Nelson Frink, Copperopolis 45+ 4/5

When I arrived in the quaint hamlet of Milton this morning, my first goal was to switch out of the 35+4/5 to the 45+4/5 race, as I knew my chances of a top ten finish to get team points in the 35's was next to nil. Hal Sloane generously gave me his spot in the B group, and they accepted it at the registration. They ended up adding the 12 riders from the C group to ours, and fellow DBC Master Kevin McSpadden and I pulled out with the group.

Things got challenging quickly, and I held the front group until the steepest section of the main climb. "Scotty, we need more power!" "Sorry Captain, but you're forgetting this isn't a next generation ship we're on."

He was being a bit stubborn today after the three hour ride we took yesterday, but soon enough he kicked in well and we held with the other dropped riders scattered on the hill. I worked with a few other riders back to the main group of 25-30 riders on the flatter section around the top of the course. I held on through the screaming bumpy downhill and back onto the hill on the second lap. I got dropped in the same place, but again worked back on the flats with the help of a few others. By the time we hit the downhill, there were a dozen or so guys, and I was 6th or 7th in the uphill sprint. I mistakenly thought there were no other riders ahead of us, and announced to a few teammates at the end that I was in the top ten. It turned out I was 14th.

Lessons learned: 1. Work on climbing 2. Don't tell people how you placed until you're sure. 3. Don't lock your keys in the car. I sustained a laceration above my eye trying to break into my truck at the end that generated a number of stares and questions from concerned fellow racers, and I wished I could've said it was in a bike crash.

Nelson