Of Grass and Closed Memos

I'm a little addled today...Called on twice in two classes, a citation test and 14 page closed memo on long arm jurisdiction and implied warranties yesterday. On Sunday I actually decided that my entire memo was junk and started over, and then on Monday I turned in my rough, instead of final, draft on accident...That was an uncomfortable office visit (turned out "o.k." in the end). I must say that sometimes I wonder about my choice to abandon my seven hour days, 183 days a year at subsistence salary. Right now it sounds pretty damn good. Anyway, six weeks left this semester.

Saturday, before agonizing about the memo I raced NMCX#4 at Wildflower Park (Balloon Fiesta Park). I dreaded this race as I remembered last year when I had a touch of the flu. It was sleeting, the course was all wet, deep grass (except for the sandpit) with lots of climbing (90' per lap), and I struggled to finish second from last. Well, it wasn't so bad. Yes, the climbing was still there, and the grass was deep, but that is where the similarities ended. First of all, the weather was great and I wasn't sick. It got even better when Steve at the Bike Coop incorporated about 500m of drainage ditch into the course, and the crab apple minefield on the climb was absent this year. This was a wild, fun course.

We started in a mass sprint up the concrete ditch to a 90 degree exit out of the ditch, into the grass and then rode a fast grassy down hill for quarter mile to a swooping 180 degree dismount section. From then we attacked the main deep grass ascent that was infested with giant crab apples last year. Went over barriers, and then we entered some fantastic grassy chicanes where you could just tear into the corners unless you went down (I didn't, but a few did). The course then took you through the sand pit in two directions, followed by more grass chicanes and a fun dive back into the drainage ditch. Fantastic!

Anyway, the field was big (34) and the start was a cluster, but uncharacteristically I managed to hit the first turn out of the ditch in the middle of the pack and spent the rest of the event contesting 9th and 10th places with six other rider. Unfortunately this one, for the second week in a row, turned into a bike race. Those HURT. In the end I finished 14th, not enough for points, but I was never out of contention, finished in an uphill sprint, and I'll take a top 50% finish in a cross race any day (at least until I improve). One final thought...I was outsprinted in the end by a 14 year-old...I guess that I need to shed some of those post IM (distance) pounds.

PS-Cross is the most fun you will ever have on a bike...Where are the outlaws? www.nmcross.com

PPS-Oh, and I just picked up my next memo assignment...and this one is "open". Can you say 756 citation hits? Oh joy of joys!