Jingle Cross Rock 1

Jingle Cross is the best race in the Midwest with a course that features tough climbs and scary descents, lots of fans, and a nice payout in all categories.

Day 1
I show up to the line and 1 minute before the start and notice the pressure in my tire has gone down to about 2 psi even though I filled it about an hour ago. I hate Michelin latex tubes. Every one I used this year has failed me. They are very expensive yet they are poorly constructed and they fail at the valve stem where the tube is connected together. I'll never use Michelin latex tubes again.

My goal was to focus on going hard off the line, making it to the pit, switching bikes and getting back in the race. With such low pressure in the tires, I nearly crashed through every turn and was in last by the time I switched bikes. Unfortunately I didn't have it in the legs to make up much ground on anyone, was over geared on my backup bike and had difficulty on the steep run up Mt Krumpit.

Oh well, I usually do much better on the second day.

That night the host hotel had a screening of a movie called Zero Traction. It was a documentary about the 2007 KC Nationals and how racers had to not only battle their fellow competitors, but also the harsh Midwest winter. It was pretty good and I liked how it focused on more than just the pro race and gave the amateur racers plenty of camera time as well.

I had heard on TV that there were winter storm warnings but little did I know that Zero Traction would foreshadow the conditions we would face the next day.