I was due, I suppose. Racing in Utah is some kind of wonderful, even when a couple of flats ends your day prematurely. Went out there on Saturday for the Norba National number four. Pre-rode the course and had a grin from ear to ear. The course featured two 600 foot climbs with longish flat to downhill type sections in between. The course was mostly single track and really really fun. I watched some of the pro race on Saturday, so that was cool too. Sunday, our race went off at 8:10am. The weather was a perfect 60 degrees or so. The start went absolutely ballistic and I quickly found myself in 10th or so. I remember thinking, "oh, is this how it's going to be? Take Johnny up to altitude and watch him pop off the back?" And just as quickly as I processed that question, the pace significantly slowed and I made my way forward. The first place rider was long gone, but second through fifth was all together. I had just moved into 3rd when I felt the tire pressure in the rear going down. I run tubeless these days and I have that Stan's sealant stuff in there and I hoped that would take care of the issue. No dice. I soon had to get off and do a little inspection. When I couldn't find an obvious hole, I injected some air thinking that it would seal. With more air pressure in the tire, I wouldn't wash out anymore and I'd make it to the finish line. Wrong. I got back on the bike after about 30 seconds and I had fallen to fifth place. By the end of the second of three laps, I was back in fourth and moving on third. Unfortunately, I could feel the tire going down again. So I pulled over again and put in a tube. As I was out of air, I had to do the old "gotta a pump" routine to all the passing cyclists. After repeated failures trying to get the air into the tube including begging some spectators for additional pump/CO-2 cartridges, I finally got rolling. For about a minute. I slammed into a rock and pinch flatted next to immediately and that ended my day. I suppose when you blatantly break the rule of no outside assistance you get leveled by the karma police. Seems they're always watching. Anyway, not the result I was looking for, and I think this officially ends my 2007 mountain biking campaign. From first in the series to out like pedophilia in one slam of a rock. What are you going to do? That's mountain bike racing, I suppose.

In an effort to conquer my crashaphobia, I've already signed up for the first crits of the year. I'm doing the Lafayette team Pegasaurus crits on July 15th. My heart pounds as I type. I've also ordered some bullet proof, industrial strength, magnesium/titanium/Superman like steel reinforced handlebars. When I crit race, I've got a death grip so intense that mere (whatever my regular handlebars are made out of--I just realized I have no clue) doesn't hold up. I've also got designs on some road races in August, so all is not lost. Of course my wife, knowing that I was out of the series championship figured I'd have more time for her now. How I chuckled at that. Which didn't go well, but that's a subject for another post. Hope you are well.

Johnny GoFast