CHEQ100/ BottlerOpener 150

If you race a bike, you have an idea in your head what you'd put on for a race. Right. Well, CHEQ100 and what the Salsa Crew put on is about as close to what I'd do as you can get. No hype or glitz, epic, free, it's not about the prize money/ swag/ or notoriety, but it is all about the ride = memorable.

How many other 3 time CHEQ100 (mile) finishers we got? At a certain point when race mode went to just finish mode, that became my motivator. 

Pro/ Con-

Pro- Farm Team hospitality, Con- No Goat.

Pro- Arrive to race at 5:30AM, time to spare, Con- all that riddle time, and front tire still low on the line, over inflate.

Pro- 5th in the woods to Wall Street, Con- didn't get to see if Lalonde followed me.

Pro- Riding with Triflow and RedSqrl, Con- lost them thanks to an early on mud free chain suck.

Pro- Did Jacks skip log skinny in Namekogan, Con- didn't know the witness.

Pro- No complications with an OTB or later major chain suck stoppage, Con- losing sight of top 10.

Pro- Did my rock fling in Hildebrant, Con- the witness saw me go off trail 30' later.

Pro- New trail leading to Esker, Con- couldn't find my way back if I wanted too.

Pro- Rain at hour 3, Con- no cons, drive train was already worn out.

Pro- Trying to give Red Squrl a pep talk at the turn back point, Con- he can explain.

Pro- Racing with Hogland for an hour plus strong ride, Con- he can explain.

Pro- Makwa trail to the check point after lubing chain, fun mudding, Con- none.

Pro- Check point, had a picnic, cleaned and relubed bike, thanks for assistance B Witt, Con- a few came in and went while I was eating my sandwich and circling.

Pro- Riding with McFadden, chatting about Team Metric/ old times after check point, Con- didn't last long. 

Pro- Birkie at hour 6 in the rain/ wet, Con- none if you get your kicks from pure misery. 

Pro- Chain lube reapplication, Con- swatting them black flies waiting to be caught in the wide open Birkie.

Pro- New Makwa north of OO, Con- adductors starting to cramp, must climb out of saddle, odd.

Pro- Ran into Cuyuna Nick and FarmTeam Carl doing maintenance on the side of the road, Con- Nick is a talker, my brain synapses were not firing, complete mongo is all I could muster.

Pro- Ojibwa loop sends me into Ricoh circles, "am I still on trail?", Con- lost my top 10 again.

Pro- Finished head up no drool under 9 hours, Con- "Jack left? It was because I wasn't top 10 wasn't it... "

Never have I valued chain lube this much in the mud.

Bonus- hanging in my wet stank lacra for an hour plus among cleaned up short race and fast guy folk while attempting to regain faculties.... Ricoh Suave. Thanks for the ride back to Lakewoods Little Dave. No point for me. But I am the President.  

Bottle opener 150??? Get this, random placement of bottle opener after day of bikes, 150 miles later arrive at Behind Bars, Park Tool Bottle Opener still on top of jeep.

Ha.