Let me first start off with a little story about the day before the AZ Cyclocross State Championships. On Friday, on my way to work, I made a stop at the bank and made a cash withdrawal of $40 with twenty of it in one dollar bills. This got me a funny look from the teller and the question of “Are you going to use these at a strip club?” To which my response was, “No! I’m going to a cyclocross race!” They gave me some new and very crisp bills…sweet! So that’s dollar bills off of the checklist for the race. Next thing was one my way home from work. I dropped by my favorite liquor store looking for a twelve pack of PBR cans, they only had thirty packs…that was an easy decision. I’ve already got duct tape in my toolbox. Those three items: dollar bills, PBR, and duct tape equal my idea of some fun for the final race of the series. I’ll come back to this stuff later.

The state championship race was held at Crossroads Park located in Gilbert. As usual, I arrived at the race venue early in order to help set up and/or design parts of the course. This course featured more elevation change than previous races because the start/finish line was located in the bottom of a bowl. From the start, the course went up onto the lower side of the bowl and then dropped off the lip to a couple of tight 180s on the top and bottom of the bowl. After that, the course ran along the top of the bowl again, with some quick chicanes around some tree that were easily straight-lined, and then into a 90 degree turn down into the bottom of the bowl. This flat section contained the first set of two barriers. From there it was into a couple of tight twists and then a short straightaway followed by a sweeping 90 degree turn. After the turn, it was over a narrow, wooden footbridge and up a steep, approximately 20 yard long, dirt hill to a canal bank. The canal bank section was long and flat and allowed you to get into your drops and hammer! From the canal, the course dropped all the way down to the bottom of the bowl and then back up and down a total of three times. After the third climb up the bowl, coming down, about halfway down, there were two off camber 90 degree turns with the second leading into the one run-up on the course that consisted of two barriers. After clearing the barriers, the course turned and went back about halfway down the hill before climbing back up to the top of the bowl. From the top of the bowl there was a 90 degree right hand turn that set you blasting down the side and into a sweeping left hand turn that was bordered on one side by a lake which if you weren’t careful, you could end up in. The course continued through a very tight section of twists and turns through some trees and then it was back onto the start/finish straightaway.

As usual, I lined up for the start of the Cat 4 race which was combined with the masters 35+ race (with my 20 extra watts giving Church of the Big Ring socks on of course). The race length was 35 minutes. At the sound of the word “Go!” we were off. The total field size for both classes was around 25-30 riders. I started off near the back of the pack but quickly worked my way into the middle by the time we made it through the first section of barriers. After blasting through the canal sections and down the first hill repeat, I was shifting and dropped my chain…expletives ensued while I fixed it. After fixing it, I was off again, but now somewhere near the back. I dropped my chain again in the same place on the next lap…more expletives as well as me telling myself to stop shifting under load. OK, problem diagnosed and fixed next lap, no more dropped chains, adrenaline pumping, I’m flying. I was feeling the best yet this season in this race. At the start of the final lap, I caught my teammate Niko. But along the canal sections, while I was blasting along, passing some slower riders, this unfortunately for me helped him bridge the gap that I had created and he was back on my wheel through the hill repeats. He passed my back after the run-up barriers and I chased but he had me, as he was faster through the tight stuff than I. In the end, I ended up in 10th place and completely dead energy wise. In, as one of my fellow competitors said was total Big Ring style, I puked after my race. I gave everything to that race…including my breakfast.

So now back to the list of items collected the day before the race (twenty $1 bills, PBR cans, and duct tap). Before my race, I prepared for the debauchery to ensue later in the day by taping about ten of the dollar bills to PBR cans and putting them into my backpack along with my Church of the Big Ring Cowbell (20 decibels louder other cowbells), the flexi tone, bull horn, roll of duct tape, more PBR cans, and the rest of the $1 bills. In the barrier sections for course, I set the PBR/$1 bill cans on top of the barriers. Dollar bills were also taped to the barriers as well as overhanging trees along the course. These were quite distracting for the racers, as they caused a few stumbles through the barriers. I also did straight up beer hand-ups to racers that were willing. In the end, much fun was had by all and many cheers were received for the hand-ups and/or debauchery.

So that’s it for the 2008 AZ Cyclocross Series! Next weekend I’m off to Kansas City for nationals. I’ll be racing in the Collegiate Division I race on Sunday for Arizona State University. Current weather reports for race time are calling for a 30% chance of a “light wintry mix” and a high of 33 degrees. This sounds like great ‘cross weather and will be quite a change for me as I am used to racing in clear skies and highs in the 70s and 80s. If any of the Brothers and Sisters of the Church of the Big Ring are there, please come cheer and/or heckle me (I’ll have devil horns on my helmet and should be fairly easy to pick out)!

-Brother Lee