I got up this morning and looked at the weather... 2 degrees. Ugh. My heavy stuff smelled heavy of bonfire and PBR. I tapped my wife on the shoulder and said, "Screw this. I'm taking the car." My will was bent to 2 degrees. I suppose yesterday did its part.
CXmas was incredible. Big thanks to Team Seagal for the great non-race. I came out with a Viking theme on the old commuter. Those who didn't drink too much the night before and could still fit into the pageantry of the day road ahead of the rest of the starters. I needed that help as the only fixed gear crosser, the ride up Terry rd. was painful. My muscles were stone cold sluggish and the wind was whiplashing my head gear. Seeing a 15% grade on the GPS and a 5 mph, I dismounted and started a more comfy jog. Really opened up my legs. By the time we were back on the Katy, I was cooking. The commuter really shined on the open gravel. I was first and last in the fixed gear category, also those with racks and fenders and costumes. My poor battle axe broke in Lost Valley. I came down a rough section at the same time as a gust of wind came across my bow... snap and I see a sad limp axe flopping about the rack. I stopped pulled it and shoved it under the bungee.
The rack was an unknown advantage. Coming out of Lost Valley, we were given a gift. The first ones through were given the most unwieldy and heavy boxes to carry to the next point. I started to carry mine but then came to my senses -- in my defense I mind might have been frost bitten at that point -- that I had a rack. With a Bungee. I strung it onto the rack and started flying down the Katy unimpeded. I passed Rock with his gift hanging from his bar. I tried to hook him with my head gear but missed... probably for the better. I regret not disrespecting my gift more in a true ups fashion but I guess there's always a next time. The last checkpoint I ripped my gift off and jumped through the final obstacles and then fought into the wind to the 5th place finish in Klondike. Well it was kinda like a finish. But once the fire was goin' and the huffy was flingin' and the beer was flowin' it was good times.