EVER THE BRIDESMAID PART 2

Estabrook.

How many people did I tell recently that all Estabrook is is a drag race? A few turns, a little bit of chicanes and a small run up. Really. Until Jerry Pearce decided that the course needed to be twice as long in the same amount of space! The result was about 427 twists and turns on grass that hadn't been ridden before now. NOT that I'm complaining mind you. It's just not my favorite kind of course. I feel like we went from the best to (almost) the worst in two days. Maybe I've just ridden there all too often.

Driving to the race, I'm my same old nerve addled self. Seriously, I HATE race day mornings. My stomach is all in knots, my legs feel leaden and I usually feel like going back home. The day and night before I am excited to race the next day, but when morning comes.... So, just as I was turning onto the parkway, the first itty, bitty raindrops fell. Rain? huh? where'd that come from? By race time, it was raining steady, the wind had picked up and it was feeling like some true CX weather for a change. This is gonna be good, I thought.

Now for the 1FSRR. Start line and the hiss of air being released from tires all around me as the rain continues to fall, GO!, Lewis slams the hole shot, me 2nd, others behind, Lewis tows, Tim comes around, Chris comes around, turn up the heat, down to three, cruise control, trade pulls, just before the bell Tim's front mech turns to shit, I attack, Tim says NO WAY and brings Chris back to me, get small gap on Chris , punch it!, last chicanes, I'm in Tim's rear view mirror 'til the line. Shit, bridesmaid again, but at least I was the maiden of honor. Chris rolled in for 3rd and Lewis for an outstanding 4th.

For the first time this season, I felt that tactics may play a role in the race with three of us off the front and working together. It seemed to be anyone's race to win for most of the race and I had to think of the possible outcomes and results of my actions. That was pretty cool.

As has become my usual Sunday routine, I jumped into the 4s race right away with Lewis, Chris and Richard (also of Brazen Hussies). Lewis and I rolled and yakked for the better part of three laps until we decided to get serious and show the youngsters how it's done. From that time, we probably passed 15 guys. The course had tacked up nicely and you could rail most corners full speed. Lewis pipped me on the line. I told him that's the only time I'm letting that happen. Yeah right, famous last words. I dig doing the second race as it feels like I got a hell of a workout on the day.

With apologies to Hampshire Cycle Club, I think it's hard to keep the Estabrook course feeling fresh year after year. There just isn't much you can do with it given the geographic restrictions. Perhaps it's time to move it to a new venue next year. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate all of the effort that goes in to staging a race, but sometimes change is good...