Send Lawyer,Guns and Money!

I finally get that classic song by Warron Zevon! "Send Lawyers, guns and money!" Send lawyers because I have not had a smoke in two days and I fill like I want to kill someone and need them to keep me out of jail. That's also covers the guns part. Money so I can go buy a pack of cigs and hypodermic needles so I can inject the stuff straight into my blood stream.. FFFUUUUCCCCKKKK!!!! This sucks!.. I feel pretty confident that I am done smoking because I really wanted to quite. I was just afraid to get started but I am past that now....I couldn't fall a sleep last night but once I did I slept till 2 pm. Man I have not don't that for like ten years...
Warron Zevon, Mamba him?

So enough about the whole smoking thing. This past weekend was full of friends and cycling. Saturday morning I held a fun ride in Davis as part of the WVMBA new effort to be more then just a racing organization. Despite getting almost 2" of rain on Friday 12 people still showed up for the ride. It was one of those rides that made you fell like a kid again with puddles as deep as the bottom bracket, creek crossing and MUD! It was a hoot!

As soon as the ride was over Jason Cyr and I hit the road for Athens, OH. WVMBA and OMBC had joint race on Sunday and I was really looking forward to just racing and having no other jobs to do at the race. We showed up in Athens around 10pm and drove up and down Stimson street looking for the bike shop. That's is where we were going to meet up with Klara who was letting us crash at her house. We only pasted by the shop 4 times until we saw it(it was right beside the road with a big bike out front. Guess we were a little tired?). After finally making it to Klara's house we were welcome with slices of lasagna as big as heads and red wine. Then we capped the night off watching "Anchorman". Funny funny stuff.
At fat boy cycling this is how we do it. Food, Wine and Bio/Chem!

Oh how I love the night before a race feeding!

Time to get up! aaahhhh! With only a 20 minute drive to the race and a 1:00 start time we all got to sleep in. After a few bowls of triple Berry cereal and some of Klara's STRONG STRONG coffee we headed at the door (Jason literally had the shakes from the coffee). Once at the race lines were long at registration and thing were busy and I didn't have to deal with it... Sweet! At the start line the Clydesdale all got to start alone do to OMBC weird rules and there being 12 of us. The start was freaking fast for fat guys. The first 1/2 miles was super scary loose gravel. I knew I was not going to be any where near the front so I slowed down and just let the guys go. Before the turn into the woods I looked back to see if anyone was behind me, and I was in last. No worries, that is typical. It didn't take long before I found myself on the rear wheel of another WVMBA Clydesdale who has just beaten me at the last 3 races. I was determined to beat him. The course was perfect for me. FAST! with little climbing. It remained me of being on the roller coaster at some points. At about 3 miles in a got past the other guy and start pushing it to stay in front of him.
I lika da Triple Berry!

I kept pushing and with about 5 miles left to go Rick was no where in site. Believe it or not I also came up on a group of 3 other riders and past all three on a up hill. Then just a 1/2 mile feather I past another guy! What the F is going on I thought to myself. I NEVER pass people, it is always me getting passed now a days. Maybe not having a smoke all day helped. But more then likely it was the course. I cover the 15 miles course in 1:45 minutes. That is flying for me.. I was 10 out of 12 but left the race felling like I was on the right track again. Here is the GPS information from the race. Jason came in with a fourth overall even after ripping off the rear rotor and doing the final 20 miles with only a front brake. Klara took a hard crash only 3 or 4 miles into the race and did finish all that well but that happens sometimes. It was also nice to see the Return of STEVEEEEE HILLLLLL. Steve finished in three overall.

After a quick shower Jason, Klara and I headed to downtown Athens to have dinner with Pete and Meredeth. They took us to super place called Casa for some good grub. I could have eaten a house. My GPS said I burnt 2997 calories during the race and I needed food. Casa was like Athens,oh version of Black Bear in Morgantown but dare I say it tasted better. Dinner was great except for me jumping up from the table and scaring the hell out of everyone when I get a Hugh leg crap.

After dinner it was time to make the 3 1/2 drive back to Davis. It was a great weekend with some super great time. Thanks Klara from the place to stay and Pete & Mere for meeting us for dinner. Jason thanks a lot for all the encouragement about not smoking.