Last weekend ended one of my favorite cross seasons so far. I can't quite put my finger on why. I didn't have the greatest season on paper; my results were solidly in the lower 50%, and often in the bottom 25%. I didn't win, place, or show at any races. I didn't travel to
exotic places, or participate in the biggest races. I didn't get faster, but I didn't get slower. I guess that's the key then. I didn't get slower. Stasis. Usually that's a bad thing. I'm pretty ok with it this year though. I've felt like I've gotten faster at the races simply by driving my bike better. I know I'm a pretty good bike handler on bikes with wide bars and flat tires, but in years past I've never felt comfortable on my cross bike. It never quite drove right. I think that this year I got it down. Since I supremely suck at running, I made a point to ride everything I could this year. Unfortunately the beginning of the season provided a lot of opportunities for running. The season got better, though, and being able to ride over stuff was just more... fun. And fun is what cyclocross is all about. I enjoy stuffing myself into a skinsuit, pinning a number on, and lining up in the back of a group of like minded guys every weekend. It's fun.
Great teammates definitely help though. Lauri, Auer, Diane, Ben, and Fatmarc put on a great race last weekend. As did Andy Taus and his crew. Those races were two of the best courses I've yet ridden. The perfect compromise between a boring grass crit and a mountain bike race tough enough to make all the roadies run home crying...
 |
| Pricey is trying to eat all the bugs. |
 |
| I always gotta beat that guy. |
The best part about this season has been, as I've said a few times already, the people. Ending the year on a high note certainly didn't hurt though.
 |
| Tried to stick the inside pass here... |
 |
| Surfing the sand |
Looking forward to what 2012 will bring. Even more than that, I'm looking forward to the week of vacation I'm taking between Christmas and New Years. A week of riding in upstate New York is just what I need right now.
Top two pics from the incomparable
Dennis, bottom to pics from the incomparable Ms. Geology.
