Mark(ed)/ Red Devil

Maybe you realize this, maybe you don't--- Theory- everybody that rides a bike against other people for time is either marked or marking. To be a mark can be compliment, and it's also a scare tactic. To mark others makes your game faster, on flipside can make you hate your bike... What about those that are at top of game, who do they mark? I gotta ask #1 that question next time we are doing circles... For rest of us, it's just mark and be marked.

10+ years ago, when I took marks and racing more seriously/ more irritated, one of my marks was the Red Devil... You know the Red Devil? He was a 40+ racer and riding buddy that consistently made me and my team ricoh clan look like hacks (which we are still today)... Once in a blue moon we'd lure him out and collect points. Suck him into a trap and heckle. Even though Red Devil refused to wear LCR colors (yag- tonka cycles) what made him one of us is he'd fight back/ refuse let us get best of him/ look for the beatdown and a Moab burndown. Red Devil is still kicking, not racing, but remains a mark.

Time flies. Now I'm 40+ and some younger crowd looking to get past old guy, "don't get beat by that old guy, he don't look fast"... Just remember you can mark, but you'll be marked. ha.

Week of circles on the clock---
Thurs the work day leading up to Buck was good... Mental weardown was minimal. Good night to ride a bike... No other trails open, go ride Buck... The wetter the better... Smaller crowd, allowed the ("he don't look fast old guy") to crack top 10/ 7th. Went back and forth with Ed Alpasa, always a treat to trade blows with guys you been racing with for a dozen years... Seems like more 40+ crowd coming out this year, I'd bet it's fatherhood window opening up... Fun night on a bike, exert level was an 8 pushed up to 9...

Red Wing MNSCS on Sunday. Conditions perfect, 70's overcast, little rain for some slick... Warm up wasn't warm, not much time, 40+ back stiff, wanted to have a picnic instead. Line up laugh- some not local "pro" pushes through asking where do pros line up, like he's special coming from subru cup... Whatever dood. Wanted to practice a guillotine choke hold.

Off start, just sat in lookin to feel what legs were like... First lap hung out getting flow of race course. Trail route different this year, I bet it's the 30 minute lap requirement. Some fun stuff cut out at bottom, but we got ride a minute of DH trail... Wish I was behind RZ and him doubling those jumps... I just shook my head as I took sally lines, fear of a pop can and energy conserve...

Highlights- Lap1- just riding along at a level 7, Hollywood get cute tries to pimp me in corner, ended in sticks and wrong gear, heard chain popping, yell back "rookie move", never saw again. Climb up stairway, reminds me of Amaza Back/ Moab. Lap 2- after first time around/ warm up pick up pace to level 8-9, legs respond trail flow understood. Lap 3/4- Was able to push to level 9 with a bit of 10... Not often do I get any 10's, but when I do it's a treat... Push as hard as possible, recover, push again. Eye's bleed is the feeling. Was able to catch Matt Kurke/ ride with for duration, doesnt get cute/ pins the singletrack/ guns it when possible- good guy to ride with. Roch has some stronger riders/ team...

Finished off for 14th place... Legit 14th? Negative, who am I trying to fool/ quite a few were absent. But the 40+ crowd did represent in numbers... Made me think back 10+ years ago to the then OG's that smoked me, see Red Devil refrence above... I can only aspire to be old guy target nobody wants to get beat by... ARS Pro so his old guy status hidden...

THANKS TO MY HONEY for not only supporting me and my bottles but for taking on the better part of the LCR continegent bottles as well, and no panic attacks...     Good job Honey!!! Also to Chopper, Question Pete for coming out of hiding for a day of roasting me while I'm circlin...

Courtesy BEHIND BARS--- Results TBD. Alot of money to get jacks rock ring to fit.
Want to buy the XTR cranks (40-28T, 175MM) that came with bike? New, never used. Best offer.