Trickity Track

So because I've been out with this pneumonia thing and my lungs are half the useless bags they used to be, I have started doing other things on the bike. I've picked MTB'ing up again, I started racing the track, and I picked up surfing again.

Losing my track cherry.

I decided that I should do a track class before I just started racing. Let someone take me on the wall and learn about the lines and the races and the etiquette. Everything. I took the class from Meg. She does an awesome job. She gives the history of the track, and goes over everything you need to know to be on the track safely and to have fun. She answers questions brilliantly and she is way under paid.

After the "classroom" time she said lets get on our bikes (which by the way I rented mine) she said "Don't worry we won't go on the wall, just yet" She must have read the fear in all of our eyes. We rolled around on the apron and up on the track then off then on it was pretty awesome. We did a little more talking then, "You guys ready to go up the wall?" There wasn't one person jumping up and down but we had to do it sometime. Off we went, we rolled around on the apron got up on the track and we played follow the leader. As we were heading toward that wall man everything in your mind is telling you it's a bad idea at the slow speed we were going. We kept approaching and bam we are on the thing and the giggling ensued. Giggling from fear of sliding off the wall and giggling from elation and be on there and not sliding off, giggling and swearing. Good times. It took several passes on the wall for the "OH FUCK"s to stop and the giggling to subside. What a frickin' trip. I was hooked. I've been racing the track since. I went the following Friday.

In fact we had a ridiculous field in the beginners. There was a pro on the road in our field and some cat 1's and 2's on the road as well. Not fair. That pro was tough for sure! I tried staying on his wheel in the scratch race and evidently he is a surgeon 'cause he ripped my knee caps off, I lasted a little while but was no match for a guy who gets paid to ride a bike. I'm definitly looking forward to more time on the track.