This past Sunday saw the AZ ‘Cross Series return to Payson for race number 5. I arrived at the race venue early in order to help set up and as a result, I got my entry fee covered. The course incorporated sections of the course that was used for race number one as well as a ton of new stuff. The new sections included a 4 stair run up and some very tight, twisty turns through a picnic table area. There was also a very tight straight-away in which you rode between a barb wire fence and some very prickly shrubbery. The course included 3 barriers; two in a flat section, and one at the bottom of a very soft and steep run up.
The course was had extremely loose conditions. It was made up of very soft and loose decomposed granite, with a short section of asphalt. The looseness of the course was exemplified by my crashing on one of my pre-race laps. This fact did not instill much confidence for the race in me.
As usual, I lined up to start the Cat 4 race. As unusual when I lined up, I was wearing a different helmet as my usual devil horned one. I decided that I needed to bring more goofyness than my usual to this race, and lined up on the line with my “dreadlock” helmet on. The “dreadlock” helmet has sections of about 2ft. long road tubes super glued to its exterior. This gave me an even more insane look than my usual simple devil horns.
Upon being released by the start command, my race flew through the asphalt section and onto the gravel. Air was caught by me and many of the other racers at the transition from pavement to dirt. Once on dirt, it was onto the section of 2 barriers in the flats and then up a small rise, steeply down the other side, and into a sandy 180 degree turn and into the steep run up. From there it was around the perimeter of a softball field and into the very tight and twist section through the picnic tables that also include the stair run up. Then it was into the section between the fence and the shrubbery and then up another very loose climb. After a straight-away descent, the course crossed a concrete walking path and then launched you up a small rise and then into a wide, descending 90 degree turn with a small drop on it’s apex. From that point on it was back on to asphalt and through the start/finish/pit area. Each lap was approximately 1.5 miles and 5 minutes.
The extreme looseness of the messed with my head immensely and because of this, I stopped in the pits in the middle of my race and switched from my ‘cross bike to my mountain bike. Even though the mountain bike is 7 pounds heavier than my ‘cross bike, I was still faster on it because of the terrain.
I finished in a respectable 5th place and my teammate Tim won his first cross race. So a Big Ring shout out to him for his victory.
The men’s open race was full of insanity from the start. While on the line, a $10 prime was offered to the winner of the first lap. The catch to this was that the rider had to grab the money and if he dropped it, it would go to whoever could pick it up. I countered this with an offer of a free PBR to the rider who finished DFL on the lap as well as in the race. The first lap was won by my buddy Tim “The Future” Allen, who unfortunately later in the race ended up breaking his frame. The winner of the previous four races win streak was broken at this race because of mechanical difficulties. In the end, it was Travis McMaster of Mafia Racing who crossed the line first.
So that’s my report for this week. Race number 6 is just a week away as the series returns to Phoenix. Until next time, keep it in the big ring.

-Brother Lee