Good times with great people

This past weekend we had a weekend free from collegiate racing so I decided to head up to the WORS Bear Paw race.  My friends and family got to stay in the cabins right on site which was cool because they had a full kitchen, bathroom and the best part was having a campfire and making pudgy pies the day before.  I had a turkey and cheddar on a ciabatta roll with just a bit of mustard. But making it over a campfire made it that more tasty.  But this weekend I wasn't really planning on racing.  I wanted to go up and just hang out with everyone and enjoy riding the trails the day before.  Then our Ripon coach persuaded me to go and race.  After riding a couple laps of the course I didn't want to stop.  I was having a blast just riding these trails.  They are technical and need your full attention.  Then realizing I had to race the next day I called it quits. Then after dinner, Joe Maloney, Tim Racette, Myles Beach and I sat in Myles cabin, the one next to ours, and had a great time talking and laughing over Mrs. Beach white cheese chicken lasagna. It was great to hang out with these guys again after being in school and not getting a chance to see the WORS family. On race day it was a bit chilly in the morning but warmed up pretty nice by the time I had to race at 1:30.  I got another call up and got to start right behind the winner, Cole House.  Don yells go and we take off. I got a great start and was sitting near the front up the first big climb.  At the top we cruised around in tall, bumpy grass and after losing some spots I entered the first section of single track 3 spots behind Myles.  This year the course was dusty and a lot of us had troubles seeing because of the dust cloud.  After battling this dust bowl, we hit the first road section.  We flew down it and made a hard right back into more technical single track.  We climbed up through roots and big rocks, a lot of which were "pedal busters".  After alternating these single track sections and fast roads for the first 3.5 laps I started to catch people again.  I was gaining speed on Ben Koenig when he noticed I was there and took off like a spooked deer. He ended up beating me at the end. This race was probably the most fun of all just because I mentally was able to go out and just ride with out really caring how I did.  Thanks to all for the cheers throughout the course racing wouldn't be as fun without you all.