Marshall Mangler at North Park
Attended and written by SUPER FAN Ray Sielski with inserts by Mike Maher
Bobby Irwin, Mike Maher, and Richie Allen all showed up.
Bobby entered the Single Speed race.....(MM - Bobby had some MAJOR issues as I believe his chain has stretched and jumped of the sprocket numerous times. Throw in an asthma attack and Bobby had a VERY tough day. )
Looked like perfect conditions....perfect for a CROSS race, that is. Rain, Cold, Wind and Mud and some bad music on the too loud P.A. system....LOVE IT :)
According to tradition, there were a few costumes, candy and hecklers throwing Baby Ruth’s (at least I "think" they were Baby Ruth's...!!!).
Mike Maher raced his SS in his Veterans race, and had a spot of difficulty as he threw a belt on his drive system on the last lap.
(MM - Richie rode well and blew past me a mile or two into the race. He gapped me as did most of the field. I struggled. Back still hurt and had a very strong desire to puke for about 3/4 of the race. My back and the urge to purge simultaneously cleared a couple miles from the end. I was able to fight back a couple spots but was unable to reel in Rockin Richie despite all out last mile when I could see that glowing yeller kit in the distance getting closer and closer....
PS: About half way through the race I started having some shifting issues. Figuring I was having some suck issues, I went voluntary SS for the last bit. Upon cleaning my bike I discovered the outer plate on one of my chain links was severed. Not sure how the chain didn't break completely.)
The course was:
Slippy with a fresh coat of rain and welling up mud holes. Grass was slippy, pavement trickier with a 180 degree turnabout and mud trails were tacky. Two sets of barriers, a fence to climb, and of course the monster descent into a run up.
The barriers were easy to get over, however the gravel section made it tough to clip back in. Half cleated in, comes the off camber mud trail to 90 degree into the descent.
All mudded up some racers went over the handle bars. Not a bad tactic as they ended up collected at the bottom. Then the run up with mud stairs where you would get pelted with insults and last night’s leftover candy.
Can’t wait till next week.
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