Climb Much?

(Preride on Saturday)

The crew(Tim, Dusty, Mike, Lelan, Bobby, Randy, and myself) headed down to do the Ouachita Challenge down in Arkansas last week and had a good/painful time. Myself, Tim, Dusty, and Mike all got down there on Friday afternoon just in time to check in to the hotel and grab some BBQ. (On top of first big climb)
The next day(Saturday) we would grab some classic small town cafe breakfast(Large portions and tons of coffee)and the head off to meet up with Lelan, Bobby, and Randy to get some preriding in. We would check out the last couple miles then hit up the first 8 miles or so. The first 8 miles had changed since last year and WOW! they added some major climbing. We would rap up the preride and head off for some pizza



(Fixing Lelans bike)

Sunday morning we would wake up to cold pizza and rain coming down. Once down to the race start the temperature would continue to drop but the rain let up.



The start of the race was a clustered mess and luckily Lelan, Dusty, Bobby, and me would bridge up to the lead group getting out of the mess that I knew would happen once the whole group reched the first large climb. Lelan would stick with the lead pack on the first climb and dissappear over the top. Im not sure when Dusty and Bobby backed off but next thing I knew I was all alone.

Once up the climb it was a fast decent to the first section of trail. When I finally reached the trail I felt like my legs couldn't go fast enough. I would eventually pull Lelan in and we both were stuck behind some slow riders for awhile.


From that point on till the first checkpoint I was feeling good. Once at the first checkpoint Lelan and Dusty would come in soon after I was there and they would pull my slow ass in on the long road/gravel section. Timzilla would eventually catch on and the High Gear train took in affect and ripped through the rest of the gravel.



We would enter the trail together as a group and that was all she wrote for me. I had to stop and catch me breath because I just couldnt keep it up and that would be the last I would see of the team.



So pretty much from that point on it was a pain train all the way in with 10 minute burst of energy fallowed by 10 minutes of me questioning what the hell I was doing out here. I would end up riding the last section pretty good for not being able to get into the small ring up front(great fun on those steep climbs).



Results would end up with Tim 41st, Dusty 46th, Lelan 59th, Myself 63rd, Mike 89th, Randy 138th,and Bobby 150th <----Bobby spent almost the whole race with no front brake so just finishing is amazing! His face below pretty much sums it all up. Feel like I left alot out of this post since its a week late but anyway there ya go.