Monday, August 11, 2008

EXPO Crew Holds it Down - Ore to Shore

With halfies at Sunburst and halfsies at MI's Ore to Shore, EXPO covered some ground. After our Sunburst Day, I actually wish we were ALL in MI. I'm a bit jealous. Thanks Sue for the pics.
Barbara, Janet(EXPO guest rider all the way from CO), Kathy, Deanna, Sue

24 Hr Men's Duo National Championship 5th place finishers, Jeff and John




Barbara grabbed a well deserved podium spot in the 28mile Soft Rock. Even more note worthy was her 29th Women's Overall in a field of almost 200.


Kathy Gregorski sent me a great write-up, so here are her great words:

It was a great weekend resulting in lots of stories to tell…. The gals did the 28 mile Soft Rock, the guys did the 48 mile hard rock.

Barbara – 3rd in women 45-49 (podium!)(29th Overall)

Kathy – 7th in women 40-44 (30th Overall)

Janet Linn – 11th in women 45-49 (this is Barbara’s sister, she rode for Expo)

Deanna – 24th – in women 45-49

Sue – 30th in women 45-49

John – 13th in men 40-44

Jeff – 15th in men 40-44

Overnight rain packed down the epic sand the event is know for and created a fast course (and lots of chain problems!). The gals started their event in a cold “chunky” rain, almost sleet – brrr. Janet Linn lead the gals on the lead out. Then Barbara took over.

Barbara and I traded positions for most of the race. With about 5 miles to go we were going pretty hard with a few other ladies when we gave them a gift they (and we) will never forget….Barbara crashed in the sand at the bottom of a downhill and I landed right on top of her! Two teammates took each other out! We recovered and tried to make up lost ground. All was well until I T-boned a tree. Barbara waited and we finished together – same time.

Janet Linn (aka a ”summo-racer”), our guest rider from Colorado had a great ride! She’d never done a mountain bike race before. Was thrilled to ride for Expo and plans to be back next year – if we can promise rain the night before the event. Realizing how well she could have done, next time she won’t stop to use the porta-potty or take a photo for somebody…

This was Deanna’s first RIDE on her mountain bike in over a year and her first RACE in many years. She spent time in the “pain cave” and finished strong.

Sue overcame some major “chain-suck” and shifting problems to just finish the event. This girl is no whiner! All those mechanicals are now behind her and she’ll be going for it in the Short ‘n Fat at the Fat Tire Fest.

John and Jeff, with legs still tired from 24-9 had a great race. The rain quit right before their start, so conditions were awesome. Jeff (aka “cupcake”) had wickedly fast start, riding with out with some of the best of the best. He was having the race of his life until chain issues got him too. John passed Jeff right near the end, and the boys finished within seconds of each other. “Cupcake” crossed the line pretty muddy and become “Frosted Cupcake”. After the race, the crazy boys road the 15 uphill miles back to the cabin.

1 comment:

Shelley said...
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