12 Hours of Gears

me and Aris joined at the hip.

Bbones and Griffin leading out the 6hr.

First race of the year??? Ok, fine. Second. TI has got to count for something.

Signed up for the 12 SS Solo, as did the bro Aris. We started off the first few laps running 2 and 3. Towards the end of each lap was a big field that the trail outlined. It was great and not great. In the first half of the race it wasn't cause we slowly saw 4th and 5th creep to our wheels. Then we slowly saw them ride away. By the end of the race the field was positive.

Aris was getting himself into his first ever 12 solo race. He is clearly fast. He would repeatedly stretch me out on the first set of climbs and the flats. I had no fear for I would reel him right back on the descents. He was feeling so good he would have chased the two SSers as they passed us. Had they passed us in the 10th hour, we would have chased. But we are talking 3rd hour here...let'm pass.

This time it was the 4th hour syndrome. My legs just wouldn't come back after the climbs. I never felt like quitting, but I knew I might be in for a really long day. I slowly came out of it once I new I was almost half way. Food intake was fruit and Heed and Clif. Note - Aris is still riding very strong.

6 hours - We both were rolling well. Sipping and eating too. We started to see 2nd and 3rd again! Then one of them dropped. One of us was on the podium. At this point we started to see the rest of the EXPO peeps. Griffin, Bbones, Jdubs, Trixie, Chris T and John G. Aris and I even got to ride an entire lap with Bbones. Much respect to the boy. It was so fun rolling through the start/finish area with an EXPO train.

9 hours - Aris is done. Or at least he said he was until the pit threw us the news of us sitting in 2nd and 3rd. I never though such great news could piss off Aris as much as it did. This goes to show how mental this sport actually is. Aris kept on turning and we rolled on. No wait, we ripped on. There was no way either one of us was going to mess up a 2/3's EXPO podium.

Last Lap - Right next to Squidbuzz's garage was the crew of the SS boys that had been pressing us all day. Travis, the man in 4th, was sitting in his chair feeling done. We stopped to shake hands and drag his butt out for one more. Nice nice guy, hope to see him down the rode. What a day. EXPO takes 2 and 3 in the Solo SS cat.

Trixie was a superstar tackling her first race in 4 years. She put in 3 laps with some VERY respectable times. Griffin carried the load when it was time, sometime doing doubles. Look out for him, for he is putting weekday time on the bike. B and J are progressing very nicely as well. In just a few more weeks they move back south for the summer for some real training! Can't wait. Chris and John took 5th and 7th respectively in the 3 hour event. They both looked very strong every time I saw them out there. Of course their results show it too.

When it was all said and done Aris and I ended up 3rd best with 24 laps(eh). First Solo SS rocked out 4 more laps. He was flying. However Ronsta was on jet engines(31! yup). He not only was the MAN, but he took the Men's open on one gear! Look out for this cat at Nats. No Joke.

I almost forgot. Pedal Moraine can put on a very nice smooth, layed back, exciting, and fast well run event. Thanks. Gotta love WEMS.