steed, 23lb of Zunow steel. Aero wheels, aero bars, 43/53 - 12/25... Man gears! 9:31:30 start time... Gettin ready. Up on the line, and Chris sayin... Hey! You ready to Rock? Ready Big Guy! Now up until 9:30:30 I was feeling BAD As#@. 9:31 reality had set in. Chris had said you go first... Ok I said. I had done this Race before, so I knew of the hills to come. Off the line I thought 23/24mph would be a good start, you know let the legs breath, build your speed, that kinda thinking. 9:31:30 into our race, Chris, I think was thinking as he came motoring by me, enough of this Putz! 9:31:45 we were screaming along at 27+ mph. 9:32:30 I was already starting to lose Chris’s wheel. Arrgghhh! Whoa Big Guy... Chris backed off a little. Now I should have mention that our 30 second guys were our own TeamMates. Will and (give me 100) Lee. I that moment I realized that I had the tail of a guided missile, and Chris had Will and (give me another 100) Lee locked in his sights. Given Lee’s tactical training, and sensing a laser had locked on to them, had gone into evasive maneuvers. That goodness for them I had the I can’t harm a TeamMate chip implanted in my brain, and it would not allow me to let Chris mow them over. So as we Raced around the course, the distance stayed about the same. The course was 16.6 miles of up and downs. Along the flats and rollers I was having a hard time hanging onto Chris’s wheel, but I hung tough thinking that when we hit the climbs I could make up some time, and pay Chris back for all the work he had been doing. As we rolled onto the first of the three climbs... Baby Bear I think I started up ahead of Chris, and within 100 meters Chris comes rolling by me... Crap! Why Me... Where does he get this power from? I fought to stay close to Chris, but my legs just were on full protest, and every time I would go over 320/330 watts it was game over. I played this silly game for the next two climbs on Mama and Papa Bear. Now at the top of Papa you can see the 1k sign, and the fans on the side of the course are screaming 1K... 1K! GO! I’m dying... Push! Chris is just ahead of me, and I starting to yell to Chris... Go! There is a small downhill just before a small uphill to the finishing line, and we are flying 53/12. I’m gaining on Chris, and I’m yelling Go! Go! Go! Chris doesn’t hear me, and as I come flying by him, I think Chris is thinking WHAT THE! Were did that come from? After all that work... I pimp Chris at the finish, but all was good, Chris was right there. Just like he had been the whole ride. I set a new fast time thanks to Chris, and I have to thank him for being a great TeamMate, and hanging in there for me when I was having a less than stellar day...
Afterwards we met with all the other DBC racers, and all had a good time talking about the day... So despite my bad descision to do this AGAIN! It turned out to be a great descision because of the friends I had to do it with.
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