deep ruts in the eastern empire

So yesterday was the big show. we had a desent sized field for a west coast, still kinda school year, race. XC was bright and early at 8 am. which ment early evrything, and not the best sleep/eat pattern. if theres one reason to upgraqde, its to get rid of this 8pm and 8 am racing schedual. The race went pretty well. bike worked great, ( now a firm beleaver in nontubless tires with stans set up ) and the legs felt desent for the most part. took the whole shot and was right on track to taking the single track climb first, but Blake snuck around me right belfore hand. another kind ( i say kid, but am thinking. " he must have been 30" ) came by on the paved section and those 2 were gone all day. i rode in 3rd for most of the first lap untill 2 others joind me from behind. i sat up[ a bit on the first of the 2 climbs on lap 2 and let them get a gap. i caught one of the kids along the long flat section on the back and never saw him again. i closed doen to 10 seconds on third at the top of the last climb on lap 3, but he got away on the DH in some lap trafic and i was never abel to get closer than " right around the corner". there was more important stuff to deal with as one of the Mexican riders had closed the gap down a bit from behind, and i caught a glipse of him a few switchbacks down right before the final DH and flat strech. i took it smooth on the last windy desent and avoided the shap stuff then drilled it on the flats. he must have used evrything he had to close on the first few climbs cause he lost more than 3 min on the last 4 miles. went back, showered, and made it to the course in time to check out the STXC's. Eathan tore the junior field apart only to loose out to chance noble at the end. women were exciting, and Chloe was desending the 1 DH like a mad women. quite impressive. then the mens race was " on like donkykong", a "huricane of pain" i you will. Sager was incredable and would have podiumed had he had a front row start. but 10th is still a great result. Tristan was riding way up front with the big boys for a while ( as JB chased behind ) but the enevitable happened and he blew to shreds. Nick rode like a girl... no, he actualy did pretty well. it was a hard course to not have a front row-ish call up. pictures soon ROOT 66 sunday?