SBF The SAGA Continues

So Superior Bike Fest went down again and it was just as action packed as last year! Not quite as much road rash and blood and not quite as much prize money won, but we still did pretty good. The main characters making a return include:

Brian (no mullet this year) Matter, Andrea (Nurse Mom) Matter and Elicia (ER) Hildebrand

New to this years edition were

Tristan & Jamie (we just got hitched) Schouten

It started off really bad as I was two miles from the cabin we rented for the weekend and the 5.0 was rolling behind me....luckily the officer let me go with a warning....

Then the real speeding began as the Twilight Criterium was off in full force. The first 3 laps were possibly the hardest effort of my life as my lungs were crying for relief and I thought the break would go...but it didn't. A few more hard solo efforts off the front and I was rewarded with 6th place(one spot out of the money). Tristan was 9th. ER used her mad skills and didn't high side it like last year . She pulled off a top 5.

The night went south when at 12:00am the 5.0 was rollin' again! This time it was 62 in a 45 and there was no respite. $100 down the drain and its a loosing money day. We went even further South when we missed our turn and started driving back towards Sheboygan. Now it was really late and I was a little bummed. 100 miles was sounding like pain the next morning!

Bring the pain was the motto for Saturdays race. Elicia brought too much and ended up back at the ER after a bad crash took out half the womens field. She was able to get up and finish 5th, but after seeing a local chiropracter decided to head in for some X-Rays. Sore neck and bloody elbow didn't allow her to race on Sunday. Tristan and I missed out on the road race when a group of 6 rolled away on the first climb and it was game over...lame road racing tactics were the name of the game for the rest of the race as 2 and three riders skirted away at a time. Tristan was 9th and I was 13th. Andrea and Jamie spent the day cooking, handing up bottles, looking good, and getting ready for day #3!

SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY: The day to bring the pain....

And the pain started when I stepped out of bed...

After breakfast we loaded up the road bikes and the mtn bikes and headed to MQT Mtn..the home of the best trails in the Midwest. We started and it was pretty much a three man race. Mike Anderson, Tristan and I. Half way through I launched an attack that I thought was sure to win me the race, but Mike was ablbe to gain time using my old Fuel on the long technical descents while I was aboard the rigid Superfly. It came down to a sprint and Mike got me on the line...breaking the one rule I had when I sold him the bike....

We waited about 10 minutes to watch Andrea come in for her first victory of the year and then it was off to race number 2. The SBF Circuit race. I was nice and warmed up from the MTB race so I launched on corner 1 of the race and drove the break for the first lap. 6 or 7 guys made the group and the gap was instantly huge. With 3 to go the moves started coming and people stopped cooperating in the break...so it was time to check out...along with a Priority Health rider we rode away with 3 laps to go and split a $100 prime. He was stronger and took the win...I was content with another 2nd. With the result I moved up the 5th overall in the omnium.

We tossed around the idea of heading home to Sheboygan for the trifecta, but passed as soon as the pain settled in...we finished off the weekend with a Lk Superior Ice Bath and a relaxing drive home.

Once again Andrea showed up the rest of us with the big W. Thanks again to all the folks who helped...Oakley, Trek, Gear Grinder, Hyundai, Crank Bros...and huge thanks to the Superior Bike Fest and the people of Marquette....and of course Ishpeming...those sandwiches were good!

WET COLD HOT DRY?

WET:

Friday the 13th: I wake up to 6" of water in the basement. Not cool. With all the rain the Black River was pretty high and the water was coming up through the basement floor. I first noticed when my Planet Bike pump floated by the bottom of the steps. Lots of trips the the rental store to get pumps and supplies. The bad luck of the superstitious day didn't stop there...at 2:00am I woke up the check on the water pumping process. Like Cassius Clay I found myself bobbing and weaving instantly as a friendly flying mammal was doing a crit around my head. 30 minutes later I looked like Roman and Chester trying to catch or kill it....the bat disappeared and 15 minutes later I was asleep! The basement is still WET Arghhhhh

COLD:

Mt Morris Subaru Cup Cross Country. Bad start. Bad Mental. Bad bike choice for the course for me. Bad Hydration. Bad Day. Finished up the day a little better with a COLD ice cream from Culvers! Mmmmm

Hot:

Mt Morris Super D and Short Track. Super D, Heat # 2 Le mans style start. Wholeshot on the bike, maybe a little conservative on the descent and then let 'er rip on the slight climb to the finish. Good enough for 1st in the heat and 5th overall. STXC, First Victory of the year! Good start, hot line on lap #2 to open up a small gap...Tristan bridged and we were gone. Gapped Tristan w/ 2.5 laps remaining and held on for the W. I came away with a sunburn and filled up afterwards with a Spicy Chicken sandwich and some HOT fries from Wendys. Mmmmm

Dry:

I wonder when the basement will be DRY Hmmmmmmm?

Next up Superior Bike Fest Marquette MI! Thanks to the guys at CLIF for being at the race and handing out free calories all weekend. Thanks to DON for the best ever WORS Short Track course and Thanks to all my sponsors.

Crazy Week

Last week was a long and busy week. We had some good times and some bad times.

Sadly Andrea's Grandpa Eugene Koenig passed away last Monday 2 days after his 92nd birthday. He will be missed greatly by our family. Fortunately lots of family and friends were in town last week to help celebrate his long life and recall many of his adventures.

On Friday I celebrated my 30th birthday(2 days after I watched the WINGS win their 4th CUP in the last 11 years!) with a Poop cake from the Dodgeville Bakery. Mmmmm

I was pumped when shortly after dinner my parents rolled into the driveway for a surprise visit!

Sunday Tristan and I along with my parents braved the weather and headed down to the road race state championships. I managed a top 5 after getting rolled out of the break by the IScorp Team on lap 1. A few laps later I let 'er rip again to go off the front with another guy and finish 5th. The new Madone was sweet with a Tubeless Dura Ace Wheelset.

I also crammed in a few home improvement projects. The fun never stops.

Double Trouble

2 was the magic number yesterday

2nd race of the year at Wausau

2 flat tires

2 Lalonde Brothers who are unstopable

$200 for a new rear wheel :(

but there was only one Sidney Crosby look-a-like

and one true winner on the day for rocking the mustache!

actually 2 winners in my book!

Andrea was the only racer from the team car to not get a flat! And she finished 7th...not too shabby for the 1st race of the year.

GO WINGS!