Gloucester

Another weekend of racing is in the books here in Gloucester, Mass. The weather was cross perfect after the rain and thunderstorms rolled through Thursday and Friday, opening up for the sun and cooler temperatures. There were plenty of riders present to contest both days of racing but the favorite had to have been Tim Johnson with Ryan Trebon and Barry Wicks (both Kona) racing elsewhere. Saturday started out well for me as I moved up through riders on the starting 200 meter steep, paved, hill and entered the grass in the top fifteen. From there the race started to split apart and I did my best to keep position or move forward through the chasing groups. The biggest suprise was seeing Tim ride past me on the second or third lap after riding through the field from 35th position after he had rolled off his tubular tire on the first lap and had to run his bike to the pits. I did my best to stick his wheel but he put the pressure on me going up the start/finish hill and I never saw him again; he ended up finishing 6th after getting beat in a sprint. After that I tried to follow some wheels but mostly ended up riding on my own and finishing up 19th. The same thing happened on Sunday when Tim had another mechanical and had to claw his way back, passing me once again, on his way to 2nd behind the charging Jesse Anthony. My friend Thom took the commuter train in from Boston and it was nice to have some support cheering me on. I didn't have the ride I was hoping for but at least it was an improvement from last weekend and Thom had a blast experience his first cyclocross race ever. After the race we went and got some pizza and then drove down to Salem to hunt some witches. The town wasn't what we were expecting and after feeling a bit socially akward at the 2007 Wizards and Warlocks Convention we hit the road back towards Boston. All in all it was an ok weekend but I would like to get some better results... soon! I'm off to Pennsylvania tomorrow to hang out at my uncle's house before the weekend of racing in Granogue, Delaware and Ludwigs Corner, PA (yeah I have no idea where that is). Pic above is Thom and I on the Charles.