Back to Work

"Custer Days" was a relaxing alternative to the Terry Peak race. Sephie was challenged by a local thug to a duel.

Sephie working hard on her vacation.

Dreams killed, now killing eggs.

I've been idle and busy but I really don't have a good excuse for not blogging. Here's were I left off in South Dakota. I was about to go to a race at Terry Peak just west of Lead/Deadwood.

After following the promoter's directions to the top of Terry Peak I was of the opinion I should just turn the car around and go back to Custer. It was the first clue that the promoter had no clue what he was doing. The girls rode the ski lift to the bottom while drove the car around the mountain to the bottom where the chalet is located. I should have taken another clue from the lack of XC bikes in the lot. Saturday was the preride day for the downhill event and there were plenty of DH bikes. I hopped on the Flyte and headed up the trail. The loose gravel jeep road/erosion path was the trail up to the plateau under a lift tower with a brief single track in the trees followed by a steep 200'-300' drop down to the DH course and the finish at the chalet. The lap was maybe 2 miles and was not the least bit interesting. The climb was doable in the 36x25 but I thought a 28 would be in order if I raced. But what killed it for me was the drop on the return to the start/finish. In all my years of riding and racing I'd never intentionally ridden anything as poorly thought out as that descent. I can't imagine Sports or Beginners surviving more than a lap. Anywhere else on the planet they would have cut a couple of switchbacks into the side of the hill and still kept the trail interesting. Rather than give money to a guy whose heart was obviously more into DH trails than XC trails I got my money back and hit the road. I hope the locals do better than his course for other races.

The next few days were spent doing family things. We saw the rest of the park and were completely entranced by the period-dressed ranger who did 90 minutes on the bison and their history. "Wow" doesn't even come close. Sephie was able to complete her Junior Naturalist workbook even though half of it would have been enough to satisfy the park staff. I learned as much as Sephie and really enjoyed the passion the rangers, okay, naturalists, have for their jobs and the park.

Monday I headed back after a slow start but was able to keep the average speed up and I rolled back into Wisco at 1:30 am. After all those miles without seeing any law enforcement I was comforted barely 6 feet across the MN/WI border by a WSP cruiser. Gee, isn't it good to be home?

I stopped at the river rest stop and took a nap for a couple of hours and was in my own bed a couple of hours later at 5 am. I took off Tuesday sleeping and getting the house back in order. Wednesday I was back to work. 

A very goofy looking RV. It has a turbo diesel motor and a large solar panel on the roof.
Since they no longer hang horse thieves in Custer they felt the need to hang something... so they hang crappy bikes. I was going to steal one for Russell's crappy bike ride but I'd hate to get caught.

By the end of the presentation I was choking back tears. You had to be there.
Interesting family photo.
Jackass.
Sephie finished her Jr Naturalist work and was awarded a certificate and a cool patch.
The old lady with the tiny dog owns this truck, seriously.
Saying goodbye to the girls south of Crazy Horse.
Off goes the family truckster toward Seattle.

I've done a little riding on the roads with last Wednesday being the most notable. I headed down toward New Glarus on my 100K route with a localized storm on the horizon blowing a steady headwind on my way out. I skirted the edge of it and before I knew it I was nearly south of Monticello after a few turns to avoid the fairly black clouds. I turned around and headed back but then the wind shifted too. Crosswinds blew steady all the way back and it was well after dark by the time I rolled into the driveway. My legs felt the effort Thurday.

Dan had called during the day on Wednesday. I hadn't planned on racing until the MNSCS vs WORS Border Battle in Black River Falls but he coaxed me into driving with him to Kewaskum for the Sunburst WORS. Russell had forgotten me while I was away and my levers were still at Hayes so I'd have to race the Flyte. 

Not a big deal, but I sure seem to racing the back-up bike more than the Fe+ this year.