Bubba #2 at spanish lake.

It is already the second bubba race. Spanish lake is tucked into North county. This park packs a punch for CX and MTB. The course this year was vary different from last years, but was still very difficult to get that rhythm going. The back ball field section was same condition, boggy, and energy sucking. The field was windy, and had a cork-screw that kept turning you back into the wind. This was a great CX course by definition, with its varying terrain, and surfaces. Some of the gravel was packed in and fast, and other sections were deep, and slowed you down like deep sand. I found it very hard to recover because the transitions between sections were quick. There were two grass sections that turned to loose gravel on corners. One corner was a 180, and had me riding very cautiously as to not go down at the start finish line. I heard this described as a power course, and I would have to agree. The corners were awesome at this course, allowing you to carve hard and pedal at the same time.

I had a good start, on the extreme right side, riding the grass ledge to the corner. Big thanks to Boz for the premium starting position, too bad I could not capitalize on the front row start. Most of the others were in the deep gravel sections. I grabbed Yieldings wheel, and held on tight. We did not have a huge gap from the others, and within two laps Dennis and Matt rolled by. At this point, I was still feeling really good, and I was trying to play some defence while recovering. This continued until about half way through the race, several others had passed, and were out of range for me to reel in. For the rest of the race, I was just trying not to loose positions, and the legs felt super heavy. I was totally spent by the end, and could not put up much of a fight. Kent and Jim Klages came around me at the end on the last lap, they had been on my wheel, and trading punches with me for a lap or so. I had no response to their final push. I did better than last year at this race, but still struggle with spanish lake courses like this.

The lamb stew bread pudding and beer was a great end to the weekend.

I am sucking bad in the fantacy CX league. Looks like after this weekend I am holding down second to last. NICE http://cxmagazine.com/fantasy-cyclocross-2008-2009-standings