Phillipsburg Cross

Raced Sunday in Phillipsburg, mom was babysitting and the race was local (30 minutes away). I figured out a few thing not to do before a cross race...

don't leave your bike in the car for the entire week before the race!
don't eat 2 bowls of Cookie Crisp 1 hour before the start!
don't show up to the race 15 minutes before the start!
don't not pre-ride the course! (PRERIDE THE COURSE!)

While hurrying up getting dressed I'm thinking about this being my last cross race for the year, and dang it there is a monster hole in my gloves. Oh well I'll get some new ones for next year.
Line-up with out any idea of what lays out on the course... not a good idea, especially on this course, as I'd find out later...
Got my usual great start, I decided it would be smart if I didn't lead the course. So, I sat in on the guy in first...
not so bad, usual cross stuff, hmmm off camber drop off.... no problem,
ok 180 around a tree off camber... why's he running it?...I can ride it...NOT down I go and take out most of the guys behind me... oops, sorry guys.
back on, S turns through some trees... no problem... dang it, under the tape, hey but back on course
what the heck is going on with my bike? The freehub is sticking, crap... anytime I coast the chain keeps going... NOT GOOD!!!
ok, pavement, hey, cool a skatepark, hmm, up a bank and down, tight but no problem...
barriers... no problem
pavement... no problem
course goes up a steep hill... carry momentum, doh! it goes back down, lucky...
more pavement...What the!?!? Holy crap that is steep! and LOOSE! Momentum is your friend... guys are getting off at the bottom, I'll cruise by them and get off halfway up....BAM!! I'm on my back in the loose dirt!!! Aw crap!! there were all those people watching!
Whew, we're back on grass, through the football uprights
Hey, why is everyone stopping at the top of this hill?!?!? WHOA!!! STEEP!! AND LOOSE!!! Made it...
OK, now I have to do it a few more times...
No problem... I'll get off the bike and run around the tree...WHAM!!! on the ground, DANG IT!!! the ground is frozen!! OUCH!!! That's gonna leave a mark!

The rest of the race was a lot of the same. Sometimes I could make it on the technical stuff and other times, well, I couldn't...

This photographer knew to set up shop at the bottom of the loose steep drop off:
This is how you do it.
This is how NOT to do it.
Don't steer into the crash, you dummy!

That was probably the most fun I've had racing the cross bike all year! Even though I am a little banged up! The course reminded me of the Ft. Devens course of a few years back... good job guys! Thanks!