turn out the lights, this party's over

Turn out the lights, the party's over

They say that all good things must end,

So lets call it a night, the party's over

And tomorrow we'll start the same old thing again

Something about quoting Willie Nelson to close out

1. The OVCX Series

2. Storm the Greens

3. The final race at RRCC

I have to say that this weekend I saw this as more of a community than I ever have. Hell Im a relative newcomer and total interloper amongst the real athletes, but I watched people from all different teams and backgrounds come together to throw a party while a race was going on.

Saturday, Bobrow had us putting togehter the course. Picture Bob, Me Seiler half a billion redzone kids, The drs mandrola and everybody else you know driving stakes and rolling tape. Total, wonderful anarchy ensued. And it worked. Mr Garner and I took a few laps with David Loignon(oh Im gonna drop some names) while tallgirl and the seilerettes had fun laughing at my new "go-fast" feature.

Granted you'll all make fun because its not all carbon right? snobs.

Sunday morning came and it was cold as I've seen since brookside last year. We lined up in 25 degrees, giddy about racing for the state championship, glory and fun. I wish I could have seen Molnar pass guys with one leg after his pedal came out, but I have it on solid sober(sorta) authority that it happened.

Even though I crashed and didnt get the result I wanted, I hung out with all my cyclocross friends drank way too much beer, ate carrot cake chased with woodford(and I still dont know why) and watched everyone spiral out into a great time. Were people overly "happy"? you bet your ass. did someone do a few donuts in the fairway? I can't admit any knowledge of that sort of thing. But I would have cheered my lungs out if I had.

I spent time with the guys I raced against, sharing beers and laughs with the people I'd fought so hard on the racecourse. I spent time with lots of folks and enjoyed seeing so many of my teammates get medals as state champions.

I think I lost half a lung cheering for Oli as she outsprinted the ohio state champion for the outright win and tried to cheer for Sherri as hard as she cheered for all of us all year long.

Watching Seiler, Zack and ColoradoJoe ride off the back of the elite race passing beers back and forth(allegedly) may be the funniest thing I've seen in any type of race.

There was racing, wrestling(really) and the ugliest group photo Ive ever seen. why did Paul feel the need to hold me up like a newlywed in the picture? No idea.

You'll no doubt read great posts about it

here

Louisville Dirt Club and here

SeeZanneRun and here

AQUESTFORUNDERSTANDING and here

DrJohnM and probably lots of other places that Ive left out

Hey I don't want this to turn into a sloppy man-hug. I've made some amazing friends thru this silly sport. People I might have never known if not for falling for cyclocross. I hope everybody gets as much out of this as I have....and has the unlimited package for txting. whew.

We said good by to a place we all feel attached to. That doesnt mean we arent excited about what could be an amazing facility at bandman(actually, Im just dying to start a post with "this one time, at bandman" )

where was I? oh right, not letting this turn into a sloppy manhug. Screw it. I looked out at the sillyness, the racers and the families and the screwballs with the alchohol and saw a community. I laughed really hard and raced really hard at this place(and crashed in the same spot twice!) Im glad that I got to be a part of it.

Maybe some new pedals to help with the starts? yeah, thats it...........................................

More to come about other events, but this one needs to settle for a while. Mandrola said he's starting a chess team for the winter. I bet the rook crashes.

As the man said "tomorrow we'll start the same old thing again"