flats

Flats in races are funny- they can totally change your day and always come at the worst time. It seems like there are some days when you just hope you'll flat so you can stop and change it or just call it quits. Then when someone asks how it went you can say "Oh, I flatted" rather than "Oh, I sucked". That never happens though and you always flat when you are feeling good and think you can put together a good ride.

Before last nights Draper ICUP race I had been close to 2 years without flatting in a race. I guess my time was up. I think the last time I flatted in a race was two years ago at Deer Valley in what I would say was a breakthrough race for me. I actually rode with Bart the whole race and we were about 1 minute behind Eric Jones. That was after a year of getting shelled in the pro class and of course I flatted with about 20 minutes to go. Still managed 3rd I think. Anyway, enough reminiscing.

Not that last nights race was going to be anything too special but I was feeling good and riding comfortably up the 1st lap climb with Mitchell in tow and we got a solid gap. He charged around me at the top and I started the dh a few seconds back. Then I heard the dreaded pssst pssst pssst. Tried to get some stans to go down in the hole but didn't have any luck. I ended up throwing a tube in and got back on course in probably about 10th. I got back in to a rythym after a few minutes and decided to make a charge. Got all the way to 2nd which I was pretty stoked on. Just aired up a new Conti Mtn King Protection 2.2 which has a thicker casing.

I am moving in with Sammi next week- looking forward to it (not the move itself- I hate moving) but at the same time will miss living at Ty's. She has no idea what she is in for...