Austin – Racing the Mellow Classic

After two months of dedicated riding, two bikes sold and more wheeling and dealing on eBay than I care to remember....today was the big day.

I arrived around 10am, leaving me some time to walk around and get ready. The rain had finally stopped and the course appeared better. As I walked thru vendor city I noticed that the starting line had been moved. So much for the carnage I mentioned yesterday. Coming as no surprise, I also heard that a rider had broken a leg during the Cat 2 race. After getting my bike dialed in by one of the SRAM mechanics I was ready.

At 11:15 my group was called to the gate. Roll call is supposedly random, but it's really important to have your name called early. When your name is called, you get to leave the jealous onlookers behind and place your front tire right on the starting line. Out of a field of 51 riders.... I was called 51st. Not exactly where you want to start on a course full of mayhem and limited areas for passing. The interesting footnote to the 'random' roll call was that my fellow md/va/dc rider was called right ahead of me. Now this isn't sour grapes talking, but the three riders who began at the front, finished there. It was just that sort of course.

The race started a bit cautiously with only a few jockeying for position. A quarter of a mile in the group hit a climb that was to difficult for most. And so began the day of riding and running up hills. After a quick swan dive over my bars I gathered myself and began moving up positions. Over the next 5 miles I was rolling. Where people dismounted and walked their bikes, I ran. On my bike, I passed rider after rider on the long arduous climbs. I was feeling strong and my second wind had just arrived.

After working my way up and passing the guy who would eventually finish 20th - disaster struck. While screaming down a steep creek crossing the same tire I blew the day before, blew again. Thinking that I had prepared myself to change my tube, I went to work. Wheel off, bad tube removed, new tube installed.....noooooo! MY PUMP DOESNT WORK!!!. Rider after rider pass. At this point, I'm ready to throw in the towel. I hoist my bike on my shoulder and speculate my pilgrimage. Finally, a weary rider who had long since given up pulled to the side and offered assistance. It would require a third person to stop before the tire was ready. By the time I got rolling again, I was right back in my starting position with only 3 miles to go.

In the end I made the best of the cards I'd been dealt and placed 35th. That finish would normally disgust me, but the quality and pace I rode with before and after the flat really has me full of optimism. Next time will be different. No doubt.

As for the pros.....it went like this. Gun sounds and then suddenly a stampede of blazingly fast riders came screaming down the trail. Reflecting on it now still leaves me stunned. If I hadn't seen it myself I'd never believe just how fast those guys truly are. The Pros aserMons boggingly fast. The race was won by Jeremy Horgan-Kopelski going away. He was so fast that he had already wrapped up his post race interview before the 2nd place rider arrived.

For the host of this event, the day did not fair well. Lance was out of the gates fast and was in 2nd place before a flat derailed him. Rather than repair the flat, he quietly returned to his ranch. He just vanished. Lame.

Austin – Day 2

Woke up to rain today. Lots of it. I knew I needed to ride though, so I ventured out regardless. First stop was Mellow Johnny's bike shop. This place couldn't be any cooler. Tons of great gear, tons of great bikes. As expected, it's a bit of a shrine to Lance - complete with his framed Yellow Jerseys on the wall. In the basement is a state of the art training facility and a museum to more incredible and often historic bikes. With my first visit to MJ's complete, I took off the Dean. An hour later I arrived back at my hotel utterly soaked.

Picked up Adam at the hotel and we went back to MJ's so he could see. Some BBQ at Stubbs and a lot of browsing at the funky thrift shops in SoCo and the afternoon had come and gone.

After a nap and about an hour of stretching (my back has been torturing me) I walked back to MJ's for a 3rd time today. I felt a bit like a stalker but I was there for registration. Inside the very swag-light goodie bag was my number plate. #589.

Dinner was at a place called Cuba Libre and the beers were at the Tap Room of the Six Lounge. The pints were cheap ($2) and flowing. Perhaps flowing a bit too well. It'll be an exciting beer-free Saturday when I head to the course to do some pre-riding.

State of the art facilty for indoor training. Also open to the public.

Trek heaven

Inside Stubbs BBQ

One of the many cool thrift shops in ATX

A new Mellow Johnny's stem cap.

Austin – Day 1

The journey began with a 6am wakeup. After loading up the Element and grabbing something to eat I was still able to sneak in a little Call of Duty time. Which of course is a wonderful start to any day.

I was really nervous as I rolled my hardcase up to the Southwest counter. But, it couldn't possibly have been more painless. "is that a bicycle", "yes", "ok, that'll be $50 extra". That was it!

However, the arriving in Austin part wasn't as smooth. Turns out the hardcase won't fit in any of the standard sedan/minivan cabs. The dispatcher radioed for a handicap taxi, and 10 minutes later we're on our way to grab the rental car. To make a long story short, 1.5hrs later we're driving away in a Ford F150xlt for the astonishingly low price of $25/day.

Getting to the hotels was a breeze. Downtown Austin is about the easiest city to drive in. Logical grid system with alternating one way cross streets. Even numbered streets take you west. Odds take you east.

Checked into my kitchy liitle hotel, re-energized and then took in the South Congress (SoCo) scene. Gueros Taco Shop for dinner and some music in the beer garden. Then over to the Continental Club for some more live music, (lots of sad country was heard tonight) and then finally over to a sports bar called Doc's.

I returned to my room and built my bike as I heard the rain begin to fall.

My ginormous bicycle carrier