Is that mud or Road Apples? www.roadapplerally.com

Well this mtb race season has come and now officially gone. Last weekend was the 26th annual Road Apple Rally in Farmington and the muddiest running of it I've ever seen. This has always been a tough race that is balls to wall for 1:45 to 2hrs over 30miles. There are some wicked whoops in the first 50mins and then the trail gets pretty sweet with high rolling climbs and downhills. Course conditions aside I usually have the highest HR race of the year because the big dogs show up and usually put on a clinic. I've never won RAR, since guys like Travis Brown, who is this years NORBA marathon champ, Dedly Nedly Overend flexing his lung, and all the other pro bro's that make MTB mecca Durango home. This year we wondered if Tommy D would rail the dirty knobs again and put it to us.
I rolled with the usual suspects Richie Rich and Q dog. RR had more on the line than me, if he won the race he would win the EXP 40-49 "old jammers" class. Q had already taught his lesson, delivered the grades, and was on summer break since he had no pressure. I had the hopes of an undefeated season on the line and did a good job of keeping the high end going into the race. 6 months of racing at this level gets tiring and I would have gladly pulled the plug after Frazier...but then I'd have to put an asterik next to THE UNDEFEATED SEASON*, it just didn't sit well with me. I've won everything else in the Land of manana this year so why not throw it down on the D-Town posse?
The race was super fast right out of the gate and I pressed the go harder when it started to mellow out. Q made an appearance at the front since he's been doing his MTB starts intervals. I think he freaked himself out sitting second wheel in the bad boy train. I pressed the pace again up the first little climb, the one that used to make me come unglued. We had a gap, myself, T Brown, Umberto Conti (an Italian pro, who si habla poquito espanol but actually did better in English), and some Tokyo Joe's dude.
The tacky sand was spitting in everyones faces when you tried to draft so I kept the heat on as we stretched out a nice little separation. I was glad to let TBrown take the lead and then I tucked in for some whoop, mud drafting. When we hit a muddy road crossing about 20mins in he peeked over the shoulder and accelerated as our wheels all clogged and gummed up. Humberto and I went with the attack...for about 30seconds before we pulled the rip cord and he rode away from us. We could still see him for the next 10 mins and in some funky euro mexican biker dialect UC and I decided to work together...as we worked ourselves off the trail. The markings were fine I guess, if we would have seen them, afterall we only had one tire track to try and follow.
Welcome to the party Gaige "yeah I should be pro" Sippy and Brent "I have the genes!" Winebarger. Tokyo Joe must be downing a mexican latte with beef and broccoli because he was nowhere around. So we hit the road section together, about 1 min back from TB.
Not in a giving mood I decided that it might be smart to try and tack back time on the Marathon champ so I attacked the boys and made them suffer a little. As the battery light in my body started to blink as my HR still read 181 - about 7 beats over my LT. I finally crossed the finish line 1:30 behind TB and 1:35 ahead of the gene man Brent. And the reality that I did not win every MTB event in NM started to sink in. It took me about 48 seconds of cool down to get over it and see the season for what it was 14straight wins and 1 second. I'll take it and still talk about it when I'm old and crusty. TB attacked me like I have been attacked this year and he made the move stick while I went off course. That's mtb'ing for you. I got him last year but he definitely worked me this year.
We scored some cash for the sonic binge fest on the way home and drank some victory brews because no matter what you call it, it was an eye of the tiger year.
Rich pretty much bombed his race but still managed to get top 3 overall and had some killer victory races. Q dog came in second to Gaige on the day but handily won the NMORS title for the EXP 30-39'rs. Load up the muddy stinky saddles and roll out, we've got some bs'ing to do on the way back to the querque! Life is good and biking makes it better....