Party on Wheels

I usually don't like Halloween parties, because they require you to wear a costume, and I'm usually short on costume ideas. But the Solon CX race on Oct. 30th looked to be a lot of fun even though it was a COSTUME REQUIRED event.

Angie told me that she found a matador costume in her basement. Great - I'd be a bull! Now all I needed was a bike...

My old Rockhopper wasn't going to cut it for this race. I needed something light, and fast, and NOW.

Mike at Broadway Cyclery set me up with a new Jamis Nova Pro, a gorgeous machine that I picked up two days before the race. I spend that evening riding around the backyard, trying to figure out how to use the shifters, clipping in and out of my new Crank Brothers pedals, doing my best to avoid my two canine boys, who thought it was great fun to chase, and then hide from me and pop out in front when I rode around a blind corner. (Want to practice your handling skills? Ride around a small area with two dogs who have no fear of being run down. Good way to practice sudden braking and loud swearing, too).



Race day was cool but dry, except for the muddy areas and some of the singletrack. The keg was tapped by 10 AM, the riders were out in full regalia. It was a blast!









My goal for this first race was to finish last, which I did in fine form. Congrats to Angie, who came in 2nd. Thanks for the encouragement, Angie!

Long story about the bike. I LOVED it, but there was a flaw in the fork when it arrived at the shop. Mike fixed it up for me, but I had to give it back so he could return it for a properly-machined version (something about affixing the front brake correctly - sounds like a safety issue...) So for now, no bike. Hopefully there will be some riding left when I get it back.

If you want to see more photos from race day, click here.