fall solstice checkpoint race
what do u call ~50 bike riders showing up at a downtown park, given a manifest with 3 min to figure out what order to get to 13 checkpoints across town at 5:30pm on a friday? ohhh - just a itsy controlled chaos. it was a good race. well thought out and put together. hell - all the volunteers out there minding the checkpoints. very nice. very cool. we locked our bikes up - back wheel to frame - went over to listen to instructions, get the manifest and 3min later GO. we turned around and our bikes were not where we left them but all scattered about. ha. good one. I went up congress first where I learned messengers carry boxes of rocks - this I did not know. I ended up psycho-crossing around the block with the box o rocks on my saddle and me running the bike. that was heavy as hell. first checkpoint - check. after this, I was immediately lost. see, in the 3 min we were given to plan out our route. all my mind did was fog over at the numbers and streets and order and which to go to first and that I forgot my water. it was supreme mind melt. after I carried those rocks around, brian said: 'why don't u go hit the east side'. ok. sure. why not. I realize I am a directionless HAP under pressure at this point. so I was off. I zigzagged my way across town missing obvious checkpoints, overshooting others. we got mustaches at azuls. EEK. picked up a sticker at T1. back into town for a few stops, then up to west 6th to eat ice cream. the real cluster fuck for me was finding the old school bridge at cesar chavez. huh? I saw nick at one checkpoint and asked him about this one - and he goes ya, it's the big bridge the cars drive over at lamar. ok cool. well I ride around and around lamar bridge at cesar chavez. nothing. I even ride to the little underground tunnel that goes UNDER cesar chavez- thinking that was it. nope. so as much as I hate to I give that one up and head to trinity parking lot - my last checkpoint before the finish. aurg. there's no box to be found in the parking lot at trinty. there was another girl there looking for it too and a parking attendant comes out and he doesn't know anything about a box. we finally ask him to sign our manifest and he includes his phone number. HAHA. ya. hook up later huh...funny. so she tells me the one I missed is way the hell down at the MOPAC ped bridge. SHIT. I debate just riding over to jackalope (the end) or going back out there. ah piss. I head back out towards the bridge only to arrive and no one is there. how sad is that. **UPDATE: whit told me that nick really was right. ha. it was the LAMAR bridge - but the checkpoint guy left early. so riding to MOPAC was a moot point** I realize my method of riding in all the wrong directions has given me a hellva fun ride - but I have to be draggin in super last place. so, I ease up.....ring up jules to chat for a moment.....then decide to ride into jackalope just to get checked off. I sprint downtown for a much needed beer, but ended up not stopping cuz I'm stupid shy sometimes. I'll hook up another time. great racing - it's always fun to sprint through traffic. I should figure out how to not let your mind shut down and melt in a heap of goo when you see a bunch of numbers and streets on a piece of paper that you have 3 min to figure out a route to. * there were some folks out taking pics - if you happen to run across this, holla out - i'd be happy to link over to your pics. some of the stuff we picked up and the manifest.
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