Tell Me Again Why I Thought Catting Up Was A Good Idea?

Huber’s Apple CX on Sunday, the Bob’s Red Mill Oatmeal Cup, was my first “non-beginner” Cyclocross race. What’s funny is all the sandbaggers (errr, “rookies”) from last year in the 4s lined up next to me again in the 3s… the more things change…

I was told that Huber’s Apple farm/winery/restaurant/vineyard was a great place for the family and a great cx course. So, I loaded up the wife, child, father in law, mother in law, brother in law, and 2 nephews for the 2 ½ drive to Starlight, IN. Can’t find it on a map? That’s because the only thing in Starlight, IN is a silo. Seriously.

We arrive at the venue and I must say, Joe Huber has quite a spread. I unload, register, change and pin a number. The fam heads over to the farm to take hayrides, pick apples and ride ponies while I warm up. The course is fast but challenging. A steep run up is rideable but at what cost? A double sand pit the same. Overall a great test for the new tubies (worked flawlessly) and a good reminder what CX is all about (sweet, sweet pain). Big props out to the Bob’s Red Mill team for course design and a well run event. Those guys are 100% class. And not slow on bikes either.

My race was fairly uneventful. Good start, sand pit tangled everyone up, the fast guys dropped me, I caught and passed a few riders, I held off Christian because he only had 2 gears. I was the last rider not lapped so my final lap was lonely until the elite guys warming up caught up to me. Having my father in law as a cheering/screaming lunatic on the hill climb made it hurt a little less. The shouts of “C’mon Rogue!” always push me a little, and having my daughter ringing her “jingle bell” at the sand pit always makes me go faster. Not so fast I can’t smile and wave though… and best cheer goes to my wife who channeled Ricky Bobby combined with the Trent to Mikey speech, screaming at me in the sand that I was an “Animal in the sand! A SAND ANIMAL!”

This year in the 3s is going to be a challenge. 45 minutes is a loooonnnnnng time and all the racers are fast(er). Hopefully I can “race myself into shape”. After my race we headed over to shop for overpriced pie filling, took a lap through the corn maze, and then sat down to the buffet dinner the racers got at a discount. DAMN! Mrs. Huber can make some fried chicken and apple cobbler. This was probably my first race ever where I did not leave with a calorie deficit. I am glad this place is 2.5 hours from my house because I would be racing Clydesdale.

Here are crappy cell phone pics proving I climbed the steep hill.

And here is the real reason we came down here. Dad’s race can’t compete with this.