Spent the weekend in Atlanta, hanging out with my friend Burle. I'd send you to him via link but he leaves no trace online. He's surly. You'd love him.
On the way down I stopped off at Raccoon Mountain outside Chattanooga. It was cool, extremely foggy and raining periodically. I went around counter-clockwise, like the race I did a few years ago. Actually enjoyed the ride even though I was soaked, the knee ached and the fog was so thick I had trouble seeing.
Sunday I got up and headed to the final race of the Georgia Cross series in Conyers. Atlanta is huge, we drove for over an hour and were still in Atlanta (with no traffic). Course was awesome, lots of elevation, lots of room to pass, slick corners, tough singletrack, soft sections, grass... I knew it would be good when I heard the Masters complain. The old guys hate a good course. Single speed race started, I worked up to 4th and sat in until we hit a 180 and a short climb. Everyone tried to ride and I had the sense to run. When I hopped back on, I was in front so I gassed it and got a quick gap. 3 laps later we were done, I won by only 10 or 15 seconds but rode alone the entire time.
Pro 1/2 race was stacked. I was in the top 10, lost a couple spots on the long sustained climbs (in my defense I had 3 hard laps in my legs already), picked up a few when three different guys went down three different times right in front of me, rode alone for the last 3 laps until a guy in a kilt passed me. Ended up 13th of 22, not a great finish but I knew I was using a lot of gas in the Single Speed race.
Next year, gears. I've decided. That's final. I'll start building it this spring so I've got a road bike this summer. Gears, if Big Bikes can do it, so can I. Just a couple of geared pussies. I'm psyched, actually, no more excuses.
Hit Raccoon Mountain again on the way home today. Dry, cold and sunny, rode it the other direction which was different.
Incidentally, I weighed myself when I got home (after a BBQ Buffet in Sewannee) and I'm pushing 195. Ah, holidays. Time for another beer.
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