Bubba #1: Things That Go Bubba in the Night

5/365: Ready to roll to Bubba #1. The Audi is the cx mobile this year. I wonder how much mud will end up on the roof.

The Bubba Series kicked off at Buder Park down in Fenton this year. The course was flat and fast with lots of straight aways and areas of little to no light. Not being a girl who rides a lot in the night, I was a little apprehensive in parts. Six women went to the line in the A race with a good number of B racers behind us. I wondered as I looked at the quality of the racers on the line with me if I should have been in the back row. The whistle blew and we went off. Carrie and Sunny quickly took the lead and I was immediately on the back. We hit the long straights and I was staying easily with Cory. I passed her after the barriers, only to fall behind her at the logs. We wound through the back side and headed to the start/finish. I shifted into the big ring for the pavement and I couldn't pedal. I back pedal and dropped down and got movement. I again shifted and was in the ring. Somewhere through the flat straight aways, I overtook Cory again. I went through the darkness, hit the backside and was shifting to the big ring for the pavement when my chain dropped again. This time I couldn't pedal it back on.

I jumped off my bike and tugged at my chain. It was stuck between the ring and the crank arm. I finally ran to the pit and the guys there helped me. As I lost valuable time, I resigned myself to just finishing. No place for me tonight. The guys in the pit got the chain on and my pedals moving and I jumped back in to the race from where I left it. Two pedal strokes and I had no resistance. My chain broke. WTF! I was done. I jumped the tape and walked to the officials. I told Larry I was DNF. I shouldered my bike and headed towards the car. Rich Pierce said hi and asked what was wrong. When I told him, he said he could fix it so that I could race tomorrow. My response was, "Heck, if you fix it, I'll finish tonight's race." Rich and his handy multi-tool, and Susan, his wife, with her flashlight got me up and running. I jumped back on the course, told Larry I was back in the race and finished the last two laps. Sunny lapped me in my first lap back in and Carrie got me on the last one.

My disappointment came after the race when I found out that I had been DQ'd for my entrance/exit from the pit. This was my first time having to use the pit in a cx race and I got there with the mindset of a crit racer--get to the pit anyway you can as long as you don't ride backwards. I'll know better next time.

Sometimes you're just happy to race. Shots from Dennis Fickinger after my busted chain and repair. Thanks to Rich & Susan Pierce!