creepyfriendly: LAXative.

When you come to my casa or is it mi casa? I offer you two things: hard wood floor space and bad coffee. Rachael and company got both.

The wake up was early due to the 2+ hour drive up to Lacrosse. Djohn showed on time which proceeded the caravan over to Marko's shack. Literally a shack. It's condemned. Destruction is slated for next summer. Condo's I assume.

Knock knock. No joke, no answer. Sleeping in is the last thing on my mind since we had some spinning to do.

Enter the Wisconsin State Single Speed Championships. New Venue, new chamois, new attitude. Lemans style start. 1/4 mile in road shoes is like a 1/4 mile on square wheels. Darkness was off the front like a gazelle. It was almost as if his deer like stride was mocking my linebacker form. Guess Marko's weight and win a BKB hat. Seriously.

Onto the bikes, one-two. Parade lap, lead out lap, whatever you call it. I couldn't wait to get to the single track. I slip by Marko just before entering the track. Where am I? The realization that I've never ridden these trails set in on the first switchback. I was a spanish student in chinese. Dab, shoulder, dab, skid, slop. I cursed my way through the first lap. It was a blur as I regrouped and aimed straight. The decents were scary fast. Trees whizzing within inches of my bar ends, rocks bottoming out on the rim, it was a riot.

By lap two Marko and I seperated ourselves from the pack and little did we know that the gap was nearing the nine minute mark. It's different when your ridiing with another single. It's quite. smooth. I had to check my shoulder to see if Marko was still there. I wanted to see him as much as I didn't. I kept the pace even when we were worn and I think that was the difference. Going into the cash logs I was flawless. The whole section created the gap. Regardless we worked the race well. Marko was rolling great and I couldn't help but wonder what would have happened if we had to battle the final stretch. Fisher 29 goes one two!

The HPT trails are a destination. The trail crew did an excellent job designing a course that is not only cardio challenging but technically challenging. Thanks to the boys at Smith's cycle. The TBS for transport. My rad Gary Fisher (36:21), Marko, BKB crew, Griff for putting it in perspective, and all the stoked racers.