These are way too funny not to share...

Images of suffering 2006 - Desert Rampage - Mark

Images of suffering 2006 - Desert Rampage - Mark

Images of suffering 2006 - Desert Rampage - Mark

Images of suffering 2006 - Desert Rampage - Mark

Images of suffering 2006 - Desert Rampage - Mark

Images of suffering 2006 - Desert Rampage - Bob

Images of suffering 2006 - Desert Rampage - Bob

Images of suffering 2006 - Desert Rampage - Bob

Images of suffering 2006 - Desert Rampage - Bob

Images of suffering 2006 - Desert Rampage - Bob

Wow, I suck...

So it is that time of the year again - the mountain bike race season has begun. Last year I raced in the clydesdale class (read fat-ass class). We had a really good group and I quite enjoyed myself. I finished 2nd overall and never worse than 4th (well one DNF due to a mechanical failure). This year I have moved up to the age based sport classes which makes me a 30-39 year old sport rider. This is easily the largest class in the intermountain cup, and one could argue the most competitive. The race was hard as usual, and there are some really fast guys in this class. I finished 23rd - at least I wasn't last and I have nowhere to really go but up. It was good to see some of my old racing friends and the weather was perfect. Overall it was a good experience, and I hope that I perform better next go around. I didn't crash and I rode 100% of the race. I did have some problems right up until 10 minutes before the race with my tires, guess I have some work to do. Hopefully in the next few days I will have pictures to post.

It was fun to watch Bob at the races. He is like a kid in the candy store. He finished 9th in his class (sport 50+). My goal was to keep Bob behind me for the first lap. Unfortunately with about 1/2 a mile to go he and about 6 others came storming by.

I am however happy I didn't compete in the clydesdale class. There were two, maybe three guys that came and entered that class that had never been before and they did not belong. The guy that won couldn't have weighed in more than 185 pounds soaking wet. He might weigh 210 with a hydration pack full of water, spare parts, tools, and a bike, but the rule is 210 butt neked. What kind of loser comes to an event and does something like that? The "real" clydesdales that I raced with last year were all dissapointed and left before the awards were given. This is sad. We always all stayed as a group because by looking at one another it was obvious we all suffered from fat-ass-ness, and it was never a question. After the awards my friend's wife went up and was talking to some of the race officials about the problem (her husband is in the 40+ sport - took first by the way - Congratulations!). I walked over and joined the conversation along with one or tow other people that overheard us and also mentioned that they thought it seemed suspiscious. She indicated that she would make sure that there was a weigh in next week as the racers registered. This makes me sad and happy at the same time. It is sad that it has to come to this, but happy that those cheaters will be exposed for what they truely are - TRUE LOSERS.