New race so I figured there ought to be a new set of race goals (soon to be know as the JRA - just riding along - strategy). The Olympia Street course stood ready to take on all contenders and thump some of us into submission. The Dry-Cities had received a bit of rain the night before, just enough to tone the moondust down a notch. We still ended up with a couple of loose sections but it wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been.

The race director started us off LeMans style. In keeping with my sharply honed strategy, I hung back and made sure I didn't get caught up in the melee' (hey, you get to pass more people that way, right?). The first deep sandy section was negotiated by all without any problems (butt back - brakes off - away we gooooooo!). I got stalled out on one of the earlier climbs but pushed on anyway. Got to the big "double" climbs and saw three riders walking in the middle of the trail ahead of me. I called out "MIDDLE" and they scattered off to the side. Too bad I wasn't there a minute earlier as Marv Cramer had executed a perfect one-foot-on-the-pedal 360 degree spin move - BMX style. I chugged up the hills and proceeded down only to be caught, and passed, by Marv and his cohorts on the doubletrack. Surfed through some of the looser sections (just like powder skiing) and made it back to the start area in one piece.

The second lap is usually where I get somewhat warmed up. Only problem is that I'm so far behind the leaders at that point that it doesn't matter. I just kept chanting my mantra like I'm supposed to "JRA, JRA" and let the race come to me. Made all the climbs this time and had started down towards the doubletrack when I came across a rider standing by the side of the trail. He kept insisting that he was OK but I didn't want to take a chance. He was holding his arm kind of stiffly and said it hurt some. Turns out he cracked his helmet and may have cracked his collarbone as well. My race, so to speak, was over but I'm just glad that he didn't get hurt any worse. Oly ended up claiming two collarbone victims - one had to take an ambulance ride to the hospital.

Hope you all did well and exceeded all your expectations!

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