Monday Morning Ride......
Zewack and I did an alternate version of five points this morning. Started out Ben Franklin from his house and out to 422. then back onto five points road. Did the standard Five points loop from there until Creekside. From there we headed across to Fulton Run then took a right onto Marian Hill...OUCH. them n back Ben Franklin to Rich's.
Was nice to get out in the AM for a change adn I felt pretty good for the whole ride.
Just in case you don't know what a Prairie Dog is......
Well...this is what might come to mind......
But......This is a breif story of ones own personal Prairie Dog
Prairie Dog
Saturday morning started a little early about 5:30 AM with a rather immediate need to evacuate my system. OK race day poop, out of the way, that might be a good thing. Always good to know that you’ll be a little lighter for the race;) The Tour De Strongland mountain bike race started at 10AM and being my home course, I wanted to have a good showing. Unfortunately, about ½ way through brushing my teeth an audible rumble starts in my mid section and the need returns urgently enough to force me to the throne, toothbrush still in hand. After three more angry contributions and some Pepto; I’m heading out the door about 9 AM to still do the race. I’m feeling better and at least the cramps are gone. I don’t really feel sick or anything so I line up with the rest of the boys to start the race. Apparently there are no other bike races today in Western PA and about every fast rider (both road and mountain) have lined up at the start of the expert class race.
I’m lined up near the front knowing that a bad lead out to the single track destroys any chance of a decent finish. I feel a little grumble. Ah, just race day nerves, it’ll be OK. The gun goes off and away we go. I’m sitting about 5th wheel on the express train to the single track. We are cruising along fast enough that no one can come around on this double track section to pass. Perfect. A little surge occurs and I hop out of the saddle to respond. That’s when I make my new friend. Sparky the prairie dog has made an appearance. I sit back down, clench up and Sparky hides away…for a little while. The entire first lap becomes a new game that really doesn’t involve cycling much. Sparky wants to come out and play, I try to contain him. Great fun!
Apparently when prairie dogs are kept inside they get bored. So to pass the time I guess they do what comes natural. BREED! It now appears that Sparky and his family are a rather prolific mixture of Irish Catholic and Mormons. No birth control in that group. By about half way thru the second and mercifully, the final lap, Sparky, his wife, his 12 kids, aunts, uncles, a couple cousins and some adopted refugee prairie dogs from China all want to come out a play REAL BAD! I’m now putting twice the effort into my sphincters than I am my leg muscles. Luckily I ride a perfectly clean lap (both literal and figurative) for fear that a crash would undoubtedly release the entire clan. With about a mile to go I am fantasizing about the port-a-potty at the finish. I’ve got my gloves off, by camel back unclipped, and my helmet off as I cross the finish line and am now putting out the hardest cycling effort of the day to outsprint the 70 year old women ambling towards the john. I power slide across her path to block her progress and beat her sorry ass to the prize, in just enough time to return the Sparky and his kin to the wild….Shew! Close one!
PS: Although I had a rewarding finish in the mountain bike race on Saturday (I didn’t soil myself) my placing was abysmal. The good news is that I conserved a lot of energy and came back on Sunday and vindicated myself by actually winning The Tour De Strongland Road Race II in a full on sprint, by beating the rest of the 11 man break away.
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