W101, qwik n dirty

W101 is getting all grown up.

Emergence of a true rockstar class,

lot's of training for the Shen100 logged,

post race kegstands are fun.

got to hang and meet with lots of cool

and interesting and fun people. Good to see

the old Meatplow still in action.

(shhh, somebody's interested in a fixy.....)

the race?

the race went beyond better than expected.

managed to stick to a programme this time.....

Don't blow by chasing across the flats/roads,

work over the climbs like you own them,

and survive the descents.

oh, and don't cramp.

on course highlights:

Getting to see the lead pack develop on the

first climb. Early morning misty light thru

the pines was inspiring, don't forget to look

around! Longerberger on into the Bridges was

zen money. Renegade beer stop was actually

not a mirage, riding the Croyle downhill after

said beer stop was like a loopy dream, and

then I ejected the Keystone Light ballast at

the bottom.

Had a flat after Telephone trail, apparently

it's been awhile since I re-upped the Stan's.

29er tubes do work in a 26" sized tire.

Plenty of long quiet periods of pedal pedal pedal.

pedal pedal pedal.

Found good flow along Sandbank and on top

of Sassafras. Top Trail was tits and then

stupidly flatted dropping into Poe Paddy/cp 5.

And that second tunnel is much further

away than I remember.

Kept my head in the game, road smart

and finished whole damn the thang in 9:23.

3 hours faster than last year and good

enough for 14th or so in the ss, maybe 60th

overall with everybody figured in.

Stacked.

Sounds like JB and Harlan had a good battle going

until an errant stick jumped into Harlan's wheel &

req'd a dismount. That's racing.....

Popularity is rising, lots of people figuring it

out and the field is getting crowded. It's been

a lot of fun being along for the ride, here's to

the next one.

Thanks everybody!