Nine Mile

First time for me at the WORS Big ring Classic in Nine Mile Forest outside of Wausau. Drove up Sunday morning as the sun rose. The event did not disappoint. 2 1/2 lbs lighter than the last race. I was actually hoping to catch a smaller field and up my position in the series standing but this was the largest so far this year. The largest WORS race so far this year.

A nemesis of old rose out of the abyss. Passing me in the middle of the second lap I finished a minute behind him despite soundly defeating him in the first two races. At the simply fantastic post race refreshments I found him grinning. He claimed that he had to stop twice to rehang his chain after he passed me.

"And then you had to carry two downed racers to safety before returning to your bike.... right?" I added.

I was slightly dehydrated, my tire pressure was too low and I had slept less than an hour the night before. It could have been different. He complimented me on how fast I was through the single track. That would be single track I had never seen before the race start. Yeah, I'm not without skills..... Or maybe he said that to make himself look better.....

This years designated nemesis failed to impress this race. Went back and forth with him several times throughout the race. Here is a photo caught by the parents of an outstanding young professional (career wise) participant at the end of the first lap. Myself leading slightly, my wife happened to catch us a few moments later (or earlier?) on our camera.

Though he didn't believe he could catch me, spurred on with a challenge by some one we'll call 'Wally' my nemesis came to catch me at the end. The person we'll call 'Wally' led him forward and then jumped in front of me before a section of single track. Spending that section trying not to ride up on his back tire and not knowing he had carried my designated nemesis with him, I didn't pass until the next opening. The person we'll call 'Wally' couldn't keep up.

On the second to final long stretch, as I approached a 90 degree direction change the designated nemesis flew by me into the turn. If I had been on top of things I would have immediately peddled hard in behind him and mimicked him through the turn. Not taking the turn as fast he took quite a lead. Another 90 degree direction change into the final stretch found me well over a good stone's throw behind. Pushed it hard and started closing the gap quickly. May very well have caught him if a young participant/spectator hadn't yelled, "Pump it up." Don't know which of us he was yelling at but the designated nemesis turned to look and managed to barely not loose his immense advantage.

Here is a story that might inspire some younger competitors.