SSWC....part deux

Note: If you're into chronilogical order of things, check out part 1 of this story in the post below.

There's usually a "hosting bar" for SSWC. This year would be a little different. After the bowling & Ms. Pacman finished up groups of people on bikes headed in every direction like underage kids fleeing the scene at a party that was about to get busted by the cops. Red blinky lights were absorbed by the Napa city streets as everybody headed in a direction that felt right to them.

We ended up at a place up the Napa River from the bowling alley with lots of varieties on tap.

Lucky dog. Buck gets blessed with the ability to party into the night and awake feeling like an Irish Spring soap commercial with no hangovers.....guaranteed.

Buck.... keeping hygiene fun.

Race day. LeMans start. Shortish run around a horse corral. People running both directions.... keepin' it real. Took me a bit to find my bike. The first climb was DUSTY! Holly shit man. I couldn't believe it. It felt like I ate a stick of chalk by the halfway point of the first climb. Things sorted themselves out pretty good for 400+ riders on course. Having experienced racing in this same park a couple of months back I knew that there was a lot of single track and passing options existed but were difficult. I spent the next hour or so catching and passing my way through the pack until I found myself riding alone. I hate racing alone. It's both good and bad. The "good" is that your either towards the front runners.... or maybe even winning. No one is in your way to mess you up and there's no dust. The "bad" is that it starts to get lonely. You loose the feeling of enticement as you're no longer catching riders,nor do you have the pressure from being afraid that someone's gaining on you. All you can do is push on and pray you don't flat.

By the final lap I'm catching lapped traffic and spectators on course are keeping me mentally in the game. My legs however are in a slightly worse state. I've drank far too little water this day and my inner thigh muscles are paying the price. Not as bad as last time I raced here, but wouldn't ya know it's in about the exact same spot on the course! I know there's only one more short climb to go.

I made my way over to the bar (2 baby pools of iced down beer) to see who was in before me. The usual suspects. Brown, Moeschler, Weir, Wicks, LeLonde and this years winner Carl Decker. Nice work lads. See ya next year in Durango.

Meanwhile, back at camp.....

..... Buck experiences a slightly different outcome of the race. Seems as though he had a run-in with someone sending him O.T.B.

After attempting the after race party that was getting bigger with each finisher, it was clear that someting was going on with Bucks knee. I drop him off and head back to the race. Buck learned that the off course excursion would cost him his ACL! Yikes!!

Back at race HQ, I'd learn that Brian wasn't the only one that got hurt. I'd also realize that the guy that beat me wearing gold cape and speedo (Ryan Trebon) wasn't the only one that wanted to get festive with his race kit.

These two guys Indian Leg Wrestle for a custom steel fork.

We arrive back in Truckee and start the unloading process that signifies the end of all road trips. I re-load the truck with tools and misc bike fixing supplies and Buck finishes his last two days of vacation maxin' & relaxin'.