Jingle Rock - Don't stop!

I want more....sometimes I wish I was back in Belgium during the Christmas period racing day after day after day.  The Cincy/LVille/Jingle Block is the best we can do here in the Midwest though...and I can't make Cincy with Iceman....so I want more COWBELL!

This is when you can make or brake a season.  Motivated because it was so fun, yet thrashed from 3 weekends of back to back racing w/ 16+ hours in the car traveling each weekend.  Last year motivation trumped knowledge and I blew myself out.  This year I am going to rest up a little before going again.  Older = Smarter!

Jingle Cross truly was a blast though and definitely the best cross race in the US.  Hard hard hard, Belgian like courses.  Raucous spectators, Beer, Flyovers, Runups, Handups, and more.  If you've never been you need to make it next year.

Oh yeah - and each year the competition gets a little better!  Friday night under the lights has to be one of my favorite races of the year.  Last year I was 5th and this year I managed to one up that with a 4th!  I was pumped to be battling with Powers and Driscoll.   Towards the end of the race it was down to just me and Driscoll and I felt like a might have had a shot at the podium, but he kept the pressure on in the last few corners and I made a mistake.  Stoked to race in the stealth Bontrager kit for the night!

Saturday was round 2 and I was ready for battle again.  This time I struggled just a little with fatigue after a getting to bed late and a big effort the night before.  The long climb in the back of the course was killing me!  The descent on the other hand was awesome with the disc brakes!  So much more confidence.  I ended up in a 2 man battle with Lindine, but really wanted to save a little gas for Sundays C1.  8th place.  Respectable!

We had some killer burgers Saturday night at an Irish Pub and watched a sweet movie Ghost Ship before a good nights sleep and the final race of the weekend.

 The C1 on sunday was the best yet.  Straight up Mt. Krumpet w/ the bikes on the shoulder and a ripping off camber new muddy descent on the back side.  Legs were definitely not as sharp as Friday night but I was in the mix.  I found it easier to slightly hang of the back of the group rather than run into the back of them at each hard part in the race.  Mid way through the race I sensed a small gap before and slick off camber towards the end of the lap..  pedaled hard, but nothing was there???  After a series of unfortunate events I had realized my skewer had come loose.  I stopped tightened the skewer, but the group I had been with 6th - 12th place was gone....30 seconds lost just like that...swapped bikes and kept going but was in no mans land.

A little bummed to end the weekend riding the last 3 laps solo, but that's the way it goes....leaves me hungry for more and with some new confidence that I can ride w/ the best when all goes right!

Thanks to all the supporters and sponsors!