Bonebender - The words

Hump.
What a great time. Hats off to Chris Locke and all the Earth riders that put in all their time and effort into making this a great course and event. My apologies if I told you that the course was not going to be technical. The ERTA has really busted out some awesome new sections that I had not ridden before, so I was as surprised as anybody at the technicality of the race course.
So Saturday night I rolled into the OP, in south KC with Mexican food on my mind. Patterson and his lovely lady knew just what to do, as we laid waste to a La-Somethinginspanish restaurant. After getting swoll up on Carnitas we returned home for some bike fondling and sleep.
The next morning we all took off bright and early as I had to pickup CO2 and caffeinate before getting up to Smithville.
John "your best isn't good enough" Waller and I were tag teaming the 6 hour.
After all the perfunctory things Waller went off for the first lap so I did not get caught in traffic on the SS on the half mile of pavement following the Lemans start.

about 58 minutes later he rolled back in looking terribly proud of himself, handed off the CO2 and baton and sent me off with a pat on the bottom.
Here is where things got dicey.
About 2 miles in I got a bit to big for my britches and burped my front tire. STOP. hit it with a CO2. leap back on and chase the Rasmussen rider that got around me. Right before I hit the Shoreline trail (the one that left you swearing under your breath) I heard a POP, TWANG!
SPOKE FAIL!
I immediately notice that my tire was rubbing, and start weighing my options. For some reason I thought it would be a great idea to tell John Harter to alert my teammates to this and interrupt his heckling session. I found that if I rode with my right buttcheek on the left side of my saddle the tire did not rub too bad. This foreshadowed what the next 8 miles would be like. I tried to stay real light and ride with lots of finesse, and finally finished the lap without lossing any places (~59 minutes).
Back at the Bad Goat corral we set about to finding a new rear wheel. Aaron Apel (of Big Poppi fame) had broken a half link on his 650b SS setup so he handed me off a 650b wheel. Then Tyler Whetsone rolled in stuffed a bratwurst in his jersey pocket (you think I am kidding?) swapped to his MTB fixxy (with no brakes) , and told me to take his new Epic for the next lap.

TWhet shouts, Bring me my fixie! Who am I to argue with a man like that?
So once waller rolled back in and we traded snide remarks I started wailing on the Epic. Tomoorow I will give a more thorough write up about that bike since I courting new bikes. Anyhow, I was digging the ability to dial in the pain setting on the gears. I did find myself in the midst of lapped traffic and so I did my best to encourage folks as they were riding but still try to get through in a timely manner.
(NOTE: always say thank you and acknowledge people when they give you room to pass even if you are @ 180bpm. gasping "thanks" goes a long way).
I did find the Brain a little disconcerting at first since the sensation of breaking through that suspension threshold feels a little like your tire pressure being low and your rim making contact with a root. Anyway, manage to catch Rico "the angry dutchman" Van Buskirk. I decided that it would be a great idea to serenade him with the "Rubber ducky" song (did I mention I am tone deaf?) Right as I reached the crescendo (I'm in love with you!) I realize that I am going to hit a tree. I tuck my head into my shoulder so it do not break my collar bone and let my helmet take the impact. In retrospect it appears that one should not use their noggin to break a fall, but whatever.
Crash, lights flash, legs cramp, Rico is yelling about how I am blocking the trail, collect myself and get back on. Finish lap (~59 minutes). Baton and CO2 exchange with Waller. I am gonna have to learn to focus more if I get FS bike.

While I was floundering about, Patterson, J. was getting serious bout some solo 6 hour SS action.

Rich Shurtz also made his MTB endurance racing debut. Not a bad showing for someone whose primary bike is TT rig.
Back at the Bad Goat corral things are staring to pickup. The grill is out, Saadia just finished her 3 hour race, and Brutus was growling at hippies. I decide to back the gearing off just a little for my last lap (34:19) even though I have the 650b on the rear.
Once Waller rolled back in around 3:00 we had one of those 15 second powwows:
JW: we put 10 minutes into 3rd place
Me: what are you trying to say?
JW: don't screw this up.
Me: watch out honky, you might end up with a 4th lap.

I had no intentions of inflicting a 7th lap on anyone so I cruised my last lap (~1:05) and I am pretty sure that my HR never got over 150. Got to talk to some of the Iowa guys from Rassmusens. They were not amused by the rocks. Goll darn glaciation.

Anyhow, Waller and I held on to 2nd place in the 6 hour duo category behind the blisteringly fast Chambers/Donn team.

Waller gives Harter the stink eye! Harter heckled us the whole race as we failed to provide our usual libations

Patterson finished 2nd in the 6 hour SS race and turned 6 laps! (but was dropping a deuce during the awards ceremony so you have to settle for a picture of the dude that edged him out)

Rafal was also out there and looking strong.

Then it was time for the long drive home north to Omaha.

Whooped.
Thoughts on the Epic tomorrow.